Donald H. Harrison

[caption id="attachment_119310" align="alignright" width="100"] Donald H. Harrison[/caption]

Donald H. Harrison is the publisher and editor of San Diego Jewish World. 

Harrison began his journalism career in 1962 on the UCLA Daily Bruin.  Following graduation he joined the staff of the Associated Press, and later became politics writer for The San Diego Union.  Afterwards he pursued a career in tourism, helping to establish San Diego’s Cruise Ship Program as well as Old Town Trolley Tours of San Diego.  He also wrote for such Jewish publications as the San Diego Jewish Press Heritage and San Diego Jewish Times before starting San Diego Jewish World in 2007.

Don’s  latest work is the three-volume Schlepping and Schmoozing Along the Interstate 5.  

He is the author of six previous books.  Those with links may be obtained on Amazon.

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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

Hillel webcast ponders ethics of pandemic

During what Hillel of San Diego described as a webcast report from the front lines on Monday, May 4, UC San Diego student Bianca Kermani posed a question to San Diego State University graduate Sheryl Warfield, who is now working as a nurse in the intensive care unit of the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona. “What flaws have you noticed in the system?” she asked. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Fighting Jew-Hatred on the Internet

On the positive side of the Jewish experience in America, Elan Carr, the U.S. Special Envoy to Combat anti-Semitism, mentioned today the late Dr. Jonas Salk, developer of the successful anti-polio vaccine, and founder of the Salk  Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla.  On the negative side, he brought up last  year’s attack on Chabad of Poway, at which Lori Gilbert Kaye was murdered. [Our Shtetl San Diego Column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, USA

Remembering Herzl on his 160th birthday

Theodor Herzl, whose 160th birthday was celebrated today, would not have been surprised by the anti-Semites who try to blame coronavirus on Jews or on Israel. Early in Herzl’s career, he came to the conclusion that hatred of Jews was a permanent problem that Jews could never eliminate, but only learn to manage, Gol Kalev, chairman of the America-Israel Friendship League’s think tank, commented on a worldwide webcast. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, USA

Our Shtetl San Diego County: May 3, 2020

There’s always something happening in our county, for good or for bad, that is of Jewish community interest For example, Ken Stone of Times of San Diego reported on Sunday that a shopper at the Vons in Santee created quite an uproar with his choice of face mask. He donned the hood of a Ku Klux Klansman … {Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Lawrence Baron, San Diego County, Travel and Food

Walk a mile in her hijab

More than likely you have heard the expression, “walk a mile in my shoes,” to caution against prejudging what anyone’s life is like.  Jewish filmmaker Nancy Cooperstein Charney poignantly brought that message home at the conclusion of her documentary, Who’s Next, when she filmed a large group of women, presumably non-Muslims, being shown how to put on a hijab, and then marching together in New York City.  I’m not sure, given the Islamophobic atmosphere in the United States today, how many other women would have the courage to do that. {Movie review by Donald H. Harrison]

Walk a mile in her hijab Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, International, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, USA

Peace Corps documentary narrated by Annette Bening

Actress Annette Bening, who got her start in drama as a student at Patrick Henry High School in San Diego before going on to Broadway and to the movies, is the narrator of a new documentary A Towering Task: The Story of the Peace Corps, which covers approximately 62 years of America helping developing nations, from the inception of the idea in 1958 to the present. It will be shown in theaters later this month. {Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

A little bit of this, a little bit of that

   Items in today’s column include: *Jewish community coronavirus news *American Jewish history *Never forget *In memoriam By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — City Councilwoman Barbara Bry, in her role as chair of the Council’s Budget Committee, has proposed that “San Diego’s federal coronavirus relief money to be used to fund Internet access for all San

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

Coronavirus case reported at Seacrest Village

A culinary worker at Seacrest Village Retirement Community “has tested positive and is quarantined at home,” Pam Ferris, president and CEO of the Jewish-community-run home for senior citizens reported to residents and their families on Thursday evening.  “We are currently following the ‘Criteria for Return to Work for Health Care Personnel with Confirmed or Suspected Covid-19’ guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

Coronavirus case reported at Seacrest Village Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA

Sudden fortune challenges Jewish family

What Helen Auerbach’s  youngest daughter initially mistook for costume jewelry was in fact a 137-carat diamond, none other than the Florentine Diamond that had been missing since the end of the Habsburg Dynasty.  Helen left it to her youngest granddaughter Beck, skipping over her daughter Deborah Miller, as well as her other grandchildren Ashley and Jake. [Book review by Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison

ADL panel weighs coronavirus and anti-Semitism

In a webcast sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League on Thursday, panelists Deborah Lipstadt of Emory University and Jonathan Sarna of Brandeis University were asked if a cure for coronavirus were to be discovered by a Jew, would that reduce anti-Semitism? The two academicians, appearing alongside ADL’s president and CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, responded in the negative. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

ADL panel weighs coronavirus and anti-Semitism Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Lauren and Sol Lizerbram bring San Diego presence to global Yom Ha’atzma’ut celebration

Sol and Lauren Lizerbram of Rancho Santa Fe had cameo roles in the hour-long, worldwide webcast for Israeli Independence Day (Yom Ha’atzma’ut) that was co-hosted Wednesday by Israeli actress Shira Haas (who stars in the mini-series Unorthodox) and Eric Fingerhut, chairman of the Jewish Federations of North America. Sol Lizerbram is the U.S. President of the Jewish National Fund, which arranged to video the near-private ceremony this year at Mount Herzl in honor of Yom Ha’atzma’ut — near private because of the ban in Israel on gatherings of large groups [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

Lauren and Sol Lizerbram bring San Diego presence to global Yom Ha’atzma’ut celebration Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA

Biden’s 3-point program to protect religious institutions

Former Vice President Joe Biden, referencing the one-year anniversary of the murder of Lori Gilbert Kaye in a shooting attack on Chabad of Poway, on Tuesday announced a three-point program to protect religious communities. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA