Jewish Trivia Quiz: Yeshiva University

The United States Supreme Court recently ruled that the school must obey the decision of the New York State Supreme Court, which stated that because the school is incorporated as an educational institution, not a religious one, it cannot deny the club’s request. In response, Yeshiva University announced that for the time being, they are suspending all student club activities. A lawyer representing the student organization called the university’s action “a throwback to 50 years ago when the city of Jackson, Miss., closed all public swimming pools rather than comply with court orders to desegregate.” There are almost 100 student organizations affected by the University’s decision, including which of the following? [Mark D. Zimmerman]

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Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire

UCSD Announces Holocaust Living History Workshop Schedule

How did the exploitation of men, women, and children in countless camps across Europe and North Africa fit into National Socialist ideology? What was the role of fascism in this ideology? And how did the victorious allies punish the Nazis for imprisoning and enslaving hundreds of thousands of people? All too often these questions are sidelined by the understandable focus on mass murder. Despite major advances in Holocaust historiography over the last several decades, however, scholars still grapple with these issues. [UCSD Holocaust Living History Workshop news release]

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California, Holocaust, International, Jewish Religion, San Diego County

Plaque Memorializes Jewish Poet and Spy

S.O.E. was tasked to train agents to operate behind enemy lines, support resistance groups, becoming deadly spies for the British. The agents transmitted vital information back to London using codes. An agent’s life was about six weeks before the Abwehr, the Nazi counter-espionage unit discovered them. The Nazis cracked their codes and liquidated the spies. [Jerry Klinger]

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International, Jerry Klinger, Jewish History

Remembering Holocaust Survivors who Died in Israel’s War for Independence

Tthere are unfortunately hundreds of men and women who died in military operations before and during the creation of the State of Israel, whose history is incomplete. Most of these soldiers were European refugees, often the last remaining members of their families, who escaped the long arm of Nazi terror only to be killed fighting for the Jewish nation. Unfortunately, upon their death, no relatives existed to provide basic information, such as parents’ names, date and place of birth, and marital status. [Gedaliah Borvick]

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Gedaliah Borvick

‘Something in Preserve,’ a Musical about Seniors’ Lives, Wins Plaudits

Most of the production was comedic, poking fun at the challenges of seniority, with no holds barred, from prescription drugs to diapers. There were romances, one unrequited, facing the problems of a demented spouse; and one with a happy ending. [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Travel and Food

Every Song a Protest: Interview with Ryan Cassata

I discovered the music of Ryan Cassata via YouTube. Ryan is a singer-songwriter and activist. Ryan sings about his life as a transgender man, issues with substance abuse, suicide and hate crimes. He began socially transitioning (living as a young man) at the age of fourteen and his activism for the trans community got him on Larry King Live at fifteen. Now 28, Ryan is also a grad student at the Pacific School of Religion working on a Master’s in Divinity and Social Transformation. I spoke with Ryan recently via Zoom. [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Jewish Fiction: The Yiddishe Mama Complex

My grandfather Yaakov, my mother’s father, had seven brothers and one sister. At that time Jews in Russia gave birth to many children, because it was God’s will. Then God was forbidden in the Soviet Union, and there were fewer and fewer children. In our family there was less obedience to God’s commandments and fewer children were born. My grandmother Rosa gave birth to only two daughters, the eldest Leah and the youngest Dora, my mother. As in other Jewish families, the mother’s role grew as the number of children decreased. [Alex Gordon, Ph.D]

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Alex Gordon, Jewish Fiction

U.S. Supreme Court requires Yeshiva University to allow LGBT student club

Published by Reuters By Andrew Chung (Reuters) -Yeshiva University cannot bar a LGBT student club after the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to block a judge’s ruling ordering the Jewish school in New York City to officially recognize the group. The justices, in a 5-4 decision, declined to put on hold a state court

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USA

Florida newspaper disgusted by Republicans refusing to disavow Nazi and white supremacist supporters

Published by Raw Story By Sarah K. Burris It’s only been a few weeks since President Joe Biden made a speech calling out violent domestic terrorism from white supremacists, militia groups, neo-Nazis and others that have been embraced under the MAGA banner. Now the Miami Herald is concerned that too many of these groups are

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USA

The Shofar’s Role Through History

They were blowing the shofar, but it wasn’t Rosh Hashanah. On Jan. 5, 2021, the sound of the ram’s horn echoed in the streets of Washington, D.C., as participants in the Jericho March circled the capitol in a re-enactment of Joshua’s siege on the ancient city. For Jewish observers, it was a puzzling scene. “Are you going to do the shevarim as well?” one reporter asked a puff-cheeked protester, referring to the rhythmic blowing pattern used in Jewish tradition. He got a blank stare in return. [JNS.org]

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International, Israel, Jewish Religion, USA

Israel preparing to connect to gas field disputed by Lebanon

Published by Al-Araby Israel’s energy ministry said Friday it was set to conduct tests on a maritime field claimed in part by Lebanon, ahead of connecting it to the Jewish state’s gas network. The ministry “was preparing to connect the Karish reservoir to the Israeli system,” a statement said. The gas field has been licensed

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Middle East

After a century, Gernsheim’s music makes a comeback

Composer, conductor, pianist and teacher, Friedrich Gernsheim, (1839-1916), is little known today. Yet, during his lifetime, he was spoken of in the same breath as Brahms, Bruch and Reger. In fact, his works were published by the same publishers who published their compositions. [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, International, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Jewish Motorcycle Philanthropists Support The Butterfly Project

Last month I had the delightful opportunity to interview two bikers who were planning to participate in the Ride2Remember, a motorcycle ride created to pay tribute to Holocaust survivors and memorialize those who perished. This year, the Jewish Motorcyclist Alliance dedicated its contribution to The Butterfly Project (TBP), cofounded by San Diegans Cheryl Rattner Price and Jan Landau. {Eva Trieger}

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California, Eva Trieger, Holocaust, Jewish History, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA