Lifestyles

Russian-Israeli Immigrant to U.S. Leads Weekend ‘Alignment Retreat’

After October 7th, it was natural for her to organize a Community Healing Circle for the Jewish community which she facilitates with Keren Zuzan. With event organization and mastering the journey of self-healing and finding belonging, it was fitting that Pinhas facilitated the Alignment Retreat. [Miriam Gershenson]

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California, International, Israel, Lifestyles, Miriam Gershenson, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Israelis’ Sense of Confidence, Optimism Go Up, Down as Peace Hopes Vanish

And so we try to stay optimistic and carry on as before as much as possible, but with the constant nagging awareness that the situation is probably going to go from bad to worse before there can be any improvement. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Israel, Lifestyles, Middle East, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Nostalgic Memoir Paints Word Portrait of an Era

Her Uncle Abe, the younger brother of her father, played the trombone in the NBC Symphony Orchestra, so a family tradition was to sit quietly around the radio listening to the broadcast of the concerts conducted by Arturo Toscanini, whether or not Uncle Abe had an important solo. Her Bubbie told Abe that he should invite the maestro over to sample her blintzes, but somehow the conductor never realized that pleasure. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA

Contest Will Provide Input for Jewish Movie’s Sequel

The movie explores the concepts of “freedom to” and “freedom from;” Passover customs; unplugging on Shabbat; why Orthodox Jewish men refrain from touching women who are not part of their families; Torah attitudes towards homosexuality; why Orthodox women cover their hair; and sexual practices within an Orthodox Jewish marriage. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

An Artist Who Repurposes

It’s a process of exploration; I never know what I’m going to make in advance.  The materials start guiding me as I arrange them. I have a sense of play and meditation as I invent. Then the technical challenge is how to attach things; because my materials are so varied and irregular, it’s often quite hard to figure out how to secure the parts of the design.  [Mimi Pollack]

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Lifestyles, Mimi Pollack, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Julius Katz: San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station Worker, Former Roadie for Johnny Mathis

Like many interesting things that happened in his life, Julius Katz had no premonition that he would spend 25 years working in various jobs at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) before retiring in 2002 at the age of 65. [Donald H. Harrison]

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California, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Technology, USA

Elementary Jewish Yoga in Colorful Primer

Author Blanca Sissa, a certified yoga instructor for children, says sometimes the thoughts in their heads resemble little monkeys jumping from tree to tree, never stopping anywhere in particular.  Mindfulness, otherwise known as focusing thoughts on the here and now, is a remedy.  In Hebrew mindfulness is called Yishuv Hada’at. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Mishaps, Snafus and Yet the Trip to Costa Rica was Memorable and Enjoyable

When we arrived at our rustic treehouse-like Airbnb, close to sunset, it started pouring rain. We had only been there long enough to see a scorpion in an outside bathroom (really!) and the family of bats “hanging” on the outside porch. Within minutes, it began to loudly thunder and lightning, and the power went out. (And stayed out for the next six hours). The storm was so loud that we couldn’t even hear each other speak. So, we sat in the dark, held hands, and watched and listened to nature’s powerful sound and light show. It was awesome! [Shayna Kaufmann]

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International, Lifestyles, Shayna Kaufmann, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

Trans Jew for Trans Day of Visibility Relates His Research

As a trans Jew, myself, I have experienced some of the difficulties as well as moments of joy that come with existing in the intersection of transness and Jewishness. Yet, despite the growing breadth of literature on gay, lesbian, and other queer-identifying Jews, there’s still a gap in materials about trans Jews. [Matt Lacoff]

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California, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman Dies at 90

“We are players in a game we don’t understand. Most of our own thinking is below awareness. “Our biases frequently cause us to want the wrong things. Our perceptions and memories are slippery, especially about our own mental states. Our free will is bounded. We have much less control over ourselves than we thought.” (Press Release)

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Israel, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Obituaries & memorials, Press Release, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Hounding the Headlines: The Interview

What scares me more is that some condos and independent living communities either ban dogs or require that they weigh no more than 25 pounds.  This is blatant sizeism. At a svelte 50 pounds I don’t want to take Ozempic to get down to the qualifying weight.  Of course, I could go on the canine anorexic diet of eating lots of grass and purging. [“Elona” Baron]

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Lawrence Baron, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors, The World We Share, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Parsha Tzav: Gratefulness Can Inspire Others

Dr. David DeSteno and his colleagues reveal a profound truth – that gratitude is a powerful force, capable of igniting a radiant chain reaction of goodness and compassion. Perhaps this is what is behind the good Moshe delivers to Aharon…not so much “making” him “feel good,” but rather when one’s heart is filled with gratitude for the blessings received, it becomes a wellspring from which kindness and generosity flow forth. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Michael Mantell, Staff and Bylined Contributors