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
(Tune: Santa Claus is Coming to Town)
He’s wearing a mask.
He’s acting so smart.
Deers cleared for the task.
They’re six feet apart.
Santa Claus is playing it safe. …[Laurie Baron, Ph.D]
Satire: Santa Claus Is Playing It Safe Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Dishman covers ADHD, depression, personality disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, anxiety, PTSD and insomnia. He goes into detail in each of these, including the variety of medications available for anyone suffering with one of these mental illnesses, or as he calls them, “Diversity of Personality.” [Michael Mantell, Ph.D]
Pharmacist Explains How Drugs Can Mitigate Mental Illness Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Michael Mantell, Science, Medicine, & Education
Many Jews, even those who do not observe any Jewish practice other than Yom Kippur and Passover, observe Hanukah, mostly because their children want gifts, but they have wrong ideas about the history relating to the holiday. Even most observant Jews have wrong ideas, as do many non-Jews. The late Dr. Howard Rubenstein of San Diego published a fascinating book about the history of Hanukah called Maccabee: An Epic in Free Verse. Based upon the Books of Maccabees. The book is very readable. One should not be turned off by the words “free verse.” In fact, Rubenstein’s free verse is easier to read than the average novel written for the general population, and is more interesting. I recommend the book. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Some little known facts about Hanukah Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
Hershey Felder will close the year with another of his unique one-man, concert-dramas, this time revisiting “Our Great Tchaikowsky,” to be streamed from Florence, Italy at 5 p.m. PDT, December 20.. [Eileen Wingard]
Felder Portrays Tchaikowsky Dec. 20 Read More »
Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & BroadcastNow that the approval and distribution of a vaccine for Covid-19 is near, the United States needs to develop cures or vaccines to combat these other diseases that are plaguing the body politic. [Laurie Baron, Ph.D]
Satire: The Other Epidemics Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Ahead of the December 10th meeting that will determine whether San Diego City Councilmember Jennifer Campbell or Councilmember Monica Montgomery Steppe will become the next City Council President, Campbell scored a victory at the City Planning Commission, winning unanimous approval for her compromise plan to cut by 50 percent the number of short-term rental units in the city and to charge a license fee for those that remain. [Donald H. Harrison]
Jen Campbell wins a short-term rental victory Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USAFollowing are streaming Jewish programs of academic and general interest from Sunday, Dec. 6, through Friday, Dec. 11. All times are Pacific Standard Time. (Laurie Baron, Ph.D)
Streaming Jewish Programs (Dec. 6-12, 2020) Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lawrence Baron, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA
This week we read of the brotherly reunion of Yaakov and Esav after their long separation. As a brief reminder Yaakov (Jacob) hurriedly left the house of his righteous parents Yitzchak (Isaac) and Rivka (Rebecca) due to the homicidal rage of his (evil) twin Esav who wanted to murder him. Why did Esav want to murder his twin brother? He was enraged that Yaakov, through stealthy means, acquired his father’s blessing instead of him. Ultimately, everyone agreed-including Esav himself-with Rivka’s assessment that the potent blessing would find an appropriate vessel within Yaakov rather than Esav. [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]
A Word of Torah: Appeasing Evil? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi
In “Isresilience,” we meet 15 Israelis who overcame difficult challenges in their lives and went on to praiseworthy accomplishments. The sketches are of Israeli sabras and olim, men and women, young and old. Through the entire narrative, authors Dickson, who is executive director of StandWithUs in Israel, and Baum, a PhD known for her studies of resilience, examine how these Israelis were able to overcome the obstacles that life put in their way. They suggest that there are three important ingredients to resilience: empathy, flexibility, and meaning making, which might be better understood as a sense of purpose. [Donald H. Harrison]
Authors Tell Stories of 15 Israelis’ Resilience Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Middle East
It all comes down to “promote the general welfare” vs. “the free exercise…of religion.”
On Nov. 8, Satmar Grand Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum more than freely exercised his religious traditions by hosting a family wedding in Brooklyn reportedly attended by 7,000 guests at a time when coronavirus cases persisted at high levels of infection. On Nov. 23. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio promoted the general welfare by socking the organizers with a laughable $15,000 fine. On Nov. 26, our dysfunctional Supreme Court stamped a final judgment on a synagogue attendance case – rooted in Brooklyn – prioritizing “the free exercise…of religion” over “the general welfare.” [Bruce S. Ticcker]
Free Exercise of Religion vs. Promoting the General Welfare Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, USA
Did you know there are horses in San Diego County with roots that can be traced back directly back to the Vikings? They are Icelandic horses and their ancestors were perfect for crossing the oceans on Viking boats as the horses were short–about 12-14 hands-, calm, and sure-footed. Icelandic horses today are not very different from their predecessors and Iceland has been careful to keep it that way. [Mimi Pollack]
Mimi’s Ark: Icelandic Horses in Encinitas Read More »
International, Lifestyles, Mimi Pollack, San Diego County, The World We Share, USA
According to the Book of the Calendar Controversy, found in the Cairo Genizah in the early twentieth century, Aaron Ben Meir, a highly esteemed scholar and Head of the Jewish community living in Muslim-occupied Israel, challenged, in A.M. 4682 (921 CE), Babylonian Jewry’s power to construct the Jewish calendar by declaring on the Mount of Olives that the months of Heshvan and Kislev would be defective (both having 29 days), and as a result, Passover 4682 will fall on Sunday, contradicting the pronouncement of the Babylonian Sanhedrin whose calendar said the months of Heshvan and Kislev will be full (both having 30 days) and Passover falling on Tuesday, two days later. [Fred Reiss, Ed.D]
The Great Jewish Calendar Controversy Read More »
Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish History, Jewish Religion
What else can possibly be found in a parasha? Jacob meets his brother, Esau. Jacob wrestles with an angel. We read about the rape of Jacob’s daughter, Dina. Her brothers massacre the men of Shechem. Rivka passes away. Jacob is given a new name, “Yisroel.” Rachel dies after giving birth to Benjamin. Isaac dies. And on it goes. [Michael Mantell, Ph.D]
Jacob Showed Us the Value of Acting Now Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, San Diego County
The Museum of Modern Art is currently presenting Félix Fénéon: The Anarchist and the Avant-Garde – From Signac to Matisse and Beyond, examining the immense influence of this art critic, editor, publisher, collector and anarchist. Fénéon (1861-1944) saw the critic as a channel between the artist and the public – a role which had particular significance because art could further the cause of social justice and harmony. As Paul Signac would proclaim: “Justice in sociology, harmony in art: same thing.” [Sam Ben-Meir]
Anarchism and the Avant-Garde Read More »
Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Sam Ben-Meir