Holiday display honors Chabad shooting victims

Tom and Debbie Farley have behind their home in neighboring Poway a 78-foot high pole that during the Christmas season becomes the trunk of a Christmas display of lights.  This year, the lights are blue, teal, and white – the colors of Chanukah in tribute to Poway of Chabad, which last Passover suffered a gunman’s murderous attack that took the life of Lori Gilbert-Kaye, and wounded Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, Noya Dahan, 8, and her uncle Almog Peretz. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USA

On homelessness, impeachment, immigration

Our area may wish to consider an idea raised by Oakland Mayor Rebecca Kaplan that cruise ships may provide appropriate lodging for our homeless population.  Older cruise ships are being sold all the time, and with some ingenuity, they can be outfitted to serve not only as dormitories and mess halls but also as places where necessary social services and medical treatment can be easily provided. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, San Diego County, USA

Chanukah story does not criticize Greeks

Many people are mistakenly convinced that the Jewish holiday of Chanukah celebrates the victory of the Jewish religion over Hellenism and that the enemy was Greece. Neither supposed fact is true. The Jews in Judea, Egypt and other countries of the diaspora had a longstanding favorable relationship with the Greeks and Hellenism well before and long after the incidents that prompted the rebellion of Judah Maccabee, his father and brothers in 168 BCE. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish Religion

Work begins on USNS Harvey Milk

The slain San Francisco County Supervisor Harvey Milk (1930-1978) is celebrated as the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California.  Besides being gay, he also was Jewish.  Both communities can take pride in the United States Navy deciding to name after him a new fleet oiler that is being built at General Dynamics NASSCO here in San Diego. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Ken Stone, San Diego County

The misadventures of old age

I was eating breakfast when she ran up to me excitedly saying, “I’m here.” I had no idea who she was. My bewildered expression must have shown. She exclaimed, “It’s me.” Well, that didn’t help, so I fished for clues. “How have you been?” I asked trying to figure out who she is, all to no avail. She finally left, telling me that she would see me later. As I sat in front of my unfinished bowl of oatmeal, I wondered: Who was that? [Natasha Josefowitz, Phd]

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Lifestyles, Natasha Josefowitz

MOPA displays works of Jewish photographers

The works of past and present Jewish photographers are on display at the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park. There are seven works by Bern Schwartz in Talking With a Friend: Portraits by Bern Schwartz and a single work by Jacob Manowitz, a student at Meadowbrook Middle School. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County

With whom and why did Jacob wrestle?

The text strongly suggests, and most commentators assert, that this man is an angel. That being the case, the YalKut Shimoni asks a seemingly important question: why? If Jacob is our Patriarch, God’s choice to inherit the covenant and be one of the founding fathers of Judaism, why would Jacob need to fight a divine being? The Yalkut Shimoni provides two complementary, albeit very different answers to that question. {Rabbi Joshua Dorsch]

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Jewish Religion

Talking about transgender teens

Blindspot Collective is a small troupe taking on big issues. They are currently touring Danny’s Story a “forum theatre” play based on the real experiences of transgender youth. The issue is important not just because it’s trending, but because this is a highly vulnerable population. One third have attempted suicide. “Danny” is a transgender boy who was born female. Kids have kept diaries forever, but today’s millennials post theirs online. Danny has a Youtube channel where he works through his transition. [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

A ‘Chanukah’ Party at the White House

I was given the high honor of being invited to this year’s Chanukah party at the White House. When a dear friend asked if I wanted to go I jumped at the chance. Why? It was not to see the holiday decorations (which made me feel as though I was in a winter wonderland), sample the lavish strictly kosher buffet (all I had was a couple of glasses of water), hear the Marine Corps band play Klezmer music (now THAT was otherworldly), see the historic displays of chinaware, meet the members of various branches of the armed services in their full dress regalia, or even to get the chance to meet the President, First Lady, Vice President, or other elected officials or dignitaries. [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]

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Jewish History, Jewish Religion, USA, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi

Davis, Mazon, seek food for military dependents

An officer of Mazon, the Jewish Response to Hunger, says while a House-Senate conference committee-approved  3.1 percent raise for military personnel is welcome, “it doesn’t make up for nearly 10 years that pay raises for military personnel did not keep up with inflation and cost of living increases. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, San Diego County, USA

Defining U.S. defense policies in the Middle East

There are, roughly speaking, two ways to use a large, modern military force. The first is to enforce international “rules of the road,” guaranteeing freedom of the seas or punishing gross violations of international law and treaties, or keeping the peace by backing up treaties with capabilities. This includes rescuing Kuwait from invasion and occupation by Saddam’s Iraq. It includes retaliating for Syria’s use of chemical weapons. The second way a large and capable country can use its forces is to try to settle other people’s problems. This could include the Vietnam War, 18 years of war in Afghanistan, or centuries-long animosities engendered by 400 years of Turkish anti-Arab colonialism called the Ottoman Empire. [Shoshana Bryen]

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Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA

The case for direct U.S.-Iran negotiations

There is no doubt that ending the impasse between the US and Iran would markedly reduce tension and mitigate some other conflicts in the region, as the discussion between the two sides, according to US sources, will not be limited to Iran’s nuclear program. The US will insist on discussing some of Iran’s nefarious activities, such as its support of jihadist groups and missile development, albeit on a separate track, with linkages to ensure that the benefits Iran acquires from a new nuclear deal are compensated by Tehran’s demonstrable actions as a constructive regional player. [Alon Ben-Meir, PhD]

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Alon Ben-Meir, Middle East, USA

Multiple-city itineraries can be exhausting

It seemed like a good idea at the time. A trip that would last just over three weeks, starting with a few days in Madrid, continuing with visits of several days each to cousins on the east coast of the USA. After that we were due to spend a few days with our son in Las Vegas, and conclude with a few more days in Rome. What a perfect combination of fun, family and art. Lots of art. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Travel and Food, USA