Call me Orca. I’ve got a whale of a story to tell. You know the story of Jonah and the whale, right? Wrong. You only think you do: A big, ugly whale swallows Jonah, who spends days in the whale’s belly, before God releases Jonah from captivity and the whale exits, stage right. [Fiction by Michael Ginsberg]
Fiction: Jonah and Me, the Whale Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Fiction, Jewish Religion, Michael Ginsberg
Nature endowed us with the ability to observe and to learn that nothing exists unless its opposite supports its existence. Planet Earth, for example, is kept in orbit thanks to the balance between the Sun’s gravitational pull toward it, and the centrifugal force that pushes it away from it. Likewise, our lives revolve around the hours of darkness and light, and our vision relies on the range between seeing all the colors together, creating the color white, and no colors at all, creating the color black. Heat and cold, hunger and fullness, attraction and rejection, love and hate, all those are opposites that make our lives what they are. [Michael Laitman, Ph.D]
In praise of diversity Read More »
The World We Share
This week we read the portion titled ‘Ki Tavo’, which means ‘When you will come (into the Holy Land). The beginning of the portion details the laws of the Bikurim – the First Fruits. The Jewish people were commanded to bring a yearly first fruit offering in the Holy Temple. In fact, the Jewish people are called the first fruit of the Almighty. Why? [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]
A Word of Torah: The first fruit of the Almighty Read More »
Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi
The Jewish Teen Foundation (JTF) is recruiting San Diego County Jewish high school students to learn about philanthropy, tikkun olam, and tzedakah. Under auspices of the Jewish Community Foundation, “teens will learn grant making, collaboration, public speaking, and constructive discourse skills while building their own personal networks,” according to a JTF news release. [Donald H. Harrison, “Our Shtetl San Diego County”
Jewish Teen Foundation invites high schoolers to apply Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USA
I had stopped off for a Mocha Java Grande with extra mocha and cinnamon. To be sure to stick to my diet, I threw in two Nutra-sweets. He was sipping a glass of water from a plastic cup at a corner table. Sweat visibly thickened through his white, long-sleeve shirt buttoned at the collar. He had a long black coat, a bit dirty and frayed at the hem, that touched the floor. His oversized black-felt hat, with the extra-large, firm brim, lay on the table. His full grey-flecked beard wiggled whenever his hand nervously readjusted his black yarmulke. Mendel’s large gentle eyes cried his tired confusion. He was out of his element. It was 82 degrees outside, very bright and humid. [Jerry Klinger]
Fiction: Mendel the Chasid Moves to Boynton Beach Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jerry Klinger, Jewish Fiction
In my continuing quest to learn the stories of other peoples – in what you might call independent ethnic studies for a Jewish septuagenarian—I picked up Reclaiming Our Stories 2 and was intrigued by one of the fellows pictured on the cover. He was wearing a shirt with the slogan, “Peace for Palestine.” I wondered what kind of peace he had in mind. [Donald H. Harrison]
Anthology personalizes racism, oppression, loss Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, San Diego CountyOnce upon a time, there was a sleepy Russian village named Mushpushshushnia. That’s my village. Once upon a time, there was a charming, bright, kind, but misunderstood and underappreciated 12-year-old boy named Velvl. That’s me. Once upon a time, Papa told me to fetch a chicken to slaughter. And that’s where the story begins. [Michael Ginsberg]
Fiction: Velvl and the Vanishing Chicken Read More »
Jewish Fiction, Michael Ginsberg, Trivia, Humor & Satire
As a Jewish young professional new to town, I have the chance to reinvent myself. New cities bring new beginnings. Like many women, I have a love-hate relationship with my closet. Stuffed to the brim with tops, bottoms, dresses, and more, I am often faced with a host of options juxtaposing the infamous “I have nothing to wear” syndrome. With so many pieces to coordinate for outfits—combined with being in a new place—I began to wonder what type of image I wanted to project. [Teresa Konopka]
Fashion: What your clothing says about you Read More »
Lifestyles, Teresa_Konopka
Laurie Baron, Ph.D, rounds up streaming programs of Jewish interest for scholars and lay people, from Sunday, Sept. 6 through Friday, Sept. 11
Streaming Jewish Programs (Sept. 6-11) Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lawrence Baron, Lifestyles, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, The World We Share, Travel and Food, USA
Ki Tavo (Deuteronomy 26-29:8) –From this parasha, I have chosen four passages concerning first fruits, tithing, divine treasures, and iron use for comparison, from the internet, with ancient Israel’s neighbors. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]
Ancient practices: first fruits, tithing, divine treasures, iron use Read More »
International, Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion, Middle East
Perhaps Jared Kushner could not resist. When the NBA shut down last week, Kushner told CNBC. “The NBA players are very fortunate that they have the financial position where they’re able to take a night off from work without having to have the consequences to themselves financially. So they have that luxury, which is great.” [Bruce S. Ticker]
Kushner’s snarkiness hampered Black-Jewish relations Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Sports & Competitions, USA
If we want to keep Yiddishkeit alive, if we want to make Bubbie and Zeide in heaven shep nachas and be proud, if we want to feel the Presence of Gd in our lives and know Gd has our back, then we must show some enthusiasm about Gd and Jewish life. I would like to read to you a series of email letters that a father from Atlanta, writes to his son in Los Angeles that brilliantly illustrates this. Let me first tell you that the letters are a complete figment of my imagination, yet I see much of myself in them. Maybe you too, will see reflections of your own life in these very private and intimate letters. [Rabbi Dr. Bernhard H. Rosenberg]
Father-son reflections before the High Holy Days Read More »
Bernhard H. Rosenberg-Rabbi, Jewish Religion
Cindy Bloch and Jean Gaylis will co-chair a Feb. 21 virtual “Hearts of Gold” gala honoring the front line workers “who are ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the residents of Seacrest Village, while providing love and compassion during these challenging times,” according to Anna L. Johnston, events manager of the Seacrest Foundation. [Donald H. Harrison, “Our Shtetl San Diego County”]
‘Hearts of Gold’ gala to honor Seacrest’s workers Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Lifestyles, San Diego County, USADuring an interview with Laura Ingraham, President Trump compared the actions of the Kenosha policeman who shot Jacob Blake in the back seven times to a professional golfer who chokes when trying to make 3-foot putt in a tournament. Though leftwing commentators thought this was an insensitive analogy, Trump views politics from the lens of golf as the following comments edited out of the Ingraham interview indicate. [Satire by Laurie Baron, Ph.D]
Golf and the Art of the Double Deal Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA