Jews are always looking for a new angle to bring additional joy to this holiday, even in simply finding the best new names for the old celebrations! Which of the following are actual Chanukkah celebrations that will be taking place this week? [Mark D. Zimmerman]
Jewish Trivia Quiz: Chanukkah 2025 Read More »
Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Mark D. Zimmerman, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire
I say once again: Jews around the world, and right here in San Diego, have the absolute right to feel safe and to be safe. We should not have to hide our joy, move our celebrations indoors, or “tone it down” to avoid attracting any unwanted attention. [Heidi Gantwerk]
Law Enforcement Officials Pledge Protection for S.D. Chanukah Events Read More »
Antisemitism, Heidi Gantwerk, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors
Did you know that Hanukkah candles are not intended to be used for practical benefit? Jewish tradition suggests that their light exists solely for pirsumei nisa, publicizing the miracle. For this reason, we have been taught that we do not read, work, or otherwise make use of their light. Meditation, however, is permitted when it is understood not as using the light, but as witnessing it. Sitting near the candles in quiet reflection, gratitude, or spiritual awareness allows us to honor the miracle without appropriating the light for our own needs. We do not take from the flame; we allow it to remind us of faith, resilience, and sacred presence. (Betzy Lynch)
The Symbolism and Challenges of the Eight Candles of Hanukkah Read More »
Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Opinion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors
The Trump Administration has halted naturalization ceremonies for people from 19 countries it deems “high risk.” Given that those affected have been vetted and have met the qualifications for citizenship, there can only be one reason why the President Trump has decided to take this step: he realizes that they are more qualified than he is to be an American citizen. [Laurie Baron]
OpEd: Some Immigrants are More Qualified than Trump for U.S. Citizenship Read More »
International, Lawrence Baron, Lifestyles, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
We are prepping to do some lobbying on Capitol Hill on Monday on Israel, voting rights, immigration, healthcare and more. We will also learn how to bring effective racial and social justice action steps and training for organizing to our local congregations. [Barrett Holman Leak]
Ms. Holman Leak Goes to Washington Read More »
Barrett Holman Leak, Israel, Lifestyles, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
Entrepreneurs, executives, creators, and growth-driven individuals from across the country convened for a rare and integrated journey designed to align internal identity with external results. Unlike traditional conferences that deliver fragmented insights, DeepDive offered a cohesive, holistic experience grounded in a timeless truth deeply echoed in Jewish wisdom: transformation of the outer world begins with refinement of the inner self. [Michael Adam Cohen]
Deep Dive 2025 Speakers Reflected Jewish Wisdom Read More »
Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors
As restaurant owners learned that Jews often eschewed pork, some began to offer traditional dishes with chicken instead – allowing more observant Jews to eat “kosher style,” without eating explicitly forbidden food. Today, there is wide variation in Jewish dietary practices, making Chinese food even more accessible for most Jews. (Samira Mehta)
As I walked in through the entrance near Five Guys Burgers and Fries, I was greeted by a delightful surprise: a Chanukah display set up at the main intersection, right beside the Five Below store. A representative was carefully adding the finishing touches as I passed by. [Cailin Acosta]
Our Shtetl: Chanukah Display at Parkway Plaza Read More »
Cailin Acosta, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food
I make a latke variation with just potatoes, onions, and garlic. I shred potatoes, zucchinis, and carrots. I use powdered onion and garlic powder, faux cheese, and fry in olive oil. It probably still makes the same mess of oil splatters as the traditional latkes. [Cailin Acosta]
Our Shtetl: Alternative Latke Recipes Read More »
Cailin Acosta, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Obituaries & memorials, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food
A concern that has been sitting quietly in the back of my mind about Jewish communal continuity came into sharper focus at the Z3 conference at the Lawrence Family JCC in La Jolla. It was not the content that troubled me. [Karen Klein]
Conference About Jewish Future Under-Attended by Young Jews Read More »
Israel, Judaism, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors
I pressed on. But answers to questions I didn’t get. Instead, he dismissed me with a referral for PT AND a lecture that began with the words “As we age” and ended with “live with it.” [Karen Galatz, The Matzo Chronicles]
The Matzo Chronicles: Medical Ageism. Don’t ‘Live with It’ Read More »
Karen Galatz, Lifestyles, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USAThe mailbox reads, “Put your worries in the box, I’ll take care of them for you.” [Betzy Lynch]
Putting Worries in a Mailbox Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined ContributorsFreckles, my beloved angora-mix rabbit, turned 7 on December 4 — the equivalent of 57 in “rabbit years.” My super-cool 13-year-old twins proudly tell everyone that Freckles is a Jewish rabbit. While certainly not kosher, she was blessed in 2019 by then-Rabbi Josh Dorsch of Tifereth Israel Synagogue. [Cailin Acosta]
Our Shtetl: A Jewish Rabbit? Read More »
Cailin Acosta, Holocaust, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food
By Michael Adam Cohen in San Diego Mark Zuckerberg on one screen, The world and I on another. The Meta logo flickers behind him like a heartbeat of the empire he built. I lean in, glasses catching the glow, feeling the anticipation crackle across the digital divide. As a longtime top two percent rising creator
Meta Connect 2025: 2 Live Jews, 2 Architects of Connection – Consciousness in Code Read More »
Business & Finance, Jewish Celebrities, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Technology, USA