By Rabbi Ben Kamin ENCINITAS, California–Hanukkah, the little holiday that could, begins with the lighting of the first candle against the darkness this Tuesday, December 16. Year after year, the assessments begin and the questions accumulate: Is Hanukkah the Jewish Christmas? Which one came first and how are they related? (Of course, the real inquiry […]
Why Chanukah is important to Christmas Read More »
Jewish HistoryBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — Isaac Herzog may have betrayed – or at least tampered with – what was left of the Socialist ideology of Israel’s Labour Party, but judging by recent polls, he and his partner Tzipi Livni have emerged as possible alternatives to Binyamin Netanyahu. He has also vindicated three of his
Herzog- Livni coalition gives hope of peace Read More »
Middle EastBy Anav Silverman JERUSALEM–An initiative of the Israeli embassy in Senegal recently led to the inauguration of a drip-irrigated vegetable farm in the city of Fatick earlier in December. Managed by a group of Senegalese women, the farm plot was established following a request made by the First Lady of Senegal, Marième Faye Sall, to
Israeli embassy inaugurates farm in Senegal Read More »
International, Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–We are feeling a wave of resolutions, almost none of them binding on their governments, being taken by European parliaments, in favor of recognizing the State of Palestine. Expressions from Irish leftists supporting their resolution ring like the most barbaric of anti-Semitism. They accuse Israel of slaughtering and raping Palestinians since 1948,
Wave of anti- Israel resolutions counter- productive Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Natasha Josefowitz, Ph.D. LA JOLLA, California–You often say to a friend, “You are a sister to me,” or “You’re the brother I never had.” And you are indeed blessed if you have a true friend, one who knows your foibles, your hopes, fear and aspirations and loves you not only because of who you
When death takes a friend Read More »
Travel and FoodSAN DIEGO (Press Release)–Jewish Family Service (JFS) and Whole Foods Del Mar teamed up this November to raise vital funds for the Hand Up Youth Food Pantry. Through the extraordinary efforts of Whole Foods Del Mar staff members and the generosity of its customers, the campaign raised more than $15,000. Whole Foods customers were able
Whole Food customers donate $15,000 to Hand Up Read More »
San Diego CountyBy Dan Bloom CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan — From Aaron Sorkin at his two HBO series hits The West Wing and the just-concluded The Newsroom to poet and literary critic Wayne Koestenbaum, the seldom-used (but now increasingly spoken and printed) word “ensorcelled” has been making the rounds. Danielle Berrin at the Jewish Journal in Los Angeles likes the
‘Ensorcell’ has become a verb of choice Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — Lashon Ha-rah, literally “bad tongue” is usually defined as saying or writing things which defame or slander one’s neighbor. However, what if one speaks the truth? If one’s neighbor has done something bad or unkind, is it still lashon ha-rah if you repeat it? Judaism says “yes.” If
Is evil speech okay if it’s true? Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO–Here are eight things I won’t do for Chanukah. I won’t ask the President of the United States to pardon two potatoes. I won’t expect to find a new Lexus wrapped in a red bow in my driveway. If anyone wants to give me a Lexus, please wrap it in a
Humoring the headlines: Chanukah Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireIsraeli Embassy in Athens attacked by shooters (JNS.org) Four unidentified attackers riding on two motorcycles fired shots at the Israeli Embassy in the Greek capital of Athens early on Friday morning. No injuries were reported. “Any terrorist attack hitting at the heart of democracy hits the heart of the country,” Greek government spokeswoman Sofia Voultepsi
JNS news briefs: December 12, 2014 Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
SANTA BARBARA (Press Release)– Charity Navigator, America’s premier independent charity evaluator, has ranked Direct Relief No. 1 on its list of “Ten of the Best Charities Everyone’s Heard Of.” Two Jewish organizations, Hadassah and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, nicknamed “The Joint,” came in third and sixth respectively. Charity Navigator, which helps inform intelligent giving decisions through
Hadassah, ‘Joint,’ place in Charity Navigator’s top 10 Read More »
Jewish ReligionLOS ANGELES (SDJW) — State Assemblyman Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica) on Thursday, Dec. 11, sought assurances from University of California. President Janet Napolitano that neither teaching assistants nor faculty members will be permittted to interject anti-Israel political advocacy into their classrooms. At the same time, the Anti Defamation League issued a statement saying that the
More outcry against UC teaching assistants’ BDS stand Read More »
Science, Medicine, & Education, USABy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — At least four party groupings in the forthcoming elections in Israel would like to describe themselves as being in the political centre: (1) By joining forces with Tzipi Livni’s Hatnu’a, Isaac Herzog, the leader of Labour, sees himself as occupying the centre. (2) Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid has always
Expediency, not ideology, to define next Israeli gov’t Read More »
Middle EastTEL AVIV (Press Release)– For the firefighters and rescue workers conducting the rescue and cleanup operations at Ground Zero from September 2001 to May 2002, exposure to hazardous airborne particles led to a disturbing “WTC cough” — obstructed airways and inflammatory bronchial hyperactivity — and acute inflammation of the lungs. At the time, bronchoscopy, the insertion
Israeli device measures foreign matter in lungs Read More »
Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education