Other items in today’s column include:
*Political bytes
*Coming our way
*Recommended reading
*In Memoriam
SAN DIEGO – Two Reform rabbis from San Diego – Devorah Marcus of Temple Emanu-El and Jeremy Gimbel of Congregation Beth Israel – are among 347 rabbis who have signed a letter rejecting the “outrageous comments” made by Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders about the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
In announcing he would not attend the AIPAC Policy Conference in March, Sanders, who like the rabbis is Jewish, said “I remain concerned about the platform AIPAC provides for leaders who express bigotry and oppose basic Palestinian rights. For that reason, I will not attend their conference.” In a press release, AIPAC subsequently described that comment as “truly shameful.”
In their open letter, the rabbis wrote: “As strong supporters of the U.S.-Israel relationship and AIPAC’s role in advancing it, we reject Senator Bernie Sanders’ outrageous comment accusing AIPAC of fostering bigotry.
“AIPAC’s mission is one that we and our congregants care deeply about. Through AIPAC, we lobby Congress to support our democratic ally and strengthen the long-standing bipartisan support for a partnership that benefits both nations.
“AIPAC is one of the last remaining vehicles in American politics that proactively seeks to bring Americans from across the political spectrum together to achieve a common goal.
“The AIPAC Policy Conference may be the largest political gathering of Democrats and Republicans in the entire country. We’ve seen presidents and prime ministers, members of Congress and members of Knesset, policy analysts and military experts, religious leaders and cultural icons, from across the political spectrum address the conference. We embrace the opportunity to be challenged, to think constructively, and appreciate that people on the other end of the political divide are doing this sacred work alongside us.
“I am proud of my congregants who attend the AIPAC conference. They are fulfilling their duty as Americans to participate in the political process together with Democrats, Republicans, Jews, Christians, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, progressives, veterans, students, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and many others.
“There is truly no higher form of civic participation.”
Meanwhile, former National Security Adviser John Bolton also criticized Sanders, describing in a tweet Sanders’ anti-AIPAC comment as “a full dose of @berniesanders extremism. He glorifies communist Cuba & now he’s calling @AIPAC ‘leaders who express bigotry.’ In the past, he’s called the Israel govt. ‘racist.’ What’s next? @IlhanMN as Sec of State?” The last reference was to Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat who was named as “2019 AntiSemite of the Year” by the organization StopAntisemitism.org, based on a poll.
The San Diego Union-Tribune carried a Washington Post article in Thursday’s edition suggesting the argument was illustrative of the split among Jews who are politically conservative and those who are progressive. However, some of the rabbis who signed the letter would classify themselves as politically progressive.
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Political bytes
*San Diego City Council President Gloria Gomez has passed over two colleagues on the City Council who are running for mayor – Barbara Bry and Scott Sherman – and has instead endorsed Assemblyman Todd Gloria in the 53rd Congressional District.
*Terra Lawson-Remer, who is opposing incumbent County Supervisor Kristin Gaspar and challenger Escondido City Councilwoman Olga Diaz in the 3rd Supervisorial District, predicts, “this race is going to be razor tight and come down to a handful of votes.
*San Diego Union-Tribune writer Jeff McDonald reports in today’s edition that Sara Jacobs, a candidate in the 53rd District, may have a fortune of up to $65 million, and that some of her investments are in pharmaceutical companies and lending companies. Dan Rottenstreich, a spokesman for rival congressional candidate Georgette Gomez, accused Jacobs of hypocrisy, saying she poses as someone who would shake up pharmaceutical companies and lending institutions, all the while investing in such companies. Meanwhile, Gomez’s campaign filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission saying that an anonymous mailer sent out boosting the candidacy of Republican Chris Stoddard may have been sent out either by the Jacobs campaign or by the Forward California Super PAC to which Jacobs’ grandparents, Irwin & Joan Jacobs, each contributed $750,000. Recently the Gomez campaign accused Jacobs of boosting Stoddard in the hope of facing the Republican in the November election rather than Gomez. Morgan Hill, a spokeswoman for Jacobs’ campaign, responded: “This mailer did not come from our campaign and we don’t know who sent it. This is the type of silly, baseless attack you often see right before Election Day and voters are tired of it. Quite frankly, we expect better from fellow Democrats. Sara will stay focused on talking to voters about what she will do to make their lives better, as she has been doing throughout this campaign.”
*State Sen. Brian Jones, R-Santee, said he is coauthoring legislation to assist victims of human trafficking. One bill would permit human trafficking victims to vacate convictions without having to first pay all fines and fees or serve probation. Another would permit sentences to be vacated without the victim having to appear personally in court. Jones is a candidate in the 50th Congressional District.
*San Diego City Councilwoman Barbara Bry, a mayoral candidate, helped celebrate the 100th anniversary of the League of Women Voters by presenting representatives with a proclamation on behalf of the City of San Diego recognizing the organization’s efforts over the last century.
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Coming our way
*Rabbi Yoel Gold, a teacher at Msivta Birkas Yitzchak in Los Angeles and a weekly columnist for Ami Magazine, will be the scholar in residence March 20 and 21 at Beth Jacob Congregation. On Friday night, March 20, he will discuss “Sitting at the Maggid’s Table” at a private residence; and on March 21, Shabbos Morning, his drasha will be “Happiness: Catch Me if You Can.” Later, after Kiddush, he will discuss “Positivity Bias: Finding the Silver Lining in Challenging Times.” At 5:30 p.m., he’ll discuss “Words Matter: How to Speak Less and Say More.” Finally at the Shalosh Seudos, he’ll discuss “Aha! Moment Stories.” Tickets for the Shabbos Lunch following the post-Kiddush lecture are $22 for adults; $12 for children 5-11; and free for children 4 and under, with non-members paying an additional $3 fee in all categories. Register and purchase tickets via this website.
*UC San Diego’s Holocaust Living History Workshop has announced the following programs at 5 p.m. in the Seuss Library of the Geisel Library on campus:
–April 15: Anna Shternshis, a professor of Yiddish and Diaspora Studies at the University of Toronto, and songwriter Psoy Korolenko will present “Yiddish Glory: The Lost Songs of World War II.” online registration for this program, formally called the Lou Dunst Memorial Lecture, opens March 1 via this website.
— May 6: Anna Hajkova, associate professor of Modern Continental European History at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom, examines sexual violence, sex work and sexual coercion of Jewish women and men in the ghettos and concentration camps. Online registration via this website.
— June 3: Gabriella Y. Karin, a Holocaust Survivor who is a docent at the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocausgt, discusses trauma, memory, and the art of survival. She was separated from her parents at age 11 and put into a Catholic convent for three years for her safety. Prior to her talk at 4:30 p.m., Rose Schindler of San Diego, will discuss her experiences as a prisoner at Auschwitz. Reservations via this website.
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Recommended reading
*Israeli scientists think they are on track to develop a coronavirus vaccine, Aryeh Savir reports on World Israel News.
*Cindy Marten, superintendent of the San Diego Unified School District, has very personal reasons for helping to lead the Go Red for Women campaign against heart disease, writes San Diego Union-Tribune columnist Diane Bell. Marten’s late husband, Sergio, died from a hereditary heart-related ailment. Alerted to the condition, their son, Andrew, 23, has been treated for the condition since he was 5.
*The Times of Israel reports that a Carnival parade in Spain in which marchers wore Nazi costumes and trivialized the Holocaust has caused outrage.
*Rami Ayyub of Reuters reports that Israel’s Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu is focusing his opposition to Arab lawmaker Ahmad Tibi instead of his main opponent Benny Gantz in the runup to Israel’s third election this year.
The Times of Israel has a feature story on Shoshannah Stern, the actress who plays a deaf doctor and master diagnostician on the television series Grey’s Anatomy.
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In Memoriam
Hanna (Wakman) Elad, 83, died Feb. 26. Graveside services officiated by Rabbi Benj Fried of Temple Emanu-El will be conducted at 10 a.m., Friday, Feb. 28, on the Vista Sel Sol Jewish Lawn at El Camino Memorial Park, 5600 Carroll Canyon Road, San Diego.
Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com