By Teresa Konopka SAN DIEGO — Amid the war in Israel and all the atrocities being committed, it is easy to get depressed. Missiles fired, bombs blasted, homes destroyed, innocents killed. It is beyond atrocious. Horror like this has not been seen since the Yom Kippur War almost 50 years ago. Similar to that attack, […]
Hope in Times of War Read More »
Israel, Opinion, Teresa_KonopkaBy Teresa Konopka SAN DIEGO — With Rosh Hashanah this past weekend, there were plenty of festivities. From services to lunch to dinner to shofar blasts to tashlich, the opportunities to connect with community were endless. Chatting up friends old and new, I broke the ice with my standard question — “any new year’s resolutions?”
Discovering Purpose Read More »
Jewish Religion, Opinion, Teresa_KonopkaBy Teresa Konopka SAN DIEGO — It is a great simcha to find love, get married, and have children. However, not everyone is so lucky. Every day, countless people all over the world break up. Some suffer divorce and separation, others a broken engagement, and many split before even getting that far. Why is this,
By Teresa Konopka SAN DIEGO — Life is no walk in the park. Every one of us deals with some sort of misfortune sooner or later. From financial to professional to romantic to medical, people experience all sorts of sorrows. These can take the form of bankruptcy, layoff, being dumped, becoming gravely ill, losing a
The Paradox of Suffering Read More »
Jewish Religion, Opinion, Teresa_KonopkaBy Teresa Konopka SAN DIEGO — When it comes to the topic of moschiach (messiah), there is no shortage of opinions. Some claim the messiah already came and is “coming back” one day to fulfill the entirety of messianic prophecies. Unfortunately, this is an unfalsifiable claim since it hinges on waiting for an undetermined point
Will the Real Moschiach Please Stand Up? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Opinion, Teresa_KonopkaBy Teresa Konopka SAN DIEGO — Why do we believe what we do? Is our religion any better than others? Street epistemology aims to find out. In contrast to evangelism where one tries to convert another to a belief, street epistemology is quite different in that it does not aim to sway anyone. It is
Does Your Faith Stand Up to the Test? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Opinion, Teresa_KonopkaThe San Diego real estate scene has yet again taken residents by surprise. In January 2020, the median sale price was $600,000. A year later in January 2021, that rose to $650,000. In January 2022, the price rose yet again to just under $800,000 and leveled out just under $900,000 in April 2022. Going into Summer 2022, prices have started to plateau and even drop. [Teresa Konopka]
Biblical Insights into San Diego’s Housing Market Read More »
Business & Finance, California, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Teresa_Konopka, USABy Teresa Konopka SAN DIEGO — When reading tales of our ancestors in the Torah, it can seem more like fiction than fact. The characters are distant peoples from faraway lands whose personal lives we can only speculate about. As the same parshas are read year after year, it is easy to be desensitized to
A New Appreciation for Moses Read More »
Jewish Religion, Opinion, Teresa_KonopkaBy Teresa Konopka SAN DIEGO — Recently I went to a Jewish young professionals event where the discussion centered around taboo topics. When abortion came up, several people gave their views on the matter. True to the adage “two Jews, three opinions,” there were comments from both sides of the argument. From pro-life to pro-choice,
A Biblical Analysis of Abortion Read More »
Jewish Religion, Teresa_KonopkaUpon arriving at San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center, I was greeted by a spitting image of Steve Irwin, the late Australian crocodile hunter. Andy Blue, the campus director, showed me to his office where we discussed both the history of the center and his career. His small dog Tug scurried around the room and gave me a scrutinizing sniff before granting his approval with a tail wag. On the wall behind Andy was a painting of Tug dressed in a Napoleon war suit. I could tell I was in for a fascinating time! [Teresa Konopka]
Ramona’s Rescue, Rehab, and Release Program for Wild Animals Read More »
San Diego County, Teresa_Konopka, The World We ShareWhen it comes to the Exodus from Egypt, there are countless references—both implicit and explicit—that add depth beyond the plain meaning of the text. Take for instance the exchange between Moses and Pharaoh where Moses asks to sacrifice in a distant land. [Teresa Konopka]
Some Forgotten Background to Biblical Episodes Read More »
Jewish Religion, Teresa_KonopkaHere are some common scams and tips to stay safe. [Teresa Konopka]
Protecting Ourselves from Common Scams Read More »
Business & Finance, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Teresa_KonopkaWith a new administration in America have come many new changes. One that is causing a lot of controversy is the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports. Particularly, there has been a lot of backlash from biologically born females who say that competing against biologically born males (regardless of how said persons identity) is unfair. Even after transitioning, male bodies still retain advantages of muscle mass, bone density, and testosterone levels [1]. [Teresa Konopka]
Facing Reality – Who Really Designed You? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Teresa_KonopkaTimes are certainly tumultuous right now. After weeks of voter fraud allegations that culminated in a protest storming the Capitol, Joe Biden was officially certified as the next president via the congressional electoral process. Despite President Trump’s messages to the protesters to go home peacefully, Facebook and Twitter have blocked his account. Additionally, YouTube is set to suspend channels that promote voter fraud claims. [Teresa Konopka]
Censorship in America: Who is one to believe? Read More »
International, Teresa_Konopka, USA