JPlate: B8ZIM3
Roni Breite spotted this license plate bearing an abbreviation for the Hebrew word “Beitzim,” which literally means “eggs.” But the word is also Hebrew slang for testicles. [SDJW]
Staff and Bylined Contributors
Jewish Trivia Quiz: New Orleans
In New Orleans, Touro funded what became Touro Infirmary as well as the Reform congregation Touro Synagogue. While it’s not certain, what is the common belief as to why Judah Touro left Boston and moved to New Orleans? [Mark D. Zimmerman]
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Jewish History, Mark D. Zimmerman, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USAJewish Biography: Waldemar Haffkine, Discoverer of the Cholera and Plague Vaccines
The main focus of his work was the protection of the human body from infectious diseases using serums and vaccines. By 1892, Haffkine had created the first effective vaccine against cholera, proving its safety for humans on himself. [Alex Gordon]
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Alex Gordon, Antisemitism, International, Jewish History, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined ContributorsEnergy of Dave Koz & Friends Fills Humphreys with Good Vibrations
“Dave Koz & Friends Summer Horns 2026” was not just a concert. It became a multidimensional experience where music served as the architecture of joy, where every horn, every note, and every harmonic convergence connected the audience to the infinite. [Michael Adam Cohen]
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Michael Adam Cohen, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined ContributorsMixed-Media Artist Rose Mizrahi Featured at Point Loma Branch Library
When asked which one of her paintings is her favorite, Mizrahi pointed out one of mountains titled “Summit.” She was on vacation at Mammoth Mountain and got the inspiration to paint when she got home. Mizrahi doesn’t focus on just one genre; if she feels like painting a landscape, then she does, if she feels like painting something in space or cosmos, then she does, which makes her art unique in spanning different genres. [Cailin Acosta]
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Cailin Acosta, California, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, The World We Share, Travel and FoodWhat the Documentary Thesis for Studying the Torah Misconstrues
The “Documentary Hypothesis” originated when Jean Astruc (1684–1766) claimed he could identify the sources of the Bible by examining its use of divine names. His approach was later expanded by Julius Wellhausen (1844-1918), who identified four primary sources (J, E, D, and P) that he believed were combined to form the Pentateuch, also known as the Five Books of Moses. He based his theory in part on the consistent use of the names Elohim and Y-h-v-h in what he considered four writings by four different authors or groups. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Opinion, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined ContributorsMeaning and Customs of the Month of Elul Elucidated
“Elul is the 12th and final month in the Jewish calendar, the sixth month counting from Nisan. Leading up to the High Holidays, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, it is a month that connects the past year with the coming year – a time when we reflect on where we stand and where we should be going,” said Rebbetzin Chaya Andrusier to the Jewish Women’s Circle’s “Torah and Tea” on Thursday, August 28. [Cailin Acosta]
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Cailin Acosta, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined ContributorsLeon Lewis Fought American Nazis in Los Angeles
Lewis secretly created a spy network with sympathetic disabled German American World War 1 veterans he knew. The veterans were horrified by Nazism and how it could turn German Americans into dangerous pariahs in their own country. They volunteered to penetrate the Bund. [Jerry Klinger]
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Antisemitism, California, Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USAJews are Engaging More and Deepening Involvement in Jewish Life
Here in San Diego, home to one of the largest Jewish communities in North America, this notion of belonging is especially relevant. And yet, despite our size and vibrancy, only 11% of local Jews report feeling a strong sense of belonging to the San Diego Jewish community. This is both a sobering reality and a call to action. [Darren Schwartz]
Jews are Engaging More and Deepening Involvement in Jewish Life Read More »
Antisemitism, Lifestyles, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined ContributorsSounding the Shofar During the Hebrew Month of Elul
Yesterday, I attended Chabad of East County’s Jewish Women’s Circle “Torah and Tea.” At the end of the lesson, Rabbi Rafi Andrusier emerged from his office and blew the shofar. When I hear its sound, I always close my eyes and imagine myself transported to Israel, joining my ancestors and the generations before me in the shared act of listening, praying, and setting intentions. [Cailin Acosta]
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Antisemitism, Cailin Acosta, Israel, Jewish Religion, Obituaries & memorials, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors‘The Boomer Archaeologist’ is UCSD Prof. Thomas Levy’s Very Readable Personal Memoir and Scientific Findings
Illustrated by Lily Almeida, this paperback chronicles Levy’s remarkable five-decade career as a Levantine archaeologist, weaving a rich narrative that blends autobiography with groundbreaking discoveries in the ancient Near East. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
Approximately 300 Students Attend Hillel’s ‘Welcome Back’ Party
Watching nearly 300 students schmooze, eat, laugh, and celebrate the beginning of the school year at Hillel of San Diego’s Welcome Back BBQ was pretty much on brand for how we do things. Big! Bold! Fun! Connected! [Karen Parry]
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Lifestyles, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined ContributorsRecorded Performances of 12 Great Jewish Violinists to Be Heard
Great Jewish Violinists: the first of this coming season’s “Treasures from the Music Collection of the Astor Judaica Library” presentations, will take place Thursday, Sept. 4, 2:00-3:30 p.m. in the library of the Lawrence Family JCC. I will be introducing the twelve artists who will be heard in recorded selections from the violin repertoire. [Eileen Wingard]
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Eileen Wingard, International, Israel, Jewish Celebrities, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USAAn Interview with Judy Collins: 86 Years Young and an Incredibly Talented Songstress
Some conversations feel like pure magic, illuminating, warm, and timeless. Sitting with Judy Collins, the iconic folk legend, is exactly that. She has inspired audiences with sublime vocals, boldly vulnerable songwriting, personal life triumphs, and a steadfast commitment to social activism. [Michael Adam Cohen]
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Michael Adam Cohen, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Opinion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors