Lifestyles

Study underway of S.D.’s South African Jews

The South African Jewish American Community, better known as SAJAC, has issued its annual magazine for 2020, reporting that San Diego State University Prof. David B. Cline is conducting oral history interviews with community members. The magazine’s writers also offer suggestions on coping with COVID19, and Alzheimer’s Disease, and additionally they profile young entrepreneurs, visual artists, and poets, among other articles. [Donald H. Harrison, “Our Shtetl San Diego County”

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, Lawrence Baron, Lifestyles, San Diego County

‘Extra Innings’ is not only a baseball story

Released today on a variety of streaming services , Extra Innings is the story of a boy who was a very talented baseball player, whose Orthodox Jewish parents not only discouraged him from this pursuit, but also refused to attend any of his games. This was sad because the young man, modeled on writer/ director Albert Dabah’s own life, had natural talent, both as an outfielder and as a batter. [Movie review by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Sports & Competitions, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Family Life in a Changing Job Market

Think about it, a reality where you need two breadwinners to sustain a family simply makes no sense. Both parents stay out most of the day, and by the time they get home they are exhausted and barely have energy to dedicate their attention to their children. And in families with only one breadwinner the situation is of course much worse, both because there is only one parent to raise the children, and because single parents often have to work two jobs just to provide for the basic needs of the family. [Michael Laitman, Ph.D]

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Lifestyles

The Root Cause of His Tennis Garb

The most spectacular woman I ever met in my life was not a raving beauty, nor femme fatale. She was a trim, blonde, middle-aged woman of unremarkable features. She had not achieved the political accomplishments of a Golda Mier, and lacked the poetic soul of a Maya Angelou.She was a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney. Spectacular is an accurate description of Gladys Towle Root and paradoxical would be the correct adjective to describe her. [Ira Spector]

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Lifestyles, USA

Faith and Belief in Times of Crisis

When things go wrong, people look heavenward for answers and comfort. Since ancient times people have looked for something to hold onto in moments of crisis and distress, so it is only natural that this pandemic has triggered a search for an upper force, as studies confirm. This outcry will accelerate our discovery of the meaning of life and help us internalize an answer that will be found in the power of love between us. [Michael Laitman, Ph.D]

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Lifestyles

San Francisco Bay by Sea and Air

After I had completed active duty, the law required that for the next four years I attend monthly weekend duty and two weeks annual active duty at a base in my home environs. I lived in New York City and worked for American Airlines, so I had free air transportation and I was able to get assigned to the Captain of the Port office on Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco Bay. This was an important and busy command center that controlled all the ship and shore activity in and around the Bay, assuring that everything flowed smoothly and legally. [Ira Spector]

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Lifestyles, USA

Covid19, Jewish divisions: somber prospects for 5781

We are about to celebrate the Jewish New Year, a Rosh Hashanah like no other. Synagogues across America and the world are adjusting their services to the Covid-19 restrictions limiting physical gatherings. Besides the loss of lives, individual members and entire congregations have been deeply affected by the pandemic’s economic blows, wreaking havoc in rippling waves, which have fueled anti-Semites to blame Jews for the creation and spread of the virus. A somber future looks like the most realistic scenario, but this can definitely be changed if only we will see our fate as a single, seamlessly-shared project. [Michael Laitman, Ph.D]

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Jewish Religion, Lifestyles

Clearly no love in this tennis match

We were greeted at the door by our neatly attired host whose every stitch of tennis clothing he wore from his cap down to his sneakers and socks had a company logo emblazoned on them. He was a man about my age and height but considerably slender with no unusual features to distinguish him. We sat down for a respectful minute or two by the poolside patio, met his blonde attractive wife, and in very short order I detected the ”Holier than thou” waves emitting from the aura surrounding him. [Ira Spector]

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Lifestyles, Sports & Competitions

Gaining self-confidence in a synagogue’s embrace

We need to work together to make a better world, advancing the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam. It is through us and our allies advocating for marginalized communities that we can begin to reshape how people think about us. Disability has long been stigmatized and the fight to remove those stigmas has been an arduous journey. If we remember that all people no matter their disability, race, religion, or sexual orientation are capable of achieving anything, and that we are all made in the image of God, it should strengthen and motivate us to be better and to do better. [Joshua Steinberg, RespectAbility]

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Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, USA

Rainbow – What Will We Take out of Our Arks?

I also took into the sealed room a siddur that had been my mother’s, and one of my father’s, 1941 U.S. Army issue, so I could tell them I prayed from their prayer books. I ended the column, “We took into our sealed rooms fears, and uncertainty, and prayers. We must now ask ourselves what we brought out.” [Toby Klein Greenwald]

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Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Toby Klein Greenwald, USA

A Word of Torah: Rosh Hashanah 5781

This week we are not only celebrating Shabbos, but we are also ushering in a New Year, 5781. Many of us are uttering a sigh of relief as we close the door on 5780. In Hebrew we write out 5780 as Tav Shin Pay, which some have read as Tihay Shnas Pandemic (It will be the year of pandemic). According to that reading we are entering Tav Shin Pay Alef – Tihay Shnas AIN Pandemic – It will be the year WITHOUT pandemic. [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]

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Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi

Prospective and veteran clergy members contrast in style

Mark Dolson (Timothy Benson) is a seminarian ready to change the world, or at least the Catholic Church. He’d like to see women admitted to the priesthood. And he believes the church’s attitude opposed to homosexuality is outdated and archaic. Most of all, he believes that it is the job of the clergy to shake their parishioners from their materialism and complacency in order for them to truly follow the teachings of Jesus. [Play review by Donald H. Harrison]

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Bernhard H. Rosenberg-Rabbi, Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Being Grateful for Gratitude

Those who awaken daily to a mind filled with gratitude find grace and graciousness throughout life. The word gratitude is anchored in the Latin word gratia, meaning these gifts for, and of a positive life. And the good news is you can train yourself to open your eyes, your heart, at the start of every day, to grateful thoughts – especially valuable during these emotionally trying times of COVID19 when building wellbeing is particularly essential to living healthily. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Lifestyles, Michael Mantell