Sanctuary Modeled After Those of Lost Eastern European Communities

Stone’s first thought was to commission I.M. Pei himself to “design a building that takes in an old sanctuary from Eastern Europe that was destroyed in the Holocaust and use concrete and glass to rebuild it – an ode to the past in a modern context.” At the nearby library of UC San Diego, Ryan found illustrated books about the synagogues of Eastern Europe, whose congregants had been annihilated in the Holocaust. Synagogues Without Jews by Rifka and Ben-Zion Dorfman proved particularly helpful. [Donald H. Harrison]

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California, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA

The Jewish Eye: Anne Frank, King David in the News; Another Resignation Call for Feinstein

The famed Michelangelo sculpture of the biblical David, portrayed as a naked young man with a sling over his shoulder and a rock in his hand, was viewed in Florence, Italy, on Friday by Hope Carrasquilla, the former principal of Tallahassee (Florida) Classical school who was ousted from her position after parents complained she permitted students to see a picture of the statue without their permission. The museum’s director, Cecilie Hollberg, commented that David “has nothing to do with pornography” but rather is a “religious symbol of purity and innocence, the victory of good over evil.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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California, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, International, Israel, San Diego County, The World We Share, USA

Patrick Henry HS ‘Jerome the Giraffe’ Wins Imagery Award at World Competition

The judges at the FIRST World Robotics Competition held April 19-22 in Houston, Texas, were mighty impressed with the looks of “Jerome the Giraffe,” a San Diego robot manufactured at Patrick Henry High School. The usual nickname for Patrick Henry teams is the “Patriots” but the robotics club made a slight change in the name. Their team is the “Patribots.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, Technology, Travel and Food, USA

2 Recipients Announced for Jewish Community Foundation’s 2023 Peter Chortek Leadership Award

SAN DIEGO (Press Release) – Each year the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego (JCF) facilitates the Peter Chortek Leadership Award (PCLA), an award created by the Chortek Family to foster Jewish communal involvement by rewarding Jewish teens who are practicing Tikkun Olam, repairing the world. The Peter Chortek Leadership Award was established in 2011

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San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education

Forum Illustrates American Jewish Uneasiness over Israeli Policies

Congregants of Tifereth Israel Synagogue observed Israel Independence Day on Wednesday night with singing, dancing, flag waving, and a frank discussion about the embarrassment some feel over the current course of the Israeli government. [Donald H. Harrison]

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

‘Breakfast Cereal: A Global History’ — The Book I Did Not Write

By Oliver B. Pollak RICHMOND, California – I like porridge, cream of wheat, and semolina. It’s a nice starter for cold weather. I remember the advertising ditty, “Its cream of wheat weather, we repeat, so guard your family with hot cream of wheat.” In 2005 we were in San Francisco for a wedding. We breakfasted

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Oliver Pollak, Travel and Food

StandWithUs Condemns Bias, Bigotry in Courses Approved by Santa Ana Unified School District

SANTA ANA, California (Press Release) — StandWithUs strongly condemns Santa Ana Unified School District’s (SAUSD) approval of an Ethnic Studies: World Geography course which promotes bias and bigotry against Israel and the Jewish people. The course was approved by the SAUSD Board of Education on April 25th, 2023. The SAUSD board also approved an Ethnic

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California, Israel, Science, Medicine, & Education

The Jewish Eye: Eviction Protection; Prostitution Clampdown; Trump’s Court Battles; Israel’s Independence Day

By a margin of 8-1, the San Diego City Council on Tuesday gave preliminary approval to an ordinance that would require landlords to provide two to three months rent money to blameless tenants whom they have evicted. Seniors would receive a greater allowance under the proposal. Council President Sean Elo-Rivera, who proposed the ordinance that will come up for a final vote May 16, commented: “San Diegans who are paying their rent and abiding by their lease should not live in fear of eviction.  Sadly, too often, San Diego renters are being evicted despite the rules.  These evictions cause massive financial and emotional distress to families and can lead to displacement and put people at risk of homelessness. This ordinance provides the protections that San Diego renters need and deserve.”  Councilwoman Dr. Jen Campbell was the lone vote against the measure, saying she was following the wishes of many constituents to whom she had spoken in her 2nd Council District. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, California, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, Israel, Jewish History, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, USA

‘Twelve Tribes’ and Music as a Source of Hope

By Dorothea Shefer-Vanson MEVASSERET ZION, Israel — It was with a mixture of anticipation and apprehension that we bought tickets for the concert of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra in which the first half consisted of the performance of an unknown work entitled “Twelve Tribes” by an unfamiliar composer, Benjamin Yusupov. The attraction of the second

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Israel, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Opinion