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

Our Shtetl San Diego County: October 3, 2019

Items in today’s column include: *SDMA exhibit on women of abstract impressionism includes some Jewish artists *UC San Diego’s economic impact *Political Bytes *Coming Our Way By Donald H. Harrison SDMA exhibit on women of abstract impressionism includes some Jewish artists SAN DIEGO — Jewish artists Lee Krasner and Helen Frankenthaler and another artist of […]

Our Shtetl San Diego County: October 3, 2019 Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Travel and Food

Impeachment unlikely to affect Democratic control of the House

Pundits are questioning if the impeachment inquiry conducted by the House of Representatives will cost Democrats their majority in the House. What they overlook is the prospect that some Republicans may lose their jobs – like Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick who represents Bucks County and a sliver of Montgomery County in southeastern Pennsylvania. (To read more, please click on the headline)

Impeachment unlikely to affect Democratic control of the House Read More »

Bruce Ticker, USA

Audience interacts with Felder’s ‘Monsieur Chopin’

The genius of Hershey Felder was again on display in his one-man show, Monsieur Chopin, now extended until October 6 in the Lyceum Space. This time, the actor-pianist not only portrayed Fryderyk Chopin conducting a masterclass in his Parisian salon, but also entertaining questions from his students, the audience, as an intrinsic part of the play. (To read more, please click on headline)

Audience interacts with Felder’s ‘Monsieur Chopin’ Read More »

Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Yom Kippur and What the Romans Destroyed

Like Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur does not exist in the Bible. It replaces another day known as Yom Hakippurim. Yom Kippur is singular, “day of atonement,” while Yom Hakippurim is plural, “day of atonements.” The biblical Yom Hakippurim is mentioned in Leviticus 16:29–31, 23:27–32, and Numbers 29:7–11. No work was permitted on this day, special sacrifices were offered, and the Israelites were obliged to te’anu et nafshoteikhem. This  is improperly translated as “you must afflict your souls.” (To read more, please click on the headline.)

Yom Kippur and What the Romans Destroyed Read More »

Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion

D’var Torah for October 5, 2019

Remember leaving services last Yom Kippur, the grandeur of Neilah upon us, filled with promises to live better lives? Yet so soon afterwards many old habits reemerged – maybe even before that first morsel of food was swallowed, after the long fast. Like January’s New Year’s resolutions to “eat less and move more” that quickly fade before February, we make promises to transform during the Days of Awe, that are fleeting and short-lived. We’re human. We are filled with introspection, we repent, we make promises, and then fall asleep until the next Yom Kippur. And here we are again. (To read more, please click on headline.)

D’var Torah for October 5, 2019 Read More »

Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell

Humoring the Headlines: October 2, 2019

Foecabulary: Donald’s Dictionary of Demonization By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO−Donald Trump released the latest edition of his Dictionary of Demonization. Here’s some of the new entries: Spy=a whistleblower who follows protocol in filing a report. Presidential Harassment=Constitutional Congressional Oversight over the Executive Branch. Perfect=Incriminating. Scum=Fake News wasn’t sufficiently polarizing. Coup=Impeachment Inquiry. Favor=Extortion. A Civil War

Humoring the Headlines: October 2, 2019 Read More »

Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Its people and geography make Israel special

Like every country, Israel has its advantages and its disadvantages. One of the former is its climate, which is on the whole pleasant (at least in Jerusalem) with sunny days throughout the summer, often with cool evenings and nights. It also has a long coastline giving most of the population access to the sea with all its benefits.

Considering its small size, the country encompasses a particularly wide range ofinteresting geographical features, with hilly areas in the north, and even mountains on which one can ski in winter. (To read more, please click on the headline)

Its people and geography make Israel special Read More »

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East

Holocaust survivors remember childhood traumas

Survivors of the Holocaust: True Stories of Six Extraordinary Children, edited by Keith Shackleton, illustrated by Zane Whittingham; Sourcebooks, © 2019; ISBN pending, 96 pages. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO –This set of six memoirs, illustrated cartoon style, is intended to make the Holocaust accessible to children ages 10 and up. Today living in

Holocaust survivors remember childhood traumas Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History

Our Shtetl San Diego: September 29, 2019

Japanese-born artist JUURI is painting a portrait of Hannah Senesh, the Israeli pioneer who parachuted behind Nazi lines to help Hungarian Jews and was captured and  killed.

The mural is being installed at the Super Block building at 15th and F and will be the subject of  tours from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4, as part of the Women Who Paint Festival. Tours begin at 889 Park Boulevard.

Our Shtetl San Diego: September 29, 2019 Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

Noura and the problems of immigrant families

Heather Raffo’s new play, Noura, the Old Globe’s West Coast premiere, unveils the story of a Chaldean couple who are Iraqi refugees. They’ve been in America for seven years, but are celebrating their first Christmas as American citizens. Their new passports sport new American names, Tareq is now Tim, Noura is now Nora, and their son, Yazen has morphed into Alex. While Tim seems happy with this development, Noura is resentful and doesn’t like the adaptation.

Noura and the problems of immigrant families Read More »

Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Actual year of Hebrew calendar quite debatable

Many people, secular and religious, of different cultures and worldviews, have attempted to calculate the age of the world. There is no agreement between them, simply because it is an impossible task. Christians, Muslims, and Jews have tried to do the calculation based on a literal reading of the Bible and have come up with different times. The following shows the impossibility by focusing on the widely used Jewish version.

Actual year of Hebrew calendar quite debatable Read More »

Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion