Other items in today’s column include:
*Jewish organizations, politicians praise Supreme Court’s DACA decision
*Barbara Bry calls Stadium vote a victory
*Short video about ‘grandpa’ may win students some $$$
*Free online Hebrew lessons offered for beginners
SAN DIEGO — Two former Jewish players for the San Diego Padres are helping Israel build baseball as a popular sport among that nation’s Jewish, Arab, and Bedouin youth, while also preparing Israel’s national baseball team to compete in the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.
With backing from the Jewish National Fund, whose national president is San Diegan Sol Lizerbram and regional president is Shari Schenk, the Israel Association of Baseball is building one new playing field in Beit Shemesh, and hopes to build another modern field in Raanana.
About 1,000 Israeli children from different religious and ethnic backgrounds are participating in youth baseball leagues, and excitement about the sport has been growing ever since Israeli teams–laden with American Jewish players who attain dual U.S.-Israel citizenship–have been winning or placing highly in international competitions.
In a Zoom session on Wednesday night, former Padres catcher Brad Ausmus and second baseman Ian Kinsler talked about their experiences with Israeli baseball.
Ausmus retired in 2010 after an 18-year career as a catcher in Major League Baseball, including the 1993-1996 seasons with the Padres. Subsequently, he was offered a job managing the Israeli team that that would compete in qualifying rounds for the 2013 World Baseball Classic (WBC) — his first experience as a manager. Another former Jewish Major Leaguer, retired outfielder Shawn Green, urged Ausmus to take the position. Although the Israeli national team won some games, it failed to survive the double elimination qualifying rounds. Later, perhaps with the help of his Israeli experience, Ausmus was chosen to become the manager of the Detroit Tigers and later the California Angels.
Although Israel was knocked out of contention back then, Ausmus said he will long remember such high points as having native Israelis and American Jews playing and having dinner together. It was more than just baseball, he said. It was the excitement of getting to know each other and of having a shared heritage.
Kinsler, who had a 14-year, four-team career retired at the end of 2019 after a single season with the San Diego Padres. He said he was influenced by Ausmus to become involved with Israeli baseball. Their careers had intersected when Kinsler had been on the Detroit Tigers roster.
Kinsler flew to Israel earlier this year, arriving just a few hours before the time a 14-day coronavirus quarantine went into effect for all visitors to that country. Of course he visited sightseeing spots and soaked up Israeli history, Kinsler said, but perhaps as memorable or even more was watching Israeli kids play baseball, seeing their excitement and energy, even though they were playing on fields that weren’t terrific.
Kinsler said he was disappointed that the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo was postponed one year because of the coronavirus, but is excited about the Israeli team’s Olympic possibilities in 2021.
Although Israel has won medals in individual sports, no Israeli team has ever taken an Olympic medal in a team sport.
As organizers of Israeli baseball and the Jewish National Fund figure it, if Israel does well in the Olympics, it will increase excitement among the Israeli public, and especially its youth, about baseball. Furthermore, continued investment in baseball fields, equipment, and personnel will build the cadre of Israeli baseball players from many ethnic and religious backgrounds.
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Jewish organizations, politicians praise Supreme Court’s DACA decision
The Supreme Court ruling on Thursday to block the Trump Administration’s attempt to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, “is a momentous win,” commented Michael Hopkins, chief executive officer of Jewish Family Service of San Diego. announced on Thursday.
DACA recipients, who were brought to this country as children by their undocumented parents, number over 700,000 “hardworking Americans who are our colleagues, friends, loved ones, and neighbors,” the JFS said in announcing that it will hold a panel discussion about the court’s decision at 3 p.m. Monday, June 22 via Zoom. Panelists will include two representatives from JFS, as well as three local University administrators and a marriage/ family therapist.
Hopkins said in the wake of the 5-4 Supreme Court decision in which Chief Justice John Roberts voted with the four member liberal bloc that includes Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Elena Kagen and Sonia Sotomayor, it is critical that “Congress take action immediately to approve a new law that would offer even stronger protections to safeguard these hardworking men and women who have lived in the U.S. for an average of 20 years. They should never have to fear being turned away from the country they knew as home.”
Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) said the decision will bring “relief to thousands of Dreamers in America living in uncertainty. It’s also a serious blow to President Trump’s cruel immigration policies. Dreamers are contributing–especially on the frontlines of the pandemic–every day. It’s time for the Senate to take up the House-passed Dream and Promise Act and respect what Dreamers bring to America.”
Bernie Rhinerson, a member of the San Diego Community College Board of Trustees, said the board “has consistently advocated for the rights of our DACA students to have access to public education and the same benefits offered to all other students. Our nation is built on principles of equality and equity and the Supreme Court rulings this week [on gay rights and DACA] reaffirm those principles. I am proud that our district was a part of the litigation to reverse the withholding of CARES Act benefits from DACA students and I am thrilled that the Court also ruled that the DACA program can continue which will now hopefully lead to legislation that will grant access to full citizenship for DACA participants.”
Ann Toback, chief executive officer of the Workers Circle, a secular Jewish organization, messaged: “We were proud to join other religious and cultural organizations in filing an amicus brief in support of DACA, and we are especially gratified that the Court decision effectively repudiates an illegal and immoral policy. The Workers Circle views the Trump Administration’s attempted termination of the DACA program as nothing more than a racist power play, threatening extraordinary harm to hundreds of thousands of young people, their families and communities. “
Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner of the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism, commented: “Each year on Passover, we read the story of how our ancestors defied the cruel demands of the capricious Pharaoh and pursued freedom for our people. We are commanded to read the Exodus story as if we ourselves come out of Egypt, and in doing so, we recognize the plight of others yearning to find shelter. Though we are pleased with today’s decision, we remain strongly committed to working in solidarity with DREAMers to ensure their ongoing safety and security in the United States.”
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Barbara Bry calls Stadium vote a victory
San Diego City Councilwoman Barbara Bry described as a victory the 8-1 vote on Wednesday to approve San Diego State University’s $88 million purchase of the 135-acre Mission Valley stadium site that once was home to such major sports franchises as the San Diego Chargers and the San Diego Padres. Scott Sherman, who placed behind her second-place finish in the March 3 primary election for mayor of San Diego, was the lone dissenter.
Bry said she was the first elected official to oppose a rival plan offered by Soccer City to take over the stadium site, a plan which she said would have been a “monumental rip-off of an invaluable public asset.”
She added: “Yesterday’s vote was arguably the most transformative decision our city has made since another city council, over six decades ago, made the decision to transfer pueblo land to the University of California. Imagine how, in 60 years, another generation of San Diegans will benefit from this victory.”
Bry opposes Assemblyman Todd Gloria (D-San Diego) in the November runoff battle to succeed termed out San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer.
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Short video about ‘grandpa’ may win students some $$$
With Father’s Day coming up Sunday, Shifra Baltinester, the chief executive officer of the Social Bridge organization, is offering another program to bring generations together: A middle and high school student contest for those who prepare 3-minute videos about their grandfathers, or their contemporaries, who are over 70 years old. Offering a $300 prize, the contest is intended to “document elders’ wisdom about community,” “show elders how much we appreciate them”; and “show youth the impact they can create with a simple action.”
Baltinester says the “grandpa” doesn’t have to be related to the student, so long as he is man who is over 70 years old. If you’re wondering about “grandmas,” Baltinester says similar contests may be in the works. But right now Father’s Day approaches. For more information, please click here. Videos should be submitted by 8 p.m., Saturday, July 4.
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Free online Hebrew lessons offered for beginners
Naomi Gabai-Fisher, the director of education at B’nai Tikvah Synagogue in Carlsbad, has announced that she will be teaching free classes via Zoom in beginning Hebrew reading. The Internet classes will begin toward the end of this month and continue through the summer, under a grant from the National Jewish Outreach Program’s “Read Hebrew Across America.” Gabai-Fisher may be contacted via this email.
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Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com