Melanie Rubin in our license plate maven, always on the lookout for vanity plates of Jewish interest, like this one saying LCHAIMM, with an extra ‘m’ perhaps to savor the wonderful taste of life.
Jewish-Interest License Plate: LCHAIMM Read More »
Melanie Rubin, Travel and Food, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA
The Reader’s Digest in July 2019 highlighted one quirky museum per state: the Alaska Hammer Museum; the Banana Museum in Mecca, in California’s Riverside County; Colorado’s Washing Machine; Mississippi’s Apron; Iowa’s Matchstick; and Ohio’s Pencil Sharpener museum. These are brick and mortar museums with street addresses, not the burgeoning online website museum. The author, Marissa Laliberte, overlooked the venerable Kool-Aid Museum in Hastings, Nebraska, in favor of the Klown Doll Museum in Plainview. I’ve been to the Mustard Museum in Horab, Wisconsin, and Idaho’s Potato Museum in Blackfoot. [Oliver B. Pollak, Ph.D]
There are museums for so many interests Read More »
International, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Oliver Pollak, Travel and Food, USA
Washington (AFP) – The US House of Representatives dealt a blow to President Donald Trump on Monday by rejecting his veto of a defense bill, setting the stage for the Senate to deliver the first veto override of his presidency. The Democratic-controlled House voted 322 to 87 to override Trump’s veto of the $740.5 billion
In blow to Trump, House votes to override veto of defense bill Read More »
Travel and Food
Wilmington (United States) (AFP) – President-elect Joe Biden said Monday that Donald Trump’s appointees at the Pentagon were stalling on the transition and warned that the United States faces security risks as a result. After he and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris were briefed by their transition teams on national security, Biden said that political appointees
Biden says Trump Pentagon stalling transition, posing risks Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
Perhaps it’s because vaccines developed by Moderna and Pfizer presage the end of the pandemic. Perhaps because the awful year of 2020 is almost over. Whatever the reason, humor and optimism are beginning to reemerge, and my mail box, and possibly yours too, are replete with examples. [Donald H. Harrison]
Humor, optimism resurface as 2021 nears Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Should Orthodox congregations permit Zoom services? There is debate over whether this is permissible under Jewish law (Halakhah). I am not a major Torah scholar and do not pretend to be one. The answer needs to come form the rabbinic sages of our time. However today these answers must address issues of life or death. [Rabbi Bernhard H. Rosenberg]
Orthodox debate Zoom gatherings on Shabbat Read More »
Bernhard H. Rosenberg-Rabbi, Jewish Religion
In the first book of my series of Mysteries of Judaism, I pointed out that all of the biblical holidays, such as Passover, and rabbinical Jewish holidays, as Chanukah and Purim, were changed over the years. Some, as Passover on Nissan 14, even disappeared even though mandated in the Torah. Some, like Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, although many think these are the most holy of biblical Jewish holidays, are not mentioned in the Torah, both replace Bible holidays. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Why do bad things happen to good people? Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
Ivry Gitlis, arguably the last great 20th-century violinist, died on December 24 in Paris aged 98.Born in 1922 in Haifa into a family of immigrants from Ukraine, he got his first violin at age five.At eight, as a child prodigy, he was introduced to the founder of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Bronislaw Huberman. The latter
Legendary Israeli violinist Ivry Gitlis dies age 98 Read More »
Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts
The Health Ministry announced that Israel is the first country to repackage vaccines to fight coronavirus, which will allow maximum public accessibility to the vaccine.”We at the Health Ministry broke our heads over how to get the vaccine to every point in the country, and evidently, the Israeli mind never ceases to surprise: Israel is
Health Ministry: Israel first country in the world to repackage vaccines Read More »
International, Middle East, Sports & Competitions
West Palm Beach (United States) (AFP) – After delaying for nearly a week and under pressure from all sides, US President Donald Trump finally signed a massive $900 billion stimulus bill Sunday, in a long-sought boost for millions of Americans and businesses battered by the coronavirus pandemic. The package “providing coronavirus emergency response and relief”
Trump, under pressure, signs $900 bn Covid relief bill Read More »
USA
WASHINGTON – The man suspected of setting off a bomb in Nashville that ripped through the southern US city’s downtown on Christmas morning was named by authorities on Sunday as they confirmed he died in the blast. “We’ve come to the conclusion that an individual named Anthony Warner is the bomber, he was present when
Investigators name Nashville bomber, say he died in blast Read More »
USA
Li-rong (Lilly) Cheng, Ph.D., director of the Chinese Cultural Center at San Diego State University, loves well-told stories about China, whether they be fiction or non fiction. Over the years, she has been involved in promulgating stories of each type, and in two particular cases, the story telling has involved Jews. [Donald H. Harrison]
Exploring Jewish and Chinese connections in San Diego Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
Israel recently announced its fourth election in two years, following three dysfunctional governments in a row. Unlike in the US, if the state budget is not passed within a certain amount of time (it wasn’t), the government falls. This is but one way of several that the government can dissolve itself before its 4-year term finishes. [Steve Kramer]
Israel’s Rapid Fire 4th Election Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer
Tune: California Dreaming
All the beds are full
In the ICUs
I must stay at home.
Watch TV or snooze.
Am I safe from Covid
If I live in L.A?
California lockdown
On such a winter’s day. … {Laurie Baron]
Parody: California Lockdown Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA