By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO–On Thursday morning, the last day of Chanukah, Sol Minsberg gave me an article to read after minyan. It was published on the website of Reform Judaism (www.rj.org). Its author, William Berkson, points out the how Chanukah is understood in Israel versus the United States. “In Israel, Chanukah is largely […]
Chanukah in America raises the question of assimilation Read More »
Jewish ReligionNEW YORK (Press Release)– Stereotypes about Jews and money – the notions that Jews are cheap and miserly, or that they horde money, or control the banks and levers of international finance – have endured through the centuries and thrive even today. The pernicious stereotype about an alleged connection of Jews to money is one
New Foxman book debunks persistent myths about Jews and money Read More »
Jewish ReligionSAN DIEGO (Press Release) — Write Out Loud presents its annual celebration of the season with a program of short stories designed especially for the whole family. This year Sean Sullivan and Lynne Griffin, popular San Diego actors, are flying into town from Toronto just in time to participate. Sullivan, a San Diego native, and his wife,
Christmas and Chanukah to share spotlight in ‘Giving Season’ production Read More »
Jewish Religion, Travel and Food
SAN DIEGO — We’ve written about Melanie Rubin and her eagle eye for spotting Jewish interest license plates. Well, now her mother, Penni Rubin, who lives in Shaker Heights, Ohio, has caught the bug. We can’t tell whether this license plate was meant to be plural or possessive, but we know it’s Yiddish for grandpas.
Jewish license plate hunting proves contagious to Rubins Read More »
Jewish Religion
By Rabbi Baruch Lederman SAN DIEGO — This year, the first night of Chanukah is Wednesday December 1, 2010, at which time we will light one Chanukah light plus the shamash. The second night we light 2 lights plus a shamash. The third night we light 3 lights plus a shamash, and so on and
Some rules for the observance of Chanukah Read More »
Jewish ReligionCAIRO (WJC) — Rabbi Marc Schneier, vice-president of the World Jewish Congress and a pioneer in fostering closer Jewish-Muslim relations in North America and Europe, has praised leaders of the Al-Azhar Al-Sharif University in Cairo, the oldest center of Islamic scholarship in the world, for opening up inter-religious dialogue to the Jews. The ‘Banu Ibrahim
World Jewish Congress welcomes Muslim center’s desire for inter-religious dialogue Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO — When I lived in Orange County, California, I was the director of a small Jewish Day School. I was responsible for the administrative, as well as educational aspects of the school. Shortly after I arrived, a vendor contacted me and in making his sales pitch, tried to impress
Should we expect more of our fellow Jews? Read More »
Jewish History, Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Baruch Lederman SAN DIEGO — In the Torah portion Vayishlach, Yaakov was determined to get back home. Back to the loving environment of Torah and Mitvos in the home of his parents Yitzchok & Rivkah. He encountered many serious obstacles along the way – Lavan’s trickery and treachery – Esav’s bloodthirsty army –
The lure of teshuvah Read More »
Jewish Religion
By Joel A. Moskowitz, M.D. LA JOLLA, California — Houdini is a name to conjure with. For many the word “Houdini” is equivalent to ‘magician’. More than eight decades after his premature demise, he is returning to California. Not Houdini per se, but his artifacts, his story and the multiple works which he inspired –
Houdini exhibit to escape New York, tour the country Read More »
Jewish History, Travel and Food
Torah Tapestries: Words of Wisdom Woven from the Weekly Parashah, Bereishis by Shira Smiles, Feldheim Publishers, New York; ISBN 978-1-59826-641-2, ©2010, $19.99, 201 pages plus bibliography, index, and glossary (Also available as a Kindle eBook) By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California — In the Book of Deuteronomy (31:10-12), God commanded that every seventh year, at
This Torah collection brings out the Smiles Read More »
Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish ReligionBy Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal SAN DIEGO–Although we Jews firmly believe we can argue with God, bargaining with God is another story. Of course there is nothing that forbids us from trying to formalize an agreement with God, but if we think we will receive confirmation from above, we are sadly mistaken. Jacob’s words, therefore, are
What do rabbis say about Jacob trying to bargain with God? Read More »
Jewish Religion
SAN DIEGO– There are days, of course, when you can’t take a Torah or a Chumash with you, but for Melanie Rubin that was no problem. It was as if the Book of Genesis and the Book of Exodus came looking for her on the roadways. We have added both biblically inspired license plates to
Is Torah stalking Melanie Rubin on the freeways? Read More »
Jewish ReligionBy David Kroll SAN DIEGO — This week’s parsha was Chayey Sarah, the life of Sarah, a text which actually begins following the time of her death. As compared with other parshas which involve a great many subjects and topics, Chayey Sarah deals with only three: The negotiation between Abraham and Efron the Hittite for
Jews and money: an essay on an old stereotype Read More »
Jewish ReligionHey Waiter…There’s God in My Soup! Learning Kabbalah through Humor by Sam “Simcha” Krause with Terry Krause; ISBN 978-1-553-4537-2980-9, ©2010, $16.00, 98 pages By Fred Reiss, Ed.D. WINCHESTER, California — Jewish tradition holds that Moses received three things from God on Mt. Sinai. First, he received the Written Law, known as the Torah and Five
A humorous approach to understanding Kabbalah Read More »
Fred Reiss, EdD, Jewish Religion