Items in this column include:
*Sha’ar Hanegev Mayor Libstein has 3-day whirlwind tour of San Diego
*Ban on ‘Harry Potter’ series demonstrates need for Banned Book Week
*How the full-time staff of Camp Mountain Chai is described
*Mazel tov! Mazel tov!
Our Shtetl San Diego County: September 22, 2019 Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Middle East, San Diego County
Excerpt: Considering the existence of widespread data on the human immune system, most of it not easily connected, this is an enormous task for a human mind.
In a humorous aside, Dr. Shen-Orr, recalling the classic Faustian Pact with the Devil, offered that the Devil came to our scientific labs 20 years ago (the genome and its derivatives), and offered a great ‘data dump.’ He tricked us, since the sheer volume of it makes no sense.
But with Super Computers and applied AI, it is possible to begin to sort the data and find patterns which give us direction into how to treat those yet untreatable. (Please click headline to read full story)
In field of immunology, AI is needed to sort through all the data Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education
Items in today’s column include:
*No Jewish unity when it comes to local politics
*Political dots and dashes
*The continuing tragic aftermath of the shooting at Chabad of Poway
*Congresswoman Davis on student loan forgiveness, forced arbitration
*Conductor David Amos schedules a concert season honoring Beethoven’s 250th birthday
*Mazel Tov! Mazel Tov!
Our Shtetl San Diego County: September 21, 2019 Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA
So here is my dilemma: I used to be the kind of person who said “yes” to everything and everyone and loved it. My motto: “Go everywhere, do everything, meet everyone, always say ‘yes, I can help!’” I now have become the kind of person who hesitates when asked to go somewhere or do something, preferring to stay home. It is a matter of energy—I don’t seem to be able to muster enough to make the decision to go, let alone to actually go. My mindset is: “I am too tired!”
Some of my friends have said: “You’re in your nineties; honor your age, listen to your body, don’t push yourself.” Somehow this does not help. I am still curious about the play, the movie, the luncheon. I have always suffered from a disease called “ATMS” (afraid to miss something), better known today as “FOMO” (fear of missing out). So I have lived my life in the fast lane and loved every moment of it.
Undecided whether to listen to my body or mind Read More »
Lifestyles, Natasha Josefowitz, San Diego County
I have met other people who can recall song lyrics from the 1950’s on, but none, absolutely none, whose memory is as phenomenal as that of Judy Gumbiner, the retired San Diego State University director of career services.
With the High Holy Days approaching, soon thereafter to be followed by Succot and Simcha Torah, Judy and I were discussing the impressions of the Jewish Bible that a popular music fan might derive from pop music and Broadway show tunes.
Here are some of the “lessons” we (mostly she) came up with:
Our Shtetl San Diego County: September 20, 2019 Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County
Chabad of Poway takes pride in welcoming all Jews. Indeed, on the last day of Passover, one of its front doors was propped open by a pottery planter.
But when a gunman raced up the steps to the synagogue that April morning, he began shooting through that open door. Rounds from his recently purchased Smith & Wesson AR-15 entered the lobby before he did.
Surveillance video screened in court Thursday showed Lori Gilbert Kaye, 60, being killed — and an Army combat veteran chasing the shooter out of the synagogue, perhaps saving dozens of lives.
Witnesses heard in Poway Chabad shooting Read More »
Jewish History, Ken Stone, San Diego County
Karen Beth Pearlman gets the credit for spotting this Jewish-interest license plate, which offers us some opportunities for speculation. L’Chaim means “To Life!” So 5 L’Chaim means “5 To Life.” While that may sound like the length of a prison sentence, it more likely refers to five happy people, perhaps ready to engage in the traditional merrymakers’ toast of “To Life!”
Jewish-interest license plate: 5L’Chaim Read More »
San Diego County, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Vaus said Goldstein and Trump “have a real connection” growing out of that April tragedy and giving way to “constant contact” with the White House (“They keep checking in to make sure we have everything that we need.”)
The 58-year-old rabbi also visited the Oval Office.
Eight days ago, Vaus said, he and Goldstein sought to return the courtesy.
Trump again honors Chabad Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein Read More »
Jewish History, Ken Stone, San Diego County, USA
Asked why he’s running for the City Attorney office, Briggs replies, “I’ve been fighting city hall for almost two decades. Running for office was never on my bucket list. But I’ve seen the consequences of not having good professional legal advice given to the client, in this case the city, and I’ve been watching it for administration after administration.”
He adds, “The city is facing big issues, but if you read the news, you see that the city frequently ends up in the court and it usually ends up on the wrong side of the cases. This costs the city a lot of money, it costs the city progress, and it’s time for the Mayor and the City Council to have a lawyer who is giving them sound advice without the lawyer’s political agenda driving that advice.”
Cory Briggs, often City Hall’s foe, now seeks to be its lawyer Read More »
Miriam Raftery, San Diego County
Items in this column include:
*Local businessmen fly to Bahamas to help victims of Hurricane Dorian
*Councilmembers Bry and Campbell often find common ground
*San Diegans will host IDF veterans as they sort out combat memories
*Bible Players to enliven services this weekend at Tifereth Israel Synagogue
Our Shtetl San Diego County: September 18, 2019 Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
By Nitay Gold SAN DIEGO — In Israel, the military is so deeply ingrained in the culture that we sometimes forget what the army means. Most Israeli kids go into the army at about the same age as kids go to college in the States. We want to succeed, but we don’t always know what
Host chapters offer Israeli veterans peace of mind Read More »
Middle East, San Diego County
Items in this column include:
*Sarah Davis is a candidate in 78th Assembly District, not to be confused with others
*Motions heard in Superior Court in Poway of Chabad shooting case
*The Jewish ‘Tam’ of Shari Belafonte
Our Shtetl San Diego County: September 17, 2018 Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
I had to smile on Saturday night at the Sephardic Festival held at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center [JCC] this past weekend. There was a short film, Our San Diego Sephardic Voices, about the Sephardim in San Diego. One of the women interviewed said she was in a “mixed marriage” as her husband was Ashkenazi. Another woman spoke about the differences in food as the Sephardic eat much more rice than their eastern European counterparts.
San Diego holds its first Sephardic Festival Read More »
International, Lifestyles, Mimi Pollack, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food
Items in today’s column:
*San Diego County teens, successful in past, may apply for Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards
*Bible, Holocaust, and Israel subjects of new books by local authors
*Barbara Bry gets backing of neighborhoods group in mayoral race
*Sukkot activity planning well underway in the county
Our Shtetl San Diego County: September 16, 2019 Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA