A Word of Torah: Work is Godly

The spies realized that once they entered the Promised Land they would have to work the earth and earn a living. They would not have the same amount of time or energy to serve G-d in the way that they had become accustomed.  They therefore came up with a plan. ‘Let’s convince the people to stay in the desert, in the cradle of G-d, rather than enter a land that would demand hard work.’ There was one problem with this approach; it was not what G-d wanted! [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]

A Word of Torah: Work is Godly Read More »

Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi

Vindication for Kaepernick, awakening for White America

In defense of Colin Kaepernick, I made the supreme sacrifice four years ago: A one-time high school chum de-friended me on Facebook. He could not believe how liberal I had become – all because I insisted that football players like Kaepernick had a constitutional right to kneel during a pre-game playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Now Kaepernick – and by extension myself – has been vindicated. Taking a knee is such a fad that even police chiefs are doing it. [Bruce S. Ticker]

Vindication for Kaepernick, awakening for White America Read More »

Bruce Ticker, Sports & Competitions, USA

Former SD Padres, JNF boost Israeli baseball

Two former Jewish players for the San Diego Padres are helping Israel build baseball as a popular sport among that nation’s Jewish, Arab, and Bedouin youth, while also preparing Israel’s national baseball team to compete in the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

Former SD Padres, JNF boost Israeli baseball Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, USA

Redeeming a Holocaust Survivor’s reputation

Retired California theater producer and drama professor George Kovach is the stepson the late Cecelia ”Cilka” Klein who was the subject of a recent Holocaust sex and romance novel by an Australian novelist named Heather Morris, who wrote an earlier sex and romance novel set during the Holocaust titled The Tattooist of Auschwitz. In Morris’ sequel to her bestselling first novel, titled Cilka’s Journey, she focused on Cecelia Klein, and Kovach found the portrayal of his Jewish stepmother highly objectionable.  [Dan Bloom]

Redeeming a Holocaust Survivor’s reputation Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History

Two Women of Valor building trust and community

The plague of 2020 still hangs heavily in the air, shuttering our theatres and concert halls. But thanks to the miracle of YouTube, the 27th Annual Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival goes on. Highlighting the lives and contributions of hard-working women, two of this year’s Women of Valor are Heidi Gantwerk, Board Chair of San Diego Jewish Academy, and Sharleen Wollach of the Jewish Community Foundation. [Eric George Tauber]

Two Women of Valor building trust and community Read More »

Eric George Tauber, Judaism, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

New Normal: Some Ways Our World May Evolve

The world as we knew it before the pandemic has been altered. We are experiencing a different way of living; some of those changes will continue into the future. I am neither an economist nor a historian nor an epidemiologist, so my predictions are based on what I read as a lay person and my guesses are as good as yours. I may not even be around to see how far I have gone astray. [Natasha Josefowitz, ACSW, Ph.D]

New Normal: Some Ways Our World May Evolve Read More »

Lifestyles, Natasha Josefowitz

How students can respond to anti-Israel sentiment

The bulk of the [StandWithUs] presentation addressed the basic scenario of students being harassed or excluded from events because they are seen to be pro-Israel. Issues ranged from college professors openly advocating against Israel, to students being kept from marching with or supporting groups like Black Lives Matter because of their beliefs. [Marcia Berneger]

How students can respond to anti-Israel sentiment Read More »

Marcia Berneger, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

ADL, NAACP, want corporations to pause FB advertising

The Anti-Defamation League, joined by such non-profit organizations as the NAACP, Sleeping Giants, Color of Change, Free Press, and Common Sense, has announced a “Stop Hate for Profit” campaign to encourage advertisers to “pause” their purchases on Facebook during the month of July. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

ADL, NAACP, want corporations to pause FB advertising Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, International, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Torah portion condemns gossip, negative tale-telling

Like many slanderers do according to our sages, they [ten spies] begin with flattery, from “the land flows with milk and honey,” it’s bounteous and fertile, and end with evil, to the people in it are nefillim, giants, and compared to these terrifying people who could cause our hearts to collapse “We looked like grasshoppers to ourselves, and so we must have looked to them.” From their lack of trust in Hashem they spread lies, calamities, fear, dibah (defamation) leading to the people wanting to overthrow Moses and Aaron. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

Torah portion condemns gossip, negative tale-telling Read More »

Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell

Alternative Middle East peace plan needs Arab backing

The question is, what might deter Netanyahu at this juncture from moving ahead with annexation? The only way the Palestinians can freeze Netanyahu today is if they immediately announce that they are willing to negotiate a peace accord, and send that message unambiguously to the US. It is equally important that the Arab states, led by Saudi Arabia and joined by Jordan and Egypt (who are already at peace with Israel), offer to recognize Israel conditionally upon entering immediately into good-faith negotiations with the goal of reaching a two-state solution, which can satisfy much of what all the stakeholders are seeking. [Alon Ben-Meir, Ph.D]

Alternative Middle East peace plan needs Arab backing Read More »

Alon Ben-Meir, International, Middle East, USA

The Hush sounds of Zina Schiff’s violin

My sister, concert violinist Zina Schiff, has championed many contemporary Jewish composers, including Australian-based David Hush (1956-). She has performed his works on two CDs: King David’s Lyre and the all-Hush recording, Nesia, released by LMA Recordings. On this disc, Zina performs six pieces for solo violin: Lachash (Incantation), Kinah (Elegy), Nesia (Journey), Sinfonia, Lullaby and Melody. She also plays Contrapuntus, a duo for violin and viola, with violist, Victoria Voronyansky. The recording concludes with Hush’s Prelude and Fugue and Sonata for cello, featuring Mirjam Ingofsson, cello and Ursula Ingofsson-Fassbind, piano. [Eileen Wingard]

The Hush sounds of Zina Schiff’s violin Read More »

Eileen Wingard, International, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA

Author probes the philosophy of the Torah

Judaism Reclaimed: Philosophy and Theology in the Torah is an interesting book written by R. Shmuel Phillips who attempts to create a philosophical midrash of the text using primarily two important Judaic thinkers: Maimonides and Samson Raphael Hirsch, the founder of Modern Orthodoxy. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

Author probes the philosophy of the Torah Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi