The demonstrators, representing a variety of religious and ethnic groups in countries that have been wracked by sectarian fighting, are in agreement that the presence of Iran and its proxies in their homelands has deformed politics and economics alike. Young people want Iran out. [Shoshana Bryen]
Lebanese, Iraqis protest against Iran interference Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen
It is set in Portugal, where a large group of friends and family have come to enjoy a brief summer vacation in a wildly beautiful area of the turquoise sea, surrounded by the greenery of a densely packed forest. The woman who has apparently gotten them all together is Frankie, an international film star whose first and second husbands are part of the entourage, plus her adult son, plus her hairdresser and her hair-dresser’s boyfriend, plus people from the neighborhood who show up periodically with opinions and problems of their own. [Cynthia Citron]
‘Frankie’ an engrossing work of art Read More »
Cynthia Citron, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
Benny Gantz has received the mandate from the President, and is beginning consultations with just about everyone. He has 28 days, and the media is filled with contrary speculations. He’ll be starting with Netanyahu, but that’s not likely to produce anything. [Ira Sharkansky, PhD]
Now with mandate, Gantz meets with other parties Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East
My owner suffers from insomnia. It has become so bad that he has begun seeing a Behavioral Therapist to teach him proper sleep hygiene. I felt hurt that he didn’t consult with me first. After all, I sleep most of the day and never had a problem with falling asleep or waking up at night. Sometimes I sleep so deeply that I twitch my legs as if someone was rubbing my stomach. Since he hasn’t heeded my barks of sleeping advice, I am writing this column to share some of my tips. If it works, he can fire his therapist and give me bone. [Elona Baron as told to Laurie Baron]
Had he lived, today, Monday October 28th, would have been Jonas Salk’s 105th birthday. Last night, an audience of mostly senior citizens remembered and appreciated the enormity of the contribution that he made to world health by developing the polio vaccine. And, indirectly, the man who was the speaker at Tifereth Israel Synagogue—Salk’s son, Dr. Peter Salk—played an important role in that drama while he was still a child.[Donald H. Harrison]
The legacy of Dr. Jonas Salk Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, San Diego Calendar, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
It’s not widely known, but President Trump has become something of a Biblical scholar…or, at least, a fan. His affection started when daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared began reading him Torah stories at bedtime to help him sleep. [Satire by Joel H. Cohen]
President Trump, a Torah scholar? Read More »
Joel H. Cohen, Trivia, Humor & Satire
With Jews around the world scheduled to read the story of Noah’s Ark next Saturday, the Abraham Ratner Torah School at Tifereth Israel Synagogue held a blessing for the animals in a brief outdoor ceremony on Sunday. Rabbi Joshua Dorsch, with arms raised, blessed about a dozen dogs and one rabbit that were brought by congregants of the Conservative shul. [Donald H. Harrison]
Animals receive a blessing at Tifereth Israel Synagogue Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, The World We Share, Travel and Food, USA
According to the strategic plan, The Jewish Agency will work to ensure the safety of Jewish communities around the world and fight vigorously against the manifestations of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism that reached new heights in recent years. In addition, The Jewish Agency will focus on encouraging Aliyah and assist those who make Aliyah of-choice, while also conducting clandestine emergency Aliyah operations. Over the next decade, The Jewish Agency will also engage in mending the rifts between the Jewish people by reinforcing the affinity of world Jews towards each other and the State of Israel, while building a two-way bridge between world Jewry and Israel. [Jewish Agency for Israel]
Jewish Agency tells its strategic plan Read More »
International, Middle East, USA
The general scholarly and rabbinical view is that the Oral Torah blossomed during the Second Temple period, when Judeans, as Jews were called at that time, who had returned from the Babylonian exile were faced with new problems that the Torah did not address and others that were addressed but needed updating to fit the situations they found. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
What is the origin of the Oral Torah? Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish Religion
From an initial ten-acre plot of garlic in 1956, the family has expanded its holdings to 6,000 acres throughout central California. The company, also known as Christopher Ranch, harvests approximately 100 million pounds of garlic annually, which translates into the production of approximately one billion garlic bulbs every year. The company has a workforce of 1,000 permanent employees, and upwards of 2,000 employees who are brought in for the harvest season under a federal program with Mexico. [Donald H. Harrison]
Processing a billion garlic bulbs a year Read More »
Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, Travel and Food, USA
Professor Lisa Levin of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla will be awarded the Prince Albert I Grand Medal for science on Nov. 7 in Monaco by Prince Albert II, the principality’s reigning monarch, in a ceremony that also will honor former United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. [Donald H. Harrison]
Scripps oceanographer’s date with a prince Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, The World We Share, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
Warren sounded as if she was threatening Israel to withhold aid if it refused to halt settlement construction if she is elected president. Pointing to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s campaign pledges, Warren inflamed an already volatile issue with these words: “Right now, Netanyahu says he is going to take Israel in a direction of increasing settlements…It is the official policy of the United States of America to support a two-state solution, and if is moving in the opposite direction, then everything is on the table.” She added with the effect of emphasis: “Everything is on the table.” [Bruce S. Ticker]
Elizabeth Warren antagonizes Jewish voters Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Middle East, USA
[Satire}: What President Trump really was saying about Syria: The government of Turkey has informed my administration that they would be stopping their offensive in Syria, and making the ceasefire permanent. And it will indeed be permanent until Turkey expands farther in Syria. [Lawrence Baron, PhD]
Appeasement in our time Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Ferris told San Diego Jewish World that only 25 of the 54 units had been occupied, making unprofitable the facility designed under auspices of the San Diego Hebrew Home to accommodate Jewish religious practices. She said surveys of the Jewish community indicated that one of the problems might have been that the residential facility had only independent living units, rather than a mix of units such as there is at the 250-unit Seacrest Village Retirement Community in Encinitas. [Donald H. Harrison]
More details on sale of Seacrest’s Nellie Cohn Residence Read More »
Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, The World We Share, Travel and Food