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

Home from Rehab, Editor Tells Experiences

I came home last Tuesday following brain surgery and nearly six weeks of physical rehabilitation with surprising mixed feelings.  It was the eve of Nancy’s and my 53rd wedding anniversary, so of course I was excited, especially since because of the Covid pandemic, we had not been able to get near each other, much less share a kiss.  But, on the other hand, I felt like a kid at the end of his summer camp session; going home meant leaving behind new friends as well as interesting and enjoyable activities. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education

Editor’s Surgery to Force SDJW’s Temporary Shutdown Jan. 15

As I am scheduled to have brain surgery tomorrow morning (Friday, Jan. 15), this publication will go on temporary hiatus until such time as I am recovered sufficiently to resume my duties as editor and co-publisher of San Diego Jewish World.  Those of you who have indicated your interest in monitoring my condition may check my Facebook page, which my daughter Sandi Masori plans to update as news becomes available. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Middle East, San Diego County, Sandi Masori, Sports & Competitions, USA

Jewish vote provided majorities in battleground states

The Jewish stars aligned, politically speaking, on Nov. 3 and Jan. 5. A case can be made that the Jewish vote swung six statewide races to elect Joe Biden as president, hand Democrats control of the Senate and elevate Chuck Schumer as the first Jewish majority leader of the Senate. Strangely enough, the margins in these elections corresponded with the likely size of the Jewish vote in three states –  Biden’s race against President Trump in Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania and three Senate elections in Arizona and Georgia. [Bruce S. Ticker]

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Bruce Ticker, USA

Felder’s ‘Before Fiddler’ Highlights Music of Sholem Aleichem Era

Hershey Felder continues to stream one-man shows from his current residence in Florence, Italy. Among his many portrayals of famous composers such as Beethoven, Chopin, Tchaikowsky and Debussy, he also featured three great Jewish composers, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein. For his current offering, Before Fiddler,  he once again dips into his Jewish heritage for inspiration, this time, portraying the great Yiddish novelist, playwright and story teller, Sholem Aleichem, on whose stories the libretto of Fiddler On The Roof was based. [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Art as Liberation: The Mexican Muralists at the Whitney Museum

Vida Americana is an exhilarating, expansive and immensely satisfying exhibition at New York’s Whitney Museum. Like a great and varied feast, this is a show that one must take one’s time to fully appreciate and digest; an exhibition that includes photography, film, sculpture, charcoal sketches, colored pencil and graphite, watercolors, lithographs and oil paintings, from the easel to the epic in scale. Not only are the greatest Mexican artists of the twentieth century represented here – including Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros (‘Los Tres Grandes’) – but also many of the notable American artists who they had a profound influence on, such as Jackson Pollock, Jacob Lawrence, Marion Greenwood and Charles White, among others. [Sam Ben-Meir, Ph.D]

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Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Sam Ben-Meir

Book Review: ‘Inflitration’ by Joshua Kenaz

The death a few months ago of Israeli author, Joshua Kenaz, led to renewed interest in his work, and impelled me to read this book (published by Am Oved in 1986). For me, reading a novel in Hebrew involves embarking on an enterprise that I know in advance will tax my patience and ability to persevere, especially as in this case the book comprises some six hundred pages of closely-printed Hebrew text. However, I decided to stick the course and acquaint myself with the writing of someone who is considered to be a bulwark of contemporary Israeli literature. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East

National Trust to Honor Rosenwald Schools

January 13, 2021 was an extraordinary day in the history of the United States.  President Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives for the second time.  The House acted with blazing swiftness, something they almost never do. It had only been one week from when a huge mob of demonstrators attacked, penetrated, and threatened the Capitol.   As Congress voted to impeach President Trump for inciting insurrection, President Trump continued his presidential duties. He signed last-minute legislation that would positively impact the fight against antisemitism, for women’s and human rights, education, the environment, and more. One of the bills the President signed was HR 3250. It is known as the Julius Rosenwald and the Rosenwald Schools Act of 2020. [Jerry Klinger]

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Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, USA

Streaming Jewish Programs (January 17-23, 2021) 

SAN DIEGO – Following are Jewish-interest programs intended for academic and lay audiences that may be accessed via the Internet All times are Pacific Standard Time. [Laurie Baron, Ph.D]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lawrence Baron, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

Book Review: Esther in America

The biblical book Esther made a significant impact upon Americans, Jews and non-Jews, as seen in the new book Esther in America.

As I described in detail in my book Ruth, Esther, and Judith, the biblical book Esther is in no way similar to what many think the book contains. Most noteworthy is that it contains no mention of God and no indication that the Judeans observed any biblical command. Even when the Judeans fasted when prompted by Esther’s request, no mention is made that they prayed for divine aid. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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

House Impeaches President Trump by 232-197 Vote

After more than three hours of televised, often heated debate, a united Democratic party, aided by 10 Republicans, impeached President Donald Trump for an unprecedented second time.  The vote on Wednesday, January 13, showed 232 members of Congress in favor of impeachment, and 197 members, all of them Republicans, opposed.  The matter goes next for trial by the U.S. Senate which Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said will not convene for formal business until January 19, one day before President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris are scheduled to be inaugurated. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, The World We Share, USA

Trump’s inaction following rioting may be his biggest crime

The legal hook to snag Donald J. Trump: “Stay peaceful!” Ironic words to meld a criminal case against our soon-to-be ex-president for his role in the siege of Capitol Hill. I could not figure out how Trump is culpable for his pep talk to the thugs who went on to murder a police officer, injure other officers, terrify hundreds of powerful figures and trash the halls of Congress. At first. [Bruce S. Ticker]

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Bruce Ticker, USA

12 Positive COVID cases reported at Seacrest Village’s Memory Care Unit

Twelve of the 24 patients in Seacrest Village Retirement Community’s Katzin Memory Care Unit have tested positive for COVID-19, Pam Ferris, President and CEO of the Encinitas-based facility run under Jewish community auspices, reported on Tuesday, January 12.   Of these, she said, nine already have had treatments involving intravenous infusion of the medication known as Bamlanivimab, and three others are scheduled to begin the single-time treatment, which lasts approximately two hours. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, USA

Lessons from Buddhists

While I am an Orthodox Jew, I recognize that I as well as all people of all religions can learn much from Buddhists and others. The greatest Jewish philosopher, the rational thinker Maimonides, reminded us that the truth is the truth no matter what its source. Not only rational philosophers, but even mystics stressed Maimonides’ teaching about taking truths from all sources, Jewish and non-Jewish. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr.

Opening our ears to HaShem’s messages

This week’s parasha is tailored to the times in which we are living. Fear of the unknown, “uncertainty,” has spun many into anxiety, depression, and self-destruction. Many have so weakened their sense of hopefulness, that they live with exhaustion, believing nothing can, or will, improve. The events in the nation’s capital last week have beaten down many. How can we see our strife, our fear, our disbelief, today in this week’s Torah reading? [Michael Mantell, Ph.D]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell