Donald H. Harrison

Donald H. Harrison

Donald H. Harrison is the publisher and editor of San Diego Jewish World. 

Harrison began his journalism career in 1962 on the UCLA Daily Bruin.  Following graduation he joined the staff of the Associated Press, and later became politics writer for The San Diego Union.  Afterwards he pursued a career in tourism, helping to establish San Diego’s Cruise Ship Program as well as Old Town Trolley Tours of San Diego.  He also wrote for such Jewish publications as the San Diego Jewish Press Heritage and San Diego Jewish Times before starting San Diego Jewish World in 2007.

Don’s  latest work is the three-volume Schlepping and Schmoozing Along the Interstate 5.  

He is the author of six previous books.  Those with links may be obtained on Amazon.

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Let’s Have Compassion for the Rabbi’s Spouse

I believe some of the most important unsung heroes of non-Orthodox Judaism are the spouses of pulpit rabbis.  We don’t pay them, but more often than not, we expect them to devote their lives to our synagogues.  We want them to attend every social occasion, be there near the front of the sanctuary on Shabbat evening and morning,   to recognize all of us by first and last name, and to be able to chant the blessings before and after the reading of the Torah whenever someone is needed for an aliyah. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, USA

‘Thank you, America’ from the Depths of My Jewish Heart

As a boy, I loved hearing the story about the early childhood of my father, Martin B. Harrison, who was born on the 4th of July, 1910.  To paraphrase the great Irish-American lyricist George M. Cohan, dad was a “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” Until dad reached the age of 5, his parents — M. Joseph and Florence Harrison — had him persuaded that the nation held all those parades and shot off all those fireworks in celebration of his birthday.  When he got to kindergarten, however, he learned the truth.  The celebration was for the birth of the American nation, and not specifically for little Marty. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Planning for Locally-Based Israel Trips Resumes

As vaccination rates increase and the coronavirus pandemic seemingly is being brought under control, group trips to Israel from San Diego are again being organized.  One of the first to be publicized is a joint trip planned for May 15-29, 2022 and sponsored by the San Diego Outreach Synagogue and the Desert Outreach Synagogue, to be led respectively by Rabbi/ Cantor Cheri Weiss and Rabbi Jules King. [Donald H. Harrison]

Planning for Locally-Based Israel Trips Resumes Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA

StandWithUs to Aid House of Israel in Balboa Park

The leadership of the House of Israel in Balboa Park is less worried today about the possible burnout of their volunteers. which could have led to the organization being unable to keep the doors open to the public from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.  That in turn could have led to the House of Israel, a Balboa Park fixture since 1948, being forced to relinquish its cottage and being replaced by the house of another nation. The pro-Israel advocacy group StandWithUs has come to the rescue. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

A Drumbeat of Antisemitism in San Diego, Across the U.S.

Near the San Diego State University campus, in San Diego’s daily newspaper, in speeches by members of Congress, and in an apology forced upon a children’s book executive for speaking out against antisemitism, the drumbeat of hatred against our fellow Jews grows increasingly persistent. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

SDSU Chabad Again Subjected to Vandalism

For the second time this year, the Chabad House at San Diego State University has been subjected to hostility — this time in the form of a broken branch of its large outdoor menorah and the ripping of one of its banners.  Last month, youngsters burglarized the combination synagogue and residence hall while students upstairs were asleep. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education

Demonstrations of the Ugly and the Beautiful in Sports

In sports, which can serve as a microcosm of our society, we saw over the past few days the ugly and the beautiful.

The ugly came following a California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) regional championship basketball game between Coronado High School of the City of Coronado and Orange Glen High School of the City of Escondido.  At the end of the hard-fought game, which Coronado narrowly won, some of its players “celebrated” by tossing packages of tortillas at the Orange Glen team, whose players are predominantly Mexican-American.  Coronado High School, in contrast, is predominantly White. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, USA

Political Biography Includes Anecdotes About Biden and Jews

While this book was published prior to the election by which Joe Biden became the 46th President of the United States, there is much in it that remains of interest — particularly for people like myself who are interested in the relationships between American presidents and the Jewish community. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, USA

Novel portrays 3 English-speaking students at Hebrew University

Dorothea Shefer-Vanson’s eighth novel concerns three foreign students studying at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.  Each of them is from an English-speaking country; specifically the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.  Two are married, one is single; the Australian and his wife have two children; and all are graduate students in the history department. The  year is 1966, one year prior to the Six Day War. [Donald H. Harrison]

Novel portrays 3 English-speaking students at Hebrew University Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Dorothea Shefer-Vanson

Jewish News Around San Diego, June 18, 2021

The Balboa Park-based San Diego History Center has embarked  on a $100,000 fundraising campaign “to edit, conserve and preserve” more than 90 hours of interviews that were conducted in preparation for its 2017-2018 exhibition Celebrate San Diego: The History of San Diego’s Jewish Community and a companion documentary film. To the Ends of the Earth: A Portrait of San Diego.  The fundraising campaign is being led by Jeff and Karen Silberman. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Why everyone should celebrate Juneteenth, the new federal holiday

By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – I was delighted to learn that Congress, by an overwhelming vote, has decided that Juneteenth should be a federal holiday. President Joe Biden subsequently signed the Juneteenth bill into law. Marking the June 19, 1865 date when U.S. Army Major General Gordon Granger abolished slavery in Galveston, Texas,

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Donald H. Harrison, USA

Will We Lose the House of Israel to Another Nation?

A bit of friendly advice for my fellow Jews, and especially those from Israel residing in San Diego.  The House of Israel, which has been open continuously in Balboa Park since 1948–the same year Israel was created–is now in danger of losing its charter.  The dedicated volunteers who do their best to keep the House open every Saturday and Sunday, as required by the City of San Diego, are wearying.  Some are getting too old to maintain that type of schedule; others are experiencing burnout. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Middle East, San Diego County, USA

Jewish Stories Are Everywhere — Especially in Books

It’s my joy to review for this publication many current books — especially memoirs, biographies, and novels — but occasionally when there are none left on the pile to review, I have the opportunity to tuck into older books recommended to me by friends and relatives who know that I love to find stories corroborating this publication’s mantra that “There is a Jewish story everywhere.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA

Novel Imagines German-Jewish Relationships at Close of 19th Century

The book cover of ‘All Things That Deserrve to Perish’ gives a false impression of the contents..  While there are sexual situations that contribute to the outcome of the story, the major theme of this book is the toxic relationships between Jews and German Christians at the fin de siècle. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison