Zvi Weiss, former Head of School at the Yavneh Day School in Los Gatos, California, will succeed the retiring Chaim Heller as Head of School at the San Diego Jewish Academy, it was announced by Heidi Gantwerk, SDJA board chair. [Donald H. Harrison]
Weiss named SDJA’s new Head of School Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Shor M. Masori, USA
From the outset, Grafton Thomas’s mother and attorney harped on his 20-year history of mental illness. They said he was diagnosed with schizophrenia long ago and ceased taking his anti-psychotic medication two months before he allegedly drove to a Chanukah party at a rabbi’s house in Monsey, N.Y., on Dec. 28, and wounded five or more Orthodox Jews with a machete. [Bruce S. Ticker]
Insanity defense for anti-Semites is itself insane Read More »
Bruce Ticker, USA
Amid the angst, anticipation and anxieties felt by an awaiting audience in the lobby of the Civic Theatre downtown at the performance I attended of the long awaited national touring production of Dear Evan Hansen, now playing through Jan. 12th; there is a young man on stage, seventeen year old Evan Hansen (Stephen Anthony Christopher) with complex issues that frame his isolated life. [Carol Davis]
Teen loneliness, suicide probed in ‘Dear Evan’ Read More »
Carol Davis, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
Rabbi Avraham Bogopulsky is spiritual leader of Beth Jacob Congregation, the oldest Orthodox Jewish institution in San Diego County. In this book of “insights, anecdotes and wisdom for life,” he views an everyday scene or occurrence, relates it to Torah, and then expands upon the theme in seven thought-provoking chapters, respectively labeled: “time,” “habits,” “attitude,” “chesed,” “money,” “community,” and “growth.”
Whoever reads this book is likely to find information and opinions of direct relevance to his or her life, and perhaps find within its pages a challenge to previously held beliefs. [Donald H. Harrison]
‘Developing a Torah Personality’ may challenge you Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USA
New research released Wednesday, Jan. 8, by AMCHA Initiative provides the first empirical evidence suggesting that faculty who support academic BDS are actively promoting that political agenda directly to students in their classrooms. {Press release from AMCHA Initiative]
Pro-BDS profs force propaganda on students Read More »
Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Rashi tells us on the pasuk, “And Jacob concluded commanding his sons, and he drew his legs [up] into the bed, and expired and was brought in to his people,” from Ta’anith 5b, “But no mention is made of death and this regard, our Rabbis of blessed memory said, Our father Jacob did not die.” What? Did NOT die? But he was buried! Was he still really alive? [Michael Mantell, PhD]
Rabbis question whether Jacob ‘died’ Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael MantellPrior to Iran’s retaliation on two Iraqi bases where American troops are stationed, congressional candidate Sara Jacobs denounced the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani by American forces. She wrote: “This ill-conceived operation was the culmination of a reckless strategy toward Iran that started with the Trump Administration pulling out of the Iran deal. Of all the hyperbole and questions being thrown around, the only one that needs to be asked is this: is the United States safer for having done this? The answer is clearly no.” [Donald H. Harrison]
Strong opinions surface over Soleimani assassination Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USAIn February 2020, when we present our annual Craig Noel Awards for Theatrical Excellence, we will be recognizing and honoring all gender identities, giving gender-neutral awards in all performance categories. The 2019 nominees were chosen by a nine-member body of professional critics who write year–round for San Diego newspapers, magazines, online publications and blogs. Winners will be announced at the 18th -annual awards ceremony from 6 to 10 p.m. Feb. 10, 2020, at the Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation at 404 Euclid Ave., San Diego.[Carol Davis]
Craig Noel Award nominations announced Read More »
Carol Davis, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
Bibi waited until the last prime time television spot before the deadline, to announce that he was applying for immunity. The day earlier, one of the news shows replayed an earlier statement that he had no intention of applying for immunity. Immediately after Bibi announced, Benny Gantz began his election campaign, indicating that it would focus on an alleged criminal, running for yet more time at the top of the government.[Ira Sharkansky, PhD]
New political scramble as Bibi seeks immunity Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USA
Poems are part and parcel of Judaism, arguably beginning with Miriam at the Red Sea, continuing with the Psalms and into present-day liturgy. Chaya Lester, Jerusalem-based psychotherapist, Jewish educator, and spiritual guide, calls on the metaphor of a lit candle and the multiple meanings of the word lit – the literature of poetry, intoxication of experiences, and “being lit up” in the sense of being alive and amazed – as her muse. The motivations for writing these poems are the twin themes of Jewish apathy and assimilation, whose panacea she perceives to be celebration, “the Jewish world needs to get lit…Jewishly lit.” [Fred Reiss, Ed.D]
Poems to light the Jewish world Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdDSong of Names is not simply a movie. It is a work of love and mourning. The music, so essential to the drama, travels through our ears and into our souls. After the movie opens in San Diego on Jan. 10, I doubt that anyone who views it will fail to be moved by the emotion behind it, however understated it is. [Donald H. Harrison]
‘Song of Names’: Beautiful music, haunting story Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
“Communist, religion-hating goyim!” That’s how Israel’ Sephardi Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef described Israelis who’ve immigrated from the former Soviet Union. His statement may have been also intended against Avigdor Lieberman, the leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, many of the members of which are immigrants and descendants of immigrants from the countries that once formed the Soviet empire. Their Jewish status has often been denied by the Orthodox establishment. [Rabbi Dow Marmur]
Rabbi Yosef stirs hate against Russian immigrants Read More »
Middle EastIt wasn’t Israel that accomplished the eradication of the world’s most dangerous terrorist, far more dangerous than an Osama Bin Laden (Al Qaida) or Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (ISIS). It was the US government. Surprisingly for Israelis, the news wasn’t universally celebrated in the US. Not only were the President’s motives and the legality of his order immediately questioned, but the whole idea of violent elimination of a politically active global terrorist was raised by his political opponents. [Steve Kramer]
Israelis celebrate Soleimani’s death Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA
n often asked question is “How can I get rich?” The answer is it depends on what you consider to be rich. If you’re talking about yachts, butlers, and ten villas around the world, you have five options: Inherit a bunch of money. Marry into a bunch of money. Build a very successful company (like Microsoft). Win a huge lottery. Bet a fortune on a long shot and win – in other words – get lucky! [Sheryl Rowling, CPA]