Rabbi Scott Meltzer Introduces B’nai Mitzvah to the Joy of Giving

Beginning in 2014, Rabbi and Mrs. Meltzer invested $100 per month in the Kiva organization until they had built up a credit of approximately $8,000. They pored over lists of worthy borrowers, who were vetted by Kiva’s microloan partners throughout the world.  The Meltzers then decided to which borrowers they wished to make interest-free repayable loans. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, California, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA

How Isolation Can Lead to Irrational and Frequent Aggressive Behaviors

By Natasha Josefowitz, ACSW, Ph.D. LA JOLLA, California — In the wake of the pandemic, it seems apparent that the strain on society has contributed to an increase in antisocial, antagonistic and even aggressive behavior. We see this in the increasing anger we express toward one another in verbal or even physical outbursts. Sometimes these

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Lifestyles, Natasha Josefowitz, Science, Medicine, & Education

Biden Administration Slaps More Sanctions on Iran After Nuclear Deal Falters

(JNS) The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control and the U.S. State Department jointly announced new sanctions on a network of Iranian petrochemical producers and its international front companies in China and the United Arab Emirates on Thursday. Triliance Petrochemical Co. and Petrochemical Commercial Co. were named in a news release as “entities instrumental

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Middle East, USA

Class-Action Suit Launched Against Unilever Over Ben & Jerry’s Boycott

(JNS) A U.S. shareholder filed a class-action suit against Unilever Plc in New York federal court on Wednesday, claiming the British-based global consumer goods company concealed a boycott of Israel by its Ben & Jerry’s ice cream brand that shaved billions off its stock market value. The suit, filed by The City of St. Clair

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Middle East, USA

Parasha Behaalotecha: Stop Complaining, Be Grateful

Oy! There’s a lot of whining in this week’s Torah reading.

Come to think of it, it appears to be the basis of one of my mother’s oft-repeated sayings, “Keep complaining and I’ll really give you something to complain about.” We are world-class kvetchers, aren’t we? The food isn’t good enough, the seat at the table isn’t good enough, the hotel room isn’t the best, the politics, oy gevalt, the list goes on and on. [Michael R. Mantell, PhD]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell

Residents, Employees and Donors Celebrate Seacrest Reunion Gala

Breathtaking,” “Memorable,” “One-of-a-Kind,” “We didn’t want to leave,” “One Big Family,” “Gorgeous” are the words that guests used to describe the Seacrest Foundation Women’s Auxiliary 44th Annual Gala on Sunday, June 12, 2022. Truly a Reunion Gala, this extraordinarily special event was the first gathering of the Seacrest community of supporters in over two years. Co-Chairs Cindy Bloch, Mary Epsten, Jean Gaylis, Jane Ottenstein, and Shari Schenk, along with over 230 guests, came together at a private residence and vineyard in Rancho Santa Fe to celebrate the strength and commitment of the Seacrest community of supporters whose generosity and kindness made it possible to get through the worst of the pandemic.

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Business & Finance, Lifestyles, San Diego County

Nominating Committee of The Jewish Agency Selects Maj. Gen. (Res.) Doron Almog for Chairman of the Executive

JERUSALEM (Press Release) — On Thursday, the Nominating Committee of The Jewish Agency for Israel recommended the nomination of Maj. Gen. (Res.) Doron Almog as its candidate for the position of Chairman of the Executive of The Jewish Agency for the next four years. Maj. Gen. (Res.) Doron Almog previously served as the Commander of

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International, Middle East, USA

Israeli Education Ministry Freezes Youth Trips to Poland Holocaust Sites

(JNS) The Israeli Education Ministry announced on Tuesday that it was freezing youth trips to Holocaust sites in Poland, according to Israeli media reports. The main reason for the cancellation is a disagreement between Israel and Poland over security arrangements during the visits, which are accompanied by armed Israel Security Agency agents, according to Walla.

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Holocaust, International, Middle East

Israeli Researchers Find ‘Indisputable Proof’ of Oldest-Ever Fruit Tree Domestication

(JNS) Israeli researchers on Thursday announced the discovery of the earliest evidence of fruit-tree domestication, dating back seven millennia. According to researchers from Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University, charcoal remnants of olive trees found at the Chalcolithic Tel Zaf site in the Jordan Valley indicate that the trees were planted intentionally. This is

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Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education

Feds Settle Suit With N.J. Town Over Discriminatory Zoning Ordinances Against Orthodox Jews

Published by NJ.com The Justice Department settled a lawsuit Wednesday filed against Jackson Township and its planning board that alleged the town enacted zoning ordinances that discriminated against the Orthodox Jewish community by preventing them from opening religious boarding schools, officials said. The suit, filed in 2020, alleged that the intent of the ordinances was

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USA

A Prescient Account of Life in Pre-War France

By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel —The novel Silbermann by Jacques de Lacretelle, which I read in French, was first published in 1922 It describes the life of a French schoolboy and his relations with a Jewish classmate. The general atmosphere in the school is one of rigid discipline and, as is often the case

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson

‘Women of Valor’ Portrays Another 6 Outstanding Women

By Eileen Wingard LA JOLLA, California — This year’s rendition of Women of Valor was celebrated with six beautifully conceived scripts, written by Ali Veiterbi, who also directed the production, Sarah Price Keating, Becca Myers, and Todd Salovey, Director of the Lipinsky Jewish Arts Festival (JFest). The performances took place Thursday June 9, at the

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Eileen Wingard, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast