Staff and Bylined Contributors

Jewish Political Briefing:  Friday, Dec. 19, 2025

Australia’s Prime Minister attended a ceremony in Sydney’s Great Synagogue memorializing the 15 people slain in the attack on the first night of Chanukah.  All 15 have now been identified as Matilda, 10, and adults Edith Brutman, Dan Elkayam, Boris Gutman, Sofia Gurman, Alex Kleytman, Rabbi Yaakov Levitan, Peter Meagher, Reuven Morrison, Marika Pogany, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, Adam Smyth, Tania Tretiak, Boris Tetleroyd, and Tibor Weitzen. [Donald H. Harrison]

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

Prayers and Cheerful Greetings Should Not Be Confined to This Time of Year

I was surprised the other day when I was attending a doctor’s appointment with a friend and told the checkout staff ‘happy holidays’ as we left. They stared at me and said, “Thank you, you were the first patient to say that to us all day.” I looked at my watch, and it was after 4 p.m. [Cailin Acosta]

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Cailin Acosta, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

Parsha Mikeitz: Light Needs Someone to Ignite It

Chanukah commemorates two intertwined events: the military victory of the Maccabees in 165 B.C.E. and the miracle of the cruse of oil that burned for eight days in the rededicated Temple. The Sages emphasized the miracle of the oil over the battlefield triumph, teaching that the essence of the holiday is pirsuma d’nisa, publicizing the miracle. Candle lighting and Hallel are therefore central mitzvot, announcing that Hashem is present in history and that His light endures. {Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Jewish Political Briefing:  Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025

By Donald H. Harrison in San Diego We encourage our readers to follow the links below to the stories that attract their interest. INTERNATIONAL The Bondi Beach massacre in which 15 innocents were murdered on the first day of Chanukah has had repercussions in Australia and around the world.  Australian Jewish News reports that Australia’s

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Antisemitism, California, Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, News Media, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA

Claims Conference Webcast Focus: Resilience of Holocaust Survivors

Greg Schneider, Executive Vice President of the Claims Conference, told viewers the program had been recorded before the tragic events in Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, and added: “With horror and heartbreak, we mourn with the Jewish community of Australia.” The speaker then pivoted to the evening’s central message of perseverance: “When faced with tragedy, the Jewish people always choose life,” a lesson the speaker said the world learns “especially from Holocaust survivors.” [Shor M. Masori]

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Holocaust, International, Jewish Celebrities, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Shor M. Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Chanukah Receives Exposure in La Mesa Village’s Annual Celebration

I was pleasantly surprised to discover a booth sponsored by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) in front of Swami’s Café. Staffed by AJC board members and youth leaders, the booth offered hands-on education about Chanukah, including lessons on how to play dreidel. Regional Director Sara Brown shared that La Mesa Vice Mayor Lauren Cazares personally invited AJC to participate and even stopped by the booth to celebrate with them. [Cailin Acosta]

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Cailin Acosta, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Heather Marianna: True to the Spirit of Chanukkah

Chanukkah teaches us that authenticity is not negotiable. The miracle did not come from excess, but from purity. That principle lives at the heart of Marianna’s work with Beauty Kitchen. In an industry often driven by trends and shortcuts, she made the difficult decision to turn down a massive opportunity because the formulation did not align with her non-toxic standards. [Michael Adam Cohen]

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Business & Finance, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Jewish Political Briefing: Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025

The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) reported on Wednesday that it and the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism sent a team that arrived in Sydney on Tuesday that included “Israeli experts in trauma response, mass-casualty events, and community recovery, with extensive experience supporting communities following extreme incidents and in developing long-term resilience strategies. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, News Media, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Jewish Political Briefing: Monday, Dec. 15, 2025

Actor/ Director Rob Reiner. 78, and his wife, photographer Michele Singer Reiner, 68, were stabbed to death on Sunday in their Brentwood, California home.  Police booked his son Nick Reiner, 32, on suspicion of murder. Nick, who has struggled with drug addiction, was held without the possibility of bail. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Antisemitism, California, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Celebrities, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Prepping to Lobby Senators and Representatives on Issues Important to Reform Judaism

Weaving humor with serious comments, he told us that we need to focus on doing what is right and be vocal about our Jewish values. He closed with answers to a lightning round of Hanukkah questions in which we learned that 1) his favorite Hanukkah gift is not a pair of socks but a copy of the U.S. Constitution 2) his favorite Hanukkah song is Adam Sandler’s “The Chanukkah Song” and 3) when it comes to latkes, he prefers applesauce over sour cream! We differ there. [Barrett Holman Leak]

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Barrett Holman Leak, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Law Enforcement Officials Pledge Protection for S.D. Chanukah Events

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]

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Antisemitism, Heidi Gantwerk, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors