Hitler’s reaction to the results of the Evian Conference was as follows: “The whole world is crying crocodile tears over the fate of the Jews in Germany, but is not really prepared to do anything for their sake.” [Alex Gordon]
Bystander Antisemitism Read More »
Alex Gordon, Antisemitism, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors
Henry Kissinger’s relationship with Jews and the State of Israel was complicated, and experts disagree whether he was a friend, foe, or something in between. [Gedaliah Borvick]
Henry Kissinger: Friend or Foe of Israel? Read More »
Gedaliah Borvick, Israel, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
Yadin devoted himself to archaeology, winning the 1956 Israel Prize for his doctoral thesis on seven Dead Sea Scrolls, three of which his father had purchased in 1947 from a Bedouin goatherd and four that Yadin purchased in 1954 in New York. He excavated such sites as the Qumram Caves, Masada, Hazor, Tel Megiddo, and the Judean Desert caves where artifacts from the Bar Kokhba revolt were found. [SDJW staff]
Today’s Jewish Birthday: Yigael Yadin Read More »
Israel, Jewish History, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors
Approximately 30,000 evacuees from San Diego’s sister city of Sha’ar Hanegev and the neighboring municipality of Eshkol, both within a close distance of Israel’s border with Gaza, are returning to their homes, where they will find that volunteers from Jewish National Fund-USA have rebuilt, refurbished, and repainted some of the structures that were damaged or destroyed during the Oct. 7 Hamas-led massacre. New facilities are also being planned. [Donald H. Harrison]
JNF-USA Helping to Rebuild San Diego’s Sister City in Israel, Sha’ar Hanegev Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Lifestyles, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sol Lizerbram, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
In spiritual terms, Amalek embodies the constant battle within us and the world. Their actions represent the darkness that seeks to extinguish the divine light within humanity. Though physically gone, the “spirit of Amalek” persists in ideologies that oppose good. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
Parasha Vayikra/Zachor: Amalek Then and Now Read More »
Israel, Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, Staff and Bylined Contributors
God expects people to use their intelligence, learn how the laws of nature work and help themselves, to improve themselves, society, and the world generally. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
The Secret of the Book of Esther Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Middle East, Staff and Bylined Contributors
Portnoy’s Complaint was Roth’s fourth novel and most controversial because of its frank treatment of sexual subjects, including masturbation. Roth became more prolific thereafter, knocking out 26 additional works through 2010, the most notable of which was the 1997 novel American Pastoral, which won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. It told of a star athlete whose daughter becomes a domestic terrorist during the late 1960s. [SDJW staff]
Today’s Jewish Birthday: Philip Roth Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA
Vladimir Putin won 87.3 % of the votes cast in the Russian presidential election. But there are telltale signs that the Russian election was rigged. [Laurie Baron]
Satire: Rigged Russian Elections? Read More »
International, Lawrence Baron, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire
Another Purim Katan celebration is Purim Vinz, which is celebrated with the reading of the Vincent Megillah. What does that holiday commemorate? [Mark D. Zimmerman]
Jewish Trivia Quiz: Purim Katan Read More »
Jewish Religion, Mark D. Zimmerman, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & SatireLiterary success came to Zweig in 1915, when he was awarded the Heinrich Kleist Prize for his drama Ritual Murder in Hungary (1914), about a blood libel against Jews in the town of Tiszaeslar in 1882. [Alex Gordon]
Jewish Biography: Arnold Zweig and the Smoke of the Fatherland Read More »
Alex Gordon, International, Israel, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors
She wrote Denying the Holocaust in 1994, later defending herself successfully against a libel suit by author David Irving that brought her name to public attention. She won the 1994 National Jewish Book Award and an appointment by President Bill Clinton to the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. [SDJW staff]
Today’s Jewish Birthday: Deborah E. Lipstadt Read More »
Antisemitism, California, Holocaust, International, Israel, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA
When he first got the part in the Yiddish “Fiddler,” Skybell had studied Yiddish but he “certainly wasn’t fluent.” And at the start, only three of the 26 members of the cast spoke Yiddish. So getting ready for the show was a mammoth task, with most of the actors learning the language phonetically from tapes. [Joel H. Cohen]
Kvells Keep Ringing For Steven Skybell’s Tevye in All-Yiddish ‘Fiddler’ Read More »
International, Joel H. Cohen, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
A few things were different about this production, first the non-fairy actors wore modern dress, the part of Hermia’s father was turned into that of her mother, and the show we saw had swing actor Ruth Russel filling in for the role of Demitrius. [Sandi Masori]
Shakespeare with Some Contemporary Twists at Coronado Playhouse Read More »
San Diego County, Sandi Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & BroadcastI see our more than 2,000 volunteers from the U.S. going to Israel, clamoring to get dirty – filthy even – to help build back the southern communities and lend a hand any way they can. People in Israel who were divided over policies before the war are now sitting around the same table, figuring out how to build back their country — together. [Russell F. Robinson, JNF-USA]
JNF-USA Volunteers Help to Rebuild Southern Israel Read More »
Israel, Lifestyles, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA