Science, Medicine, & Education

Guilty plea in Goldstein case raises many questions

Every time there’s a new development in the unfolding fraud cases against disgraced Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein of Chabad of Poway and his associates, even more questions seem to arise.The San Diego Union-Tribune reported this morning that Rotem Cooper, 54, had pleaded guilty in federal court to charges that he made fake contributions to the Friendship Circle, an organization created by Goldstein to reach out to people with developmental disabilities.  But, Goldstein returned 90 percent of the contribution back to Cooper, while certifying the full amount had been donated for tax purposes.  Cooper’s “contribution” triggered a matching contribution from Qualcomm, where he worked as an engineering manager, which Goldstein then split with someone named “Y.H,” who is described as “the director of a religious congregation and community organization located in San Diego.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

StandWithUs Calls Out Jew-hating UC Merced Professor

Should faculty at the state-funded University of California at Merced be teaching the following? “The Zionist Brain” is divided into such sections as “Frontal Money Lobe,” “World Domination Lobe,” “Control,” “Land Usurpation,” and “Elitism.” Or how about this? “The Zionists and IsraHell interest have embedded themselves in every component of the American system, media, banking, policy, commerce … just a veneer of serving US interest and population – everyone pretends that is the case.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Good News from Israel (December 27, 2020)

In the Dec. 27, 2020 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis have been vaccinated against Covid-19.
A woman and a Druze Arab make Israeli Air Force history.
Historic signing of agreements between Israel and Morocco.
Two new Israeli fabric coatings protect against Covid-19.
Europeans are buying millions of Israeli flowers this month.
They will all come to Jerusalem. [Michael Ordman]

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Business & Finance, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, The World We Share, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

Thoughts of a Jewish educator on Christmas

It’s Christmas Day in America, but for me, just a normal Erev Shabbat. I decided to write to you while my Challah is rising to share some thoughts about Jewish education and the role of NewCAJE.

Like most teenage girls, I thought it might be cool to be a cheerleader in high school, but that didn’t happen! Instead, I chose to be a cheerleader for Jewish education—something I deeply believe in– and for Jewish educators like you.

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Jewish Religion, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Good News From Israel (December 20, 2020)

In the December 20, 2020 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

Israeli Covid-19 vaccine goes into Phase 2 trials as Israel rolls out the Pfizer vaccine.
Israel and Bhutan have established full diplomatic relations.
An Israeli smart color sensor can prevent massive food waste.
Israeli irrigation of rice crops saves water and the environment.
An Israeli company won a contract for its robots to clean a million solar panels.
Israel’s Wonder Woman won the first MTV “She-Ro” award.
A lost tribe’s return to Israel is one of three Israeli Chanukah “miracles”. [Michael Ordman]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Business & Finance, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, The World We Share, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

Rhinerson Touts SDCCD’s Entrepreneurship Program

Rhinerson, who has a long background in public relations and governmental advocacy (lobbying),  also is a board member of the national Association of Community College Trustees, a networking and lobbying group that trades ideas among members and with legislators.  But Rhinerson’s reach even goes beyond that.  While most San Diegans will be asleep at 1:30 a.m. PST Saturday, Dec. 19, he will be on a Zoom Conference call addressing an international conference sponsored by Amity University in Uttar Pradesh, India, on entrepreneurial opportunities and challenges in literature and communication. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Editor’s surgery postponed; SDJW will continue publication

As previously reported, I had been scheduled for brain surgery on Dec. 18, but on the recommendation of an anesthesiologist at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in San Diego, the surgery will be delayed for four to six weeks.  The anesthesiologist was troubled by an X-Ray showing a spot on my lower lung that suggested the possibility of pneumonia. My neurosurgeon informed me today any problem in the lungs can cause serious difficulties during an estimated six-hour surgery in which it’s necessary to insert a  breathing tube will be inserted. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Jen Campbell solidifies her City Council control

City Council President Dr. Jennifer Campbell solidified her control over City Council business by appointing herself and the four councilmembers who supported her for president against Councilwoman Monica Montgomery Steppe to key committee positions. The five councilmembers who voted for her now are the exact same membership of the Rules Committee, which according to the City of San Diego’s website, has responsibility for the “charter, permanent rules of council, open government, elections and ballot measures, annexations, boards and commissions, council initiated matters, communications, customer service and public outreach.” Besides Campbell, who will chair the committee, other members include Raul Campillo, Stephen Whitburn, Marni von Wilpert, and Chris Cate. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

Good News from Israel (Dec. 13, 2020)

In the 13th Dec 20 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
• A new Israeli stem cell treatment can halt and reverse MS.
• Israel has received its first deliveries of coronavirus vaccines.
• An Israeli-Ethiopian immigrant has won a scholarship to Oxford University.
• Over 130 Israeli hi-tech companies have been exhibiting in Dubai.
• New investment in Israeli startups is at record levels.
• An Israeli has won the NASCAR European championship for the 3rd time.
• Morocco and Israel are to establish diplomatic relations. [Very Good News Israel via San Diego Jewish World]
 

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Business & Finance, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, The World We Share, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food

The Personal Power of History

In the early 1970s while teaching at the University of Rhodesia (Zimbabwe since independence in 1980), I interviewed African labor and farmer union leaders while researching the 1948 General Strike and the African Farmers Union. The interviews were in English, Shona, and Sindebele. I hired two undergraduate history majors to assist me with the African languages and cross-cultural social protocols. One of them, Misheck Sibanda completed a Ph.D. in History at Birmingham University and returned to Zimbabwe, served as the Chief Cabinet Secretary to President Robert Mugabe and Emmerson Mnangagwa, and recently retired after 17 years of service. The second student, Kevin Gumbo, became a teacher. [Oliver B. Pollak]

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International, Oliver Pollak, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Kuwaiti school fires expat teacher after including Israel in assignment

An expat teacher in Kuwait was fired after she gave her class a map of the Middle East that included Israel. The teacher, who worked for the private American Creative Academy, gave her fifth grade students a homework assignment asking them to identify different countries of the Middle East – including Israel. Initially, students and

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Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education

Academic Freedom vs. Hurting Some Feelings

In what has become an increasingly frequent and troubling occurrence on campuses, a McGill University emeritus professor of anthropology, Philip C. Salzman, is under fire by pretentious, virtue-signaling students who wish to hear only viewpoints that conform with their own and who, in attempting to shield others from ideas that might make them uncomfortable, want to suppress the ideas of their ideological opponents. [Richard L. Cravatts, Ph.D]

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International, Middle East, Richard L. Cravatts, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Technion Celebrates Viterbi and Ziv

HAIFA, Israel  (Press Release) –A brilliant engineer who left his mark on cellular phone technology, satellite imagery, and DNA analysis. A talented entrepreneur who launched a multinational corporation. A devoted professor who developed one of the most important mathematical concepts of the 21st century. Any one of these accomplishments would be outstanding and laudable in

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Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education

California is set to ban menthol cigarettes on Jan. 1. The industry is out to stop it

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The tobacco industry-funded group behind an effort to undo a pending state ban on the sale of most flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes, has submitted more than 1 million petition signatures. The California Coalition for Fairness — which is funded by R.J Reynolds Tobacco Company, Philip Morris USA and ITG Brands

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Science, Medicine, & Education, USA