By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM — Is it possible that the U.S. president, considered by many to be more supportive of Israel than any of his predecessors, uses the terminology of anti-Semites? Have his Jewish daughter and her family not sensitized him to the fact that to question the loyalty of Jews has been the
Worry over U.S. – Israel relations after Bibi, after Trump Read More »
Middle East, USA
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – As Arlene Bernstein became less and less “observant”of halacha in her religious practice, she became more and more deeply involved in Jewish life. Today she is a cantor as well as a rabbi. And for the next year, she is serving as the Acting Senior Rabbi of the
Rabbi/ Cantor Arlene Bernstein’s spiritual journey Read More »
Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel, z"l, Donald H. Harrison, Eileen Wingard, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA
Torah parsha Ekev, Deuteronomy Chapters 7:12–11:25 By Irv Jacobs, MD LA JOLLA, California — In this week’s parsha, I focus on several references to medical conditions in ancient times, both real and metaphoric. (I.) Medical Conditions: Ch. 7: vv. 14-15 “You shall be blessed above all other peoples:there shall be no sterile male or female
Notes on Torah reading for August 24, 2019 Read More »
Irv Jacobs, MD, Jewish Religion
By Donald H. Harrison CHULA VISTA, California – After President Donald Trump’s administration began enforcing its “Remain in Mexico” policy for asylum seekers, the flow of migrants arriving at the Greyhound Bus Station in downtown San Diego was reduced to a trickle. This posed a big question – what to do now? — for the
‘Bus Station Project’ migrates across the border Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Mimi Pollack, San Diego County, USA
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — American Jewish organizations were generally critical of President Donald Trump’s comment suggesting that given some of the pro-Palestinian sentiment in the Democratic party activists, Jews who vote for Democrats are either ignorant or disloyal. In alphabetical order, here are some of the commentaries that have been sent to
Jewish groups generally pan Trump’s loyalty comment Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, USA
By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rashida Tlaib was in tears over the conditions in which her grandmother lives in the West Bank, and furious that her mother, an American citizen, was forced to go through a “checkpoint” from Israel once in order to visit her. “As a young girl, visiting Palestine to see my
Some facts that may upset Rashida Tlaib Read More »
Jewish History, Middle East, Shoshana Bryen, USA
-Last in a series- By Nicole Nocon COTTBUS, Germany — When my friend Steven Schindler of San Diego first asked me if we should bring The Butterfly Project to my daughter’s school in Cottbus, Germany, I would never have dreamt of what this initiative would set in motion. Steven is the son of the Holocaust
Butterfly Project stirs hope, remembrance Read More »
International, Jewish History, San Diego County, USANobel Prize winning economist Leonid Hurwicz was born this day (August 21) in 1917.
Remembering Leonid Hurwicz Read More »
Jewish History, Science, Medicine, & Education
The Jest Is Commentary By Laurie Baron SAN DIEGO−Politicians have made insane remarks in the past week. In a just world, their stupidity automatically would elicit these comments. Iowa Congressman Steve King: “What if we went back through all the family trees and just pulled those people out that were products of rape and incest?
Humoring the headlines: August 21, 2019 Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Parasha Eikev By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D. SAN DIEGO — We’ve all heard inspirational messages, stories that lead to a few moments of emotional response. But for a story to lead to lasting impact, to change the course of our behavior, we must see that story as connecting to the very foundation of our life’s purpose,
D’var Torah for Shabbat, August 24, 2019 Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael MantellScreenwriter Walter Bernstein was born this day (August 20) in 1919.
Happy 100th birthday Walter Bernstein Read More »
Jewish History, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
How do we make the Holocaust accessible to students? What’s at stake, for them, for us, for the world? But equally important, what can we learn from working with one another? – Sondra Perl -Second in a series- By Maren Oom Galarpe SAN DIEGO — As an arts educator and perpetual student of life, I
From swastikas to butterflies Read More »
International, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA
By H. Applebaum SAN DIEGO — When I visited Israel as a young woman, in 1972, I went on a tour with Henri, a leader of the moshav that was at the foot of the Golan Heights. He explained how the Syrians shelled Israeli farmers as they worked in the fields. Farm workers were constantly
I saw grapes, not guns on the Golan Read More »
Middle EastBy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM — There is no doubt that we are living on the edge. Palestinians, Hizbollah, Iran, and no shortage of Europeans and Americans, including some Jews are dreaming of ending the Israeli existence. But how bad is it? In recent years, around 20 deaths per annum from terror. And about 300 from
Life in Israel is good, despite tension and headlines Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East