By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — President John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address, delivered on an icy-cold, blue-skied January morning in 1961, is best-remembered for its iconic declaration: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.” Yet the final phrase uttered by the young leader
As JFK put it, U.S. has ‘God’s work’ to do Read More »
USA
By Ronn Torossian NEW YORK —The Avengers opened this weekend to the biggest film opening of all time – making over $200 million at the box office in a single weekend in cinemas in North America, and set to become one of only a handful of movies to gross $1 billion worldwide. Unknown to many
Who are movies’ top 10 Jewish tough guys? Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM –Benyamin Netanyahu is sitting pretty with Israeli voters. Recent polls make him a sure bet to repeat as prime minister. Not so simple is his standing within his own party. While his leadership is likely to be secure, there are enough signs of right-wing opposition to provide some worry. They
Netanyahu feels sting of right-wing and religious opponents in Likud Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — In that she had been an educator, the late Gail Feinstein Forman probably would have been pleased that her husband, Jack, and Rabbi Moishe Leider of Chabad of University City combined to make the unveiling of her gravestone Sunday afternoon, May 6, in the Garden of Eden section
Another teaching moment for Gail Feinstein Forman, z”l Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonBy Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — It was bad enough that Mariano Rivera, arguably the greatest relief pitcher in major league history, suffered a freak, batting practice-related, career-threatening knee injury on Thursday night. The fact that this happened to the consummate New York Yankee along the running track in Kansas City calls basic baseball
Rivera’s knee injury sidelines Mr. Grace Under Pressure Read More »
Travel and Food
By Cynthia Citron LOS ANGELES — “A review is something I read before I see a play. A critique is something I read after,” actress Deidrie Henry said. She was responding to a question about the distinction between reviews and criticism posed by LA Stage Alliance CEO Terence McFarland, who was serving as moderator of a
What’s the difference between a reviewer and a critic? Read More »
Cynthia CitronBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — Years ago, at the beginning of my career as a political scientist, I learned about incrementalism. That describes the gradual changes that generally occur in government. I made my contribution to the subject by examining government spending. I found that governments that spent more or less, and were more or less
Change in Middle East, like the U.S., comes incrementally Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
By Yiftach Levy LA JOLLA, California –Since being appointed to the role of Israel’s deputy foreign minister in 2009, Danny Ayalon has achieved some measure of success in an area that has been problematic for Israel for years, if not decades: its PR image. Using — indeed, embracing — emerging technology and social media tools
Ayalon invites UCSD students to ‘friend him’ on Facebook Read More »
Travel and Food
On Wings of Eagles: The Secret Operation of the Ethiopian Exodus by Micha Feldmann, Gefen Publishing House, ISB N 978-965-229-569-9, 303 pages, price not listed. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – Author Micah Feldmann as the representative of the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) helped many thousands of Jews migrate from Ethiopia to Israel
Book provides insider’s view of rescue of Ethiopian Jews Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonBy Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO (SDJW) –On the air District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, one of two members of the Jewish community running for mayor, plays up her credentials of running a big office. But there’s another, less public campaign, in which Dumanis has been expressing doubt and skepticism about rival candidate Nathan Fletcher’s support
By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO — The violent, churning, musical, rebellious, and ultimately frightening 1960s came to a shocking and bloody coda 42 years ago today, May 4, 1970. In what remain cloaked and mysterious details, armed Ohio National Guardsmen suddenly opened fire, in the open air and under sunny skies, upon a
Thoughts on the anniversary of the Kent State massacre Read More »
USABy Evelyn Gordon WASHINGTON, D.C. –“Credible experts,” wrote New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof in March, “overwhelmingly” view an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities as “a catastrophically bad idea,” deeming the benefits uncertain and the consequences dire: An effective strike would require multiple “sorties over many days,” and an attack on that scale could
Israeli attack on Iran nuclear facilities would be lower profile than one by U.S. Read More »
Middle East
By Rabbi Baruch Lederman SAN DIEGO — Sefirah reminds us to elevate ourselves each day. Sometimes we stumble and fall down. At those times it is more important than ever to elevate ourselves, brush ourselves off and carry on. Rabbi Aryeh Leib HaCohen Heller was appointed Rav of Rosiantov at a very young age. In
From humble surroundings came great scholarship Read More »
Jewish Religion
By Donald H. Harrison EL CAJON, California — Had this been Broadway, they’d be extending all the actors’ contracts and passing around the bubbly to celebrate the hit on their hands. In that Lost in Yonkers had quite a successful opening at Grossmont College’s Stagehouse Theatre on Thursday night, May 3, they have reason
College production of ‘Lost in Yonkers’ has professional feel Read More »
Donald H. Harrison