‘The Notebook’ prompts tears and laughter in equal measure

For a quick summary, (Older) Noah (Beau Gravette) is in the assisted living facility allegedly getting therapy for his knee, but really to be with his wife (older) Allie (Sharon Catherine Brown)  who is a patient in the memory care unit. Because she can’t remember him, he reads to her the story of their life together. [Sandi Masori]

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Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Sandi Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food

Spain must ban its celebratory medieval toast ‘kill Jews’

It is a phrase uttered with a smile, a wink, and the clinking of glasses. Yet, to dismiss this as harmless folklore is to ignore the blood-soaked soil from which such language grew and the moral rot it continues to nourish in the modern era. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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International, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

AJC urges Trump to press for release of longstanding American captives held in Iran

The future of talks with the regime remains unclear, but when the United States gets back to the negotiating table with Iran, the organizations argue that “[t]he United States must send a clear message: the wrongful detention or hostage-taking of Americans will never be tolerated, forgotten, or deprioritized. Our adversaries must understand that harming or holding Americans carries sustained diplomatic consequences, and our citizens must know that their government will relentlessly pursue their return.” [Press Release]

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International, Middle East, Press Release, USA

Tennessee legislature sends ‘Judea and Samaria’ directive to governor

This measure reflects the enduring historical and cultural ties of the Jewish People to their ancestral homeland and reinforces the importance of the use of accurate place names in government affairs, education, media, and public conversation. [Press Release]

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Israel, Jewish History, Press Release, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Blame for civilian deaths shared by all belligerents in Middle East war

We have strong reason to be concerned about Israel’s military response to Oct. 7. Thousands of civilians were killed in bombing in large part because Hamas built its operations where the people of Gaza live, attend school and receive medical care, so civilian deaths were all but guaranteed. However, it very much appears that Israel went way too far with its attacks, and in the current war American planes killed an estimated 160 schoolgirls, presumably by mistake. [Bruce S. Ticker]

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Bruce Ticker, International, Israel, Jewish History, Middle East, News Media, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

This year’s inductees into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame

The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame on Wednesday announced the athletes and media personnel who will be inducted later this year as the class of 2026, joining over 500 sports figures who have been so honored since 1979. [Press Release]

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International, Israel, Jewish History, Press Release, Sports & Competitions, USA

My Dad, Nathan Drazin, was a Hero

The board of Shaarei Tfiloh begged Dad to allow the synagogue to move uptown, but Dad said it was wrong; it was immoral and disrespectful. By the early 1960s, after many Jews fled to the suburbs, there were only about 500 congregants on the High Holidays, down from 1500. Dad’s salary was severely reduced, but he still refused to move. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Obituaries & memorials, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA