Lifestyles

Centenarian Jewish painter an inspiration for girls aspiring to careers in art

Though she had a remarkable artistic eye, living in the early 1900s brought significant challenges for women trying to succeed in a male-dominated art world, where gender inequality and oppression were common. [Cailin Acosta]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Cailin Acosta, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Ki Tissa: The Golden Calf and the ache of separation

Moses climbed the mountain to receive the tablets. He carries no provisions, no visible sign of return. Day after day the people wait. No Moses. No voice from the peak. Only silence and the smoldering summit. In their minds the unthinkable takes shape: the man who brought them out of Egypt, who split the sea, who spoke face to face with God—he is gone. Perhaps swallowed by the fire. Perhaps dead. [Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel]

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Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Keshet celebrates 20th anniversary of impactful film about gay Jewish students and faculty coming out

As a high school student in Florida, I spent much of my time challenging administrators and founding my school’s Gay Straight Alliance. Safe spaces for LGBTQ+ students and allies were few and far between then, and they are far from guaranteed now. [Jaimie H. Krass]

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Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

The Purim Spiel: An explanation and an example

Beyond the surface-level parody, the Spiel functions as a sophisticated tool for the mastery of terror. By transforming a genocidal antagonist—whether the biblical Haman or his modern iterations—into a buffoonish, pitiable caricature, the community performs a collective “reclamation of power.” [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Israel, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

‘Tis the season for hamantaschen, megillah readings, and mishloach manot

Purim is celebrated by exchanging mishloach manot, donating to charity, eating a festive meal, and listening to the reading of the Megillah. Other traditions include wearing costumes, parades, drinking wine, and eating hamantaschen. So many fun ways to celebrate as a community that our ancestors survived. [Cailin Acosta]

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Cailin Acosta, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Opinion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA

‘Hostage’ is a first-hand account of a hijacking

She boards the plane like anyone else, and suddenly she’s in the middle of a nightmare. Now, as a retired cultural anthropologist and professor emerita from the University of Arizona, she brings this incredible mix of lived experience and scholarly eye to the story. She doesn’t just recount what happened—she digs into how it messed with her head and heart for decades. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Israel, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA

Opinion: Three pro-Jewish politicians embarrass themselves

A Jewish state assemblyman from the southwestern edge of Long Island was denied a rare opportunity to question New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani about Jewish fears while a first-term Jewish congressman voiced a preference for dogs over Muslims. Plus, President Trump’s man in Belgium intervened in the country’s health policies as they apply to mohels. [Bruce S. Ticker]

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Antisemitism, Bruce Ticker, International, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, News Media, Opinion, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Hadassah reports lung cancer treatment progress

P-Cure’s compact proton therapy system, which delivers a beam of radiation that precisely targets tumors, thereby preventing damage to nearby organs and healthy tissue, grew out of a two-year collaboration with oncologists, physicists, and physicians at Hadassah. [Cailin Acosta]

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Cailin Acosta, Israel, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

Tifereth Israel Synagogue celebrates its 120th anniversary in style

The party planning committee of Judy Rosenthal, Seth Krosner, Phil Johnson, and Lisa Berman-Hernandez shared heartfelt words about their love for the community and the importance of celebrating together as a congregational family. [Cailin Acosta]

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Cailin Acosta, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

Pro-Israel Democrats endorse SD City Councilwoman Marni von Wilpert for Congress

DMFI PAC’s Majority Project is the only effort focused on electing Democrats who stand with Israel as a democratic ally, are committed to confronting antisemitism and extremism, and recognize the U.S.-Israel relationship as a vital national security partnership — while remaining squarely focused on winning back the House. [Press Release]

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Antisemitism, Israel, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Press Release, USA

Bar-Ilan University to research impact of Oct 7 and aftermath on Israelis

The new center will conduct large-scale research on the diverse populations affected by the war, including former hostages and their families, soldiers, evacuees from Israel’s southern and northern regions, as well as professionals such as medical teams, emergency responders, and journalists. [Press Release]

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Israel, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Press Release, Science, Medicine, & Education