Remarkable history of Holocaust Torah at Chabad of La Costa

Ed [Richard]was understandably deeply moved by the dedication ceremony, and profoundly touched when he saw us using the Torah that he had donated in loving memory of his amazing parents. And so, a few years later, when Ed had an Aliyah, and when we made the blessing for him following his Aliyah, he whispered to me, “I want to donate another Torah.” “What?!” I exclaimed. I was sure I must have misheard. NOBODY donates two Torahs! [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, San Diego County, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi

Neo-Nazi youth taunt Jewish student in New Jersey

On her first two days as a freshman, two teachers laughed when pronouncing a student’s last name, Guiffre, as Jew-Frey. One teacher remarked, “I wouldn’t want a last name like that,” and the same teacher would later recommend Mein Kampf as a great book. An anti-Semitic photo displayed in a group chat in 2018 prompted an investigation by the state attorney general, which last October found probable cause that Paige fell victim to discrimination by the school and the school district based on her religion. [Bruce S. Ticker]

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Bruce Ticker, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Yuli Edelstein and Israel’s Supreme Court

“Democracy or anarchy?” was a front-page headline in yesterday’s The Marker, the business section of Ha’aretz. The issue was the conflict between the Speaker of the Knesset (former prisoner of Zion in his native Soviet Union Yuli Edelstein) and Israel’s Supreme Court. The court decreed that he isn’t allowed to delay a plenary session of the new Knesset, as is the law, to elect a Speaker.

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Middle East

One word makes COVID19 even worse

Sure, you may be thinking that word might be “hate,” “poverty,” “illness,” or “death.” No, these words are mild compared to the self-disturbing, life-sucking, contentment-robbing, depression-boosting, anxiety-inducing, and anger-building word I’m thinking of. That word is “should.” In the wonderful words of my mentor and teacher, Albert Ellis, Ph.D., “Should-hood leads to sh#&-hood.” He also observed, “It’s far better to masturbate than MUSTurbate.” Yes, he was a straight talking guy. [Michael Mantell, Ph.D.]

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Lifestyles, Michael Mantell

Torah teaches officials to be good financial stewards

Moses gave an exact accounting of the raw material brought to the Sanctuary: gold (29 talents, 730 shekels), silver (100 talents, 1,757 shekels), copper (70 talents, 2,400 shekels) etc. The first thing which strikes us is that this seems to be an accountant’s report on Moses’ business affairs. Moses, after all, is the leader of the Jewish People; if he isn’t above suspicion, who is? But why encumber Moses with a ledger?The answer ought to be obvious. The sacred text comes to teach us that no one is above suspicion. Even Moses is accountable. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USA

Sacrifices and the coronavirus

Sacrifices, from the array listed in Vayikra to the seemingly bothersome and emotionally difficult sacrifices we make in self-quarantining, isolating, and the myriad of steps we take to place our health and safety as top priorities in life at this time, are about connecting to Hashem – when seen through the right lens.  When processed properly, the current seeming decline we are living through may not be a setback at all, but rather just the lens, the momentum, we need to better understand our falls, bring us into more fruitful encounters with each other, and help refine the nature of our collective humanity, and IY’H, bring us closer to Hashem. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Michael Mantell

Major Jewish groups to meet CV19 challenge together

Gary E. Jacobs, the San Diegan who serves as the national chairman of the JCC Association Board of Directors, declared Wednesday that “the Jewish community has historically overcome the greatest challenges only when we united and work together.  This is one of those moments when we in the JCC Community, along with the Federations, summer camps and so many others will collaborate to address this unprecedented crisis.” [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, The World We Share, Travel and Food, USA

Pollard case recalls two women’s bipartisanship

Jonathan Pollard’s second wife, Esther, has advanced metastatic cancer and is fighting for her life, while Jonathan cannot be with her much of the time.According to various news reports, Israeli officials and, in America, the Orthodox Union, Agudath Israel, and the Coalition for Jewish Values, have asked President Trump to lift his parole on “humanitarian grounds.” Based on his release date of November 20, 2015, Pollard’s difficult parole conditions would end in November, 2020. There was a time when Israeli MK’s reached across the aisle to try to help the Pollards. [Toby Klein Greenwald]

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Jewish History, Middle East, Toby Klein Greenwald, USA

Coping with coronavirus (a work of fiction)

Editor’s Note:  Humorist Jerry Klinger is in the process of bringing to market Boynton Beach Memoirs, a collection of stories about life in the retirement community of Boynton Beach, which has an ever-growing population of Jewish seniors.   With that book going to publication, he decided to write a sequel and below is a chapter he penned for it about the coronavirus pandemic.  His fictional protagonist is named William Rabinowitz, who is married to Sheila.

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Jerry Klinger, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Are internet minyans kosher?

The question has come up: May one may participate in a virtual minyan on the Internet?  Many of my colleagues tend to rule against such a possibility for a variety of reasons. Judaic law specifies the importance of ten people (we count women in the Conservative Movement) must be clustered in one central place. Even if they are in another room, but within hearing distance of the place where people are praying, they may not be counted as part of the minyan.[1] [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi

A Tale of Two Alpha Dogs

It had been the healthiest of times, but then it became the sickest of times.  One day the rabies vaccine stopped working.  There was a new virulent strain of distemper transmitted by wolves to their domesticated relatives.  Dogs frothed at the mouth and bit humans and other dogs.  Those who became infected suffered terribly and some died.     [Satire by Elona Baron as told to Laurie Baron]

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Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire

The Self-Compassion Antidote: WAM!

People who are self-compassionate tend to be more unconditionally self-accepting regardless of their circumstances, while those who feed largely on self-esteem crumble when they face circumstances that are challenging. Self-compassion is not a matter of being selfish. It’s a matter of thriving through any situation, particularly the existential threat many feel from COVID19.
While frequent messaging includes “be compassionate and helpful to others,” people who include themselves in their compassion feel more in control, are filled with more self-love and self-worth and brim with self-confidence. [Michael Mantell, Ph.D]

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Lifestyles, Michael Mantell

Crowding indoors with family not really that bad

Social distancing provides a practical approach to a community faced with a growing pandemic. Many of us are afraid to go outside and interact with others—without wearing a face mask and protective gloves. Many of my congregants have complained to me about having to stay indoors for such a long period of time. Yet, it has to some degree created some problems with close couples and their families sharing the same space for unusual periods of time. It’s easy to get on your significant other’s nerves because we feel spatially “confined.” Everyone seems to be stepping on each other’s toes. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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Lifestyles, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi