Jewish Trivia Quiz: Tiffany Haddish

Comedian Tiffany Haddish won a Grammy award for Best Comedy Album for her album Black Mitzvah, the recording of her 2019 Netflix comedy special. In the performance, Haddish explored her Jewish heritage, something she only discovered as a young adult when she learned that her father was an Eritrean Jew. Haddish embraced her Jewish heritage and held a bat mitzvah under the guidance of Rabbi Susan Silverman, including Torah reading and a d’var Torah speech about Jacob’s ladder from the Parsha Vayetze. But Haddish was no stranger to Judaism, as she had worked since the age of 17 as a dancer and an MC at more than 500 bar and bat mitzvah parties. What did Haddish say about that experience? [Mark D. Zimmerman]
 

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Mark D. Zimmerman, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Caution urged as Jewish facilities reopen

The Secure Community Network (SCN), as the official safety and security organization of The Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, has sent an alert to several thousand security directors, liaisons and heads of organizations and facilities, warning them to be vigilant as they begin to reopen their facilities. [Secure Community Network press release]

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Travel and Food

Francisco Goya at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Perhaps what is most startling about the etchings of Francisco Goya, presently on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is the artist’s intensity of focus, his obsession with understanding the nature of human evil. Goya was a child of the Enlightenment, and he knew what it was to see humanity as the pinnacle of creation, the paragon of animals, the embodiment of reason, “in form and understanding how like a god?” as Hamlet would say. Yet this same creature, the light of reason in the world, was capable of the most barbaric cruelty. In one series after another Goya’s etchings attempt to grasp the universality of evil, to see it as an essentially human problem to be understood in terms of our capacity for moral choice. Evil is universally human, for Goya – a propensity in human beings that is at once basic and inextinguishable. [Sam Ben-Meir, Ph.D]

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Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Sam Ben-Meir

A Bicentennial to Mark Modern Zionism

Not many Jews today recall a 19th century Jewish leader who wrote a booklet that inspired young Jews to move to the Land of Israel. The man at first believed passionately in assimilation as an answer for Jews and later, due to what he saw as rising anti-Semitism advocated a new idea, what eventually became known as Zionism. He himself met with notables all over Europe to advance his plans. The booklet made an impact and led to his chairing a movement that convened a groundbreaking convention of Jews who came from all over Europe to speak about practical ways to spark a mass Return to Zion. [Moshe Phillips]

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International, Jewish History, Middle East

In San Diego, it was lox, bagel and ‘pi’ day

Initially, the event on Sunday, March 14, was advertised by the Tifereth Israel Synagogue Men’s Club as a lox and bagel brunch, during which members could gather by Zoom and discuss how the coronavirus pandemic affected them, and what they look most forward to when it is over.  Members were invited to drive to the synagogue’s parking lot, where a boxed lox n’ bagel meal would be waiting for them. As my wife Nancy had some errands to run in the neighborhood of the synagogue, she volunteered to pick up the boxed brunch.  Inside of the box were two individual fruit pies — one apple, another cherry — in addition to the advertised lox, bagels and cream cheese.   How come?  “It’s pi day,” explained Bram Rubinstein, a Men’s Club member. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and Food, USA

Good News from Israel (March 14, 2021)

In the March 14, 2021 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
Israel re-opens to millions of vaccinated and recovered Israelis.
Israeli researchers have successfully implemented an alternative to animal testing.
An IDF medical team is on its way to treat victims of explosion in Equatorial Guinea.
An Israeli diaper cleaning system protects the environment.
Israeli cultured beef will help Brazil cut greenhouse gas emissions.
After a century, Israel’s Moshav farms are still going strong. [Michael Ordman]

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Business & Finance, International, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education

A most unusual bar mitzvah

I attended the bar mitzvah of a young man who recoils from compliments or recognition.  So I can’t say who he is, but I can tell you that his friends and relatives are shaking their heads in wonder.  The young man turned 14  just two days ago, on March 11.  But today it was if he were 13 again.  Or so it seemed, because today he finally had his bar mitzvah, which normally occurs when a boy turns 13. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County

Antisemitic graffiti riles SDSU

Earlier this week, an unidentified resident advisor at South Campus Plaza North, a large dormitory serving hundreds of students at San Diego State University, found scrawled on the exterior of the building three swastikas and coded messages often associated with white supremacist philosophy.  She immediately got some poster board to cover the offensive messaging, and drew hearts upon the poster board along with the message “Spread Love.”  After campus police were called to the scene and photographs taken of the offending material as part of an ongoing investigation, the antisemitic message was eliminated. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education

A Word of Torah: A Very Busy Shabbat

A lot is happening this Shabbos! We have a double portion (described below), a special additional reading, called Parshat HaChodesh, in honor of the upcoming month of Nissan, which is the month that includes Passover. We conclude the Book of Exodus, which is when we proclaim, “Chazak! Chazak! Vi’nit’Chazaik!” (Stronger! Stronger! And we become stronger!) In other words, may we continue to grow in our Torah study! [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]

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Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi

Dorothea: In total, this is not the Oz I knew

The latest scandal to erupt in Israel’s literary arena has been triggered by the book published by Galia Oz, the daughter of the late, greatly-esteemed writer, Amos Oz. The memoir, entitled Something Disguised as Love, burst upon the Israeli reading public in a blaze of publicity arising from its controversial revelations concerning the behavior of Amos Oz towards his daughter. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Middle East

New Zealander Speaks Against ICC Probe of Israel

The International Criminal Court (ICC) wants to illegally extend its judicial gavel into areas beyond its jurisdiction and probe into Israeli actions in the disputed territories. Although the State of Israel is not a member of what has mutated into a politicized judicial club, the ICC is set to begin possible investigations into Israeli “war-crimes” in these areas. Israel has its own robust and honest judicial system which is well capable of investigating any crimes and prosecuting when necessary. Recent history proves that. [Pastor Nigel Woodley, Ph.D]

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International, Middle East

Serbia should repent for its atrocities, make peace with Kosovo

Now may be the opportune time for Serbia to reconcile its past unspeakable atrocities against the Albanian Kosovars. The sooner Belgrade comes to terms with its past, the sooner it can begin its moral self-salvation, without which it will continue to be shackled with no redemption in sight. Serbian leaders should ask themselves one simple question: under what circumstances would Kosovo’s independence be reversed? They know the answer, but do not have the moral courage to admit that it is beyond their ability to undo Kosovo’s independence now or ever. Here is why. [Alon Ben-Meir, Ph.D]

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Alon Ben-Meir, International, USA