Other items in today’s column include:
*Jewish Federation CEO undergoes cancer surgery
*Jewish community coronavirus news
*San Diego County Judaica
*Political bytes
SAN DIEGO — State Assembly candidate Kate Schwartz earned her graduate degree in psychiatric social work, and today as a mental health professional, she serves as one of five members on the Fallbrook Regional Health District Board. As our society experiences the coronavirus pandemic, she says that Americans appear to be moving from the first stage of grief — shock and denial — to the far more dangerous second stage, which is anger.
“That is the stage that most concerns me right now, particularly with hearing our President voicing some opinions that might be described as racist,” said the Democratic candidate in the 75th Assembly District. She said that President Donald Trump referring to the coronavirus as the “China virus” during his briefings “is very concerning, and studying the President’s personality, I really don’t buy that wasn’t purposeful. I think he typically needs to assign blame somewhere and to keep any accountability far way from himself.”
Generally speaking, she said, “when we feel helpless and powerless, that tends to increase our anger and our automatic response to assign blame, lash out, and become more protective. I think we also see that with gun sales sky rocketing recently with first time buyers, and ammunition sales have been way up there too. I think that speaks to the knee-jerk reaction to the feeling of a loss of security and safety.”
Asked if she thought the anger might result in overt discrimination against different groups of people, she responded, “I don’t think it will in policy, but there is so much going on today that we never thought possible at the national level.” Here in California, she added, “Governor [Gavin] Newsom has been very vocal and outspoken in support of the Chinese communities here in California and very clear about [not discriminating] as has [former Vice President] Joe Biden. This is not about one particular race or ethnicity; this is a global infectious disease and we should steer away from that type of thinking.”
Schwartz noted that some neo-Nazi Internet sites have been trying to lay blame on Jews, commenting: “this is a dangerous time; it has to be navigated thoughtfully and with a great deal of education. Yes, we are all very frightened by this new reality that was thrust upon us suddenly and we certainly don’t like it taking over our world, but we need to find positive ways to cope rather than acting out on the anger and the blame.”
The next stage of grief, after anger, typically is “negotiation, and that can be mental negotiation, not necessarily on an external level,” Schwartz commented. “For religious people, it is often negotiating with God: ‘If I do this, and agree to live in this manner, perhaps these losses will be minimized.'”
She said “the main point of the navigation of any type of loss is to reach toward the final stage, which is acceptance. .. This will be different for everyone because they all have different types of loss involved.” There are those who lost their jobs temporarily versus those who lost them permanently. There are those who, along with their families, remained healthy versus those whose families suffered a loss.
As a mental health worker, she recommended that those who feel anxious consider “meditation, calming activities–exercise is always good–maintaining your connections, albeit electronically right now; retaining your support systems. Texts are always good for anxiety; writing out a worry journal with steps toward problem solving, if we need to do that, and comforting activities, all help us to feel a little better and comforted.”
In my next column, I will report on the lessons that Schwartz draws from the pandemic and how those lessons might be translated into state legislation.
*
Jewish Federation CEO undergoes cancer surgery
Michael Jeser, CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County, messaged on Friday this advisory: “With schools closed, I have had some amazing and precious family time with my effervescent 3 year old daughter, Eleanore, and loving wife, Laura. These moments are perhaps more special as I also prepare to undergo a surgical procedure. As you read this, I will likely be in surgery- a surgery that will hopefully leave cancer behind me once and for all. The anxiety my family feels as we are isolated from our friends and loved ones, compounded by the natural fears arising from the anticipation of this surgery, make for an exceedingly intense period of time in our lives. Fortunately, I have felt so supported by my staff, board members, donors and friends. I take comfort knowing I am in the capable hands of a UCSD surgical team, and that I will then will return home to recover surrounded by my loved ones and a caring and supportive community.” We know our San Diego Jewish World readers join us in wishing him a refuah shlemah — a total healing and a full recovery.
*
Jewish community coronavirus news
*Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) voted enthusiastically for the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, noting, ““As simply as I can say it–this CARES Act will save lives. It will support families. It will help us recover financially. It will throw a rescue line to small businesses. It will shore up state and local government serving the people. We need to get as focused as our communities and address our next steps. We need to learn from our lack of preparedness and build on the community solutions that have showcased the resiliency of our neighbors. We can do this!”
*City Councilwoman Barbara Bry, a candidate for mayor, says she “will host a COVID-19webinar with two experts, Dr. Thomas R. Martin and Dr. Erica Ollmann Saphire, who will demystify the science and explain what we know so far about this novel coronavirus pandemic. To register for this 5 p.m., Monday, March 30 discussion, please use this link. Also, if you would like to ask one of our experts a question, you can submit your questions ahead of time to khanr@sandiego.gov. ”
*Jewish Insider spoke with Congressional candidates around the country to see how the coronavirus was affecting their campaigns. Sara Jacobs, who is running in the 53rd Congressional District here in San Diego, said the pandemic was clearly on everyone’s minds and dominating the conversation.
*
San Diego County Judaica
That’s not a shield that San Diego Union-Tribune reporter Karen Pearlman is brandishing; it’s her ceremonial seder plate. In the photo below, Rabbi David Smoller points proudly to the letters the late Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson sent to his family congratulating them on the birth of his four children. In the third photo, Ann Spira and Ted Rosenberg hold up their ketuba, with Ann commenting, “It’s my favorite Judaica, for sure!” Care to contribute to the San Diego County Judaica photo collection? Please send a photo of yourself with a favorite item of Judaica to me at editor@sdjewishworld.com
*
Political bytes
*With 1,500 ballots from all over the county remaining to be counted, San Diego City Councilwoman Barbara Bry now is 1,197 votes ahead of Councilman Scott Sherman for the second place position in the race for mayor of San Diego, with Assemblyman Todd Gloria well ahead in the first position. It appears extremely likely at this point that there will be Nov. 3 runoff between Gloria and Bry, both of whom are Democrats. The vote totals as of 5 p.m. Friday were Gloria 147,342; Bry 81,346, and Sherman 80,149.
*Responding to the recent murders of Jews in Pittsburgh, Brooklyn, and here in San Diego County (at Chabad of Poway), Americans for Peace and Tolerance has announced a 10-point program to “fight back.” Here is a link.
*
Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. His previous articles may be accessed by clicking his byline at the top of the page. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com
Pingback: The Jewish candidates: Kate Schwartz in the 75th A.D. - San Diego Jewish World