Below are the names of writers who are currently active. For others, living and deceased, please type their name into the search box above the masthead on our home page, www.sdjewishworld.com
By Laurie Baron, Ph.D SAN DIEGO — As I said last night, I recognize I lost the battle, but am confident I’ll win the war. Indeed, I have signed up with the Proud Boys, who are as color blind as I am, for boot camp. Paraphrasing the NRA, “The only thing that stops a bad […]
Satire: ‘Why I Lost,’ by Larry Elder Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — It should surprise no one that there are multiple examples of similar events in the Bible and former ancient documents, such as an early tale of the flood written long before the story of Noah, because as Solomon wrote, “There is nothing new under the sun,”
Comparing Events in the Bible with Those in Former Ancient Documents Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
By Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, Caliornia — The ritual of the scapegoat persists even to this day in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. When I was a young Orthodox teen, I recall how we would all get up early in the morning and go to the slaughterhouse backyard, and we would take a
Yom Kippur and the Scapegoat Ritual, Past and Present Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
Maimonides’ Hidden Torah Commentary — Exodus 22-40 by Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel; First Edition Design Publishing 2021; ISBN: 9781506-904610; 386 pages; $24.95. By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — “Maimonides’ Hidden Torah Commentary — Exodus 22-40″ is a very informative book. Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel, spiritual leader of Temple Beth Shalom in Chula
A Clear, Readable, Engaging Guide to Maimonides Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. This week’s parasha begins with “Listen, O heavens, and I will speak! And let the earth hear the words of my mouth!” Ha’azinu and is one of the seven “songs” in Tanakh and is one of the shortest parshas in the Torah, with just 52 verses long, but is filled
Parashat Ha’azinu: Hearing and Listening Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
By Eva Trieger SOLANA BEACH, California — They’re back! They’re back! I’ve just come from North Coast Rep’s production of Mark St. Germain’s “Dancing Lessons.” This piece was superbly directed by Richard Baird, and enacted by Christopher Williams and Leilani Smith. Baird has appeared on stage in many excellent North Coast plays, but he is
‘Dancing Lessons:’ Finding Common Ground and Honoring Each Other Read More »
Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
By Steve Kramer KFAR SABA, Israel — While the U.S. and the Europeans dawdle and vacillate at the JCPOA (Iran nuclear agreement) meetings – or non-meetings – in Vienna, Iran gets ever closer to nuclear weapons capability. This situation is very dangerous to Israel and the West. Europe and the U.S. are oblivious to this,
Iran’s Strategy Works Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA
Josh Mandel is one confusing guy. In his quest to succeed Republican U.S. Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, is Mandel now freeing up his fellow Republicans to compare the pandemic to the Holocaust? Or will he insist that only us Israelites can do that? That is not all he confuses us about. [Bruce S. Ticker]
Mandel Insults Fellow Jews with His Specious Holocaust Analogy Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Jewish History, USA
Irène Némirovsky, who wrote this novella, was murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust. Although she grew up in Kiev, in what today is part of Ukraine, she wrote in French. Translator Sandra Smith has brought her stories to light under the aegis of the Kale Press. [Donald H. Harrison]
Novella Relates the Odyssey of a Child Genius Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. HarrisonMost congregants probably think that writing sermons about the Rosh Hashanah holiday is easy. Actually, given the plethora of themes one can choose from, it is not the case at all. Using recycled sermons can diminish the power of one’s delivery. Personally, I always look to create new sermons based on certain perennial themes, e.g., time, sweetness, communal solidarity, Israel, being Jewish in the 21st century, etc. [Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel]
The Ox Ate My Sermon Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
Our columnist Laurie Baron contributed this memory of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Twenty years later, do you have recollections of the day terrorists hijacked four planes, destroyed the Twin Towers in New York City, damaged the Pentagon, and crashed into a field in Philadelphia, killing in the process 2,977 people in the air, on the ground, and in the buildings? Your recollections are welcome! [San Diego Jewish World]
Judaism has dozens of meaningful customs and ceremonies, but most people, even Jews, do not know all of them, their origins and rationale. Rabbi Abraham Chill (1912-2004) gives readers of The Minhagim, Hebrew for customs and ceremonies, a very readable discussion of many of these practices. He includes the views from such famous sources as Shulchan Arukh, Tur, Abudraham, Arukh Ha-Shulhan, Hayye Avraham, Sefer Ha-Manhig, Sefer Ha-Minhagim, and others. He gives a short bio of each of the 27 sources that he quotes. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Rationale of Yom Kippur Ceremonies and Customs Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
You know when you learn about something and it’s just too good to keep it to yourself? That feeling of wanting to shout it from the rooftops or paste a banner advertising it on the side of a city bus? Yeah, that level of excitement. I first experienced the miracle that is Kitchens for Good in 2019, when the San Diego Jewish Community Foundation invited its donors to tour the beautiful and supremely functional facility. Founders Aviva Paley and Chuck Samuelson have gone on to new adventures, and have taken a more advisory role, as Lindsey Seeger steps into the role of Director of External Affairs. [Eva Trieger]
Kitchens for Good Gains New Quarters, $100,000 Matching Fund Offer Read More »
Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Travel and FoodJoe Biden has been visiting various sites where natural disasters and extreme weather have wreaked havoc. Since Donald Trump still thinks he is the president, he is considering taking trips to the same places to illustrate how differently he would handle these crises. [Laurie Baron, Ph.D]
Satire: Comparative Compassion Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire