Other items in this column include:
Political bytes
Coming our way
In Memoriam
SAN DIEGO – Ah, the joys of time travel! San Diego author Marcia Berneger, a retired teacher, uses this device to imaginatively retell the story of the first Chanukah in A Dreidel in Time, a chapter book for children between the ages of 8 and 13.
On the assumption that our readership is a lot older than 13-year-olds – a lot, lot older – I’ll share the plot with you. I figure that I won’t be spoiling the story for the eventual readers if I summarize it here so you can consider buying the $8.99 book published by Kar-Ben as a Chanukah gift for a child or grandchild.
Siblings Benjamin and Devorah are anxious to open their Chanukah presents, and have little patience for their visiting grandparents’ suggestion that they play with a family heirloom dreidel. But once they spin it, everything starts spinning and they find they have been transported from 21st century Los Angeles to Modi’in, Judea, in the second century before the common era. Mattisyahu and his son Judah are complaining about the many ways the occupying Syrian-Greeks are interfering with the practice of the Jewish religion.
After the Maccabees have taken to the mountains, Benjamin remembers a story he read in school about how George Washington fooled the British in one military campaign. He had his men pull out of the camp after they created some scarecrow like figures to sit near the campfire. This gave the British the idea that the camp was lightly defended, and when they sent some troops to take it over, Washington’s men came out of hiding and defeated them. Benjamin suggested the same stratagem to Judah Maccabee, only later remembering that Washington had learned of this plan by reading about the Maccabees’ war against the armies of Antiochus.
Whenever Benjamin and Devorah would spin the dreidel, it would land on a different letter, advancing them through the Chanukah story, until they came to the Holy Temple in time for Devorah to find the jar of oil that would burn miraculously for eight days. A final spin of the dreidel brought the brother and sister back to their home. They thought they had been away for a long time, but in fact, according to their parents and grandparents, they hadn’t been gone at all.
Now, however, Benjamin and Devorah were not so impatient to open their Chanukah presents. After seeing how the Judeans lovingly brought gifts to the refurbished temple after its desecration by the Syrian Greeks, the children decided it was much better to give gifts than to receive them. They scrambled to their rooms to find the presents they had put aside for their parents and grandparents.
The 82-page book is illustrated by Beatriz Castro.
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Political bytes
* Termed-out City Councilmembers Scott Sherman and Mark Kersey have both endorsed attorney Joe Leventhal to succeed Kersey in San Diego’s 5th City Council District. Sherman said he believes Leventhal “will build upon the progress we have made on the City Council.”
* Tara Lawson-Remer, who is opposing incumbent Kristin Gaspar in the 3rd County Supervisorial District, has scheduled neighborhood walks in Escondido the morning of Saturday, Nov. 2, then will attend the Escondido Tamale Festival in the afternoon, according to her tamale-loving campaign manager Spencer Katz.
* Dirty Birds restaurant chain owner Noli Zosa has been endorsed by Mayor Kevin Faulconer in the 7th City Council District from which Scott Sherman will be retiring.
* San Diego City Council President Georgette Gomez, running in the 53rd Congressional District from which Rep. Susan Davis is retiring, says: “I’m ready to enact policies that will achieve universal health care for all. I’m ready to defend our immigrant communities and achieve comprehensive immigration reform. And I’ll fight every day for an economy that works for all of us — just like I have on the City Council.”
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Coming our way
* Jeffrey Spitz Cohan, the executive director of Jewish Veg, will deliver a sermon Friday night, Nov 1, at Congregation Beth Israel on the context in parasha Noach in which humans were given permission to eat meat. He will follow up after the service by leading a 7:45 p.m. discussion on Torah traditions concerning animals, and at 8:30 a.m. Saturday morning, he will lead the congregation’s Torah study.
* Chaya Andrusier, rebbitzen of Chabad of East County, will host the Jewish Women’s Circle to “some traditional Shabbos foods with a modern twist to the recipes” at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 6, at 7290 Navajo Road, Suite 207, San Diego. Suggested donation $18.
* Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett, hosts of Public Radio’s “A Way with Words” return to the Garfield Theatre at the Lawrence Family JCC, 4126 Executive Drive, La Jolla, for a an adaptation of their nationally-syndicated public radio show at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6. Ticket: $32 standard, $29 JCC member.
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In Memoriam
* Chabad of University City has announced the death of Paul Schraer, father of George Schraer. The funeral will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 30, at the Home of Peace Cemetery, 3668 Imperial Avenue, San Diego.
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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com. Obituaries in this column are sponsored by Inland Industries Group LP in memory of long-time San Diego Jewish community leader Marie (Mrs. Gabriel) Berg.