Staff and Bylined Contributors

Jewish Political Briefing: Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025

David Bocarsly, executive director of the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California (JPAC), hailed a ruling in federal court on Wednesday upholding the constitutionality of AB 715, California’s law attempting to end antisemitism in the public schools.  [Donald H. Harrison]

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California, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Jewish Religion, News Media, Shanda File, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Jewish Political Briefing: Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025

At the request of the Los Angeles police department, the public will not see immediately the autopsy reports for actor/ director Rob Reiner and his photographer wife Michele Singer Reiner who allegedly were stabbed to death Dec. 14 by their son Nick Reiner. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, News Media, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Technology, USA

OpEd: The Birth Pangs of Freedom in Iran

The streets of Tehran and beyond blaze with righteous fury. On Sunday, December 28, merchants in the Grand Bazaar and major commercial districts shut their shops in protest, marking a historic betrayal by a class once instrumental in the 1979 Islamic Revolution. By Monday and Tuesday, the strikes spread relentlessly: goldsmiths, tech vendors, and wholesalers in areas like Alaeddin Mall, Charsou Commercial Complex, Shush market, and Lalehzar joined the shutdowns. Protesters marched through Jomhuri Street, Naser Khosrow, and Istanbul Intersection, clashing with security forces who unleashed tear gas and batons. Defiant individuals, echoing the iconic “Tank Man” of Tiananmen Square, stood unarmed before armored vehicles and riot police, offering their bodies as living monuments of resistance—often swallowed by the regime’s brutal crackdown. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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International, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Going Forward With Intention: Berry Gordy, Legacy, and the Jewish Art of Living Well

Smokey Robinson spoke with reverence and gratitude, his words shaped by decades of friendship and shared purpose. Stevie Wonder sang directly to Berry, offering Happy Birthday and You Are the Sunshine of My Life, transforming performance into offering. Otis Williams stood nearby, a living thread connecting generations of sound, discipline, and excellence. [Michael Adam Cohen]

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Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Michael Adam Cohen, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors

New Year’s Wish and Events Planned for 2026

2025’s chapter is ending, and 2026’s new chapter is about to start. Did anyone have a good year, or are we looking for more positive and less dramatic, healthy vibes? [Cailin Acosta]

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Antisemitism, Cailin Acosta, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, News Media, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

Michael Rabkin: ‘We Jews Refuse to Disappear’

I had the honor of speaking at San Diego City Council following a proclamation recognizing Chanukah earlier this month. During my remarks, I offered a message that seemed to resonate with the councilmembers: our tradition marks the moments when we Jews refuse to disappear. [Michael Rabkin]

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Antisemitism, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Trump Meets with Netanyahu about Gaza, West Bank, Iran and Other Trouble Spots

That two Jewish leaders – Zelenskyy and Netanyahu – had back-to-back meetings with President Trump, selected Cabinet officials and White House aides, and with U.S. peace envoys Steve Witkoff and Trump’s  son-in-law Jared Kushner were remarkable occasions, sure to be mentioned in Jewish history books of the future. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Jewish Trivia Quiz: Mark D. Zimmerman

So now, the final Jewish trivia question. And this one focuses on the Jewish life of Mark D. Zimmerman himself. Among the many “Jewish” moments in Mark’s life, at least one Jewish event was a bit off-kilter. Which of the following is a true story from Zimmerman’s Jewish life? [Mark D. Zimmerman]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Mark D. Zimmerman, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Short Story: The Perfume Cabinet

In his free time from love, Daniel made cabinets. The cabinets were all different types – wardrobes, kitchen cabinets, bookshelves. He was a great cabinet designer. The factory’s products were popular. But Daniel didn’t stop there. He designed and manufactured new original cabinets. He loved his work very much, and his work loved him back, as he was constantly receiving new orders and designing ingenious cabinet models for various purposes. [Alex Gordon]

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Alex Gordon, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish Fiction, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Trump, Zelenskyy Optimistic about Peace Between Ukraine and Russia, but Offer Few Specifics at Mar-A-Lago

Trump identified one area still awaiting resolution as whether Russia or Ukraine would keep the land in the Donbas region in Eastern Ukraine that Russia now occupies. Another is the fate of a Ukrainian nuclear power reactor, which Russian troops captured and now occupy. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA

Film Review: ‘Marty Supreme’ is Supreme Cinema

Marty Mauser, the protagonist of Marty Supreme, is a plucky ping pong imp and shoe salesman, in addition to being a nimble and loquacious malarkey artist. He is also a shockingly-gawdawful, verbal bastard person to his mother, played by Fran Drescher, who left her specific, discount Phyllis Diller voice in the dustbin of screen history where it belongs, much to the contentment of my sensitive ears. [John E. Finley-Weaver]

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Lifestyles, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA