By Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel–As I’ve reported, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is horrified by White House policies in the Middle East. Indeed, he has an extra reason for being upset since it is his military forces that have to manage the Libyan mess while simultaneously fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan while, on top
U.S. miscalculations make another Israel-Gaza war inevitable Read More »
Middle East, USA
By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO–The Talmud’s words: “I have learned from all of my students” certainly holds true for me. On Tuesday evening my eighth grade class at our Community Jewish High School was studying an ancient aphorism quoted in the Talmud: “When we were young, [we were treated] like grown-ups; now that we
Beware misconceptions about the young — and the old Read More »
Jewish Religion
By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — The recent murder of five members of a family in the settlement of Itamar, the continued rocket barrage deep into the Negev, and now an explosion in the centre of Jerusalem that took the life of a woman from Britain and injured many seem to have prompted partisan interpretations
Violence in Israel seems intended to ward off possibility of peace Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — For many Americans, the notion of a tribe may mean nothing more than what they (or their grandparents of my generation) used to see for 25c yelling and fighting the good guys on Saturday afternoon at the local cinema. More sophisticated are studies of contemporary Africa, where some social scientists
As in Libya today, tribalism an important factor in intra-Arab politics Read More »
Ira Sharkansky
By Rabbi Baruch Lederman JERUSALEM — The Torah details the regulations and specifications of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) which was a precursor to the Bais Hamikdash (Holy Temple) in the Jerusalem. Hashem gave us special Mitzvos to be done in the land of Israel, as well as the ability to carry out those mitzvos as the
Shemittah paid off for observant potato growers Read More »
Jewish ReligionCompiled by San Diego Jewish World staff Lasker Lodge B.B. To Hold Installation January 15 Southwestern Jewish Press, January 6, 1956, Page 1 On Sunday, January 15, the Lasker Lodge No. 370 B’nai B’rith will hold their annual installation of officers for the year 1956. The affair will be held at the Mission Valley Country
Adventures in San Diego Jewish History, January 6, 1956, Part 1 Read More »
Adventures in SD History(Column 29, March 24, 2011) Compiled by Donald H. Harrison Events (In Chronological Order) On his 204th birthday, San Diego’s first Jewish settler, Louis Rose, will have a point of land officially dedicated for him at 10 a.m. today (Thursday, March 24) at the foot of Womble Road at the Boat Channel. City and school
A bissel this, a bissel that—San Diego Jewish news and chatter Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, San Diego CountyBy Barry Rubin HERZLIYA, Israel –The headline on the Associated Press story caught my eye immediately: “Thousands of Palestinians rally for reconciliation.” I always look for stories that contradict my assumptions so that I can examine or change them if necessary. According to the headline, this might be an important new–and positive–development. So, did thousands
Palestinians rallying for ‘reconciliation’ mean with Hamas Read More »
Middle East, USABy Linda Sax Snaid SAN DIEGO –Professor Ghada Osman has been invited repeatedly by the Agency for Jewish Education (AJE) to lecture on “Encounters Between Islam and Judaism.” Her most recent presentation at the Dove Library in Carlsbad on February 28, 2011, is part of the AJE ‘Scholar Lectures on Jewish Studies.’ I was extremely
Letters to the editor: two writers challenge AJE speaker on Islamic-Jewish relations Read More »
San Diego Calendar, San Diego County
By Rabbi Ben Kamin SAN DIEGO–A bright and lovely girl, whom I blessed at her bat mitzvah ceremony not so long ago, was wondering about the story of this landmark ritual in Jewish—and American—life. Beyond the parties (which are too often impossibly and embarrassingly lavish) and the hoopla, there remains a dead-serious chronicle that began
How did bar mitzvah ceremony get started? Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–The international media is filled with material on Libya and Japan, with no clear news on either. The Japan disaster is still short of apocalyptic, but not beyond catastrophe. The worrying news about Libya is that the British Prime Minister and his Chief of the Defense Staff have different war aims, while
Tensions ratchet up on Israel’s border with Gaza Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle EastBy Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–Moshe Katsav served for almost seven years as the president of the State of Israel. He resigned a short time before his term was up due to bad behaviour: the rape and related charges for which he was convicted some time ago and sentenced on Tuesday, March 22.. The sentence is
Katzav prison sentence affirms Israel’s respect for women Read More »
Middle East
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — A chance encounter led me to the offices of IMPACT, the Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education, where I was able to learn about their work and see for myself the fruits of their labour from its acting director, psychologist Shelley Elkayam. Situated in
How Middle Eastern countries teach children about the ‘other’ Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Science, Medicine, & Education
Andrea Oster, left, and Elaine Galinson SAN DIEGO (Press Release)–“We Are. We Can. We Do.” That was the theme on March 15 as nearly 100 women gathered to celebrate Women’s Philanthropy of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County at the Scripps Seaside Forum in La Jolla Shores. This year’s event was co-chaired by Jessica
100 women celebrate Jewish philanthropy Read More »
San Diego Calendar