USA

Republicans’ domestic record hurts Israel’s cause

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spent the hours leading to the Sabbath last Friday by having Israel’s back while getting his inspector general off his back. Israel’s reputation has long been impaired in part by the concept of intersectionality, and what happened Friday exemplifies how resentment of President Trump can undermine support for Israel. [Bruce S. Ticker]

Republicans’ domestic record hurts Israel’s cause Read More »

Bruce Ticker, Middle East, USA

If you cut me, I bleed American

The administrations [of Hebrew day schools] wanted the students to understand what it was to be an American, what the sacrifice of our Soldiers was all about and how Jewish Soldiers honorably served their Nation.  They took great pride in knowing that we as Jewish-Americans served and continuing to serve, bleed, and die for our Nation.  To this day, an Orthodox Hebrew day school in Rockland County displays at their entrance a six feet by five feet Iraq battle flag from the 101st Airborne Division that I sent them in 2003.  They display it so that all their students, staff and faculty will not forget the sacrifice of our Jewish Soldiers to their Nation. {Rabbi Carlos Huerta]

If you cut me, I bleed American Read More »

Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA

EMET founder calls on Biden to rebuke anti-Semitism in Democratic party

By Sarah Stern EMET Founder and President WASHINGTON, D.C — In quoting Former Vice President Joe Biden’s remarks on a call with donors, EMET shared that Biden stated, “Criticism of Israel’s policies is not anti-Semitism. But too often that criticism morphs into anti-Semitism.” He further stated, “We have to condemn anti-Semitism (on the left) And

EMET founder calls on Biden to rebuke anti-Semitism in Democratic party Read More »

Middle East, USA

Who were the Righteous Gentiles?

It was as Lawrence Baron, the distinguished history professor, rather than as Laurie Baron, the brilliant satirist, for whom women and some men gathered for a Zoom presentation on Tuesday sponsored by Tifereth Israel Synagogue’s Sisterhood.  They asked him to evaluate the factors that led some non-Jews during the time of Hitler to risk their lives and those of their families to protect Jews from the genocide.  Who, indeed, were the people who have become known in history as “The Righteous Gentiles”? [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

Who were the Righteous Gentiles? Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Lawrence Baron, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

JFS distributes COVID19 relief funds for immigrants

Jewish Family Services (JFS) is one of twelve immigrant-serving nonprofit organizations selected to help individuals apply for and receive disaster relief assistance in their region. Each organization was chosen based on their experience in serving immigrants, and to act as a distributor of assistance funds. JFS has hotlines assisting immigrants in San Diego County and Imperial County. [Omer Zalmanowitz]

JFS distributes COVID19 relief funds for immigrants Read More »

San Diego County, USA

Local political races re-energized

As the only daily Jewish news outlet in our county, San Diego Jewish World has made it a mission to keep track of important races in the county in which members of the Jewish community will be runoff candidates in the November general election.  Now, with the nation, state, and local governments all in the process of looking beyond the coronavirus pandemic to the recovery of the economy, candidates for mayor, Congress, and the County Board of Supervisors are again making news. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

Local political races re-energized Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

San Diego County, nation, respond to hate incidents

Two grocery store incidents in Santee earlier this month in which a man wearing the hood of the Ku Klux Klan, and a man and woman wearing masks featuring swastikas, continue to reverberate.  San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher proposed that a countywide Human Relations Commission be re-established and empowered to look into such incidents, and the San Diego Union-Tribune ran three opinion pieces Monday on the incidents and their impact on the City of Santee. In another response to hate, the Combat Anti-Semitism Movement (CAM) arranged for 25 olive trees to be planted at Kfar Silver Youth Village in southern Israel in memory of Lori Gilbert Kaye, who was murdered when a gunman attacked Chabad of Poway on the last day of Passover in 2019. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

San Diego County, nation, respond to hate incidents Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, Eva Trieger, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Florida revisited: Eating out, journey’s end

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

Havdalah from the porch of a celebrated cantor

Shavua tov! Shavua Tov!  A good week!  A good week! In Voorhees, New Jersey, Cantor Alisa Pomerantz-Boro and her daughter Rebecca have often led Havdalah services by Zoom from their porch since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic  This last Saturday night, May 16, was no different. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

Havdalah from the porch of a celebrated cantor Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA

FDR not as portrayed in ‘Plot Against America’

In HBO’s recent adaptation of the Philip Roth novel The Plot Against America, American Jews are coerced by President Charles Lindbergh to move to rural parts of the country so they will become “Americanized” and shed their Jewish ways. In real life, however, it was President Franklin D. Roosevelt who wanted to do just that. [Rafael Medoff, Ph.D]

FDR not as portrayed in ‘Plot Against America’ Read More »

Jewish History, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

How the English language evolved

The author of this book takes the reader through the various periods of British – and American – history, describing who conquered whom and when, and the effect this had on the growth and development of the English language. He starts with the Biblical legend of the Tower of Babel and posits the idea that there may indeed once have been a universal language, now lost in the mists of time, but paralleling the tale that once upon a time all people could speak the same language and understand one another. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

How the English language evolved Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, USA