By Rabbi Baruch Lederman SAN DIEGO — Hashem (G-d) in His infinite mercy redeemed us from our bitter bondage. Not only did He free us physically, Hashem with boundless love restored our spirits emotionally and psychologically. We have the capacity both to pick ourselves up and to restore and comfort others, as the following true […]
Rekindling good spirits after a tragedy Read More »
Jewish Religion
By Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb NEW YORK — For several years now, I have been taking a train to work every day. Not a subway train, mind you, but an old-fashioned inter-city railroad train, complete with a conductor who collects the passengers’ tickets and even shouts, “All aboard!” I enjoy my daily train ride
Spiritual conversations with the man sitting next to me Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Baruch Lederman SAN DIEGO–The word Korbon (offering) comes from the word karov (close). When we bring offerings to the temple, it brings us closer to Hashem. The korbonos have many seemingly daunting details; but we can never lose sight of the big picture. The korbonos offer us an intensity of closeness that is
God’s gifts must be understood to be utilized Read More »
Jewish Religion
LA JOLLA, California (Press Release)– Hadassah’s centennial in the San Diego area was celebrated at a special Shabbat service on Friday, Feb. 24, at Congregation Beth El. Highlights of Hadassah’s achievements through each decade were shared with the congregation, including more than half of Israel’s hospital medical research and the rescue of thousands of children
Hadassah celebrates a century in San Diego Read More »
Jewish History
Tales of the Righteous, by Simcha Raz and Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins, Foreword by Elie Wiesel, Gefen Publishers, 2012, Jerusalem, ISBN 978-965-229-540-8. $24.95. By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — I enjoyed reading a translation of Simcha Raz’s latest new book, Tales of the Righteous. This book reminded me much of Louis Newman’s
‘Tales of the Righteous’ is an inspiring book Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
SAN DIEGO–Michael Naiman recently was looking through some old family albums when he came across a photo that his grandmother, Edith Naiman, had meticulously labeled. It was a photo of the B’nai B’rith Auxiliary taken on May 22, 1939. The auxiliary later became the Birdie Stodel Chapter of B’nai B’rith. The photo and its caption
Historic photo: 1939 gathering of B’nai B’rith Auxiliary Read More »
Jewish HistoryBy Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb NEW YORK– “There is no such thing as privacy anymore.” “There are no secrets anymore.” These are two complaints that are heard frequently nowadays. We live in a world of cell phones and e-mails, blogs, Facebook and Twitter. We have no privacy, for almost anyone can reach us wherever we are, whatever
Courtesy and confidentiality taught in the Torah Read More »
Jewish Religion
By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — Though official spokespersons for Zionist organizations have largely given up on shlilat hagolah, the rejection of the Diaspora, some Israelis still take every opportunity to make declarations that seek to invalidate Jewish life outsideIsrael. Two such pronouncements that got media attention have been made in the last few days.
Do you have to be Israeli to be fully Jewish? Read More »
Jewish Religion
By Joel A Moskowitz M D LA JOLLA, California — Why go to Synagogue? A recent lecture from a rabbinical leader of Reform Judiasm induced us to write this essay. It is from a personal experience, not from a member of the religious hierarchy. With almost eight decades of being a Jew, with various involvements
A doctor’s prescription for what ails synagogues Read More »
Jewish Religion
By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — Does the end ever justify the means? Not according to the Torah. One may not fulfill a religious obligation (a mitzvah) through unethical or immoral action. Our sages called this a mitzvah ha-ba’ah ba-aveirah, a mitzvah that is performed through a sinful act. One of the places our
Mitzvot must be fulfilled through honest, ethical action Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Baruch Lederman SAN DIEGO — Fifteen years ago there was a family from New York who lost their father. Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel ztl, Rosh Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim, had a particularly fond relationship with the deceased father and took it upon himself to ensure that his orphans would have a fatherly figure
The rabbi’s second family Read More »
Jewish Religion
By Rabbi Ben Kamin TEL AVIV—They were two anonymous young people born in the British mandate of Palestine about twenty years before the British quit and the UN unsuccessfully partitioned the territory into two projected states. They were among just several thousand faceless heroes that created the State of Israel and miraculously fought a regional
A wandering son of Israel returns to its earth Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — In his classical work on masculine spirituality, Iron John, Robert Bly notes how our contemporary society no longer provides the necessary rituals to help reintegrate warriors after a war. Unlike the ancient societies, which presented a series of complex rituals to help their soldiers make a
Kandahar massacre illustrates how war can tarnish a soul Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –For the past 2000 years, enemies of the Jews have often portrayed the Jews as leeches and vampires. Some people think Bram Stoker’s gothic novel about the blood-thirsty demon bears an uncanny resemblance to the pale-skinned Jew, who hates anything associated with the light of Christianity. Over
Metsitsa b’peh is a custom mohels should discard Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi