Other items in this column include
* Political bytes
* Coming our way
* Recommended reading
SAN DIEGO — San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan has presented Holocaust Survivor Rose Schindler with an award naming her as a Community Justice Champion.
The presentation came Wednesday at Francis Parker School where Schindler, 90, gave a presentation on her survival at the Auschwitz concentration camp, which is detailed in the book Two Who Survived that also tells of the experiences of her late husband, Max.
Noting that Schindler has given talks throughout San Diego County and beyond, Stephan commended the Survivor’s “tireless efforts to use her voice to help build a safe and healthy community.”
“In the past year, the DA’s Office has seen an increase in hate crimes driven by anti-Semitism and targeting houses of worship,” Stephan said. “Our mission is not only to prosecute crimes, but to prevent them from happening in the first place and Rose Schindler is having a real impact on the community by continuing to share her incredible story of surviving the Holocaust and spreading awareness about the devastating impact of hate. Mrs. Schindler is the epitome of a Community Justice Champion.”
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Political bytes
*After voting Thursday on a war powers resolution, U.S. Rep. Scott Peters (D-San Diego) issued this statement: “No one mourns the death of Qasem Soleimani, the architect of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ support for terror activities in the Middle East. Today’s action is not an approval or disapproval of his killing. Congress, however, has the constitutional duty to oversee actions—like assassinating an official of a foreign government—that could lead to further hostilities against the United States, our men and women in uniform, and our allies. Today’s vote would place limits on the Executive Branch’s ability to take further military action in Iran and reaffirms the Constitution’s explicit condition that Congressional notification and consent is required to authorize non-defensive military force, especially in cases as extreme as the action taken by the Administration last week.”
*Assemblyman Todd Gloria, running for San Diego mayor, told KUSI-TV recently that state legislation (AB 5) which reclassifies certain contractors as employees entitled to employee benefits is not perfect and should undergo review this year to make sure it works as intended. The legislation has been criticized by Uber drivers, freelance journalists, and others who accept jobs on their own schedules and fear that if employers are forced to hire them as employees those jobs will disappear. Gloria said the legislation by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) is intended to protect people from exploitation by companies that want to avoid paying fair wages and benefits to their workers.
*U.S. Rep. Mike Levin (D-San Diego and Orange Counties) presided over a Veterans Affairs subcommittee hearing on Thursday in which MAZON: The Jewish Response to Hunger teamed with Vince Hall of the Feeding San Diego organization to plead for liberalization of the rules governing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). As currently administered, the regulations leave numerous veterans hungry, Josh Protas, MAZON’s vice president testified. “Allowing veterans to struggle with hunger after great personal sacrifices in service to our nation is shameful, insulting, unnecessary, and costly. Indeed, it is unconscionable,” Protas said. In a news release, Mazon reported that “Levin requested that USDA (US Department of Agriculture) work with VA to provide data on veteran hunger before moving forward with planned administrative actions on SNAP and underscored the importance of hearing from veterans.”
*After being endorsed in the 53rd Congressional District race by the LGBTQ Victory Fund, San Diego City Council President Georgette Gomez said, “When I first decided to run for public office, I wanted to make sure I was open about my queer identity. It was my experience coming from the LGBTQ community, as well as the inspiration of the amazing women before me, like LGBTQ trailblazers Christine Kehoe and Senator Toni Atkins, that gave me the courage to enter the political arena. I’m hopeful that my campaign for Congress will also send a message to aspiring LGBTQ public servants that they too can serve at the highest levels of our government.”
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Coming our way
*Rabbi Rafi Andrusier of Chabad of East County will teach a six-part course on cherished Torah values, including such gifts as social responsibility, guiding purpose, respect for life, equality and individual mastery, work/life balance; and ending warfare. For those who prefer evenings, it will be conducted from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Tuesdays, Jan. 28-March 3. For those who prefer mornings, it will be taught from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m, Wednesdays, Jan. 29-March 4. Both series will be taught at the Chabad offices at 7290 Navajo Road, Suite 207, San Diego. Fee $99, or $185 for couples.
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Recommended reading
Columnist Diane Bell of The San Diego Union-Tribune wrote a heartwarming story about Ted & Anabel Mintz, who died two hours apart after a marriage of 69 years.
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Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com