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
The current holiday called Shavuot is not a biblical holiday. No Jewish holiday is practiced today as the Bible mandates. Shavuot, called Pentecost in English, is a good example. The current observance of the holiday has no relationship to its biblical ancestor and doesn’t even occur at the same time. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Secrets of Shavuot Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors
The trauma remained with her, influencing the rest of her life. Working as a translator of Polish, Yiddish, and Russian at the Bund offices, she was exposed to frequent reports of antisemitic incidents in Poland, heightening her sense of danger. She took comfort in the strength of her boss at the Bund, Leopold. [Donald H. Harrison]
A Jewish Immigrant Mother’s Tale Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Staff and Bylined Contributors
A Jewish man named Hernando Alonso holds what distinction in Mexico? [Mark D. Zimmerman]
Jewish Trivia Quiz: Mexico Read More »
International, Jewish History, Mark D. Zimmerman, Staff and Bylined Contributors
Pasternak’s feelings about Jews and Jewry in the first 22 years of his life are ̶ negative: humiliation, oppression, pogroms. A different vision of the Jewish problem was revealed to him in Marburg. Pasternak encountered Jewish thinking for the first time in his life: Cohen’s teachings were based on the ethics of Judaism. Plagued by Jewish complexes in Russia, he was apparently shocked by the position of the Jewish thinker and rejected Cohen’s offer to continue his philosophical studies. [Alex Gordon]
Jewish Biography: Boris Pasternak Avoided, Denied, His Jewishness Read More »
Alex Gordon, Antisemitism, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors
Mom (Lesa Sailors) has been a widow for two years, and though she loved her husband, has found new facets and interests and is allowing herself to live a more fully expressed life, which is equal parts unexpected and devastating to her daughter, Ellie. [Eva Trieger]
In This Play, Daughter is Overbearing, Not Trusting of Mother’s Choices Read More »
Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast“It’s the final countdown” … of counting the Omer and the celebration of Shavuot starting Tuesday, June 11! This is a busy week around the area with many celebrations for Shavuot but also the last day of school for those in the San Diego Unified School District. A well-deserved break “from the books” should be celebrated with some cheesecake or cooling off with some ice cream, am I right? [Cailin Acosta]
Count Down to Shavuot Read More »
Cailin Acosta, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire
The joke is that my wife has been an unflagging downsizer, in resisting my acquiring new books, but gifts may be different. I thanked my friend, “Never seen Karen so pleased to get a book in an age where she is trying to get them out of the house.” [Oliver B. Pollak]
‘101 Treasures’ from Israel Library is also a Treasure for Home Collections Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Oliver Pollak, Staff and Bylined Contributors
The Rat’s Dilemma takes only minutes but the emotions it stirred up were unbelievable. Perhaps because it took place during the Holocaust or that it’s in Hebrew, or maybe because we connect to losing someone, or perhaps all things combined. Whatever it is, filmmaker Meningher did a phenomenal job with this creation. [Miriam Gershenson]
The Power of Science Fiction at the Comic-Con Museum Read More »
Albert Kreimerman, Holocaust, Israel, Miriam Gershenson, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA
It was a surreal parallel of reality, courage, and life that refused to give up. The mayors of Beit She’an, Kiryat Shemona, Beit Jann, and the Council Rep from the Golan Regional Council came to join us. Each of their communities is under attack by Hezbollah. Each of their communities has a Lion. Each of their communities determinedly endures. [Jerry Klinger]
The Lion’s Trail: Beit She’an Read More »
Israel, Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors
The San Diego County Fair is getting ready to open its gates. Get ready for all the crowds and summertime fun. Does anyone still call it the Del Mar Fair, or is it just me? [Cailin Acosta]
Jewish Groups Head to San Diego County Fair Read More »
Business & Finance, Cailin Acosta, Israel, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA
He has put together a joint Hebrew and Gregorian calendar and planner, in which Jewish and American holidays are listed on a day-by-day basis along with listings of candle lighting times for the start of Shabbats and Jewish holidays as well as what Torah portions will be read in synagogues around the world on each Saturday. [Donald H. Harrison]
Combined American and Hebrew Calendar Book Makes Planning Easy Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Fred Reiss, EdD, Israel, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
Why didn’t I become a socialist? Soviet socialism destroyed my family and I could not love it. But it turned out that I disliked socialism for the same reason I did not become a musician: my aunt’s piano also left Kiev. Instead of using my absolute musical ear for music, I had to use it to listen to the atonal music of wailing, to the unmelodic moans and gloomy chords of the lamentations of the Soviet Jews. [Alex Gordon]
OpEd: The ‘Music’ of Socialism Read More »
Alex Gordon, Antisemitism, International, Israel, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors
In 1942, when Alfred was 8 and Herbert was 5, their parents arranged for the boys to be sent to a summer camp operated by a Jewish rescue organization. Much to the boys’ distress, their safety-minded parents had them stay much longer than the summer. While they were gone, their father, who had been helping the French Resistance, was arrested by the Vichy government. [Donald H. Harrison]
Highly Readable Holocaust Memoir Carefully Delineates Sources Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
McClure and Lakis are real life husband and wife. As he quipped, the secret to their successful marriage is that they’ve been getting divorced every night for six years. [Sandi Masori]
Many Laughs Per Minute at ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ Read More »
Sandi Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast