To any dispassionate observer of the Middle East, it is crystal clear that a so-called “Two-State Solution” between a once-compliant, democratic, Israel and the violent, rejectionist, two-headed Palestinian hydra is impossible. [Barry Shaw]
Ahead of the Trump peace plan, some hard truths Read More »
Barry Shaw, Middle East, USA
Various passages in the Torah teach us not only to refrain from harming animals, but to be kind to them as well. That’s why it’s appropriate to think of the Lindsay Wildlife Experience as a place where ethical and religious precepts can be learned not only in words, but also in deeds. [Donald H. Harrison]
Torah precepts in action at wildlife center Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, The World We Share, Travel and Food, USA
Jack Fairweather narrates a remarkable story about a Polish resistance fighter’s infiltration of Auschwitz to sabotage the camp from within, and his daring escape to warn the Allies about the Nazis’ true plans for a “Final Solution.”The book highlights the power of a single individual who tried to make a difference. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
The Pole who purposely got sent to Auschwitz Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi
He [President Trump]was especially impressed with the account of young David slaying Goliath with a slingshot. “If there had been a National Slingshot Association back then,” the president speculated aloud and in a tweet, “the Hebrews would have enjoyed a much better, greater, probably spectacular, life.” {Satire by Joel H. Cohen]
Did Israelites need a National Slingshot Association? Read More »
Joel H. Cohen, Trivia, Humor & Satire
In 2016, one university, Fordham University in New York, cognizant of SJP’s history of poisoning dialogue on campuses and promoting a campaign of libels, defamation, and lies against Israel and Jewish students, reversed the decision of the student government to allow SJP to become a recognized student organization and decided that SJP, based on its sorry record at other universities, had no place at Fordham. [Richard L. Cravatts, PhD]
Fordham’s proper effort to exclude SJP from its campus Read More »
Middle East, Richard L. Cravatts, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Other items in this column include: * Capacity crowd seen for Tzipi Livni * Two Jewish fraternities among 14 suspended at SDSU * Political bytes * Coming our way By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — Assemblyman Todd Gloria (D-San Diego) has been endorsed by U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein in his bid to succeed termed-out Kevin Faulconer
Feinstein endorses Gloria; FPPC fines him Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
* San Diego City Council President Georgette Gomez predicts “it’s very likely we will be outspent” in the race for the 53rd Congressional District. “Heavily outspent. We won’t have financial support from extremely wealthy donors, nor will we be accepting any corporate PAC checks to this campaign.” While she didn’t name her opponent, it was clear she had in mind Sara Jacobs, granddaughter of Qualcomm co-founder Irwin Jacobs and daughter Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacob, founders of High-Tech High School. Gary also has served as president of the Lawrence Family JCC and the Jewish Federation of San Diego county. [Donald H. Harrison]
A potpourri of local Jewish-interest news Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, The World We Share
If you like the Hallmark Channel’s romantic movies, my guess is that you will also enjoy this Jewish author’s venture into an affluent Gentile world where a widowed interior designer meets a divorced architect and finds that not only do they work well together professionally, they have some undeniable chemistry. [Donald H. Harrison]
Can an architect and interior designer find love? Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison
Many people are convinced that Isaac was angry with his father Abraham because he lied to him when he said that the two were going on a trip to offer a sacrifice to God, implying that the sacrifice would be an animal, and that Abraham tied him up on top of a stone altar, planned to kill him, and only stopped when he heard a voice from heaven telling him to desist. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Was Isaac angry that Abraham tried to kill him? Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion
In a stunning display of arrogance and stupidity, I ventured out into the wild and woolly world of self-publishing on Amazon’s KDP platform. I’ve done it before, five times in fact, twice with the help of outside agencies, and three times by myself. It’s been a little more than a year since I published my last book, All Quiet on the Midwestern Plains, and apart from help from my designer and computer-whiz son Eitan with the cover of the paperback version, I managed it pretty well by myself. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
Hitches, Glitches, Delays and Success! Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson
The pain endured by residents of the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh in the past year has yet to faze Pennsylvania lawmakers like Mike Turzai and Joseph B. Scarnati III – not enough to join attempts by Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto and City Council to stem gun violence. [Bruce S. Ticker]
No gun control in sight even after Pittsburgh massacre Read More »
Bruce Ticker, USA
President Trump’s inviting of Turkey’s President Erdogan to Washington comes at a peculiar time when the House of Representatives is pursuing the impeachment inquiry against Trump and when Erdogan is preoccupied with his invasion of Syria and the growing frustration of the Turkish public with his ruthless domestic and adventurous foreign policy. The question is, what message will Erdogan’s visit send to both the US’ friends and foes? [Alon Ben-Meir, PhD]
Trump-Erdogan meeting an exercise in cynicism Read More »
Alon Ben-Meir, Middle East, USA
I was having a conversation with high school students and I asked them who Yitzhak Rabin was. Few had heard of him or knew what he stood for. Yet all of them were aware of the conflict that he fought so hard to resolve. While Rabin is no longer with us, the challenges he faced, and conflicts he encountered continue to thrive. Just this week, we saw a new barrage of rockets being fired from Hamas into Southern Israel. [Rabbi Joshua Dorsch]
Remembering Yitzhak Rabin Read More »
Middle East
– The Poway City Council voted unanimously to “robust applause” on Tuesday to rename Eva Drive in the northern portion of the city as Lori Lynn Lane, in memory of the Chabad of Poway congregant who was murdered in an attack on the synagogue by a gunman. Lori Lynn Gilbert-Kaye’s “life was exemplary and I hope it (the renamed street) causes someone to learn a little bit more about her, and how kind she was, how compassionate she was, how generous she was, and how selfless she was,” commented Mayor Steve Vaus, who sits on the five-member City Council. [Donald H. Harrison]
Poway names a street for Lori Lynn Gilbert-Kaye Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, USA