Other items in today’s column include:
*Counting All the Votes
*Fighting Hunger
*Vienna Terrorism Aftermath
*In Memoriam
SAN DIEGO — Although members of the local San Diego County Jewish community were losing more races than they were winning, the San Diego Jewish community can take pride in Jews serving at nearly every level of government.
Sara Jacobs, for example, will replace the retiring Susan Davis, a fellow Democrat, on San Diego County’s congressional delegation.
Democrat Terra Lawson-Remer has won election over Republican incumbent Kristin Gaspar on the County Board of Supervisors, in the process flipping the Board from Republican-controlled to Democratic-controlled. Fond of statistics, Lawson-Remer credited “nearly 900 community members [who] volunteered their time and energy on this collective effort. Nearly 3,000 people wrote checks large and small to raise over $8ook. Together we put in over 23,000 hours organizing our community to bring positive change to our county. We visited over 75,000 doors across the district, made over 100,000 calls, talked personally with nearly 12,300 voters, and sent more than 1.25 million texts.”
Democrat Sean Elo-Rivera’s victory in the 9th City Council District means there will be two Jewish community members on the San Diego City Council; the other being Democrat Dr. Jen Campbell who is in the middle of her four-year term.
Democrat Bernie Rhinerson’s reelection means that there will be a Jewish community member on the board of the San Diego Community Colleges.
However, two Jewish community members — Kate Schwartz in the 75th Assembly District and Sarah Davis in the 78th Assembly District — were unable to win seats in the California State Legislature, leaving the Jewish community without local members serving in the state Capitol. Meanwhile , Barbara Bry, Cory Briggs, and Joe Leventhal apparently failed in their attempts to be elected respectively as San Diego’s mayor, city attorney, and 5th District city councilman. Another defeat was suffered by Mark Powell who was unable to retain his seat on the San Diego County Board of Education.
Although Bry was well behind in the counting, she was not ready to concede. She explained: “We know from our experience in the primary, when we were way behind on Election Night, that it’s not over until it’s over, and there are still a lot of ballots to count, so I will reserve judgement while the remaining ballots are counted. I want to thank the hundreds of thousands of San Diegans who responded to my call for accountability and transparency at City Hall. Regardless of the final outcome of the election, the need to restore trust and confidence will continue. Voters are tired of backroom deals and decision-making that favors special interests at the expense of San Diego residents.”
Personally, I am pleased that Jewish community members are upholding the tradition of active involvement in local politics and civic life. This has been a tradition of the San Diego Jewish community since the pioneer days of the 1850s. To the winners, congratulations! To the losers, thank you for your participation and for upholding our community’s tradition.
Eric Fingerhut, President and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, along with JFNA board chair Mark Wolf, voiced similar sentiments in a joint statement:
We are enormously proud of all the members of the Jewish community who participated in the 2020 elections as volunteers, as campaign workers, and as candidates,” said JFNA Chair of the Board of Trustees Mark Wilf and President and CEO “As has always been the case, Jews in the United States committed themselves to our civic process, voting and working for candidates of both major parties.”
Recognizing that this election was unusually divisive and that the close outcome may lead to post-election legal and procedural steps that could add to the emotions we all feel, we encourage our community to have faith in the durability of our democracy and in our governmental institutions to resolve issues,” they said. “And we urge our community to show respect and appreciation for the differences in political opinion we hold, to come together as we always have to build and sustain flourishing Jewish life, and to work to unite Americans of all creeds and backgrounds.
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Counting All the Votes
With the presidential election remaining undecided on Wednesday morning, Rabbi Jill Jacobs, executive member of the 2,000-member T’ruah organization of Jewish clergy, commented, “T’ruah urges officials in every state and district to ensure that every ballot is counted. Taking the time to count and verify every ballot is a sign that our democracy is working. The Talmud teaches that we do not appoint a leader over the community without first consulting the community (Berakhot55a). In that instance, the text is referring to Betzalel, the artist whom God directly imbues with divine wisdom; it applies all the more to the American President.”
In a similar statement, Sheila Katz, CEO of the National Council of Jewish Women, commented. ““A core principle of American democracy is that we choose our leaders – our leaders do not choose their voters. We must refrain from declaring the next president until all the votes are counted and every American’s voice is heard. We urge patience from all Americans, including the candidates. This election will have immense consequences for the lives of women, children and families across the country. It is important that we get it right, even if that takes time. A fair and complete election is worth the wait.”
Jonathan A. Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, expressed concern that uncertainty over vote counting might prompt violence. He issued this statement:
Since our founding more than 100 years ago, ADL has been committed to justice and fair treatment to all, which requires that all Americans safely can exercise their constitutional right to vote. As the final votes are tallied, we reiterate our longstanding calls that every vote counts and every vote must be counted. There is nothing unusual for results to be delayed, as this has happened previously in U.S. history when the winner of an election could not be declared for days or even weeks after the voting. And yet, what happens next will be another important test of our democracy.
“At ADL, we remain concerned about the potential for extremists to attempt to exploit this moment of uncertainty to fuel hatred and sow discord, or even to inspire their followers to act violently. As always, we will call out extremists across the ideological spectrum, especially those who try to take advantage of this moment to promote a hateful or violent agenda. Vigilance is the watchword.
“In the days and weeks ahead, ADL will continue to track extremist activity in the real world and on social media, coordinating closely with law enforcement and providing information to elected officials, community-based organizations, faith-based institutions and the media. We will do so because this volatile environment could be conducive to increased episodes of antisemitism, racism and bigotry. And so, we will do our utmost to monitor all threats and fight hate for good.”
Ann Toback, chief executive officer of The Workers Circle, commented: “State election officials, and not the President or any other federal official, certify state election results, with the US Congress following suit. And that process will take some time. That is what our democracy is about, and that is what our nation deserves. We are at a pivotal moment in our nation’s history, one that is being defined by how we are holding our elected officials accountable while trusting in and strengthening our democracy. Throughout the history of the Workers Circle, we have advocated for fundamental civil and human rights. We have championed the rights of workers and for equality for all people. These fights are foundational for our democracy. And we will work to end the massive voter suppression that we have seen in just this past election alone, we will fight to reclaim our country as a sanctuary for immigrants and refugees, and we vow to keep striving with partners to end centuries of systemic racism.”
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Fighting Hunger
Abby J. Leibman, President and CEO of Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger, said regardless of who ultimately wins the presidential election, “We must make it a priority to ensure that our federal, state, and local leaders move quickly to strengthen and expand programs like SNAP (formerly food stamps) for all those in need. We will continue to cultivate and promote resources in every state, advance solutions for populations that are ignored and sometimes overlooked, and implore Congress to enact a COVID-19 response bill that boosts SNAP benefits. COVID-19 continues to devastate communities around the country, and with a growing number of Americans experiencing hunger, it is more important than ever that our leaders respond with the wisdom, compassion, and urgency that this moment demands.”
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Vienna Terrorism Aftermath
Shmuel Rosenman, World Chairman of the March of the Living, stated: ” “It is chilling that in the week that marks the 82nd anniversary of Kristallnacht, which saw synagogues and Jewish institutions in Germany and Austria brutally attacked, Jews still do not feel safe in Europe. [Monday] night, members of Vienna’s Jewish community were told not to leave their homes due to extremism. The murderous attack in Vienna is the latest in a series of extremist attacks, including on synagogues and religious institutions across Europe. Unfortunately, the lessons of Kristallnacht have not been learned. Our hearts do out to those killed, the wounded and their families. European authorities must do everything possible to keep Jewish communities safe and secure.”
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In Memoriam
Harvey Allen Lenett, 75, died Monday, Nov. 2, Am Israel Mortuary reported. Rabbi Devorah Marcus and Rabbi Emeritus Martin S. Lawson of Temple Emanu-El will co-officiate graveside funeral services at 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5.
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Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com
Free obituaries in memory of members of the San Diego County Jewish community are sponsored on San Diego Jewish World by Inland Industries Group LP in memory of long-time San Diego Jewish community leader Marie (Mrs. Gabriel) Berg.