What do Queen Esther and Natan Sharansky have in common? Courage! How about Isaiah and U.S. Supreme Curt Justice Ruth Bader Ginzburg? Fairness! [Donald H. Harrison]
Jewish lessons on courage, creativity, curiosity, fairness, and kindness Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Science, Medicine, & Education
Walking through the park this weekend I noticed a man on a bench reading Metaxas’ acclaimed biography of German theologian and anti-Nazi dissident Dietrich Bonhoeffer. And it occurred to me then and there that this is indeed a moment in our history when we may acquire much needed insight and inspiration by revisiting Bonhoeffer’s extraordinary life and legacy. [Sam Ben-Meir, Ph.D]
Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life an example for today Read More »
International, Sam Ben-Meir, USA
The CD with the title (in German and Hebrew) Total Baloney was given to me some time ago by the Association of Former Residents of Central Europe, and when I finally got round to watching it I found myself taken back to the kitchen of my mother and other ‘Yekke’ relatives, back to the enchanted land of nostalgia, to the tastes and aromas of yesteryear, and to a time of innocence and memories (though not always fond). [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
‘Total Baloney’ and the secrets of the German kitchen Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food
Jewish Family Service of San Diego on Tuesday sponsored an internet panel discussion posing thorny questions about the Jewish community and race relations. The panel brought together Rabbi Yael Ridberg of Congregation Dor Hadash; Micah Parzen, the executive director of the San Diego Museum of Man, and Kelly Greenberg Young, education director for the San Diego regional office of the Anti-Defamation League. The moderator was Nate Looney, an African-American Jew who is Avodah’s recruiter of Jews of Color. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Introspective JFS panel considers racism Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
The Jews of the Fairfax neighborhood of Los Angeles were exposed to a modern, American-style pogrom on May 30 that should enrage us all. Not only were Jewish businesses sacked but five synagogues and three Jewish schools were reportedly vandalized in George Floyd’s name by thugs. [Bruce S. Ticker]
Rioting in Los Angeles was an anti-Jewish pogrom Read More »
Bruce Ticker, USA
Menasseh served the descendants of Portuguese and Spanish exiles, Jews like him who escaped from these lands. He made a small amount of money as a printer of books, a job he had to take because the community paid him a minimal salary as one of their rabbis. He worked hard to persuade the English king to allow Jews to live in England, but died believing he was not successful. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Books: Menasseh ben Israel paved Jews way back to England Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History
Oy! There’s a lot of whining in this week’s Torah portion, B’halot’cha. Come to think of it, it appears to be the basis of one of my mother’s oft-repeated sayings, “Keep complaining and I’ll really give you something to complain about.” Seems the Israelites grew tired of their repetitious diet of manna, pining for fish and other foods they ate “for free” as slaves in Egypt. Were they pining for the good old days of slavery? Our sages question whether the Egyptian taskmasters really gave the Israelites fish “for free” and suggest that the “freedom” that they are recalling in Egypt was actually a freedom from morality and responsibility (Midrash Sifrei 11:6). [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
When Israelites thought their souls were ‘dried out’ Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell
Editor’s note: Eileen Wingard continues her series on the discography of her sister, concert violinist Zina Schiff, with embedded examples. By Eileen Wingard SAN DIEGO — Joseph Nagyvary, the brilliant Hungarian-born Professor of Biochemistry from Texas A & M, had just finished delivering a lecture at Louisiana State University in Shreveport. His topic was his
The music of the Nagyvary and Stradivari violins Read More »
Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts
In an international Zoomcast Tuesday, the secretary general of the Muslim World League invoked the shootings at Chabad of Poway and the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, along with other attacks on worshipers in Christchurch, New Zealand; Sri Lanka, Monsey, New York, and Halle, Germany, to call for world unity in fighting “the forces of hatred and intolerance.” [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Jewish groups honor Muslim World League secretary general Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, USA
Recently, the leader of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), Rabbi Rick Jacobs, termed the merging of parts of his organization with other Jewish denominations “a real possibility.” Last week, we learned that two iconic Reform temples in Brooklyn are considering a merger. The rest of the Jewish community should take notice. [Commentary by Beth Sirull]
OpEd: Jewish organizations should be open to mergers Read More »
San Diego County, USA
Impressed by the scope of the George Floyd Protests, I have found the slogans on signs carried by demonstrators are applicable to other aspects of American society. Here’s some examples. [Humor column by Laurie Baron, Ph.D]
Extrapolating the Slogans from the George Floyd Protests Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireNotice how so many people are “re-ing” these days? They’re rewiring, rebooting, reorganizing, renewing, refreshing, reaffirming, reassessing, and readjusting. I suggest it’s time to recant. Yes, recant your can’t. “Why can’t things ever go right, just once in my life?” “I’m such a ________.” “I’ll never be as good as ___________.” “Why do things never go my way?” “Why can’t I ever succeed, just once?” “What’s the point of trying? I’ll fail again. I’m cursed!” [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
How to Recant Your Can’t Read More »
Lifestyles, Michael Mantell
Is there anyone within range of this letter who doesn’t know the sad story of George Floyd?
Here, half a world away from Minneapolis, and with our own problems of disease and violence, we’ve seen the film of his murder in custody of Minneapolis police, with his neck under the knee of one officer, while three others were near by. We heard his call that he couldn’t breath, but that brought no relief. Apparently he was picked up for a minor offense, and then killed by an officer with his own record of several complaints for undue violence. [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]
The George Floyd case as seen from Israel Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA
Why is Israel bashing like hockey in Canada, drinking furniture stripper methanol in Russia or shooting in the US – why is it such a popular pastime? The media and politicians rarely miss a chance to rage against Israel, never seeming cognizant of the following facts and arguments: [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]
The ‘Woke’ and the Left’s Israel Problem Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East, USA