I sat down with Rabbi Michael Danziger of the Plum Street Temple (aka B’nai Yeshurun and the Isaac M Wise Temple). The cornerstone was laid in 1865. With only two hundred families at the time, they built a house of prayer that can seat 1,100 directly across from City Hall. [Eric George Tauber]
Jews in the Heart of Porkopolis Read More »
Eric George Tauber, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Travel and Food, USA
Celebrating its 75th year of service to the community, Camp Jaycee opened last Monday, June 22, at the Lawrence Family JCC and at Congregation Beth Am in Carmel Valley, the first of several locations where satellite camps will be conducted in the county. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Modified Camp Jaycee underway at JCC and Beth Am Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food
As the editor and co-publisher of San Diego Jewish World, I believe it is the mission of this publication to provide a forum, underscored by civility, in which members of the Jewish community, and friends of the Jewish community, can discuss issues among ourselves, as we all try to determine what actions and attitudes are helpful for our fellow Jews as well as for the wider community. [Donald H. Harrison]
A statement of purpose in times of great controversy Read More »
Travel and Food
Moses chooses twelve men to slip into the city as spies. They’ll gather intel to see if the city is safe to conquer. Two spies, Joshua and Caleb, return with good news. “If God is on our side, we can take over the town.” Ten spies return, quivering and complaining. “There are giants in the town. We will lose everything if we try to enter.” Moses and the people have a problem. One group is not telling the truth. Who should they believe? [Marcia Berneger]
Two spies who had faith and ten who didn’t Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, Marcia Berneger, Travel and Food
The CD with the title (in German and Hebrew) Total Baloney was given to me some time ago by the Association of Former Residents of Central Europe, and when I finally got round to watching it I found myself taken back to the kitchen of my mother and other ‘Yekke’ relatives, back to the enchanted land of nostalgia, to the tastes and aromas of yesteryear, and to a time of innocence and memories (though not always fond). [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
‘Total Baloney’ and the secrets of the German kitchen Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food
“The holiday commemorates the day upon which the Ten Commandments were given to the Jewish people beneath Mount Sinai over 3,000 years ago,” said Aviation Electronics Mate 2nd Class Michael Eskenazi, from San Diego, Truman’s Jewish lay leader. “It occurs precisely seven weeks and a day after the beginning of Passover.” The service, sponsored by Truman’s Command Religious Ministries Department was open to the entire crew, as the holiday provides an opportunity to build a community around religion and culture. [U.S. Navy press release by Tamara Vaughn]
San Diegan leads Shavuot service aboard USS Truman Read More »
Jewish Religion, Travel and Food, USA
Reps. Susan Davis (D-San Diego) and Mike Turner (R-Ohio) are co-sponsoring legislation to shine more light on the extent of sexual assault in the military. Among other provisions, the proposed legislation would require Judge Advocates General of each Armed Service to assess how well current laws and regulations dealing with the subject are working and make recommendations for further improvement. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Susan Davis urges steps to curb sexual assaults in military Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and Food, USA
During this pandemic, we are all, perhaps particularly boomers, challenged to avoid becoming “doomers.” A key to avoid this declining mindset is living a fully active life with a “regardless” mindset, one that is filled with high hopes of living a long time, to 100. Dr. Bortz tells us that “most of the changes commonly associated with older people are not really dependent on the passage of time; they result mostly from disuse.” He further tells us, “Who you get to be—how old, wise, competent, creative, sexy, fun you become—depends on how you plan. Decrepitude and loss are not predetermined. How you… set your course is highly predictive of the journey you will take.” [Michael R. Mantell, PhD]
Booming or dooming through COVID-19? Read More »
Travel and Food
Traditionally, the Memorial Day weekend is one of the busiest of the year for travelers, but not so in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. However, technology, in the form of a Zoom meeting, whisked me on Sunday, May 24, from my home in San Diego and on to a tri-religious journey to Jerusalem, under the auspices of the America Israel Friendship League (AIFL). [Donald H. Harrison]
Zooming through Jerusalem’s religious sites Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Sports & Competitions, Travel and Food, USA
Just the mention of Florida evokes some very happy or, in any case, indelible memories. It may seem like masochism, but on an early trip to Early Bird Land, my wife and I looked forward to meeting with 19 individuals or couples — relatives and friends from home, who’d either settled in the Sunshine State or become regular winter refugees there. [Joel H. Cohen]
Florida revisited: Eating out, journey’s end Read More »
Joel H. Cohen, Travel and Food, USA
Prof. Laurie Baron, Ph.D., rounds up streaming Jewish content from a variety of sources for those who wish to deepen their Jewish educations.
Streaming Jewish content this coming week Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lawrence Baron, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USAIn a Zoom meeting on Wednesday, Charlene Seidle, executive vice president of the Leichtag Foundation, interviewed three panelists who help to make certain that the health and rights of workers in the food industry are recognized as an important priority for our society. [Our shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Protecting workers in San Diego County’s food chain Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA
So, imagine you are shopping, and into the store comes someone who is wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood, or a face mask with a swastika on it, as happened respectively at a Vons and a Food4Less outlet in Santee recently. What should you do? [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Some advice if you see a Nazi or a Klansman Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food
Two jails-separated by thousands of miles-reflect two 20th century struggles for independence. The irony lies in the fact that these two geographically distant fights for freedom were against the same harsh ruler and jailer, the British Crown. Today, neither Israel’s Central Prison Jerusalem (C.P.J.) nor Northern Ireland’s Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast house inmates, but even as museums, their powerful histories continue to echo in the halls and cells. [Deborah Rubin Fields]
Two jails: One tough jailer Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East, Travel and Food