USA

We need a memorial for Jews who saved Jews and others

Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem honors non-Jews who chose to save Jews, even at the risk of their own lives. Yad Vashem does not honor, document or recognize Jews who saved other Jews during the Holocaust, even at the risk of their own lives. Honoring Jews who saved Jews was and is not part of its mandate. Were not their life-risking efforts worthy of memorialization? There is no memorial to Jews who saved Jews and others, in Israel, or anywhere. [Jerry Klinger]

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Jerry Klinger, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, USA

San Diego races attract big-name endorsers

With less than two months to go until election, Democratic candidates in technically non-partisan local races are touting endorsements from big-name Democrats. For example, Assemblyman Todd Gloria, who is running for mayor of San Diego against City Councilwoman Barbara Bry, is sending out a short video showing U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for vice president, endorsing him. [Donald H. Harrison, “Our Shtetl San Diego County”]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, USA

Hal the horseradish man

While waiting for my meal I noticed a small, freestanding wood building across the street. The building was painted yellow, which was not extraordinary by itself, but across the entire length of the façade, hand-painted in huge, block, green-painted letters, was the word “horseradish.” Now this is not the message on your typical store sign. I was so intrigued, that after lunch I crossed the street to see what they sold. To my amazement, the store, true to its sign, primarily sold three kinds of horseradish-regular, beet, and lemon- in pint or quart jars. [Ira Spector]

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Business & Finance, Travel and Food, USA

A mind is a fine thing to grow

I climbed the cheap metal steps to one of the many cheap “temporary” classroom buildings that sprouted like weeds between my Spring 1965 campus visit to SUNY Buffalo [UB] and the August start of freshman year. The classic Gothic campus on Main Street had turned into a muddy mobile home park, but I was happy to be there. Not quite 17, I celebrated as my parents drove off in tears, leaving me 400 miles from home. They had told me to choose a state school, and the map told me Buffalo was as far as I could get from Brooklyn. A bonus was UB’s academic reputation, good enough for the elitists in my high school to express surprise that I had been accepted. [Michael Ginsberg]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Lifestyles, Michael Ginsberg, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Food, pandemics, and heat waves

Our editor has opened SDJW pages to contributors of  fiction. What follows is true, but has the hallmarks of incredulity. We are wending our Pandemic way from August in Wyoming with the lowest Covid rate in the nation, to Richmond with a detour staying with my sister and brother in law in Laguna Woods. It is 2 pm and 104 degrees outside, and today, Sunday, is predicted to be 108 with “Very Unhealthy Air Quality.” [Oliver B. Pollak]

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Lifestyles, Oliver Pollak, Travel and Food, USA

A portrait of my pop

grew up in the fifties, through the fits and starts of adolescence, the revealing mysteries of puberty and the inculcation of ambition all Jewish boys are indoctrinated with before leaving home. Growing up I never thought of my father as handsome or ugly. He was just “Pop.” He was good to me as a kid, but was afflicted with a terrible depression that permeated his personality and behavior and prevented a close relationship between us. His perpetual sadness limited his sharing of his life’s experiences and wisdom gained that might have guided me from making some of the mistakes I made later in life. [Ira Spector]

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Lifestyles, USA

Jewish Teen Foundation invites high schoolers to apply

The Jewish Teen Foundation (JTF) is recruiting San Diego County Jewish high school students to learn about philanthropy, tikkun olam, and tzedakah. Under auspices of the Jewish Community Foundation, “teens will learn grant making, collaboration, public speaking, and constructive discourse skills while building their own personal networks,” according to a JTF news release. [Donald H. Harrison, “Our Shtetl San Diego County”

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USA

Streaming Jewish Programs (Sept. 6-11)          

Laurie Baron, Ph.D, rounds up streaming programs of Jewish interest for scholars and lay people, from Sunday, Sept. 6 through Friday, Sept. 11

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lawrence Baron, Lifestyles, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, The World We Share, Travel and Food, USA

Kushner’s snarkiness hampered Black-Jewish relations

Perhaps Jared Kushner could not resist. When the NBA shut down last week, Kushner told CNBC. “The NBA players are very fortunate that they have the financial position where they’re able to take a night off from work without having to have the consequences to themselves financially. So they have that luxury, which is great.” [Bruce S. Ticker]

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Bruce Ticker, Sports & Competitions, USA

‘Hearts of Gold’ gala to honor Seacrest’s workers

Cindy Bloch and Jean Gaylis will co-chair a Feb. 21 virtual “Hearts of Gold” gala honoring the front line workers  “who are ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the residents of Seacrest Village, while providing love and compassion during these challenging times,” according to Anna L. Johnston, events manager of the Seacrest Foundation.   [Donald H. Harrison, “Our Shtetl San Diego County”]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Lifestyles, San Diego County, USA

Golf and the Art of the Double Deal

During an interview with Laura Ingraham, President Trump compared the actions of the Kenosha policeman who shot Jacob Blake in the back seven times to a professional golfer who chokes when trying to make 3-foot putt in a tournament. Though leftwing commentators thought this was an insensitive analogy, Trump views politics from the lens of golf as the following comments edited out of the Ingraham interview indicate. [Satire by Laurie Baron, Ph.D]

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Lawrence Baron, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

National director of Ta’amod settles in San Diego

Ta’amod encourages and guides Jewish organizations to hold themselves to a higher standard, thereby ensuring that every individual experiences a safe, respectful workplace, regardless of whether that employee identifies as Jewish or not and no matter where they identify in Jewish practice and beliefs. [Eva Trieger]

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Business & Finance, Eva Trieger, San Diego County, USA

Jewish Legislative Caucus amends Ethnic Studies bill

The State Legislature on Monday gave final approval to a bill requiring that ethnic studies be made a requirement for graduation from California high school.  Members of the Legislative Jewish Caucus sent out a news release seeking to allay fears expressed in the Jewish community that the content of those courses might include anti-Israel or anti-Semitic material. [Donald H. Harrison]

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

On behalf of those ‘with underlying conditions’

Today, television news reported that there were three more deaths in San Diego County from COVID-19, and that all three victims were in their 80s “with underlying conditions.”

This phrase, “with underlying conditions,” apparently is meant to make some people feel better about the death toll.  It sends the message that if you are young and healthy, without any underlying conditions, you’re safe from the disease.  But it sends a different message to those of us who are older and have thus far survived our battles with “underlying conditions.” It tells us that if we die from COVID-19, it won’t be so important; it’s less of a tragedy.  After all, we had underlying conditions. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Middle East, USA