Category
travel
My German Question
Until last year, I held firm to that tribalist impulse familiar to many American Jews and refused to visit Germany (or fly Lufthansa or buy German products, etc.). Although no members of my immediate family had fallen victim to the Nazi terror, the resistance to things German was passed on from my parents\’ generation, which shared in the belated outrage (and desire to expunge feelings of inadequacy) of postwar American Jewry.
Avalon in August
Catalina is only 22 miles across the sea from Los Angeles, but to many visitors it feels like a distant land. For one particular community of Sephardic Jews, it\’s that very feeling that has kept them coming back over the past 75 years.
Tiles on the Isle
In 1927, William Wrigley Jr. prompted the Santa Catalina Island Company to invest in the creation of the Catalina Tile Factory after discovering clay deposits on the island. While the operation lasted only 10 years, it turned out tiles and decorative ware that were cherished by collectors.In 1997, 60 years after the factory closed its doors, Cynthia Seider brought back the art of tile painting to Avalon for a cause that she cherishes.
Eating and Praying Near Downtown
Guide to eating and praying close to downtown Los Angeles.
Visiting Vietnam
Surprises and paradoxes littered the cityscapes of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and Hanoi during my two-week April trip to Vietnam.
Jewish Vietnam
While there\’s not exactly a Jewish angle on Vietnam, the curious traveler with a penchant for history, art, culture, and fine food will probably find a trip quite rewarding.
A Miracle Reawakened
The fading Hebrew inscriptions that adorn the walls of a small storeroom in the town of Terezin can be seen in virtually any synagogue around the globe.But thousands of Jews have been flocking to the recently discovered room because of its unique role in history – as a makeshift synagogue during the former Czech ghetto\’s darkest days.
Of Course
I had been to Israel before and was on my way there again. I had gotten this \”of course\” business before, from store clerks, bellboys, even strangers on the street, and it didn\’t seem to matter whether or not my question was a stupid one.
Shanghai Seder
China\’s bustling financial center, home to about 13 million, is also a temporary home to about 200 Jews.
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