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Interesting interpretations of early Bible stories

Exodus 13:17-18 states: “When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, ‘Lest the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.’ But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea.” [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Jewish Political briefing: Monday, Jan. 5, 2026

Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores pleaded innocent in the New York federal court of Judge Alvin Hellerstein to charges of drug and arms trafficking.  Attorney Barry Pollack represented Maduro at the arraignment.  The next court date was set for March 17. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Antisemitism, California, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Rabbi Heschel as interpreted by an ex-con turned rabbi

Imagine opening a book that doesn’t just sit on your shelf gathering dust—it walks with you through the chaos of everyday life, whispering (and sometimes shouting) that holiness isn’t reserved for mountaintops or monasteries. It’s right here, in the messy, miraculous grind of being human. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Politics in Israel have devolved into ‘Netanyahu, for or against him?’

The word “demonization” has earned a place in political science dictionaries. Unfavorable politicians and country leaders are demonized. The troubles and failures that have befallen countries are attributed to one person, the head of state or the head of government. [Alex Gordon]

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Alex Gordon, Israel, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Erika Morini

Erika Morini (January 5, 1904 – October 31 or November 1, 1995) was an Austrian and American violinist.

Morini was born in Vienna, and received her first instruction from her father, Oscar Morini (originally spelled Oser or Ojser, family name Moritz), who was the director of his own music school in Vienna, and from Rosa Hochmann. She completed her studies at the Vienna Conservatory under Otakar Ševčík, who was also the teacher of Jan Kubelik. [Wikipedia]

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Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia

Jewish political briefing: Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026

The Times of Israel translated Rodríguez’s quotes this way: “The governments of the world are simply shocked that it is the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela which is the victim and subject of an attack of this nature, which has, without a doubt, a Zionist tint.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Antisemitism, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, International, Israel, News Media, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

What’s going on? Our children want to know!

I wrote following the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk, our kids are watching, and current events transpire more quickly than we can sufficiently explain them to our children. In this case, having seen images of the U.S. military operation in Venezuela on television, my tween boys concluded it’s like “Conquer the World,” which is a game on Roblox. [Halie Soifer]

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International, Opinion, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Thomas Mann’s ‘Joseph and His Brothers’ well worth the long time it takes to read

This weighty tome comprising almost 1,500 pages of closely-printed text, is in fact four novels combined, and took the author some 17 years to write before it was first published in German in 1944. The translation into English by John E. Woods, reads fluently and convincingly, presumably mirroring the original German. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors