Interviewing Elderly Family Members to Keep Their History Alive

By Natasha Josefowitz, ACSW, Ph.D. LA JOLLA, California —  My friend Joanne forwarded me an email from her granddaughter, Elizabeth Keegan Tapia. She thought the questions were interesting, provocative, and made her reminisce as well as reexamine some memories of past events. I, too, found the questions comprehensive and worth sharing as a possible vehicle

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Lifestyles, Natasha Josefowitz

After suspension over safety worries, search resumes for survivors of Florida collapse

Published by Reuters By Katanga Johnson and Francisco Alvarado SURFSIDE, Fla. (Reuters) – The grim, painstaking search for victims in the rubble of a collapsed Miami-area condominium complex, briefly suspended over safety concerns, proceeded on Friday with greater caution and a watchful eye on a hurricane that could strike Florida within days. The confirmed death

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USA

‘Liberated’ ethnic studies curriculum fails to liberate California schools from antisemitism

By Tammi Rossman-Benjamin (July 1, 2021 / JNS) Last week, California’s Hayward Unified School District (HUSD) Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve a new $40 million ethnic studies policy. In its press release, the district noted, “The policy and efforts to develop an Ethnic Studies framework are informed by and will include Critical Race Theory

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Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

In Meeting with German President, Bennett Emphasizes New Government’s ‘Different Voices’

JERUSALEM (Press Release) — On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Jerusalem. The two leaders first had a private meeting and then participated in a wider forum. President Steinmeier congratulated Prime Minister Bennett on forming Israel’s new government and said that he was pleased it was established. Prime

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International, Middle East

U.S. Supreme Court gives states more leeway to restrict voting

Published by Reuters By Andrew Chung (Reuters) -The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday made it easier for states to enact voting restrictions, endorsing Republican-backed measures in Arizona that a lower court had decided disproportionately burdened Black, Latino and Native American voters and handing a defeat to Democrats who had challenged the policies. The 6-3 ruling,

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USA

Conservative Media’s Echo Chamber Sees All America as ‘Woke’

By Chris Jennewein SAN DIEGO — Are you terrified by “critical race theory.” Is America on the verge of “socialism.” Is “The Squad” ready to take over? Is everyone around you “woke” and hiding the truth about the “lab leak” origin of coronavirus? If so, you’re likely lost in the echo chamber of conservative media,

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Chris Jennewein, USA

Biden in Florida to comfort families as search at collapse site paused over safety concerns

Published by Reuters By Katanga Johnson and Steve Holland SURFSIDE, Fla. (Reuters) – President Joe Biden visited Florida on Thursday to comfort the families of those killed and missing in last week’s condominium collapse, as the search-and-rescue operation was temporarily suspended due to concerns about the stability of the remaining structure. Biden, whose personal experience

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USA

‘The Princess Bride’ Was a Jewish Fantasy Film

While the sixties saw a boom in Jewish culture (the Fiddler and Yentl movies, the Anne Frank play, Woody Allen, Barbara Streisand, etc.) the tradition of covertly Jewish characters continued for decades more. And that brings us to The Princess Bride. Blond, British Wesley and his peasant-to-princess Buttercup read as goyish. They’re the heroes, fighting the spoiled prince who won’t let them fall in love. However, basically every other character reads as a European ethnic minority –if not Jewish then honorary mishpucha. [Valerie Estelle Frankel]

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Jewish History, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Miss Nevada USA becomes first openly transgender woman to receive title

Published by NJ.com Kataluna Enriquez made history Sunday when she became the first openly transgender woman to be crowned Miss Nevada USA. Enriquez defeated 21 other contestants to win the title of Miss Nevada USA. By winning the title, Enriquez has become the first openly transgender woman to win a competition in Miss Nevada USA

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USA

Haftorah Reading for July 3, 2021

This extract, more prose than verse, from the opening chapters of Jeremiah’s book (52 chapters), was selected by the rabbis as the first of Haftorahs of admonition, to be read during the three shabbatot between the fast of the 17th of Tammuz and that of Tish-a b’Av. The former of these two dates (in 586 BCE) recalls Babylon’s breach of Jerusalem’s wall, the latter the actual destruction of Jerusalem, shortly later in 586 BCE. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]

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Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion