Lifestyles

‘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

A Jewish archeologist exults over evidence that Jews resided in Kiev since its 10th century founding

“I just found out that a great archeological discovery has been made,” he began. “Don’t ask how I found out about it. It’s a big secret. Our authorities do not like such stories very much. A letter written in the 10th century in Kiev was discovered in the old Cairo synagogue. The letter was written in Hebrew. It mentioned Kiev for the first time in history. …” [Alex Gordon]

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Alex Gordon, International, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Jews around the world to celebrate ‘Shabbat for Israel’ April 24

Thousands of individuals across the United States, Canada, Israel, and around the world will unite at private residences, synagogues, and community centers on April 24, 2026, for “Shabbat for Israel,” a coordinated series of intimate Shabbat dinners hosted in honor of Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day. [Press Release]

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International, Israel, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Press Release, Travel and Food, USA

Young woman atheist describes her conversion to Orthodox Judaism

Lobell notes that Judaism did not ask her to believe first, but to learn, to question, and to practice. Where Catholicism had been imposed, Judaism was discovered. Where faith once felt compulsory, it now felt invitational. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Michael Mantell, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors