POWAY, California — The Poway City Council voted unanimously to “robust applause” on Tuesday to rename Eva Drive in the northern portion of the city as Lori Lynn Lane, in memory of the Chabad of Poway congregant who was murdered in an attack on the synagogue by a gunman.
Lori Lynn Gilbert-Kaye’s “life was exemplary and I hope it (the renamed street) causes someone to learn a little bit more about her, and how kind she was, how compassionate she was, how generous she was, and how selfless she was,” commented Mayor Steve Vaus, who sits on the five-member City Council.
Vaus had not met Gilbert-Kaye before a gunman barged into the synagogue on April 27, the last day of Passover, and killed her and wounded three other persons, including Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, 8-year-old Noya Dahan, and her uncle Almog Peretz. “However, I find myself wishing often that I did. There are many stories of random acts of kindness that she made a regular part of her life. I think she is somebody I would have gotten along real well with.”
Residents of the two homes along the new Lori Lynn Lane will have to go through the formalities of changing their addresses, “but I think these folks recognized what a special human being Lori was and this was just a small way to bring recognition to her life,” Vaus told me.
The mayor said new street signage for the intersection of Lori Lynn Lane and Stone Canyon Drive probably will take 60 days to be ready. At some point, he said, the city may have an unveiling ceremony for the new street sign. “It is appropriate,” he said. “I want Lori’s life to continue to be able to speak to people.”
The measure to change the name of the street initially was on the City Council’s consent agenda to be approved with other non-controversial items, but Mayor Vaus said he took it off the consent calendar in order to be able to say a few words about Gilbert-Kaye before the vote.
There were no other speakers, he said. No one opposed the measure, and “I think if there had been opposition the person would have been run out of town.”
Asked why the name chosen was Lori Lynn Lane, and not perhaps Lori Gilbert-Kaye Lane, the mayor said the approved name was what leaders of Chabad of Poway requested.
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Poll finds Social Security, Medicare top concerns for Jewish voters
The Jewish Democratic Council of America says a recent Pew Poll found that the top political priority for American Jewish voters is protecting Medicare and Social Security (87 percent) followed closely by improving the economy and creating jobs.
These priorities are followed by combating terrorism (82 percent); making quality healthcare available to every American (80 percent); enacting gun safety laws (79 percent) and combating the influence of white supremacists and the far-right (78 percent).
And what about Israel?
The JDCA reports “95 percent of Jewish voters have favorable views of Israel. Of the 16 policy priorities presented in the poll, policy related to Israel ranks the lowest for Jewish voters when deciding which candidate to vote for.”
On the issue of anti-Semitism, the JDCA said:
“73 percent of Jewish voters believe Jews in the United States are less secure than they were two years ago; 71 percent of Jewish voters disapprove of Trump’s handling of anti-Semitism; 59 percen tof Jewish voters believe President Trump is at least partially responsible for recent targeted attacks on synagogues, and 43 percent of Jewish voters believe the best way to improve the security of the Jewish community is to elect candidates who share their values.”
The JDCA did not directly address the charge made by the Republican Jewish Coalition that Democratic candidates such as Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Pete Buttigieg are becoming increasingly anti-Israel in their campaign statements.
A statement from the organization’s chairman Ron Klein and executive director Haile Sofer, said: “Make no mistake: Democrats support a strong U.S.-Israel relationship, support military and security assistance for Israel, and oppose the global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. NO ONE is calling for blanket aid cuts to Israel. JDCA strongly supports the mutually beneficial military and security relationship between the U.S. and Israel, as well as the continuation of full military aid, and we do not support reducing or conditioning assistance to Israel.”
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Political bytes
* Mazon, a Jewish Response to Hunger ‘s President Abby J. Leibman has criticized Republican Senator Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma who, as chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has proposed a “skinny” National Defense Authorization Act which she fears will not include food security for military dependents. “The Military Basic Needs Allowance is a bipartisan provision that was included in the House NDAA and championed by Representatives Susan Davis (D-CA) and Don Young (R-AK) along with Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Il) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK),” she said. “This provision would provide a modest and targeted supplement to base pay for all service members whose household income is at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level, ensuring that military personnel are able to provide basic needs for their family members, including food, and can be spared from unnecessary anxiety associated with hunger and food insecurity.”
*Escondido policeman Neal Griffin, husband of Escondido City Councilwoman Olga Diaz, says his wife “is a person of integrity who knows the issues and doesn’t back down from a fight. Cops know that in a position of public service, that speaks volumes.” He describes Terra Lawson-Remer, her Democratic opponent who also is trying to oust incumbent County Supervisor Kristin Gaspar, as “a political novice with no previous experience in elected office. In fact, her opponent’s political weight comes from her family connections to political operatives and special interest groups. She has never cast a public vote, participated in a legislative debate and has zero experience in elected office.”
* State Sen. Brian Jones (R-Santee) has won the endorsement of the El Cajon Police Officers Association in the 50th Congressional District where embattled GOP Congressman Duncan Hunter is facing tiral for misappropriation of campaign funds.
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Coming our way
* Ethnomusicologist Yale Strom will lead a tour of Moldava and Romania Oct. 18-29, 2020, during which he will lecture, give klezmer concerts, lead visits to Jewish sites including where the “Baal Shem Tov” served for many years, and the birthplace of Yiddish theater. More information, including prices, may be found on this website.
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Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com