AAA-Writers and photographers

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

Demonstrations of the Ugly and the Beautiful in Sports

In sports, which can serve as a microcosm of our society, we saw over the past few days the ugly and the beautiful.

The ugly came following a California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) regional championship basketball game between Coronado High School of the City of Coronado and Orange Glen High School of the City of Escondido.  At the end of the hard-fought game, which Coronado narrowly won, some of its players “celebrated” by tossing packages of tortillas at the Orange Glen team, whose players are predominantly Mexican-American.  Coronado High School, in contrast, is predominantly White. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, USA

Talking Donkey Teaches Us To See the Good in One Another

Talking donkeys can teach us a great deal about who really offers blessings and curses, that is, only Hashem. And more than this, talking donkeys can teach us to inclusively, with ahavat yisroel, open our eyes and see the good in everyone else in the world. It says in the parasha three times, “And G-d opened the eyes of Bilam and he saw…” Some people, like Bilaam, may need continuous lessons to see the presence of Hashem. We benefit from similar reminders to see every other person with understanding, with the benefit of the doubt, with love, through ayin tova. Our eyes are lenses through which we see the world. Too often shmutz clouds what we see in terms of negative thinking. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell

Political Biography Includes Anecdotes About Biden and Jews

While this book was published prior to the election by which Joe Biden became the 46th President of the United States, there is much in it that remains of interest — particularly for people like myself who are interested in the relationships between American presidents and the Jewish community. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, USA

Miraculous Tales of Ancient Judaism Dissected

Most people do not know that the Talmud and other rabbinic volumes such as Midrash include non-legal writings about theology, ethics, psychology, health, and many other topics, as well as fascinating and delightful stories. Along with being appealing, riveting, and charming tales, these accounts also contain subtle often overlooked lessons. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion

Novel portrays 3 English-speaking students at Hebrew University

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson’s eighth novel concerns three foreign students studying at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.  Each of them is from an English-speaking country; specifically the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.  Two are married, one is single; the Australian and his wife have two children; and all are graduate students in the history department. The  year is 1966, one year prior to the Six Day War. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson

Satire: The Unexpurgated Geneva Summit Transcript

Both Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin gave press conferences and issued readouts after their summit meeting this week. Did these reflect what they really said behind closed doors? Fortunately, I had access to a transcript of the meeting recorded by devices planted by the same Jewish cabal in charge of the Space Laser program. Here are a few snippets from the meeting. [Satire by Laurie Baron, Ph.D]

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Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Jewish News Around San Diego, June 18, 2021

The Balboa Park-based San Diego History Center has embarked  on a $100,000 fundraising campaign “to edit, conserve and preserve” more than 90 hours of interviews that were conducted in preparation for its 2017-2018 exhibition Celebrate San Diego: The History of San Diego’s Jewish Community and a companion documentary film. To the Ends of the Earth: A Portrait of San Diego.  The fundraising campaign is being led by Jeff and Karen Silberman. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Federation CEO to Decline Further Cancer Treatment, ‘At Peace’ With Decision

By Jacob Kamaras Jewish Federation of San Diego County President and CEO Michael Jeser, who in May had stepped back from his position because of a recurrence of the cancer that had him sidelined much of last year, on Thursday announced that he has decided to decline further cancer treatment. Jeser wrote on Facebook that

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Jacob Kamaras, San Diego County

Why everyone should celebrate Juneteenth, the new federal holiday

By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – I was delighted to learn that Congress, by an overwhelming vote, has decided that Juneteenth should be a federal holiday. President Joe Biden subsequently signed the Juneteenth bill into law. Marking the June 19, 1865 date when U.S. Army Major General Gordon Granger abolished slavery in Galveston, Texas,

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Donald H. Harrison, USA

Only in Israel!

By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — With its unique mix of people from all over the world, almost all of them with Jewish roots, Israel’s population comprises a wide range of cultures, traditions, and even genetic composition. The juxtaposition of so many people from so many different backgrounds has given rise to some unexpected

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East

Will We Lose the House of Israel to Another Nation?

A bit of friendly advice for my fellow Jews, and especially those from Israel residing in San Diego.  The House of Israel, which has been open continuously in Balboa Park since 1948–the same year Israel was created–is now in danger of losing its charter.  The dedicated volunteers who do their best to keep the House open every Saturday and Sunday, as required by the City of San Diego, are wearying.  Some are getting too old to maintain that type of schedule; others are experiencing burnout. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Middle East, San Diego County, USA

Torah portion for June 19, 2021: Chukat

The Pure Red Heifer, the Parah Adumah T’mimah which we read about in this week’s parasha, Chukat, opens the door to learning about a purification process that defies rational understanding. Burn a perfectly good cow without blemish and its ashes can make those who burn it imperfect, impure, while making the impure, the imperfect, pure and perfect. What a paradox! [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell