Today’s Jewish Birthday: Zach Braff

Zach Braff (April 6, 1975) is an American actor and filmmaker. He portrayed John Michael “J.D.” Dorian on the NBC/ABC television series Scrubs (2001–2010), for which he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2005 as well as for three Golden Globe Awards from 2005 to 2007. [Wikipedia]

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Jewish Celebrities, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia

Israel Philharmonic Orchestra ‘s Performance Demonstrates Why It’s Israel’s Goodwill Ambassador to the World

Lahav Shani, the tall, young Israeli conductor of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO), came on stage with confident stride and mounted the podium at the Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa for the final program of the IPO’s USA tour. This March 26 concert was preceded by appearances in New York City, Miami, Palm Beach, San Francisco and Los Angeles. [Eileen Wingard]

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California, Eileen Wingard, Israel, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

‘The Trunk’ is a Poignant Story of the Holocaust

Prior to dictator Benito Mussolini’s alliance with Adolf Hitler, Italian Jews had the ability to immigrate to the West or even to neighboring Switzerland, which maintained a German-biased neutrality. However, lugging the trunk, which Vigevani nicknamed “The General” was an arduous affair, especially because Vigevani was reluctant to depart his beloved Italy. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, International, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Today’s Jewish Birthday: David Pinski

David Pinski (April 5, 1872 – August 11, 1959) was a Yiddish language writer, probably best known as a playwright. At a time when Eastern Europe was only beginning to experience the Industrial Revolution, Pinski was the first to introduce to its stage a drama about urban Jewish workers; a dramatist of ideas, he was notable also for writing about human sexuality with a frankness previously unknown to Yiddish literature. [Wikipedia]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Today's Jewish Birthday, Wikipedia

Novel Envisions Trial of a University for Not Protecting Jewish Students

It’s a novel based in San Diego County about a pro-Palestinian campus demonstration in which a Mexican-American student is fatally shot while trying to save the life of his Jewish friend. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Antisemitism, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

A Busy Week for San Diego’s Jewish Federation

Every Monday morning, our entire Federation staff sits down for a 30-minute “huddle.” We talk about what’s happening in the world, share joyful simchas and heartbreaking tragedies, reflect on the past week’s “wins,” and brief everyone on what’s coming in the week ahead. [Heidi Gantwerk]

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Antisemitism, Heidi Gantwerk, International, Israel, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA

Contemporary Torah, Parsha Shemini: Loss, Grief and Community

This narrative bursting with the anticipation of sacred inauguration, abruptly descends into the chilling silence of loss. The joyous celebration, the culmination of meticulous preparation, is shattered by the sudden, devastating demise of Nadav and Avihu, Aaron’s sons –  a consuming fire that leaves Aaron speechless. [Barrett Holman Leak]

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Barrett Holman Leak, Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Getting Up to Speed with Artificial Intelligence

We were treated to a huge screen and a tiny lecturer who explained to the audience what we were seeing, in a framework of what could be defined as ‘AI for Dummies,’ even though not all those attending should necessarily be described as such. While I don’t regard myself as a dummy, I’m certainly far from understanding what AI is all about. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson[

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Technology

Immigration Drama Follows Jews from Yemen to Israel

Some Yemeni Jews, quite familiar with the Torah, had memorized Exodus 19:4, which states, “You saw what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings to bring you to Me.” Taking the metaphor literally, they expected giant eagles to carry them to Israel, not airplanes, with which they were wholly unfamiliar. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Jewish Fiction, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Parsha Vayikra: Hashem’s Loving Call to Us

With the opening words of this week’s Torah reading, Vayikra, we hear something profound: “And He called to Moshe, and Hashem spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying: Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: When a person from among you brings a korban to Hashem, from animals—from cattle or from the flock—you shall bring your offering.” [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D]

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Jewish Religion, Michael Mantell, Staff and Bylined Contributors