Other items in today’s column include:
*Boutique to benefit Adopt a Family Foundation, which helps families of Israeli terror victims
*At the synagogues
*Political bytes
*Coming our way
By Donald H. Harrison
SAN DIEGO – In the past, philanthropists Ernest and Evelyn Rady donated $60 million and $120 million to Children’s Hospital, which renamed itself as Rady Children’s Hospital. Now, the married philanthropists have offered to outdo themselves. They promised to match $200 million in donations from other people in an effort to create a $400 million Rady Reimagine Fund to chart and implement the pediatric hospital’s growth.
The hospital wants not only to better utilize its cramped space; it also hopes to acquire the latest technology needed to treat the many varieties of diseases and conditions that can beset children.
“Ernest and Evelyn have inspired us to completely reimagine the healing environment for children and families,” Dr. Patrick A. Frias, M.D., the hospital’s president and CEO, explained at a news conference. “This historic investment will transform our physical campus and enable Rady Children’s to pursue a rigorous campus redesign to seamlessly integrate the latest technology into clinical care, allow us to expand to meet the pediatric health care needs of our region and beyond, and support the health and well-being of our patients, families and staff in a caring and innovative environment.
“This is a top-to-bottom transformation,” Frias continued. “Our focus is on building a healthier future to serve the needs of current and future generations. To do that, we will look holistically at our campus footprint to develop a master campus and system plan that ensures delivery of leading-edge care and makes the highest and best use of space and technology on the main campus and in the community. This investment will allow us to do exactly that.”
The Radys initially donated $60 million in 2006 to help build the hospital’s Acute Care Pavilion. In 2014, they donated $120 million for establishment of the hospital’s Institute for Genomic Medicine, which analyzes genetic issues not only for its own patients but also for patients at other hospitals which lack genetic testing facilities.
“Evelyn and I have gotten a great deal of pride and satisfaction from the wonderful care that the people at Rady Children’s Hospital have provided to the children in our community,” Ernest Rady said. “We are fortunate in San Diego to have access to the best doctors, nurses, scientists, technicians and care providers for children in the world. We are proud to do what we can to support these experts in partnership with Dr. Patrick Frias and all the Hospital personnel to advance how they care for kids.
“It is my hope that the community will be inspired to join us and invest in keeping kids healthy,” he added. “Our most vulnerable population deserves strong advocates. It’s up to our community to make sure every child has the best possible care available.”
Ernest Rady made his fortune through investments in real estate, financial services, and insurance companies. He and his wife are also major contributors to UC San Diego, the San Diego Zoo, Jewish Family Service, and the Salvation Army.
Those interested in contributing toward the matching grant may do so via the Rady Children’s Hospital website. Because there are many funds to which one may contribute, donors should specify that they want their money to be counted toward the matching fund. Among eligible programs are Trauma or Emergency, NICU/PICU, Genomics, Cancer, Behavioral Health, Heart / Cardiology, Orthopedics, and Neuroscience, according to spokesman Carlos Delgado.
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Boutique to benefit Adopt a Family Foundation
Robyn Rapoport is a committee member of the Adopt a Family Foundation, which each year arranges for local families to “adopt” families in Israel that have been victims of terror. She writes that the organization founded by Carine Chitayat will host a Holiday Boutique from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3, at the Morgan Run Club and Resort, 5690 Cancha de Golf, Rancho Santa Fe. There will be more than 20 vendors offering fashion, jewelry, skincare, houseware, treats, and holiday gifts, among other items, with 20 percent of the proceeds to go to the Foundation. Musicians Yael and Vlady from Big Boss Bubeleh will entertain the shoppers.
“The mission of Adopt a Family Foundation is to provide financial and emotional support to Israeli citizens and their families who have been victims of terror in Israel,” said Rapoport, who is co-chairing the Holiday Boutique. “Every year, Adopt a Family embraces a new Israeli family and connects them with a carefully selected family in San Diego. This is based on similarities in the families, interests, ages and children, so that strong, long-lasting foundations and relationships can be established. Since its inception in 2002, Adopt a Family Foundation has adopted 18 families.”
In addition to providing financial aid to the adopted families, the foundation “is deeply engaged in providing emotional support to all its adopted families,” Rapoport said. “Carine is also personally involved with the ongoing communication with all the families. The Foundation is directed by social workers in Israel who define the needs of the families. The Foundation provides extra therapies to its families.”
She added that the Foundation focuses on helping the children from the south of Israel, in areas that are targeted by rockets fired from Gaza, “who are affected by PTSD, by providing them with additional therapeutic activities and summer camps.”
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At the synagogues
*Rabbi Avram Bogopulsky of Beth Jacob Congregation has written a book that is available on Amazon or from him personally. The description of Developing a Torah Personality – Insights, Anecdotes & Wisdom for Life on the Amazon website reads: “Our time spent in yeshiva and seminary is fundamental to our lives, but our growth can’t end in our youth. How do we, slowly but surely, change ourselves? How do we live in the modern world, work and raise children, and get closer to G-d? How can each of us develop a Torah Personality? Focusing on developing positive Jewish attitudes, using our time well, being involved with the community and learning Torah, this captivating work helps us enjoy life – and grow!”
* Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort of Chabad of La Costa has arranged with the La Costa Resort for discounted room rates for people who are attending services at his congregation which neighbors the well-known facility.
Political bytes
* With some commercials for Sara Jacobs for Congress beginning to hit the airwaves, San Diego City Council President Georgette Gomez, who also seeks election in the 53rd CD, appealed to her supporters for donations, saying: “Our opponent who made this media buy is a wealthy self-funder with virtually unlimited funds to pour into this race. It appears her campaign is rushing to spend big cash now in order to get an early lead and subdue our grassroots momentum.”
*Congressman Scott Peters is supporting legislation to protect 12 million American health care and social workers from workplace violence. The bill directs the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to create a national standard requiring health care and social service employers to develop and implement a violence prevention plan specific to their care facility. Peters said workers in such fields “are more likely to face job-related violence” than workers in many other groups.
* Kate Clark, director of immigration services, at Jewish Family Service has been consulting with the subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations of the House Foreign Relations Committee on humanitarian aspects of the U.S. Migratory Crisis. Congress members Karen Bass, chair of the subcommittee, and Juan Vargas, a member of the committee, invited her to testify at a hearing in San Yisdro today which also would take testimony from Charanya Krishnaswami of Amnesty International USA and Nana Gyamfi of Black Alliance for Just Immigration.
*Escondido City Councilwoman Olga Diaz, opposing incumbent Kristin Gaspar in the 3rd County Supervisorial District, condemns Gaspar’s support for President Donald Trump’s efforts to force local law enforcement, in violation of California law, to cooperate with U.S. immigration officials looking to arrest undocumented aliens. Diaz said law enforcement officers should not be used “in Trump’s attempts to divide our community and break families apart.” Now, she said, Gaspar is backing an effort by Trump to overturn the California law. “That’s not us, that’s not who we are,” said Diaz. “Time will show she’s on the wrong side of history.”
*Sean Elo, a candidate in the 9th City Council District, and Matt Strabone, a former candidate for county assessor, has offered a five-point reform program for San Diego city government. Their proposals are:
“1) Lock the revolving door. This proposal would ban elected officials or their staffers from lobbying the City of San Diego in any capacity for four years following the end of their term or their employment with the city.
“2) Public disclosure of all campaign ads. This proposal would require every city campaign to file a copy of every advertisement—whether a mailer, video ad, newspaper ad, or anything else sent to voters—with the City of San Diego Ethics Commission, who will maintain a publicly available database of all campaign advertisements sorted by the campaigns that sent them.
“3) Public financing of elections. This proposal would provide a set amount of money to candidates for city office that collect a specified number of signatures from registered voters in the district in order to encourage candidates for office to spend their time talking with voters rather than chasing dollars.
“4) Strengthen the Ethics Commission. This proposal would grant subpoena power to the Ethics Commission and increase its ability to fine offenders, currently capped at $5,000 per violation, to the greater of $5,000 per violation or three times the amount of money at issue.
“5) Required Brown Act ethics training. This proposal would direct the City Attorney’s office to provide annual, comprehensive Brown Act training to elected officials, their staff, all appointed members of boards and commissions, and all members of Community Planning Groups (CPGs).” The Brown Act requires open meetings.
Coming our way
Temple Emanu-El is putting together a talent show that will involve kids, parents and grandparents. The congregation has put out a call for people who can sing, dance, perform magic, tell jokes, jump ropes, play instruments, amaze with their acrobatic or mathematical skills, or who have other talents to present themselves at 12:30 p.m., Sunday Nov. 24, or at the same time on Sunday, Dec. 8, for possible incorporation into Cabaret Night 2020, which will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25.
* Roberta Berman informs us that the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies will hold its 40th international conference on Jewish genealogy at the San Diego Convention Center August 9-14. Those who would like to submit papers for possible presentation at the convention may do so via this website.
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Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com