This week, in commemoration of Yom Hashoah, I have chosen to write about my sister Zina Schiff’s 2014 CD, Violin Sonatas: Zeisl, Copland, which also includes work by Bloch and Dauber. [Eileen Wingard]
A musical commemoration of the Holocaust Read More »
Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts
The interesting question is: What is the temptation to view a catastrophe like the plague as divine punishment as opposed to a brute fact of nature? Surely at least one reason we are tempted to do so is because, if it is heavenly retribution, then the hardship still has some meaning; we still live in a world with an underlying moral structure. Indeed, to many, the idea that such a great calamity is nothing more than a brute act of nature is far more painful to contemplate than an account by which God cares enough about us to punish us. [Sam Ben-Meir, Ph.D]
The theology of pandemics Read More »
International, Lifestyles, Sam Ben-Meir, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
In a second day of Holocaust observance, the Jewish Federation of San Diego County sponsored a webcast on Monday featuring Steven Schindler in San Diego and Nicole Nocon and her daughter, Antonia, in Cottbus, Germany, the home town where Schindler’s late father, Max Shindler, was arrested as a child by the Nazis and sent to a concentration camp. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Cottbus, Germany joins San Diego in Holocaust memory Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, San Diego County, USA
Abert Ellis, Ph.D. believed that when we cultivate our ability to live by “rational principles,” we will likely experience positive emotions and satisfaction of our life’s goals.
We have a choice. If we choose to live with irrational thinking governing our lives, with high negative emotionality, dogmatic, rigid beliefs, we are in a very real sense, electing to suffer. We irrationally think about adversities by expressing our preferences and desires, our hopes and wishes, as demands, shoulds, commands, and musts. “Because I want to be able to socialize freely and get back to work and return to my gym, I MUST be able to!” [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
How to cultivate rational living Read More »
Lifestyles, Michael Mantell
How many tries will it take before President Trump’s speechwriters finally get it right on the Holocaust? [Rafael Medoff, PhD]
Trump’s misreading of the Holocaust Read More »
International, Jewish History, USA
The Liberate Protests to reopen the economy immediately are popping up everywhere. I’ve been reading the slogans on the signs held by the protesters and feel compelled to respond to them. [Satire by Laurie Baron]
Give Me Liberty or Give Me Breath! Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
One of the complications of the COVID-19 pandemic is a shortage of toilet paper, which is a result of people hoarding, as well as the fact that everyone is using their home bathrooms exclusively, rather than also using bathrooms at work, or at stores, restaurants, and other public facilities. A few years ago an Israeli company, the Gefen Team, worked with Lily, an Israeli toilet paper brand that is a division of Kimberly-Clark, to produce a product to aid in the use of toilet paper. What was this product? [Mark D. Zimmerman]
Jewish trivia quiz: Toilet paper Read More »
Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire
I like to imagine President Trump being so eager to implement his latest “incredible” idea that he’s been giving it attention equal to what he’s granted two other favorite initiatives. The new project involves his making personal calls to rabbis across the country and urging them to resume live religious services immediately in order to begin to “make Judaism great again.” (Satire by Joel H. Cohen0
Imagine Trump wanting to ‘make Judaism great again’ Read More »
Joel H. Cohen, Trivia, Humor & Satire
In addition to the corona crisis, Israel also has a political crisis. After three general elections within a year, it still only has a transition government. Most members of it seem to run the prime minister’s often very personal errands. Perhaps that’s why when, last Saturday night, he announced the easing of restrictions to enable more people to return to work, we hear that he didn’t even bother to inform his cabinet colleagues ahead of time. [Rabbi Dow Marmur]
Politics more toxic than pandemic Read More »
Middle East
Yesterday, April 19, 2020, in Portapique, Nova Scotia, a gunman on a shooting rampage killed at least 16 people including one Mountie. The gunman was able to flee and lead the police on a 55-mile chase because he was dressed as a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer and driving a car made to look like one of their vehicles. Thankfully, he was later cornered at a gas station and taken out by the RCMP. Nova Scotia’s Premier, Stephen McNeil called it “one of the most senseless acts of violence in our province’s history.” [Eric George Tauuber}
Canadian vs. American responses to mass shootings Read More »
Eric George Tauber, International, USA
Benjamin Midler, 91, a survivor of six Nazi concentration camps, led off the Jewish Federation of San Diego County’s Holocaust remembrance via a Zoom presentation narrated by daughters Nurit Kotick and Ellen Winter. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Six-camp survivor Ben Midler leads off Yom HaShoah observances in S.D. County Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, USA
Today marks one month since Governor Newsom ordered the lockdown in California. Although the news is full of stories about how humans are coping with confinement, little attention has been paid to how having them at home 24/7 affects us dogs. I hope my diary entry fills this lacuna. [Humor column by Elona Baron as told to Laurie Baron]
Editor’s Note: Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin of Boca Raton has collected variations on some favorite aphorisms to help lighten the mood during the pandemic. It pays these days to laugh. Where there’s a will, I want to be in it. … [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Variations on some favorite sayings Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Trivia, Humor & Satire
I think I’ve lost track of time. What day of the week is it? Does it matter? What difference does it make anyway? All the days are the same in this time of isolation, or single confinement, if you prefer (actually, double in my case as my husband is with me). [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
Over a month in pandemic confinement Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Lifestyles