By Steve Kramer KFAR SAVA, Israel — Just a week after writing critically about an article by a well-known journalist in an influential publication, I again feel the necessity to respond to the utter nonsense that these prominent “experts” espouse to their large readerships. Both Dana Milbank and Peter Beinart are Jewish. What “liberal” attitudes […]
Washington Post columnist Milbank misreads Omar Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USABy Dorothea Shefer-Vanson DOMEYROT, France — Travel broadens the mind, they say. However, one of the less delightful aspects of travel is making sure you haven’t forgotten anything. I’m not talking only about essentials such as passport, documents, etc., but rather about the myriad other objects you have to have about your person to cover
Bagging it all on a French vacation Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Travel and FoodBy Rabbi Joshua Dorsch SAN DIEGO — In our Torah portion this week, Pinchas, we read about the daughters of Tzlafchad. Tzlafchad had no sons, only daughters. According to biblical law, only sons could inherit from their fathers, which would have left his daughters with nothing. So they petitioned Moses for the rights to their
Weekly Torah portion: Pinchas Read More »
Jewish Religion, San Diego CountyProclaim Liberty Throughout the Land, The Hebrew Bible in the United States: A Sourcebook by M. Y. Soloveichik, M. Holbreich, J. Silver, and S. W. Halpern, editors, The Toby Press, New Milford CT, © 2019, ISBN 978-1-59264-465-0, p. 344, $29.95. By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California – Historians generally acknowledge the importance of the Protestant pulpit
How the Bible has been used in U.S. history Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish ReligionFolksinger/ composer Steve Goodman was born this date (July 25) in 1948. In this video clip, he sings one of his best known songs.
Remembering Steve Goodman Read More »
Travel and Food
By Eileen Wingard LA JOLLA, California — It must have been a challenging task for the La Jolla Music Society to find a successor for Summerfest’s former director, violinist Cho-Liang Lin. Taiwanese-born Lin was not only a brilliant violinist with a successful career as a performer, but he proved himself to be a gifted administrator
La Jolla Music Society sets innovative programs Read More »
Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego CountyBy Bruce F. Lowitt TAMPA, Florida — Here’s an astrological chart for my fellow sports fans. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Tampa residents, you’re living in the only major-league market to have never hosted an All-Star Game. If the Rays don’t get a new ballpark, Montreal will host another one before Tampa Bay does. VIRGO (Aug.
Folksinger/ composer Steve Goodman was born this date (July 25) in 1948. In this video clip, he sings one of his best known songs.
Remembering Steve Goodman Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin BOCA RATON, Florida — One of the fundamental principles of Orthodox Judaism is the belief that there is a Written and an Oral Torah, both of which were revealed by God to Moses. Quite a few Orthodox rabbis declare that if a Jew does not accept this teaching, the Jew is not
A novel opinion about the Oral Torah Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish ReligionRobert De Niro Replaces Robert Mueller as Do-Over Hearing By Lawrence Baron SAN DIEGO−Political pundits hoped that since most Americans have not read the Mueller Report, the only way to capture their attention was for Mueller to testify before Congress on television. Since Mueller turned out to be a rather bumbling witness, House Democrats have
Humoring the headlines: July 25, 2019 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Eric George Tauber SAN DIEGO — We’ve all had them come to our door, those clean-cut, baby-faced teenagers –who use the title “Elder” for some reason- in their starched, white, short-sleeved button down shirts and little black name tags. With wide eyes and toothy grins, they seem cheesily cheerful as they try to convert us.
‘Book of Mormon’ sings with wicked humor Read More »
Eric George Tauber, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
By Anya Karaman FES, Morocco — At a juvenile detention center in Fes, it feels like summer camp all year round. There, “maximum security” is an open, white building complex; “delinquents” are watering plants and planting seeds; and the only guard in sight, if you’re lucky, is a wild peacock patrolling the grounds. For
Juvenile detainees learn new skills in Morocco Read More »
International, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & EducationBy H. Applebaum SAN DIEGO — “What’s in a name? Shakespeare said, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Modern day propagandists understand the power of names. They would like to re-name Israel, “Palestine,” and Judea and Samaria, “the occupied territories.” But facts are facts. The city of Hebron is in the
What’s in a name? Plenty in Arab- Israeli context! Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East, USAPinhas Numbers: Chapter 25, verse 10 through Chapter 30, verse 1 By Irv Jacobs, M.D. LA JOLLA, California — This week I focus on the episode of the five daughters of their deceased father Zelophehad, who had no son to inherit his lands. (Numbers, Chapter 27, vv.1-7) The prevailing policy was that inheritance of land
Notes on Torah reading for July 27, 2019 Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion