Books, Poetry & Short Stories

To help another, reduce yourself

The Psychology of Tzimtzum: Self, Others and God by Mordechai Rotenberg, Maggid Books, New Milford, CT, ©2015, ISBN 978-1-59264-384-4, p. 109, plus appendices, $24.95 By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California – The sixteenth century Safed mystics employed the Hebrew word Tzimtzum, meaning contraction, to answer the question: why is there something, rather than nothing. If God’s presence […]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Fred Reiss, EdD

Down Under author produces a cli-fi novel

By Dan Bloom CHIAYI CITY, Taiwan –If there’s one continent on Earth where the twin impacts of global warming and climate change are very much on the minds of the people who live there, it’s Australia. It’s doesn’t help that the Australian government is lagging behind on legislating progressive climate change policies, but there’s something about

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, The World We Share

An adventure story that teaches code messaging

The Secret Code Menace by Pamela Cosman; Ransom Publishing Ltd; United Kingdom; (c) 2016; ISBN 978 178127 976 2; 200 pages. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — Author Pamela Cosman teaches electrical and computer engineering  at the University of California San Diego.  But in The Secret Code Menace, Cosman, a member of San Diego’s

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Science, Medicine, & Education

Bamberger book is author’s ‘obsession’

Jewish historian pens bio of ‘seminal figure’ of the 20th century Linda Forgosh holds a copy of her new book, Louis Bamberger: Department Store Innovator and Philanthropist. Photo by Robert Wiener Louis Bamberger, center, with shovel, at the ground breaking of The Newark Museum in 1930. Photos courtesy Jewish Historical Society of New Jersey A

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, USA

‘Fun and Games’: Identity crises abound

Fun & Games by David Michael Slater; Zharmae Publishing, La Mesa, California © 2016; ISBN 978-1-943549-58-0; 246 pages. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO –Jonathan Schwartz has a common Jewish name and, one might think, a not uncommon adolescence as he and his friends binge drink and talk about hoped-for sexual encounters with hot girls.

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison

Internet surprise: I’m quoted by a Christian philosopher

By Sheila Orysiek SAN DIEGO–Every once in a while it is interesting to type one’s name into Google and see what comes up.  It almost never fails to be amusing and upon occasion perplexing as well.   On one such recent excursion I came across an item which caught my eye: “Moral Issues and Christian Responses:

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion

Student poets featured at LFJCC Astor Library

By Eileen Wingard LA JOLLA, California — Five Soille Hebrew Day School students and one San Diego City Schools Middle School student presented their poetry at the final Jewish Poets- Jewish Voices eighth season’s concluding event. Rabbi Meir Cohen, principal of the Soille Hebrew Day School, was present to enjoy listening to his young students read their

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Eileen Wingard

‘Creation’s First Light’ introduces Torah, spirituality

Creation’s First Light by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, illustrated by Joani Rothenberg; © 2013 IBJ Book Publishing; ISBN 978-10934922-94-1; 32 pages. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – This might be subtitled “A Child’s Guide to Torah and Spirituality.”  Rabbi Sasso begins with a paraphrase of God’s first command, “Let There Be Light” and subsequently explains

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion