By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — For all the thunder about the “missing” J Street speech Chuck Hagel gave in 2009, watching it was almost a letdown. There is simply no “smoking-gun” anti-Semitism or anti-Israelism there, aside from a single reference to some policies working to the “single issue benefit of certain groups.” OK, yes,
Some of Hagel’s many problems shown in J Street speech Read More »
Shoshana Bryen, USABy Carol Davis SAN DIEGO — The Clybourne Park neighborhood in playwright Bruce Norris’s biting comedy is the very same neighborhood that the Younger Family of the late 1950’s, in Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, was about ready to move into, in that groundbreaking drama so many moons ago. The Youngers are an
‘Clybourne Park’ studies psychology of housing discrimination Read More »
Carol Davis, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcastwww.jns.org/news-briefs Fatah glorifies first female Palestinian suicide bomber on anniversary of her attack (JNS.org) On the 11th anniversary of the day she killed two Israelis and injured hundreds of others in a Jerusalem terror attack, Fatah called Wafa Idris—who according to Fatah was the first female Palestinian suicide bomber—a “beautiful flower,” Palestinian Media Watch
JNS news briefs: February 1, 2013 Read More »
InternationalBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — By a strange confluence of fortuitous happenstance this Shabbat, on which we read parashat Yitro, is also Groundhog Day. Groundhog Day celebrates a commonly held folk belief. If a groundhog emerges from its burrow on February 2 and sees its shadow, winter will linger for another six weeks.
Ground Hog Day and the Ten Commandments Read More »
Jewish Religion
Connie G. Krupin, A Time To Be Born: A Jewish Baby Journal, Arbador Publications LLC, (c ) 2012, 119 pages, ISBN 978-0-615-57127-0, $50. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — From the inside covers with a family tree on which may be filled forbearers’ English and Hebrew names to the Hebrew glossary at the end
A baby book with a Jewish tam Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Many people would say that there is a lot to like about Rabbi Manis Friedman. He is a leading exponent of Chabad theology and his book, Doesn’t Anyone Blush Anymore?: Reclaiming Intimacy, Modesty, and Sexuality discusses a very important concept that is seldom heard or discussed in modern
Chabad must disavow child molesters Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiBy Rabbi Baruch Lederman SAN DIEGO–In Radin, there lived a pharmacist. The man was not only a caring apothecary; he was involved wholeheartedly in any Jewish cause, from supporting the Yeshivos, to feeding the poor, to maintaining the shuls. His support was sincere and enthusiastic. He was once asked, “Where did this enthusiasm come from?”
The pharmacist whom the Chofetz Chaim envied Read More »
Jewish ReligionSAN DIEGO (Press Release)The Jewish Federation of San Diego has appointed Michael Sonduck as its President and Chief Executive Officer of our Federation, according to Claire Ellman, Jewish Federation board chair. As interim CEO for these past ten months, Sonduck demonstrated skills in many areas especially in helping the Jewish Federation forge a new purpose
Sonduck new president and CEO of Jewish Federation of S.D. Read More »
San Diego CountyTorah of Reconciliation by Sheldon Lewis, Gefen Publishing House, Jerusalem, New York, ISBN 978-965-229-541-5 ©2012, $24.95, p. 340, plus addenda By Fred Reiss, Ed.D WINCHESTER, California — The Torah, the Five Books of Moses, has been commented about so many times that one wonders if anything new can be found within its text. Yet, Rabbi
The Torah teaches reconciliation Read More »
Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish ReligionBy Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Israeli jets struck something Tuesday night; Wednesday’s guessing game was, “What was it?” First reports from Western news services said the Israeli Air Force hit a convoy of weapons moving west from Syria toward, or even in Lebanon. A Lebanese army source said nothing was hit there and a
Is Iran trying to shift the focus of Syria’s war? Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana BryenBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The Crusades that we read about in the books had, as their declared aim, liberation of the Holy Land, and especially the holy places in and near Jerusalem. The Jews had a part as victims. Christian hordes massacred them, most notably the communities along the Rhine, on their way to dealing with
It’s not PC to say so, but it’s a ‘crusade’ Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle Eastwww.jns.org/news-briefs Israeli officials: Air force would strike Syria ‘because red lines were crossed’ (JNS.org) Israel twice carried out airstrikes inside Syrian territory on Wednesday, the first airstrike allegedly destroying a convoy of trucks carrying anti-aircraft missiles destined for Hezbollah and the second destroying a “research institute” near Damascus , Israel Hayom reported, citing the Syrian
JNS news briefs: January 31, 2013 Read More »
InternationalBy Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — When most people hear you talk about beetles, they probably think you’re speaking about music. Actually, beetles are very important creatures in our eco-systems. As a species, they represent 25% of all the life forms found on this planet. For many peoples across the world, beetle larva
Behold the wondrous dung beetle Read More »
Science, Medicine, & Education
Letters to Talia by Dov Indig, Gefen Publishing House, (c) 2012, ISBN 978-965-229-601-6; 189 pages, retail price not listed. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — The correspondence in this book took place 40 years ago — not an insignificant time span in Hebrew literature–but the issues the two young correspondents tackled are timeless ones.
Letters between two Israelis in 1970s still timely Read More »
Donald H. Harrison