Keeping faith amid the turmoil

As this third book of the Torah, the middle book, comes to an end, we are given nechemta, with a hopeful view of future generations. The parasha tells us, “If you follow My statutes and observe My commandments and perform them, I will give you rains in their time, the Land will yield its produce, and the tree of the field will give forth its fruit. Your threshing will last until the vintage…and I will grant peace in the Land…You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you…” (Leviticus, 26:3-7). A lovely thought, a tranquil image, comforting indeed. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell

What was the Spanish Flu?

Between, January 1918 and December 1920 more people were killed by the Spanish flu than all the people who died during World War I soldiers and civilians, 50 million, about a tenth of the world population of 500 million at that time. The flu struck just prior to the end of World War I (1914-1918) when conditions in the US and world-wide were terrible: weak, hungry, overworked people living in overcrowded conditions. There were lots of movement of people around the world, such as soldiers moving from country to country. There was no concept of mitigation and isolation. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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International, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Protecting workers in San Diego County’s food chain

In a Zoom meeting on Wednesday, Charlene Seidle, executive vice president of the Leichtag Foundation, interviewed three panelists who help to make certain that the health and rights of workers in the food industry are recognized as an important priority for our society. [Our shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA

Celebrating safely at a drive-thru circus

But how do you celebrate such a festive occasion when the plague of our own era demands that we distance ourselves from one another and avoid gatherings? Make it a drive-through. Welcome to the Lag Ba’Omer Drive Thru Circus Experience. Chabad Hebrew Academy located along Pomerado Road in Scripps Ranch set up multiple stages in their parking lot. Festival patrons slowly drove through in their cars. They were greeted by arches of red and yellow balloons (representing flames) Chasidic music, stilt-walkers, unicyclists, acrobats, jugglers, hula hoops, puppets and clowns. [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

The Small Movement and Tikkun Olam

What is the small movement? It is an informal group of people brought together by yours truly to find ways to help others, especially during this pandemic.  This includes giving business to small mom and pop restaurants that may be struggling, buying pizzas for Grossmont Hospital staff,  making masks for Rady’s Children’s Hospital, making masks for shelters in Tijuana, gathering and donating food and fresh fruit to a food pantry, and making headbands for hospital staff to alleviate the discomfort of face masks and ears. [Mimi Pollack]

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International, Lifestyles, Mimi Pollack, San Diego County, USA

Antisemitic acts at highest recorded level in U.S.

The American Jewish community experienced the highest level of antisemitic incidents last year since tracking began in 1979, with more than 2,100 acts of assault, vandalism and harassment reported across the United States, according to new data from ADL (the Anti-Defamation League). The record number of incidents came as the San Diego Jewish community grappled with a violent, antisemitic shooting in Poway, along with horrific antisemitic attacks in Jersey City, Monsey, and a spree of vicious assaults in Brooklyn. [Anti-Defamation League press release]

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Jewish History, San Diego County, USA

Fixing the border sewage problem

Practically every day that it rains, sewage from Tijuana overflows into the United States and out to the Pacific Ocean in the vicinity of Imperial Beach.  This dangerous situation now will be addressed by a $300 million appropriation to the Environmental Protection Agency, it was announced Tuesday by California’s two U.S. Senators, Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, as well as by San Diego County’s four-member congressional delegation of Susan Davis, Mike Levin, Scott Peters and Juan Vargas.    [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, San Diego County, The World We Share, USA

Investing during the coronavirus crisis

As the coronavirus continues to spread, its effect on the market is becoming more and more noticeable. News of increased cases, decreased travel, quarantines and more dominate the headlines. Is it time to panic, as the various headlines seem to imply? No! Panic is an emotion, and we humans tend to make wrong decisions when we’re in an emotional state. So, don’t panic! Just as the market is volatile, so are emotions. Don’t let your emotions run the show! [Sheryl Rowling]

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Business & Finance, Sheryl Rowling

In defense of Epicurus

Epicurus was not as bad as he is portrayed. Judaism describes a non-believer in God as an Apicorus, a name most likely derived from the Greek philosopher Epicurus (341-270 BCE), as Professor Marcus Jastrow states in his famed Dictionary, although Maimonides in his essay “Chelek” states it is an Aramaic word. The rabbis thought that Epicurus denied the existence of God and was a hedonist who stressed that people should pursue happiness. According to the Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin chapter 10, an Apicorus would have no life after death. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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International, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion

Some advice if you see a Nazi or a Klansman

So, imagine you are shopping, and into the store comes someone who is wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood, or a face mask with a swastika on it, as happened respectively at a Vons and a Food4Less outlet in Santee recently.  What should you do? [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food

The absurdity of adversity to uncertainty

Do you know anyone who is naturally immune to the unrest that uncertainty often brings? I don’t. I’d suggest there is far more emotional turmoil about the ravages of our lives torn asunder by COVID-19, than there are actual victims suffering with the disease. Uncertainty and its wake of confusion and disorder is by far the leading emotional challenge we face during this pandemic. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Lifestyles, Michael Mantell