Our Shtetl San Diego County: October 12, 2019

Items in today’s column include:
*UC San Diego books former Israeli FM Tzipi Livni for Nov. 11 lecture
*Three Jewish philanthropists to receive UC San Diego Chancellor’s Medal
*San Diego Humane Society hosts training for animal law enforcement officers
*Political bytes
*Fundraising
*Coming our way
*Remembering Sy Brenner
*In Memoriam

By Donald H. Harrison

UC San Diego books former Israeli FM Tzipi Livni for Nov. 11 lecture

SAN DIEGO – Tzipi Livni, the former foreign minister of Israel, will deliver the Herb York Memorial Lecture Monday afternoon, November 11, in a program that gets underway at 3 p.m. and is expected to end at 5:30 p.m., at the university’s GPS Robinson Auditorium.

Noting that this lecture has been scheduled for Veteran’s Day, a university-issued circular said Livni’s appearance honors veterans “by providing the intellectual means to think about, debate, and forge the ideas, policy solutions and research insights that help to inform policymakers and implementers.”

According to the university’s Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, Lvini “will reflect on whether increased tensions in the region can help create new opportunities for peace and stability. She will explore, in particular, the threats Israel faces that may threaten an already fragile status quo.”

Livni, who for several years had served as Leader of the Opposition in the Knesset against the policies of Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, announced her retirement from politics in February of this year.

York, a nuclear physicist, was the first chancellor of UC San Diego as well as the founding director of the UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation.  Prior to coming to San Diego, he was the founding director of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

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Three Jewish philanthropists to receive UC San Diego Chancellor’s Medal
UC San Diego has announced that the Chancellor’s Medal will be awarded to five recipients during the local university’s Founders Celebration Nov. 14-16.  Three of the recipients are members of the Jewish community: Andrew J. Viterbi and Iris Lynn & Matthew Strauss.  The others are Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and philanthropist Taner Halicioglu.

Iris Lynn and Matthew Strauss “have made a significant impact on UC San Diego—and throughout the region—with support in areas including arts, culture and cancer research,” the University said.  “The Strauss family has supported many initiatives across the UC San Diego for nearly three decades.  The couple are Campaign Cabinet members, serve on the Health Sciences Board of Advisors, and co-chair the development committee.  UC San Diego Health, including Moores Cancer Center, has been their recent fundraising focus with gifts to create the Iris and Matthew Strauss Center for Early Detection of Ovarian Cancer and to help fund the development of a cancer vaccine.”  The university noted that the Strausses also are “strong supporters of arts and cultural institutions such as the Jewish Community Foundation, La Jolla Playhouse, the Old Globe, and the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego.

About Andrew J. Viterbi, the University credited him with “transforming the way people connect and communicate through his groundbreaking ‘Viterbi Alorithm.’” It noted that Viterbi helped co-found with Irwin W. Jacobs both the Linkabit Corporation and Qualcomm, and also has served as an engineering professor both at UCLA and UC San Diego, where is professor emeritus.  “He is currently president of the Viterbi Group, a technical advisory and investment company.  In 2018, Viterbi gifted $50 million to UC San Diego to create the Viterbi Family Vision Research Center and the Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology, the first named Health Sciences department at the university.  Inspired by his father, Achille, an ophthalmologist, Viterbi’s gift is dedicated to advancing research, education, and eye care, and has established six new endowed chairs for faculty.

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San Diego Humane Society hosts training for animal law enforcement officers

Veterinarian Gary Weitzman, president and CEO of the San Diego Humane Society, says “keeping animals safe is not an easy task and it’s one that requires extensive training, expertise and knowledge.  Whether our Humane Officers are responding to a hoarding situation, educating a pet owner on proper pet care, or investigating a case of animal cruelty, they have to be trained and ready to respond at a moment’s notice.” He said the San Diego Humane Society offers one of only two academies in the state to teach animal law enforcement officers how “to become more proficient in abuse and neglect laws, crime investigation procedures, search and seizure laws, laws of arrest, (and) the connection between animal abuse and domestic violence.”

Political bytes
Governor Gavin Newsom has signed into law a bill (AB 893) by Assemblyman Todd Gloria which in 2021 will ban gun shows at the San Diego County State Fair.  Gloria, a candidate for mayor of San Diego, said “the bill becoming law is a critical step toward making our San Diego County communities safer from gun violence and it represents a huge victory for all of us against the NRA.”  …  San Diego City Council President Georgette Gomez has been endorsed for retiring Susan Davis’s congressional seat by the Service Employees International Union.  David Garcias, president of SEIU Local 221, said that Gomez “is committed to leading the country in a progressive direction by fighting for a fair economy for working people, defending immigrants from Trump’s attacks, and expanding access to quality, affordable healthcare for all Americans.”

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Fundraising
Chabad of La Costa plans to install solar power on its building, a project with an estimated cost of $58,000.  With nearly half already pledged, the congregation seeks to raise $30,000 via its website, according to Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort.

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Coming our way

An exhibit on “San Diego’s diverse Jewish community, featuring individuals, couples and families of different race, sexuality, (and) faith” will be premiered at 7 p.m., Thursday, October 17, at the Hive at Leichtag Commons.  Speakers will include Hive Director Jenny Camhi;  Dawn Kepler, creator of “This is Bay Area Jewry;” photographer Jordan Daniels; and Chaya Gilboa, the Hive’s director of Jewish Engagement. … Art and music, there are no better companions to soothe or stimulate the human brain. On Sunday, Nov. 17, the Timken Museum of Art in Balboa Park will host “Music & Masters: The Heritage of Harmony” to be presented by violinist and conductor Nuvi Mehta.  The program “will take the audience behind the scenes exploring the world of Bach, Chopin, Ravel, and (George) Gershwin while discovering the essential element of harmony and how the music transcends the ages.”  Mehta is a cousin of Zubin Mehta, the conductor of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor emeritus of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

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Remembering Sy Brenner

Mo Bailey recently came across an informal audio recording she made of a conversation with her father, the late Sy Brenner, who had been held as a Prisoner of War during World War II by Germans from whom he had hidden his Jewish identity. He later wrote a book about his experiences titled The Night I Got Killed,  and became a popular lecturer on overcoming Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.  In the recording Brenner reminisced about a surprise “29^th Birthday Again” Party he threw for his late wife Resa Brenner, at which klezmer violinist Yale Strom played.  That got him talking about his favorite bands including that of trombonist Glenn Miller especially when it performed such favorites as “In the Mood” and “String of Pearls.”

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In Memoriam
Donald Mitchell, known as both “Donnie” and “Mitchie” to his friends, moved from Los Angeles to San Diego with his wife Karen Mitchell in 1972.  A sports enthusiast and golfer, he was a faithful follower of both the San Diego Padres and the Boston Red Sox.  He died Oct. 8 at the age of 90, leaving fie children, 10 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

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