USA

The World is a Mess as Israel’s Election Approaches

By Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D JERUSALEM — The world seems to be in a mess. Where to start? Israel’s election is in a bit more than a week. The parties are maneuvering. We aren’t sure who’s going to be aligned with who? And will there be enough to assure that Benjamin Netanyahu (Bibi) is not our […]

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International, Ira Sharkansky, Israel, Middle East, Opinion, USA

Anti-Israel Advocacy Becomes Issue in La Mesa City Council Race

A political action group calling itself San Diegans Against Hate has come out in opposition to La Mesa City Council candidate Mejgan Afshan, describing her anti-Israel positions as antisemitic.  Afshan, daughter of Afghan refugees, was invited via her campaign website to respond on Wednesday, Oct. 19, by San Diego Jewish World, but had not done so by late afternoon of Thursday, Oct. 20. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Israel, San Diego County, USA

What the ‘No-Go Zones’ for Jews at Berkeley Law School Reveal About Pro-Palestinian Activism

(JNS) When Law Students for Justice in Palestine (LSJP) at University of California, Berkeley, School of Law promoted a bylaw that would create what critics have characterized as “no-go zones for Jews,” it may not have anticipated the thunderous and widespread denunciation it has since experienced for its toxic and radical tactic to marginalize and

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California, Israel, Opinion, Richard L. Cravatts, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

What’s Israel Got to Do, Got to Do with Sexism and Homophobia?

By Bruce S. Ticker PHILADELPHIA — Perhaps these students had not advanced far enough in law school to recognize that the murder of women and gays is, well, murder. Otherwise, the Women of Berkeley Law would most certainly have rallied against the “honor killings” of women that ravage the Arab world, and the Queer Caucus

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Bruce Ticker, California, Israel, Middle East, Opinion, USA

Campus Antisemites Seek to Purge Zionism, Jewish Identity

The implementation of what amounts to a litmus test of ideological allegiance—only targeted at Jews who support Israel—is grotesque but part of a decades-old campaign to malign Israel and transform it into a pariah state, while excluding its supporters from progressive groups because Israel, it is falsely alleged, is an apartheid, racist regime of white supremacy that continues to oppress innocent brown Arabs who were the actual indigenous residents of the land now called Israel.  [Richard L. Cravatts, Ph.D]

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California, Israel, Richard L. Cravatts, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Jewish Poets/ Jewish Voices’ New Season Begins Oct. 25

The opening Jewish Poets–Jewish Voices program of the 2022-23 season will feature three local poets who immigrated to San Diego from other countries. The Tuesday, October 25, 7:00 p.m. gathering will take place in person in the Astor Judaica Library and feature Ukrainian native Jane Muschenetz, Uzbekistan-born Nathan Grinshpun,  and Tel Avivian, Omer Zalmanowitz. [Eileen Wingard]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eileen Wingard, International, San Diego County, USA

Hitler’s Portrait and a Response to Antisemitism

Some of you may have heard about an incident at Carmel Valley Middle School, where a teacher there had on display, among several pictures of other historical figures, a photo of Adolph Hitler. When confronted by a student who protested, the teacher responded that while Hitler did some bad things he also displayed strong leadership qualities. Parents and community members were rightfully very concerned and expressed that concern to school district leaders. [Heidi Gantwerk]

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California, Heidi Gantwerk, Holocaust, Jewish History, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Sefaria Unveils First-Ever Digital English Translation of ‘Mishneh Torah’ Interconnected With Other Jewish Texts

(Press Release) For the first time ever, learners can experience a full digital, English translation of the Mishneh Torah interconnected with other Jewish texts, thanks to Sefaria, a non-profit organization that digitizes and freely shares Jewish texts in Hebrew and in translation. The Mishneh Torah, authored by Rambam (Maimonides) in the Medieval era, consists of

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Jewish Religion, USA

US Fumbles Israel’s Marine Border Negotiations with Lebanon

Envoy Hochstein, in the tradition of American negotiators in Israel’s sphere, has proposed that it accept 100% of Lebanon’s demands in the Eastern Mediterranean, with some minor concessions to Israel. In any event, Hezbollah rejects the entire agreement, adding additional requirements. Acting Prime Minister Lapid had immediately commented favorably on the proposed deal, although the opposition vehemently disagrees. (Steve Kramer]

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Israel, Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA

Offshore Gas Deal Seems Fair, Though Ill-Timed

The Americans were given the task of producing a draft agreement, and the man they chose for doing the deal is a Jew, a former Israeli, and veteran of the IDF, who subsequently moved to Washington and joined the State Department. Amos Hochstein expresses the mix of Israeli and American identities. He’s produced something that seems reasonable, especially given Israel’s economic strength and Lebanon’s economic desperation.  [Ira Sharkansky]

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Ira Sharkansky, Israel, Middle East, USA

Getting it Wrong on FDR and the Holocaust

By Rafael Medoff The latest film from Ken Burns, “The U.S. and the Holocaust,” has aroused controversy with its claim that President Franklin D. Roosevelt did his best to help save Jews from the Nazis. As Donald Harrison notes in his October 5 column, filmmakers Burns, Sarah Botstein, and Lynn Novick contend that “FDR would

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Holocaust, International, Opinion, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA