The newest of the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation (JASHP) sponsored Julius Rosenwald School markers was dedicated in Okahumpka, Florida. The marker is reflective of the historic partnership of Jewish American Julius Rosenwald and the Black Okahumpka community. [Jerry Klinger]
Okahumpka Remembers Julius Rosenwald’s Outreach to Black Americans Read More »
Travel and Food
Abel is dead, killed by his brother Cain, who confesses to God soon after the murder (Gen. 4:1-16). The proximate cause, God accepting Abel’s sacrifice, but rejecting Cain’s. Yet are these sixteen lines of biblical text the whole story? [Fred Reiss, Ed.D]
Rabbi Puts Cain on Trial for Slaying Abel Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish Religion
The very introduction to the Bible is obscure. We would have expected the introduction to tell us why God created the world and what God expects from humans, a problem that bothered the famous Bible commentator Rashi (1040-1105), but instead chapters 1 and 2 and other parts of the Bible are obscure, as can be seen in the following items. The obscurities are apparently purposely opaque to prompt us to think, and by thinking improve ourselves and society. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
A Rabbi’s Questions about Adam and Eve Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
The great 20th century Orthodox authorities Rabbi Moshe Feinstein and Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik agreed that the holiday is secular, not Christian, and therefore celebration by Jews is not religiously prohibited. There has been another controversy around the holiday, however. What past Thanksgiving event led a group of rabbis to protest? [Mark D. Zimmerman]
Jewish Trivia Quiz: Thanksgiving Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Israel is a serious country. It’s hard to imagine, from a perspective of years ago. Now more than 9 million in population, with a currency increasing in value against others, and apparently able to extract two citizens accused of treason in Turkey due to what seems like the innocent photograph of the President’s residence, without an overt concession to Turkey. [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]
What Accounts for Israel’s Weight in World Affairs? Read More »
International, Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA
I flew to London last Wednesday, to say goodbye to my 97-year-old Grandpa. Although I usually see my grandparents half a dozen times a year, the pandemic has made it so that I haven’t been able to see them for two and half years. I entered their new assisted living apartment and went straight to my grandfather’s bed. Without hesitation I began to sing our favorite Yiddish song “Oy vey fein”. Immediately he chimed in and sang with me for about fifteen seconds. [Cantor Hanan Liberman]
A Cantor Says A Final Goodbye to the Grandfather Who Inspired Him Read More »
International, Jewish History, Obituaries & memorials
The 14th season of Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices launched last Monday evening with an outstanding program that attracted 70 attendees on Zoom. It opened with poetry read by local psychologist and poet, Richard Alan Schere. A sample of his offerings, Echo, can be read below. It is a poem that should be on the desks of all politicians as they contemplate their actions regarding climate change. Other Schere poems showed a lighter side with a fine-tuned sense of humor. Schere has made recordings and his work is in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. We were fortunate to have such an accomplished poet open our series. [Eileen Wingard]
One Poet Mourns Earth; Others Sing Songs of Immigration Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eileen Wingard, San Diego County
I shot the vandals, when I made myself a deputy.
I shot the vandals, shield property from jeopardy.
Walking through Kenosha town
Pointing my rifle all around. … [Laurie Baron, Ph.D]
Satire: ‘I Shot the Vandals’ Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Jacob’s wrestling with the angel is arguably one of the most famous images we encounter in the Torah. Commentaries since rabbinical times wondered: Did it really occur? Or did Jacob imagine it? Maimonides’ interpretation is novel; he offers a view that Freud and Jung have found fascinating. Although we tend to think of psychology as beginning with Freud, medieval scholars such as Maimonides and Aquinas possessed a remarkable understanding of human psychology. Here is one such example from Maimonides Guide for the Perplexed 2:42. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
Did Jacob Actually Wrestle with an Angel? Or Was It a Vision? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-RabbiOver the past 50 years, my wife Bonnie and I have shared our homes with six cats. The first was a beautiful seal point Siamese paradoxically named Whitey bequeathed to us by friends intent on stopping their baby from playing in her litter box. In one of her former lives she must have been a dog. She fetched balled up pieces of paper, followed us around like a shadow, and emitted piercing yowls. Siamese are lookers, not singers! [Laurie Baron, Ph.D]
Mercury Baron: Our Last Cat (For Now) Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Lifestyles, San Diego County, The World We Share
Published by BANG Showbiz English Jonah Hill will play Jerry Garcia in Martin Scorsese’s Grateful Dead biopic. The 37-year-old actor has been tapped to play the late rocker in Scorsese’s latest project for Apple. Jonah is set to produce the flick through his Strong Baby banner with his producing partner Matt Dines. Grateful Dead members
Jonah Hill to star as Jerry Garcia in Martin Scorsese’s Grateful Dead biopic Read More »
Jewish Celebrities
Published by BANG Showbiz English Jason Reitman previously “shied away” from directing a ‘Ghostbusters’ movie. The 44-year-old filmmaker has followed in the footsteps of his father by getting behind the camera for ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ but revealed that he was reluctant to tackle the franchise beforehand. Jason told The Guardian newspaper: “My dad had always hinted
Jason Reitman ‘shied away’ from making a Ghostbusters film Read More »
Jewish Celebrities
Published by BANG Showbiz English Scarlett Johansson has been in a “baby bliss bubble” for the past few months. The ‘Black Widow’ star gave birth to her son Cosmo in August, and has said she feels “very fortunate” to have been able to take plenty of time away from work to be with her new
Scarlett Johansson: I’m in a baby bliss bubble Read More »
Jewish Celebrities
This single chapter is the only extant writing of the minor prophet Obadiah. Wordage is mainly poetry, its ending in prose. The setting is the Babylonian destruction of the first Judean Temple c. 586 BCE, in which the enemy nation Edom participated. This time a Hebrew prophet rails against enemy Edom, not his own leaders. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]
Haftorah Reading for November 20, 2021 Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion