To be a person of African heritage and a Jewess is to hold a deep, ancestral understanding of what it means to be pulled from the depths, to celebrate a hard-won liberty, and to remain fiercely determined to stay free. [Barrett Holman Leak]

This parsha’s message feels especially urgent in our own time. We live in an era of heightened contention, where the drive to be “right” often overshadows the pursuit of truth or peace. [Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel]

Becca Myers transformed Jeremy Gimbel’s scholarly thesis into a lively musical journey, tracing the evolution of Jewish sacred music while educating and celebrating the diverse cultural influences that make San Diego unique.  [Sherrie Rose]

As Jews, how do we actually practice our faith over the summer?

We sweat, we complain about how much we sweat, we hold off on installing an air conditioner in shul because in 1958, the great-grandfather of the kid who works at Best Buy said something about how his mother’s schnitzel was better than the great-great-grandmother of the current board president’s schnitzel.  (Joshua Kail)

Much of life's emotional pain comes from trying to control what was never ours to control. We cannot dictate outcomes, rewrite the past, or manage every circumstance. We cannot choose every challenge that comes our way. What we can choose is our response. That is where our real power lies. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.]

Two priority bills led by Jewish California — the nation's largest statewide coalition of Jewish organizations — cleared key Senate committees Tuesday, marking major steps toward protecting Californians of all faiths from harassment at their places of worship and preventing hate from being distributed under the seal of the State of California. [Press Release]

A few days later, he received a response from the Rebbe: "There is no such thing as 'a small Jew,' and a Jew must never underestimate his or her tremendous potential." [Rabbi Shmuly

A few days later, he received a response from the Rebbe: "There is no such thing as 'a small Jew,' and a Jew must never underestimate his or her tremendous potential." [Rabbi Shmuly Begun]

Fourth-grade teacher Ms. Phillips was recognized for her unwavering dedication to the No Place for Hate program, and her student, Maverick Carroll, for carrying its values beyond the classroom ... (Cailin Acosta)

Ten spies conclude, "We cannot do this." Joshua and Caleb see the same reality and say, "It will be difficult, but we must do it anyway." {Betzy Lynch}

Welcome to akridosis—the Grasshopper Syndrome. A certified Yiddishe classic. If you go around convinced you’re a grasshopper, don’t be shocked when the rest of the world reaches for the Raid. (Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel)

The Torah records one of the most revealing statements in all Tanach: "We were like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and so we were in theirs."
The first half of the verse is understandable. The spies felt intimidated. They felt small in comparison to the challenges before them. But the second half raises an obvious question. How could they possibly know how the inhabitants of the land viewed them?…

For thousands of years, Jewish teachings have emphasized that true abundance is measured not only by what we accumulate, but by what we contribute. The concept of tikkun olam—repairing the world—calls upon each generation to use its gifts, resources, wisdom, and compassion to elevate the lives of others. (Jennie Edwards Stock and Michael Adam Cohen)

Few periods of life are as formative as young adulthood. My undergraduate years profoundly shaped the interests, communities, and convictions that continue to guide me today. Much of that trajectory can be traced back to my involvement in pro-Israel student life on campus. [Karen Klein]

Chait’s poem, Without You, was inspired by the terrible events of October 7, 2023. Lynch’s poem, To My Shabbat Soul, is full of original imagery, dealing with her relationship to Shabbat, and Rolfe’s poem, MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC describes how that element influences our lives... I am also including a poem written by Janice Alper about the traumatic event the day before when three men were killed by…

The prayer, masterfully sung by Jennifer Meltzer, asks for blessings upon the teachers, upon their students, and upon the students of their students. It reminds us that learning is not simply the transfer of knowledge. It is a relationship, a chain of connection, a sacred partnership between generations. [Betzy Lynch]

The rabbi at the margins must possess every credential the listing demands, and then, on top of that, perform fit. The rabbi at the unmarked center gets to be a fit by default. Everyone else has to earn it on top of the job. You can be twice as qualified and half a candidate. [Rabbi Sandra Lawson]

I persuaded him to write a column for San Diego Jewish World to offer an Israeli-American perspective on the news.  As he did so, the writing bug must have bitten him.  He poured himself into writing some books for children, and now books for adults are in the works. [Donald H. Harrison]

It’s as if the Almighty said, “You have a problem with dark skin? How do you like being the whitest person in the desert right now?” [Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel]

The controversial reception to Dad’s Marriage Made in Heaven stemmed primarily from its explicit and frank discussion of sexual intimacy, which many in the Orthodox rabbinate in 1958 considered inappropriate for public consumption. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

The Sifrei explains that the flame had to rise independently, teaching that genuine spiritual growth cannot be forced externally; it must awaken from within. The role of a leader, parent, teacher, or friend is not to control another person’s flame, but to help kindle it until it can sustain itself. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.]

The authors created a text that speaks simultaneously to the intellectually curious reader, the seeker of religious inspiration, and the conversion student searching for a reliable and comprehensive guide. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin}

Dr. Edith Eger, who was a Holocaust survivor, author, psychologist, and longtime resident of La Jolla, California, passed away on April 27.. Her family recently came across one of the last videos she recorded, which shows her wise, warm, fierce, and full-of-joy message. [Cailin Acosta]

They spot the large mosaic sign above the door of the hall with the familiar word “Bienvenidos, Welcome,” among greetings in multiple languages, including the Hebrew: “Baruch Habah” ברוך הבא, Blessed are those who come.” [Claudia Gold]

Before the Baal Shem Tov, Judaism was often centered on texts, scholarship, and institutions. The Baal Shem Tov shifted the focus toward people. He taught that G-d could be found not only in study halls, but also in conversations, melodies, shared meals, acts of kindness, and human connection. [Betzy Lynch]

If a Cohen is angry at the congregation — maybe because someone parked too close to his car again, or the kiddush ran out of herring — he’s not allowed to bless. (Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel)

The Torah teaches that while actions may look identical outwardly, inwardly they are never the same. [Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.]

AB 2664 would establish a 100-foot zone around the entrances of houses of worship, within which protesters may not intentionally approach congregants within eight feet of their body without their consent. The legislation comes amid rising antisemitism and a growing pattern of protests outside religious institutions of all faiths. [Press Release]

He is likely correct that Spinoza was convinced that God does not intervene in history, perform miracles, reward, punish, or listen to prayers - other Jewish thinkers said the same thing while never denying God’s existence. But he is clearly wrong to suppose that when Spinoza said we can see God in nature, he meant God does not exist. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

The La Mesa Arts Academy Masters Arts Showcase took over the school library with its end-of-the-year showcase celebrating the promoting eighth graders. [Cailin Acosta]

Thousands of years ago, in a story held as history, sacred memory, and inherited narrative, our traditions begin in the same household. Abraham. Sarah. Hagar. Isaac. Ishmael. [Betzy Lynch]