Other items in today’s column include:
*Jewish organizations
*Political bytes
*Lighter side
SAN DIEGO — When Enlisted Man Stuart Canin boarded a European-bound U.S. Army transport ship near the end of World War II, he carried with him his barracks bag, rifle, and a violin. Challenged by an officer about what he thought he’d need a violin for, Canin, then a teenager, replied “You Never Know.” He was so right.
The short documentary, The Rifleman’s Violin, in which violinist Stuart Canin, a nonagenarian, recounts his remarkable World War II experiences, will be the first offering of the two-day GI Film Festival San Diego to be shown via Internet on Thursday, Oct. 1, and Friday, Oct. 2.
Five other offerings will include: Rescue Men: The Story of the Pea Island Lifesavers; No Greater Love; She Wore Silver Wings; In Their Own Words: The Tuskegee Airmen: and The Donut Dollies. Tickets and more information for the festival may be obtained via this website.
When the war in Europe ended, Canin was assigned to a detachment of entertainers stationed near Paris, and later moved to Berlin, that included actor/ comedian Mickey Rooney and pianist Eugene List. Mostly, they traveled to hospitals to entertain wounded Allied troops. But one day, Canin and List were told to wear their Class-A uniforms and to be ready to play their best.
They were driven to a mansion in Potsdam, Germany, where they were informed they would play music after dinner for the three heads of state who were meeting there — U.S. President Harry S Truman; The Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, and the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
Canin remembers being astounded that Stalin had a “big walrus mustache” and that Churchill smoked a cigar that looked three-feet long.
He also recalled that he played “Praeludium and Allegro” by Fritz Kreisler in the style of Pugnani, and Kreisler’s “Tambourin Chinois” by Kreisler in duet with List. Next, in a moment of inspiration, List played the main theme from Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto, which Stalin immediately recognized. The Soviet dictator rose to his feet, raised a glass, and declared: “A toast to the musicians!”
Truman, a lover of classical music, smiled contentedly, and after the musicians departed, they went back to their field tent, where Mickey Rooney awaited them. His humor had been considered inappropriate for the tastes of the dour Stalin.
Today, retired as the concertmaster of the San Francisco Symphony, Canin and his wife love to travel, and wherever they go, he takes his violin with him. “You never know,” he explains.
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Jewish organizations
*The South African Jewish American Community (SAJAC) is sponsoring a forum, organized and moderated by Franklin Gaylis, M.D., on diseases that profoundly affect the Ashkenazic Jewish community such as breast and ovarian cancer for women, and prostate cancer for men. The speakers at the 4 p.m., Zoom event on Thursday, Oct. 15, for which you can register via this website, will include A. Karim Kader, M.D., Ph.D, a UC San Diego professor of urology; Clive Essakow, a layman familiar with prostate cancer, and Sarah Abelsohn, who will discuss her experiences as a BRCA carrier. ” Why is the topic important? According to Dr. Gaylis, who is Chief Scientific Officer at Genesis Healthcare Partners and UCSD voluntary Professor of Urology, here are some of the reasons:
—1 in 4 Ashkenazi Jews are carriers for an autosomal recessive mutation (abnormal change of the DNA within a gene) for certain serious diseases including Tay-Sachs, Gaucher Disease, cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy and several others. These carriers (people who have the abnormal gene) are healthy; however, if they marry someone with the same mutation, there is a 25% chance that their child will be affected.
–Approximately 80% of babies affected by genetic diseases are born to parents without any family history of the disease and genetic screening can play an important role in planning for a healthy family.
—The breast/ovarian cancer associated BRCA 1/2 gene mutations (abnormal gene because of a change in the DNA) occur 10x more commonly in Ashkenazi Jews compared to the general US population (1/40 vs 1/400).
—Having a BRCA 1/2 mutation increases the risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Mutation carriers have up to a 70% risk of breast cancer and an 11% to 40% risk of ovarian cancer by age 70 years. Recent research suggests an increase in the risk for prostate, pancreatic, melanoma and male breast cancer.
*The Anti Defamation League is examining various conspiracy theories focusing on the upcoming election, including one spun by right-wing groups that there is a liberal conspiracy to stage a coup against President Trump. Read the report via this website.
* U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been invited by Americans for Peace Now to be a speaker on the 25th anniversary commemoration of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination. Other participants in the Online memorial will be Rabin’s granddaughter, Noa Rothman, Israeli musician David Broza, and actor (and host) Mandy Patinkin. Register via this website for the Internet event to be conducted at 5 p.m. (Pacific Time), Tuesday, Oct. 20.
*Coastal Roots Farm has scheduled a drive-through Sukkot celebration Oct. 4-8 by which visitors to the Leichtag Commons in Encinitas may “take a guided audio tour from your smartphone to lead you throughout the property and teach you about Sukkot traditions. (No smartphone? Let us know in the registration, and we’ll have an iPad prepared for you!)” More information and registration via this website.
*Manny Waks, a survivor of child sexual abuse. has formed a new organization called Voice Against Child Sexual Abuse (VoiCSA), which focuses on the Jewish community. More information is available via this website.
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Political bytes
53rd CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT — The San Diego Union-Tribune and KGTV/News 10 have reported that their poll shows Sara Jacobs leading fellow Democrat Georgette Gomez with 38 percent of the voters to 24 percent, with the balance of the voters, mostly Republicans, undecided. Jacobs also released a three-part plan to address the need for housing in the county, calling for immediate assistance for those who need it, and for Congress to provide tax credits for renters, and investments in a fund for the construction of low cost housing. Meanwhile, Gomez chided Jacobs for not yet releasing her tax returns, prompting Jacobs’ campaign to say that Jacobs had been planning all along to release her tax returns, and would do soon. Making its attack on Jacobs more personal, Gomez’s campaign messaged: “We all know how the richest people in this country operate. Just ask the President of the United States why he refuses to release his taxes — we’re sure the reasons are similar to our heiress opponent’s. Our opponent just released her plan for a ‘non-corrupt’ government — but guess what isn’t mentioned? Tax information being made public. Thankfully, we don’t need to settle for a representative like that.” In a statement about the Breonna Taylor case in Louisville, Gomez commented: “Lately, it’s been so difficult to keep our heads up. To have faith in our democracy. And today, it’s painful beyond words to find out that our justice system has shown once again that equal justice under law remains a powerful aspiration — but not yet a reality for all in our country. This is why we say #BlackLivesMatter. It’s why we #SayHerName. We owe it to Breonna Taylor to keep fighting for justice. For her family, friends, and community — we owe it to them to keep up the fight.”
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SAN DIEGO MAYORAL CONTEST — Assemblyman Todd Gloria has called on Mayor Kevin Faulconer and the City Council to continue housing homeless persons at the San Diego Convention Center at least until the end of the year, when $37.7 million in “Project Homekey” funds are expected to become available to procure hotel space for the homeless. “Housing combined with supportive services is the proven way to solve an individual’s homelessness,” Gloria said. Unlike my opponent in this race [San Diego City Councilwoman Barbara Bry], I have been consistent on this strategy because the data shows it works. Right now, we are seeing encouraging results by using the Convention Center in this way. Let’s not stop now.” In response, Bry commented: “In 2012, Todd Gloria promised to “eliminate homelessness downtown in 4 years.” Instead, it doubled. He has pursued a failed policy based on the premise that the solution to homelessness is to build more subsidized housing. I support a policy that focuses on the root causes of homelessness, including mental health and substance abuse issues, not just building more housing.” Bry’s campaign, meanwhile, announced that it has raised $358,789 during the most recent reporting period, bringing the total for the campaign to $1,904,676. “My campaign’s momentum continues to build, with hundreds of new contributions from individual San Diegans,” Bry said. She added that “95% of my contributions during this reporting period are from residents of San Diego County, and 82% are residents of the city of San Diego.”
5th SAN DIEGO CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT — Marni von Wilpert, who is in a runoff versus Joe Leventhal, has been endorsed by the United Nurses Associations of California. “As nurses and healthcare professionals, it’s extremely imperative that we elect and support leaders at every level of government who are willing to be inclusive of our perspectives when public health decisions are being made—particularly now as we continue to grapple with the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 in our communities,” said Denise Duncan, RN, presient of the union “Marni has demonstrated this commitment to working in partnership with us, and we’re looking forward to the creative and effective solutions that she’ll undoubtedly bring to City Hall.”
BALLOT PROPOSITIONS — There are plenty of commercials pro and con about the ballot propositions facing California voters on Nov. 3rd. To help voters sort them out, Beth Israel Men’s Club is sponsoring at 4 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 7, an internet discussion led by the League of Women Voters telling what the measures would do, and what are the pro and con arguments. More information and registration via this website.
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Lighter Side
Our license plate maven, Melanie Rubin, spotted two cars recently with Jewish-interest license plates: “18 CHAI” and “SDBUBBE.” We thought you might enjoy seeing them.
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Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com