The Matzo Chronicles: My Fountain of Youth … Time with Young People

With apologies to Ponce de Leon and plastic surgeons, I have discovered the real Fountain of Youth. It’s spending time with young people. I made this fortuitous discovery just the other day as I peered into the glowing, unlined face of a student I was working with. Actually two things hit me. The first was that I was 50 years her senior! Five-zero. A half a century. Yikes! [Karen Galatz]

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Karen Galatz, Lifestyles, News Media, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Israeli Scholar Explains Religious Conflicts Between Jews and Muslims

Kedar emphasized that Islam views Judaism as having been nullified twice—first by Christianity and then by Islam itself. This ideological framework, Kedar argued, underpins much of the hostility toward Israel and the Jewish people in the Middle East today. According to this belief, the existence of Jews with their own land, military, and rights is an incomprehensible anomaly to the Islamic world. [Miriam Gershenson]

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Antisemitism, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Miriam Gershenson, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors

The Jewish Citizen: ICC Arrest Warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant Prompt Strong Reactions

Jewish communal reactions came fast and furious on Thursday to the International Criminal Court’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on suspicion of war crimes. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Campaign Begins in S.D.’s Jewish Community to Generate Awareness of Sex Abuse

Leaders of Za’akah, a New York-based organization fighting sexual abuse in Jewish communities, are working with a pair of San Diego County residents–Alex Kaufman, a Rancho Santa Fe attorney, and Anne Arenson-Winter, a La Jolla psychologist–to organize a local campaign. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Shanda File, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

OpEd: Standing Together Through It All

Then there are the times when you are trying to get into a parking garage and the pro-Palestinians surrounding your vehicle are bashing their fists on your car doors, banging on your car window, chopping huge protest signs on your hood, and then laying it on your windshield so you cannot see to drive forward. [Barrett Holman Leak]

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Antisemitism, Barrett Holman Leak, Israel, Lifestyles, Middle East, Opinion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Goldie Hawn

Courtesy of Wikipedia Goldie Hawn (November 21, 1945) is an American actress. She rose to fame on the NBC sketch comedy program Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In (1968–1970), before going on to receive the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Cactus Flower (1969). Hawn appeared in such films as There’s a Girl in My Soup (1970), Butterflies Are Free (1972), The Sugarland Express (1974), Shampoo (1975), Foul

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Jewish Celebrities, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia

Israeli Tells of Rallying Jews in New York and New Jersey Despite Pro-Palestinian Protests

I received a phone call from the president of the Young Israel of Staten Island, who informed me that Palestinian supporters planned to demonstrate outside the shul during our event. When I offered to cancel, he firmly declined and explained that the shul’s leadership decided to run a gathering to “express our unwavering support for Israel and our gratitude to the United States.” [Gedaliah Borvick]

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Gedaliah Borvick, Israel, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Mitzvot and Kindness Mark Visit to a Recycling Center

As I took my bottles and cans to EDCO Recycle this morning, I reflected that the “haul” used to be filled with Diet Coke cans. However, years ago, I switched to SodaStream, an Israeli product that carbonates your water.  I don’t add any syrups.  I simply drink fizzy water.  The volume of my recycling has decreased, but I feel, nevertheless, that I am dong my part for the environment. [Cailin Acosta]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Cailin Acosta, Israel, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

Classic Debates in Israel’s Parliament

I found myself involved in the translation of five of the six volumes of Major Knesset Debates, 1948–1981, edited by former Clerk of the Knesset, Netanel Lorch. This project, which occupied me for several years, gave me a unique insight into the workings of the Knesset and the nature of the debates held there as well as of the various individuals (i.e., politicians) who participated in those debates. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Israel, Staff and Bylined Contributors