Other items in today’s column include:
*Jewish Community Foundation continues to grow
*Beth Jacob Congregation levies security fee
*Political bytes
*Coming our way
*Refuah shlemah
*In memoriam
SAN DIEGO – To the surprise and gratification of organizers, a crowd numbering in the thousands snaked around the Timken Museum on Thursday, Feb. 6, in order to see what was planned to be a one-day exhibition on Anne Frank sponsored by the Consulate-General of the Netherlands and the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam.
At an evening reception, officials of the gallery announced that the exhibit, which has been touring schools around the country, would be extended through Saturday before it has to be packed up and shipped to its next destination.
The reception featured talks by Gerbert Kunst and Hendrik A. Hanselaar, respectively the consul-general of the Netherlands (based in San Francisco) and the honorary consul of the Netherlands (in San Diego); Timken Museum executive director Megan Pogue; San Diego City Councilmember Dr. Jennifer Campbell, and Dutch-American Holocaust survivor Martin Haas, who related the steps by which the German Nazis and their Dutch sympathizers isolated Jews, stripped them of their rights, herded them into camps, and finally—as happened to his mother, brother, and sister at Sobibor – murdered them.
Haas, then a small child, escaped certain death because his parents had him hidden with a Christian family for the duration of World War II. Today a professor/ cancer researcher at UC San Diego, Haas had been a co-plaintiff in the German trial of John Demjanjuk, accused of participating in mass murder as a guard at Sobibor. In a slide show, he presented Demjanjuk’s Nazi identification card, and then showed the recently released photos taken by Johann Niemann, deputy commandant of Sobibór, which Haas said proved conclusively that Demjanjuk had indeed been a guard there. Demjanjuk had claimed until his death that the charges against him were based on mistaken identity. He was convicted in 1988 in Israel of mass murder, but in 1993 a higher court reversed the conviction saying the evidence was not compelling. Demjanjuk, who had immigrated after World War II to the United States, was deported in 2009 to Germany, where he again stood trial and was convicted in 2011 and sentenced to five years imprisonment for Nazi war crimes. Released pending appeal, he died in 2012 in a nursing home.
The purpose of the traveling exhibition is to acquaint the current generation of youngsters with Anne Frank’s story, who was herself of school age when she went into hiding in Amsterdam with her family and wrote her famous diary. Her hiding place discovered, she and her family were removed from the “secret annex” by the Nazis and sent to a concentration camp, where she died. Because of their similarity in age—and the way in which Anne expressed her feelings, not only about the Nazis, but about life in general—students such as Jane Im, Taylor Harris, and Elsa Han were trained by representatives of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam in ways of presenting Anne’s story to their school mates.
At Thursday night’s reception, Jane Im, a 6th grader, read a selection from the Anne Frank diary, never losing her composure in front of a packed reception, even though her microphone lost power and had to be replaced. Harris, a 7th grader, said the experience of being a docent had a powerful impact on helping her to understand the “horrors of racism” and further to learn that age doesn’t define a person’s ability to influence peers and the world.
The three youngsters, along with peers who also had served as docents at their schools, were awarded congressional certificates of merit from U.S. Rep. Scott Peters (D-San Diego) in a presentation made by his aide, Jason Bercovitch.
Bercovitch, at one point becoming choked with emotion, quoted statistics from the Anti-Defamation League indicating that many American youngsters today are unaware of the Holocaust, while among older people, doubts about the veracity of the Holocaust, and the number of people killed, have been growing. Bercovitch said his grandfather was one of the American soldiers, under U.S. Gen. George Patton, whose unit had liberated the Dachau Concentration Camp.
The presentation ended with a poem written by Elsa Han, 11, which is reprinted below with permission.
The Sole Comfort by Elsa Hahn
One girl, one ordinary girl
thrown into a world of uncertainties.
Yet values took her far
hope and faith and courage
in dark years of hiding.
She found strength
in a small possession.
Hopes, dreams, and fears
all written in a tightly bound book.
Confessions, feelings, and frustrations
put down in yellowed pages
which found a place in her heart
made her feel comfort, became a friend.
“I can shake off everything if I write.”
The sheets of paper told the tale
“My sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.”
The sole comfort, only one
in years of concealment
away from the world
the most prized possession.
Hung on
to a shred of hope
in the midst of dark times.
Found courage
while wishing for freedom and peace
the light in the darkness.
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Jewish Community Foundation continues to grow
Beth Sirull, president and CEO of the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego, reports that the foundation “closed 2019 with record accomplishments: over $500 million in assets under management” and “continues to be the largest grantmaker in San Diego with over $1.6 billion in grants facilitated on behalf of our donors.” She added that more than 80 percent of the grant funds remained in San Diego.
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Beth Jacob Congregation levies security fee
Beth Jacob Congregation has upgraded its perimeter fencing and gates and has installed surveillance cameras, blast-resistant windows, and additional fencing, thanks to a grant from the US. Department of Homeland Security. However, the grant doesn’t pay for security guards. To defray this cost, the Orthodox synagogue announced “each member unit is being assessed $120 per year,” explaining “it is incumbent on us to do whatever we can to ensure the safety of our congregants, visitors, and staff.”
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Political bytes
*Ammar Campa-Najjar, a Democratic candidate in the 50th Congressional District, in an op-ed published by Times of San Diego, wrote: “Washington is badly broken, and this impeachment inquiry is just the latest example. President Trump has a lot to answer for, and at this point it’s clear that we need to sort this out at the ballot box in November. In the long term, we’re going to have to fix the impeachment process, possibly by reassigning the responsibilities of the Senate to another more impartial body.”
*Matthew T. Hall, editorial and opinion director of the San Diego Union-Tribune, will moderate at 1 p.m., Friday, Feb. 14, a debate among candidates for the 50th Congressional District and at 2:55 p.m. a debate among candidates for mayor of San Diego at the Doubletree by Hilton San Diego-Mission Valley, 7450 Hazard Center Drive, San Diego.
*Cory Briggs, candidate for city attorney, says the incumbent Mara Elliott on several occasions has “failed to read the fine print.” He said examples were the rental of the former Sempra Energy Building, which remains vacant while asbestos is removed, and allowing data to be compiled and sold from street light camera surveillance in San Diego.
*Ken Stone of Times of San Diego reports that the San Diego Ethics Commission has rejected complaints against Assemblyman Todd Gloria which contended that money contributed by corporations to his Assembly campaign committee was donated to the county Democratic party, which in turn has been aiding his candidacy for mayor. Stacey Fulhorst, executive director of the commission, said the actions described in the complaint are permissible under state law and that it’s incorrect to say that the funds were unlawfully “laundered.”
*Sherry and David Winkler are hosting a fundraiser for 3rd District County Supervisorial candidate Terra Lawson-Remer at their Solana Beach home from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 23. Information is available via this website.
*Rep. Scott Peters, reacting to the firing of regional EPA administrator Michael Stoker, commented “It is crucial that someone is appointed to the position as soon as possible, preferably an individual who has substantial understanding of the problems our region faces, specifically the Tijuana River Valley, and who will work together with our community to prioritize and solve the cross-border sewage issues in Imperial Beach, San Diego, and Coronado.” Stoker said his firing was because he had a good working relationship with Democrats. The EPA said Stoker fired due to what was described as excessive travel.
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Coming our way
*Tifereth Israel Synagogue members will engage in a “Torah on Tap” session to be lead by Rabbi Josh Dorsch at 7 p.m., Monday, Feb. 10 at Societe Brewing Company, 8262 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard.
*Three rabbis will offer simultaneou seminars on parenting beginning at 3:45 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 16 at Beth Jacob Congregation. Rabbi Dovid Kaplan will discuss “Kindling the Shabbos Sparks;” Rabbi Menachem Nissel: “Recaclculate (when your child needs attention to the point you must run your life differently) and Rabbi Yaacov Goodman, “Shooting for the Stars — Realizing our Children’s (and our own) Full Potential. Following a 5:30 p.m, Mincha/Mariv service and a light dinner , Rabbi Zef Leff will give the keynote address, “Creating Your Own Torah Enclave.” Tickets: $10 per person, $15 pre couple, with free babysitting if both parents attend. Online registration via this website
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A Refuah shlemah — Wishes for Healing To:
* Ori Hamond, a San Diegan who volunteered to become a “lone soldier” in Israel was one of 12 Golani Brigade soldiers who were rammed by a Palestinian hit-and-run driver near the Kotel on Thursday morning prior to their official induction ceremony into the IDF. His mother, Hagit Cohen Hamo, flew on Friday to Israel to visit with her son at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, where his injuries are said to be non-life-threatening. Before she left, she was comforted by Isaac Herzog, the chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, who coincidentally was visiting the San Diego Jewish Academy, where she teaches Hebrew. The Hammond family is affiliated with Chabad of University City, which has sent a request to members and the public to pray for the boy, using his Hebrew name Ori Mosehe Ben Chagit. A story about Herzog’s visit to SDJA will be published in this column tomorow evening.
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In Memoriam
*Chabad of Chula Vista has reported the death of Vladimir Lovovich. His funeral will be at 1 p.m., Friday, Feb. 7 at the Home of Peace Cemetery, 3668 Imperial Avenue. Rabbi Mendy Begun will officiate.
*Sergey Radomyshelsky, 55, died Feb. 6. Am Israel Mortuary reports Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m., Sunday, at Greenwood Memorial Park, 4300 Imperial Avenue, San Diego. Rabbi Alexis Pearce, staff chaplain of UC San Diego Health, will officiate.
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Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com