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Our Shtetl San Diego County: Video Highlights Community’s Feb 4 Antisemitism Symposium

The Jewish Federation of San Diego and the regional chapter of the American Jewish Committee have released a video about the Feb. 4 “Standing Together” symposium on antisemitism that will bring AJC’s executive director, former Congressman Ted Deutch, and the former head of the national Anti-Defamation League, Abe Foxman, to San Diego.  [SDJW staff]

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Antisemitism, Israel, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

This Week’s Torah Reading: Bo

Can we consider ourselves a moral society if we do not help needy people? The Greek philosopher Aristotle writes that man is a social being. Is it our nature that requires us to help others or something else? Author Ayn Rand took a different approach. She insisted that people should look out for themselves intelligently and be enlightened. Who is right? Is there a middle path? Should stronger nations help poorer nations? [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Norman Podhoretz

In 1960, Podhoretz began a 35-year career as editor-in-chief of Commentary magazine, when initially he was a political liberal. Disillusioned with the left, he became a neoconservative, and during Ronald Reagan’s administration, Podhoretz served as an advisor to the U.S. Information Agency. George W. Bush awarded him the presidential medal of freedom. [SDJA staff report]

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Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA

Elmo’s Not Good at Dreidel and Other Tidbits from Sesame Place

“Growing, learning, sharing kindness, and acceptance of others” are the watchwords of Sesame Place.  The Sesame Street theme park’s employees say they practice these values whether in day-to-day activities or at special events like last December’s Chanukah celebration that featured playing dreidel with Elmo. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

OpEd: Israel’s Position in the World

Despite this, the US purports to be Israel’s best friend. It certainly is Israel’s biggest arms supplier, but beyond that, the current administration attempts to restrain Israel from defeating Hamas, which is supported by Iran. It also wants Israel to negotiate, not fight, with Hezbollah in Lebanon, yet another untrustworthy, terrorist army pressing Israel on its northern border. Eventually, it expects Israel to “live side by side in peace with a State of Palestine.” A Palestinian Arab “state” is definitely not acceptable to Israel, given the historical enmity between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs. [Steve Kramer]

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International, Israel, Opinion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Steve Kramer, USA

Jewish Biography: Ludwig Börne, Bolshevik from the Frankfurt Ghetto

Ludwig Börne (Yehuda-Leib Baruch), German publicist, was born in 1786 and grew up in the ghetto of Frankfurt. He was in early opposition to the German rulers and was one of the fighters for freedom from German despotism. Börne attributed his desire for freedom to the double oppression he experienced as a Jew and as a German: “Because I was born a slave, I love freedom more than you. Because I was born a slave, I understand freedom better than you.” [Alex Gordon]

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Alex Gordon, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Our Shtetl San Diego County: Solidarity Ride Marked 100 Days Israelis Held Hostage by Hamas

Faulconer, now running for a seat on the County Board of Supervisors, commented, “It is a privilege today to ride with 100 others in strong solidarity with Israel and our Jewish community in San Diego.”  Zimmerman said, “Today is the 100th day since the brutal Hamas attack and for the hostages still in captivity.  They must be all be safely returned now.  We pedal in solidarity with our sister city Sha’ar Hanegev and all of Israel.” Essakow pointed out that the riders were of all faiths, who pray for the safe return of approximately 130 hostages.[SDJW staff report]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Israel, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Shlomo Carlebach

A songwriter who couldn’t read music, Carlebach composed the popular “Am Yisrael Chai” (The People of Israel Live),  which is now a Jewish standard, and thousands of other songs.  He gained fame as “the singing rabbi” and  he founded the Carlebach Shul in New York City’s Upper West Side.  [SDJW staff report]

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Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort Found His Home in Chasidism

I always laugh when people say Orthodox relegate women to secondary roles. Not in Chabad, baby! It is just not the truth. The rebbetzin is the soul of the place and that is not unique to our house. The children are part of it too. They grow up in shul running around, and now, for us, our grandchildren do. [Donald H. Harrison]

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California, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi

A Creative Set for Upcoming ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ Production

Actors will move the suitcases and trunks around the stage “rather than having anything coming from off-stage, so we are keeping the wings basically free and open, so the actors have space to enter and exit from,” Schein explained. With a chuckle, Schein said “I’m almost calling the production ‘Fiddler on the Luggage.’ [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, Israel, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast