Other items in this column include:
*Decolonization campaign of the Museum of Man
*Monica Press to publish new book by Rabbi Avraham Bogopulsky
*Political bytes
*Coming our way
*Recommended reading
*In Memoriam
ENCINITAS, California — I think we all should congratulate Mayor Catherine Blakespear and three other members of the Encinitas City Council who voted their hearts, and not their fears, in the recent battle over providing safe overnight parking spaces to 25 homeless families who are forced to sleep in their cars.
Mayor Blakespear was joined in approving the safe parking lot by Councilmembers Kellie Hinze, Joe Mosca, and Jody Hubbard, while Councilman Tony Kranz voted against the proposal.
This facility will be operated from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m., daily by Jewish Family Service in conjunction with the Leichtag Foundation, which owns a 67.5-acre farm at 441 Saxony Road, close to Seacrest Village Retirement Community, east of the Interstate 5.
Congratulations to Michael Hopkins, the CEO of Jewish Family Service, and to Charlene Seidle, executive vice president of the Leichtag Foundation, who held out hope to car-bound homeless families notwithstanding some vociferous objections from Encinitas residents.
One of thoose objecting was a former mayor of Encinitas, Sheila Cameron, who said by allowing homeless, car-bound families to sleep on the Leichtag property, Encinitas would become a mecca for other homeless people. By her estimate, the city already has about 125 homeless people living there, though how many actually have cars, she couldn’t say in an interview with KUSI-TV.
KGTV-10 reported that prior to the 4-1 vote, some residents expressed fears that the homeless families would pose danger to a YMCA located across the street.
“Why does the council insist on inviting crime, mentally ill, drug addicts to the residents of our town?” asked one resident, in comments to the council before the vote, according to the KGTV report
“This feels sneaky,” another resident added.
Seidle said that the parking lot in question would be on an interior part of the Leichtag Commons, where the car-bound people will have access to bathrooms and other facilities to be provided by Jewish Family Service. Additionally, she said, Leichtag Foundation will work closely with law enforcement to make certain there are no problems — either for city residents or for the homeless families, who want to be safe at night.
In time, I trust, the angry residents of Encinitas will see that homeless families seeking to transition back to housing are not all that different from themselves, except for the fact that because of bad luck, or unfortunate circumstances, they were forced out of their residences. According to Seidle, those admitted to the safe parking lot will be vetted. “We’re looking for people who want to get back in their homes,” she said.
At its safe parking lot at JFS headquarters on Balboa Avenue in San Diego, Hopkins has told me, a symbiotic relationship developed between JFS and the homeless people. Grateful that JFS provides bathroom and shower facilities, as well as food and access to counseling, the homeless population voluntarily patrol the property at night, making sure no harm comes to it or to each other.
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Decolonization campaign of the Museum of Man
Micah D. Parzen, CEO of the Museum of Man in Balboa Park, has authored an extensive article in the magazine of the American Alliance of Museums explaining the process of “de-colonization” that his museum is going through, in which the museum’s previous Eurocentric view of the world is now being replaced with policies, nomenclature, and exhibits that provide a world view that is respectful of indigenous cultures, such as that of the Kumeyaay people, who were San Diego’s original inhabitants. His article may be read via this link.
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Mosaica Press to publish new book by Rabbi Avraham Bogopulsky
Rabbi Avraham Bogopulsky of Beth Jacob Congregation previously wrote Developing a Torah Personality. Now Mosaica Press has agreed to publish a compendium of his weekly dvar Torah columns that touch upon “the simple and ordinary in our daily lives.” Doron Kornbluth, senior editor of Mosaica Press, his book “will make a noteworthy contribution to Torah literature – and harbatzas Torah itself. Rabbi Bogopulsky is offering readers the opportunity to purchase dedications within the book — with a name listing at $180, a dedication in memory or honor of another person, $1,800; a section dedication, $3,600; and a dedication of the entire book, $5,000. Deadline for contacting Rabbi Bogopulsky in connection with this project is the last day of February. He may be reached via this email. rabbi@bjsd.org
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Political bytes
*Appealing for women’s votes in the forthcoming San Diego mayoral election, San Diego City Councilwoman Barbara Bry offers this aphorism: “Behind every successful woman is a tribe of other successful women who have her back.” In a 30-second spot, her election is called for by Adria Fox; Denisse Roldan-Newell, Rachel Aberasturi, Gaby Dow, Briana Weisinger, Celina Laframboise, Donna Frye.
*In endorsing Assemblyman Todd Gloria (D-San Diego) for mayor, the Victory Fund—a national organization dedicated to electing openly LGBTQ candidates—lauded him for being the sponsor of successful legislation making critical PrEP and PEP HIV-prevention medicine available without prescription.
*State Sen. Brian Jones (R-Santee), a candidate in the 50th Congressional District, said state Senate Bill 50 by Sen. Scott Weiner (D-San Francisco) was defeated in the Senate because it tried to impose a statewide solution on local housing problems. “When I was on the (Santee) Council we worked with our residents, and through an extensive process we generally came up with reasonable, consensus-based decisions,” Jones said. “SB 50 has the potential to destroy that local process.”
*Rep. Scott Peters, D-San Diego, has introduced legislation with two other members of Congress to limit the scope of non-compete clauses that businesses may require their employees to sign.““It is well-known that non-competes slow the pace of economic innovation and productivity by keeping workers sidelined for extended periods of time,” Peters said. “Preventing workers from capitalizing on their talent means a loss in transformative development and economic prosperity for communities across the country. Our bill aims to give power back to the American workers so they are able to achieve their full potential and contribute to our nation’s success.”
*Three building trades unions have announced their opposition to Proposition A on the March 3 ballot, which would require a countywide vote of the public if the allowable density in any rural area of the county is to be increased by six units or more. They are Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters, Local 230 of the Plumbers, Steamfitters, Refrigeration and HVAC Union, and Laborers Local 89.
*Assemblywoman Shirley Weber has announced that she will hold office hours from 10 a.m. to noon, Feb 3, 10, and 17 respectively at the Malcolm X Branch Library, the Lemon Grove Branch Library, and the Mission Valley Library.
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Coming our way
*In an event for women, Chabad of Chula Vista will offer instructions on how to design and paint Jewish-themed wooden wall art with an inspirational quote to hang in a home at 7 p.m., Monday, Feb. 3. Fee: $18. Register for the event and dessert reception at a private location via this website.
*San Diego Outreach Synagogue will hold a Tu B’Shevat service and dinner in University City from 5:45 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 7. To sign up, for the event which will include music by Cantor Cheri Weiss and the Outreach Band, use this website. www.sdo-synagogue.org
*The San Diego Jewish Men’s Choir performs in concert at 3 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 9, at Congregation Beth Israel, with a dessert reception to follow. Ticket $20. RSVP via this website:
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Recommended reading
International
Times of Israel reports four rabbis are protesting a church at Auschwitz.
The American Jewish Committee has launched an Arabic language series to explain to Arab speakers who the Jews are.
National
The Anti Defamation League announces it will now track anti-Semitism on line.
A University of Massachusetts-Amherst student who is an Israeli-American describes in New York Jewish Week his efforts to cope with the anti-Israel campus climate
San Diego County
Voice of San Diego reports that Encinitas Mayor Catherine Blakespear is in political hot water because of her vote favoring a Jewish Family Service parking lot for homeless car owners at the Leichtag Commons.
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In Memoriam
Tifereth Israel Synagogue has reported the death of Estelle Kravitz, mother of Carol & Stephen Center. The funeral will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, Feb. 3, at Pacific View Memorial Park, 3500 Pacific View Dr, Corona del Mar,
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Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com