By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Dr. Paul Shrell-Fox is someone I admire. As a clinical psychologist and researcher living in Israel, he has researched a social and religious phenomenon about a subject that many of us rabbis would sooner deny than admit: there are an increasing number of Orthodox and Conservative […]
The case of the atheistic rabbis Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — For several days we have heard the pluses and minuses of an apparently simple, but actually complex decision by Israeli government ministers to release some 104 prisoners for the sake of negotiations with the Palestinians. The decision is complex because it was made in principle, with important details left for
Phasing of prisoner release a test for negotiations Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
Hamas and Iran hold meetings to mend ties (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Despite differences over the civil war in Syria, senior Hamas officials met with Iranian and Hezbollah officials in Beirut last month in an effort to mend ties, the Saudi-owned newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported Sunday. Palestinian sources cited in the report said “Important meetings
JNS news briefs: July 29, 2013 Read More »
InternationalWASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–The U.S. State Department on Sunday issued the following announcement about forthcoming talks between representatives of Israel and the Palestinian Authority: “Today, Secretary Kerry spoke with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and personally extended an invitation to send senior negotiating teams to Washington to formally resume
Israel-Palestinian Authority talks to commence July 29 Read More »
Middle East
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — The Summer 2013 issue of The Journal of San Diego History has an interesting cover article about one of San Diego’s most under-appreciated landmarks, the 125-year-old Queen Anne-style Villa Montezuma in the Sherman Heights neighborhood. The article co-authored by Charles Spratley and Louise Torio , noted that at
At the San Diego-Jewish history nexus Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonThe Astor Judaica Library at the Jewish Community Center in La Jolla is treasure trove of Jewish Lore. You can access most of the Jewels of Jewish Heritage within its book shelves. Each month we’ll review and highlight one of these gems. Each is available to you by merely entering the Library, presenting yourself, and
‘I Didn’t Say Goodbye’ — Book review from the Astor Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Isaac Yetiv, PhD LA JOLLA, California– After six trips to the Middle-East, Secretary of State Kerry, using the “carrot” for the Palestinians and the ” stick” to the Israelis, finally convinced them to come to Washington to “talk” about “reviving the peace process” that had been boycotted by Mahmoud Abbas for four and a
Another Middle East exercise in futility Read More »
Middle EastBy Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — When San Diego Mayor Bob Filner checks into a behavioral modification treatment center to deal with what he has described as his “problem” and his “intimidating” conduct toward women, I hope he will use the two-week period of retreat from the glare of media headlines, late-night comedians’ jibes,
Some soul-searching questions for Mayor Bob Filner Read More »
Donald H. Harrison
By Jennie Starr SAN DIEGO — Jewish collaboration requires a courtship to understand synergies and opportunities, overcome pitfalls, and create mutually beneficial collaboration. It’s about creating something new and great neither organization could do itself. We reach new people, build different and better programming, or simply help nurture and support each other’s existence. This kind
Collaboration key to building Jewish community Read More »
Travel and FoodSAN DIEGO (Press Release)–The Board of Directors of Waters of Eden: San Diego Community Mikvah and Education Center is pleased to announce the appointment of Rabbi Lenore Bohm as its new Executive Director. She began her tenure in early July, 2013. Contemporaneous to assuming this position, Rabbi Bohm resigned from the Board of the Leichtag
Rabbi Lenore Bohm named as Waters of Eden executive director Read More »
San Diego County
Hollywood or Bust by Susan Marg, Cowgirl Jane Press, 2013, 978-0-578-11882-6, 174 pgs., $14.95 By Eva Trieger DEL MAR, California – Hollywood has always been a Jewish town. If you don’t believe me, just pick up a copy of Hollywood or Bust and see how Jews have always had aspirations of being part of Hollywood
Hollywood can be glamorous on outside, but cruel inside Read More »
Eva TriegerBy Eric George Tauber SAN DIEGO — Marriage: it looks so idyllic in the wedding magazines. Well, that’s just the wedding. What comes after is far more complicated. It’s this 10-years and counting complicated ride that married co-authors Annabelle Gurwitch and Jeff Kahn put into a two-person play touring the country and stopping briefly at
‘Tomato’ takes a biting look at marriage Read More »
Eric George Tauber
By Rabbi Ben Kamin ENCINITAS, California — August 28 will mark the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s unforgettable ‘I Have A Dream’ preachment—the culmination of the 1963 March on Washington. Ironically, the date will also mark the 58th anniversary of the brutal murder of Emmett Till, on August 28, 1955—an appalling vigilante
Emmett Till’s 1955 murder helped spur Civil Rights Movement Read More »
USA
By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — When most people quote the Biblical expression, “Man does not live on bread alone,” they often omit the rest of the sentence, “but that man may live on anything the Lord decrees.” The Torah is teaching us that life is not about physical existence alone, it is also
Humanity needs physical and spiritual nourishment Read More »
Jewish Religion