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Donald H. Harrison[/caption]
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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Jews in San Diego County and around the world are kneading and baking challah dough today (Thursday) in preparation for the celebration of worldwide Shabbat. [Donald H. Harrison]
Readying for Shabbat San Diego & Tapestry Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USAAlthough members of the local San Diego County Jewish community lost more races than they won, the San Diego Jewish community can take pride in Jews serving at nearly every level of government. Sara Jacobs, for example, will replace the retiring Susan Davis, a fellow Democrat, on San Diego County’s congressional delegation. [Donald H. Harrison]
The morning after the election Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA
Early returns in local races in San Diego indicated Tuesday night that among 10 Jewish candidates, 4 were successful and 6 were unsuccessful.
Apparent winners with 58.4 percent of all ballots counted showed Sara Jacobs winning handily in the 53rd Congressional District; Bernie Rhinerson easily winning reelection to the San Diego Community College Board; Terra Lawson-Remer defeating Republican incumbent Kristin Gaspar in the 3rd County Supervisorial District, and Sean Elo-Rivera defeating Kelvin Barrios for the 9th District San Diego City Council seat. All these winners are Democrats. [Donald H. Harrison]
4 of 10 local Jewish candidates appear victorious Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, USAWe do not know the names of every member of our Jewish community who is running for a public office in San Diego County. While we are aware of those running for major offices at the federal, state, county, and San Diego city, community college and school board levels, we are unfamiliar with those who might be running in outlying cities or for the other school boards and special districts throughout our region.
So, what follows is not a comprehensive list, nor is it an indication of San Diego Jewish World’s endorsements. [Donald H. Harrison]
Minyan of Jewish candidates on S.D. County ballots Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and Food, USA
Assume you have an upcoming bar/bat mitzvah, wedding, or another family simcha coming up, and you would like to invite some close relatives living in another country to attend. Right now it is a costly hassle for your relatives to apply for a temporary visa to visit the United States, with the possibility that they will be rejected causing you and them embarrassment, even humiliation. [Donald H. Harrison]
Guess who might come to your next simcha Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA
With the coming of Halloween, San Diego Jewish World introduces a new feature — a three-part video reporting series by my daughter, Sandi Masori, who has been after me for years to utilize originally produced video. “Fine,” said I, “you do it!” And so she did. In this series, which can be viewed above and will continue tomorrow, and Halloween night, Sandi interviews Rabbi Scott Meltzer of Ohr Shalom Synagogue in San Diego about some of the parallels between Halloween and Jewish mythology. They discuss the stories of golems — human-like creatures created by great rabbis — intended to protect their communities, and how golem stories were background to Mary Shelley’s famous tale about Frankenstein’s monster. [Donald H. Harrison]
Jewish connections to Halloween? Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Sandi Masori, USASecretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Thursday that henceforth U.S. passports issued to American citizens born in Jerusalem will say at their choice “Jerusalem, Israel,” rather than simply “Jerusalem,” as has been the case up to now. [Donald H. Harrison]
U.S. Passports Can List ‘Jerusalem, Israel’ as Birthplace Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
Congressional candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar, reacting to an unfavorable story carried about him by the Breitbard news organization, reiterated on Wednesday his support for a peaceful two-state solution for the Israelis and Palestinians, and his opposition to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. [Donald H. Harrison]
Campa-Najjar tells stands on Mideast Peace, BDS Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA
Besides being angry at Republicans for pushing Barrett’s confirmation through — in contrast to the way they refused to act on former President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nomination of Merrick Garland — some left-wing Democrats are also angry at Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California). Like all other Democratic Senators, Feinstein was opposed to Barrett, but unlike the rest of them, she congratulated Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) on the way he conducted hearings in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Graham is in a tight reelection battle against Democrat Jaime Harrison, and some Democrats feel Feinstein’s friendliness toward Graham may hurt Harrison’s chances as well as those of Democrats hoping to flip the Senate from Republican to Democratic control. [Donald H. Harrison]
Dianne Feinstein now in political hot water Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA
I’ve decided to change the name of my column from “Our Shtetl San Diego County” to “Jewish News from San Diego and Beyond.” The reason probably is self-evident. While much of the news that affects our readers occurs in San Diego, important stories with a bearing on our lives also come from other places as well, including Washington D.C., New York, Sacramento, Jerusalem, and Tel Aviv, to name just a few. So the new column name allows me to be more inclusive in my coverage. [Donald H. Harrison]
Jewish News from San Diego and Beyond Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Trivia, Humor & SatireFederal prosecutors still haven’t decided whether to seek the death penalty for the assailant who killed Lori Gilbert Kaye and wounded three other people at Chabad of Poway during a Passover 2019 observance, Kristina Davis of The San Diego Union-Tribune reported on Saturday. The newspaper said that the defense team for defendant John T. Earnest, 21, has reported that the coronavirus pandemic has hampered “mitigation investigation critical to a meaningful penalty phase in a capital prosecution.” [Donald H. Harrison]
Feds evaluate death penalty for Poway Chabad shooter Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County
Not only humans gathered around computer screens, but animals too, for Internet Shabbat services Friday night conducted by Rabbi/ Cantor Cheri Weiss of the San Diego Outreach Synagogue. This Shabbat, Jews around the world read Parshat Noach — the story of Noah’s Ark — and the rabbi figured it would be the perfect occasion to recite a “Blessing of the Animals” composed by Rabbi Jonathan Aaron of Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills, California. [Donald H. Harrison]
Blessings and Pats on Their Heads Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, The World We Share, USA
Former Vice President Joe Biden compared the U.S. relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un today to America’s “good relationship with Hitler before he, in fact, invaded Europe — the rest of Europe.”
The comparison came during one of many sharp exchanges Thursday night between Biden, the Democratic nominee for President, and President Donald J. Trump, the Republican, in their second and last debate before the Nov. 3 election. [Donald H. Harrison)
Biden likens North Korea to pre-war Nazi Germany Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USAThe March of the Living organization has called upon Jewish communities and their friends around the world to keep their lights on at synagogues, Jewish institutions, and at homes in solemn remembrance of the night known as Kristallnacht on Nov. 9, 1938, when Nazis burned more than 1,400 synagogues and Jewish institutions in Germany. [Donald H. Harrison, Our Shtetl San Diego County]
March of the Living plans worldwide Kristallnacht remembrance Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA