He was only known as Klimo. No other name. I employed him occasionally, and I once fired him twice in one day. I paid him in cash, the small employer’s magic fairy dust that eliminates the need to pay taxes for employer and employee alike. [Ira Spector]
Klimo, an unforgettable part-time artist Read More »
Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County
Israel, the land that was meant to host the ingathering of the exiles and reunite the Jewish people, is tearing at the seams. There has never been real unity in Israeli society, but we always knew how to rise above our partisan interests in the moment of truth. We cannot do this anymore; hatred and division have taken over. It seems as though we are going to split into myriad groups and clans, and many will seek asylum elsewhere, and I am not sure they will be welcome anywhere. [Michael Laitman, PhD]
From Ingathering Exiles to Escaping Clans Read More »
Jewish History, Lifestyles, Middle East
There is hardly a day that passes when I don’t marvel at an individua’s power and ability to move mountains and change history. Our current presidential election underscores the importance of one vote and a single individual’s power to bring about change in society. The same could be said concerning Abraham. Abraham believed he could change and transform the world. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
Abraham exemplified the power of an individual Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
I just made a contribution to the NAACP after being mesmerized listening to the audible edition of Isabel Wilkerson’s book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. Perhaps my contribution is a guilt offering. No matter, it is never too late to step up to the plate and take a swing against profound racial injustice in our country. [Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel]
Caste: A Mind-Opening Book Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel, z"l
In the third and final part of our Jewish Halloween series, seen above, Rabbi Scott Meltzer of Congregation Ohr Shalom shares with us how you can have a meaningful Halloween in a Jewish way. Some of his suggestions involve kosher candy, keeping Shabbat, and tzedakah. [Sandi Masori]
Jewish connections to Halloween, Part III Read More »
Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Sandi Masori, USA
Assume you have an upcoming bar/bat mitzvah, wedding, or another family simcha coming up, and you would like to invite some close relatives living in another country to attend. Right now it is a costly hassle for your relatives to apply for a temporary visa to visit the United States, with the possibility that they will be rejected causing you and them embarrassment, even humiliation. [Donald H. Harrison]
Guess who might come to your next simcha Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA
For nearly two millennia, the Jewish people dispersed throughout the world—lacking a homeland, temple, Sanhedrin, and king—enduring many strange cultures, conducting their lives under control of foreign governments and alien cultures as slaves, outsiders, and self-rulers, did not abandon their God, their religion, or their dreams. Blondheim and Rosenberg are the editors of Communication in the Diaspora, a compendium of eleven essays, describing little-explored pieces of a puzzle explaining how Jews maintain a shared and cohesive identity. [Fred Reiss, Ed.D]
How scattered Jewish people kept a religion intact Read More »
Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish History, Jewish Religion
Thousands of Palestinians rallied in Jerusalem’s Old City on Friday against French President Emmanuel Macron’s defence of the right to publish cartoons seen as offensive to Islam.Demonstrators chanted “There is no god but God, Macron is the enemy of God” and “Mohammed, your nation will not give in”, following Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa mosque
Thousands rally against France’s Macron in Jerusalem Read More »
International, Middle East
DETROIT — The leader of a national white supremacist group who ran a “hate camp” in Michigan and one of his cohorts were charged Thursday with multiple crimes as extremist groups continue to land on the FBI’s radar nationwide.The latest suspects were arrested at their homes at 6 a.m. Thursday for their alleged roles in
Feds arrest leader of white supremacy group who ran ‘hate camp’ in Michigan Read More »
USA
Frankfurt’s new Jewish Museum has been forced to close just 11 days after opening its doors due to government restrictions to stem a second wave of coronavirus infections across Germany and Europe.By Thursday evening, around 4,500 visitors had already taken the opportunity to visit the museum, a restored, expanded and redesigned version of a previous
Germany’s newest Jewish museum closes after only 11 days Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Travel and Food, USA
We started reading the Torah for the new cycle on Simchat Torah. The first portion, Genesis had some sobering sections, including the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden among others. Last week we read Noah, that likewise had a difficult message for all of us, as we recounted the destruction of humanity and the animal kingdom, save for Noah and his family in the Ark. Finally, we come to our portion, Lech Licha, a portion that concerns itself with the Father and Mother of the Jewish people, Abraham and Sarah. The Rebbe comments that this makes this portion particularly joyful! [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]
A Word of Torah: Go for You Read More »
Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi
Though the miracle of artificial intelligence, I have been able to conduct an interview with Vincent Corona Virus (CV for short) and have his DNA sequences translated into English. LB: Since it appears that the pandemic has become a pivotal issue in the presidential campaign, I wondered which candidate you endorse. CV: Trump’s my main man. Nobody has done more to spread misinformation and me in the United States than him. [Satire by Laurie Baron, Ph.D]
Satire: Coronavirus Endorses Donald Trump Read More »
Trivia, Humor & Satire, USAIn Part II of our Jewish Halloween series (seen above) , I interview Rabbi Scott Meltzer of Congregation Ohr Shalom, and he shares with us some of the parallels between our Jewish observances and Halloween and Dia De Los Muertos. [Sandi Masori]
Jewish Connections to Halloween, Part II Read More »
Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Sandi Masori
I wouldn’t say I’m a shopaholic, but I was brought up at a time and place where shopping was a regular feature of life. As a child in London I would be sent round the corner to the grocery store in Willesden Lane (which was no lane at all) to buy the loaf of rye bread my mother loved. On the way home I would gnaw the crust, and once I had handed the loaf over my mother would cut off the crust, spread it with butter and give it to me to eat like a civilized person, which made it rather less attractive. But I ate it anyway. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
Shopping in Coronavirus times Read More »
Business & Finance, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Lifestyles, Middle East