Jewish Biography: Gregory Sokolnikov, First Soviet Finance Minister

The offspring of a Jewish family was ashamed of the wealth of his family and the Jewish way of life. At the 5th Moscow Gymnasium, where he studied with the future poet Boris Pasternak, Nobel Prize winner in literature, and the future famous writer Ilya Ehrenburg, 15-year-old Gregory told his fellow students that he was a Marxist. [Alex Gordon]

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Alex Gordon, Antisemitism, Business & Finance, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Perennial Daffodils Memorialize 1.5 Million Children Victims in Holocaust

The project’s goal is to plant 1.5 million Daffodils in memory of the 1.5 million Jewish children who perished in the Holocaust. Seeing the flowers anew every spring reminds us that innocent children continue to be victimized by adult hatred, ignorance, and prejudice globally. [Jerry Klinger]

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Holocaust, Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Following Lag B’Omer, Shabbat, Shavuot Observances to Occupy S.D. Jewish Community

Lag B’Omer occurred on the 33rd day of counting the Omer, and many celebrated this occasion with bonfires and barbecue items like hot dogs, hamburgers, and s’mores. [Cailin Acosta]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Cailin Acosta, Israel, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Contrasting Saudi and Palestinian Leadership

Significantly, the country followed strictly orthodox Wahhabi Sunni Islam. Now, Saudi Arabia has mandated a much more modern style of Islam. It no longer has school textbooks full of blood-curdling examples maligning Jews and Israel and it has been close to joining the Abraham Accords, which looks to Israel for military protection and technological knowhow. [Steve Kramer]

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International, Israel, Middle East, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Steve Kramer, USA

Today’s Jewish Birthday: David Deutsch

David Deutsch (May 18, 1953) is a British physicist at the University of Oxford, often described as the “father of quantum computing”. He is a visiting professor in the Department of Atomic and Laser Physics at the Centre for Quantum Computation (CQC) in the Clarendon Laboratory of the University of Oxford. [Wikipedia]

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Science, Medicine, & Education, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia

A Serious Discussion about Israel Between an American Jew and a Pakistani Muslim

“…In Pakistan, a person can be killed not just for converting, but even for behaving outside religious norms—not by the government, but by mobs of extremists. Very few countries are like Pakistan in this regard. Still, we’re an open nation. If someone doesn’t want to follow our laws, they’re free to leave for any country—except Israel.”

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International, Israel, Jewish History, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA, Yakov Nayerman

Jewish Poets-Jewish Voices Wraps Up Season with 3 Scheduled Readings

The Astor Judaica Library had some 60 people attending the May 4 Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices program featuring three published poets, Stewart Florsheim, Simon Patlis and Adam Shames. [Eileen Wingard]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, California, Eileen Wingard, Holocaust, International, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Canadian Pianist Vnukowski Plays Evocative Melodies on Lag B’Omer

Daniel Vnukowski from Toronto, Canada, amazed the audience with what looked like magic as his hands hit the keys on the grand piano at Tifereth Israel Synagogue, and it just seemed so natural. Rabbi Leberman followed the melody with powerful narration focused on the Shoah (Holocaust) and giving voices to the names and stories of those who have survived and those who perished. [Cailin Acosta]

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