Surveying the passing scene

Let me start off with a kind offer from Sandy Scheller of Chula Vista who volunteers to sew cloth face masks at no charge like the one she is wearing at the right for people who contact her via her email. When she lived in Las Vegas, Sandy had a business called “Kosher Couture.” Those who take her up on her kind offer will have to arrange to pick up the masks.  Scheller also is the organizer of the year-long Project RUTH — Remember Us The Holocaust exhibit which is now shuttered, along with everything else, at the main branch of the Chula Vista Public Library.  So, sewing masks gives her desire to serve the community another beneficial outlet. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel, z"l, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County

Love in the Time of Coronavirus

I’ve can’t see her face
Her mask is cotton and not lace.                                                                                                        
No lips or nose
On which to gaze.    
During this pandemic phase. …                           

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Lawrence Baron, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Three poems of Passovers past

Editor’s Note: Shirley Confino-Rehder is a certified interior designer who lectures on universal design and the Americans for Disabilities Act.  She resides in Norfolk, Virginia. Why This Night IS Different Than Any Other Night – 2010 As we start our Passover Seder, we wonder Why this Night is different than any other night… Once again we

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Jewish Religion

Havdalah moves west with San Diego connections

Those with Internet connections could watch the Havdalah ceremonies with San Diego connections move west on Saturday from Israel to New Jersey en route to San Diego.

In Israel, Cantor Hanan Leberman, who serves for specified holidays as a cantor at Tifeeth Israel Synagogue in San Diego, provided songs and traditional chants in the ceremony marking the end of the Sabbath and the beginning of the regular week.  As is customary, he drank wine, smelled spices, and watched the flames of the havdalah candle flicker shadows from his fingers to the palm of his hand. Hours later, in Vorhees, New Jersey, Cantor Alisa Pomerantz-Boro of that township’s Congregation Beth El, was accompanied by her daughter Rebecca as she marked the end of the Sabbath.  [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Humans — and countries — always responsible for actions

The Mishnah discusses an interesting case concerning an individual assuming personal liability for damages that one inadvertently causes to another. The text reads: “A human being is always considered ‘forewarned’ and is responsible in all situations where he inadvertently or purposely caused damage to another—whether he was awake, or even if he was asleep. If someone blinded another person’s eye, or broke his vessels, he must pay full damages. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

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International, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi

We may not have concerts, but we have CDs to review

Since reviewing live music concerts is not possible during these days of isolation, I will be writing weekly columns about some of my favorite CD recordings by people whom I know, and include examples of audio selections from their discs.  First, I plan to write about the 16 CDs featuring my younger sister, concert violinist Zina Schiff. [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts

A Word of Torah: Parashat Tzav

This is a very special Shabbos. It is so special, in fact, that it is designated Shabbat HaGadol – The Great Shabbos. This Shabbos is intrinsically connected with the holiday of Passover, which is in many ways considered the greatest of all the holidays. The story behind Shabbat HaGadol stretches back over 3,300 years ago. The Jews were still enslaved in Egypt despite the fact that the Egyptians had suffered through nine horrific plagues. Still, however, they obstinately held captive the Jewish people. The long-awaited redemption had begun, the suffering had decreased, yet the Jews were still not free. [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]

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Jewish Religion, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi

Bry sees less need in future for office space, more need for Internet connections, technology

City Councilwoman Barbara Bry, whose runoff status for mayor against Assemblyman Todd Gloria has now been confirmed by the San Diego County Registrar of Voters, said on Friday that the coronavirus pandemic likely will have both short-term and long-term impacts on the City of San Diego [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education

Which CHAIR is killing you?

Henry David Thoreau once shared that he had three chairs in his home, “…one for solitude, two for friendship, and three for society.” Doesn’t that provide you with remarkable insight into the value of a chair?  Chairs provide comfort, stability, relaxation, style and for Thoreau, “…solitude, friendship and society.” During this time of emotionally charged home quarantine, I’m concerned that a chair for many may also pose a corner of isolation, inactivity and ultimate gloominess. You see, as Benjamin Franklin observed, “The discontented man finds no easy chair.” [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Lifestyles, Michael Mantell

Arabs contribute much to Israel. It’s time to attend to their political needs

The Joint List had supported Benny Gantz, the leader of the now broken-up Blue and White Party, when he hoped to become the next prime minister of Israel. After the election on March 2 he seemed to be able to muster 61 Members of Knesset and was, therefore, given the mandate by Israel’s president to form the next government. The Joint List wouldn’t be part of it, but it expected measures to benefit Israel’s Arab citizens whom previous governments are said to have neglected. [Rabbi Dow Marmur]

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Middle East