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

The Meaning of Teshuvah

Sometimes, I would forget and respond that the person asking for forgiveness could never do anything to hurt me on purpose. Then I am reminded that it is that time of year when we apologize, and when I say they are forgiven, I usually get a huge hug, which is a good start for the new year. [Cailin Acosta]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Cailin Acosta, Israel, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, Travel and Food

Parsha Ki Teitzei: Lessons for Inner Healing and Emotional Growth

It’s no accident that Ki Teitzei contains more mitzvot than any other parsha, 74 by the Rambam’s count. These are not just legalistic details; they are a spiritual training regimen. Each mitzvah challenges us to rise above raw instinct, to refine our character, and to live in greater alignment with empathy, integrity, and responsibility. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, Staff and Bylined Contributors

‘Milena and Margarete’ Recounts Prisoners’ Love Affair in a Nazi Concentration Camp for Women

This is an incisive history of the Ravensbrück Concentration Camp from the perspective of two female prisoners who defied their Nazi captors and became lovers. [Donald H. Harrison]

‘Milena and Margarete’ Recounts Prisoners’ Love Affair in a Nazi Concentration Camp for Women Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Satire: The Feds Will Not Replace Us

. Is it coincidence that the cities subjected to military occupations have large minority populations and Democratic mayors in states with Democratic governors? Why not Memphis, Nashville, and Houston whose violent crime rates rank them among the top ten worst American cities? Oh, I forgot, they are in red states that voted for Trump and have Republican governors! [Laurie Baron]

Satire: The Feds Will Not Replace Us Read More »

Lawrence Baron, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

‘Lettice and Lovage’ is an Amusing Story with or without all the Facts

Miss Douffet is employed by the Preservation Trust, an historic concern that provides tours around London. Fustian house, though historic, has a lackluster story, that is, until Lettice spices it up. Her imagination and her desire to “improve upon history when necessary” is not appreciated by everyone. [Eva Trieger]

‘Lettice and Lovage’ is an Amusing Story with or without all the Facts Read More »

Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Cyndi Lauper’s Farewell Stage Tour: A Living Laboratory of Vibration

The Hollywood Bowl performance in August marked the final stop of the “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” Farewell Tour, which spanned over 69 shows worldwide. Cyndi Lauper’s choice to end her touring career was rooted in gratitude and honesty: she wanted to celebrate on her own terms, surrounded by music, friends, and fans. [Michael Adam Cohen]

Cyndi Lauper’s Farewell Stage Tour: A Living Laboratory of Vibration Read More »

California, Michael Adam Cohen, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Two Commands in the Torah that Prolong Life

Deuteronomy 22:6-7 states that if you chance upon a bird’s nest containing young ones or eggs with the mother sitting near the chicks or on the eggs, you must not take the mother with the young. Instead, consider the mother’s feelings. Let the mother go and then take the young, “that you may prolong your days.” [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

Two Commands in the Torah that Prolong Life Read More »

Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors

‘Thorn & Petal’: An Interactive Play About San Diego’s First Jewish Settler Louis Rose

In a telephone interview, Redman shared that he felt compelled to share Louis Rose’s story in the wake of October 7th.  He saw value in bringing forth a positive Jewish story as negativity and antisemitism are on the rise. Through some networking with Sean Boyd, first-time playwright, Redman, garnered the support he needed to pen Thorn and Petal. [Eva Trieger]

‘Thorn & Petal’: An Interactive Play About San Diego’s First Jewish Settler Louis Rose Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, Eva Trieger, Jewish History, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Jewish Biography: Waldemar Haffkine, Discoverer of the Cholera and Plague Vaccines

The main focus of his work was the protection of the human body from infectious diseases using serums and vaccines. By 1892, Haffkine had created the first effective vaccine against cholera, proving its safety for humans on himself. [Alex Gordon]

Jewish Biography: Waldemar Haffkine, Discoverer of the Cholera and Plague Vaccines Read More »

Alex Gordon, Antisemitism, International, Jewish History, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Energy of Dave Koz & Friends Fills Humphreys with Good Vibrations

“Dave Koz & Friends Summer Horns 2026” was not just a concert. It became a multidimensional experience where music served as the architecture of joy, where every horn, every note, and every harmonic convergence connected the audience to the infinite. [Michael Adam Cohen]

Energy of Dave Koz & Friends Fills Humphreys with Good Vibrations Read More »

Michael Adam Cohen, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Mixed-Media Artist Rose Mizrahi Featured at Point Loma Branch Library

When asked which one of her paintings is her favorite, Mizrahi pointed out one of mountains titled “Summit.”  She was on vacation at Mammoth Mountain and got the inspiration to paint when she got home. Mizrahi doesn’t focus on just one genre; if she feels like painting a landscape, then she does, if she feels like painting something in space or cosmos, then she does, which makes her art unique in spanning different genres. [Cailin Acosta]

Mixed-Media Artist Rose Mizrahi Featured at Point Loma Branch Library Read More »

Cailin Acosta, California, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, The World We Share, Travel and Food

What the Documentary Thesis for Studying the Torah Misconstrues

The “Documentary Hypothesis” originated when Jean Astruc (1684–1766) claimed he could identify the sources of the Bible by examining its use of divine names. His approach was later expanded by Julius Wellhausen (1844-1918), who identified four primary sources (J, E, D, and P) that he believed were combined to form the Pentateuch, also known as the Five Books of Moses. He based his theory in part on the consistent use of the names Elohim and Y-h-v-h in what he considered four writings by four different authors or groups. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

What the Documentary Thesis for Studying the Torah Misconstrues Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Opinion, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Meaning and Customs of the Month of Elul Elucidated

“Elul is the 12th and final month in the Jewish calendar, the sixth month counting from Nisan. Leading up to the High Holidays, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, it is a month that connects the past year with the coming year – a time when we reflect on where we stand and where we should be going,” said Rebbetzin Chaya Andrusier to the Jewish Women’s Circle’s “Torah and Tea” on Thursday, August 28. [Cailin Acosta]

Meaning and Customs of the Month of Elul Elucidated Read More »

Cailin Acosta, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors