This week’s double Torah portion, Acharei and Kedoshim, leaps off the scroll with relevance to the pandemic of our times, COVID, or if you prefer, kaf, bet, dalet—the equivalent our English letters, K, V, D, forms the root for the word Kavod. What’s honor have to do with these parshiot? Plenty. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
Where’s the Kovid in COVID? Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael MantellWant to keep your brain in a healthier balance and improve your life even while the world feels like it’s spinning out of control? Harvard Psychiatrist John Ratey, M.D., tells us how. He advises that we go for a little run or brisk walk. Why? {Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
Moving, literally, through COVID-19 Read More »
Lifestyles, Michael Mantell
If Bob Dylan is a modern-day lesser prophet then his retelling of the murder of JFK in ‘Murder Most Foul’ could serve as a forewarning to a moment that signifies a depature from the norm. The timing of Dylan’s single release via Twitter, on March 27th, is somewhat shrouded in mystery, not least as the song was “recorded a while back,” according to Dylan’s tweet. Dylan’s message to fans is that they are to stay safe, vigilant, and have trust in the almighty, and that they may find the song “interesting.” While Dylan wants the general population to remain safe, the song itself is a far cry from any sense of safety. Instead there is upheaval and turmoil, a dark force that is in motion behind the scenes, or as Dylan sings it, “Greatest magic trick ever under the sun.” [Omer Zalmonowitz]
‘Murder Most Foul’: Dylan culture on a silver platter Read More »
Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA
Today, on Israel’s Independence Day, the 72nd anniversary of its creation, the Israel Democracy Institute, a highly regarded institution in the land, reports that 90% of people who live here feel that they belong to this country. As only about two-thirds of the population are Jews, it means that many Israeli Arabs also feel that they belong in Israel. 63,5% of the population believe that Israel’s achievements outweigh its shortcomings. [Rabbi Dow Marmur]
Satisfaction outweighs discontent in Israel Read More »
Middle East
Former Vice President Joe Biden, referencing the one-year anniversary of the murder of Lori Gilbert Kaye in a shooting attack on Chabad of Poway, on Tuesday announced a three-point program to protect religious communities. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Biden’s 3-point program to protect religious institutions Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA
This story appears to have begun in 1984 but, in truth, it began in 1967. That was when I read the book by Elie Wiesel, The Jews of Silence, about Soviet Jewry who, the oppression notwithstanding, would come out of the shadows to celebrate on Simhat Torah. I was captivated by the book, and had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Wiesel when he attended a community-wide rally in Cleveland that year. [Toby Klein Greenwald]
While pawing through the newspaper today before I chewed it up, I noticed a report about the first case of a human transmitting Covid19 to a dog. Given the incompetence shown by the Golden Deceiver when he advised ingesting or injecting bleach or Lysol as a cure for the disease (which is akin to telling dogs to eat rat poison if they don’t want to be bitten by a rat), I have decided that the United States needs to appoint a top dog to manage the pandemic. [Satire by Laure Baron channeling his dog Elona]
The country needs a top dog Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Last week I gave my first Zoom lecture for the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture and over 90 people registered for it. Since this kind of programming is happening around the country, I’ve prepared a list of some sites you might want to peruse. [Laurie Baron, Ph.D]
Live Jewish Streaming Read More »
Judaism, Lawrence Baron, Theatre, Film & BroadcastBarbara Bry, San Diego City Council’s President Pro Tem and candidate for mayor, hosted a one-hour webinar on Monday that included the following panelists: Physician Coach, and Assistant Clinical Professor at University of California, San Diego Dr. Helane Fronek; Associate Professor in Family Medicine, Public Health, and Psychiatry at University of California, San Diego Dr. Suzi Hong; Emeritus Professor in Psychiatry at University of California, San Diego Dr.David Janowsky; and Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, and Health Mentor Marc Rosenberg
Mental Health Challenges During a Crisis Read More »
Lifestyles, Michael Mantell, San Diego County
In commemoration of Israel’s Yom Hazikaron (Day of Remembrance) and Yom Ha’atzma’ut (Independence Day), I have selected my sister Zina Schiff’s recording, The Golden Dove. Although the recording features composers of Russia’s Society for Jewish Folk Music, five of the composers on the recording — Engel, Weinberg, Rosowsky, Saminsky, and Achron — spent time in Palestine and influenced the early music of the pre-state Yishuv (Jewish settlement in Palestine). [Eileen Wingard]
Jewish folk music for Yom Zikaron, Yom Ha’atzma’ut Read More »
Eileen Wingard, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts
We may have a government. So to speak. We’ve heard from Yair Lapid, disappointed and angry. Speaking fluidly, as a former broadcaster. He couldn’t go along with Bibi. He had promised not to. Bibi is corrupt, as are those who attach themselves to him. [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]
Government reorganizes as some Covid-19 restrictions lifted Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
The name of slain Lori Gilbert Kaye, who died a year ago during a gunman’s attack on Chabad of Poway, was linked Monday in Latrun, Israel, to the names of Israel’s fallen soldiers during an annual Yom Hizakron (Day of Memory) ceremony. To view the entire ceremony on Facebook, click here. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Israeli Memorial Day rites include Poway’s Lori Kaye Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Joe Gandelman, Middle East, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA
We wonder, “Did we really think hiding under our desk would protect us from a nuclear explosion?” Our teachers and parents realized that doing something, however minimal, might confer a degree of protection from a potential oncoming nuclear fireball that was likely to cause serious injury or death. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
Yesterday’s ‘duck and cover’ and today’s coronavirus Read More »
Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Science, Medicine, & Education, USAAre you ready to refuse to be miserable? Are you prepared to make yourself happy at every chance you can despite sheltering-at-home? While it may be silly and unreasonable to think that a brief article here can lead your feelings of happiness to become stronger while the world is filled with worry, anger, apprehension, I believe it isn’t that silly or unreasonable if you will stop doing one simple thing, demanding your way through COVID-19, and indeed, life. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
Refuse to be miserable during COVID-19 Read More »
Lifestyles, Michael Mantell