By Mimi Pollack LA MESA, California — Growing up in the last century, it was not always easy being outside of the box. In most cultures and countries, one followed a certain path- go to school, work an 8-hour-job, get married, have kids, etc. For those of us who didn’t follow all or part of […]
Fern Platt Hall lives a life of good deeds Read More »
International, Lifestyles, Mimi Pollack, San Diego County
Born in Hungary; living in Portsmouth, United Kingdom; spending many hours of research at the American Jewish Archives in Cincinnati, Ohio; and even boasting a cousin (Judit Sipos-Szabo) here in San Diego, Peter Kovacs Rosenbluth understands links between European Jewish history and American Jewish history about which most of us, including yours truly, have been unaware. [By Donald H. Harrison]
European Jewish Civil War volunteers flocked to the North’s cause Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USAIsrael has acted boldly to protect its sovereignty numerous times since its independence in May, 1949. The prime ministers listed below accomplished tremendous, surprising, and necessary steps for Israel’s existence. [Steve Kramer]
Lack of surprise hinders Israel’s annexation plan Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA
Rabbi Dr. Sperber quotes his speech during the ordination of female rabbis. “A relatively short time ago such an occasion within an Orthodox setting would have seemed to be impossible, almost hallucinatory. Yet what was so recently a dream has now become a reality. Yet what was once implausible has now become almost a norm, at least within a certain segment of the modern Orthodox community.” He notes that some Orthodox leaders refuse to accept the change, “But this is to be expected, and indeed understandable, given the traditionalist inability to recognize the dynamic nature of halachah. For they are grounded in dogmatism, while we strive after dynamism.” [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
May Orthodox Judaism have female rabbis? Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish Religion
Here is a 2018 story that appeared in The Times of Israel speculating that Christopher Columbus might have been a hidden Jew, forced to conceal his true identity because the year that he set sail on the voyage in which he would discover America–1492–was the same year that Jews were given a brutal choice by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain: Either convert to Christianity or be expelled from the country. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
‘Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.’ Martin Luther King Jr. included this cogent declaration within his Nobel-acclaimed ‘Letter from the Birmingham Jail’ in April 1963. The preacher was confined on that occasion because he led “illegal” protests in the city against the continuing and murderous oppression and voter-suppression of Black people in that community (and throughout the Old Confederacy). Aspects of King’s heartache and moral outrage have been validated and liberated at this moment via the inspirational ‘Black Lives Matter’ uprisings. [Rabbi Ben Kamin]
The 60’s Civil Rights Movement and today’s Black Lives Matter Read More »
USA
CitiBank, which has branches throughout San Diego County, has been threatened with a law suit by Shurat HaDin, a Jewish lawfare organization, over ties with “the Bank of Palestine and affiliated institutions involved in “pay for slay’ payments. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison}
CitiBank accused of supporting Palestinian terror Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, San Diego County, USA
Thursday night’s Woman of Valor was Tammy Gillies, Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League played by Sarah Price-Keating. Gillies is the first woman to hold this post and there were a few members of the board who voted against her for this reason. They just couldn’t picture this soft-spoken woman shouting down a hater with a bullhorn. Yet she still got the job and she has shown them. [Eric George Tauber]
Finding Jewish Women of Valor in San Diego Read More »
Eric George Tauber, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
In the wake of the George Floyd protests, Donald Trump claimed he had “done more for the black community than any president since Abraham Lincoln.” Hypersensitive to the charge of being a bigot, he has carefully selected venues for upcoming rallies to symbolize his commitment to ethnic and racial justice. This is why he scheduled one for Tulsa on June 19th to commemorate the Juneteenth celebration of the end of slavery in the city where America’s worst race riot occurred. Here’s a possible campaign calendar for future campaign events targeted at ethnic and racial minorities. [Satire by Laurie Baron]
Satire: Diversity Donald’s Virtuous Venues Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA
The Menorah has become one of the foremost symbols of the Jewish people and for good reason. Let us explore some of these reasons together. [Word of Torah by Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]
A Word of Torah: Why we light menorahs Read More »
Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi
Germany has been a thorn in Washington’s side on many issues from its failure to spend 2% of its very healthy GDP on its own military defense to its trade with Iran — including, some suspect, under-the-table nuclear goods trade — and the promotion of a U.S.-independent European Army. [By Shoshana Bryen & Stephen Bryen]
U.S. troop reduction aimed at Germany, not NATO Read More »
International, Shoshana Bryen, Stephen D. Bryen, USA
On May 30th, 2020, the nation witnessed a spectacle that was reminiscent of the time Hitler and his brownshirts seized power in Germany. As my fellow writer, Bruce S. Ticker observed in his penetrating article, “Rioting in Los Angeles was an anti-Jewish pogrom” for San Diego Jewish World, “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.” Ticker drew inspiration from Daniel Greenfield, who wrote on his blog, “One small business owner described a ‘Late Saturday night with people driving down the Fairfax district streets screaming effing Jews.’” [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
BLM’s anti-Semitism must be addressed Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USADuring Passover, 2018, The San Diego REP premiered Beachtown, a fun, interactive town hall-style theatrical experience. Inspired by Pittsburgh’s Beertown, Playwright-in-Residence Herb Siguenza filled Beachtown with a cast of funny, relatable characters like the hip, surfing mayor, Steve Novak (Jason Heil) and an outspoken right-wing “journalist” Damon Haynes (TJ Johnson). Interactive by nature, I can’t think of a better show to transition to today’s Zoom format. Hungry for some live theatre, over 130 “Beachtonians” zoomed in to participate. [Eric George Tauber]
Zoom in to Beachtown Read More »
Eric George Tauber, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & BroadcastPEN America Prison and Justice Writing Programs, in conjunction with Haymarket Books, created a podcast featuring the literary and visual arts of prison inmates currently doing time. The virtual presentation included the music of Kenyatta Emmanuel, himself an ex-con, whose work has been heard from Sing Sing to Carnegie Hall. [Eric George Tauber]
Finding a stronger desire to live Read More »
Eric George Tauber, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA