Items in today’s column include:
*No Jewish unity when it comes to local politics
*Political dots and dashes
*The continuing tragic aftermath of the shooting at Chabad of Poway
*Congresswoman Davis on student loan forgiveness, forced arbitration
*Conductor David Amos schedules a concert season honoring Beethoven’s 250th birthday
*Mazel Tov! Mazel Tov!
No Jewish unity when it comes to local politics
SAN DIEGO – We’ve pointed out in a past column that, to date, eight Jews are running in San Diego County for a variety of offices at the federal, state, county, city, and educational board levels. And while we intend to monitor the campaigns closely of our co-religionists, I think it’s important to note what is obvious to Jews, but may not be known among Gentiles, and that is that there is no political unanimity among Jews: we all go our separate way.
This becomes apparent if you look at endorsements in races in which Jews are running. Congresswoman Susan Davis, who plans to retire from the 53rd Congressional District when this, her tenth term is up, has endorsed Assemblyman Todd Gloria in the race for mayor over a fellow Jew, City Councilwoman Barbara Bry.
And, in the race to succeed Davis, Bry, herself, has chosen to endorse her City Council colleague, City Council President Georgette Gomez over the candidacy of Sara Jacobs, a former U.S. State Department official who now serves as a scholar-in-residence at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice at the University of San Diego.
In the race for the 78th Assembly District seat which will be vacated by mayoral aspirant Gloria, two Jews are opposing each other: Sarah Davis (no relation to Susan) and Micah Perlin.
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Political dots and dashes
Terra Lawson-Remer has drawn the endorsements of the United Domestic Workers and the Municipal Employees Union in her bid to unseat Kristin Gaspar … Run Women Run will hold its endorsement meeting at 6 p.m., Tuesday, September 24, at 4545 Viewridge Avenue. There are numerous local races with multiple female candidates, so it will be interesting to see to whom the organization will give its blessing. … Vivian Blackstone has been urging support for a bill by U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) called the “Stop Wall Street Looting Act” which is being backed by the United for Respect group. According to the group’s literature “private equity investors are scheming how to buy up retail companies, drive them into bankruptcy and walk away with the profit – they’ve already done it to Toys R Us, RadioShack, Gymboree, Sears, Kmart, Shopko.” … Gantz” Netanyahu? Rabbi Rafi Andrusier of Chabad of East County offers this perspective: “As for Israel, who will lead? At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter. G-d is in charge; He runs the world. We’re just along for the ride.”
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The continuing tragic aftermath of the shooting at Chabad of Poway
Through a Hebrew-to-English translator, Almog Peretz testified Friday during the preliminary hearing of the accused shooter at Chabad of Poway, John T. Earnest, that only after shooing children away from the gunman did he realize that his leg had been bloodied by shrapnel. A resident of Sderot, Israel, which comes constantly under missile attack from terrorists in Gaza, Peretz had anticipated a peaceful vacation when he visited his sister in Poway last Passover. The idea that even in America, Jews could come under murderous attack, just because they were Jewish, had left Peretz shaken with memories similar to PTSD, a friend, Yoni Weinberg, told the San Diego Union-Tribune. Weinberg said: “It’s scary when you have that image brurned into your head of a man in a militaristic vest aiming the rifle at you with the sole intention of taking away your life because of nothing other than your religion. He’s always looking for the next John Earnest no matter where he is.” Superior Court Judge Peter Deddeh ordered to stand trial on charges of murder and assault with intent to commit murder. Lori Gilbert Kaye died in the assault.
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Congresswoman Davis on student loan forgiveness, forced arbitration
Congresswoman Susan Davis says that the Trump Administration has been turning down many public servants for student loan forgiveness notwithstanding a law passed with bipartisan support adopted in 2007 to encourage public service by offering forgiveness to such occupations as teachers, first responders, nurses, military service members. “Unfortunately, the failure to properly implement the program has resulted in thousands of public servants being denied the benefit of loan forgiveness, Davis said. “In 2017, only 96 of 28,000 applicants received loan forgiveness – 99 percent rejection rate.”
Davis, in a news release, told why she voted for a bill invalidating forced arbitration clause, explaining: “Most companies bury forced arbitration clauses deep in the fine print of take-it-or-leave-it consumer and employment contracts, which many consumers and employees don’t even notice. For millions of consumers and employees, the pre-condition – whether or not they are aware – of obtaining a basic service or product, such as a bank account, a cell phone, a credit card, or even a job, is that they must agree to resolve any disputes in private arbitration.
“According to a report from CNBC, ‘81 of the biggest 100 companies in America have put legal clauses in the fine print of their customer agreements that bar consumers from suing them in federal court and instead force victims to pursue a private dispute resolution method called arbitration, where they argue their case outside of the court system.;
“Often the forced arbitration clauses include provisions granting the corporation the ability to choose the arbitrator and also stipulating what arbitration rules apply – in effect, giving the corporation quite literally the role of the judge, the jury, and the law.
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Conductor David Amos schedules a concert season honoring Beethoven’s 250th birthday
The Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra will be performing numerous works by composer Ludwig van Beethoven anticipating the composer’s 250th anniversary year, according to conductor David Amos. It will be Beethoven’s 7th Symphony for two performances Nov. 24 and 25, 2019; His Overture to King Stephen, Jan. 26 and 28, 2020; Triple Concerto in C Major March 29 and 31; and the Egmont Overture, June 7 and June 9, all in addition to selections by other composers. Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany, in 1770.
The Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra performs at Tifereth Israel Synagogue, 6660 Cowles Mountain Boulevard, and in the new auditorium at Patrick Henry High School, 6702 Wandermere Drive, San Diego. Tickets may be ordered via Tifereth Israel Synagogue at (619) 697-6001.
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Maze l Tov! Mazel Tov!
Dovid Eilfort, son of Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort and Nehama Eilfort celebrated his bar mitzvah today (Sept. 21) with an Aliyah and the recitation of the Haftorah followed by a Kiddush luncheon served at Chabad of La Costa. Another festive meal in honor of the young man is planned at the congregation at noon tomorrow.
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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com