The Matzo Chronicles By Karen Galatz Many years back, I wanted to contact one of my cousins. I didn’t have her phone number and, for the life of me, I couldn’t recall her married name. I wasn’t worried because I knew the information was in my late mother’s address book. But I couldn’t find her
An Old Address Book Holds Numbers, Memories, and So Much More Read More »
Karen Galatz, Lifestyles, Opinion
Parshat Ki Teitzei 5783 By Rabbi Daniel Reich LA JOLLA, California — Our tradition tells us that there are 613 Mitzvot contained in the Torah, spread out among its 54 Parshas. So one might have assumed that these 613 statues are evenly distributed throughout the Torah, coming to approximately 11 or 12 Mitzvot per Parsha.
By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — This week’s parasha, literally meaning, “When you go out…” opens with a description of facing war with enemies. Maimonides tells us that 72 mitzvot spring from this week’s Torah portion, from weights and measures and collecting debts in a righteous way, to proper ways to divorce, keeping promises,
Parashat Ki Teitzei: Refining Our Souls Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
By Bruce S. Ticker PHILADELPHIA — After seven months on the job, U.S. Rep. Summer Lee set herself up for the winter of Summer, to borrow from “The summer of George” title of a Seinfeld segment. Earlier this month, she traded barbs with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which criticized her decision to boycott
The Potential Fall of Congresswoman Summer Lee, the Squad Member From Pittsburgh Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Israel, Opinion, USA
By Jacob Kamaras SAN DIEGO — Earlier this summer, the new Harissa restaurant at the Lawrence Family JCC answered the burning question of “Where’s the beef?” for San Diego’s meat-starved kosher restaurant-goers. Well, as it turns out, lighting has struck twice for the same customer base. A mere two days after San Diego Jewish World published
HaMitbach Brings Authentic Israeli Dining (and Parking!) to Downtown San Diego Read More »
Jacob Kamaras, San Diego County, Travel and Food
SDJW Staff Report SAN DIEGO — Jewish Federation of San Diego President and CEO Heidi Gantwerk last Friday penned an emotional farewell message to the group of nine ShinShinim (young Israeli emissaries) who served with local Jewish organizations this past year, sharing their knowledge, experiences, and passion for Israel with people of all ages. The
Federation Bids Farewell to Departing ShinShinim, Pillar of San Diego-Israel Bond Read More »
Israel, San Diego County
What once was a choir featuring the voices of male expatriates from South Africa has become a choir of many international voices performing not only Jewish liturgical music but also secular songs in Yiddish, Ladino, Hebrew, and English. Choir members hail from countries around the world, among them the U.S., South Africa, France, Guatemala, Mexico, and Israel. [Donald H. Harrison]
Jewish Men’s Choir Brings Joy in Several Languages Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA
By Mark D. Zimmerman The trailer was released for the upcoming biopic Maestro about composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein. Controversy has arisen as a result of the choice of the non-Jewish actor Bradley Cooper to play the part of Bernstein, as well as his use of a prosthetic nose, which according to some critics injects
Jewish Trivia Quiz: Leonard Bernstein Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Greene, Joanne; By Accident: A Memoir of Letting Go; www.shewritespress.com; 177 pages, ISBN: 978-1-64742-444-2. By Eva Trieger SAN DIEGO — I always find it serendipitous when things fall into my lap when I’m needing them most. Allow me to explain. I’ve just finished reading an autobiographical book by broadcast journalist and talk show host, Joanne
Memoir Offers Lessons in the Journey From Coping to Thriving Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eva Trieger
By Eileen Wingard LA JOLLA, California — At TICO’s (Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra) annual Pops Concert, Robert Zelickman was named the orchestra’s assistant conductor. After the concert’s opening two selections, an unfamiliar Sousa March, “Hands Across the Sea,” and a familiar Strauss waltz, “Voices of Spring,” the orchestra was warmed up for Zelickman as he
Review: TICO’s Annual Pops Concert Read More »
Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County
“Sometimes, I will do a creative service,” she continued. “I will have a theme and I will have some of the basic prayers, but I also ask people to bring poems or stories or something unique that speaks to the theme that I provided. Those were really received well because people could feel that they were participating. I am much more interested in participation than I am in performance.” [Donald H. Harrison]
Rabbi-Cantor Cheri Weiss Combines Love of Judaism and Music Read More »
Ben Dishman, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USA
By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — The parasha Shoftim (16:18-21:9) begins with Moses requiring the Israelites, “You must make judges and officers in every gate that Y-h-v-h gives you for your tribes. They must judge the people with righteous judgment. They must not show any [special] respect to anyone nor take gifts
Why Do We Need Judges? Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
By Laurie Baron Russell Moore, the editor-in-chief of Christianity Today, has observed that many MAGA Evangelicals reject Jesus’ doctrine of loving your neighbor and caring for the least among us as “liberal talking points.” To prove their point, they claim that archeologists recently discovered a lost manuscript in an excavation of an ancient Roman latrine. Here
Satire: The Gospel According to Don Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
What can I say about the show that is currently at the Civic Theatre? I never knew death could be so fun! The show was a high-energy ball of laughs that never stopped moving. From the moment the curtains opened the crowd was there for it. I’ve never heard such a roar to the opening lines before. [Sandi Masori]
In the Beetlejuice World, Death Can Be Lots of Fun Read More »
San Diego County, Sandi Masori, Theatre, Film & Broadcast