animals

Lone soldier from San Diego on patrol near Gaza

  Other items in  today’s column include *Israel Philharmonic teams up in their homes for Pesach melodies *Coronavirus and animals *Passover doings * By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — Sometimes in the morning, sometimes at night, Israel Defense Forces Corporal Sagie Shpigelman, 19,  of San Diego patrols Israel’s border with Gaza along with other […]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, The World We Share, Travel and Food, USA

The Jewish candidates: Kate Schwartz in the 75th A.D.

Kate Schwartz, a Fallbrook Democrat who will face incumbent Assemblywoman Marie Waldron (R-Escondido) in the Nov. 3 runoff election, said the coronavirus pandemic illustrates the necessity to re-open community and rural hospitals. Furthermore, she said, it is evidence that California should switch from competing private health systems to a unified, single-payer health care system.  She said California could set an example for the rest of the nation. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, The World We Share, USA

Major Jewish groups to meet CV19 challenge together

Gary E. Jacobs, the San Diegan who serves as the national chairman of the JCC Association Board of Directors, declared Wednesday that “the Jewish community has historically overcome the greatest challenges only when we united and work together.  This is one of those moments when we in the JCC Community, along with the Federations, summer camps and so many others will collaborate to address this unprecedented crisis.” [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, The World We Share, Travel and Food, USA

Jewish community establishes emergency Covid-19 fund

The Jewish Federation of San Diego County, the Jewish Community Foundation and the Leichtag Foundation have jointly created a new San Diego Jewish Community Covid-19 Emergency Fund “to support those who are most vulnerable and impacted primarily in San Diego’s Jewish community.” Co-chairing the effort are Emily Einhorn, Leo Spiegel, and Brian Tauber. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, The World We Share, USA

Cli-fi author helped Jewish neighbors on Shabbat

The more I work at this column-writing gig, the more I realize how true the motto of this website is that that “there’s a Jewish story everywhere.” Case in point: I was writing a draft about a hilarious new cli-fi novel from a Canadian humorist named David Millar when during one of our casual online chats about his book The Ministry For Ignoring Climate Change he told me a great little anecdote about his connection to Jewish people and Jewish culture. [Dan Bloom]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, The World We Share

JAFI brings teen emissaries in SD County home

Three Israeli youth who have been serving in San Diego County as shlichim (emissaries) for the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) left for Israel on Sunday — their one-year tours in the United States interrupted by the shutdown of many area Jewish institutions in reaction to the spreading coronavirus.  Opportunities to interact with Jews on an organized level having been greatly reduced in San Diego County, the three 18-year-olds will return to Israel where, after a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all returnees to Israel, they will be able to do volunteer work and have Pesach seders with their families. [Our shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jerry Klinger, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, The World We Share, Travel and Food, USA

U.S. Attorney Brewer reassures Jewish community on security

U.S. Attorney Robert S. Brewer Jr. experienced  first-hand in San Diego the concerns shared by Jewish congregations around the country about anti-Semitism — a concern that prompted U.S. Attorney General William Barr to send a directive to U.S. Attorneys throughout the United States to arrange meetings with Jewish community leaders.   At a kosher lunch meeting on Wednesday sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League, rabbi after rabbi — ranging from Reform to Chassidic–expressed their worries about the safety of their congregants at a time when there has been an increase in anti-Semitic hate crimes. [Our shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, The World We Share, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi

‘Hurricane’ Schwartz dishes on debut novel

”If you’ve lived in the Philadelphia area and have watched NBC10 on TV in the last 25 years, you’ve seen most likely Glenn “Hurricane” Schwartz sweeping his arm over satellite images and telling you whether you’ll need an umbrella.” That was the opening line from Jewish Exponent news reporter Jesse Bernstein introducing the popular Philly TV weatherman Glenn Schwartz and his new novel titled The Weathermaker, a book I recently reviewed on this website. [Dan Bloom]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, The World We Share

How to talk to your children about climate change

There’s so much dreary and depressing news in the papers and on TV these days about the so-called ”climate emergency” and the ”climate crisis.” Article after article, op-ed after op-ed, it’s a never-ending drumbeat of dystopian news and I’m tired of it. Sure, I’m one of the people who coined and promoted the cli-fi genre of novels and movies over the past 10 years, but at the same time, I’m not in the pessimist camp. I’m a born optimist. [Dan Bloom]

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International, The World We Share

Siba top dog by human, not canine, standards

While New Hampshire was voting in the presidential primary held this past Tuesday, the judges for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show were selecting the winner of the Best in Show Award.   They chose a standard poodle named Siba.  Now I have nothing against poodles per se.  Indeed, they are highly intelligent, but in dog shows, superficial beauty is valued more than smartness.  That is why Siba received  the Westminster pewter trophy and hand-engraved Steuben crystal bowl as her rewards.  By the way, I find it obvious that these prizes are intended for Siba’s owners and not Siba whom I’m sure would prefer a year’s supply of filet mignon fed to her in the bowl and trophy which I surmise will end up in some display case. [Elona Baron as told the Laurie Baron]

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Lawrence Baron, The World We Share, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Climate change meets tradition in High Atlas Mountains

By Nicolas Pantelick MARRAKECH, Morocco — Two weeks ago, I set out with three of my colleagues from the High Atlas Foundation (HAF, Marrakech) to the village of Gourrama in the Moroccan Middle Atlas Mountains. Our journey, from sunrise to sunset, took us across rugged terrains and through communities of all sizes. I reveled in

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International, Middle East, The World We Share

Tu B’Shevat celebrated throughout S.D. County

Notwithstanding Sunday’s rain, various celebrations in honor of Tu B’Shevat, the birthday of the trees, were held throughout San Diego County, kicking off a week of observances of what some call “Jewish Arbor Day.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, The World We Share, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Some misgivings about Super & Puppy Bowls

I avoid watching the Super Bowl where giant men butt heads and push each other down inevitably injuring each other.  Frankly, I don’t understand the game.  When the quarterback passes the ball to a member of his team, the receiver runs in the opposite direction from the quarterback violating all my training to retrieve balls.  I’ve heard the ball is made of pigskin which offends my Jewish owners and ignores how wonderful rabbit fur feels in between my teeth.  [Humor by Elona Baron as told to Laurie Baron]

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Lawrence Baron, The World We Share, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Fictional weather-maker faces religious controversy

“The story goes like this,” Schwartz told me in a recent update to his earlier emails. “The main character, Neil Stephenson, is a TV meteorologist and a rising star in the Baltimore area. During a snowstorm that isn’t producing as much snow as predicted, Neil discovers his gift: that he can actually make the snow increase or decrease, and make it rain or stop raining.” That’s some superpower, as readers of the recently-published novel will find out. [Dan Bloom]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, The World We Share