Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi

Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel

Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel is spiritual leader of Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista, California.

His books, available on Amazon, include:

Historic question: Is turkey really kosher?

By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — The question of turkey’s status as a permitted bird is a topic that comes up every Thanksgiving holiday season. Nevertheless, many Orthodox Jews I personally know will never eat turkey since there is no tradition permitting it. Clearly, the Torah does not mention turkey at all […]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, The World We Share

Clergy, officials turn out for vigil at Beth Shalom

By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — On Thursday night, Nov. 1, almost 140 gathered at Temple Beth Shalom to participate in a special ecumenical memorial service for those murdered in last week’s Shabbat service at the Tree of Life Synagogue, located in the Squirrel Hill Jewish area of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As a

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Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, San Diego County, USA

Jews threatened by extreme right AND extreme left

By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Anti-Semitism is one of the world’s most enduring social diseases that we as Jews have known throughout our history. With the murder of eleven Jews at the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue, the Jewish community awoke from its slumber only to realize that anti-Semitism is still alive

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Jewish History, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, USA

Rabbi Samuel introduces Philo to the modern world

By Donald H. Harrison CHULA VISTA, California  – The 1st Century Jewish philosopher and religious scholar, Philo, was very familiar with the Torah, commenting here and there on different portions of the Five Books of Moses in writings that were spread over approximately 40 publications in the native Greek language that he spoke in his

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East

Recently published ‘The Israel Bible’ tells in over 2,000 pages the Jewish connections to Israel

The Israel Bible (Hebrew and English Edition) by Rabbi Tuly Weisz; Hardcover: 2212 pages;  Publisher: Menorah Books; Bilingual edition (July 10, 2018);  Language: Hebrew, English; ISBN-10: 1940516803;  Cost: $44.00 By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — In today’s world, there are all sorts of different types of commentaries on the Scriptures on a variety

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East

Embassy move affirms nation that prefers life over death

By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Erich Fromm wondered: How can we account for humankind’s capacity for cruelty and violence? Fromm, like the ethologist Konrad Lorenz, believed that violence is something we share with the animal world—especially when it comes to directing our anger against members of our own species. On the

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Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, USA

Natalie Portman raises a good issue about the Shoah

This is the second part in a two-part series  To read the first part, click here. By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Natalie Portman lately has developed a penchant for creating headlines about Jews. This past week, she went on record saying, “The Shoah is no more tragic than other genocides,” and

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International, Jewish History, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, USA

Natalie Portman is a fine actress, but …

First of two articles By Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel CHULA VISTA, California — Lately, it seems as though Natalie Portman has transformed herself into a human lightning rod. She created a storm of controversy and gave the Palestinians in Gaza far more respectability than they deserved by canceling plans to receive a prestigious Genesis Award

Natalie Portman is a fine actress, but … Read More »

Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA