San Diego County

Morality lessons in the daily news

When reading the San Diego Union-Tribune, there are times that I feel I am benefiting from more than the news.  The newspaper also reinforces some fundamental concepts of good behavior and dare I say it? – morality – in its coverage. Let me work from the back sections to the front to explain what I mean. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, The World We Share, USA

Jews writing a Christmas story: Is that kosher?

After I submitted my review of Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big San Diego Christmas Show, now playing at the Old Globe, we noticed that the creators’ names sounded Jewish. I’ve met a few Jews who were openly hostile to the goyishe feist, calling it “Krastmik” to avoid saying that name. But American Jews making their mark, even iconic contributions, to Christmas canon is nothing new. Some favorite Christmas carols including Rudolph, Chestnuts Roasting, Let it Snow!, Santa Baby, Silver Bells and It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year were all composed by Jews. 
Still, Christmas is not really our holiday. So we wanted to talk to Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen about creating this show and what influence their Jewish upbringing had on it. [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Jewish Federation CEO tells of cancer battle

What I am about to share is something that I have been public about since 2017. Only because of a change in circumstances have I found the need to, once again, talk about my battle with cancer. Although Federation leadership and professional staff have been ‘in the loop,’ I felt it was time to share more widely. I have always felt that communities tend to rally in times of difficulty and crisis. I welcome your prayers, good wishes, and vibes that will, undoubtedly, help me and my family get through these trying times. [Michael Jeser]

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Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education

Resolution on Israel wins S.D. reps. support

Three Democratic members of Congress representing portions of San Diego County – Susan Davis, Scott Peters, and Mike Levin – were among 192 cosponsors of a House Resolution approved by a vote of 226-188 on Friday, Dec. 6, that reiterated support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. A fourth San Diego Democrat, Juan Vargas, joined his colleagues in the majority. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

But for Lavan, Joseph could have been Jacob’s first-born

Had Lavan not tricked Jacob into marrying the wrong daughter, Joseph would have been the first born child. If that were the case Joseph would never have been thrown in the pit, and his family would never have followed him to Egypt. Baeyrav points out that Lavan had no reason to hate Jacob, yet caused him pain and suffering on each and every step of his journey, and continues to do so, until this day. The Rashbatz adds, this is meant to teach us a very important lesson; that when there is unpacifiable hatred forming relentless enemies, peace seems almost impossible. [Rabbi Joshua Dorsch]

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Jewish Religion, San Diego County

Three local poets to recite Dec. 17 at LFJCC

Adam Greenfield is a professional podcast producer and published poet. His 2017 book, Regarding the Monkey, received critical acclaim. Anna Abraham Gasaway, a graduate of Holyoke College, is currently studying poetry in the Master of Fine Arts Program at San Diego State University. Her poetry has been published in the San Diego Reader, Last Exit, Toyon, Mesa Visions and Cityworks. Lucy Lehman, a graduate of Wellesley College, has had her poetry published in the San Diego Poetry Annual. [Eileen Wingard]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Eileen Wingard, San Diego County

Winter songs and dance at the Welk

With everything else going on in the world, there’s a nice little respite below the hills in Escondido at the Welk Resort Theatre where co-creator Larry Rabin with co- director Noelle Marion and choreographer and co-creator Cheryl Baxter Ratliff are presenting “Welkome Home For The Holidays” in a two hour sing and dance fest through Dec. 29. Billed as a love letter to “The Rat Pack” TV Holiday Specials of the past, it’s a holiday/variety/ fun filled songfest with a thinly veiled story line. [Carol Davis]

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Carol Davis, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Book charts lives, legacies of Holocaust survivors

Other items in this column include: *Numbers add up for Butterfly Project *Political bytes *Mazal tov! Mazal tov! By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — In furtherance of the goals of the newly created San Diego Holocaust Survivor Coalition, the Jewish Federation of San Diego County has published a prototype book, sketching the lives of

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, San Diego County, USA

Rabbi’s granddaughter seeks 3rd school board term

Elana Levens-Craig, granddaughter of the late Rabbi Monroe Levens of Tifereth Israel Synagogue, is seeking election to a third term on the Santee School District Board.  In 2016, she ran unopposed, and, so far, it looks as if she will again have no opposition.  The Santee School District has nine K-8 schools, serving approximately 7,000 students.[Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education

Community coalition to aid Holocaust Survivors

True to its roots, when it was founded in 1936 to help European Jews who were being persecuted by the Nazi regime in Germany, the Jewish Federation of San Diego County on Tuesday, Dec. 3, launched a community-wide coalition to come to the aid and honor an estimated 500 Holocaust survivors who live in the county today. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and Food, USA

An iconic tale comes to San Diego

We’ve all seen variations of Charles Dickens’ Christmas Carol many times in stage plays, films and musicals. His iconic character, Ebenezer Scrooge with his catchphrase, “Bah Humbug” is so well known that I doubt many Israelis name their children “Ebenezer” except for some ultra-orthodox sects who avoid all things Krastmik along with the rest of the goyishe velt. So what can you do to put a new twist on this classic tale? Set it in sunny San Diego, California. [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Attorney, singer Roberta Winston runs for judge

You might have heard attorney Roberta Taylor Winston perform as a cantorial soloist at Congregation Beth El, where she also has served on the board.  Or perhaps you heard her belting out the songs for Congregation Beth Am’s Rockin’ Shabbat band. Even before that, you might have heard her sing as part of the High Holiday quartet that accompanied Cantor Alisa Pomerantz-Boro at Tifereth Israel Synagogue. Now, she’s campaigning for another spot in which she would have an audience, but instead of performing, for the most part, she would be actively listening.  Roberta Winston, 58, is in a race to become a Superior Court Judge in Office No. 18, from which Judge Jacqueline Stern is retiring [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

San Diego Jewish World to vacation Dec. 19-Jan 8

Everyone needs a vacation, even people who run daily websites.  Accordingly, my wife and co-publisher, Nancy Harrison, and I plan to take a three-week breather from this exciting and enjoyable task of putting out San Diego Jewish World.  We will suspend publication after our report is filed on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019, and will resume publication on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020. [Donald H. Harrison]

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