Parsha Bereishit: Creation of the Universe, Reformation of Self

Each year, as we return to the opening words of the Torah, we are invited to begin again, not merely to reread familiar stories, but to renew our vision, our understanding, and our inner world. Bereishit is not only about the creation of the universe; it’s about the creation of the self, of human consciousness, purpose, and moral responsibility. [Michael Mantell, Ph.D.}

Parsha Bereishit: Creation of the Universe, Reformation of Self Read More »

Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Documentarians Probe Mystery of Missing Stamp Collection During Holocaust

Hollywood screenwriter Gary Gilbert heard a story from David Weisberg about the missing stamp collection. Weisberg said it was told to his father, psychiatrist Paul Weisberg, by a firefighter patient whose wife was the daughter of an SS officer. [Donald H. Harrison]

Documentarians Probe Mystery of Missing Stamp Collection During Holocaust Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, Jewish History, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Israel Mesmerized by Videos of Hostages Returning to Their Families

And so a whole nation, and possibly a whole world, watched with bated breath and swelling hearts as returning hostages ran into the arms of their waiting mothers and fathers, embracing siblings, friends, and even in some exceptional cases their own young children. It was impossible not to be moved at the sight, and not to share in the joy and relief of all concerned. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

Israel Mesmerized by Videos of Hostages Returning to Their Families Read More »

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Israel, Jewish History, News Media, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Technology, USA

Flesh and Sacrifice: Iba Ndiaye at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The centerpiece of the exhibition is Ndiaye’s Tabaski III (1970), explicitly depicts the aftermath of ritual sacrifice. The ram’s body, twisted and half-abstracted, glistens in layers of crimson and ochre, its form dissolving into painterly matter. The flesh here is not symbolic—it is the subject, the drama, the philosophy. [Sam Ben-Meir]

Flesh and Sacrifice: Iba Ndiaye at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Read More »

International, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Sam Ben-Meir, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Letting Faith Walk Beside Fear 

Fear is a natural response to anything that threatens our safety or sense of security. And it doesn’t have to be as extreme as a life-threatening diagnosis. Fear can arise when we face financial hardships, lose or change jobs, end or deepen a relationship, or let our children follow their own paths rather than ours. In those moments, we can almost feel our illusions of control disintegrate as we step into unchartered territory. [Shayna Kaufmann]

Letting Faith Walk Beside Fear  Read More »

Lifestyles, Science, Medicine, & Education, Shayna Kaufmann, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Reactions to a Historic Day in the Saga of the Middle East

After 738 Days, Hostages are Freed.  7+3+8 = 18, Life! Here in alphabetical order are the reactions from a variety of perspectives to Hamas freeing its hostages; the prospect of peace in the Middle East; and the role of U.S. President Donald J. Trump in achieving this blue-ribbon moment. [SDJW staff]

Reactions to a Historic Day in the Saga of the Middle East Read More »

California, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

OpEd: This Day Belongs to the Hostages and Their Persistent Families

The truth of this moment does not belong to any one man or office. It belongs to the hostages themselves—to the quiet resilience that sustained them through hunger, darkness, and fear; to the families who refused to let the world forget; and to a nation that, even through its grief and anger, never stopped believing in the sanctity of life. [Shahar Masori]

OpEd: This Day Belongs to the Hostages and Their Persistent Families Read More »

Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Opinion, Shahar Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Hostages are Free, Free at Last

We have collectively been holding our breath, waiting for this moment. The images leave us speechless – filled with relief and joy at their return, burdened by the painful knowledge that their healing will be long and difficult, and grieving for the 28 who did not survive captivity. [Heidi Gantwerk]

Hostages are Free, Free at Last Read More »

Heidi Gantwerk, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Opinion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Jewish Trivia Quiz: Nobel Peace Prize

President Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter walked into the office at Carter’s Camp David cabin, followed by Begin and Sadat. There was an awkward moment as the two Middle East leaders had to decide who would enter next. How did Rosalynn Carter later describe how this scene played out? [Mark D. Zimmerman]

Jewish Trivia Quiz: Nobel Peace Prize Read More »

Israel, Jewish History, Mark D. Zimmerman, Middle East, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA