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
-Fourth in a Series– Photos and story by Donald H. Harrison TECATE, Mexico — Out by one of the swimming pools, he was eating a quesadilla while I was enjoying a vegetable-packed omelet with salsa, both typical foods of this region. However, the food that chef Rhagavan Iyer and I were talking about was matzo […]
Celebrity Indian chef discloses secret for matzo ball soup Read More »
Donald H. Harrison
Young Israel At 100: An American Response to the Challenge of Orthodox Living, 1912-2012; by Yaakov Kornreich, Joel Saibel, Deborah Hart Strober and Gerald Strober; National Council of Young Israel, New York; ISBN 978-1-4751-5792-5 ©2012, $24.95, p. 237 By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California — To believe that during most of its history, Judaism represented
Movement still ‘Young’ Israel at 100 Read More »
Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish Religion
Third in a Series Story and photos by Donald H. Harrison TECATE, Mexico — Looking at a ceramic ‘Tree of Life’ in the gift shop of Rancho La Puerta, I discerned that it depicted Noah on his Ark. In the Administration Building was another ‘Tree of Life,’ this one picturing God, the Archangel Michael, and
‘Trees of Life’ provide windows to Mexican culture Read More »
Donald H. Harrison
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Hatred and xenophobia are two of the oldest diseases afflicting the human condition. For many people living in unenlightened societies, hatred of the Other is almost as natural as mother’s milk. Jewish history bears witness to how our adversaries have vilified us, dehumanized us, persecuted us,
Anti-Arabism as sinful as anti-Semitism Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East
Second in a Series Photos and story by Donald H. Harrison TECATE, Mexico — Sarah Livia Szekely Brightwood was designated to succeed her mother, Deborah Szekely, as the president of Rancho La Puerta after her brother, Alex, who had prepared for the administrative job, died of cancer in 2002. “I never studied business, never
Rancho La Puerta vision spreads over landscape and Tecate Read More »
Donald H. Harrison
-First in a series- Story and photos by Donald H. Harrison TECATE, Mexico — Unlike some Mexican cities along the U.S. border, such as Juarez, or Tijuana, where there have been outbreaks of violence between rival drug gangs, or between law enforcement officials and drug lords, Tecate is a quiet town which derives much of
Rancho La Puerta visitors harmonize with land and their bodies Read More »
Donald H. Harrison
By Laurie Baron LA JOLLA, California — The San Diego Jewish Film Festival will kick off its 23rd year with a screening of Follow Me: The Yoni Netanyahu Story on Sunday, August 19 at 7:15 p.m. in the Lawrence Family JCC’s Garfield Theatre. This inspiring documentary directed by Jonathan Gruber and Ari Daniel Pinchot chronicles Yonatan
The Wandering Review: ‘Follow Me: The Yoni Netanyahu Story’ Read More »
Lawrence BaronBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California —Irony I feel, is a very high form of morality. — JEAN STAFFORD This morning I received an email about how the Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh turns to Israel when his family needs medical attention. I know of very few countries that live by the ethic
Hamas chief’s brother-in-law went to Israel for treatment Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle EastBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO — Jennifer Devoldère’s The Day I Saw Your Heart is the Jewish Film Club’s (www.jewishfilmclub.com) DVD selection for this July and August. It stars Mélanie Laurent as X-Ray technician Justine Dhrey and Michel Blanc as her prickly father Eli. Ju, as she is called, seethes with resentment against Eli. When she
The Wandering Review: ‘The Day I Saw Your Heart’ Read More »
Lawrence BaronBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — The Jewish world has recently begun its new project of the Daf Yomi, or “Page of the Day.” Here is a brief history how the project originally began. Rabbi Meir Shapiro, leader of the World Agudath Israel, introduced a novel idea in 1923. He felt the
Some ways to participate in daily Talmud study Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — The recent attack upon the Sikh Temple in Wisconsin dredged up some old memories I thought I had buried. My story began not long after 2001. At that time, I was a rabbi in Glens Falls, New York, when the incident occurred. After the terrible 9/11
Attack on Sikh Temple stirs memories of Glen Falls Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USA
By Eva Trieger SAN DIEGO — Lenny Solomon has bass and treble clefs in his DNA. Inheriting this musical encryption from a long line of cantors on both sides of his family, Solomon has been involved with music since 1985. Though he was majoring in accounting at Queens College in New York, after three years
Shlock rocker Lenny Solomon promos ‘Daniel in Babylon’ Read More »
Eva TriegerBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Who says religious people aren’t funny? Where is Jay Leno when you need him? The world of the Ultra-Orthodox (a.k.a. “Haredi” and “Hasidim”) never fail to evoke laughter and irony. In their quest for personal piety, they will go to extremes to keep themselves away from
Some forms of haredi piety are really OCD Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
By Mimi Pollack SPOKANE, Washington — Rabbi Tamar Malino is full of hope and optimism. She has started a new life in Spokane after leaving San Diego in 2008. She still has fond memories of her former congregation in Poway where she was both assistant rabbi and rabbi at Temple Adat-Shalom. In 2008, Rabbi Tamar
Former Poway rabbi building community in Spokane Read More »
Mimi Pollack, San Diego Calendar