Factual Errors Detract from Jewish Family Saga

This is a novel that traces a Jewish family through several generations from a shtetl in Poland to the big city of Warsaw, and later onward to Scotland, Germany, and England over the course of pogroms and two world wars. It is marred in the telling by a series of errors that might have been eliminated through more careful research or fact checking [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison

New Proposal Would Force CA School Districts to Adopt ‘Liberated’ Ethnic Studies Curriculum if Students Want Admission to UC Schools

SANTA CRUZ, California (Press Release) — For the first time in over 20 years, and only the second time in nearly a century, the University of California (UC) system is considering adding a new admission requirement that will force all California high schools to teach the controversial and antisemitic “Liberated” ethnic studies curriculum, exposes a

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California, Science, Medicine, & Education

Busy Week in Israel Temporarily Puts Ukraine on Back Burner

By Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D JERUSALEM — It has been a busy week in Israel. The death of Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, age 94, and the gathering of what was estimated as more than 325,000 supporters to participate in the funeral. Interviews featured reasonable sounding ultra-Orthodox speaking in reverence about the rabbi’s work in leading, and achieving

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International, Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, Opinion, USA

ADI’s Running Team Shines the Light of Inclusion on Rainy Jerusalem Marathon

(JNS Wire) Though unseasonably cold weather and torrential downpours brought a very different vibe to the 11th annual Jerusalem Marathon on Friday, March 25, the devoted staff, volunteers and supporters of ADI (adi-israel.org), Israel’s most comprehensive provider of residential and rehabilitative care for individuals with severe disabilities, braved the freezing rain and muddy Jerusalem streets

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Middle East, Sports & Competitions

Jewish Trivia Quiz: The Academy Awards

By Mark D. Zimmerman MELVILLE, New York — The Academy Awards ceremony took place this past weekend. Among the Jewish nominees were actor Andrew Garfield, film editors Myron Kerstein & Andrew Weisblum, documentary filmmaker Jay Rosenblatt, director Stephen Spielberg, and Maggie Gyllenhaal, who was nominated for her adapted screenplay, The Lost Daughter. Garfield played Jonathan Larson, the Jewish

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Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire

‘Night of Beginnings:’ A Spiritually Moving and Thoughtful Haggadah Experience

Night of Beginnings: A Passover Haggadah; Text and art  by Maria Falk; Published March, 2022, University of Nebraska Press as a Jewish Publication Society book. By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — When a Haggadah is written by a founding mother of feminist Judaism, as poet and author Marcia Falk is described, the reader

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell

Liberal Jewish Newspaper Publisher Made His Mark in a Conservative Town

Lowell Blankfort, a liberal Jewish Democrat, became co-publisher and editor of the staid, very conservative Star-News in 1961, and immediately began to shake up the old order. In his very first editorial, he announced that the community newspaper no longer would run columns by U.S. Rep. James Utt. Blankfort explained that Utt’s “so-called ‘column’ from Washington, or weekly political diatribe, is being dropped, pronto. Mr. Utt is the Republican Congressman from Santa Ana who, due to some deft GOP gerrymandering 10 years ago, also has been foisted on National City and Bonita.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, California, Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA

Power, Territory, and Belief Systems – The Three Causes of Conflict

By Natasha Josefowitz, ACSW, Ph.D. LA JOLLA, California — What is it in our human genes that makes us forever dissatisfied with what we have and with what is? Why do we look for a way of obtaining more? More of what? I see three areas of possible strivings, conflict and reasons for war: power,

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International, Middle East, Natasha Josefowitz, Opinion, USA

San Diego Jewish Academy Celebrates Opening of New Performing Arts Auditorium

SAN DIEGO (Press Release) — San Diego Jewish Academy (SDJA) celebrated the campus’ new state-of-the-art Ana “Janche” Galicot Performing Arts Auditorium (PAA), funded by Ms. Galicot’s two sons in her honor. The 5,000 square foot facility features 3 multi-purpose rooms, a theater space and auditorium, as well as state-of-the-art audio, visual, lighting and acoustical design.

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San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education

March 30 Zoom Program to Feature Lawrence Family JCC Library’s Musical Samples

By Eileen Wingard   LA JOLLA, California — “Treasures from the Music Collection of the Astor Judaica Library,” a three-part Zoom series, will be launched this Wednesday evening, March 30 at 7 p.m. It is a free series under the auspices of the Astor Judaica Library and the Arts and Ideas series of the San

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