Below are the names of writers who are currently active. For others, living and deceased, please type their name into the search box above the masthead on our home page, www.sdjewishworld.com
Why do we eat apples and honey during the High Holidays? This was the fruit that was most available in many parts of the world. The combination has been used for centuries to wish everyone a sweet New Year. [Cailin Acosta]
Why Apples and Honey are Eaten at Rosh Hashanah Read More »
Cailin Acosta, Jewish Religion, Obituaries & memorials, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Two reserve Israel Defense Force officers, speaking for themselves only, are touring the United States discussing the statuses of the military war and the propaganda war against Israel. Maj. Ilan Shulman discussed Israel’s precarious military and strategic situation, and Lt. Col. Amit Grinfeld described Palestinian techniques in creating blatantly false propaganda against Israel. [Donald H. Harrison]
Reserve IDF Officers, Speaking for Themselves, Describe Israel’s Situation Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Fred Kropveld, Israel, Jewish History, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
A week after October 7th, my family and I went to the wedding of the daughter of some of our closest friends, whom we have known for a quarter of a century. I was exhausted and distracted and not sure I felt ready for such a joyful simcha. [Heidi Gantwerk]
Finding Moments of Joy to Pierce the Sadness Read More »
Heidi Gantwerk, Israel, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
After living my whole life in Israel, where I thought of myself as just a person—an Israeli among Israelis, but just a human like everyone else—I was suddenly confronted with a question on the U.S. immigration form that stopped me in my tracks: Race. [Shahar Masori]
An Israeli-American Perspective: A Question of Race Read More »
Israel, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Shahar Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
As a Jewish visitor to Maine, I am anxious to seek ways to divest from the city of Portland since its City Council voted to divest from up to 85 companies conducting business with Israel. We must wonder how this measure will harm Israel because Portland does not currently hold investments in even one of these companies. [Bruce S. Ticker]
OpEd: Let’s Not Help Portland, Maine’s Economy Following its Anti-Israel Resolution Read More »
Bruce Ticker, Business & Finance, Israel, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
One choice, he told an audience at Tifereth Israel Synagogue on Wednesday evening, Sept. 12, is to continue its war with the Palestinians. “It means that it (Israel) will become a pariah state and in the long term, perhaps also an apartheid state,” he said. “It will lose what is left of its authority in the Jewish world. What’s more, it means giving up on the original Zionist dream of creating a safe haven for Jews.” [Donald H. Harrison]
A Profound Choice Faces Israel, Visiting Israeli Professor Declares Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Israel, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined ContributorsWhy is Rosh Hashanah so “late” this year? I have many memories of Rosh Hashanah occurring around going back-to-school and the end of summer. But some years it starts in October. Some Jewish years are leap years, in which an entire extra month is added to the calendar. This can result in certain Jewish holidays coming much later than in non-leap years. [Cailin Acosta]
Leap Year ‘Delays’ Rosh Hashanah Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Cailin Acosta, Israel, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Technology, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
Life in Israel is anything but sweet at the moment, with a difficult political situation, war in Gaza, over one hundred hostages still being held by Hamas and the heat of high summer. And yet, coming back to our home after being away for over a month was sweet and enjoyable. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]
Return to Israel after a Vacation a Pleasure Despite All Read More »
Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Israel, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food
In our world today, there’s a pressing need for greater compassion and empathy. Many are suffering silently, and it’s crucial that we learn to listen with open hearts and minds. Leave it to the wisdom of the Torah, of Hashem, to guide us to do so, with the mitzvah of sending away a mother bird before taking her eggs or young. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
Parsha Ki Teitzei: Mother Bird’s Feelings are a Jewish Concern Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, Staff and Bylined Contributors
Now some folks feel that politics is no laughing matter. Our leaders must be smart, charismatic, trustworthy and cool under pressure. There is little room for levity or indecisiveness. Luckily for San Diego audiences, PowPac Theatre believes the polar opposite. Directed by Melissa Malloy, The Outsider provides a delicious comic relief to the tug-of-war we’ve been watching in this election year. [Eva Trieger]
Play Adds Much Needed Laughter to Political Season Read More »
Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
The ceremony was held at the 9-11 Living Memorial where the names of all 2,977 of those victims are permanently engraved in an amphitheater dominated by a large empty tomb topped by a sculpted American flag with a representation of a flame at its tip. [Donald H. Harrison]
Sept. 11 Memorial in Jerusalem Conflated with Oct. 7th Remembrance Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
He entered the debate, like he was alone on stage.
His scowl was fixed upon his face, to indicate his rage.
She didn’t even hesitate to give his hand a shake.
Though his minions believe all of his claims … [Laurie Baron]
Satire: He’s So Vain (Melody: You’re So Vain) Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA
Presidential opponents Donald Trump and Kamala Harris clashed on numerous topics during their 90-minute televised debate in Philadelphia, but perhaps most vociferously about the Israel-Hamas War and the Russia-Ukraine War. It started when ABC reporter Linsey Davis posed a question to Vice President Harris about how she would go about breaking the “stalemate” in Gaza. [Donald H. Harrison]
Israel, Gaza, Russia, Ukraine Prompt Vociferous Trump-Harris Exchange Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA
Older readers may recall Sybil, a 1973 book about the life of a woman with multiple personalities. Suffice it to say that the subject of that book has nothing on Dennis Peters, the one-man phenom who portrays Sam and the other 30 characters in Scripps Ranch Theatre’s “Fully Committed. ” [Eva Trieger]
An Actor of Many Voices Stars in ‘Fully Committed’ at Scripps Ranch Theatre Read More »
Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast