By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — When the nine days of the Jewish month of Ab arrives, our joy diminishes accordingly.[1] Unlike other times of the year, this period in particular beckons us to give thought to the reasons why the Second Jewish Commonwealth of the 1st century ended in disaster for the […]
Tisha B’Av and the attack on a Haredi soldier Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East
Defense cuts bite into IDF’s operational platforms (JNS.org) The Israel Defense Forces began to implement government-mandated cuts to its budget, announcing Tuesday that several of its operational platforms will be reconfigured, while others will be retired, in an effort to slash its expenditures. The defense establishment has been asked to slash some 22 billion shekels
JNS news briefs: July 10, 2013 Read More »
International
By Eileen Wingard LONG BEACH, California — The Long Beach Opera Company’s staging of Ernest Bloch’s Macbeth was an unusual production, taking place in San Pedro’s World Cruise Center. With bleacher seating on two sides of a center aisle, there were no set changes, costumes were minimal, and the three acts were telescoped into 105
Opera company cruises through Bloch’s ‘MacBeth’ Read More »
Eileen Wingard
By Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb NEW YORK– I have kept my time-worn copy of Roget’s Thesaurus in my personal library since I was in the seventh grade. It was given to me by my teacher, a Mr. Zeller, who introduced me to the beauty of language and who first stimulated my fascination with words. He
Mere words: the story of Deuteronomy Read More »
Jewish ReligionTEL AVIV (Press Release) — Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating motor neuron disease that rapidly atrophies the muscles, leading to complete paralysis. Despite its high profile — established when it afflicted the New York Yankees’ Lou Gehrig — ALS remains a disease that scientists are unable to predict, prevent, or cure. Although several
Four biomarkers identified for ALS Read More »
Science, Medicine, & Education
By Melanie Ross SAN DIEGO — “It’s true we don’t live in a zoo, but man is an animal too!” The intrinsic values of Dr. Doolittle have been forgotten and it is time for our youngsters to be taught with vigilance and exuberance about the dire importance of how we treat our animals. In Judaism
These animals are worth talking to — and about! Read More »
Travel and FoodNearly two-dozen Al-Jazeera staffers resign (JNS.org) Nearly two-dozen Al-Jazeera employees have resigned from the Qatar-based satellite news channel over what they are calling pro-Muslim Brotherhood bias in its coverage of the recent events in Egypt. As many as 22 resigned employees were all part of Al-Jazeera’s “Mubasher Misr” (or “Egypt Live”) channel, which focuses coverage
JNS news briefs: July 9, 2013 Read More »
InternationalBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — This column is about smoke and mirrors. In other words, it’s an effort to understand what may really be happening in the fog of Israeli politics. It’s not something that I usually do. I generally scoff at stories of conspiracy, hidden meanings, the secret Torah within the Torah, gematria or
Long lead time for drafting Haredim arouses suspicions Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — The list of famous people President Obama has invited to the White House is something most of us would find surprising, amusing, and even outrageous. He has on occasions invited Gangsta Rappers like the rap artist named Common, whose poetical lyrics extols the virtues of cannibalism,
Obama’s Middle Eastern guest list raises questions Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USA
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO– From my vantage point on the other side of the United States, the fact that two Jewish politicians who resigned their offices in separate sex scandals are now seeking to return to elective offices in New York indicates that America continues to change its sexual attitudes. Someday, we may
Weiner and Spitzer: Beneficiaries of changing sexual mores? Read More »
Donald H. Harrison
By Norman Greene SAN DIEGO — If you enjoy having your canine best friend by your side while dining out, a new restaurant just opened in San Diego’s Mission Valley. The Montana styled facility is appropriately called “Lazy Dog.” It is the newest member of a thirteen store chain, only the second to be operated
San Diego Restaurant Review: Lazy Dog Read More »
San Diego County, Travel and FoodEL CAJON , California (Press Release)– Some of the students who will attend Grossmont College this fall are the first members of their families to go beyond high school in their education. In many instances, notes Michael Perez, director for Extended Opportunity Program and Services (EOPS), these students are part of a six-week summer bridge
Holocaust studies prepare freshmen for academic challenges Read More »
Science, Medicine, & Education
By Cynthia Citron LOS ANGELES — The most inspiring and heartbreaking story since Schindler’s List is Nicky’s Family, another authentic Holocaust saga that will make you weep. In my view, there is nothing so poignant as a film showing inhabitants of a long-ago city scurrying along in their huge hats and long skirts, the
Documentary tells of Czech kindertransport organizer Read More »
Cynthia CitronIsraeli Arab who helped Syrian rebels sentenced (JNS.org) The Israeli government on Monday sentenced an Arab-Israeli man who joined Syrian rebels fighting against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to 30 months in prison. Israeli authorities accused Hikmat Massarwa of receiving small-arms training from radical Islamists in Syria, where he was also asked to
JNS news briefs: July 8, 2013 Read More »
International