San Diego County

Supervisor Lawson-Remer Regrets Vote to Place Taha Hassane on Human Relations Commission

I was very concerned however, so after the meeting, I searched for and found a full video of the remarks that were referred to during the public testimony, and found the Imam’s remarks to be truly awful, and I immediately regretted the vote I made.  I do not support Imam Taha Hassane being on the County’s Human Relations Commission. [Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer]

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Antisemitism, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Middle East, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Our Shtetl San Diego County: Focus on Education

San Diego Unified School District Board President Shana Hazan and Heather Ferbert, a candidate for San Diego City Attorney, held a joint news conference on Wednesday, pointing out that three great dangers jeopardize the health and safety of public school students. These are 1) Teen Dating Violence; 2) Child Abuse; 3) Weapons brought to schools. [SDJW staff]

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Antisemitism, California, Israel, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA

Torah Hints at Encouraging a Child’s Individuality

Parents, Rabbi Schwab emphasizes, might inadvertently fall into the trap of molding their child into a preconceived image, stifling the child’s unique potential. The Torah here hints at the directive for parents to go beyond imposing predetermined expectations and, instead, understand the essence of their child – honing in on what makes them unique. [Rabbi Daniel Reich]

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Daniel Reich-Rabbi, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Commentary: Two Local Jewish Elected Officials Vote Against Israel

At the San Diego County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Imam Mohamed Taha Hassane of the Islamic Center of San Diego was reappointed to the Leon L. Williams County’s Human Relations Commission over the objections of an ad hoc group called Stand With Israel whose members decried the local Muslim leader’s defense of the October 7th massacre of Israeli civilians by Hamas. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Antisemitism, Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Jewish History, San Diego County, Shanda File, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Israel-Gaza Update from the Jewish Federation of San Diego

Today, we are mourning IDF’s announcement that at least 30 of the hostages in Gaza are feared to have lost their lives. This tragic confirmation serves as a stark reminder that time is swiftly running out for those still in captivity. As efforts continue to resolve this crisis, the thoughts and prayers of the world are with the victims and their families. [Jewish Federation of San Diego]

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Israel, Press Release, San Diego County, USA

$9M+ Distributed by County and JFS in Wake of Pandemic

“As a result of the pandemic and soaring inflation, families lost jobs, cars and homes — especially those in local areas hardest hit by the pandemic,” Pollard said. “This program further proves the need for guaranteed income to help Black, Indigenous and people of color, low-income and differently abled San Diegans work toward the economic security they need to thrive.” [Times of San Diego]

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Business & Finance, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, USA

Our Shtetl San Diego County: Snapshots of Antisemitism at Local Universities

The chairman of the University of California Board of Regents, Rich Leib, who is a San Diego County resident, disclosed to Sunday’s symposium on antisemitism cosponsored by the Jewish Federation of San Diego and the American Jewish Committee that the stands he has taken against antisemitism has prompted 120 groups to call for his resignation. “I can say that is not going to happen,” he declared during a panel session on campus antisemitism. [SDJW staff]

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Antisemitism, California, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Stephen Schwartz’s Midrash: ‘The Children of Eden’

Just as Stephen Schwartz has yet to be recognized widely as a great commentator on the Torah, so too has Children of Eden lacked its moment in the spotlight. Both Schwartz and this musical are well-kept secrets that beg to be brought
into conversation with the study of Bereshit. [Adira Rosen]

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Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Symposium Told a New Strategy Needed to Combat Antisemitism

America’s Jewish community always knew that there was no vaccine or antidote for the disease of antisemitism, but prior to Oct. 7th, it felt the disease could be kept in check.  “We developed a containment strategy, a firewall, to make sure that here we could keep it in the sewers, with the covers on,” Abe Foxman told a “Standing Together” symposium Sunday that was jointly sponsored by the American Jewish Committee and the Jewish Federation of San Diego. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, International, Israel, Jewish History, San Diego County, Sandi Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Technology, USA

Our Shtetl San Diego County: Local Volunteers Fly to Israel to Pick Fruit

Lauren Lizerbram of Rancho Santa Fe, the First Lady of Jewish National Fund-USA, extols the experience she had on a 4-day volunteer mission picking fruit at a kibbutz 3.7 miles from the Egyptian border.  The wife of JNF-USA President Sol Lizerbram noted that Thai workers are no longer available in southern Israel, site of the Oct. 7 massacre by Hamas terrorists.  “The farmer said he would have absolutely lost his entire crop if it wasn’t picked,” she reported.  “And this was only one farmer.  There are many farmers like him.” [SDJW staff]

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Israel, Obituaries & memorials, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

‘English’ Probes Motivations and Problems of ESL Students

Set in Iran in 2008, the play follows a teacher and her students in a small school where the students are preparing for the TOEFL exam (test of English as a foreign language).  As the play progresses we learn the hopes, dreams and fears of each character as they share why they are studying English, and they try to find their voice. [Sandi Masori]

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International, Middle East, San Diego County, Sandi Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast