Sports & Competitions

Fond memories of the Brooklyn Jewish Center

The two-storied, sandstone faced, Brooklyn Jewish Center on Eastern Parkway was aptly named. There were lots of other shuls in Brooklyn, Conservative, Orthodox, and the esoteric, modern Reform. But none had the facilities or location that it had. On the main floor was the Synagogue where the esteemed Rabbi Israel Levinthal and sometimes Cantor Richard Tucker presided over the conservative service. Tucker later gained fame as the renown Metropolitan tenor opera star. He would come back occasionally to sing as a special treat, and regularly used the pool facilities. My lingering fame long after I moved out of the area is that I taught his boys how to swim. [Ira Spector]

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Jewish History, Sports & Competitions, USA

DeSean Jackson: Ignorance or hatred?

Purportedly quoting the most reviled monster in modern history, the Eagles wide receiver last week posted on Instagram that Hitler accuses “white Jews” of having a “plan for world domination…Hitler said, ‘because the white Jews knows that the Negroes are the real Children of Israel and to keep America’s secret the Jews will blackmail America. … The white citizens of America will be terrified to know that all this time they’ve been mistreating and discriminating and lynching the Children of Israel.’” [Bruce S. Ticker]

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Bruce Ticker, Sports & Competitions, USA

Modified Camp Jaycee underway at JCC and Beth Am

Celebrating its 75th year of service to the community, Camp Jaycee opened last Monday, June 22,  at the Lawrence Family JCC and at Congregation Beth Am in Carmel Valley, the first of several locations where satellite camps will be conducted in the county. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food

Vindication for Kaepernick, awakening for White America

In defense of Colin Kaepernick, I made the supreme sacrifice four years ago: A one-time high school chum de-friended me on Facebook. He could not believe how liberal I had become – all because I insisted that football players like Kaepernick had a constitutional right to kneel during a pre-game playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Now Kaepernick – and by extension myself – has been vindicated. Taking a knee is such a fad that even police chiefs are doing it. [Bruce S. Ticker]

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Bruce Ticker, Sports & Competitions, USA

Former SD Padres, JNF boost Israeli baseball

Two former Jewish players for the San Diego Padres are helping Israel build baseball as a popular sport among that nation’s Jewish, Arab, and Bedouin youth, while also preparing Israel’s national baseball team to compete in the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, USA

Interfaith service condemns violence, lauds peaceful protest

In front of an outdoor menorah at Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista, seven Christian ministers joined host Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel in an interfaith service Wednesday that condemned the killing of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police, and extolled the teachings of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on the importance of keeping protests non-violent. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, USA

Zooming through Jerusalem’s religious sites

Traditionally, the Memorial Day weekend is one of the busiest of the year for travelers, but not so in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.  However, technology, in the form of a Zoom meeting, whisked me on Sunday, May 24, from my home in San Diego and on to a tri-religious journey to Jerusalem, under the auspices of the America Israel Friendship League (AIFL). [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Sports & Competitions, Travel and Food, USA

Some coronavirus restrictions eased at Seacrest Village

Seacrest Village Retirement Community has reported that as of Friday, it had tested 125 residents for coronavirus, and thus far had received results for 104 residents — all negative. “We expect the remaining 21 test results within the coming days and will report back to you as soon as possible,” reported Pam Ferris, President and CEO of the home for seniors which is run under Jewish community auspices. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, USA

Remembering our Jewish Mamas as Mother’s Day approaches

With Mother’s Day coming this Sunday, May 10, we thought we’d solicit from readers some favorite memories and photos of your Jewish mothers.  Eileen Wingard was kind enough to help us launch this feature with a recollection about her mother, Rose Schiff, z”l.  As you will read, Eileen incorporated into her recollection two other areas of interest for this publication: Judaica collections and San Diego Jewish community reflections on Israel. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Eileen Wingard, Middle East, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, USA

Nobody gets past the Schwartz!

Just as the Oscars have a category for “Best Supporting Actor,” I think the NFL might want to consider an award for Best Supporting Player.  In this game, to my mind, there was none better than offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz, who so far as I know was the only Jewish player in the contest. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

China jumps into basketball in ‘The Great Leap’

When I first read the premise for The Great Leap, I imagined an errant ball hitting a patron in the third row. No need to worry. Even though there is a hoop hanging over the middle of the house, they only mime those shots. Projection Designer Blake McCarty presents a flowing river of images of basketball games, newsreel footage and stills of party propaganda that sweep us into playwright Lauren Yee’s complex, bi-cultural world. [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, International, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Life and times of Barbara Bry

She has a BA from Penn and an MBA from Harvard University.  She’s been a journalist.  She has started up two successful tech businesses.  She has led such organizations as the Jewish Women’s Foundation and Run Women Run.  She has been married twice, has two adult daughters, and, at 70, is a proud grandmother.  For the last three years, she has been a San Diego City Councilwoman. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions

NBA’s Nets wear ‘No Place for Hate’ shirts

In light of the numerous anti-Semitic attacks that have taken place in Brooklyn over the past few months, during pre-game last night the Brooklyn Nets wore a specially created “No Place for Hate” shirt, in collaboration with ADL (the Anti-Defamation League). No Place for Hate ® is ADL’s signature education program for combating bias, bullying and hatred in public schools. [Anti-Defamation League press release]

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Sports & Competitions, USA