JFS distributes COVID19 relief funds for immigrants

Jewish Family Services (JFS) is one of twelve immigrant-serving nonprofit organizations selected to help individuals apply for and receive disaster relief assistance in their region. Each organization was chosen based on their experience in serving immigrants, and to act as a distributor of assistance funds. JFS has hotlines assisting immigrants in San Diego County and Imperial County. [Omer Zalmanowitz]

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San Diego County, USA

Local political races re-energized

As the only daily Jewish news outlet in our county, San Diego Jewish World has made it a mission to keep track of important races in the county in which members of the Jewish community will be runoff candidates in the November general election.  Now, with the nation, state, and local governments all in the process of looking beyond the coronavirus pandemic to the recovery of the economy, candidates for mayor, Congress, and the County Board of Supervisors are again making news. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Let the sun shine in your COVID19 mind

Orison Swett Marden wrote in 1910, “Optimism is a builder. It is to the individual what the sun is to vegetation. It is the sunshine of the mind, which constructs life, beauty, and growth in everything within its reach. Our mental faculties grow and thrive in it just as the plants and trees grow and thrive in the physical sunshine. Pessimism is negative, it is the darkened dungeon which destroys vitality and strangles growth.” [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Lifestyles, Michael Mantell

Featherbedding key to Israeli coalition

For the first time in more than a year, Israel has a government approved by the Knesset, instead of a series of continuing governments with limited authority to make policy.
The last day and hours before the announcement was a mess, with announcements of who would get what ministry, by Gantz and even more by Netanyahu, with several prominent disappointments among those left out. [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East

San Diego County, nation, respond to hate incidents

Two grocery store incidents in Santee earlier this month in which a man wearing the hood of the Ku Klux Klan, and a man and woman wearing masks featuring swastikas, continue to reverberate.  San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher proposed that a countywide Human Relations Commission be re-established and empowered to look into such incidents, and the San Diego Union-Tribune ran three opinion pieces Monday on the incidents and their impact on the City of Santee. In another response to hate, the Combat Anti-Semitism Movement (CAM) arranged for 25 olive trees to be planted at Kfar Silver Youth Village in southern Israel in memory of Lori Gilbert Kaye, who was murdered when a gunman attacked Chabad of Poway on the last day of Passover in 2019. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Eva Trieger, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Lean into COVID-19

If you believe Abraham Maslow, and I have no idea why you wouldn’t, then Robert Emmon’s quote of the well regarded humanistic psychologist may well resonate with you, “the most important learning lessons… were tragedies, deaths, and trauma… which forced change in the life-outlook of the person and consequently in everything that he did.” [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Lifestyles, Michael Mantell

Florida revisited: Eating out, journey’s end

Just the mention of Florida evokes some very happy or, in any case, indelible memories. It may seem like masochism, but on an early trip to Early Bird Land, my wife and I looked forward to meeting with 19 individuals or couples — relatives and friends from home, who’d either settled in the Sunshine State or become regular winter refugees there. [Joel H. Cohen]

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Joel H. Cohen, Travel and Food, USA

Jewish trivia quiz: Jerry Stiller, z”l

Actor and comedian Jerry Stiller died last week at the age of 92. Stiller was most famous for playing the quintessentially Jewish, but technically non-Jewish Italian Frank Costanza, father of George Costanza on the Seinfeld sitcom. Born to Polish immigrant parents, Stiller grew up in Brooklyn and the Lower East Side, and studied drama after serving in the army during World War II. He married comedian and actor Anne Meara, and the two created a hugely successful comedy duo, focusing on their lives as an intermarried couple. Among their bits was an “I hate you” routine, in which Meara called Stiller a “matza head” and he called her a “shillelagh shiksa.” What was one of Jerry Stiller’s first acting roles? [Mark D. Zimmerman]
 

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Jewish History, Mark D. Zimmerman, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Four violin pieces by Zina Schiff in celebration of Jerusalem Day

Yom Yerushalayim, marking the unification of the City of Jerusalem at the end of the Six Day War, will be commemorated  this Friday, May 22. Thus, I am writing this column about my sister, violinist Zina Schiff’s 1995 4Tay Records release, King David’s Lyre, a celebration of Jerusalem 3000. The CD consists of works by Jewish composers from many different corners of the globe. Since Jewish longing for Jerusalem spanned over two thousand years in Diaspora, it is fitting that a tribute to Jerusalem includes Jewish composers from around the world. [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

Mend, restore, rebuild yourself through COVID19

While coronavirus has killed, toppled, and impaired so many, there’s a far more mammoth plague that has disturbed our planet. The lack of self-love, self-care, and self-acceptance is linked to many physical and emotional conditions and infirmities, far too many to catalogue here. Self-acceptance could well be, heck it is, the starting place for all healing, particularly during the emotional trauma and anxiety triggered by COVID19. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.]

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Lifestyles, Michael Mantell

Havdalah from the porch of a celebrated cantor

Shavua tov! Shavua Tov!  A good week!  A good week! In Voorhees, New Jersey, Cantor Alisa Pomerantz-Boro and her daughter Rebecca have often led Havdalah services by Zoom from their porch since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic  This last Saturday night, May 16, was no different. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA

Misgivings as Israel’s new government is sworn in

The new government, due to have been sworn in last Thursday, was only sworn in this afternoon. In his speech in the Knesset, Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated many of the platitudes expected on such an occasion, but doing it with skill and experience, he sounded almost convincing. However, telling us that among his sources of inspiration and guidance are his wife and his sons, no doubt made many Israelis uncomfortable. [Rabbi Dow Marmur]

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Middle East