What’s the most frightening question you can ask a Jew this week?
“Have you finished cleaning for Pesach yet?” It’s Shabbat HaGadol, the first Seder follows immediately after Shabbat and, oh my goodness! And if that’s not enough, along comes parasha Tzav to point to how we benefit from de-cluttering our homes, and I’d add, our lives. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
Transforming the Mundane Into the Holy Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
The Jewish Community Center in Boulder, Colorado, is actively participating in the healing of that city in the wake of a gunman opening fire on Monday, March 22, at the Table Mesa King Soopers supermarket and killing 10 people ranging in age from 20 to 65, including Police Officer Eric Talley, 51, who tried to quell the disturbance. [Donald H. Harrison]
Jewish community responds to Boulder, Atlanta shootings Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, USA
Lovers of opera know Giacomo Puccini as the composer of La Boheme, Tosca, Madame Butterfly and Turandot. Maestro Hershey Felder inhabits this persona in his latest film project: Hershey Felder Presents Puccini. Felder is world famous for his biographical portrayals of famous composers, sometimes drawing upon his own Jewish heritage for figures like George Gershwin, Irving Berlin and Leonard Bernstein. [Eric George Tauber]
Hershey Felder’s Intimate Portrait of Puccini Read More »
Eric George Tauber, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
City and county officials announced Monday that the San Diego Convention Center will be used for three months to temporarily house unaccompanied immigrant minors amid a surge along the border. At the same time, local nonprofit organizations have stepped up to house families and individual adults in hotel rooms. [Chris Jennewein]
Migrant Minors to be Housed at SD Convention Center Read More »
Chris Jennewein, International, San Diego County, USA
San Diego Rapid Response Network (SDRRN) Migrant Shelter Services, operated by Jewish Family Service of San Diego (JFS), has announced an urgent need for volunteers and additional staff. [Jewish Family Service news release]
JFS seeks staff and volunteers to help asylum seekers Read More »
International, San Diego County, USA
Almost all of the Dead Sea Scrolls that have been found to date are housed in the Shrine of the Book at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. How did Israel obtain a number of the Dead Sea Scrolls? [Mark D. Zimmerman]
Jewish Trivia Quiz: Dead Sea Scrolls Read More »
Jewish History, Mark D. Zimmerman, Middle East, Trivia, Humor & Satire
By Eileen Wingard LA JOLLA, California — The “Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices” program featured a stellar line-up of poets for its Tuesday, March 16 program, attracting over 100 virtual audience members. The attendees were well-rewarded with the high caliber of poetry, beautifully delivered by local poets Annette Friend, Jen Laffler and Susan L. Lipson. A sample
Gardens, cacti and a ring grab poets’ attention Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eileen Wingard, San Diego County
Rabbi Samuel ben Meir, known as Rashbam (c. 1085–c. 1158), a grandson of Rashi, was the author of a superbly rational commentary on the Bible and Talmud. Rashbam wrote in his commentary on Genesis 1:5 that the biblical day began at daybreak. The Torah states in Genesis 1 that God performed certain acts of creation on the first day; then there was evening and then morning when the first day ended, and God began new activities in the morning of the second day. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Biblical days started at daybreak not sunset Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish ReligionI often read the obituaries of people I have never met, and often find myself regretting that life hadn’t afforded me the opportunity to sit down with them and benefit from hearing their stories and life experiences. In today’s San Diego Union-Tribune there were 4 ½ pages of paid obituaries, and many of them had an endearing fact or two about the deceased family member. Below I pull brief quotes from 22 of them so you can see what I mean. If you’re like me, I bet you also would have enjoyed meeting each one of these remarkable people. [Donald H. Harrison]
Obituaries provide much to learn and ponder Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Travel and Food
The March 21, 2021 edition of Israel’s good news includes the following highlihts:
• With half the population fully vaccinated, Israel’s Covid-19 infection rates have plummeted.
• The UK benefits from two more Israeli medical innovations.
• Many Israeli activities for Good Deeds Day – the country where it began 14 years ago.
• Israeli-designed Instagram Lite is rolled out to 170 countries.
• Israelis enjoy newly opened parks, restaurants, entertainment and sporting events.
• Kosovo opens its Jerusalem embassy.
• 1900-year-old Jewish relics discovered in Dead Sea cave. [Michael Ordman]
Good News from Israel (March 21, 2021) Read More »
Business & Finance, International, Jewish History, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USABesides antisemitism and racism, there’s another dangerous “ism” afoot — ageism — and it’s being propagated both by Democrats and Republicans more interested in partisan advantage than in human worth. [Donald H. Harrison]
Let’s not sacrifice wise leaders to partisan ageism Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, USA
Ambassador Raphael Morav did not plan to move to Israel; his parents brought him there when he was still in primary school. He did not plan to become a diplomat, he simply saw a listing for jobs, took a test, and got in. He never planned on becoming the Ambassador of Israel to Ethiopia, but that is the position that opened up at the time and he applied. Lastly, Ambassador Morav never planned on completely changing Ethiopian Jewish life nor perceptions of Jews in Addis Ababa. But that is what he did, with calm and persistence and his usual kind demeanor. [Sam Litvin]
Israel’s Envoy Seen as ‘Modern Moses’ in Ethiopia Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Sam LitvinThe biblical holiday Passover ceased to exist when the temple was destroyed in 70 CE. It disappeared entirely and Chag Hamatzot’s name was changed to Passover. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
The origins of modern Passover customs Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
This entirely poetic Haftorah by 2nd Isaiah was written during the Babylonian exile, in anticipation of the permitted return to Judea. The Persian conqueror Cyrus (c. 580-529 BCE) was soon to conquer Babylon and release the exiled Judeans in 538 BCE. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]
Haftorah Reading for March 20, 2021 Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion