Heschel taught at Hebrew Union College (Reform) in Cincinnati for five years. In 1946 he switched to the Jewish Theological Seminary (Conservative) in New York, where he was a professor of Jewish ethics and mysticism. [SDJW staff]
Today’s Jewish Birthday: Abraham Joshua Heschel Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA
Chabad of La Costa has notified its congregants of a “new mitzvah opportunity.” In its weekly update, it reports: “there are a number of patients at UCSD La Jolla that have come from Israel to receive transplants here. They need our help. Bikur Cholim of S. Diego is a community organization helping the sick with care packages, visitation, driving spouses to and from the hospital, etc. [SDJW staff report]
Our Shtetl San Diego County: A Potpourri of Jewish News Items Read More »
Antisemitism, Israel, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
Shloyml Boyml and his band receive an invitation from a rebbe from some distance away to play at his Purim party. The rebbe requests that the band compose and play on the violin a special Purim melody. Shloyml is both ecstatic and worried by the invitation. It’s a great honor to play for the rebbe. But his band does not have a violinist. [Donald H. Harrison]
A Klezmer Adventure in old Bessarabia Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Fiction, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors
Over the course of two weeks in November, Spinner, a celebrated pain management specialist now living in New Rochelle, New York, worked with the staff at the Harvey and Gloria Kaylie Rehabilitation Medical Center at ADI Negev-Nahalat Eran in southern Israel to provide relief to war-wounded civilians by performing minimally invasive pain management procedures never previously implemented in Israel. [Elie Klein]
Amid War, US Pain Specialist Offers Israel a New Spin on Rehabilitation Read More »
Israel, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors
When Ivanka’s father, Donald Trump, became U.S. President in 2017, Jared became a senior advisor in the White House and director of the Office of American Innovation. He was put in charge of Trump’s initiative in the Middle East, which resulted in the Abraham Accords among Israel, United Arab Emirates, Sudan, and Morocco.[SdJW staff]
Today’s Jewish Birthday: Jared Kushner Read More »
Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA
County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer was re-elected as vice chair of the County Board of Supervisors, which once again will be chaired by Supervisor Nora Vargas. There’s an interesting split among three Democrats and two Republicans on the technically non-partisan Board of Supervisor. The Democrats are all women – Vargas, Lawson-Remer, and Monica Montgomery-Steppe – while the Republicans are both men: Joel Anderson and Jim Desmond. [SDJW staff]
Our Shtetl San Diego County: The Local Jewish Political Scene Read More »
Antisemitism, Business & Finance, California, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
Laniado, the regional director, told me that correcting lies and misinformation about Israel while fighting domestic antisemitism are missions so urgent that without such an effort, “in five years, we won’t be able to put the mezuzahs on our doors,” maybe even sooner than that. [Donald H. Harrison]
StandWithUs Unites Diverse Ethnic Groups in Defense of Israel Read More »
Antisemitism, California, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA
Scholars, such as Azariah de’ Rossi, in his The Light of the Eyes, speculate that the anno mundi — also known as the Hebrew calendar — may have originated around the sixth century, after the Talmudic Period. While this seems to be the date of its origin, it was not until relatively recently that Jews began to use it. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]
Hebrew Calendar Based on Controversial Approximations Read More »
Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors
In this book for children aged 3 to 6, a tyrannosaurus is very sad because no one wants to come to his Passover seder, so terrible is his reputation for eating everyone. [Donald H. Harrison]
A Seder for Dinosaurs Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Fiction, Staff and Bylined Contributors
This week we learn of Abraham’s test to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac. It’s the only challenge of the ten trials in the Torah clearly identified as a “test.” Hashem needed to test Abraham? After all, isn’t He omniscient? Yes, but the purpose of these tests are to elevate Abraham, to help him grow. [Michael R. Mantell, PhD]
Parasha Va’eira: Accepting Life’s Challenges Read More »
Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, Staff and Bylined Contributors
He moved to Tel Aviv in 1924, where he served until his death as head of the Hebrew Writers Association. He is remembered today as Israel’s national poet. Actress Mayim Bialik is his triple great-grandniece. [SDJW staff]
Today’s Jewish Birthday: Chaim Bialik Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Israel, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Today's Jewish Birthday
A delegation representing Israel, Bahrain, Egypt, and Morocco will discuss the Abraham Accords, the Hamas attack on Israel Oct. 7, the subsequent war in Gaza, and the prospects for encouraging “a constructive and positive way forward for Arabs and Israelis.” [SDJW staff]
Spinoza was regarded in the Amsterdam community as what the rabbis call an “illui” ̶ outstanding disciple. However, the “illui” had a critical view of the Bible and Talmud, not treating them as sacred books, but subjecting them to analysis. He scoffed at the Jewish chosenness and questioned the chronology of the Bible. He argued that Moses could not be the author of the Pentateuch. The books of Moses, in his judgment, were not written by one man and not for the people of one era. [Alex Gordon, Ph.D]
Baruch Spinoza: The Universal Anti-Hero Read More »
Alex Gordon, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors
The goal of this global movement is to show world leaders that we all care about this. With every step we take, we would like for these leaders to help put pressure on Hamas to release the hostages. Wonderfully, locals, who are not Israeli or Jewish and have no connection to Israel are joining this movement because of their compassion for the hostages. [Barrett Holman Leak]
Running for the Lives of the Hostages in Gaza Read More »
Barrett Holman Leak, International, Israel, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA