Looking to our area’s Jewish past — and future

By Donald H. Harrison

SAN DIEGO – Two recent honors in my life undoubtedly will have a positive influence on the kinds of stories that will appear in San Diego Jewish World.

Recently, I was elected to the presidency of the Louis Rose Society for the Preservation of Jewish History, a group interested in promoting knowledge of Jewish contributions in Southern California and Northern Baja California. The previous president of the Louis Rose Society was my dear friend, Norman Greene, who will continue to serve on the group’s steering committee.

Additionally, I was appointed to the executive committee of the Tifereth Israel Synagogue Men’s Club.

So, how are these affiliations likely to affect you, the reader?

Reporters (and editors) write about what they know and/ or about what they have the chance to observe.  So, you can expect more stories coming your way about those projects of these two organizations that have community-wide interest.

Many of you have been reading the stories in this publication by Jerry Klinger, a philanthropist who is president of the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation.  At Klinger’s personal expense, his group has been erecting historic markers across the United States to acquaint passersby about our Jewish people’s love for and contributions to America.

In consultation with the Louis Rose Society, Klinger has initiated requests to three separate government agencies to erect monuments detailing aspects of the Jewish American story.  All three requests currently are under review.

Klinger has requested permission to erect a marker in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park telling the story of Louis Rose, who in 1850 became San Diego’s first Jewish settler, for whom Rose Canyon and the Roseville section of Point Loma are named, and in whose one-time home the Visitors Center of the park is now located.

The Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation president also has sought permission from the Rincon Tribal Government to erect a marker honoring businessman Wolf Kalisher, who during the late 19^th century  championed the cause of Native Americans in California in concert with Manuel Olegario Calac, a Luiseno leader.

Additionally, Klinger has applied to the City of Temecula to erect a marker about Louis Wolf,  who established a trading post in early Temecula and after whom that city’s Wolf Valley is named.  Wolf, and his wife Ramona, hosted 19^th century author Helen Hunt Jackson as she was researching her famous novel Ramona, about the plight of Native Americans in California.

Old Town San Diego is not the only place where Louis Rose potentially could be honored.  There have been very preliminary discussions with Point Loma residents concerning the possible construction of a statue of Rose and two of his animal friends with whom Rose used to go on walks.  The animals were Chili, a Galapagos tortoise, and Pat, a little dog of uncertain breed.  Chili was a good-natured tortoise, that permitted little children to ride on his back.  Pat pretended to be a brave dog, barking at any person or animal who disturbed him.  However, if anyone should approach Pat, he would turn tail and scamper to safety under Chili.  Can you imagine a child-friendly group of statues happily depicting a part of Roseville’s early history?

Besides serving as a member of the Tifereth Israel Men’s Club executive committee, I’ll be assisting that group—in association with the synagogue’s Sisterhood—to arrange speakers who can address various topics.

The combined group’s interests are wide-ranging.  On Sunday, August 18, at 7 p.m., San Diego School Superintendent Cindy Marten will be a speaker at a dessert reception.  She has been asked to discuss educational innovations and safety precautions as the Fall term quickly approaches.

On Sunday, October 27, at 7 p.m., another dessert reception will be held – this one for Dr. Peter Salk, who will discuss the life and work of his father, Dr. Jonas Salk, the discoverer of the polio vaccine.

There is a charge of $10 for each dessert reception to defray the cost of providing security and dessert treats for the event at the Conservative synagogue, located at 6660 Cowles Mountain Boulevard in the San Carlos neighborhood of San Diego.

If you would like more information about the work of the Louis Rose Society, or about the Men’s Club of Tifereth Israel Synagogue, please contact me at the email address below.

*
Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World.  He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com