The tapestries that bind us

The watercolor has been in my family seemingly forever. It used to hang in my parents’ apartment in Tel Aviv, but it has been in my different homes in California for decades. In it a young girl of five or six years faces the painter with a slight pout and a high forehead crowned by a white ribbon. The sadness along her lip line is unmistakable. One can imagine small pools of tears about to gather in her big dark eyes. She is wearing a summer dress, but the painter chose to focus on her face and in quick brush strokes drew two blue straps over small shoulders that are colored a distinctive pink. [Varda Levy]

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International, Jewish History, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA

Jewish Genealogists plan August gathering in San Diego

Coronavirus pandemic permitting, the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies plans to hold its 40th international conference at the Sheraton Harbor Island Hotel and Marina from August 9-14 with 110 speakers delivering some 250 presentations “on just about every aspect of Jewish genealogy,” according to Sandra Golden, the association’s publicity chair. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Joe Gandelman, San Diego County

Sanctions in a time of pandemic

The Islamic Republic of Iran is fighting the coronavirus (a.k.a. Wuhan virus) with its usual obfuscation, lies, denials, and accusations. Calling the virus a concerted effort by the U.S. and Israel to infect Iran, the government has demanded an end to Western sanctions – and money, lots of money — because, it says, American sanctions are preventing medical supplies from entering the country.
The first claim is nonsense and the second claim is nonsense. [Shoshana Bryen]

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International, Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA

Jewish storyteller behind ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’

There’s a bright spot for children (and their adults) amidst all the sad news worldwide now about the COVID-19 pandemic. A cute children’s picture book written 30 years ago by a British storyteller and performer named Michael Rosen has been making the headlines recently, with TV broadcasts on CNN, the BBC and several TV stations in New Zealand. [Dan Bloom]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories

Happiness and health during COVID19

Is there anything more contagious than…laughter? Some believe COVID19 is far more communicable, though when it comes to transmitting something healthy, laughter’s got it beat. It’s been said, though admittedly some question the accuracy of this number, that toddlers laugh more than 300-400 times a day, while the average adult manages about 20 chuckles each day.  What’s happened to our sense of humor? Has the anger industry, the “if it bleeds it leads” instant cycle media, been stirring the worst news and views, shattering our joy? Listening to the “coronacopia” of negativity can wear on us all. And it does. So, you may ask, what’s there to smile about now? Why smile when the world is ending? Remember, folks, only the end of the world is the end of the world. And there are plenty of good reasons to smile, to find humor, to laugh…like your health. [Michael R. Mantell, PhD]

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Lifestyles, Michael Mantell

Jewish trivia quiz: Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan just released a new 17-minute song titled Murder Most Foul, which is about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and more broadly about the music and culture of the 1960’s and beyond. Dylan, who has toured almost non-stop for years, recently canceled his current tour because of the coronavirus pandemic. Bob Dylan once offered a promotional blurb that was printed on the back cover of a book by a Jewish author: “Anyone who is either married or thinking of getting married would do well to read this book.” What book did Dylan promote in this way? [Mark D. Zimmerman]

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Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Financial help available during the pandemic

As we head into our third week of social distancing, more and more of us are feeling the anxiety related to staying at home. Whether you are working from home, have unfortunately lost your job due to this crisis or are simply feeling isolated within your four walls, we all are dealing with some kind of stress. If you or a relative or a friend are one of the affected individuals who may have lost your job or seen a reduction in your salary, this has you seriously worried about making ends meet. Although Congress has put together an emergency plan to help individuals affected by the coronavirus pandemic, there are a few things you can do on your own to maximize your cash flow. [Steve Doster, CFP ]

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Business & Finance, San Diego County

Weaponizing the coronavirus

At a time when the world ought to be banding together for the common good, there is another segment of the human population that is contemplating new ways of weaponizing the coronavirus. In Gaza, Hamas came up with a new way harming Israelis. By raining missiles on Israel from Gaza, they are well-aware that Israelis will crowd themselves into bomb-shelters, an environment that would make it very easy to spread the pandemic among Israelis. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East

The Jewish candidates: Bernie Rhinerson (S.D. Community College District B)

Bernie Rhinerson, 69, is seeking a third four-year term on the San Diego Community Colleges Board of Trustees.  With the challenges that community colleges will face in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, he said, the board will need a seasoned advocate to make certain there will be sufficient funding from the federal and state governments to provide San Diego students with the classes and support that they need.  [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education

Being F.I.T. through the pandemic

 At this time of ever-growing COVID19 anxiety, conditioning our mind for mental vigor and fitness may be more important than many other steps we are all taking during our heightened awareness of disease transmission. At the very least, it will lead to less hand wringing and could lead to more hand washing. Now before you think this column is about physical exercise and muscle growth, I’m talking here about another type of being F.I.T., one that I’ve been writing and speaking about for many years. This F.I.T. has to do with being a “Fundamentally Independent Thinker” and requires no exercise equipment. Oh, right, the link is what you think, remember? Let’s delve into this a bit and see how being an independent thinker, not hooked into external events, can help you through the COVID19 upheaval. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Lifestyles, Michael Mantell

Israel needs economic stimulus in wake of coronavirus

As the coronavirus sweep its destructive path around the world, including in Israel, leaving health and medical experts advising governments and authorities to take radical measures to “flatten the curve,” healthy populations have had their lives totally disrupted potentially to the point of personal and familial ruin. The virus and stringent government imposed steps have inflicted an unbearable economic toll on the nation. [Barry Shaw]

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Barry Shaw, Middle East