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Unless overturned on appeal, a case brought against gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson and gun store San Diego Guns will be permitted to proceed on behalf of the victims of the April 27, 2019 shooting at Chabad of Poway, which occurred on the last day of Passover. [Donald H. Harrison]
Suit Okayed Against Gun Manufacturer, Store in Chabad of Poway Shooting Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USA
By Jacob Kamaras LA JOLLA, California — For more than two weeks, the condo building collapse in Surfside, Florida, has remained an inescapable fixture in Jewish and mainstream media alike. Of course, a tragedy of this magnitude merits the abundant coverage. But at this stage, we cannot ignore the emotional toll of the headlines. On
The emotional toll of the Surfside headlines Read More »
Jacob Kamaras, USA
Rewards totaling $2,000 are being offered by Crime Stoppers and the Anti-Defamation League “for information that leads to an arrest” of the two young women who were seen on security video vandalizing the Chabad House at San Diego State University in the early morning hours of Friday, June 25. [Donald H. Harrison]
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson DOMEYROT, France — Having managed to overcome all the technical, medical, and bureaucratic obstacles in the way of anyone wanting to travel abroad from Israel, we finally managed to make our way onto the plane taking us to France. For the last few years we have got into the habit of spending
Trouble in Paradise Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Travel and Food
Activities and staffing are returning to pre-pandemic levels at various San Diego County synagogues, with Temple Emanu-El in the San Diego State University area hosting a Palestinian refugee who is highly critical the Palestinian Authority’s human rights record. Tifereth Israel Synagogue in the San Carlos neighborhood, meanwhile, has announced it has hired a new executive director. [Donald H. Harrison]
S.D. Synagogues Welcome Palestinian Speaker, Executive Director Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, USA
When in the course of viral events, it becomes necessary for a nation to overcome the political polarization which divides it and respond to the pandemic infecting it by heeding the findings of science and favoring the common interest over unrestrained individualism to prevent further contagion for the sake of mankind. [Laurie Baron, Ph.D]
Satire: The Declaration of Interdependence Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA
When you walk into a synagogue what do you feel? This week’s double reading, Matot and Massei, on the Shabbat that is the first day of the auspicious month of Av, offers us some insight into this question. After all, these readings teach of a new phase in the history of our heritage, the settlement period when we began to find permanent homes for ourselves. Is that what your synagogue is for you? [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
Torah Reading for July 10, 2021 Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
After more than a year absence because of the coronavirus pandemic, the House of Pacific Relations in Balboa Park reopened to visitors over the July 4th weekend. So named because relations among nations should be “pacific” or “peaceful” — and not a reference to the ocean that washes San Diego’s shores — The House of Pacific Relations includes the House of Israel (HOI), which marked the reopening with a flag raising ceremony. [Donald H. Harrison]
Flag Raising Marks Reopening of House of Israel in Balboa Park Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Middle East, San Diego County, USA
The numbers three and seven occur well over a hundred times in Judaism, as do their combination the number ten. The fast day of Tisha b’Av, meaning the ninth day of the Hebrew month Av, seems to be an exception – but is it an exception? [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Three and Seven Are Important Numbers in Judaism Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish ReligionI believe some of the most important unsung heroes of non-Orthodox Judaism are the spouses of pulpit rabbis. We don’t pay them, but more often than not, we expect them to devote their lives to our synagogues. We want them to attend every social occasion, be there near the front of the sanctuary on Shabbat evening and morning, to recognize all of us by first and last name, and to be able to chant the blessings before and after the reading of the Torah whenever someone is needed for an aliyah. [Donald H. Harrison]
Let’s Have Compassion for the Rabbi’s Spouse Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, USA
As a boy, I loved hearing the story about the early childhood of my father, Martin B. Harrison, who was born on the 4th of July, 1910. To paraphrase the great Irish-American lyricist George M. Cohan, dad was a “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” Until dad reached the age of 5, his parents — M. Joseph and Florence Harrison — had him persuaded that the nation held all those parades and shot off all those fireworks in celebration of his birthday. When he got to kindergarten, however, he learned the truth. The celebration was for the birth of the American nation, and not specifically for little Marty. [Donald H. Harrison]
‘Thank you, America’ from the Depths of My Jewish Heart Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USAAs vaccination rates increase and the coronavirus pandemic seemingly is being brought under control, group trips to Israel from San Diego are again being organized. One of the first to be publicized is a joint trip planned for May 15-29, 2022 and sponsored by the San Diego Outreach Synagogue and the Desert Outreach Synagogue, to be led respectively by Rabbi/ Cantor Cheri Weiss and Rabbi Jules King. [Donald H. Harrison]
Planning for Locally-Based Israel Trips Resumes Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USAThe leadership of the House of Israel in Balboa Park is less worried today about the possible burnout of their volunteers. which could have led to the organization being unable to keep the doors open to the public from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. That in turn could have led to the House of Israel, a Balboa Park fixture since 1948, being forced to relinquish its cottage and being replaced by the house of another nation. The pro-Israel advocacy group StandWithUs has come to the rescue. [Donald H. Harrison]
StandWithUs to Aid House of Israel in Balboa Park Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
By Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort CARLSBAD, California — This week we read the portion titled Pinchas. To understand Pinchas one must first look to last week’s portion, Balak. Balak was the king who had hired the gentile prophet Bilaam to curse the Jewish people. Balak had already seen that the Jews could not be defeated by
A Word of Torah: Living with the Times Read More »
Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi