Today’s Jewish Birthday: Mark Spitz

At Indiana University under coach Doc Counsilman, he won eight individual NCAA titles. In 1971, he won the James E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the U.S. Then came the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, where he won seven gold medals, setting new world records in each of them. They were the 100-meter freestyle, 200-meter freestyle, 100-meter butterfly, 300-meter butterfly, 4×100-meter freestyle relay, 4 x 200-meter freestyle relay and 4 x 100-meter medley relay. [SDJW staff]

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International, Israel, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA

Chaplains in public schools? Florida bill would give options for religious counselors

Published by Miami Herald A Florida bill that would allow chaplains to provide counseling services to public school students is gaining traction — and opposition — in the Legislature. The bill (SB 1044) would give schools districts and charter schools an option to use volunteer chaplains to provide counseling and other services to students. Supporters

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Nordot, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Meta reviewing use of word ‘Zionist’ amid Israel-Hamas war

Published by AFP San Francisco (AFP) – Meta on Friday confirmed it is assessing when the word “Zionist” should be deemed hate speech as online anti-Semitism escalates amid the Israel-Hamas war. The tech titan behind Facebook and Instagram confirmed a Washington Post report that it is thinking of expanding its hate speech ban to include

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International, Israel, Nordot, Technology

Berlin university bans suspect in Jewish student attack from campus

Published by DPA International Berlin’s Free University (FU) announced on Friday that it is banning for three months the suspect of an attack on a fellow FU student who is Jewish to protect the campus community. “In view of the offence, the suspect would be perceived as a threat on the university campus,” FU President

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International, Israel, Nordot, Science, Medicine, & Education

Israeli leader Netanyahu orders army to prepare Rafah offensive

Published by DPA Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to prepare for an offensive on the southern city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip in what Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned would amount to a “prelude to expulsion.” Netanyahu asserted that it is “impossible” to achieve the goal of “eliminating Hamas”

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Israel, Nordot

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Carole King

With King composing the music and Goffin writing the lyrics they wrote a string of hits for various groups including “Chains,” “The Loco-Motion,” “Half Way to Paradise,” “Take Good Care of My Baby,” “Up on the Roof,” “I’m into Something Good,” “One Fine Day,” “Pleasant Valley Sunday,” and “(You make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” [SDJW staff]

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Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA

Israel welcomes investigation into allegations against UNRWA

Published by DPA International Israel welcomed a planned investigation into the allegations that members of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) were involved in the October 7 killings on Friday. “The establishment of an independent review group to assess UNRWA’s neutrality following the publication of information indicating

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International, Israel, Nordot

‘Fun House’ is Not What the Title Suggests

Tony award-winning Jewish playwright Lisa Kron uses a clever narrative device in which the main character Alison Bechdel (Rae Henderson-Gray) watches herself as a little girl (Lena Palke) and as a college student (Priya Richard) as she crafts autobiographical graphic novels. [Sandi Masori]

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San Diego County, Sandi Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Our Arab Neighbors

When I need to collect my prescription medicines for the local medical clinic I am almost invariably attended to by one of the Arab pharmacists, both male and female, who work there. The same applies to many of the nurses and even some of the doctors who provide my various medical needs in this and other clinics. Not to mention the many physicians and surgeons in our hospitals. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Israel, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Argentine President Milei Visits Aish World Center in Jerusalem

Between meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog, visits to the Western Wall, Yad Vashem, and a trip south to Kibbutz Nir Oz, President Milei made sure to visit the Aish rooftop and new center for Jewish learning for our Spanish-speaking program dedicated to students from Latin America and led by the Director of the Aish Latin American program, Rabbi Zvi Klor. [Aish Press Release]

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International, Israel, Press Release, Travel and Food

Our Shtetl San Diego County: Dealing with Workplace Antisemitism

The regional office of the Anti-Defamation League is offering to bring workshops to places of employment in San Diego and Imperial Counties on such topics as 1) Jewish identity; 2) Contemporary and historical manifestations of antisemitism; 3) Comparing and contrasting antisemitism with other forms of hate; 4) The rise in antisemitism and hate post-October 7th, and 5) Tools to be upstanders against antisemitism and hate. [SDJW staff]

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Antisemitism, Business & Finance, Israel, Jewish History, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Florida Holocaust Museum to Permanently House Elie Wiesel’s Collection

The Florida Holocaust Museum has been chosen as the permanent home of Elie Wiesel’s entire collection, including his Nobel prize, the  contents of his personal office and library, unfinished manuscripts, letters from world leaders and other luminaries, and a variety of artworks, photographs, recordings – some of which have never been seen. [Press Release]

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Holocaust, Jewish History, Press Release, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Jewish Communal Leaders: Remain Hopeful While Combating Antisemitism

A series of engaging breakout sessions followed – all devoted to discussion, coalition building, and learning how to implement strategies included in the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism at the local level. The day concluded with a plenary session featuring author and thought-leader Eric K. Ward on the importance of diversity and communal allyship in the fight against antisemitism. We were thrilled to see our community show up in a profound way and contribute to lively Q&As in every workshop. [Sara E. Brown and Heidi Gantwerk]

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Antisemitism, Israel, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA