Category Archives: Jewish Journal
Berkeley Professor Urges Israel to be Dismantled at German Event, Sparking Outrage
Eight Days and Nights of Good News
The Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Schneerson commanded Jews to be joyful. By combatting brutally tough times with joy and happiness, we can spread light and defeat darkness. In the wake of the Oct. 7th, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel, there has been plenty of pain. Yet this most recent Festival of Lights brought plenty of joyous occurrences. Read more » »
Why ‘Barbie’ and ‘Barbra’ Are Big Beautiful Books
What I Saw at the California Democratic Party Convention
The California Democratic Party (CDP) has long harbored anti-Israel and antisemitic extremists. I remember attending my first CDP Arab-American Caucus meeting during an early 1990s convention. Someone passed out copies of The Ugly Truth About the ADL, published by Lyndon LaRouche’s Executive Intelligence Review. Read more » »
Detroit Synagogue President Stabbed to Death on Shabbat
Samantha Woll, a 40-year-old Board President of a synagogue in Detroit, Michigan, was found dead this morning outside of her home. Detroit Police say that Woll was found on the 1300 Block of Joliet Place with multiple stab wounds and declared dead at the scene. Authorities report that there was a trail of blood from her body to her home. Read more » »
Jewish Nonprofit Coalition Urges BMG to Sever Ties with Roger Waters
A Missed Opportunity for American Jewish Organizations
In 2019, Gallup reported that ninety-five percent of American Jews have positive feelings toward Israel, and that seventy-six percent of American Jews said they “were at least somewhat emotionally attached to Israel.” I often like to juxtapose these data points with the statistics on how American Jews have voted in the past decade. Read more » »
A Jewish Leader at Just the Right Time
This week marks the 65th yahrzeit of the leader of one of the most important Jewish boycott movements in history. Long forgotten but deeply deserving of remembrance, J. George Fredman was part of the national leadership in the American Jewish community only briefly—but at exactly the right moment, when the community needed him most. Read more » »
Remembering Jonathan Omer-Man
Rabbi Jonathan Omer-Man, who died this month at 89, was a Renaissance man who walked many paths and deeply influenced all who knew him. His nobility, humility, keen intellect and wisdom will always be remembered. Born in England, Omer-Man made Aliyah, and lived and worked the land in Kibbutz Amiad. In his early 20s, he contracted polio. Read more » »
Rabbis of LA | Rabbi Rochelle Robins: Learning to Be There for Others
Rabbi Rochelle Robins grew up surrounded by spirituality. Her father was a rabbi in her hometown, San Jose, California; she would go to Hebrew school and Camp Swig and participate in B’nai B’rith and NFTY (The Reform Jewish Youth Movement). “I always felt connected to Jewish community, which was spiritual to me,” she said. Read more » »