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

A Holocaust exhibit takes to webcasting

The Remember Us The Holocaust (RUTH) exhibit at the Chula Vista Heritage Museum, located in Chula Vista’s main library, was barely a fourth of the way into its anticipated year-long run, when the Covid-19 pandemic forced it closure.   Sandra Scheller, the exhibit’s curator and daughter of the late Ruth Sax, a Holocaust survivor, remained undaunted.  She slowly but thoroughly transformed the exhibit into a virtual experience. {Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

S.D. Zoo enables world travel for those staying home

With Covid-19 causing many people to cancel their travel plans, especially visits to countries that have imposed a quarantine, some people tune in to YouTube or the Travel Channel to get their “travel fix,” albeit virtually.  We decided we could do better while remaining home in California. We went to the San Diego Zoo. [Shor M. Masori and Kenede Pratt-McCloud]

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Middle East, San Diego County, Sandi Masori, The World We Share, Travel and Food

Congresswoman Davis protests ICE’s plan for foreign students

President Donald J. Trump’s policies toward foreign students are “extreme,” “unnecessary,” and “cruel,” said Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) in leading 136 members of Congress to urge the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to rescind a decision to deport foreign students who during the coronavirus pandemic take courses on-line rather than in person. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Bill Harrison, z”l, has a place of his own

When my brother  Bill Harrison and I were growing up in New Rochelle, New York, we shared a room.  As you walked in, his bed was against the wall on the right, and mine was against the wall on the left.  Bill, who was five years older than I am, grew tired of me crossing over to his side of the room where I would inspect his things, and sometimes play with his “grown-up” stuff.  So he did what any big brother might do, he banned me from his side of the room. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Obituaries & memorials

Judges in Book of Judges did not judge

Rabbi Michael Hattin’s new 207-page book  Judges has 19 chapters, two less than the biblical Book of Judges. Judges is part of a series of Maggid Books, a division of Koren Publishers Jerusalem, that uses an interdisciplinary approach incorporating traditional rabbinic interpretations with scholarly literary techniques to explore the characters, themes, and text of the Hebrew Bible. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion

A Word of Torah: Strong women of Judaism

This week when thinking about these catastrophes I couldn’t help but think about the triumph of one particular segment of the Jewish people; Jewish women. The major failures that come to mind include the story of the Golden Calf, the Spies, the Rebellion of Korach and his cohorts, and consorting with the Midianites. The lack of participation by the Jewish women is in stark contrast to their Jewish brethren. [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]

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Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi

Jew-hatred, then and now

Jew-hatred (politely termed anti-Semitism) has returned to the US and the West, jolting some Jews but befuddling others who fail to recognize the phenomenon. We baby boomers grew up in era of acceptance of the Jewish community. But this ancient hatred has reverted to the mean as the shock of the Holocaust has receded and Israel has become a powerful nation. [Steve Kramer]

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International, Jewish History, Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA

Between Hunkering Down and Resurgence

The euphoria lasted exactly two weeks. As June progressed the general rejoicing and premature self-congratulation on the part of the government came to an abrupt stop. The dreaded second wave had arrived. The curve which had been flattened reared its ugly head again, and alarm bells started ringing as the number of infections rose drastically. The idea of returning to the theatre and the concert hall vanished like the proverbial mirage. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Lifestyles, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Why the great Talmudists valued contrary opinions

The Talmud has always been a champion of free speech. It is a unique document of human history where rabbis engage philosophers, wise women, emperors, Roman centurions, and a host of other people as they debate the meaning of life and the message of Judaism. Rabbinical discourse is dialectical. It presents a no-hold-bars approach to virtually any topic, from war and peace to the laws governing sexual relations. But be forewarned: the Talmud is not for the faint of heart. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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International, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USA

ADL, Jewish Federation team to boost community security

Matthew Brown had 20 years experience as a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation before becoming the Homeland Security Program Manager for the San Diego Unified Port District. Earlier this month he joined the staff of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) as part of a three-year partnership program with the Jewish Federation of San Diego County to improve security for the local Jewish community. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, USA