Herut, the Zionist educational activist movement, has developed a playlist of easily available, high quality documentary movies that will enhance any viewer’s knowledge of Israeli history, Zionist ideals, and Middle East politics. [Moshe Phillips]
Zionist education during a global pandemic Read More »
International, Jewish History, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts
I’m ready. I had no need to stock up on toilet paper, pasta, tins of food or any other staple, as I am always certain to have good supplies of those items. Anyone, like myself, who has lived in Israel, and especially Jerusalem, for over fifty years, has learned to always be well supplied with good stocks of foodstuffs. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
Stocking up for emergencies an Israeli constant Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Lifestyles, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education
When Israel was hit by a monstrous fire, Palestinian firefighters crossed the Green Line with their firetrucks and risked their lives to save Israelis. And when Palestinians are hit by COVID-19, Israel’s public health professionals work side by side with their Palestinian colleagues, supplying them with test kits, medicine and knowhow. “There are no borders here…There is no ‘them’ and ‘us,’” Brig. Gen. Ghassan Alian, the commander of Israel’s Civil Administration in the West Bank, told Israel Radio last week. In such times, you cannot but wonder why Israelis and Palestinians do not harness their shared humanity, their common sense and their sense of common future to end the bloody conflict between them. Unlike pandemics, wildfires and earthquakes, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is manmade. And this manmade calamity can be undone by humans – if they find it within themselves to relate to the other as humans, as equals, as equally human. [By James B. Klutznick and Aviva Meyer]
Israelis, Palestinians join forces against coronavirus Read More »
Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
I humbly submit that it is our time to shine. Yes! Of course we should take the precautions mentioned by the governmental agencies. Certainly we should be washing our hands with soap as much as possible and using hand sanitizer when we cannot wash. Indeed it would be wise to postpone our planned cruises and other international (or perhaps even domestic) travel. And yes, if your children’s school says to keep the kids at home that is what we should do. But none of that means we are meant to helplessly cower under our beds fearing our own shadows! If the government says we need to place distance between each other they mean PHYSICAL distance. Since we are challenged with maintaining physical distance it is time to close the spiritual distance! [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]
Coronavirus ~ It’s our time to shine Read More »
Lifestyles, Science, Medicine, & Education, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi
Somewhere in Eastern Europe, in a little Jewish village, a woman who had been preparing to burn the last pieces of collected chometz in anticipation of that evening’s Passover seder, was startled to see a white mouse jump up on her table, steal a piece of bread, and leave crumbs behind as it ran away. [Book review by Donald H. Harrison]
A Talmud-based Passover tale for children Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Trivia, Humor & Satire
A parent of three San Diego Jewish Academy students has tested positive for coronavirus, according to Chaim Heller, the retiring head of the school. In a letter to other parents sent on Saturday (Shabbat) , he wrote, “The parent was at school during the past week. Their children, who are in grades, 1, 3, and 6, were in many rooms, including the Ulam (Auditorium), many times during the past week as well. They were with their friends acting in a regular, non-distance manner during that time. Effectively, they could have been with anyone from the school, from ECC [Early Childhood Center] to high school.” [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
Parent of 3 SDJA students tests positive for coronavirus Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jerry Klinger, Jewish Religion, Lawrence Baron, Science, Medicine, & Education, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA
Other dogs in the neighborhood have been asking me what precautions they should take to avoid catching the coronavirus. That is why I have formed the Canines Defy Coronavirus (CDC) taskforce. Here are its first recommendations: [Hounding the headlines humor column by Elona Baron, as told to Lawrence Baron]
A dog’s advice about coronavirus Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
– In these days of the coronavirus pandemic, we now ask five questions at our Passover seders. [Humor column by Jerry Klinger]
Now it’s the five questions of Passover Read More »
Jerry Klinger, Jewish Religion, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Like you, I am deeply concerned about the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) on our health, our loved ones, our lifestyle and our economy. As we continue to face this outbreak, I will keep updating you on what Congress is doing to counter the coronavirus (COVID-19) and its effects. My office is dedicated to keeping our constituents informed about the virus and focused on helping San Diegans who need assistance. [Congresswoman Susan Davis]
Congresswoman Davis tells federal response to coronavirus Read More »
San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Our county battened down on Friday to wait out a coronavirus siege, with Jewish and general community institutions announcing closures as a precaution to prevent the virus from spreading. In addition to the developments reported on Thursday, there were these additional developments to report on Friday. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
S.D. County battens down for coronavirus siege Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education
In ancient times, kings ruled local fiefdoms. In the world of pedal steel guitar, it is much the same way. Ted Stern, is San Diego’s king of pedal steel guitar! My wife Kyra and I caught the Jeff Berkeley Band, playing in East County. Being from Texas, I was thrilled to hear a Pedal Steel Guitar and a player who knew his stuff. He wasn’t just good, but really good. Who is this guy? I didn’t think anyone played pedal steel guitar in California. His name is Ted Stern. How did a nice Jewish boy from Brooklyn, New York, become San Diego’s pedal steel king? [Mark Thomas]
Meet Ted Stern, SD’s king of pedal steel guitar Read More »
Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego CountyThis week’s Torah Portion is titled ‘Ki Tisa’, translated as, ‘And you shall count.’ The beginning of the portion tells us about the commandment to take a census of the men of Israel, from the ages of 20-60, who would be eligible to serve in the army. The census was not done in a typical fashion by direct count. Instead each person gave a half-shekel coin and those coins were then counted. The money taken from this census was used for communal needs. Later in our portion the difficult story of the infamous Golden Calf is related. … [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]
A Word of Torah: The infamous Golden Calf Read More »
Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi
It was obvious by the detached and halting delivery of President Trump’s Oval Office speech that it was composed by someone else and read off the teleprompter. Since I am close friends with the Oval Office custodian, I obtained the draft that Trump wrote, but reluctantly tossed in the trash can. Here is the short version of it. [Satire by Lawrence Baron, Ph.D]
The unexpurgated Oval Office address Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Maybe now the threat of anti-Semitism – government-sanctioned anti-Semitism, to be specific – could be slackening with Bernie Sanders’s slackening presidential campaign. American Jews feared that a Bernie Sanders presidency would intensify the anti-Semitic movement that has been haunting our country, especially during the past few years. Had Sanders swept Super Tuesday states last week, we should still be worried. [Bruce S. Ticker]
Biden’s victories reassure Jews worried about Sanders Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Middle East, USA