Palestinian exodus from Syria feared (JNS.org) The recent fighting in Damascus has led to fears of a mass Palestinian exodus from Syria to neighboring Lebanon and Jordan, generating concern amongst officials in those countries. Palestinian officials say more than 90 percent of the 180,000 Palestinians they call refugees in the Yarmouk camp near Damascus have […]
JNS news briefs: January 14, 2013 Read More »
International
Aliza Auerbach, Survivors, Gefen Publishing House, Jerusalem (c) 2012, ISBN 978-965-229-586-6, 208 pages, cover price not listed. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — This coffee-table book was a bit formulaic for my taste, but it does make in photographs the Talmudic point that to save one life is as if to save the world.
Photo book shows Survivor families – 2 and 3 generations later Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Here is a question I received from one my students in our synagogue Introduction to Judaism class. There seems to be a tension between the Jewish mitzvah (commandment) concerning marriage (and subsequently being fruitful), and the concept of love (specifically romantic love, as defined in terms
What does Judaism have to say about love and marriage? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — One of the most interesting young thinkers in Israel today is Dr Micha Goodman. His books (in Hebrew) on Maimonides’ Guide for the Perplexed and, recently, on Yehuda Halevi’s Kuzari – the two most important Jewish philosophic works of the Middle Ages, perhaps of all time – are still
Universalist or particularist? That’s the debate in Israel Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Israel’s election is a bit more than a week away. Some pundits are sure it will produce more of the same, while others are either pleased or fearful about changes they anticipate. Most certain is that Netanyahu will continue as Prime Minister, and most likely with his core of support being
As election nears, likelihood of change recedes Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson JERUSALEM — A recital by world-famous pianist, Stephen Kovacevich (formerly Bishop) was an event not to be missed, especially since the programme contained Schubert’s divine posthumous Sonata, Deutsch no. 960. So we bought our tickets and eagerly awaited the appointed date. The evening’s programme was set to start with Beethoven’s Bagatelles, opus
Concert pianist needed to warm up — literally Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-VansonFARMINGTON HILLS, Michigan –As Humanistic Jews, our hearts are broken as we grapple with the loss of 26 lives at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. For more than a decade, we have been witness to mass shootings with no relief. Across the United States, in schools, theaters, and malls, from Virginia Tech, to
Humanistic Jews to boycott retailers selling assault weapons Read More »
USABy Cynthia Citron SANTA MONICA –You may think that all this rain we’re having is caused by a drop in barometric pressure. But are you aware that Tanna Frederick, Robert Standley and their director Jack Heller are in heavy-duty rehearsals for N. Richard Nash’s play The Rainmaker, which opens this week at the Edgemar Center
‘Rainmaker’ pours on the emotions Read More »
Cynthia CitronBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO– In my Community Jewish High senior class we are studying about Israel. We just read and analyzed Israel’s Declaration of Independence which was proclaimed and signed in Tel Aviv on May 14, 1948. The founding fathers and mothers of Israel were greatly concerned with “normalizing” the Jewish People. Instead
Relationship evolves between Israel and Diaspora Read More »
Jewish ReligionPhilanthropist Steinhardt to auction huge Jewish history and art collection (JNS.org) Sotheby’s auction house in New York City plans to sell an enormous art and culture collection assembled by Jewish philanthropist and former Wall Street money manager Michael Steinhardt. Five hundred pieces, including textiles, manuscripts and paintings, will be put on sale in April and
JNS news briefs: January 11, 2013 Read More »
International
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Hats off to the weather forecasters! Last week they said that a perfect storm was coming, and this week it did. Sunday was still fairly reasonable, chilly but not too bad. One could still get out and about here in the Jerusalem area with relative ease, and function
Storm filled the lake–and everything else Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle EastBy Rabbi Baruch Lederman SAN DIEGO — After the plague of Hail, Paroah summoned Moshe and Aaron to his palace and proclaimed “Hashem (G-d) is righteous.” (Ex.9:27). What made him say this? He never said anything like this before. One Rabbinic opinion states that he was reacting to Hashem’s warning “Send forth, gather in your
Righteousness can influence observers Read More »
Jewish Religion
SAN DIEGO– In Hebrew, “safa” means “language,” which prompted license plate spotter Melanie Rubin to wonder whether the driver wanted those behind him to “watch their language.”
Jewish-interest license plate: Safa Read More »
Jewish Religion, Melanie RubinBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States is about to get new secretaries of state and defense and a new director of Central Intelligence. It is devoutly to be hoped that they will not travel in the well-worn grooves of the Israel-Palestinian “peace process.” The “two-state solution,” beloved of the United States and
The shifting patterns of Palestinian politics Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen