Other items in this column include:
* Coming Our Way
* Mazal tov! Mazal tov!
* Recommended reading
SAN DIEGO – StandWithUs, a national organization combating anti-Semitism on American college campuses, has congratulated San Diego State University for blocking a speaking invitation to Ava Muhammad, who is a spokeswoman for Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan.
“Congratulations to students, staff, and Hillel at SDSU who successfully lobbied administration to revise a university-funded program that was set to include antisemitic speakers,” StandWithUs wrote in a recent e-blast. “We support you and are here for you always.”
Muhammad had been invited to be one of five speakers at a summit on reparations for slavery, that was to be funded with student grants. Peter Herman, a professor of literature, recognized Muhammad’s name and alerted the Times of San Diego about the issue. “Should people who espouse hate be invited to speak at SDSU?” he questioned.
San Diego State University subsequently consulted with leaders in the Jewish community, including Risa Levitt, director of the Jewish Studies Program, as well as with officials of the Anti-Defamation League. They responded that Muhammad’s speeches to other groups had been anti-Semitic.
That settled the matter for SDSU. Terry Silvers, the student organizer of the event, was persuaded to disinvite Muhammad while proceeding with a $68,000 student grant to present the forum on slavery reparations. One of the speakers scheduled to participate is author Ta-Nehisi Coates.
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Coming our way
*Rose Schindler will tell of her Holocaust survival at a bruncheon meeting of the Jewish War Veterans at 10 a.m., Sunday, Jan. 12, at Paradise Village, 2700 East 4th Street, where a concierge will direct you to the meeting room location.
*Jana Mazurkiewicz Meisarosh, founder of the Yiddish Academic and Arts Association of North America (YAAANA), will teach a class on Yiddish compliments and curses at 6 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 19, at the Cottage of Israel in Balboa Park, 2156 Pan American Plaza. Fee: $15. RSVP via this website.
*Marketa Hancova will narrate a slide show with clips and archival footage about the division of Europe into the free West and the Communist East, and the fall of Communism in 1989, at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 20, at the Lawrence Family JCC, 4126 Executive Drive, La Jolla. Ticket: $10, JCC member $8.
*Three Jewish poets – Jan Gist, Yoel Guadarrama, and Lorraine Fisher—will recite their poetry at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 21, in the Astor Judaica Library at the JCC, 4126 Executive Drive. RSVP to the free presentation by Jan. 14 via this website.
*Dan Schwimmer, former AIPAC chair for San Diego, will provide an update on AIPAC activities and the Middle East at a noon lunch on Friday, Jan. 24, at the Lawrence Family JCC. Ticket: 14, JCC member $12.
“Yiddish for Beginners,” a six-session course meeting at 2 p.m. on Sundays from Jan. 26 through March 1, will be taught by the Yiddish Academic and Arts Association of North America at 5225 Fiore Terrace, San Diego. Fee: $70 for all six, or $15 per session. RSVP via this website.
Students at Patrick Henry High School perform in Fiddler on the Roof at 6 p.m., Feb. 6-8, and again at 2 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 9, in its PHAME theater, 6702 Wandermere Drive, San Diego. Faculty members Christine Carr is the artistic director and Matthew Kalal the technical director.
*The Sisterhood of Tifereth Israel Synagogue will conduct the entire Shabbat morning service, beginning at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 15, at 6660 Cowles Mountain Blvd. The service will be followed by a kiddush.
*Bassem Eid, commentator on Arab and Palestinian affairs, will address Herzl and Guardian members of StandWithUs at a 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 25, kosher buffet dinner at a location to be announced, on “Internal Palestinian Politics and Conflicts.” RSVP via this email.
*Yale Strom, in his capacity as artist in residence of San Diego State University’s Jewish Studies Program, will premiere Sacred Text, an original score and ballet set to the Song of Songs, and featuring six dancers along with Luay Yousif, an Iraqi violinist and vocalist whose quartet will play sacred music from Iraq, at 7 .p.m., March 26, in the Smith Recital Hall on the SDSU campus.
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Mazal tov! Mazal tov!
* Beth Jacob Congregation has announced that a boy has been born to Ariella and Yosef Afriat. Waiting to meet their new sibling are Elisha and Ruth. The child’s name will be divulged at his brit milah.
* Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School has announced the birth of Esther Weiser to parents Avromie and Leeba Weiser, noting that Esther is the granddaughter of Rabbi Simcha and Betty Weiser. Rabbi Weiser is the headmaster of Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School.
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Recommended Reading
*Alanna Maya of L’Chaim San Diego Magazine has written a preview piece about the San Diego International Jewish Film Festival, which is coming in February.
* U.S. Rep. Susan Davis, D-San Diego, wrote an opinion piece about the rise of anti-Semitism and ways to combat it in the Mission Times Courier. ./
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Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com