-35th in a series-
Exit 11, Lake Murray Blvd, San Diego ~ Lake Murray
By Donald H. Harrison
SAN DIEGO– In 1916, engineer James Murray came to San Diego from Montana to build a bigger reservoir than the one that had been created in 1895 when a small earthen dam had been constructed on a creek running through Alvarado Canyon, Hired by Col. Ed Fletcher (for whom the Fletcher Hills community of El Cajon is named), Murray built a dam 117 feet tall and 870 feet wide, inundating the old earthen dam.
Murray’s efforts resulted in the creation of a 198-acre reservoir, capable of storing 4,818 acre feet of water. Today, the source of the water no longer is the rainfall that makes its way to Alvarado Canyon. Waters from the Colorado River and from the California Water Project are transported hundreds of miles to Los Angeles, where they are mixed by the Metropolitan Water District and sent to San Diego via pipelines operated by the San Diego County Water Authority. The Spanish style building and tower adjacent to the lake are part of a filtration plant that helps to purify water serving approximately 400,000 users within the City of San Diego.
Hikers enjoy 3.23 miles of paved trails around most of the lake’s perimeter, with the path to the filtration plant closed to the public because of security concerns. From the trails, numerous waterfowl can be spotted by boaters, pedestrians, and bicyclists. These include many varieties of ducks, heron, egret, geese, and coots, and such small mammals as squirrels and rabbits. Sometimes coyotes are also spotted. The lake is also the venue for fishing and boating. Many photographers have found the reflection of nearby 1,592-foot-high Cowles Mountain in the lake to be an irresistible subject. Cowles Mountain is the highest peak within San Diego’s city limits.
While all members of the public enjoy Lake Murray’s charms, the lake has particular attraction on Rosh Hashanah afternoon for several Jewish congregations in the eastern portion of San Diego.
Members of Temple Emanu-El, which is Reform; Tifereth Israel Synagogue, which is Conservative; and the trans-denominational Hillel House of San Diego State University, gather on that day for Tashlich services during which—no doubt, to the delight of fish and water fowl — humans, in an act of atonement, cast their bread upon the waters to symbolize the jettisoning of sins and the hope for a fresh start for the New Year.
Over the years, Jews with a keen sense of humor have suggested that certain bread products are best matched with specific sins. J Weekly, published in San Francisco, has compiled a list: For ordinary sins: White bread. For complex sins: Multigrain. For twisted sins: Pretzels. For sins of indecision: Waffles. For sins committed in haste: Matzah. For sins of chutzpah: Fresh bread. For substance abuse: Stoned wheat. For use of heavy drugs: Poppy seed. For committing auto theft: Caraway. For tasteless sins: Rice cakes. For ill-temperedness: sourdough. For silliness and eccentricity: Nut bread. For not giving full value: Shortbread. For excessive irony: Rye bread. For particularly dark sins: Pumpernickel. For dressing immodestly: Tarts. For causing injury to others: Tortes. For being holier than thou: Bagels. For dropping in without notice: Popovers. For overeating: Stuffing. For raising your voice too often: Challah. For pride and egotism: Puff pastry. For sycophancy: Brownies. For laziness: Any long loaf. For trashing the environment: Dumplings. For telling bad jokes/ puns: Corn bread.
The Tashlich services are an important outdoor social event for the Jewish communities of eastern San Diego and its bordering cities of Santee, El Cajon, La Mesa, and Lemon Grove. Given San Diego’s beautiful weather in the fall, many families combine the services with picnics.
{Directions: From the Lake Murray portion of the Lake Murray/ 70th Street exit, proceed on Lake Murray Blvd until you reach a traffic light at Kiowa Street. Turn left onto Kiowa and drive into the park’s entrance.}
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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. You may comment directly to him at donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com or post your comment on this website provided that the rules below are observed.
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