Other items in this column include:
*Temple Emanu-El collecting blankets, other items for the indigent
* Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School now engaged in matching donation drive
* Political bytes
*Coming our way
*In Memoriam
SAN DIEGO – Congressman Scott Peters (D-San Diego) was the only member of the county’s congressional delegation to sign on to a letter drafted by Rep. Andy Levin (D-Michigan) that rebuked the State Department for its recent decision to reverse American policy that had opposed Israeli settlements in the West Bank, an area also known as Judea and Samaria.
The Nov. 21 letter, which gained 107 signatures including that of Levin and six other Jewish members of Congress, expressed “strong disagreement” with the reversal of a 1978 State Department legal opinion that Israeli settlement beyond the 1967 Six-Day War truce lines was “inconsistent with international law.”
Reps. Susan Davis, Mike Levin, Juan Vargas, and Duncan Hunter were not among the signatories of the letter that went on to say: “U.S. administrations from both parties have followed the 1978 guidance because settlement expansion into the occupied West Bank makes a contiguous Palestinian state inviable, jeopardizing Israel’s future as a secure, democratic homeland for the Jewish people. The State Department’s unilateral reversal on the status of settlements, without any clear legal justification, therefore has offered a tacit endorsement of settlements, their expansion, and associated demolitions of Palestinian home.
“In addition, one day after the Department’s decision, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu moved to advance a bill to annex the Jordan Valley. As annexation and the United States’ approval thereof would destroy prospects for a two-state solution and lead to a more entrenched and possibly deadlier conflict, this decision erodes the security of both Israel and the United States.”
Jewish members of Congress who signed the letter, in addition to the author, were Alan Lowenthal of California, John Yarmuth of Kentucky, Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, David Cicilline of Rhode Island, Steve Cohen of Tennessee, and Jamie Raskin of Maryland.
They were joined by the members of the so-called Squad – progressive Congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rashida Tlaiib of Michigan, and Aryanna Pressley of Massachusetts.
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Temple Emanu-El collecting blankets, other items for the indigent
As its “Mitzvah of the Month,” Temple Emanu-El near San Diego State University is collecting blankets, sleeping bags, rain ponchos, umbrellas, gloves, hats and other items “to help those in our San Diego community stay warm and dry.” According to Larry Ponseggi, “Even in sunny San Diego, people suffer from exposure from winter’s cold and rain. If you have seen weather predictions for the next few months, you know that this year’s need is expected to be greater than usual. … Blankets and other items may be used, but clean and in good condition. They will be given to the Alpha Project, Veterans Village, the temporary winter shelters and others who may be unsheltered in the San Diego area.” He may be contacted via his email.
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Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School now engaged in matching donation drive
A donor to Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School has offered to match on a 4-1 basis any donations made to the school in a 26-hour period, which is happening now through 2 p.m., Nov. 26. One may help the K-8 Orthodox Jewish school via this website.
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Political bytes
*Joe Leventhal, a candidate in San Diego’s 5th City Council District, has been endorsed by the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. “Joe knows what it takes to start and grow a small business — he’s committed to supporting policies that keep our local economy moving,” said Jerry Sanders, President and CEO of the Chamber. “On the council, Joe will fight for bold solutions to tackle homelessness, infrastructure, and fiscal reform.”
*Former Assemblywoman Sunny Mojonnier is the founder of Women in California Politics, which recently celebrated in Sacramento the first 100 years since women have been elected to the California Legislature. Assigning numbers to them according to the chronological order of their elections, Yvonne Brathwaite-Burke is No. 13, Leona Egeland Rice 15, Fiona Ma 110, and Mary Hayashi 111. Mojonnier herself is No. 30
*Assemblyman Todd Gloria states, “As the only candidate to receive the endorsement of the San Diego County Democratic Party in this race, I know I am the candidate best positioned to flip San Diego City Hall Blue in 2020.”
Coming our way
* Nir Rubin, who served in the Combat Engineering Corp and Golani Infantry Brigade, tells of “The Battle of My Life” in a performance at 7:30 p.m., Monday, Dec. 2, at Congregation Adat Yeshurun, 8625 La Jolla Scenic Drive North, La Jolla.
*Tifereth Israel Synagogue Men’s Club has committed itself to cooking the latkes for noon Chanukah party on Sunday, Dec. 15, at the Conservative synagogue at 6660 Cowles Mountain Blvd. in San Diego. The men plan together in the congregation’s kosher kitchen at 10:30 a.m., and to stay after the party to clean up, we are informed by co-presidents Phil Lorang and Bill Sperling.
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In Memoriam
Beth Jacob Congregation reports the death of Stan Lavine, father of Yosef Lavine and grandparent of Chana and Yehuda Lavine. The funeral will be held out of town.
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Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com Obituaries in this column are sponsored by Inland Industries Group LP in memory of long-time San Diego Jewish community leader Marie (Mrs. Gabriel) Berg.