San Diego County

David ‘Buzz’ Sommers, formerly of Poway, dies in Canada

TORONTO, Canada (SDJW)– David “Buzz” Jonathan Sommers died peacefully in the early morning of Friday July 7, 2017, after a short but hard-fought battle against colon cancer, with Julia, his wife of almost 36 years, by his side. He was 58 years old. Sommers, formerly a resident of San Diego and Poway,  was a family

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Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County

13 San Diego rabbis seek ‘black listing’

SAN DIEGO — Thirteen non-Orthodox rabbis, protesting the decision of Israel’s chief rabbi to not recognize certification of Jewish identity by certain American rabbis, have demanded that their names be added to Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau’s “black list.” A copy of their letter follows: Dear Israel Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau: We, the following

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Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, USA

Playwright Siguenza blends Anglo, Latino cultures

By Mimi Pollack SAN DIEGO — California is a state of both Latino and Anglo cultures. Herbert Siguenza, the Playwright in Residence at the San Diego Repertory Theater, has the gift of melding both cultures together and reaching a diverse audience as seen in the plays, A Weekend with Pablo Picasso, El Henry, Manifest Destinitis,

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Mimi Pollack, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Three S.D. County Jewish educators win awards

SAN DIEGO — Craig Parks of Carlsbad has been selected for the Harold Grinspoon Foundation Award for Excellence in Jewish Education for Multi-Institutional and Independent Jewish Educators, it was announced by Jennie Starr of  Tarbuton. Tarbuton/Startup18 Jewish Educator Awards were also awarded to Lillian Elbaz of Serra Mesa (San Diego) for her work as a

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San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education

Adventures in San Diego Jewish History, Sept. 11, 1958, Part I

Compiled by Samuel Chessler Fund, Federation Merger OKd By Lou Lieblich, executive director Southwestern Jewish Press, September 11, 1958, Page 2 At consecutive meetings of the Boards of Directors of the Federation of Jewish Agencies and the United Jewish Fund, these two former arms of the San Diego Jewish community were merged into one on Sept.

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Jewish History, San Diego County

Romping through Withering Heights

By Eva Trieger SAN DIEGO– The Roustabouts continue to make their debut season a winner.  The trio opened with Margin of Error, a dramatic and emotional ride, and continues with Withering Heights, a delightfully, over-the-top hilarious adaptation of Emily Bronte’s classic.  But, don’t expect a rehashing of the nineteenth century novel you read in tenth grade. 

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Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Jews were both insiders and outsiders in San Diego

Editor’s Note: The following is excerpted from Don Harrison’s presentation on June 22 at the San Diego History Center about the status of pioneer Jews in San Diego County.  Other speakers included Joellyn Zollman, curator of the exhibit at the Center on the Jews of San Diego; Mary Ellen Stratthaus and Phil Shapiro, who both

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, San Diego County