By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — In one of the most thrilling permutations of Christianity and Judaism, the Second Coming of Jesus is generally understood as being scheduled for the Jewish fall harvest festival, Sukkot. Since Sukkot—the sweet holiday of the little huts—is well on its way, I’d like to personally invite Jesus to
Rabbi invites Jesus into his sukkah Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — My colleague Shlomo Avineri is one of Israel’s wisest. His academic fields are political philosophy, European and Zionist politics. He had a stint at the peak of policymaking as Director General of the Foreign Ministry, and is a frequent contributor to op-ed pages of Israeli and overseas newspapers. Most
Israel suffers Americans with money… and guns Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — One of my guilty pleasures is reading spy and espionage books. Last week I stopped short after reading a sentence in The Master of Disguise: My Secret Life in the CIA by Antonio J. Mendez. Mendez was describing one-time pads which are used for secure encrypted
Demystifying the Torah Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Baruch Lederman SAN DIEGO — On Simchas Torah one year, Reb Naftoli from Ropshitz saw a man whose mouth did not stop singing and legs would not stop dancing. He was totally immersed in the joy of the celebration of completing the Torah. What Reb Naftoli thought was unusual was that this individual
Wisdom for Sukkot and Simcha Torah Read More »
Travel and Food
By Donald H. Harrison EL CAJON, California — Theresa Rebeck’s Mauritius at the Stagehouse Theatre at Grossmont College wins this reviewer’s stamp of approval notwithstanding some reservations over a few technical issues and the use of far more “f-bombs” than really are necessary. The play will intrigue any philatelist as it revolves around the discovery
Everyone’s a con artist in ‘Mauritius’ at Grossmont College Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonNEW YORK (Press Release) — The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) has criticized President Barack Obama for dispatching an extremist, anti-American, anti-Israeli Islamist, Salaam Al-Marayati, to speak overseas on behalf of the U.S. to a human rights conference Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Salaam Al-Marayati, the director of the Islamist Muslim
Anti-Semites appointed to European organizations Read More »
International, USA
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO–I was delighted with the first debate between President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Not because I think the debate held at the University of Denver on Wednesday evening, Oct. 3, will determine the outcome of the presidential election, but rather because I believe it set a
Three cheers for the presidential debaters Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, USASAN DIEGO–We were alerted by Phil Snyder of San Diego to this moving video about the descendants of Nazi SS guards, who in an act of atonement visited former Nazi concentration camps in various parts of Europe.
Nazi descendants visit concentration camps Read More »
Jewish ReligionMany thought Jewish jazz pianist Fred Hersch would not survive an HIV-related coma, but the experience now gives him a new strength and vigor he brings to each note. Offstage, he supports others with HIV. By Matt Robinson/JNS.org The world of jazz is a broad and often complicated one that is difficult to define. From
Acclaimed pianist, HIV survivor still going and giving Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Robert Gluck/JNS.org For Major League Baseball (MLB) fans, October is a time to focus on the playoffs (starting Oct. 5 this year) and the World Series, events that thrust Jewish Hall-of-Fame players such as Sandy Koufax and Hank Greenberg into the national spotlight. To the average fan, the names Lipman Pike, Moe Berg, and
Forgotten Jewish baseball players Read More »
Travel and FoodHezbollah agent accused in plot on Shimon Peres (JNS.org) An Israeli-Arab man has been indicted on charges of operating as an agent for Hezbollah, Israel Hayom reported. Among the activities he was alleged to have carried out was collecting information on security arrangements for Israeli President Shimon Peres during the latter’s visit to an Arab
JNS news briefs: October 4, 2012 Read More »
International
By Bruce Kesler ENCINITAS, California — It is a signal event when even some from the political left who has long sided with pro-Palestinian assertions wakes up and recognizes the horror that is Hamas. In 2005, Israel unilaterally removed its military and residents from Gaza, leaving behind the infrastructure and commercial ventures Israel and
Leftists take another look at Hamas Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansksy JERUSALEM–Thanks to an American cousin I am now up to date on the realities of American politics. If I had any doubts about the Saudi loyalties of that Kenyan-born Muslim in the White House, this clip from a Christian source, relying on the evidence produced by an Israeli Jew, settles all my
The skewed view of the Mideast from the Far Right Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastDoctor says imprisoned Jewish contractor Gross could have cancer (JNS.org) A doctor who reviewed medical records for Alan Gross—a Jewish-American contractor imprisoned in Cuba for nearly three years for trying to bring that country’s Jewish community Internet access—said Gross has a tumor in his right shoulder that may be cancerous. Gross’s tumor is a “potentially
JNS news briefs: October 3, 2012 Read More »
International