SAN DIEGO (SDJW) — San Diego Unified School District Board President Shana Hazan and Heather Ferbert, a candidate for San Diego City Attorney, held a joint news conference on Wednesday, pointing out that three great dangers jeopardize the health and safety of public school students. These are 1) Teen Dating Violence; 2) Child Abuse; 3) Weapons brought to schools.
Meeting reporters outside Canyon Hills High School in the Tierrasanta neighborhood, Ferbert, who currently is the Chief Deputy City Attorney, said middle and high school students should be provided materials on preventing teenage dating violence and how to contact Your Safe Place, San Diego’s Family Justice Center. To combat child abuse, Ferbert urged expanding Your Safe Place resources and setting up a program to help teachers and administrators recognize child abuse signs and how to report their suspicions. To prevent gun violence, Ferbert’s plan is to establish stricter protocols for individuals discharged from mental health care facilities, to expand the Gun Violence Restraining Order unit within the City Attorney’s office, and to collaborate with local law enforcement on safe gun storage education.
“As president of our school board and the mom of two daughters I am committed to the safety and wellbeing of San Diego’s children,” Hazan commented. “I am proud to have sponsored San Diego Unified’s recent gun violence prevention resolution which ensured all district families receive information about safe storage of firearms and obtaining a Gun Violence Restraining Order. Together, with partners like Heather Ferbert — and effective tools like Gun Violence Prevention Restraining Orders — I know we will create safer communities where children and families can thrive.”
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The Jewish Educator has posted online its journal for the winter quarter. with numerous articles about innovative methods for teaching Jewish courses. Leora Lazarus of San Diego was a coauthor of “Storytelling for Young Learners.” Some other articles in this edition are “The Value in Teaching Strange Tales from the Torah,” “Using Storytelling to Personalize Holocaust Education in the Classroom,” “Engaging Families Off the Grid,” “A Hidden Treasure in Plain Sight: Grandparents in Your Community.” and “Saying Yes, and Why You Should Welcome Improvisational Theater into Your Classroom.” NewCAJE in 2009 replaced the Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE). The national organization will gather in San Diego in July.
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Tifereth Israel Synagogue’s Abraham Ratner Torah School plans to substitute Saturday morning Shabbat services on February 17th for the following day’s Sunday morning classroom sessions. The plan is for pupils to “engage in Torah learning in age-appropriate experiential activities, and participate in the Torah service with the Tifereth Israel community. … During the February program, our students will work together on learning about the Torah portion of the day, and creatively participate in teaching about it during Rabbi’s drash.”
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Times of San Diego reports that Democratic Congressmembers Juan Vargas and Mike Levin joined Republican Congressman Darrell Issa in supporting a bill to provide Israel with $17.6 billion in emergency aid. As reported in San Diego Jewish World yesterday, the other two members of San Diego County’s congressional delegation–Sara Jacobs and Scott Peters–opposed the legislation, calling it a “ploy” to undercut more comprehensive legislation that would also extend humanitarian aid to Gaza, military assistance to Ukraine, and an action plan for handling surging immigration at the Mexican border. The proposed legislation fell approximately 40 votes short of the two-thirds majority needed in the House of Representatives to pass emergency bills.
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5 Minutes Today, an organization based in Poway that is supporting Israel and fighting antisemitism, has been issuing lists of ways that members of the Jewish community and their friends can advance both goals. To sign up for the group’s emails, click here.
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Coastal Roots Farm has appealed to supporters to donate their spare change. The Jewish farm, located at Leichtag Commons in Encinitas, provides fresh produce for Food Banks and its pay-what-you-can farm stand. An memo from the farm explains this is how the the Change Giving program works: 1)Link your credit or debit card to Change Giving. 2) Continue your everyday purchases as usual. 3) Change Giving automatically rounds up your purchases to the nearest dollar to support the Farm! Here is a link.
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–OBITUARY NOTICE–
Am Israel Mortuary reports that funeral services will be conducted at 1:30 p.m., Monday, at El Camino Memorial Park for Marilyn (Cohen) Stroiman Milberger (Oct. 22, 1931-February 6, 2024). Rabbi Yael Ridberg of Congregation Dor Hadash will be the officiant.
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SDJW staff report