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MONDAY, JULY 28
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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2008 Temple Solel S'more Shabbat
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MON., SEPT. 29-THURS., OCT. 9
THE JEWISH CITIZEN
San Diego, Tijuana to join in worldwide salute to Tel Aviv's 100th anniversary
By Donald H. Harrison
 SAN DIEGO—A binational effort is being prepared in this city and across the border in Tijuana, Mexico, to celebrate in 2009 the 100th anniversary of the founding of Tel Aviv, Israel.
Long-time San Diego Jewish journalist and community leader Gert Thaler joins with Tijuana businessman and honorary consul for Israel, Gregorio Goldstein, in organizing the multi-pronged effort to recognize the modern world’s first Hebrew-speaking city and the role it has played as the cultural and financial heart of Israel.
Currently in San Diego for a round of meetings with potential donors and volunteers are Admiral Abraham Ben-Shoshan, director-general of the Tel Aviv Foundation; Dr. Meggie Navon, the foundation’s director of U.S. operations and Avi Maidenberg, New York-based executive director of the Tel Aviv Foundation-USA.
Along with Goldstein, these three officials briefed San Diego Jewish World on the plans now being formulated for the San Diego-Tijuana area in conjunction with the Tel Aviv centennial. They will include:
--Adoption of a Tel Aviv improvement project by the San Diego-Tijuana community, the exact nature of which is yet to be determined. Goldstein said several options are under review.
--A multi-media exhibit on the history and ambiance of Tel Aviv to be mounted in the Gotthelf Gallery of the Lawrence Family JCC, Jacobs Family campus.
--A community dinner on Thursday evening, May 21, 2009, at the Lawrence Family JCC following the opening of the multi-media exhibit.
--A community trip to Tel Aviv and environs under the auspices of the Tel Aviv Foundation.
The San Diego activities will be among a series of celebrations in cities across North America in honor of Tel Aviv’s centennial, according to Navon.
The purposes are several fold: to raise funds for Tel Aviv’s social and cultural projects; to familiarize people around the world with Tel Aviv’s history and role within the nation of Israel, and to promote tourism to Tel Aviv in the latter half of 2009, when special activities are planned almost on a daily basis. The Tel Aviv Foundation works under the authority of the City of Tel Aviv and its mayor, Ron Huldai.
The name “Tel Aviv” is a word play on the Altneuland idea expressed in the 19th century by Zionist leader Theodor Herzl that Israel, then known as Palestine, was an “old new” land. “Tel means either ‘old’ or ‘hill’ and Aviv means ‘Spring’ as in the season—so this is the ‘hill of spring,’ or the ‘ancient spring’ connoting ‘old and new,’” she said.
The city dates its founding to an April day in 1909 when a man named Akiva Weiss led 66 Jewish residents of Jaffa—many of them Zionists from Russia—to dunes on the beach north of Jaffa. “The children collected 66 shells, wrote the (buyers’) names, and this was the lottery of the first 66 lots of the new neighborhood of Neve Tzedek (Oasis of the Righteous),” said Navon.
“The architecture of this neighborhood was very interesting because most of these people came from Russia, not all of them, and the architecture of this neighborhood was that of a Russian village, with red roofs and one-story buildings—not at all like Jaffa which already had two- and three-story buildings. They were buildings with one big room that accommodated a family, with very narrow streets for carriages, horses, etcetera, and they built a community center in the middle and planted an (orange) orchard which is there until today.”
Tel Aviv and Jaffa today constitute a single city. Neve Tzedek’s oranges carried the famous “Jaffa” brand name, which had been pioneered by German Templars who had arrived in Palestine as early as 1850.
Navon suggested that if Herzl could have returned to life and seen Tel Aviv today, “he would be very happy to see a mainstream city, one that is very open to the world, with a place for everybody, no ghettoes, no segregation, and I think he would be happy to see the place that is the heartbeat of Israel today.”
Approximately three million of Israel’s seven million population either lives or works in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, which includes numerous smaller cities such as Rishon LeZion, Herzliya, Ra’anana. Ramat Gan, Ramat Aviv and so forth. The municipality of Tel Aviv itself has a population of about a half million. “Over 70 percent of all the art and cultural activities in Israel are happening in Tel Aviv, whether it is the philharmonic or the opera or the museums or all the theatres,” Navon said.
She said that Tel Aviv not only is Israel’s cultural heart, but is a resource that strengthens the rest of the country, providing resources that cannot be found elsewhere.
For example, she said, if there are children with severe disabilities who live in other locales in Israel, they are brought to Tel Aviv for treatment which is too expensive for other cities to afford.
Admiral Ben-Shoshan, who was head of Israel’s Navy prior to becoming director general in Yitzhak Rabin’s government of the ministry for labor and social affairs, said because of its geography Tel Aviv also has become a safe haven for Israelis who live either in the south of the country or in the north of the country. Southerners like those living in Sderot and San Diego’s partnership region of Sha’ar Hanegev face Kassam rocket attacks fired by Hamas from across the Gaza border, whereas residents in the Galil in the northern part of the country face the danger of Katyusha rockets fired by Hezbollah.
These rockets have not penetrated as far as Tel Aviv, which has made itself a city of refuge for the beleaguered residents of other areas, said the admiral, who was recruited to become director-general of the Tel Aviv Foundation by Mayor Huldai
Three years ago during the Second Lebanon War, “Tel Aviv hosted senior citizens, Druse from the north…we hosted kidney dialysis patients,” said Navon. “We had over 1,600 in hotels and private homes getting their dialysis. We had cancer patients who could not commute during the attacks to hospitals. This is where Tel Aviv comes in. We are responsible for each other.”
When the city begins celebrating its centennial in 2009, “from April to December there are daily activities planned—cultural festivals, food festivals, activities for families with children, the museums will be open,” commented Maidenberg.
“We call it ‘the white nights,” when they all are open at night until very early in the morning. There will be walking tours; there will be international groups from all over the world coming to Tel Aviv to celebrate the centennial, La Scala, for example. Alexander Calder’s 600 art pieces will be placed around the city—that donation was just made. It is a world celebration, and there will be lots of different activities for each of those months.”
Navon said whereas usually Tel Aviv has a week-long art festival in June, during 2009, it will be extended through the entire month of June. Illuminated by the bright lights of evening cultural events. “’white nights’ we have had every year for three years in a row, but this year it will be more special,” she said. “White nights means that there will be 600 performances throughout the city—like poetry readings, 12 simultaneous outdoor piano concerts during the Arthur Rubinstein Competition. It will be absolute happiness, a celebration of who we are, the fabric of our society.”
The multi-media presentation scheduled for San Diego’s Lawrence Family JCC during May 2009 will give people a taste of all this, according to Maidenberg. “The exhibit will be projected on five screens that will be set up in a 180 degree manner, so that an individual standing in front of them will go through a virtual experience of traveling through Tel Aviv, where you will have different clips, photos, movies shown on all these screens simultaneously and you will be traveling through the 100 years of the city from 1909 until today. You will be seeing the city in all of its facets, and the growth of the city, and its cultural facets. It is going to be very experiential.”
Still in its organizational phase, the San Diego committee for Tel Aviv’s centennial seeks participation by donors and volunteers. For more information, one may contact Maidenberg by e-mail or telephone him at his offices in New York at (212) 447-6070.
REFLECTIONS
'Never Give In' is Arlen Specter's credo
Never Give In by Arlen Specter with Frank J. Scaturro, St. Martin's Press, 2008
By Sheila Orysiek
 SAN DIEGO—As he sat down in a chair to receive the first of many chemotherapy treatments for Hodgkins lymphoma, Senator Arlen Specter (Republican, Pennsylvania) had only a single request; he wanted to face the window so he could see the skyline of his beloved city - Philadelphia. This particular battle for his life was only one of several he has faced. Previously he had a brain tumor removed (twice), a wrenching misdiagnosis of ALS, heart bypass surgery with subsequent problems. And now Hodgkin’s disease.
Never Give In written with Frank J. Scaturro not only details Specter's health challenges but even more how those challenges exist side by side with his responsibilities and goals as a United States Senator. The first symptoms of what was eventually diagnosed as Hodgkins lymphoma occurred just as he was in the midst of the hotly contested re-election campaign of 2004; both the primary and the general election were close run contests. At the same time he had to fulfill all his duties as a senator. It was an exceedingly busy and stressful time.
Not until several months had gone by and a number of misdiagnoses later did one doctor finally pin down the cause of his symptoms. Specter comments that even with his name recognition and access to the best of the best in the medical community it was a lesson in how much error (and sloppiness) exists in this field. All the doctors who examined him - listened to heart, lungs, ran tests, and came to wrong conclusions because they didn’t simply probe under his arms to feel his lymph nodes. Dr. John H. Glick did - and saved the Senator’s life.
When Specter won re-election and the Republicans took control of the Senate his lifelong dream of chairing the Senate Judiciary Committee was about to become reality. There were, however, both political and medical battles to be waged and won. The political wars he could control to an extent - not so the medical one. In this he had no control except to follow the advice and accepted protocols to fight this particular cancer.
His story is a study in meeting such trying circumstances - even with the advantages that accrue to a U. S. Senator - with humor, determination and a glass half-full mentality. His ammunition was to work despite, in spite of, the debilitating affects of chemotherapy. When he had a rare day of lesser activity - he filled it with more work so as to keep moving and involved. His regimen consisted of continuing his lifelong habit of physical exercise - specifically squash. He was able to nap when he had to in a small “get-a-way” office close to the Senate Chamber because his seniority entitled him to such a prerequisite. He also had an advantage of occasionally having the doctor come to him when possible.
The book not only details his fight to maintain his life and life’s work, but also gives some insight into the rigors of being an active United States Senator needing to keep up with events and people as well as constant vigilance of the image the news media portrayed of him. As chemotherapy advanced his physical image deteriorated to the extent close friends no longer recognized him. It was hard to keep his goal intact when his physical image was so drastically altered.
His term as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee included the two momentous appointments to the United States Supreme Court as well as several other important issues. The Committee’s membership consists of some of the most contentious members of the Senate and those he singles out for special mention are Edward Kennedy, Charles Schumer and Joe Biden. As chairman, Specter had to be present the entire time to put out the fires always brewing in a volatile political atmosphere. While his colleagues might be personally sympathetic to his pain, it did not translate into less contentious behavior. Sometimes they were quite nasty.
As chairman of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, he has worked for more funding for the National Institutes of Health. He states unequivocally (page 247) that had America funded the NIH as fully as several wars since 1970 when Nixon declared a “war on cancer” - then millions of people would not have died of cancer and he would not have contracted Hodgkins. While one might hope this possibility is true, an unequivocal statement to that effect is more hope that proven fact.
Specter is a courageous man who at the age of 78 is much younger in outlook than most people half his age - his work ethic and enjoyment of life are undiminished. He turned to his family and his synagogue - Temple Har Zion in Bensalem, Pennsylvania - for spiritual sustenance.
After his series of chemotherapy in 2005 he was declared in remission. However, in April of 2008, he announced that he has had a recurrence of Hodgkins. One can only join the chorus in wishing him a full recovery. His book is well worth reading.
Please click on the ad above to visit the Storm website
ADVENTURES IN SAN DIEGO JEWISH HISTORY
Robinson-Rose House
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Editor's Note: We are reprinting news articles that appeared in back issues of various San Diego Jewish newspapers. You may access an index of the headlines of those articles by clicking here. You may also use the Google search program on our home page or on the headline index page to search for keywords or names.
Week at Palomar Closes Program
From Southwestern Jewish Press, August 7, 1947, page 2
The fire at Camp Palomar could not dim the enthusiasm of the campers who came home the evening before they expected to return. The fire started while all the campers were out of the camp visiting the Palomar Observatory. The fires burned down the Administration Building but did not reach any of the buildings in which the campers were living.
Ed Pumals, City-County Director, stated that the program at the camp was one of the most outstanding which he has seen and that the group itself was one of the best that had been at Palomar. Animal tracking, hiking, athletics, arts and crafts, nature study, folk dancing, were some of the activities in which all of the campers participated. The week at Palomar camp completed the summer program of the Community-Center Planning Committee which also included the day camp. The enthusiasm of the community for both these programs indicated that they will be continued next summer.
Letter from Albert Hutler to Ray Solomon
From Southwestern Jewish Press, August 7, 1947, page 2
Mrs. Ray Solomon, editor
Southwestern Jewish Press
Granger Bldg
San Diego, Calif.
Dear Ray:
I want to take this opportunity to thank you and the Southwestern Jewish Press for its cooperation and news coverage given to the work of the United Jewish Fund.
I am sorry to hear that the Press may suspend operation for a time because I fully believe that it is a worthwhile enterprise and of great value to the community. The suspension of the Press because of lack of cooperation from many members of the community is an indication to me tht San Diego still does not have a true Jewish community. It also indicates the lethargic attitude of many of our people which I hope individuals like yourself and organizations like the United Jewish Fund may be able to overcome and mold a real community life for the Jews of San Diego.
Sincerely yours,
Albert Hutler
Executive Director
Cavalcade To Trace Record of Lasker Lodge
From Southwestern Jewish Press, April 1949, page 2
An open public meeting to which all members of the Jewish faith are invited, will highlight the B’nai B’rith ‘Cavalcade’ sponsored by San Diego Lasker Lodge No. 370 at the Temple Center, 3rd and Laurel, on Monday night, April 11th.
Tracing the long history of the order’s record of service to the Jewish community and the world at large, Lasker Lodge’s ‘Cavalcade’ will trace a century of progress for the order, and a half century of sensational growth for the local chapter.
Under leadership of William Schwartz, Lodge president, and Edward Solomon, chairman of the evening, a veritable “Who’s Who” of San Diego Jewry will be singled out for special honors in the course of the evening.
Hyman Wolf, Jacob Weinberger, L.A. Unger, M.E. Meyer, Nathan Baranov, L.A. Frank, Sam Smith, Rabbi M. H. Dubinm, Henry Weinberger, Samuel Brooks, Leo Loeffler, Frank Pomeranz, Paul Nestor, Ted Rosenfield, Nathan Schiller, Alvin B. Baranov, Robert M. Stone, Abe Dubin, Carl Esenoff, Morey Levinson, Harry Mallen, Victor Schulman, Lou Solof, William Starr, Sidney Goldstein, Eli Levinson, Morris Douglas and Edward Breitbard are all expected to be present on this gala occasion.
More than 60 25-year, or more, members of the lodge also will be complimented on their long service.
Significant B’nai B’rith activities will be graphically demonstrated. Refreshments and entertainment are offered without charge to all who attend the “Cavalcade” meeting, April 11th, 8 p.m., Temple Center 3rd and Laurel.
J.W.B. Returns to San Diego
From Southwestern Jewish Press, April 1949, page 2
The National Jewish Welfare Board announces early in March the designation of Joachim Hammer as the USO-NJWB area director for the San Diego area. This area covers all the installations in San Diego proper, as far north as Camp Pendleton and the bases at Coronado.
Hammer in taking over his duties is the first representative of the organization to be assisted since USO was re-activated at the beginning of this year. The new officers of the J.W. B.are in Plaza Bldg, Suite 301.
San Diego is not Hammer’s first duty with the NJWB-USO. In 1941 he served as Director of the New Bedford, Mass. Club and prior to being assigned overseas was director of USO Mobile Service for the Cape Cod and Boston areas. He further served USO in behalf of the men in the Armed Forces at Cristobal and Balboa, Panama Canal Zone for two and a half years where he was assistant director to Rabbi Nathan Witkin, well known religious figure in Central and South America.
In 1945, Hammer affiliated himself with United Seamen’s Service, a social welfare organization considered as the ‘USO for Merchant Seamen.’ He served outside the country for almost three years as Port Executive in Cristobal, Can Zone; San Juan, Puerto Rico, and lastly in Shanghai, China. When the organization which was a wartime agency, was liquidated, Hammer again took up service with the National Jewish Welfare Board.
A graduate of New York University, he holds two degrees in health education. He received his BS in 1933 and his MA in 1941. His work, although mainly in health education has been varied. He taught in the New York City high schools, has five years of experience in public social work, was a city life guard for many summers, has done work with the Boy Scouts and other youth groups.
 Nancy Harrison
cruise & tour specialist
(619) 265-0808
SAN DIEGO JEWISH WORLD THE WEEK IN REVIEW
Middle East
Olmert's fingers on levers of power make those who would oust him quite cautious by Ira Sharkansky in Jerusalem
Judaism
Culture of death versus culture of life by Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal in San Diego
Stopping gossip—one hour at a time by Rabbi Baruch Lederman in San Diego
Adventures in San Diego Jewish History
—July 31, 1947: Pioneer Women
—July 31, 1947: Yo-Ma-Co
—August 7, 1947: Jewish Press to Suspend Publication: Decision Announced at Meeting of Representatives
—August 7, 1947: Announcement {Suspension of Publication}
—August 7, 1947: City-Wide Picnic at El Monte in Sept.
—August 7, 1947: Young Folks Zionist Group Formed
Arts
An errant yet charming father returns by Carol Davis in San Diego
Sports
A bissel sports trivia with Bruce Lowitt in Clearwater, Florida
Middle East
The heroes of Israel, from the Exodus hunger-strikers to Goldwasser and Regev by Judy Lash Balint in Jerusalem
San Diego
Making children smile, aiding world peace by Donald H. Harrison in San Diego
Arts
Nathan Detroit and friends trodding the boards at Moonlight Amphitheatre in Vista by Carol Davis in Vista, California
Chapter 17 of Reluctant Martyr, a serialized novel by Sheila Orysiek in San Diego
Adventures in San Diego Jewish History
—July 31, 1947: Lasker Lodge B.B.
—July 31, 1947: Jewish War Vets
—July 31, 1947: Jewish War Vets {Auxiliary}
—July 31, 1947: USO-JWB Activities
San Diego County Jewish Trivia: Balboa Park by Evelyn Kooperman in San Diego
Middle East
Bodies of Goldwasser and Regev return to Israel in post-Lebanon II war exchange by Ira Sharkansky in Jerusalem
Israel gives Hezbollah propaganda victory by Shoshana Bryen in Washington, D.C.
Arts
Questions propel play and Jewish director by Carol Davis in Solana Beach, California
Thursdays with the songs of Hal Wingard:
—#58, Dependency
—#60, Nurse!
—#324, Dear Mr. Spine
Adventures in San Diego Jewish History
—July 31, 1947: B’nai B’rith to Present Radios to Naval Hospital
—July 31, 1947:Camp Handicraft Exhibited at Reception
—July 31, 1947: 'CARE' offices move to new location
—July 31, 1947: Initial Meeting Accomplishes Much
Middle East
Palestinians depend on Israeli economy; yet Fayyed tries to weaken its prospects by Shoshana Bryen
Australia
A Roundup of Jewish news in Australia by Garry Fabian in Melbourne
—UN's one-sidedness condemned by Prof. Bayfsky
—Year-long saga finally laid to rest
—The end of a partnership
—Federal opposition shadow minister visits Israel
—Rabbi to officiate at first lesbian ceremony
—Community pays tribute to Rabbi Groner
—Charges imminent against Adelaide rabbi and wife
—Businessman launches Orthodox newspaper
—Kadimah Marks 10 Years
—It's Never too late to celebrate your Barmitzvah
—Another Jewish Boy hits the Big League
—By weight, rabbi warns of hazards of a kosher diet
Arts
Real life with 'Phantom' star Marni Raab by Carol Davis in San Diego
Sports
Watching All-Star game with friend Fox by Donald H. Harrison
Adventures in San Diego Jewish History
—July 24, 1947: JCRA
—July 31, 1947: Flash! {Camp Palomar}
—July 31, 1947: World Affairs Institute Here August 4th to 8th
—July 31, 1947: UJF Quota More Than Half Collected
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Middle East
San Diego's UJF Mission arrives in Sha'ar Hanegev; where else to go for Latin food? by Ulla Hadar in Kibbutz Or Haner
Sarkozy sacrifices Franch honor to Syria by Shoshana Bryen in Washington, D.C.
Canada
Involving neo-Nazi youths in research led to turnaround in their attitudes by Rabbi Dow Marmur in Toronto
Arts
Jewish love for those great sailing ships by Donald H. Harrison in San Diego
Letters
When a community works in concert from David Amos in San Diego
G.I. Joe and biblical translation from Dan Schaffer in San Diego
Our growing arts and culture district from Alan Ziter in San Diego
Adventures in San Diego Jewish History
—July 24, 1947: Birdie Stodel B.B.
—July 24, 1947: Yo-Ma-Co
—July 24, 1947: Pioneer Women
—July 24, 1947: Temple Sisterhood Project Off To Fine Start
Middle East
Israel's national guessing game: Can Olmert last? If not, who will succeed him? by Ira Sharkansy in Jerusalem
Sha'ar Hanegev bureau chief campaigns to dispose of litter at Kibbutz Ruhama by Ulla Hadar in Kibbutz Ruhama, Israel
Letters
Seeks memoirs from North Americans who volunteered during Israel's Six-Day War from Michael Zimmerman in Chicago
Yesawich, Rhodes make aliyah from San Diego from Dena Wimpfheimer in New York City
Article on Merchant Marine wins plaudits from Cantor Sheldon Merel in San Diego
Adventures in San Diego Jewish History
—July 24, 1947: Week At Camp In Palomar Mountain
—July 24, 1947: Day Camp Proves Successful in S.D.
—July 24, 1947: USO-JWB Enjoys ‘Brunch’
—July 24, 1947: Lasker Lodge B.B.
Arts
TICO concert brings community together by Donald H. Harrison in San Diego
Jean Isaacs: Generous spirit opens doors by Sheila Orysiek in San Diego
Link to previous editions
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