JNS news briefs: January 22, 2014

Shimon Peres: Recognition of Israel as Jewish state ‘unnecessary’ (JNS.org) Israeli President Shimon Peres has called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s insistence on Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish state “unnecessary” and a possible impediment to Israeli-Palestinian conflict negotiations, Israel Hayom reported. In conversations with diplomatic and political officials in recent weeks, Peres said it

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International

Adventures in San Diego Jewish History, August 23, 1957, Part 1

Jewish Center Group Seeks $150,000 for Building Southwestern Jewish Press, August 23, 1957, Page 1 The Executive Committee of the Jewish Community Center reported the need for an additional $150,000 in cash in order to be completely ready for the opening of the new Jewish Community Center building on April 1, 1958, according to William

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Travel and Food

Israel Prize for Talmudic scholar Shamma Friedman

NEW YORK (Press Release)–The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) announced that Dr. Shamma Friedman, Benjamin and Minna Reeves Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics at JTS, will receive the 2014 Israel Prize at a ceremony to take place on Yom Ha’atzma’ut (Israeli Independence Day), which falls on May 6. The Israel Prize is Israel’s highest honor, awarded

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Science, Medicine, & Education

Skirball celebrates architecture of Moshe Safdie

  By Edmon J. Rodman/JNS.org LOS ANGELES—“Global Citizen: The Architecture of Moshe Safdie,” on display at Los Angeles’s Skirball Cultural Center through March 2, lets the light shine in on the famed Israeli-Canadian architect’s work around the world. Through architectural models, photos, and renderings, the retrospective reveals how Safdie, who was born in Haifa in 1938

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Travel and Food

Economist should issue ‘full throated apology’ — ADL

NEW YORK (Press Release)… Saying the Economist “cannot repair the damage of publishing an anti-Semitic image with only half-measures,” the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today called on the editors to issue a full-throated apology for an editorial cartoon depicting President Obama as hindered in his efforts to reach an agreement with Iran by the machinations of

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Middle East

Understanding the Psalms as literature

A New Psalm: A Guide to Psalms as Literature by Rabbi Benjamin Segal; Gefen Publishing House (2013); ISBN-10: 965229618X; Price: $31.29 (on Amazon). By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Rabbi Benjamin Segal’s  new commentary, A New Psalm: The Psalms as Literature is an excellent medley of numerous thoughts that Judaic commentaries have expressed on the Psalms

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Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi

Travel: Not just a tour, but an education, in Israel

By Donald H. Harrison AGOURA HILLS, California — For many years, Shlomo “Momo” Lifshitz was the travel entrepreneur who tried to greet each one of the 55,000 “Operation Birthright” participants that his company, Oranim, took responsibility for showing around during their 10-day visits to Israel.  “Welcome home!” he would enthusiastically say in greeting to each

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Donald H. Harrison, Travel and Food