Jewish biography: Edmund Husserl, founder of Phenomenology

In 1886, two years after his father’s death, Husserl, along with his fiancée, also a Jew, Malvine Charlotte Steinschneider, converted to Protestantism. The wedding on August 6, 1887, took place in the Evangelical Church of Vienna. The purpose of converting to Lutheranism was to avoid discrimination in his academic career. (Alex Gordon)

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Alex Gordon, Antisemitism, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Tradition, tradition: Each generation gets to add an ingredient to the recipe for stuffed cabbage rolls

A family tradition invites a representative of each generation to add her own touch to the recipe. Greatgrandma (Nana) added raisins to the mixture; grandma (Bubbe) added diced onions; Stella’s mother (Mama)added crushed garlic; and after much consideration, Stella chose to add a drizzle of honey. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Fiction, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

Jewsplaining antisemitism to antisemites

While you are clearly very good at refocusing your own demons, you are pretty terrible in your methods of attack. As America’s Rebbitzman, I feel obligated to help you be a better antisemite. This isn’t for your benefit, mind you, it’s for the rest of us. If we are forced to constantly engage with you, we want it to be a challenge. (Joshua Kail)

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Antisemitism, Israel, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Ali Viterbi brings a complicated history to life in ‘Budapest, Budapest’

Presented in a staged reading at New Village Arts, the show tells the stories of Hannah Senesh and Rudolf Kastner, two Hungarian Jews remembered very differently by history. [Sandi Masori]

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Holocaust, International, Jewish History, San Diego County, Sandi Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Recipients of legacy franchises such as Star Trek should render honor to those who came before

Asked which Roddenberry principle should be carried into the franchise’s next 60 years, Takei chose IDIC, Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations. He explained that diversity includes the histories people carry, the ways they respond, and what they learn from one another. (Shor M. Masori)

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Business & Finance, Jewish Celebrities, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Shor M. Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Parsha Eikev: In Jewish tradition, words have a life of their own

Words in Jewish tradition are never merely sounds. They have weight, texture, and a kind of soul of their own. Once released, they do not simply vanish into the air; they disclose what is hidden in the human heart and then take on a life of their own. This week’s parsha returns to that truth with particular force. (Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel)

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Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Today’s Jewish birthday: B. J. Novak

B. J. Novak (July 31, 1979) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, author, and producer. He gained traction as a comedian during the early 2000s before becoming an actor for the MTV reality prank show Punk’d (2003). Novak had his breakout with a main role as Ryan Howard on seasons 1–8 of the NBC mockumentary sitcom The Office (2005–2013). [Wikipedia]

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Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia

PowPac slays monsters in memory of a sister

Despite my paucity of understanding gaming, I did understand the director’s message about the “weird, nerdy, overly imaginative” teens who found comfort in the fantasy game, and along the way, discovered a peer group. I also gleaned how Agnes Evans (Dr. Heather Warren) entered her deceased sister’s world to better understand who Tilly was. [Eva Trieger]

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Eva Trieger, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast