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
Hotel del Coronado History, Hotel del Coronado Heritage Department (c) 2013, 208 pages, $39.95 By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — If you are a Hotel del Coronado fan, and who isn’t, this is a great book to leaf through. I’ve always been interested in the lives of U.S. Presidents, and it’s interesting to see […]
Hotel del Coronado issues an historical picture book Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California – In Shemini, the Torah portion for April 6, 2013, we read about the death of Aaron’s two sons, who died from an accidental explosion in the Tabernacle. Aaron’s reaction is quite telling–despite the absence of scriptural detail from the narrator. As is often the case with biblical
Stunned agony when we lose our children Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — The world is in tumoil. But is it any more so than usual? Perhaps yes. Young Jung Kim Un is threatening to use nuclear weapons against someone, maybe the US, possibly South Korea, or even Japan, or any of the countries of South-East Asia (which constitute the world’s
Something familiar about all these world troubles Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle EastBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C– Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas has agreed to “suspend unilateral action” against Israel for some indefinite period of time. It is, his spokesman says, to “give a sufficient chance for [US Secretary of State John] Kerry’s efforts to succeed.” By this, Abbas apparently means he will not make any additional
Abbas stirring up hate to stay in power Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana BryenBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO — Growing up in Chicago, Shabbat was not a day of prayer and rest, but for going to the movies. Every Saturday I trundled over to the neighborhood theatre and watched morning screenings of cartoons, capped off with a Flash Gordon episode. After lunch, I’d return for the double feature.
The Wandering Review: Ebert at the Jewish movies Read More »
Lawrence Baron
Helga’s Diary by Helga Weiss, W.W. Norton & Co. (c) 2013, ISBN 978-0-393-07797-1; 248 pages including glossary, post-diary interview and color plates of her drawings; $24.95. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — This is a hybrid book, part diary, part reconstruction, part editor’s explanations. When the author was about 12 years old she was
‘Helga’s Diary’ shows value of bravado Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonLOS ANGELES –Members of the annual Western Jewish Studies Association Conference will pay tribute to one of its past presidents, Lawrence Baron, PhD., former head of the Lipinsky Institute for Judaic Studies at San Diego State University and, in retirement, a reviewer of Jewish-interest movies for San Diego Jewish World, among other pursuits. At an
Baron to be honored by historians Read More »
Lawrence Baron, San Diego County
John Rosengren, Hank Greenberg: The Hero of Heroes, New American Library © 2013; ISBN 978-0-451-223576-3; 392 pages including photos, index, and bibliography, $26.95 By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – In front of you, the pitcher, menacing, mean, wanting to strike you out and make you look the fool. Behind you, what seems like a
Greenberg biography invokes his magic Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel –Having grown up in a British home where Passover/Pesach was observed with rigour, it came as something of a shock when I arrived in Israel to find that not everyone did the same. It was only in Israel that I heard about people filling their fridges and freezers with bread
Search for chametz can go to an extreme Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –Many people would be surprised to hear that the charge of drinking blood was a common accusation made against the nascent Christian religion in the first three centuries of its existence. Yes, this historical fact is true and recorded in the annals of ancient history. The Roman
When Christians were victims of blood libels Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
Peter Mehlman, Mandela Was Late, Sager Group of Smashwords, (c) 2012, ISBN: 978-1481250771, 132 pages. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO–Here is a book of 21 light and frothy essays, most of which sitcom writer Peter Mehlman published in high circulation newspapers or magazines over the years. Like the Seinfeld TV series for which he
Comedy writer’s book light and frothy Read More »
Donald H. Harrison
Mira’s Diary:” Lost in Paris” and “Home Sweet Rome” both by Marissa Moss, Sourcebooks, Inc., ISBNs respectively 978-1-4022-66065 and 978-1-4022-66096, $12.95 each. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO– A teenage heroine learns to her surprise that, unsought, she has the power to travel through time, a genetic gift from her mother whose mysterious disappearance also was
‘Time travels’ take Jewish girl through Paris and Rome Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonBy Rabbi Michael Samuel CHULA VISTA, California –Children have an unusual ability when it comes to confronting our spiritual hypocrisy as parents and as adults; very often they get to the essence of the problem as they perceive things. Frequently, as parents, we often fail to hear the questions our young people ask of us;
Pushing the seder leader’s buttons Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — From a student-invented device to strengthen tongue muscles, and thereby battle some speech impediments, to a survey to determine how familiar Ashkenazi Jews are with the threat posed to them by Tay-Sach Disease, I found there was much to learn at the Greater San Diego Science and
Much to learn at Science and Engineering Fair Read More »
Donald H. Harrison