Other items in this column include:
*Jewish community professonals
* Political bytes
* Coming our way
* Mazel tov! Mazel tov!
SAN DIEGO – I am a former Democrat, who left that party after its hard left, now called progressive, wing did everything it could in 2006 to oust U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut from his seat, which he nevertheless won as an independent. Many of us Jews had taken tremendous pride in Lieberman having been Al Gore’s 2000 vice presidential running mate, the first Jew to be so nominated by either major party. So, we felt the effort to dump Lieberman to be a slap in the face. Yes, he was more conservative than many of us on some issues, but he always was an upstanding example of integrity and civility.
Now, I am an independent who loves Israel and who can separate my love for Israel from my disappointment and disapproval for its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, just as I love the United States of America, notwithstanding my disappointment and disapproval for President Donald Trump.
So, who I wonder, will I be able in good conscience to vote for in the next presidential election? Certainly not Donald Trump, whose domestic actions – especially his mistreatment of immigrants yearning to breathe free – have been a disgrace. But what about the Democrats? Even though U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont is a fellow Jew, he seems to have no love whatsoever for Israel, vilifying the country of our co-religionists in such fashion that anti-Israel members of Congress like Ilhan Omar feel comfortable endorsing him.
Then there’s U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, who seems to be competing with Sanders for the so-called Progressive vote, Israel be damned. I like former Vice President Joe Biden, but I worry about his age and mental acuity. He makes one gaffe after another—I’m told he always has—but those slips, coupled with his advancing age, do not give me confidence in his long-term ability to be a leader.
With none of the people whom current polls show to be the front runners appealing to me, is there a Democratic candidate whom I can support?
If I were required to make my decision today, at the top of my list is U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, who was the only senator among the current crop running for U.S. President who stood by Israel and voted against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Further, I am told, she had long been popular with Jews in Minnesota, both fellow Democrats and Republicans.
I liked the way she has handled herself in the presidential debates, most recently when she wondered how allies like Israel could ever trust the United States after President Trump abandoned the Syrian Kurds to the military of Turkey’s ruthless President Tayyip Recep Erdogan. I also thought she distinguished herself in the 2018 hearings over whether Brett Kavanaugh should be confirmed as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice.
Some people say that Klobuchar is so low in the polls, there’s no point supporting her, but I disagree. I think American Jews who consider themselves to be liberals on domestic issues, and who at the same time have a deep love for Israel, should rally behind her and give her a boost.
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Jewish community professionals
*Lori Kurtz has resigned as administrator of Tifereth Israel Synagogue to spend more time with her husband Howie and daughter Olivia, according to a joint announcement by Rabbi Joshua Dorsch and congregational president David Ogul. The family plans to continue its membership in the Conservative congregation.
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Political bytes
Congresswoman Susan Davis joined a majority of her colleagues on the House Committee on Education and Labor to send a bill to the House floor that would empower the federal government to negotiate lower drug costs with the pharmaceutical companies. The party line vote was 27 Democrats in favor, 21 Republicans opposed. … Terra Lawson-Remer, a candidate for county supervisor, has announced that actress Jane Fonda will join her at a community fundraiser Nov. 17th, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the home of Jamie Carr. Ticket information is available via this website … A Conservative rabbi, Mark Ankcorn, who previously served at Congregation Shaare Zedek in Manhattan, today does his tikkun olam as chief deputy city attorney under incumbent City Attorney Mara Elliott. Among other responsibilities, Ankcorn has been pressing the city’s suit against opioid companies, we are informed by Elliott’s campaign consultant Dan Rottenstreich.
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Coming our way
* Sunday, Oct. 20, at 5:30 p.m., will mark the first of 12 sessions of Eitanim, the Israeli-American Council’s mentoring program for Israeli and Jewish-American teens, which can be applied for via this website. Mentors include Jennie Starr, marketing director for Bioform Solutions; Mitch Simon, president and CEO of Simon Leadership Alliance, Inc; author and lecturer Guri Stark; Qualtest managing director US West, Neri Lavi; NextLevel Internet People & Culture Coordinator Yarden Gingold, and Nili Pertez, co-founder of positivechutzpah.com
* Sydney and Denise Selati will be the honorees at a Nov. 9 Friends of the Israel Defense Forces gala dinner at which all Holocaust survivors in the San Diego area also are invited to be honored at 6:45 p.m. at the Hilton Bayfront. Several members of the IDF will be present for the occasion, at which 800 people are expected to attend including San Diego Chapter Chairman Alan Katz, Vice Chairman Norman Smith, board director Nancie Vann and chapter executive director Oz Laniado. Also planning to be on hand are the FIDF National Director, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir, and Orange County development director Adam Reingold.
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Mazel tov! Mazel tov!
*Chava and Benyomin Klipper, daughter and son-in-law of Rabbi Yeruchem and Nehama Eilfort had a baby boy on the first day of Sukkot in New York. His brit milah (when his name will be announced) will occur this coming Monday on Shmini Atzeret.
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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com