This article will be updated with additional names as they become available
By Donald H. Harrison
SAN DIEGO — In Sunday’s edition of the San Diego Union-Tribune, reporter Peter Rowe wrote an overview story about San Diego’s Jewish community entitled “Jewish San Diego: Unique Odyssey.” The subhead of the article was “Pain, promise over a history of contrasts marked by exclusion and hate, acceptance and achievement.”
In that article, Rowe mentioned some of the Jews who have served in public office in San Diego County. Obviously, he could not mention them all.
I was prompted to begin a list, by no means as yet comprehensive, of Jewish residents of San Diego County, both past and present, who served in elected and high appointed office since California became the nation’s 31st state in 1850
I invite readers to suggest additional names for the list of office holders whom they know were or are Jewish. Names may be submitted either by posting them in the comments box below this article, or by mailing me at donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com.
We are interested in members of Congress from San Diego, members of the State Legislature, members of the county Board of Equalization, members of the County Board of Supervisors, members of the individual city councils in San Diego County, members of the various community college districts, members of the various school boards, members of the Port Commission, members of the San Diego Coastal Commission, members of the Airport Commission, members of the San Diego County Fair Board, members of the San Diego Coastal Commission, and any other commission or board that often serves as a final authority, rather than simply in an advisory capacity, on issues before it. Additionally, we seek the names of judges and such elected county officials as the sheriff, district attorney, treasurer, assessor-recorder-clerk.
List of San Diego County Jewish officeholders (1850-Present)
Aaron, Cynthia — Judge, 4th District Court of Appeal
Bersin, Alan— United States Attorney; Attorney General’s Southwest Border Representative; San Diego School Superintendent; Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for International Affairs and Special Representative for Border Affairs; Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Berton, Robert — California Law Revision Commission
Black, Laurie – San Diego Unified Port Commission, Centre City Development Corporation, UC San Diego Board of Trustees.
Bianchini, Victor — Superior Court Judge, Federal Magistrate
Blochman, Abraham – San Diego Board of Alderman
Blochman, Lucien A. -San Diego Board of Aldermen, San Diego Common Council
Block, Marty – San Diego County Board of Education, San Diego Community College Board, California State Assembly, California State Senate
Braun, Sue – San Diego Board of Education
Bry, Barbara – San Diego City Council
Campbell, Jennifer, MD – San Diego City Council
Cave, Daniel – San Diego Board of Aldermen
Cohen, Ben — San Diego Unified Port Commission
Cushman, Stephen P. – San Diego Unified Port Commission
Davidow, Jeffrey — U.S. Ambassador to Mexico
Davis, Susan – San Diego School Board, California State Assembly, U.S. Congress
Delawie, Homer — San Diego City Planning Commission
Dumanis, Bonnie – San Diego Superior Court Judge, San Diego County District Attorney
Elo-Rivera, Sean — San Diego Community College Board, San Diego City Council
Emerald, Marti – San Diego City Council
Filner, Bob –San Diego School Board, San Diego City Council, U.S. Congress, Mayor of San Diego
Foster, Lisa – San Diego County Superior Court Judge
Franklin, Lewis – Associate Judge, Court of Sessions; San Diego County Coroner
Fredman, Miton “Mickey” — San Diego Unified Port Commission
Furgatch, Harvey — San Diego Unified Port Commission, California Horseracing Board
Galinson, Murray — California State University Board of Trustees
Gerson, Charles –San Diego County Coroner
Golding, Brage — President, San Diego State University
Golding, Susan – San Diego City Council, County Board of Supervisors, Mayor of San Diego
Goldstein, Daniel — Superior Court Judge
Granowitz, Vicki – San Diego City Planning Commission
Hirshman, Elliot — President, San Diego State University
Hoffman, Yuri –– Superior Court Judge
Jacobs, Sara — Member of Congress
Katz, Aaron — Superior Court Judge
Katz, Keri — Superior Court Judge
Katz, Mel — San Diego Library Commission, San Diego Convention Center Corporation, San Diego County Water Authority
Klauber, Abraham – San Diego County Board of Supervisors
Kolender, Bill – San Diego Police Chief, San Diego County Sheriff
Krause, Lawrence — U.S. Council of Economic Advisers
Lawrence, M. Larry – U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland
Lawson-Remer, Terra –– San Diego County Board of Supervisors
Leib, Rich — Solana Beach School District Board; University of California Board of Regents
Levens-Craig, Elana — Santee School District Board
Leventhal, Joe — San Diego City Ethics Commission
Levi, Simon – San Diego Common Council, San Diego Board of Aldermen
Lizerbram, David — San Diego County Fair Board
Lizerbram, Lauren — California Auctioneer Commission
Louis, Emanuel – San Diego Board of Education
Luftig, Murray – San Diego County Municipal Court
Mannasse, Heyman – San Diego County Board of Supervisors
Mannasse, Joseph S. – San Diego City Board of Trustees, County Board of Supervisors
Marks, Jacob A. – San Diego City Assessor (also known as Mark Jacobs)
Marten, Cindy – San Diego School Superintendent
Mojonnier, Sunny – California State Assembly
Moskowitz, Barry — U.S. District Court Judge
Nussbaum, Barry – San Diego County Fair Board
Ottinger, Ron – San Diego School Board
Penner, Robert – San Diego Unified Port Commission
Powazik, Harry — Superior Court Judge
Powell, Mark — San Diego County Board of Education
Pressman, Joel –– Superior Court Judge
Rafner, Doug — Del Mar School District Board
Rhinerson, Bernie – San Diego Community College Board
Rose, Louis – San Diego City Board of Trustees, County Board of Supervisors
Rubin, David M — Superior Court Judge
Salk, Jonas — Founder and President, Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Salomon, Irving – U.S. delegate to the United Nations
Schenk, Fred – San Diego County Fair Board
Schenk, Lynn – California Secretary of Business and Transportation, San Diego Unified Port Commission, U.S. Congress, Chief of Staff to the Governor, California High-Speed Rail Authority
Schiller, Leo M. — San Diego School Board
Schiller, Marcus – San Diego City Board of Trustees, County Board of Supervisors, County Superintendent of Schools
Schwartz, Edward – San Diego Municipal Court, San Diego County Superior Court, U.S. District Court
Smith, Greg – San Diego County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk
Steiner, Sigmund – Mayor of Escondido
Wayne, Howard – California State Assembly
Weinberg, Harry – County Superintendent of Schools
Weinberger, Jacob – San Diego School Board, San Diego County Superior Court, U.S. District Court
Weinreb, Brad — San Diego Superior Court Judge
Wolfsheimer, Abbe – San Diego City Council
Wolfsheimer, Louis – San Diego County Fair Board, San Diego City Planning Commission, San Diego Unified Port Commission
Zimmerman, Shelley – San Diego Police Chief
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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com