Byliners

Miracles of Oil Happened Several Times in Jewish Religious History

There are two miracles in the story of Chanukah, Rebbetzin Chaya Andrusier of Chabad of East County stated during a “Torah and Tea” discussion on Thursday, Dec. 5.  The first was the military victory of the Maccabees who gathered up volunteers to defeat against the Syrian Greeks who wished to impose their Hellenist religion on the Jews. [Cailin Acosta]

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Cailin Acosta, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Chanukah, Hannukah, Hanukah, Hanukka, Hanuka

Chanukah, Hannukah, Hanukah, Hanukka, Hanuka. Hmm, so many ways the holiday is spelled. Personally, I like the spelling of Chanukah. Some of my non-Jewish friends would pronounce the “ch” sound phonetically saying cha-nukah and I would giggle. When my 12-year-old twins were learning to spell and read they would ask why there is a “ch” but is pronounced as a “huh.” [Cailin Acosta]

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Antisemitism, Cailin Acosta, Israel, Jewish Religion, News Media, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Stand Up Comedy Features TV Weatherman and New York ‘Yenta’

What does a Southern California weatherman need to know about meteorology? Apparently, that’s the wrong question. The correct question is who does an aspiring weatherman need to know. The answer to this query was discovered by stand up comedian, Fritz Coleman in 1982. [Eva Trieger]

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California, Eva Trieger, News Media, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Trivia, Humor & Satire

OpEd: Incoming Trump Administration to Fight Antisemitism and Illegal Activities against Israel

Pam Bondi is off to a promising start as President-elect Donald J. Trump’s designated nominee for attorney general. The former Florida attorney general urged the expulsion of noncitizens who support Hamas and other terrorist groups. [Bruce S. Ticker]

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Antisemitism, Bruce Ticker, Israel, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Maybe it’s Because I’m a Londoner…

Spending a week in London in mid-November is not really a good idea for someone who has become used to the Mediterranean climate of Israel, but the arrival there of our son from Las Vegas proved an overriding attraction, so we went. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Israel, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food

The Netherlands Faces Antisemitic Echoes of its Nazi Occupation

While she has never felt the need in the past to warn her children about Jodenhaat (hate against Jews), Femmetje now realizes that they are discovering it themselves. Her oldest daughter received threatening remarks after writing about the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre and its consequences. [Dorian de Wind]

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Antisemitism, Dorian de Wind, International, Israel, Jewish History, The Moderate Voice

‘The ABC’s of the World’s Religions’ Shows Their Similarities

With the author having grown up in western Christianity and the illustrator having experienced eastern religions, their collaboration, written in couplets on left-facing pages and with explanatory information on right-facing pages, uses the alphabet as a teaching vehicle. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Interfaith Owners of Art Store Tell Their Chanukah/ Christmas Customs

On the counter was a menorah with the shamash and the first night’s candle placed in their holders. Behind the menorah was a small pine tree with decorations. In an interfaith marriage like mine, the Oserins this year will have both a chanukiah and a Christmas tree at home.  The first night of Chanukah will coincide with Christmas. [Cailin Acosta]

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Cailin Acosta, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Jewish Biography: Otto Weininger: A Jewish Antisemite

Sex and Character asserts that all human beings are composed of a mixture of masculine and feminine matter. “Masculine” is active, productive, conscious, moral and logical, while ‘feminine’ is passive, unproductive, unconscious, amoral and illogical. In this book, Weininger emerges not only as a misogynist but also as an antisemite. [Alex Gordon]

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Alex Gordon, Antisemitism, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors