By Mary Soltz SCARSDALE, New York — I daresay how I came to be here tonight is a different story than most of our congregants’. On the first day of Rosh Hashanah, Ned spoke of faith and asked if any of us had been moved by a fervor that would change our lives, a moment
A rebbitzin remembers the rabbi who converted her Read More »
Jewish ReligionFatah-Hamas collaboration on the rise after Abbas authorizes celebration (JNS.org) Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is allowing Hamas to hold a festival in commemoration of its 25th anniversary, showing a clearer willingness by Fatah to collaborate with Hamas, Israel National News reported, citing the Bethlehem-based Ma’an news agency. The festival will take place in the city of
JNS news briefs: December 10, 2012 Read More »
International
By Sheryl Rowling SAN DIEGO — Dear Readers, I have received numerous questions related to Hanukkah. Most of these don’t have much to do with financial matters. However, I will do my best to give a financial take when possible! Dear Money Maven, I’m concerned about my kids playing dreidel and betting gelt. Am I
Money Maven: Solving tough Chanukah questions Read More »
Jewish Religion, Sheryl RowlingBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –Choosing among 34 political parties is much simpler than it may first appear. The first step is deciding who you are, and what is important to you. The second step is to avoid wasting time thinking about 20 or so parties beyond the edge of reality. It is easiest for the
Deciding how to vote in a multi-party election Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
(Editor’s Note: The following article was written and photographed by Yaakov Shkolnik for the Jewish National Fund in Israel. It features Ulla Hadar, a Ruhama resident and former correspondent for San Diego Jewish World. In conjunction with the partnership between Sha’ar Hanegev Municipality (which includes Ruhama) and the Jewish Federation of San Diego, Hadar has
Hadar maintains wilderness trail in Sha’ar Hanegev Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Politics is serious business. It is how societies move from disputes about issues large and small to the selection of their leaders, choices between public policy alternatives, and the actual implementation of what government does. Politics is also theater. It provides the platforms for the best and most bizarre actors
Politics replacing Habima as Israel’s national ‘theatre’ Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Cynthia Citron SANTA MONICA, California — Five deez-dem-and dowz guys are currently chewing up the stage of the Ruskin Group Theatre here. You might think of them as the Sopranos on steroids. In the first of playwright/director Sam Henry Kass’ three one acts, jointly titled Siddown!!! (Conversations with the mob) the terrifically nuanced
3 looks at ‘da mob’ at the Ruskin Read More »
Cynthia Citron
By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Historically, the holiday of Hanukkah is a relatively minor holiday when compared to holidays like Passover or Yom Kippur, or the Sabbath. Nevertheless, its significance should not be under-appreciated. I realize many Jews try to make more out of the Hanukkah holiday in order to make
Not the victory of military power, but that of spirit Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
By Rabbi Ben Kamin ENCINITAS, California — Hanukkah, the little holiday that could, begins with the lighting of the first candle against the darkness tonight. Year after year, the assessments begin and the questions accumulate: Is Hanukkah the Jewish Christmas? Which one came first and how are they related? (Of course, the real inquiry every
The real Chanukah-Christmas connection Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Eylon Shamir LA JOLLA, California — As an Israeli who has resided in the United States for the last 18 years, I have been frustrated by the language dominating U.S. electoral politics. Predominant are the hawkish voices that avoid any criticism of the Israeli government policy and purport to represent my country’s interests while
J Street successes will yield less hawkishness on Israel Read More »
USA
By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. –Before Israel sat in the UN dock facing Mahmoud Abbas, a man who denied the Holocaust in his doctoral dissertation and denies the link between Jews, the land of Israel, and Jerusalem, the Israeli government said the Palestinian statehood gambit would not be cost free. The UN pronounced itself open
U.N.’s 1975 disgrace repeats itself Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana BryenIDF soldiers attacked by Palestinians in Hebron (Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) A routine Israel Defense Forces patrol in Hebron turned violent on Thursday when a six-man IDF unit found itself surrounded, cornered, and threatened in Hebron’s market area. According to various reports of the incident, Palestinian Authority policemen confronted troops from the Nahal
JNS news briefs: December 7, 2012 Read More »
International
By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — I visited one of our younger Torah School classrooms on Wednesday. They were learning about the Luchot Ha-Brit, the Tablets of the Covenant, i.e., the Ten Commandments. One of the students asked me, “What is adultery?” Before I could answer the teacher explained, “I tell them that it
Adultery is an offense against God Read More »
Jewish Religion
By Rabbi Baruch Lederman 1. This year, the first night of Chanukah is Saturday December 8, 2012, at which time we will light one Chanukah light plus the shamash. The second night we light 2 lights plus a shamash. The third night we light 3 lights plus a shamash, and so on and so forth. 2.
11 Orthodox Chanukah customs for your home Read More »
Jewish Religion