By Deborah Fineblum/JNS.org Israel is a country that has spent more than six decades weaving the two formerly disparate basic branches of the Jewish family, Sephardim and Ashkenazim, into one people. These days, nary an eyebrow is raised as they hang out, date, and marry in the Jewish state, and most of their cultural differences […]
When Sephardim and Ashkenazim truly differ Read More »
Jewish Religion
By Michele Alperin/JNS.org As the intersection of family, Jewish memory, and the passions of contemporary politics and society, the Passover seder is said to be the most celebrated annual Jewish event in the United States. But it is not always easy to make all seder attendees feel the Haggadah’s mandate that in every generation, each
Some tips for making the seder memorable Read More »
Jewish ReligionDETROIT (Press Release) — A survey of Detroit area Jews and Muslims reveals high levels of interest to learn more about the other, find ways to experience each community’s practices and customs, and engage in joint activities. “Both groups express willingness to engage with each other,” concludes the survey, Building a Shared Future: Understanding the
Detroit Muslims and Jews desire friendship Read More »
Jewish Religion, USABy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California —The Jerusalem Post featured an unusual article about the Chief Rabbi of Holon Rabbi Avraham Yosef, the son of the late Sefardic-Haredi leader, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. His son sits on the Israel Chief Rabbinate’s council and commands considerable influence in Orthodox politics in Israel and abroad. In
Rabbi Yosef’s opinion on plagiarism is mistaken Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — On the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh Nisan, the beginning of the Jewish month of Nisan, we read a special maftir portion of the Torah. We even give this Shabbat a special name. We call it Shabbat Ha-Chodesh based on the first important words of the special maftir: Ha-Chodesh
Which New Year is it, anyway? Read More »
Jewish ReligionTorah, Chazal, and Science By Rabbi Moshe Meiselman, Israel Bookshop, Lakewood, NJ ISBN 978-1-60091-243-6 ©2013, $36.95, p. 887, including appendices, bibliographical notes, and index Reviewed by Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California –What does it mean to know something? If you didn’t give an immediate answer, then how do you know that you know if you
Book review: ‘Torah, Chazal and Science’ Read More »
Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish ReligionNEW YORK (Press Release) – The heads of Jewish and Christian organizations and denominations met in an unprecedented summit in New York City on Thursday, March 26, to discuss strategies to strengthen and maintain relationships even in the face of significant disagreements. The gathering to discuss relationships and how we treat each other was the first to
Christians, Jews meet in summit Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA
HANOVER, Germany (WJC) — Margot Kaessmann, the former head of the Protestant and Lutheran Churches in Germany, says that her church had been complicit in fostering anti-Semitism in Germany since the times of Martin Luther. Kaessmann called Luther’s 1543 pamphlet ‘About the Jews and their lies’ “horrible” and wrote in an opinion article published by
Former Lutheran bishop says Luther’s writings ‘horrible’ Read More »
International, Jewish History
SAN DIEGO (Press Release) — Allan Finkelstein, who has spent his entire career working to strengthen Jewish Community Centers (JCCs) and the role that they play in American Jewish life, will retire from leading the Jewish Community Centers Association of North America, where he has served as president and CEO since 1994. His retirement is effective
Allan Finkelstein to retire from JCCA Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USA
SAN DIEGO (Press Release)–A unique prayer book commissioned by the JWB Jewish Chaplains Council will be first used at Shabbat services on Friday and Saturday, March 28-29 during the JCC Association Biennial in San Diego. It is the first time since World War II that a siddur (Hebrew for prayer book) has been created expressly
New siddur for military to debut at JCCA Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego CountyEditor’s Note: Israel Video Network put this film up on YouTube. It shows Anne Frank watching from her window to see a bride and groom who are neighbors. The apartment window she leans from apparently was the one in which the Frank family lived before moving to the Secret Annex made so famous in young
A video of Anne Frank before she went into hiding Read More »
Jewish History
By Norman Greene LA JOLLA, California –“My Mom was tough and she wanted to fight, but this wasn’t a fair fight,” Danny Neiman said as he eulogized his mother Linda Thaler Neiman, 66, who this past Sunday, March 23, lost a battle to an extremely aggressive form of pancreatic cancer that was diagnosed only
Linda Neiman eulogized at Adat Yeshurun Read More »
Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County
By Aryeh Savir JERUSALEM (TNA) – After decades in exile, Zionist leader Zeev Jabotinsky’s ceremonial saber was returned to his heirs, the State of Israel. After being confiscated by the British in 1920, the sword was presented yesterday (Mar. 24) by Police Commissioner Insp.-Gen. Yochanan Danino to Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu. The top police brass convened
Israel receives sword of Jabotinsky Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East
CHICAGO (Press Release)–The world’s Reform rabbis will convene in Chicago Sunday, March 30, through Wednesday, April 2, 2014, for the 125th Convention of the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR). The CCAR is the representative organization of nearly 2,000 Reform rabbis, the world’s largest group of Jewish clergy. Over 570 registrants will gather to consider
Reform rabbis to convene in Chicago March 30 Read More »
Jewish Religion, USA