By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO─ Radio talk show host Bryan Fischer was fired from his job as issues analyst for the American Family Association this week. Fischer helped the AFA organize a free Israel junket for the Republican National Committee, but his controversial view that the United States is a Christian nation which does not
Humoring the headlines: February 1, 2015 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireSpark Ignited: The Difficult Journey to Orthodox Judaism, The Process and the Perils by Michaela Lawson with Ashirah Yosefah, Menorah Books, Jerusalem; ISBN 978-0-98915-205-1 ©2013, $22.95, p. 164, plus glossary Reviewed by Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California — Michaela Lawson, author of Spark Ignited with Ashirah Yosefah, is quite clear: religious conversion of any type, particularly the
Jew by choice tells of her emotional journey Read More »
Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish ReligionBy Natasha Josefowitz, Ph.D. LA JOLLA, California — So, what will you be when you grow up? Most of my grandchildren have answered: “I don’t know!” No one has asked me that question in recent memory. I know I want to play the guitar and sing in my next life—as in this one I’m totally
Helping our brains to sprout dendrites daily Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Eva Trieger SAN DIEGO — I knew that he was an amazing klezmer musician, playwright, photographer, and historian, but what I did not know about Yale Strom was that he was also a filmmaker! I don’t know how I could have missed this given that he sold his first film, At the Crosswords, to the Learning Channel
Letter to Wedgewood triumph for subject, filmmaker Read More »
Eva TriegerBy Yotam Rozenwald JERUSALEM — Yosef Chaldi, a 19 year old Israeli-Arab from Nazareth, was charged today in the District Court of Nazareth for joining ISIS and participating in its terror activities. Chaldi joined ISIS around October 2014. He traveled to Turkey and crossed the border to Syria, using the help of ISIS operatives residing in
ISIS fighter arrested on return to Israel Read More »
Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — Twenty-six (!) political parties have submitted lists of candidates for the next Knesset to be elected on March 17. Even though at least half of them aren’t likely to pass the 3.25% threshold to get seats and, therefore, needn’t be taken seriously, the election could still be very serious if
Trivial issues front and center in Israel’s election Read More »
Middle East
By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO — After ejecting from his burning Mirage fighter jet and while drifting down in his parachute from a height of 10,000 feet over Egypt, Israel’s first fighter pilot ace, Giora Romm, had much to think about. He could see a growing crowd of angry Egyptians looking up at him and
Former POW tells of his return to ace Israeli pilot Read More »
Jewish History, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Is media serious business? Maybe. Is it at the core of our civilization? Let’s not exaggerate. It’s also a source of fun, tending toward the slapstick, as shown by what follows from the peak of Israeli and American media. First the Israeli slapstick. At the focus, once again, is Sara
When the media is the message Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA
By Erin Philips SAN DIEGO – Sons of the Prophet, a finalist for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize, is tragic, funny, and heartfelt, a perfect example of art that not only imitates but illuminates life. Written by Stephan Karam and directed by Rob Lutfy, the play was inspired by a real incident and its repercussions on
‘Sons of the Prophet’ set in Nazareth, PA Read More »
Travel and Food
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—If one quality seems to characterize Bernie Rhinerson, a member of the San Diego Community College board, it is an openness to well-thought-out change. After marrying Bobbie Herdes, whom he met while both were students at the University of Wisconsin, Rhinerson, who was raised as a Roman Catholic, read Mixed
The Jewish Citizen: A profile of Bernie Rhinerson Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education
NEW YORK (Press Release)–The Zionist Organization of America has urged the president of DePaul University to protest a planned fundraiser sponsored by the Students for Justice in Palestine organization in support of Rasmea Odeh, who was convicted for terrorism in Israel and for immigration fraud in the United States. A copy of the letter follows:
ZOA protests fundraiser for terrorist at DePaul Read More »
International, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & EducationBy Caren Besner BOYNTON BEACH, Florida — The American Heritage dictionary defines “victory” as the defeat of an enemy or triumph in a struggle against difficulties. “Peace,” on the other hand, is characterized by the absence of hostilities, or alternatively, a treaty to end a conflict that results in public security and order. These two
A new Israeli leader would find Arabs just as inflexible Read More »
Middle East
MILLBURN, New Jersey (Press Release) — As the result of a national online search to identify visionaries changing the world around them, the Good People Fund (GPF) has welcomed Helene Bortz and the San Diego based non-profit, The Jewish Gift Closet-San Diego Community G’mach as the latest grantee of the national Tzedakah micro-philanthropic fund (www.goodpeoplefund.org).
Jewish Gift Closet given Good People Fund grant Read More »
Travel and Food