Laurie Baron, Ph.D, rounds up streaming programs of Jewish interest for scholars and lay people, from Sunday, Sept. 6 through Friday, Sept. 11
Streaming Jewish Programs (Sept. 6-11) Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lawrence Baron, Lifestyles, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, The World We Share, Travel and Food, USA
We stayed overnight at the upscale Hotel Orion in the community of Piggs Peak. After checking in, and dinner at the hotel restaurant, we strolled into the lobby. Sitting on the floor in an alcove was a young man with several nicely wood carved figures of animals. Curious I picked up and examined a few of them. Pasted on the bottom were tags showing how many hours it had taken him to carve each piece. A small simple elephant caught my eye. It had taken 32 hours to carve. I remarked how lovely I thought the piece was, but asked if he was aware of the small inexpensive hand held Dremel electric Motor tool which I had used for years in my carving, sanding and polishing work? He reached into his back pocket and pulled out an old Dremel catalogue and replied,”yes I am, but they are not available in my country and I can’t afford to buy one.” Impulsively I said, “I will send you one when I get back home.” What’s your name and address? And that’s how I became introduced to Pius Mthupha of Piggs Peak, Swaziland. [Ira Spector]
Person-to-person diplomacy in Swaziland Read More »
International, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Travel and Food, USA
The Museum of the Jewish People has temporarily transformed itself into an “airport terminal” so children and families can “travel” the world both in-person and virtually despite ongoing air travel limited due to COVID-19 safety concerns. There’s even a “Museum Airlines” to help visitors’ imaginations take flight. [Press Release0
Museum pretends to be an airport terminal Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Travel and Food, USA
Zoom services may be good, but those in the open air are better in the opinion of Rabbi Mendy Begun of Chabad of Chula Vista. With what he hopes will be the help of other Jewish congregations, the rabbi plans to put on a free second night of Rosh Hashanah shofar blowing and concert by Cantor Daniel Moreno in Cottonwood Park in Chula Vista. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]
An outdoor Shofar service for 2nd night Rosh Hashanah Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Travel and Food
It was my habit to stop at a corner along the trail, in the spreading shade of a tropical Moringa tree, and to recite the story of a fateful meeting between David and Saul (2 Samuel 26), here on the very location where it took place. It couldn’t be more authentic.
If the tour leader had a good voice, not a tiresome mumble, I would find the designated chapter in his travelers’ bible, thrust it in his hand and request him to read it to his flock. (Ithamar Perath)
Animals enact biblical moment at Ein Gedi gorge Read More »
Jewish Religion, Middle East, The World We Share, Travel and Food
Our first night in France we slept at a farmhouse with many goats, sheep, geese and chickens. We had petit dejeuner(little meal) on a massive wood table in the owner’s family room. Orange juice cheeses, cold meats, yogurt, bread and rolls, home made jam and butter and hot or cold cereal with great coffee. Little breakfast? We drove west toward the coast through the Burgundy countryside which was draped with vineyards on every hill and valley. We came upon an obscure town on a hillside town far from the usual tourist route, and found the historic first public outdoor toilet in France, “The Pissotiere De Glockhemerle.” I gratefully added my portion to its history, and we drove on. [Ira Spector]
An impressionistic tour of France Read More »
International, Travel and Food, USAOur guide book indicated the location of Hitler’s underground Chancellery on our walk. The place where he died has no marker anywhere. There are nomarkers anywhere in the world memorializing Hitler’s existence. The location shown on our map was Potsdamer Platz, where an entire city within the city of Berlin was under construction. We counted twenty-five giant cranes in this ten square block area. I could only approximate where the Chancellery was, and so a symbolic spit was the best I could do to memorialize “Der Fuhrer.” [Ira Spector]
An impressionistic tour of Germany and Austria Read More »
International, Jewish History, Travel and Food
Even while back in Petaluma, our family experienced life on the wild side, or better worded: wild-fire side. We awoke to find ashes on the car and all windows in the house closed to protect from the low air quality. As we kept a watchful eye as the Lightning Complex Fires continued to spread, we tried to look at the events around us to see what we could learn to become better people. We looked at the difference between the physical and spiritual. [Rabbi Rafi Andrusier]
Wildfires illustrate difference between spiritual and physical Read More »
Lifestyles, The World We Share, Travel and Food, USA
After graduating college in New York, I moved to Seattle. Having finally landed my first job, I was excited to put my aeronautical engineering degree to work and design jumbo jets for a premier aerospace company. Everything was great—Seattle has a thriving Jewish community, a vibrant arts scene, and spectacular nature. However, it also has rain. A lot of rain. Did I mention the rain? [Teresa Konopka]
Making a feline friend in a new sunny city Read More »
Lifestyles, San Diego County, Teresa_Konopka, The World We Share, Travel and Food
In the novel Decameron, Giovanni Bocaccio wrote about life in the mid 14th century time of the Black Death. So how do we spend our time in a similar period? [Oliver Pollak, Ph.D]
Escape to Wyoming, my personal Decameron Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Lifestyles, Oliver Pollak, Travel and Food
Overeating, what we are discussing in this column, is not obesity. It’s always important to be aware of what you feed, your head or stomach. So do you know where your hunger really lies? Here’s my handy “Gastronomic Positioning System” to help you locate your hunger above or below your neck. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]
What are You Feeding During COVID19? Read More »
Lifestyles, Michael Mantell, Travel and Food
George Salameh, owner of the Alforon Restaurant on El Cajon Boulevard near 59th Street, remembers living within the area near the port of Beirut that was leveled by the terrible blast on August 4 that killed at least 177 people and wounded or injured 6,000 more, leaving as many as 150,000 people homeless, and causing property damage estimated between $10 billion and $15 billion. [Our Shtetl San Diego County by Donald H. Harrison]
Lebanese memories prompted by Beirut explosion Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA
Marcia Vineberg was almost packed and ready to rejoin her husband.It’s complicated. They had moved from Vancouver to this Tampa Bay community on Florida’s gulf coast 10 years ago to care for her mother, who had fallen. Harriet Rand, 95, died in December. And Gerald Vineberg a Canadian native who spent half of each year as a businessman traveling in Europe and Asia, wound up opening The Nosh Kosher Cafe in Tarnow, Poland, three years ago. Then COVID-19 arrived. [Bruce F. Lowitt]
COVID-19 separates couple, threatens Polish restaurant Read More »
Bruce F. Lowitt, International, Travel and Food, USAUniversity High School junior Zachary Patterson and Grauer School senior Jason Wexler are co-recipients of the 2020 Peter Chortek Leadership Award created as a memorial to Chortek by his family. [Our Shtetl San Diego County by Donald H. Harrison]
Education, cancer battling win Chortek Awards for students Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and Food