By Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin
BOCA RATON, Florida — Donald H. Harrison’s book Schlepping and Schmoozing through San Diego County, Vol. 1 is enjoyable, really fun to read, as one can tell by the book’s title. He has been a journalist since 1962 and is an excellent writer. His articles are not only enjoyable, sometimes witty, but also eye-opening and very informative. He is the owner and editor of San Diego Jewish World, an on-line daily collection of articles submitted to him from about fifty authors.
His book is a very good collection of articles that Harrison wrote about San Diego County. The articles tell us about the county, its people, what they think and do, and about fascinating Jewish affairs in the county.
The essay “But How Do the Fish Like Tashlich,” for example, describes the practice of many Orthodox Jews who toss bread crumbs into water containing fish at the beginning of the Jewish New Year as a symbolic reminder to them to repair all the wrongs they did during the year. Harrison wondered, “what, if fish could think, they might feel about being invited to gobble up the symbolic sins of others.” He asked a scientist who said, ducks, seagulls or other swimming birds would gobble up the bread before the fish got to them. The scientist made other comments on the intelligence of fish and not knowing if animals have remorse or feelings of guilt.
In “Immigrant Stories,” we learn about the people who came to the US and where they came from. We discover, among much else, that 44 percent of San Diego County’s immigrant population is from Mexico and 12 percent from the Philippines. Also, 28.4 percent of San Diego County immigrants over age 25 have bachelor degrees, that these immigrants pay $7.5 billion in federal taxes and $2.1 billion in state and local taxes.
“Intermarried Couple Honors Each Other’s Belief’ has some other interesting items. We learn that between 2008 and 2013, 55 percent of American Jews have non-Jewish spouses, and they find ways to get along together and how they raise their children.
Among other stories, there is the tale of a Torah rescued from the Nazis, one that was once used in the synagogue of the famous rabbi who made the legendary Golem of Prague; an interview with Dr. Jonas Salk who discovered the polio vaccine which includes his views on some subjects; the story of an Orthodox girls’ school finding a home with a much more liberal Reform Jewish group; a tale about the first Jewish settler in San Diego and how he changed the city; and many more.
There are dozens of these delightful articles. People who read his book and who visit his website will be very happy they did so.
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Rabbi Dr. Drazin is a retired brigadier general and he author of more than 60 books.