Pearl honors memory of son
Judea Pearl, father of the late Daniel Pearl, will offer some insights in Swampscott this week on the life and death of his son.
Pearl is scheduled to speak at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Temple Beth El. The topic will be, ''My Son, Daniel Pearl: Personal Reflections." Daniel Pearl, a Wall Street Journal reporter, was murdered by terrorists in Pakistan in 2002.
''Dr. Pearl will be talking about his reflections on the meaning of his son's life and the impact of his son's death as it relates to current events," said Rabbi Edgar Weinsberg, who arranged the event.
Pearl, a professor of artificial intelligence at the University of California, Los Angeles, also has a new book called ''I Am Jewish," a title derived from the last words spoken by Daniel Pearl. The book includes essays written by about 150 Jewish people in which they discuss what the words ''I am Jewish" mean to them. The writers range from prime ministers to 10-year-old children, said Weinsberg.
''It ranges from the lighthearted to the profound," he said. ''It's the first book of its kind where people of diverse Jewish viewpoints have conveyed their thoughts on the subject of what it means to be Jewish."
Copies of Pearl's book will be available at Temple Beth El for a reduced price during the event.
The event is cosponsored by Temple Beth El's Barney and Sarah Keimach Memorial Fund, Salem State College, Jewish Federation of the North Shore, and the Seminar for Adult Jewish Enrichment. All proceeds from the event benefit the Daniel Pearl Foundation, which promotes multicultural dialogue.
Tickets cost $12 in advance and $15 at the door. Tickets for a reception with Pearl prior to his talk are $35 or, for those who want a signed copy of the book, $50. Students and employees of Salem State College will be admitted for free with proper college identification.
Temple Beth El is at 55 Atlantic Ave. in Swampscott. The building is handicapped accessible. For more information, call 781-599-8005 or 781-631-8330, ext. 114. 