Washington (AFP) – Thousands of red-hatted protesters filled Washington streets on Saturday to demand “four more years” for Donald Trump’s presidency and to denounce, without proof, the “massive fraud” they insist gave the election to Joe Biden. Despite a stinging decision Friday at the US Supreme Court — which snubbed a last-ditch effort by Trump […]
Thousands of Trump supporters again rally in Washington Read More »
USA
The City Council’s new President, Dr. Jennifer Campbell, who is Jewish, told San Diego Jewish World that her maiden name was “Kushnir” — changed from “Kushner” — and that she might be a distant relative of President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. On her mother’s side, she said, her second cousin “twice over” is Democratic political strategist and CNN commentator David Axelrod. [Donald H. Harrison]
S.D. City Council President Tells of Jewish Forebears Read More »
Travel and Food
Rachel Van Wormer, Contest Coordinator, and gifted actor, reviewed all 243 scripts blindly. The top 50 selections were then passed along to Cecelia Kouma, Executive Producer, and eventually, 10 finalists were evaluated by Final Judges: Peter Cirino, Jacole Kitchen, Josefina Lopez, Annie Weisman, and Ruff Yeager. Many of these folk are also alumni of this very festival and have written plays that won awards in years past. Yeager also served as the Festival Artistic Director and introduced us to each of the winning playwrights with brief interviews about how they conceived their scripts. [Eva Trieger]
Teens Show Their Talent as Playwrights Read More »
Eva Trieger, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
Washington (AFP) – The US Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a bid by Texas to overturn the results of the presidential election, which Republican Donald Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden, in a fresh setback for the president. The longshot suit lodged late Tuesday against four states key in the November 3 vote — Michigan,
US Supreme Court dismisses Texas suit challenging election result Read More »
USA
The attorneys general of 17 states that voted for President Donald Trump in November on Wednesday publicly stated their support for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s bid to file a lawsuit challenging the results in four swing states that voted for President-elect Joe Biden. The four states in question are Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
On Thursday, President-elect Joe Biden announced his appointment of Barack Obama‘s former national security adviser Susan Rice to serve as the head of the White House Domestic Policy Council. Rice has been a contender in multiple roles of Biden’s administration – she was considered for Vice President as well as for secretary of state (which
Biden Announces Appointment Of Susan Rice To Head White House Domestic Policy Council Read More »
USA
Three talented poets read their works over Zoom last Tuesday evening for the opening program of Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices’ 12th season. Hosted by Lawrence JCC’s staff member, Melanie Rubin, and MCed by Joy Heitzmann, the three outstanding presenters were Lorraine Thall, June Gottleib and Todd Salovey. There were 70 audience members, including some from outside of San Diego. All three poets read with dramatic expressiveness and clear pronunciation, revealing their onstage talents. June Gottleib, a veteran Slam poet, was particularly entertaining. Samples of their poetry are included in this article. [Eileen Wingard]
Jewish Poets Thall, Gottleib, Salovey give Zoom readings Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eileen Wingard
Jewish Family Service of San Diego (JFS) has been awarded its 13th consecutive 4-star rating from Charity Navigator – America’s leading independent charity evaluator. With rigorous evaluations, less than 1% of the thousands of charities evaluated are awarded this recognition continuously for more than a decade. [Press Release from Jewish Family Service]
4-Star Rating for Jewish Family Service of San Diego Read More »
San Diego County
The portion (Va’Yeshev) began by telling us that Yaakov was (finally) settling in to the Promised Land. By the end of the portion he is suffering in a way that only a parent who has lost a child can fully grasp. What lesson is there for us in this turn of events? [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]
A Word of Torah: Early Retirement (or Not) Read More »
Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi
Morocco confirmed Thursday it would resume diplomatic relations with Israel “with minimal delay” and lauded as “historic” a decision by Washington to recognise Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara region. Following a telephone call between US President Donald Trump and King Mohammed VI, the Moroccan ruler said his country would “resume official contacts…. and
Morocco confirms ‘resumption’ of diplomatic relations with Israel Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
If the Trump-led Republican party should somehow implode, don’t worry, there still would be a contentious two-party system in the United States. Democrats, as is their habit, would immediately fall upon each other and quickly divide into two categories: moderates and “progressives.” Yes, I put the word “progressive” in quotation marks, because there is nothing progressive about threatening or bullying office holders who might disagree with you. It’s downright regressive. [Donald H. Harrison]
Montgomery Steppe Supporters Alienated Potential Allies Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, USAOne Jewish San Diego City Councilmember departed, a second Jewish Councilmember arrived, and a third, in the middle of her term, was elected as the Council’s new president during a marathon meeting on Thursday, Dec. 10th, after the 73rd City Council of the City of San Diego was sworn in along with the city’s new Democratic mayor, Todd Gloria, and the reelected City Attorney, Mara Elliott. The new Council President in Jennifer Campbell, who defeated Monica Montgomery Steppe by a 5-4 vote notwithstanding an outpouring of support for Montgomery Steppe during the public comment portion of the meeting. The departing Jewish Councilmember was Barbara Bry, who was succeeded as the representative of the First District by Joe LaCava, who was administered the oath of office by his wife Lorraine. The arriving City Councilmember was Sean Elo-Rivera, who was sworn in as the representative of the Ninth District by his wife Angela Rivera. He succeeded City Councilwoman Georgette Gomez, who is also the immediate past President of the City Council. [Donald H. Harrison]
Marathon Council Meeting Elects Campbell as President Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County
SAN DIEGO — Following are streaming Jewish programs of academic and general interest. All times are Pacific Standard Time. (Laurie Baron, Ph.D)
Streaming Jewish Programs (Dec. 13-28, 2020) Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lawrence Baron, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA
The unspeakable horror; the ignored cries of pain,; the unimaginable suffering; the final resting place for more than 50,000 innocent souls. This was Nazi era Germany: This was Buchenwald, the death camp infamous for performing medical experiments on inmates. Its place in history marked by being the first camp liberated by Allied Forces. On a recent driving trip through the scenic countryside of the now unified Germany, we two Americans born after World War II gathered our courage to visit Buchenwald. Despite our each having twice before traveled to Germany, neither had mustered the psychological strength to witness the reality of the death camp tales we had heard all our lives. [John Brennan]
Two bricks from Buchenwald Read More »
International, Jewish History