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
Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School on Sunday, June 7, celebrated the 57th anniversary of its founding in a Zoom gathering that highlighted the life of the late Eilene Cummins, a longtime volunteer and former board president for the Orthodox school at 3730 Afton Avenue, San Diego. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Hebrew Day School celebrates its 57th anniversary Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
The reality was very controversial — President Trump’s decision to visit a prominent Washington, D.C. church and pose for a photo outside it, holding a Bible (upside down.). [Satire by Joel H. Cohen]
Satire: Trump to pose with Bibles at synagogues Read More »
Joel H. Cohen, Trivia, Humor & Satire
While there have been Christian Bibles printed in English for many centuries, English editions of the Hebrew Bible have only been around for about a century and a half. Which of the following is an English edition of the Hebrew Bible? [Trivia column by Mark D. Zimmerman]
Jewish trivia question: The Bible Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire
In the summer issue of the online B’Yachad, published by the Jewish National Fund, attention is given to Israel’s desire to populate its northern “frontiers” — the Galilee to the north and the Negev Desert to the south. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
JNF aiding Negev communities including SD Jewish Federation’s sister region Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA
Jews and non-Jews who want to know more about the Bible (the Tanakh) and such questions as why biblical figures acted as they did, could do no better that to read Professor Nechama Price’s Tribal Blueprints. This book is part of the excellent Maggid Tanakh Companion series. Maggid is part of Koren Press. The series uses an interdisciplinary approach that incorporates traditional rabbinic interpretations with secular scholarly literary techniques to explore biblical characters and themes. Professor Price is a senior lecturer in Bible and Judaic Studies at Stern College and Director of Yeshiva University’s Graduate Program in Advanced Talmud Studies. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
‘Tribal Blueprints’ examines Jacob, his wives, sons, and descendants Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
Easing from online to in-person worship, Tifereth Israel Synagogue will hold an outdoor minyan at 7:15 a.m. Monday, June 8, as a first step towards resuming normal worship activities, Rabbi Josh Dorsch has announced. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Tifereth Israel eases into in-person worship Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USA
This week has been very tough. I saw THE video. I couldn’t believe my eyes; a man sworn to protect and serve kneeling nonchalantly upon another man’s neck. An officer of the law casually draining the life from another human being while the human being begged for breath. The perpetrator’s apparent boredom is at the same time chilling and boils the blood! [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]
Racists beware: God will hold you to account Read More »
Jewish Religion, USA, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi
The Black Lives Matter announcement of a march in La Jolla at 1 p.m., Friday, June 12, reads, in part: “The protests cannot remain only in areas with likeminded people. La Jolla is a predominantly white and rich area desperate for awareness. They have the power to sway leaders and thus we must educate them. These minds cannot remain sheltered.” [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
La Jolla prepares to welcome BLM marchers Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
This week, I tuned in to two live story broadcasts by local artists. The first was a picture book reading from YAAANA (Yiddish Arts and Academics Association of North America). The second was Read, Imagine, Create, a presentation of student works by Write Out Loud. [Eric George Tauber]
Stories under quarantine Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eric George Tauber, San Diego County
About a year ago, I, as the president of the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation, had funded one more historical marker. It recognized the collaborative efforts of Julius Rosenwald, a Chicago retail industrialist philanthropist and Booker T. Washington, the Black American educator, and President of Tuskegee University in Alabama. The two men had come together as Americans, as equals. They joined to work for the mutual betterment of Black Americans through education and educational opportunity. [Jerry Klinger]
Rosenwald schools: Black-Jewish cooperation changed education Read More »
Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Professor Laurie Baron has compiled a list of lectures on Jewish topics viewable on the Internet
Streaming Jewish lectures for the week of June 7 Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lawrence Baron
Numbers 4:21-7: 89 I have chosen three passages from these readings, for comparison with ancient pagan practices, from material on the internet. I must inform the reader that it often is difficult to pull from internet the information desired. I repeatedly re-phrase and simplify my questions, often with little or no yield. My reports reflect the limited information I find. I also make no pretense to be as academic as a university scholar. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]
Ancient laws regarding wrongdoing, adultery, and nazarites Read More »
International, Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion, Middle East
After I lost my husband ten years ago, I wrote about the seven steps of grief from loss to healing. Now with the losses experienced because of the coronavirus, I have come up with four stepping stones that may identify the journey we need to go through to deal with these different kinds of losses. [Natasha Josefowitz, ACSW, Ph.D]
Stepping stones in response to pandemic losses Read More »
Lifestyles, Natasha Josefowitz