Obituaries & memorials

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, former chief rabbi of Great Britain has died

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, the much respected former chief rabbi of the UK, has died aged 72.Sacks was highly esteemed around the Jewish world for his erudition, his wisdom, and his prolific authorship of works on Jewish thought.Sacks announced in the middle of October that he had been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing treatment, but […]

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International, Jewish Religion, Obituaries & memorials

U.S. Passports Can List ‘Jerusalem, Israel’ as Birthplace

Secretary 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]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Feds evaluate death penalty for Poway Chabad shooter

Federal 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]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County

Juvenile arrested for attack on rabbi

Police reported on Friday that they had arrested a 14-year-old boy in connection with an attack on Saturday, Oct. 10. in which Rabbi Yonatan Halevy of Kehillat Shaar Hashamayim was clobbered on top of his head by an assailant who then rode off on his bicycle.  The 31-year-old rabbi, whose Sephardic congregation is engaged in outreach as part of a Shiviti movement, was knocked down but not seriously hurt.  At the time, Halevy was walking on Governor Drive in University City with his father, a stroke victim in his late 60s.  The father was not assaulted. [Donald H. Harrison, Our Shtetl San Diego County]

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Donald H. Harrison, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, USA

Police increase patrols following attack on rabbi

Other items in this column include: *Seacrest Village has newly reconfigured kosher kitchen *Jewish organizational news *In memoriam By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Police Department considers last Saturday’s attack on Rabbi Yonatan Halevy to be a “high priority incident” and as a result will increase patrols in the University City

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Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

We endorse Joe Biden for President

Other items in today’s column include *Political bytes *Jewish organizations *In memoriam By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – This publication proudly endorses Joe Biden for President. We will give credit to President Donald Trump where it is due. We applauded his decision to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem and to recognize the Golan

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, USA

A letter from Justice Ginsburg

From this email, I learned that Ruth Bader Ginsburg – yes, that Ruth Bader Ginsburg – had designated a gift to Avodah upon her receiving the Gilel Storch Award, a prize for her outstanding human rights contributions. I was stunned by such an incredible and humbling honor. The weight of her legacy was palpable when we later received a signed letter on U.S. Supreme Court letterhead, in which she declared that “Avodah is respected by people across the political spectrum for its engagement in real tikkun olam.” [Cheryl Cook]

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Obituaries & memorials, USA

Fourth Yahrzeit for Shimon Peres Observed

The Peres Center for Peace & Innovation on Tuesday hosted the first virtual ceremony of its kind, to commemorate the fourth anniversary since the passing of the Ninth President of the State of Israel, Shimon Peres. Participants in the ceremony, attended by  Peres’ three children — Tzvia, Yoni and Chemi —  included Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Hillary Clinton, Tony Blair, Prince Hassan of Jordan, Nicolas Sarkozy, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, singer Barbara Streisand and actress and producer Sharon Stone. They were joined by more than 100,000 schoolchildren from across Israel, many at schools proudly named in Peres’ memory. {Press Release from the Peres Center for Peace & Innovation]

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Jewish History, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, Yoni Peres

RBG’s death prompts Jewish pride, sorrow

Back to work following the two-day observance of Rosh Hashanah, Jewish organizations are paying tribute to the life and legacy of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died at age 87 just before the High Holy Day. Among the tributes were the following: [Donald H. Harrison, “Our Shtetl San Diego County”]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

San Diego Dems cancel anti-Semitism debate

The chairman of the San Diego County Democratic Party, Will Rodriguez-Kennedy, doesn’t want the debate over anti-Semitism in the party’s ranks to be held until after the Nov. 3 election, if ever. On Sept. 10, Rodriguez-Kennedy sent a message to the county party’s central committee explaining his reason for wanting a delay. [Donald H. Harrison, Our Shtetl San Diego County]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Seacrest Village may be answer for isolated Jewish seniors

Jewish seniors isolated during the coronavirus pandemic may be better off both physically and mentally by moving to the Independent Living section of Seacrest Village Retirement Communities, its president and CEO Pam Ferris says. [Donald H. Harrison, “Our Shtetl San Diego County column]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, 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

Willie the plumber and Lavender Laura

Willie and Laura Pincus were a forever couple. There was never any Willie without Laura, nor Laura without Willie, even after he died. He was sixty-five when he checked out, after many years of heart trouble. Jerry Lewis, the comedian once said; “Good Jewish food killed more of my people than the Holocaust did!” Willy had too many delicious pastrami, and chopped liver, sandwiches. When he died, Laura felt cheated. She often told me that she was waiting to rejoin him. She had to wait twelve long years, but finally her patience paid off, and I’m left to tell the tale. [Ira Spector]

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Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County