San Diego County

Federation Delineates Its Aid to Sha’ar Hanegev, Israel

This is a very special time for our San Diego Jewish community, as we play host to 130 high school students and 20 staff members from our beloved Israeli sister region, Sha’ar HaNegev. These teens traveled to San Diego for 10 days away from war and the hardships they continue to face in Israel. This trip was the first time many of them have seen each other since being evacuated across Israel. [Press Release]

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Israel, Press Release, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

How Poets Are Found for the JCC’s Poetry Programming

The Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices Committee prides itself on discovering poetic talent within our community for the featured poets segments. During its sixteen seasons, it has featured the same poet again only once, Zev Bar-Lev, z”l. At one program, he read his Hebrew poems, at the other, his English works. [Eileen Wingard]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eileen Wingard, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Our Shtetl San Diego County: Prayer Melodies from Tifereth Israel

Kol Tefilah, led by Debbie Mishek, M.D., is a performance group that periodically leads Friday night services at Tifereth Israel Synagogue “with joy, music, intimacy, and an awareness of God’s presence,” according to an announcement for the 6:15 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat service at 6:15 p.m., Friday, March 1. [SDJW staff]

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California, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Confronting the Alarming Rise of Antisemitism in California

My office has been forming responsive actions to address antisemitic literature in communities with high numbers of Jewish families, include the Jewish perspective into DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) initiatives, and train local officials on what they can do when hate speech or acts arise in public forums. [Assemblymember Chris Ward]

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Antisemitism, California, Holocaust, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Parent Company of Kay Jewelers, Zales Once Suffered from CEO ‘Doing a Ratner’

At the Shoppes at Carlsbad, Kay Jewelers is located on one floor and Zales on another – a physical manifestation of multilevel marketing. Both are owned by Signet Jewelers which changed its name from Ratners after its CEO, Gerald Ratner, made an unfortunate speech that gave rise to the expression, “Doing a Ratner.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Ben Dishman, Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, International, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

The Jewish War 2.0

I, Josephus Flavius, born as Yosef ben Matityahu, a historian of the 1st century, once a deserter to my people but now repentant, narrated the first Jewish-Roman war to speak of my people’s struggle. I became a historian, and today, two thousand years later, I take up the pen again to recount the new wars of the 21st century. [Jose Galicot]

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International, Israel, Jewish History, Jose Galicot, Middle East, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Jerusalem College of Technology Recruits Local Orthodox High Schoolers

The International Program offers English-speaking students from around the world the opportunity to obtain a prestigious academic degree, coupled with immersive Torah study. [Jacob Kamaras]

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Antisemitism, Israel, Jacob Kamaras, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Technology, Travel and Food, USA

Video: Michael Oren on Why Israel Must Not Accept a Permanent Ceasefire

SAN DIEGO — Israel’s former ambassador to the United States met with Sandi Masori of San Diego Jewish World following his appearance at a luncheon on Wednesday, Feb 21, sponsored by Jewish National Fund-USA at the Bayfront Hilton.  A companion story by SDJW publisher and editor Donald H. Harrison may be accessed via this link.

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International, Israel, San Diego County, Sandi Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Large Delegation of Sha’ar Hanegev Students Heading to San Diego Jewish Academy

One hundred thirty 11th and 12th graders from Sha’ar Hanegev in Israel, a region in Southern Israel that was ravaged during the October 7th Hamas attacks, will visit the San Diego Jewish Academy at the end of February.  This is the largest student delegation to visit the U.S. since the war started. [SDJA Press Release]

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Israel, Press Release, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

JNF San Diego Luncheon Hears of War in Gaza, Reconstruction in Southern Israel

“If they impose a ceasefire on us, guess what, Hamas wins!” he said. “Hamas gets away with mass murder. Those 200,000 Israelis (who have been relocated from towns and communities near the Lebanese and Gaza borders) will not be able to come back to their homes. Our enemies in the region will internalize that they can hit us with impunity and…we will not be able to strike back because we will be slapped with a ceasefire.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Parshat Tetzaveh: The Symbolic Importance of Pure Olive Oil

What is the Torah trying to teach us with this mandate to use the best oil for lighting the Menorah, whereas for the meal-offerings, the Menachot, we are only required to use this secondary oil? (Interestingly, it is noteworthy that the norm is for us to use our best oil for cooking and meal prep, but for lamp fuel, we are ok using subpar oil as long as it lights well – just the opposite!) [Rabbi Daniel Reich]

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Daniel Reich-Rabbi, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors