By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — Exodus begins to relate the events that followed Joseph’s death. He was second in power to Pharaoh and could protect his family while alive. A new Pharaoh assumes the throne and enslaves the Israelites. We read of Moses’ birth and early life, that the new Pharaoh
Obscurities in the Biblical Portion Shemot Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
Although I had no close relatives who were victims — and it wasn’t until years later that I learned that Nazis had hanged an uncle of my wife’s by his tallis — I was obsessed by the Holocaust. [Joel H. Cohen]
Anne Frank and Me: Three Weeks and 3,600 Miles Apart Read More »
Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Joel H. Cohen, USA
LOS ANGELES (Press Release) — Rabbis United, a division of StandWithUs, is proud to announce its inaugural conference to be held January 30, 2023, at Sinai Temple in Los Angeles. Rabbis from all denominations are coming together to spend the day learning from expert speakers about the antisemitic challenges of our times, and creative, inspiring
By Natasha Josefowitz, ACSW, Ph.D. LA JOLLA, California — I was walking down the street one day when I saw a large sign: “Body Shop.” I stopped and thought, “How interesting! Maybe I can get a new body instead of this 96-year-old one. My current body doesn’t see so well, hear so well, or walk
It’s Too Late to Die Young – Living with Old Age Infirmities Read More »
Lifestyles, Natasha Josefowitz
By Laurie Baron (Melody: “Still Crazy After All These Years,” by Paul Simon. Listen to Baron’s recording here.) I got the latest booster several months ago. I wear a mask when I visit crowded rooms. I was hoping that by this time vaccines would ease my fears. Still Covid after all these years. Oh, still
Satire: Still Covid After All These Years Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
After years of running and hiding during the Holocaust, Jenny Benrey, decided that her five-year-old daughter, the future novelist Michèle Sarde, should be baptized in the Catholic Church. So many of her relatives and friends had disappeared in the Nazi Holocaust! But later, when it came time for Michèle’s confirmation, Jenny could not bring herself to complete her abandonment of Judaism. Michèle was withdrawn from the confirmation class, thereafter living neither as a practicing Jew nor as a Catholic. And the Holocaust that had prompted Jenny’s impulses became a forbidden subject, enveloped in silence. [Donald H. Harrison]
Sephardic Family History Stretches from Spanish Inquisition to Post-Holocaust Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History
By Bruce S. Ticker PHILADELPHIA — It was the devil…er, Itamar Ben-Gvir…who made me do it. This Ben-Gvir made me bomb buses, fire another few hundred rockets into Israel and toss rocks from the Temple Mount onto worshipers at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. If such acts of terrorism materialize in the ensuing weeks, blame
Ben-Gvir’s Presumed ‘Act of War’ Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Israel, Opinion, USA
By Alex Gordon HAIFA, Israel — In 1783, Gotthold Ephraim Lessing’s play “Nathan the Wise” premiered at the Berlin Theater. The play was a literary and theatrical sensation and a shock to Germany, and perhaps to the entire Christian world. Hitherto Jews had been considered and portrayed as immoral and despicable people. Lessing’s character Nathan,
Moses Mendelssohn: The Berlin Dreamer Read More »
Alex Gordon, International, Jewish History, Opinion
By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — Generous American donors have provided the money to build a museum honouring Shelby White and Leon Levy, to house in situ the huge mosaic dating from the Roman occupation of ancient Judaea. The town of Lod (Lydda) has been inhabited for millennia, and is mentioned in the Bible
The Roman Mosaic in Lod Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Israel, Jewish History
(JNS) After two years of pointedly ignoring a problem largely of his own making, President Joe Biden finally made a brief visit to the U.S. southern border in El Paso, Texas. While there, however, he saw little of the human cost of the catastrophe, as he didn’t meet or see any of the illegal immigrants
Where’s the Outrage Over Biden Comparing Illegal Immigrants to Holocaust Victims? Read More »
Holocaust, Opinion, USA
Published by Reuters By Simon Lewis (Reuters) – The prestigious Kennedy School at Harvard University is under fire over a decision not to award a fellowship to the former head of Human Rights Watch, which one academic said was due to the campaigner’s criticism of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. The school’s Carr Center for Human
Harvard School in Row Over Fellowship for Ex-Head of Human Rights Watch Read More »
USA
By Eileen Wingard LA JOLLA, California — The 15th season of Jewish Poets-Jewish Voices continues on Tuesday evening, January 17, at 7 p.m., featuring three Jewish poets from our community, Roberto Nejmias, Julie Potiker, and Lisa Schwartz. Register here: https://my.lfjcc.org/12680/12681 Nejmias writes in Spanish and his sister, Sara Artenstein, will be reading the English translations.
Jewish Poets-Jewish Voices Continues to Tap Into Community’s Creativity Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eileen Wingard, San Diego County
By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — When someone came to the Tzemach Tzedek, the third Lubavitcher rebbe for a blessing, the rebbe said, “Think positive and it will be positive.” This week a superb lesson in living optimally comes from Shemot. Moshe, we learn, wasn’t always a positive thinker. Recall the day following
Parashat Shemot: Positive Thinking Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
(JNS) Following 20 years of legal challenges, Hillel of San Diego will open the $18.7 million Beverly and Joseph Glickman Hillel Center — a long-anticipated center for Jewish students and the entire community adjacent to the UC San Diego campus at 9009 La Jolla Scenic Drive North — on Sunday, Jan. 15. According to David
Hillel of San Diego Announces Long-Awaited Opening of Jewish Center at UC San Diego Read More »
San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education