Since Donald Trump has declared, “The only way we’re going to lose this election is if the election is rigged,” Given that he is infallible, Trump has stepped up efforts to thwart this rigging by creating a taskforce called STOP which is designed to prevent progressives from casting their ballots. Though my connections within the deep state, I have obtained STOP’s plan for achieving its aim in the remaining days before the election. [Satire by Laurie Baron, Ph.D]
In the Oct. 25, 2020 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
–A hi-tech Israeli eye-test device could prevent millions from going blind.
–Seven of the top 25 women cybersecurity executives are Israeli.
–Sudan is to normalize ties with Israel.
–Israel is hosting the world’s largest desertification conference.
–An Israeli pipeline will bring oil from the UAE to Europe and Asia.
–An Israeli company is to build a huge on-land salmon farm in Nevada.
–A towering Israeli musical message of peace to Arab states.
–A coronavirus patient gets to see his son’s wedding, from his hospital window. [Michael Ordman]
Good News from Israel (Oct. 25, 2020) Read More »
Michael Ordman, Middle East
Jews are sharply divided. Here, in Israel, close to or more than 70 percent support Donald Trump, and only 30 percent or less support Joe Biden. In America, among Jews, the figures are opposite. Polls show that some 70 percent support Biden, and about 30 percent support Trump. One people with a split opinion. [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]
Israeli, U.S. Jews split on Biden vs. Trump Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA
According to James is an interesting and thoughtful book. Whether readers are Christians, Jews, Muslims, or something else, and even if they strongly disagree with the story Howard Rubenstein tells about James, an older brother of Jesus, they will find that the story prompts them to think about many aspects of religion. The story is fiction. But it is based on the views of many scholars. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Examining Jesus as a human Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
There is no shortage of world-class leaders who have visited and left their mark on Valley Center, among them a future king of England (Edward, Prince of Wales); a president of the United States (Dwight Eisenhower), and a widowed First Lady (Eleanor Roosevelt). But there also was a prince — not a fairytale prince, but a legendary blue-blood better known as a playboy, socialite, racehorse jockey, and husband of one of the world’s most famous movie stars. He was also a diplomat and United Nations official, and it was in that role that he came to Valley Center in 1959. {Robert Lerner]
Pakistani prince visited Rancho Lilac Read More »
International, Jewish History, San Diego County, USA
We watched from our cottage as rows of arched terra-cotta tiles slid off the steeply pitched roof of the open-air bar, sliding off in perfect sequence. First one row would go, and then when it was gone, the next row would begins its journey, like soldiers marching across a parade field. The raging bay-water, just a few feet away, hurled itself against the up-tilted rock outcrop, exploding like wet fireworks. Beyond the shore was an endless procession of peaks and troughs of white-capped waves that terrified my seasick soul. [Ira Spector]
Enduring a Chubasco in Zihuatanejo Read More »
International, The World We Share, Travel and Food
Federal prosecutors still haven’t decided whether to seek the death penalty for the assailant who killed Lori Gilbert Kaye and wounded three other people at Chabad of Poway during a Passover 2019 observance, Kristina Davis of The San Diego Union-Tribune reported on Saturday. The newspaper said that the defense team for defendant John T. Earnest, 21, has reported that the coronavirus pandemic has hampered “mitigation investigation critical to a meaningful penalty phase in a capital prosecution.” [Donald H. Harrison]
Feds evaluate death penalty for Poway Chabad shooter Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County
I think, therefore I am,” said French philosopher René Descartes, and he was right. We are living in the world of thoughts. In fact, our entire world is a thought, and our perception of it keeps changing and evolving. As our perception changes, so does our world. We may not realize it but we can control our thoughts, and in this way determine the kind of world we want to live in. [Michael Laitman, Ph.D]
Change your thoughts, change reality Read More »
Lifestyles
Same Next Time Next Year was new and fresh although I saw the film years ago. George (Bruce Turk) and Doris (Katie MacNichol) had me laughing and smiling throughout the show at the North Coast Repertory Theatre. They are a perfect match in Bernard Slade’s heartwarming play loaded with very clever and funny dialogue. David Ellenstein’s direction kept me completely engaged. [Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel]
North Coast Rep revives ‘Same Time Next Year’ on Zoom Read More »
Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel, z"l
Not only humans gathered around computer screens, but animals too, for Internet Shabbat services Friday night conducted by Rabbi/ Cantor Cheri Weiss of the San Diego Outreach Synagogue. This Shabbat, Jews around the world read Parshat Noach — the story of Noah’s Ark — and the rabbi figured it would be the perfect occasion to recite a “Blessing of the Animals” composed by Rabbi Jonathan Aaron of Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills, California. [Donald H. Harrison]
Blessings and Pats on Their Heads Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, The World We Share, USA
More than 220,000 Americans have died of Covid19. One of them was Steve Silverman, 71, my college roommate and friend for 55 years. An active sportsman, a successful and compassionate doctor, he had suffered for three weeks, alone and hooked up to a respirator. His wife, two grown children, grandchildren and friends “attended” the funeral and shiva on Zoom. [Michael Ginsberg]
Judaism’s response to Covid19 Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Ginsberg
By the time ten generations had passed Noah lived in a world where people were constantly at each other’s throats. Raping, pillaging, murder were all abundantly prevalent. The profound immorality had even penetrated the animal kingdom, where there were ubiquitous instances of cross-species breeding, something which goes against nature itself.
Noah and his clan were different. The Torah attests that he was a Tzaddik / a saintly person in his generation. They stood on an island of virtue in a sea of depravity. [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]
A Word of Torah: Noah’s Flood Read More »
Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-RabbiCharley could draw and paint imaginatively with incredible realism He also created innumerable bas-relief sand cast murals that still hang in libraries, banks, corporate offices, government buildings, and the San Diego Airport. It was my good fortune to have known him. He taught me, on the telephone, how to make sand castings [Ira Spector]
Artist Charley Faust helped struggling firm win a contract Read More »
Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County
Former Vice President Joe Biden compared the U.S. relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un today to America’s “good relationship with Hitler before he, in fact, invaded Europe — the rest of Europe.”
The comparison came during one of many sharp exchanges Thursday night between Biden, the Democratic nominee for President, and President Donald J. Trump, the Republican, in their second and last debate before the Nov. 3 election. [Donald H. Harrison)
Biden likens North Korea to pre-war Nazi Germany Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA