Israel needs to watch out for Joe Biden’s UN ambassador pick – opinion

US President-elect Joe Biden reflects the orthodoxy of the “two-state solution” to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. He is a committed, enthusiastic proponent of this idea as a way forward in the Middle East.There is a competing political paradigm – “racial-justice politics” – that has gained, if not dominance, at the very least great influence with liberal

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Middle East, USA

Mohammed bin Salman congratulates Biden over US election

Saudi Arabia’s king and its powerful crown prince Sunday congratulated Joe Biden on winning the US presidential election, state media said, a day after TV networks declared him the victor.King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent congratulatory messages to US president-elect Biden and vice-president-elect Kamala Harris, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.It added

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Middle East, USA

Retiring Rep. Susan Davis considers possible role with JFS

Now that Sara Jacobs has been elected as her successor, retiring Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) says she would like to work in the future either part-time or as a volunteer in the San Diego Jewish community, specifically mentioning her admiration for the work of Jewish Family Service. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, San Diego County, USA

Moving forward while presidential politics remain stuck

So many of us are stuck, unable to move forward. And yet, we must.

Perhaps we can learn how from Father Abraham. In the Torah, we read of the Akeda, the story (Gen. 22) of the binding of Isaac. It begins with the words: Vay’hi achar had’varim ha-eyleh (And it happened after these things). The Rashbam comments: Kol makom sh’ne’emar achar had’varim ha-eyleh, m’chubar al haparsha shel’mala (Every place where the Torah says, “After these things,” it is connected to the text above it). [Rabbi Dr. Bernhard H. Rosenberg]

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Bernhard H. Rosenberg-Rabbi, USA

A Radical View about ‘Truth’

I read some books and essays recently focusing on the “truths” that people of different religions have that differ with the “truths” held by people of other religions. The object of the books and essays is to find how we can improve interfaith relations when the lives of different people are based on ideas that they find hard to give up despite others refusing or unable to accept what they believe. Examples include the “truth” held by many Christians that there is a trinity of three gods, that of many Jewish mystics that God was composed of ten parts that came apart, and that of Muslims who “know” that Mohamed received the Koran from God. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion

Good News from Israel (Nov. 8, 2020)

NETANYA, Israel — In the 8th Nov 20 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

Israel begins human trials of Israeli Covid-19 vaccine.
A new Israeli breath test detects Covid-19 carriers even without symptoms.
An Israeli groundbreaking way to produce X-rays.
An Israeli app prevents drivers from texting while driving.
Twice-daily low-cost flights between Tel Aviv and Dubai.
Israeli maritime technology is protecting most of the world’s ships.
A new museum of Jewish history is being built in Jerusalem. [Michael Ordman]

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Business & Finance, International, Jewish Religion, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, former chief rabbi of Great Britain has died

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, the much respected former chief rabbi of the UK, has died aged 72.Sacks was highly esteemed around the Jewish world for his erudition, his wisdom, and his prolific authorship of works on Jewish thought.Sacks announced in the middle of October that he had been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing treatment, but

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International, Jewish Religion, Obituaries & memorials

Kamala Harris’s husband Doug Emhoff to be first ‘second gentleman’

Washington (AFP) – When Kamala Harris makes history as the first woman and first Black US vice president, her husband Doug Emhoff will break his own new ground: as the original “second husband.”Harris and Emhoff, who married in 2014 — she for the first time, he for the second — will also be the first

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Jewish History, USA

Trump lawyers vow fight is not over in Philly and pledge new lawsuits

PHILADELPHIA — Even as even as Joe Biden was declared the projected winner of Pennsylvania — and ultimately the presidency — President Donald Trump’s legal team refused to concede without a fight and promised to bring a slew of new lawsuits Monday challenging the vote-counting process in Philadelphia.At a news conference in Holmesburg, the president’s

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USA

Satire: 50 Ways to Leave the White House

(Melody: Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover)
The problem is that you lost the vote, she said to him. 
The networks are telling you the results are grim.  
Your chances are none and no longer slim.  
There must be fifty ways to leave the White House.                                                                                         
Fifty ways to leave the White House.  …. [Laurie Baron, PhD]

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Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

Mazal tov to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris

For me, it was symbolic that there was a sudden downpour of rain at approximately 9:30 a.m., PST,  an hour after CNN and MSNBC projected Joseph R. Biden and Kamala Harris to be the President-elect and Vice President-elect of the United States.  Having had a long, dry, wildfire-prone season, the rain seemed to be just what we needed to move our city through another period of dangerous weather.  And, in my opinion at least, the election of Biden and Harris was what our country needed to get us past growing division and hatred, and onto reconciliation and mutual cooperation. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, USA

Scaling back in a weight loss therapy session

Bebe and I dreamed up an obesity control group to fulfill a requirement for our Master’s thesis. Our idea was to have several overweight people live 24 hours a day for seven days within the same confine, performing a regimen of controlled diet, exercise, and group therapy. Bebe and I would be the facilitators and active participants in the group. With my wife’s consent, I volunteered to use my home for the setting. My wife and kids cooperated and moved out for a week to a friend’s home. [Ira Spector]

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Lifestyles