“Let not the believers take the disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Whoever does so will have no relationship with Allah – unless you take precautions against them”. (Quran 3:28; 2:173; 2:185; 4:29; 22:78; 40:28.) [Alex Gordon]
Shiite Islam practices taqiyya (deception) when dealing with non-believers Read More »
Alex Gordon, Israel, Lifestyles, Middle East, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
What is the solution to safeguard Holocaust memory? The Shoah must be incorporated into religious ritual. It should be part of the Haggadah, the machzor, High Holiday and other Jewish holidays. [Rabbi Dr. Bernhard H. Rosenberg]
Suggestion for preserving Holocaust memory Read More »
Antisemitism, Bernhard H. Rosenberg-Rabbi, Holocaust, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Opinion, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
At 10 a.m on the 11th, the Nazi commander ordered all 1,200 S.S. to retreat from the Camp. The Americans were coming. At 10:30 a.m,. the International Committee rose in revolt, captured 76 S.S. stragglers and their weapons. They took possession of Buchenwald. Throughout the day, heavy fighting continued as American armed forces secured the area. Not until late in the afternoon did advance units of the XX Corps enter Buchenwald. [Jerry Klinger]
Buchenwald liberation marks 81st anniversary amid controversy Read More »
Antisemitism, Holocaust, International, Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Obituaries & memorials, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors
Aaron and Job stand at opposite poles of the same unbearable truth: when the world collapses, silence can feel like the only honest response—and yet silence can also become a prison. We know this, don’t we? [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
Aaron’s silence, Job’s protests–both are honest and holy Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Opinion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors
The Chair reasonably suggested referring the first two resolutions to the DNC’s Working Group on the Middle East, an entity established by Chair Martin in August to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Committee voted in both cases to refer them to the Working Group, effectively defeating them ahead of today’s full DNC meeting. The AIPAC resolution was also rejected by the Committee. [Halie Soifer]
For 2,500 years, Jews lived in Iran, long before the rise of Islam. There were periods of relative stability, even prosperity, but they were never truly equal. At best, they were second-class citizens. At worst, they were targets. There were times when Jews were forced to mark themselves as Jews, when false accusations spread easily, and when they were reminded that no matter how long they had lived there, they did not fully belong. [Chloe Levian]
Seeing the Iranian struggle in the Passover story Read More »
Antisemitism, California, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
Is it wrong to feel good during hard times, especially when others are suffering?
My answer, arrived at through grief and illness and many years of sitting quietly with this question, is an unequivocal no. [Shayna Kaufmann]
Joy during difficult times: Disrespectful or medicinal? Read More »
Lifestyles, Opinion, Shayna Kaufmann, Staff and Bylined Contributors
Georgia legislative candidate Nathalie Kanani risked offending Atlanta-area Jews when she took out a Passover ad that featured a loaf of challah which was decidedly leavened. In Connecticut’s Fairfield County, a bunch of spoiled rich Catholic high school students proclaimed “at least we are not Jews.” [Bruce Ticker}
As leaders committed to protecting the safety and dignity of the Black and Jewish communities in San Diego, we have been in constant conversation about the troubling rise of antisemitism and racism over the past three years. [Fabienne Perlov & Al Abdallah]
Black and Jewish communities must work together to combat hate Read More »
Antisemitism, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Opinion, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors
In the face of threats from Iran and its proxies, and the worldwide scourge of antisemitism, the resilience of the Jewish people continues to show itself in ways both big and small. It is in how we support one another, how we show up, and how we hold on to hope. [Mark Levenson]
Keeping the faith, performing acts of kindness, in the face of antisemitism Read More »
Antisemitism, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
Passover reminds us that freedom is not only about leaving Egypt. It is about refusing to accept a world in which dehumanization becomes routine. It is about recognizing that what is tolerated today can become something far more dangerous tomorrow. [Rabbi Jason Nevarez]
Passover brings with it the necessity of fighting antisemitism Read More »
Antisemitism, Israel, Jewish Religion, Opinion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors
Which country is the staunchest ally of the US? Is it Britain, Canada, or Australia? No, it’s Israel! [Steve Kramer]
U.S. has its reasons for opposing Iranian hegemony in Middle East Read More »
International, Israel, Jewish History, Middle East, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Steve Kramer, USA
Passover reminds us freedom does not come easily. It’s something we move toward—through purpose, through connection, and through the belief that change is still possible, even when the path forward isn’t clear. [Dana Toppel]
Passover: A time for meaning and Jewish connection Read More »
Jewish Religion, Opinion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
For any agreement to be durable and sustainable, it must address the core drivers of instability that brought the region to this point and thereby must ensure that Iran can no longer threaten regional or global security. (Press Release)
AJC: Here are principles the U.S. should insist on with Iran Read More »
Israel, Middle East, Opinion, Press Release, USA