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
Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) report that its recent San Diego fundraiser attracted 650 contributors, who honored Sydney and Denise Selati of San Diego, and met five IDF soldiers who, according to security protocols, were identified by their first names or initials only. [Donald H. Harrison]
FIDF gala showcased IDF diversity Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County
Since December 2017, a sort of “rolling rebellion” has been occurring across Iran. It is bigger, deeper and stronger than the Green Revolution of 2009 and taking place in great measure outside Tehran, where the population is more diverse. There have been strikes of truckers, bazaar shopkeepers, teachers, farmers, and students. See #WhiteWednesday on Twitter to watch brave Iranian women go into the streets and take off their head coverings. Sometimes they dance. Sometimes their husbands, fathers, and brothers go with them. Sometimes they are arrested and sometimes they go to jail. Unfortunately, it took the suicide of a young woman facing seven years in prison for attending a soccer match to get the attention of the Western press. [Shoshana Bryen]
Imperial Iran faces troubles at home and abroad Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen
After the Trump Administration’s “Remain in Mexico” policy was introduced in the summer, many asylum seekers were forced to stay in Mexico. While they wait for their court date, the need for shelters and other assistance in Tijuana has dramatically increased. Enter two grassroots organizations that were started in 2018 and early 2019 to support migrants in the Tijuana area. In 2018, Birdie Gutierrez, the daughter of migrant farm workers, founded Bridge of Love Across the Border and began to collect much needed items which were sent to migrant shelters in Tijuana. [Mimi Pollack]
‘Stay in Mexico’ policy shifts charitable focus Read More »
International, Mimi Pollack, San Diego County
Board members of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County have voted unanimously to contribute $100,000 to help the Lawrence Family JCC to host the August 2-7, 2020 JCC Maccabi Games which are expected to bring to San Diego 2,000 athletes from all over the world. [Donald H. Harrison]
Federation chips in $100,000 for JCC Maccabi Games Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Judaism, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions
My owner is a news junkie. For the past week, he has disturbed my precious slumber by watching the House impeachment inquiry on television. Although the cats sleep so deeply that they haven’t listened to any of it, I haven’t been as fortunate. Rather than waste my time tossing and turning, I have tried to grasp the charges against Trump so I can convey them to the dogs I meet on my walks. The story goes something like this: [Elona Baron as told to Lawrence Baron, PhD]
Impeachment for doggy dummies Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
In Western religions, the numbers 3, 7, and 40 have symbolic significance. So too are they important to the understanding of the life and works of Baldassare Forestiere, who created the sprawling underground gardens and home that today are recognized as a California Historical Landmark as well as a venue listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [Donald H. Harrison]
Religious numerology at a state historic landmark Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Travel and Food, USA
Just as September’s high holidays are marked by boxes of matzo ball soup on Von’s endcaps, so the annual Christmas season is heralded by the Old Globe’s production of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The show opened last night to a full house and an enthusiastic fan base welcomed all the Whos from Whoville, Max the loyal dog, and the once-curmudgeonly Grinch who did teshuva. [Eva Trieger]
A freshened grinch at the Old Globe Read More »
Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
Never able to shake off the painful memory of having his fingers shot off by an intruder at Chabad of Poway nor of seeing congregant Lori Gilbert-Kaye murdered and two other congregants wounded, Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein has decided to retire. [Donald H. Harrison]
Chabad of Poway’s Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein retires Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
Becky Krinsky, who organized the Pink Challah Bakes, both in Bonita and across the border at the Centro Social Israelita of Tijuana, said there were several reasons for merging Shabbat San Diego with breast cancer awareness. Noting that women traditionally make the challah that Jewish families eat on Shabbat, she commented that “breast cancer affects mainly women. We all have either one person who died from cancer or we know someone who is struggling with cancer, so I think it is a beautiful idea to unite us in praying for everybody and getting both things at the same time.” [Donald H. Harrison]
Event marries Shabbat, Breast Cancer Awareness Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and Food
Many of our readers may remember Art Linkletter’s television show Kids Say the Darndest Things. In classrooms throughout the nation, their parents say even darnder things. Just ask Cheryl Kolker and Jan Landau, longtime teachers at the San Diego Jewish Academy who have collected anecdotes from 30 of their colleagues in American public and private schools and put them all into a humorous book Teachers Have You Ever..!!@#*!! [Donald H. Harrison]
Humorous book relates teachers’ anecdotes Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
And Sarah laughed within herself, saying:… and my master is old (Gen. XVIII, 12); but [when He repeated this] to Abraham, He said: [Sarah said]: And I am old (ib. 13) [Michael Mantell, PhD]
Why God told Abraham a white lie Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
The Lawrence Family JCC has been sending flyers to people throughout the county looking for athletes, artists, volunteers and donors for the 2020 JCC Maccabi Experience, in which over 400 San Diego County teen athletes and artists will become part of a competition among 2,200 teens from throughout the world from Sunday August 2 through Friday, August 7. [Donald H. Harrison]
San Diego gears up for 2020 JCC Maccabi Experience Read More »
Bruce F. Lowitt, Donald H. Harrison, International, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
From the respondents to my original article, I am also glad to hear that Witold Pilecki is the most revered in Poland and has been for some time. But one respondent claimed, “There is no anti-Semitism in Poland!” I hoped that this might indeed be the case. But this comment piqued my curiosity, so I decided to check out this out for myself. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
Poland, other countries, had mixed Holocaust records Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, USA
Sha’ar Hanegev, the partnership region in Israel of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County, has been experiencing a lot of tension, but so far no casualties in the current barrage of rockets being fired at Israel from Gaza. [Donald H. Harrison]
S.D partnership region under rocket attack Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education