By Rabbi Joshua Dorsch SAN DIEGO — This week, in Parashat Balak, Bilam is sent by the Moabite King Balak to curse the Israelites. After a series of rather peculiar events, instead of cursing them, Bilam offers the Israelite camp what traditional biblical commentators consider to be a blessing. He says “How goodly are your […]
Weekly Torah portion: Balak Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy H. Applebaum SAN DIEGO — I used to think going gluten free was a silly fad. All of a sudden there seemed to be something wrong with bread, and I love a good piece of bread, who doesn’t? More than fifty years later, I can still practically taste the fresh rye bread my father
Being Jewish and having celiac disease Read More »
Science, Medicine, & EducationBy Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel SOLANA BEACH, California — On our approaching the theatre, a volunteer remarked, “Roll the snake eyes and you get a free drink,” an appropriate welcome indeed. Being re-introduced to Frank Loesser ‘s music and Damon Runyon’s short story characters was a lot of fun, laughs , fast moving scenes, actors
Play’s twist of dice comes up a winner Read More »
Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel, z"l, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & BroadcastBy Eric George Tauber SAN DIEGO — There’s been a lot of buzz about whether or not it’s racist to say, “Go back where you came from!” Most white conservatives are saying that it isn’t, while virtually everyone else is saying that it is. So here’s some food for thought: In my training as an actor,
Food for thought: Is it racist? Read More »
Eric George Tauber, Travel and Food, USANobel Prize winning chemist Roald Hoffmann was born this date (July 18) in 1937.
In honor of Roald Hoffmann Read More »
Travel and FoodBy Chris Jennewein Times of San Diego SAN DIEGO — San Diego’s celebration of its 250th anniversary this week was a welcome reminder that what brings Americans together in 2019 is stronger that what divides us. While Washington was reeling from President Trump’s suggestion that four Congresswomen from immigrant families to “go back” to the
250th celebration based on enduring American values Read More »
Chris Jennewein, San Diego CountyLean close, my friends. I’m telling you a story. By Eric George Tauber SAN DIEGO — From the get go, we are charmed into the magical storybook world of Pigpen Theatre’s The Tale of Despereaux playing at the Old Globe through Aug 11. With a tight ensemble, poetry, puppetry and song, it is a tale
Despereaux delights the child in all of us Read More »
Eric George Tauber, Theatre, Film & BroadcastBy Shoshana Bryen inFOCUS Quarterly WASHINGTON, D.C. —One of the few points of unbounded bipartisan agreement in Washington has for decades been that U.S.-Israel security cooperation is right, good, mutually beneficial and worth every nickel spent on it. It is well–grounded in facts and acknowledged benefits to both sides. Today, however, support for Israel is
How U.S. benefits with Israel as its strategic partner Read More »
Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USANumbers: Chapter 22, v. 2 through Chapter 25, v.9 (Balak) By Irvin H. Jacobs, MD, MPH, MFA LA JOLLA, California — The gist of this parsha is a story of an intended curse of the approaching Israelites by a fearful pagan ruler, through a seer named Balaam. (f1) Though there are lessons to be learned,
Notes on Torah reading for July 20, 2019 Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish ReligionBy Steve Kramer KFAR SAVA, Israel –I write articles like this one because popular columnists such as Peter Beinart have the reach and the power to misinform many readers. In a recent article on the traditionally leftist and Jewish Forward site, Beinart has again revealed himself as one who gets it all backwards. His pedigree
The Forward’s Peter Beinart’s backwards thinking Read More »
Middle East, Steve Kramer, USABy Barry Shaw NETANYA, Israel — The new radical force in American politics has come to be represented by what is called “The Squad, ”four new and radical Democratic congresswomen who have used their gender and their ethnicity as a battering ram to force themselves and their radical policies to the center of their party.
Campus radicals churning out radical U.S. politicians Read More »
Barry Shaw, Middle East, USA
By Caleb Tisdale MARRAKECH, Morocco — Attracting young people to radical, extremist ideas is not hard. Just ask the ISIS recruiters behind one of the most effective propaganda presences in the world. Extremist groups are so effective at recruitment because the target audience is easily identified and appealed to: those who are at the margins
Useful employment lessens radicals’ appeal to youth Read More »
InternationalA Racist True or False Quiz By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO−President Trump tweeted today, “I don’t have a Racist bone in my body!” True: He doesn’t have a racist bone in his body. He has a racist mind, mouth, and political instincts. As far as bones go, he does have racist skeletons in his closet.
Humoring the headlines: July 17, 2019 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & SatireBy Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin
Jewish views of Satan and demons Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion