By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO―A federal judge declared that the NSA’s big data surveillance program is unconstitutional. In the holiday spirit, the judge issued his ruling as a Christmas jingle sung to the tune of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” You better not phone. You better not tweet. Even when you’re alone […]
Humoring the Headlines: December 16, 2013 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
IDF soldier killed by Lebanese sniper fire (JNS.org) Israel Defense Forces Master Sgt. Shlomi Cohen, 31, was killed Sunday night by Lebanese sniper fire while he was on patrol near the Israel-Lebanon border. The Voice of Lebanon radio station reported that the shooter, a member of the Lebanese army identified as Hassan Ibrahim, fled his
JNS news briefs: December 16, 2013 Read More »
International
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson LONDON– This city has many delights to offer all year round, but London at Christmas has a special atmosphere. I’m not talking about the sledgehammer-like advertising campaigns to get people to buy, buy, buy, but rather about the decorations all over the city, mainly festive Christmas trees festooned with many-coloured lights, some
Viennese Jews well represented in London exhibition Read More »
Travel and Food
By Anav Silverman JERUSALEM — While Jerusalem remained in lock down over the weekend, as 50 centimeters of snow and power outages took over the city, Hadassah Medical Center worked over time to meet the needs of 80 women who gave birth during the snowstorm. Professor Simcha Yagel, the head of the Division of Obstetrics
80 ‘storm babies’ born at Hadassah hospitals Read More »
Travel and Food
Compiled by Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — While he was in Vietnam, U.S. Secretary of State met on Sunday with ABC news reporter Martha Raddatz to discuss a wide range of topics, including the talks he has been brokering between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Far from predicting ultimate peace, Kerry seemed to be
Jewish Citizen: Mideast talks, art recovery, and Iran Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International
By Eva Trieger SOLANA BEACH, California -It is rumored that even Tchaikovsky disliked “The Nutcracker Suite” but was commissioned to write it back in 1892. If you’ve seen it every year since its inception, North Coast Rep has a suggestion for a way to shake things up this holiday season. “The Humbug Holiday Spectacular” has
North Coast Rep spoofs Christmas season Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO―China has landed a rover on the moon. It immediately opened a restaurant and a bank to extend credit to whatever countries try to settle the moon. Then it started building a factory for Walmart. The shuttle with robot workers manufactured by Apple will arrive next month. * Sixteen year-old Ethan
Humoring the Headlines: December 15, 2013 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–The response to the weather crisis – yes it was and in many ways still is a crisis – suggests that Israelis are good at improvisation but Israel is deficient in preparation. Though the snow hasn’t melted as of Sunday, Dec. 15, , power hasn’t yet been restored to all households,
New Israeli winter sport: finger-pointing Read More »
Middle East
By Cynthia Citron LOS ANGELES — In the new film Saving Mr. Banks Walt Disney devotes 20 years to trying to persuade P.L. Travers to let him make a movie of her classic children’s book Mary Poppins. She finally does, but with the proviso that she work with the writers and have complete control over
‘God’s Gypsy,’ about post-Expulsion Spain, needs editing Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO –Some of our readers may have noticed our new masthead and wondered what those two ampersands are doing in the background behind the words “San Diego Jewish World.” It’s our way of announcing that we are still the same Jewish-focused paper, but that we plan to also venture
What’s the story behind those ampersands? Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International
Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski, M.D., The Rabbi and The Nuns, Mekor Press, 2013, ISBN 9781614651338. 190 pages. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO– Although the title sounds like the beginning of a joke, this book, in fact, contains numerous recollections of Rabbi Twerski’s career as the head of psychiatry at the Roman Catholic-operated St.
The old, the young, and the alcoholics Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion
By Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –The forecasts proved correct. A major storm coming out of Russia would bring lots of rain, and snow to the northern mountains,and at least a bit of snow to the Judean Mountains. Read that as Jerusalem. French Hill is the highest point within the city at 810 meters (2,500 feet).
Snow replaces politics as chief news topic Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM– Having seen snow in Siberia, Sweden and Canada I was never impressed by what they described as a snowfall in Jerusalem. Though there had been some snow once or twice during the winters we spent here. It’s different this time: they forecast up to half-a-meter of the white stuff. It
Snow lays siege to Jerusalem Read More »
Middle East
By Rabbi Baruch Lederman SAN DIEGO — The whole of Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) was in an uproar! A well-known man, a member of the Belzer Chasidic sect, and his wife had just given birth to their first child – a boy – after being childless for twenty-eight years! The sholom zachor (party in honor of baby
The value of rachmanis Read More »
Jewish Religion