By Jacob Kamaras
If not me, who?
That was ultimately the driving force behind my agreement with Donald (Don) Harrison to become the new owner and publisher of the San Diego Jewish World. If I didn’t take this leap and do my part to ensure a vibrant future for Jewish community news and commentary here in San Diego, who would?
Yet in December 2021, Don’s final month at the helm, a new question emerged: If not now, when?
For a moment last month, some doubt crept up regarding my timeline for assuming leadership of this publication. After experiencing the setback of fracturing my heel during my grand entrance to Congregation Adat Yeshurun’s latke-hamantash debate — you read that correctly, and the full story is here — I was tempted to take my default approach to so many other things in life. I was feeling like I needed to put this off. Maybe for two weeks, maybe for a month. What would be the harm in taking over for Don on February 1 instead of January 1?
Don convinced me otherwise. He was certain that given my current physical limitations, editing the site would be a welcome activity and distraction. And he’s been absolutely right. I resumed editing for two days per week as our managing editor once I began working again in mid-December, and the start of my time as editor/publisher has been something I could look forward to during my ongoing recovery. Today, that time is now.
Don’s guiding principle was our tagline, “There is a Jewish story everywhere.” We’re keeping the tagline, but I’d like to add my philosophy, “Jewish news is Jewish community.” I’ll repeat my sentiments from last May, when I assumed the role of managing editor: Staying informed through robust news reporting and staying connected through first-person accounts from columnists in our community became arguably more important than ever.
But perhaps most importantly, “community” is the key word. The San Diego Jewish World is a hub for the voices of so many writers living both inside and outside San Diego who build community by sharing their talent, creativity, expert knowledge, passion, and ultimately, themselves. By sharing themselves and their Jewish stories, our writers prove on a daily basis that Jewish news and Jewish community are one and the same. And we want to hear more from you! If you have an idea for a new ongoing column on our site or would like to simply make a one-time commentary submission, please contact submissions@sdjewishworld.com.
Additionally, if you have a news item or news tip to share with us, please reach out to newsreleases@sdjewishworld.com.
In general, I’d love to get to know you, discuss my plans for the site, and receive any feedback that you might have about our current product. That’s what this community is all about. Please reach out to me directly at jakamaras@gmail.com, anytime.
I look forward to embarking on this new era together!
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Jacob Kamaras is Editor and Publisher of the San Diego Jewish World