One at a time, ten bears take their seats to watch a Purim shpiel. They all are dressed in costumes depicting a variety of occupations: baseball player, fire fighter; doctor; police officer, and so on. [Donald H. Harrison]
Children’s Book Integrates Counting, Purim, Costumes and Occupations Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors
In the shadow of Har Sinai, where the thunderous revelation of Matan Torah is about to unfold, an unexpected teacher emerges, Yitro, a Midianite priest and Moshe Rabbeinu’s father-in-law. Before the epic moment of receiving the Torah we are presented with a powerful twist—a lesson in leadership, humility, and the art of balancing spiritual loftiness with practical wisdom. [Michael R. Mantell,Ph.D]
Parsha Yitro: Leadership, Revelation, and Finding Balance Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, Staff and Bylined Contributors
This past weekend, I participated in Tifereth Israel Synagogue Sisterhood’s Havdalah service on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 8. I carried the Torah as we closed out the service. [Cailin Acosta]
Carrying a Torah Through the Congregation Read More »
Cailin Acosta, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, Trivia, Humor & Satire
One week after the annual hate-filled apartheid week organized by various student organizations at UC San Diego, pro-Israel students will get to counter-program with “joy” by sponsoring Israel week. The on-campus celebration will open this May’s observance of Jewish Heritage Month. [Donald H. Harrison]
Hillel at UC San Diego Takes Pro-Active Steps to Counter Antisemitism Read More »
Antisemitism, California, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA
Hours after attending a birthday gathering for Tifereth Israel Synagogue’s Sisterhood members who were celebrating their February birthdays, Rosalind Allina and her husband James — Roz, 77, and Jim, 79 — were killed in a chain-reaction freeway accident. [Donald H. Harrison]
Couple from Tifereth Israel Synagogue Killed in I-8 Pile-Up Monday Night Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food
The Decalogue, which most people mistakenly call “The Ten Commandments,” is contained in the fifth Exodus biblical portion, Yitro, which Moses repeats with many changes in the fifth chapter of Deuteronomy. Some Jewish philosophers, rabbis, and non-Jews disagreed over what exactly the Bible was saying in these statements. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
What Do the Ten Commandments Really Say? Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors
Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Donald Trump and one of the architects of the Abraham Accords, may not have ever existed were it not for the daring escape by his grandmother Raya in September 1943 from a forced labor camp run by the Nazis in Novogrudok in today’s Belarus. [Donald H. Harrison]
Kushner Family’s Holocaust Saga Included in ‘Tunnel of Hope’ Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
Since 2014, radio host Nachum Segal has presented the “Kosher Halftime Show” as an online alternative for religious Jews to watch while the players are in the locker room for the mid-game break. This year’s Kosher Halftime Show broadcast featured singer/songwriter Eli Begun, composer of such songs as In Our Darkest Times and Shabbos Hayom. Why does Nachum Segal provide this halftime program for Jewish football fans? [Mark D. Zimmerman]
Jewish Trivia Quiz: Super Bowl Read More »
Jewish Religion, Mark D. Zimmerman, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA
The first night Seder of Passover comes this year on Saturday, April 12. To introduce children who have never tasted unleavened bread before, Charlotte Offsay has authored a book of rhymes about matzah. [Donald H. Harrison]
Matzah is Subject of Rhyming Book for Children Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food
Richard Martin Wilstätter was born in Karlsruhe on August 13, 1872. His father was a cloth merchant. In From My Life Wilstätter writes about his origins: “My forefathers were Jews. They had made their home in Karlsruhe since 1720. […] Rabbis, teachers, and a physician were among my ancestors.” Since childhood, he has been fascinated by the natural sciences: “At the age of twelve, I had decided on chemistry and natural sciences in general.” [Alex Gordon]
Jewish Biography: Richard Wilstätter, Nobel Prize-Winning Chemist Read More »
Alex Gordon, Antisemitism, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors
Here Lived shown Thursday night, Feb. 6, at the San Diego International Film Festival is a documentary film directed by Jane Wells who follows conceptual artist Gunter Demnig in laying Stolpersteine (stumbling stones) in Holland. [Cailin Acosta]
‘Here Lived’ Tells of European Memorial Stumbling Stones for Holocaust Victims Read More »
Cailin Acosta, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
Trump’s suggestion of offering Gazans the choice to temporarily relocate with international support breaks away from old paradigms, much like the child’s truth encouraged those around the emperor to see clearly for the first time. [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]
Trump’s Gaza Proposal and ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ Read More »
Israel, Jewish History, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, Middle East, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
The Villa Sorge was a private residence into which 75 women were crowded, speaking a variety of languages, and not all of them Jews. A topic of speculation was who was a spy among their fellow internees, who might be providing sexual favors to their captors in return for preferences, how bad the food was, and how a Jewish internee like herself could reach an understanding with another internee who was a self-described Nazi. [Donald H. Harrison]
‘Internee Number 6’ Relates Story of Her Confinement in Fascist Italy for Being a Jew Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, California, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USAWith Tu B’Shvat coming on Feb. 13, I found these coloring pages from Joanne Fink Judaica to be printed and colored. As the weather seems to be a bit dreary with possible rain, I thought a fun indoor activity would be nice to share with you all. [Cailin Acosta]
Tu B’Shevat Coloring Pages for Children and Adults Read More »
Antisemitism, Cailin Acosta, Holocaust, International, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food