Helping newcomers fit into the group

Most of us want to belong—to be a part of a group. We need to be accepted. We want to be liked, respected, paid attention to, even loved. We want to be heard as well as seen, and we want to fit in.

Humans are social animals. Our language expresses our deep concerns with fitting in. We attach a value to belonging. We talk about team spirit, group dynamics, being “in or out.” (To read more, please click on headline.)

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Lifestyles, Natasha Josefowitz

Hounding the headlines: October 4, 2019

Until I was adopted by the Barons, I didn’t know much about cats.  To be sure, when I was on the street, I saw more of them than stray dogs.  While I couldn’t wait to find a home, the cats who prided themselves on being feral relished their freedom.  The Barons owned two cats, both of whom ignore me.  Their vacant stares can only be described as catatonic. (To read more, please click on headline.)

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Lawrence Baron, Lifestyles, The World We Share

Repercussions of Israel’s fractured democracy

Relative to most parliamentary (particularly West European) democracies, Israel has a larger number of parties which has only grown over the years, each vying for the biggest representation in the Israeli parliament.

There are two major reasons behind the vast number of political parties. The Jews who immigrated to Israel from nearly 120 different countries came with different cultural, political, and ideological backgrounds – there were liberals, conservatives, socialists, and even communists. (To read more, please click on headline.)

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Alon Ben-Meir, Middle East

Our Shtetl San Diego County: October 3, 2019

Items in today’s column include: *SDMA exhibit on women of abstract impressionism includes some Jewish artists *UC San Diego’s economic impact *Political Bytes *Coming Our Way By Donald H. Harrison SDMA exhibit on women of abstract impressionism includes some Jewish artists SAN DIEGO — Jewish artists Lee Krasner and Helen Frankenthaler and another artist of

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Donald H. Harrison, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Travel and Food

Anastasia fills our dreams

Anastasia was the youngest daughter of the last Czar, Nikolai II. As a child, Anastasia’s life was a dream filled with ballet and ball gowns, caviar and champagne. But you can safely sit on a powder keg for only so long….

In 1917, the Romanov family was imprisoned and later executed by firing squad. …

Rumors spread like a wildfire that Anastasia, the youngest daughter, somehow escaped the carnage and survived. The Dowager Empress, living in Paris, offers a handsome reward to anyone who can produce her living granddaughter. This inspires two con artists, Vlad and Dmitry, to come up with a plan. (To read more, please click on the headline.)

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

Impeachment unlikely to affect Democratic control of the House

Pundits are questioning if the impeachment inquiry conducted by the House of Representatives will cost Democrats their majority in the House. What they overlook is the prospect that some Republicans may lose their jobs – like Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick who represents Bucks County and a sliver of Montgomery County in southeastern Pennsylvania. (To read more, please click on the headline)

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Bruce Ticker, USA

Audience interacts with Felder’s ‘Monsieur Chopin’

The genius of Hershey Felder was again on display in his one-man show, Monsieur Chopin, now extended until October 6 in the Lyceum Space. This time, the actor-pianist not only portrayed Fryderyk Chopin conducting a masterclass in his Parisian salon, but also entertaining questions from his students, the audience, as an intrinsic part of the play. (To read more, please click on headline)

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Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Yom Kippur and What the Romans Destroyed

Like Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur does not exist in the Bible. It replaces another day known as Yom Hakippurim. Yom Kippur is singular, “day of atonement,” while Yom Hakippurim is plural, “day of atonements.” The biblical Yom Hakippurim is mentioned in Leviticus 16:29–31, 23:27–32, and Numbers 29:7–11. No work was permitted on this day, special sacrifices were offered, and the Israelites were obliged to te’anu et nafshoteikhem. This  is improperly translated as “you must afflict your souls.” (To read more, please click on the headline.)

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Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion