Our Shtetl San Diego County: October 9, 2019

Items in today’s column include:
*Congressional effort underway to protect San Diego’s clean water supply
*Jewish Studies events at San Diego State University
*Dr. Seuss Enterprises to debut Green Eggs and Ham on Netflix
*Political bytes
*Rabbi, recalling R-E-S-P-E-C-T popularized by Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding, says society needs more

By Donald H. Harrison

 

Donald H. Harrison

SAN DIEGO — With wishes to all our readers that their Yom Kippur observance wereuplifting and meaningful

Congressional effort underway to protect San Diego’s clean water supply

Rep. Susan Davis
Scott Peters

U.S. Reps. Susan Davis and Scott Peters, both San Diego Democrats, have announced the introduction of  legislation in the House of Representatives that they say will simplify the permitting process by which the federal government continues to permit the City of San Diego to discharge treated wastewater into the Pacific Ocean.  Under the proposed legislation, HR 4611, The City of San Diego would have to demonstrate that by the year 2036 it will be able to produce 83 million gallons a day of fresh water.

“Water recycling is an innovative solution to help San Diego address our water security,” Peters stated in announcing the legislation.  “The bill gives certainty to the future of the Pure Water project, which is poised to provide one-third of our region’s water supply, and will reduce discharge from the Point Loma plant.”

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced his support for the legislation, which he said “will save the City of San Diego millions of dollars and protect regional ratepayers from billions in new costs by providing legislative and regulatory certainty for the Pure Water Project.”

The legislation is backed by a network of environmental and conservation groups as well as the Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Building Industry Association, and the neighboring cities of Chula Vista, Coronado, Del Mar, El Cajon, Imperial Beach, Poway, La Mesa, and National City.
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Jewish Studies events at San Diego State University
Yale Strom,
program artist in residence for SDSU’s Jewish Studies program, will headline a concert titled “Blueish: Jews & The Blues at 7 p.m., Thursday,  Nov. 7 in the Smith Recital Hall.  The violinist will be joined by the other members of his band Hot Pstromi, who include Tripp Sprague, tenor saxophone; Duncan Moore, percussion; Gunnar Biggs, bass; Fred Benedetti, guitar, and Elizabeth Schwartz, vocals.  Hot Pstromi will be joined by special guests Tomcat Courtney, guitar; Sue Palmer, piano; and Robin Henkel, dobro guitar.  Parking in the campus parking structure P12 is recommended. … In another offering from the Jewish Studies program, Rebecca Moore, emerita professor of religious studies, will lecture at noon Wednesday, Nov. 20, in the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union Theater on the subject “The Racism of AntiSemitism.”
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Dr. Seuss Enterprises to debut Green Eggs and Ham on Netflix
Actor Michael Douglas will star in a new Netflix series – Green Eggs and Ham – which was developed by Dr. Seuss Enterprises, based in San Diego.   Other performers in the series that debuts November 8 are Adam DeVine, Keegan-Michael Key, Ilana Glazer, and Eddie Izzard.
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Political bytes
San Diego mayoral candidate Barbara Bry’s campaign workers have been walking house to house in various neighborhoods.  In Crown Point, they say, people called for control of short term rentals – one of Bry’s campaign proposals.  In Rancho Bernardo, they are concerned about viable transportation options. … Noting that October is LGBTQ history month, Assemblyman Todd Gloria said more such history may be made if he is elected as the first openly LGBTQ mayor in San Diego’s history … Gloria also  cut a purple ribbon (purple being the color when you mix Republican red and Democratic blue) to his new San Diego mayoral campaign headquarters in Mission Valley.  At his side, among other public officials, was retiring Congresswoman Susan Davis. …  State Sen. Brian Jones, a Republican candidate opposing GOP Congressman Duncan Hunter in the 50th Congressional District, has called on California Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign legislation making it illegal for entities to reserve and then sell appointment times at the Department of Motor Vehicles. …  Olga Diaz, running in the 3rd County Supervisorial District against incumbent Kristin Gaspar and challenger Terra Lawson-Remer, has won the endorsement of the San Diego County Probation Officers Association.

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Rabbi, recalling R-E-S-P-E-C-T popularized by Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding, says society needs more
Rabbi/ Cantor Arlene Bernstein
of Congregation Beth Israel in her Rosh Hashanah sermon decried the lack of respect people are showing to each other.  She noted that commentators on television shout each other down, drowning out each other’s words; and said the lack of respect has also surfaced in Jewish life.  One day while walking through Jerusalem, quietly singing a song to herself, she was hit by a rock by an attacker who was ultra-Orthodox.  There is a doctrine in Judaism called kol isha, (the voice of a woman), which mandates that a man must not listen to the singing of a woman not related to him by marriage or family, lest he be seduced.  As disrespectful as this was to her, she said she also was saddened when she heard a non-Orthodox rabbinical student mocking traditional Jews.  Rabbi/ Cantor Bernstein called on congregants to adopt an attitude of “compassionate listening,” which would enable people to speak about their beliefs without fear of disapproval.

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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World.  He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com