Which CHAIR is killing you?

Henry David Thoreau once shared that he had three chairs in his home, “…one for solitude, two for friendship, and three for society.” Doesn’t that provide you with remarkable insight into the value of a chair?  Chairs provide comfort, stability, relaxation, style and for Thoreau, “…solitude, friendship and society.” During this time of emotionally charged home quarantine, I’m concerned that a chair for many may also pose a corner of isolation, inactivity and ultimate gloominess. You see, as Benjamin Franklin observed, “The discontented man finds no easy chair.” [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

Which CHAIR is killing you? Read More »

Lifestyles, Michael Mantell

Arabs contribute much to Israel. It’s time to attend to their political needs

The Joint List had supported Benny Gantz, the leader of the now broken-up Blue and White Party, when he hoped to become the next prime minister of Israel. After the election on March 2 he seemed to be able to muster 61 Members of Knesset and was, therefore, given the mandate by Israel’s president to form the next government. The Joint List wouldn’t be part of it, but it expected measures to benefit Israel’s Arab citizens whom previous governments are said to have neglected. [Rabbi Dow Marmur]

Arabs contribute much to Israel. It’s time to attend to their political needs Read More »

Middle East

Pandemics in an age of political correctness

When President Trump referred to the coronavirus, he referred to it several times as “the Chinese Virus.” This led to a barrage of criticisms claiming the President was stigmatizing Chinese Americans and other Asian ethnicities in this country. Looking at the comment, I thought it reaffirmed Rahm Emanuel’s cynical remark: “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” Actually, it was not Emanuel who originated this remark, it was Winston Churchill who first said, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” When seen through the lens of realpolitik, Nancy Pelosi’s and Joe Biden’s accusation that Trump is a racist is clever—especially in an election year. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

Pandemics in an age of political correctness Read More »

International, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Science, Medicine, & Education

Campaigns shape up against 3 anti-Israel Congress members

We have been living with the glaring presence of Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar in Congress for 15 months. Finally, we have some idea of the forces that could decide Tlaib’s political future. Likewise for a Republican congressman who is perceived as anti-Israel. The other week, Detroit City Council President Brenda Jones announced that she will challenge Tlaib in the Democratic primary next August to represent part of Detroit and some of the city’s suburbs, according to the website Jewish Insider. [Bruce S. Ticker]

Campaigns shape up against 3 anti-Israel Congress members Read More »

Bruce Ticker, Middle East, USA

The pioneering American Jewish women directors

I should have compiled this list during March for Women’s History Month, but better late than never. I’ve been doing research for the past 2 years on American Jewish women directors and wanted to share some of the films by the pioneers that you can stream at home.  Although a considerable number of women directed films during the silent era, those numbers dwindled to two, Dorothy Arzner and Ida Lupino, between 1930 and 1960.  The decline of the studio system and the political and social movements of the 60s opened up opportunities for more women directors in the next decade.  Jewish women were disproportionately represented in their ranks. [Laurie Baron, Ph.D]

The pioneering American Jewish women directors Read More »

Jewish History, Lawrence Baron, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Our special nuclear Pesach seder

We were stunned. A seder with just our nuclear family? What does that even look like? It was wonderful. The center of the focus was undeniably and only the children. “Vehigadta l’bincha. – And you shall tell [the Pesach story to] your son.” We finished early, as they fell asleep, and we sang all the lovely fun songs at the end of the Haggadah the next day, at lunch. [Toby Klein Greenwald]

Our special nuclear Pesach seder Read More »

Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Toby Klein Greenwald

Making theatre under quarantine

Because of the rules of Social Distancing, our theatres are closed. SD REP’s House of Joy closed the same weekend it opened. Roustabouts’ gUnTOPIA showed one preview and has been rolled over into next season. Other shows have been indefinitely postponed or simply cancelled. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that theatre isn’t happening. We live in the Digital Age of YouTube, Skype and Zoom. And so “the show must go online.” Here are some of the ways our local theatres are still offering performances to our community. [Eric George Tauber]

Making theatre under quarantine Read More »

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

A call for a United Kehilla of San Diego

Albert Einstein once observed, “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.” For several years I’ve been imagineering – well, truth be told, I’m always imagineering – but in particular, I’ve been prying into a vision of I’ve had of a “United Kehilla of San Diego.” Please, no eye rolling, just grow with this. I mean go with this. No, I categorically mean grow with this. I’ll explain. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

A call for a United Kehilla of San Diego Read More »

Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, San Diego County

Contemplating life after the coronavirus

What lies ahead? How long will we remain cooped up in our houses (some of us less ‘cooped’ than others)? And what will the world look like when all ‘this’ is finally over? I don’t share the view of some people, namely, that things will go back to being just as they were before. In fact, that’s hardly likely to happen given the economic upheaval that most countries – Israel included – have undergone, and the heavy financial burden that governments and individuals are having to bear. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

Contemplating life after the coronavirus Read More »

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Lifestyles, Middle East

DeBlasio stumbles over First Amendment

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has a penchant for making controversial comments. As a politician who always tries to win the loyalty of his constituency, it is quite possible he may have dug a hole for himself that he cannot climb out of. The Mayor said: “If your congregation continues to meet, you could be done for good. If you go to your synagogue, if you go to your church and attempt to hold services, after having been told so often not to, our enforcement agents will have no choice, but to shut down those services, … I don’t say that with any joy. It’s the last thing I would like to do, because I understand how important people’s faiths are to them, and we need our faith in this time of crisis. But we do not need gatherings that will endanger people.”[1] [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

DeBlasio stumbles over First Amendment Read More »

Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USA

Pizza and appreciation delivered to health workers

I called Dr. Kalmar, and he liked my idea.  He spoke to the head nurse and Peggy Woods, the medical staff coordinator. It took a few days, but we were able to work everything out, following certain guidelines. With some of my savings and the help of generous friends, including Janna Leoff and Edda Temoche, I raised $240 for 20 individual pizzas. Nurse Karen told me they could not share pizza from the same box, so they had to be individual. [Mimi Pollack]

Pizza and appreciation delivered to health workers Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, Mimi Pollack, San Diego County, Travel and Food

Gratitude: the medicinal mental supplement

This may be the latest “health supplement” on the block, but it’s been around for thousands of years, hasn’t it?  You bet it’s been around for thousands of years. In Psalm 100-4, we read, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.” Even during these “sandpapering” times of COVID19, maybe especially during these times, we are being asked to look within with gratitude for the opportunity to thrive and grow. One with a grateful lens sees the proper response to this challenge being to prioritize our social connections, our network with others, and to serve each other, for the benefit of the other, for ourselves, and for the greater world. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

Gratitude: the medicinal mental supplement Read More »

Lifestyles, Michael Mantell