Staff and Bylined Contributors

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Elizabeth Taylor

Taylor said neither Todd nor Fisher were the reason for her conversion, that she had wanted to become Jewish “for a long time” and that there was “comfort and dignity and hope for me in this ancient religion that [has] survived for four thousand years … I feel as if I have been a Jew all my life.”[SDJW staff]

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Elizabeth Taylor Read More »

California, International, Israel, Jewish Celebrities, Jewish History, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA

What Can We Know About God?

In Exodus 33:18-23, Moses asked God to tell him what God is. Moses requests God: “Please show me your glory,” meaning, “Show me what you are.” God replies that He will make the divine goodness pass before Moses. But He tells Moses that he cannot see God’s face. Moses should stand behind a rock. Then, only after God passes, “You will see my back, but my face will not be seen.” [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

What Can We Know About God? Read More »

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

Our Shtetl San Diego County: Prayer Melodies from Tifereth Israel

Kol Tefilah, led by Debbie Mishek, M.D., is a performance group that periodically leads Friday night services at Tifereth Israel Synagogue “with joy, music, intimacy, and an awareness of God’s presence,” according to an announcement for the 6:15 p.m. Kabbalat Shabbat service at 6:15 p.m., Friday, March 1. [SDJW staff]

Our Shtetl San Diego County: Prayer Melodies from Tifereth Israel Read More »

California, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Confronting the Alarming Rise of Antisemitism in California

My office has been forming responsive actions to address antisemitic literature in communities with high numbers of Jewish families, include the Jewish perspective into DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) initiatives, and train local officials on what they can do when hate speech or acts arise in public forums. [Assemblymember Chris Ward]

Confronting the Alarming Rise of Antisemitism in California Read More »

Antisemitism, California, Holocaust, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Jewish Trivia Quiz: Frozen Embryos

Much ‍is ‍written ‍in ‍the ‍Talmud ‍and ‍in ‍later ‍rabbinic ‍writings ‍about ‍embryos, ‍fetuses, ‍artificial ‍insemination, ‍IVF, ‍abortion, ‍and ‍other ‍related ‍issues ‍of ‍pregnancy ‍and ‍childbirth. ‍Which ‍of ‍the ‍following ‍is ‍a ‍true ‍statement ‍with ‍regard ‍to ‍the ‍Jewish ‍perspective ‍on ‍these ‍issues? [Mark D. Zimmerman]

Jewish Trivia Quiz: Frozen Embryos Read More »

Jewish Religion, Mark D. Zimmerman, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

Jewish Biography: Emanuel Lasker, World Chess Champion

Einstein … believed that chess was not Lasker’s goal, but rather his profession. He drew a parallel between chess in the life of the second world champion and the grinding of lenses in the life of Spinoza. He argued that lenses for Spinoza and chess for Lasker were a means of livelihood. [Alex Gordon]

Jewish Biography: Emanuel Lasker, World Chess Champion Read More »

Alex Gordon, Antisemitism, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Parent Company of Kay Jewelers, Zales Once Suffered from CEO ‘Doing a Ratner’

At the Shoppes at Carlsbad, Kay Jewelers is located on one floor and Zales on another – a physical manifestation of multilevel marketing. Both are owned by Signet Jewelers which changed its name from Ratners after its CEO, Gerald Ratner, made an unfortunate speech that gave rise to the expression, “Doing a Ratner.” [Donald H. Harrison]

Parent Company of Kay Jewelers, Zales Once Suffered from CEO ‘Doing a Ratner’ Read More »

Ben Dishman, Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, International, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Meir Dizengoff

After moving back in 1905 to Palestine, where he settled in Jaffa, he formed a partnership with the Ahuzat Bayit company to develop land on the outskirts of Jaffa. Sixty six families drew lots for housing locations along the beach from which the city of Tel Aviv would grow. The Dizengoffs were among those first families, and he served as head of town planning from 1911 to 1922. When Tel Aviv was recognized as a city, Dizengoff was elected as its first mayor. [SDJW staff]

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Meir Dizengoff Read More »

International, Israel, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Today's Jewish Birthday

‘Maestro’ Looks into the Soul of Leonard Bernstein

The story begins with Lenny’s big break. He was the Assistant Conductor of the New York Philharmonic when, just before a concert at Carnegie Hall that was broadcast live on the radio, the conductor took ill. They had zero rehearsals together, but the depth of his knowledge and passion for the music shone through. After that, folks in the industry knew his name and he was a hot-ticket item. [Eric George Tauber]

‘Maestro’ Looks into the Soul of Leonard Bernstein Read More »

Eric George Tauber, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Ted Arison

Arison moved to New York approximately in 1954. In 1966, he moved to Miami, Florida, where with Knut Kloster he co-founded Norwegian Cruise Lines. The partners split in 1971 and the following year Arison founded Carnival Cruise Lines, which he took public in 1987, one month before a stock market crash that left potential competitors without sources of financing. [SDJW staff]

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Ted Arison Read More »

Business & Finance, Israel, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, The Arts, Today's Jewish Birthday, Travel and Food, USA