Other items in this column include
* Political bytes
* Coming our way
* Mazal tov! Mazal tov!
* Recommended reading
SAN DIEGO –The March 6-8 Open House San Diego in which 93 venues will open their doors to visitors can trace its origin to an article in the Winter 2012 edition of Hadassah Magazine, which featured an article about the Open House programs in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Susanne Friestedt said the article so resonated with her that she traveled to London, headquarters for the Open House architectural movement, to learn what she would need to do to add San Diego (and environs) to the list of cities in the Open House program.
There she met Victoria Thornton, head of Open House London, who oversees a program in the British capital that has expanded to some 700 sites that people may visit to learn about architecture. For San Diego to join the program, it had to create a non-profit organization, commit to conducting a program that is free to the public at least one week a year, in addition to paying various membership fees, and providing proof that it would have sufficient financial backing to make the program a success.
Inspired, Friestedt contacted architect Maxine Ward, who was then the chair of the San Diego Architectural Foundation, best known for its annual awards of “Orchids and Onions” to various building projects. Ward and her non-profit board agreed to become the sponsor of OH! (Open House) San Diego, which now is in its fifth year.
Of special interest to Friestedt is the fact that Ohr Shalom Synagogue is among the participating venues, which will be open to public tour on Sunday, March 8. She explained that when the structure at 3rd and Laurel Streets in the Bankers Hill area of San Diego was still serving as the second home of Congregation Beth Israel, three generations of her family had worshiped there and had celebrated such ceremonies as b’nai mitzvahs and confirmations.
Among family members who had worshiped in that building was her father, the late chief U.S. District Ed Schwartz, for whom the downtown courthouse and federal building is named.
“There is something about the Moorish architecture, and being able to sit quietly in prayer and meditation, and to look at the art and the stained glass windows,” she said. “The whole building is like a big hug, making me feel secure in the traditions of three generations of my family.”
As one of four cities in the United States to have an official Open Hose program (the others being New York, Chicago, and Atlanta), OH! San Diego’s mission is “to educate and engage San Diegans about the best of architecture, urban design, and built environment while creating a rich visitor experience,” said Friestedt.
*
Political bytes
*Presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg’s supporters scheduled a debate watching party on Wednesday night at his field office at 707 Broadway in San Diego. Among those who sent early RSVP’s to the party was U.S. Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego. Bloomberg also announced that State Sen. Bob Achuleta, D-Pico Rivera, chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee, renounced his endorsement of former Vice President Joe Biden and is now supporting the former New York City mayor.
*The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) has denounced Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders’ comment about Israel during a Wednesday night CNN town hall appearance. In response to a question about relations with Israel if he were elected U.S. President, Sanders responded: “To be for the Israeli people and be for peace in the Middle East does not mean that we have to support right-wing, racist governments that currently exist in Israel.” Matt Brooks, RJC chair, said “It is outrageous that a mainstream U.S. political party candidate for president would call the Israeli government racist. It’s especially ironic to hear that from Sanders, who has chosen virulently anti-Israel and anti-Semitic individuals to represent him as surrogates in his campaign and who has been endorsed by a Who’s Who of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic personalities. Start with surrogates Linda Sarsour (who described herself as ‘an unapologetic pro-BDS, one-state solution..) and Amer Zahr (who tweeted ‘Describing defenders of Israel as “scumbags,” pigs” and “bastards” is not necessary. “Zionist” is sufficiently insulting’_ Then there are endorsements from Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) whose anti-Semitic comments are well documented.”
*Assemblyman Todd Gloria reports his campaign to be mayor of San Diego has been endorsed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Gov. Jerry Brown, and U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris. Hesays “I am the only candidate who will fight for the values of Democrats on issues like housing, economic growth, and climate change.”
*Terra Lawson-Remer, a candidate in the 3rd supervisorial district, has scheduled what she calls a “triple header” on Sunday, Feb. 23. Campaign volunteers will participate in a beach cleanup at Powerhouse Park in Del Mar at 9 a.m.. A fundraiser brunch will be conducted from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Solana Beach. And at 1:30 p.m., volunteers will begin a door-to-door canvass of the Carmel Creek neighborhood of San Diego.
*Georgette Gomez, a candidate in the 53rd Congressional District, says the reason she is running is because “as San Diego’s City Council President, we’ve proven that it’s possible for Democrats and Republicans to come together and get the job done — on transit, affordable housing, and protecting our environment. And despite what some naysayers may want you to believe, we do not need to sacrifice our progressive values to do that.”
*State Sen. Brian Jones, R-Santee, a candidate in the 50th Congressional District, says he wants to exempt military retirement pay from the state income tax. “Our state should be encouraging military retirees to make California their home rather than driving them to other states,” he said. “The men and women who served our country earned every dollar of their retirement pay and states should not be trying to tax it. This measure is the right thing to do and will help keep veterans and their families in California.”
*
Coming our way
*Jewish Family Service, looking for volunteers, says it has more than 40 programs and 180 ways that volunteers can be engaged. It plans to discuss those opportunities an Open House from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sunday, March 1, at its Turk Family Center on the Joan & Irwin Jacobs Campus, 8804 Balboa Avenue, San Diego.
*
Mazal tov! Mazal tov!
*Alissa Messian, former administrator of Seacrest Village at Rancho Bernardo (which recently was sold to another company) has been hired as executive director of Tifereth Israel Synagogue. Prior to that she had served with Jewish Family Service, providing outreach for its senior programs.
*Retiring Congresswoman Susan Davis will be inducted into the San Diego County Women’s Hall of Fame during a ceremony March 15 at the California Women’s Museum at Liberty Station. Others who will be inducted are Iris Engstrand, Kathi Anderson, Dr. Nola Butler Byrd, Dr. Sue Gonda, Oliva Puentes Reynolds and Dr. Lupe Buell. Tickets may be purchased via this website.
*
Recommended reading
*The Jerusalem Post reports that an Israeli company has developed a biodegradable alternative to aluminum or plastic food trays. It is made from sugarcane pulp.
*The New York Post reports that France is the most dangerous place in Europe for Jews.
*JWire reports Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin is heading for Australia, with stopovers in Los Angeles and the South Pacific. (Thanks for the referral, John McCormick)
*
Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com