Ben Dishman

JCC: Celebrating 80 Years of Growing Community Together

Beyond the culinary delights, the evening was a heartfelt homage to the JCC’s rich history. Engaging speeches and a captivating visual presentation chronicled the JCC’s evolution, tracing its roots from the 54th Street location in San Diego’s Rolando area to its vibrant present-day home in La Jolla. The success of the event was a testament to the dedication of its leaders, including event chairs, Adam and Amy Jacob, who addressed the gala guests, and Kira Finkenberg, who also spoke. [Barrett Holman Leak]

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Barrett Holman Leak, Ben Dishman, Jewish History, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Lerner Family Remembered with Mezuzah at the JCC’s Gotthelf Dance Studio

Sam Lerner, left, observes as Rabbi Hanan Leberman prepares to mount a mezuzah on the doorpost of the Gotthelf Dance Studio at the Lawrence Family JCC on Monday, Jan. 13. Lerner presented the mezuzah on the birthday of his late mother, Susy Lerner, who died last September, in memory of her and her late husband, Ira Lerner. [SDJW staff]

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Ben Dishman, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors

OpEd: Value of Israeli Professors on U.S. College Campuses

Since October, some of these objections to the academic study of Israel have escalated to soft boycotts sometimes led by professors in important departments related to the study of modern Israel and to current events. At the same time, students across the board have expressed increased desire to learn about Israel and the region. Registration in Israel-related courses, including courses taught by MGSDII professors is at its highest levels ever. [Susan Lapidus]

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Ben Dishman, Israel, Opinion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Visits to Cities along the Danube: Both Depressing and Enlightening

The tour guides were not Jewish and referred to the inhabitants of the quarter as “Our Jews.”  They would point out highlighted areas in the German towns where the synagogues had been. One town even had a memorial in what had been the Jewish quarter that consisted of a permanent cement outline, 40 x 20 feet, of a former shul. [Ben Dishman]

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Antisemitism, Ben Dishman, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA

Parent Company of Kay Jewelers, Zales Once Suffered from CEO ‘Doing a Ratner’

At the Shoppes at Carlsbad, Kay Jewelers is located on one floor and Zales on another – a physical manifestation of multilevel marketing. Both are owned by Signet Jewelers which changed its name from Ratners after its CEO, Gerald Ratner, made an unfortunate speech that gave rise to the expression, “Doing a Ratner.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Ben Dishman, Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, International, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Temple Etz Rimon Shares in Interfaith Projects with Pilgrim Church; Both Congregations are Committed to Social Justice, Inclusiveness

Every synagogue has its own personality. Farber said that Temple Etz Rimon’s is that “it is very, very friendly. Warm. You come into the building and you are greeted. You are welcomed at the oneg. They grab you; they love you. People will say, ‘Oh my God, you are so friendly!’ We are. There is no snobbishness in the group. It’s really a nice congregation. Unfortunately, it is getting smaller and smaller.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Ben Dishman, California, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Alex Grass: Rite Aid’s Success Led to His Many Philanthropies

Editor’s Note: This is the 21st chapter in Volume 3 of Publisher and Editor Donald H. Harrison’s 2022 trilogy, “Schlepping and Schmoozing Along the Interstate 5.” All three books as well as others written by Harrison may be purchased from Amazon.com. Schlepping and Schmoozing Along the Interstate 5, Volume 3, Exit 49 (Tamarack Avenue): Rite

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Ben Dishman, Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Jewish History, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Our Shtetl San Diego County: Rabbi Nevarez Hopes to Calm Troubled County Human Relations Commission

“I’m not adding to the vitriol. My goal is to do my small part to help move the HRC away from that and into the effective, on-the-ground work that it was meant to do.” [SDJW staff]

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Ben Dishman, Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Stuart Moldaw Saw Potential Profits in Buying Clothes for Less and Selling Them for Less

Moldaw’s next enterprise was as a principal in U.S. Venture Partners. While participating in that company, Moldaw also ran Pic-A-Dilly, which later was purchased by Lucky Stores. Thereafter, Moldaw decided to start Ross Dress for Less, which he described as a larger version of Pic-A-Dilly, offering not only women’s clothing but “a full array of family apparel.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Ben Dishman, Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA

Jenny Camhi: Building Jewish Community in North County

While not everyone was Jewish, “we had a community ketuba of values” in which it was agreed that “we all come from different faith backgrounds, but we can agree that innovation, caring for one another, caring for the environment, and acting with intention were the things that we all wanted to do. So, we had one of our Hive members create a community ketuba (a written contract, usually for marriages.) We illustrated it and we all signed it.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Ben Dishman, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

Javier Guerrero: Growing and Distributing Food in Accordance with Jewish Ethical Teachings at Coastal Roots Farm

After four years heading Coastal Roots Farm, first as executive director, and later as the President and CEO of the independent, nonprofit farm, Guerrero can sling around a lot of Hebrew, some of which may be unfamiliar to non-Hebrew speaking American Jews. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Ben Dishman, Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education

Charlene Seidle: Passion for North County San Diego and Israel

Editor’s Note: This is the 13th chapter in Volume 3 of Editor Emeritus Donald H. Harrison’s 2022 trilogy, “Schlepping and Schmoozing Along the Interstate 5.”  All three books as well as others written by Harrison may be purchased from Amazon.com. Schlepping and Schmoozing Along the Interstate 5, Volume 3, Exit 41B (Encinitas Boulevard): Leichtag Commons From northbound Interstate

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Ben Dishman, Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, Judaism, San Diego County, The World We Share, USA

Rabbi Wayne Dosick: San Diego County’s Longest-Serving Rabbi and Still One of Its Most Innovative

Some people become increasingly conservative as they age; but the reverse has been true in Dosick’s life. He grew up in a Conservative congregation but decided to enter the Reform seminary of Hebrew Union College because he objected to the Jewish Theological Seminary of the Conservative movement on two grounds.  First, it still separated men and women during prayer services and Dosick opposed mehitzahs (physical barriers). Second the JTS leadership was then on record supporting the war in Vietnam in the mistaken belief that if the U.S. left Vietnam to the Communists, its support for Israel against its enemies also might be shaky. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Ben Dishman, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, San Diego County