Business & Finance

Natural Gas Adds to Israel’s International Acceptance

Israel’s significance as a Middle Eastern powerhouse has reached new levels with the help of two seminal events: the discovery of natural gas in Eastern Mediterranean waters and the success of the Abraham Accords between Israel and some Muslim Arab neighbors. Before, Israel was knocking on the door of the Arab and European countries; now, many of those countries have opened the door or soon will. Israel has what they want. (Steve Kramer)

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Business & Finance, International, Middle East, Steve Kramer, USA

Rabbi Scott Meltzer Introduces B’nai Mitzvah to the Joy of Giving

Beginning in 2014, Rabbi and Mrs. Meltzer invested $100 per month in the Kiva organization until they had built up a credit of approximately $8,000. They pored over lists of worthy borrowers, who were vetted by Kiva’s microloan partners throughout the world.  The Meltzers then decided to which borrowers they wished to make interest-free repayable loans. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, California, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA

Residents, Employees and Donors Celebrate Seacrest Reunion Gala

Breathtaking,” “Memorable,” “One-of-a-Kind,” “We didn’t want to leave,” “One Big Family,” “Gorgeous” are the words that guests used to describe the Seacrest Foundation Women’s Auxiliary 44th Annual Gala on Sunday, June 12, 2022. Truly a Reunion Gala, this extraordinarily special event was the first gathering of the Seacrest community of supporters in over two years. Co-Chairs Cindy Bloch, Mary Epsten, Jean Gaylis, Jane Ottenstein, and Shari Schenk, along with over 230 guests, came together at a private residence and vineyard in Rancho Santa Fe to celebrate the strength and commitment of the Seacrest community of supporters whose generosity and kindness made it possible to get through the worst of the pandemic.

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Business & Finance, Lifestyles, San Diego County

Jewish Brothers Al Lapin Jr. and Jerry Lapin Founded IHOP Chain

The International House of Pancakes at the Bay Plaza Shopping Center in National City was built in conformance with the shopping center’s architectural guidelines, rather than in IHOP’s usual configuration. However, it still has a trademark blue roof, and its menu is fairly typical of some 1,500 other establishments in the family restaurant chain created by two Jewish brothers. Al Lapin Jr. and Jerry Lapin started IHOP in 1958 in the tony San Fernando Valley neighborhood of Toluca Lake. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, California, Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA

Founded by an Antisemite, Ford Motor Co’s Leaders Became Pro-Zionists

We’re interested in the turnaround of the Ford family, starting with automotive pioneer Henry Ford, who was a vicious antisemite, and continuing with his grandson Henry Ford II, known as “Hank the Deuce,” who became a large supporter of Jewish and Zionist causes, and onto Bill Ford, Ford Motor Co’s current executive chairman. who traveled in 2019 to Tel Aviv to inaugurate a new Ford Research Center there. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, California, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Technology, Travel and Food, USA

Liberal Jewish Newspaper Publisher Made His Mark in a Conservative Town

Lowell Blankfort, a liberal Jewish Democrat, became co-publisher and editor of the staid, very conservative Star-News in 1961, and immediately began to shake up the old order. In his very first editorial, he announced that the community newspaper no longer would run columns by U.S. Rep. James Utt. Blankfort explained that Utt’s “so-called ‘column’ from Washington, or weekly political diatribe, is being dropped, pronto. Mr. Utt is the Republican Congressman from Santa Ana who, due to some deft GOP gerrymandering 10 years ago, also has been foisted on National City and Bonita.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, California, Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Travel and Food, USA

Freedman, Cooney, Morisett Pioneereed Children’s Educational Television

In an interview with the Archive of American Television, Cooney recalled that Freedman talked at that dinner party about the great educational potential of television.  “He was a stunning man, mesmerizing,” she said. “He could have been a revival minister, an Elmer Gantry. He was just stunning. He talked about how the potential had not been tapped for education in television. Well, something clicked in Lloyd’s mind because Carnegie was financing research in the educational development of children—how they learn.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, California, Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

Loews Coronado Bay Resort: A Tisch Family Outpost

The 440-room Loews Coronado Bay Resort was opened in 1991 on a 15-acre spur of land jutting into San Diego Bay. Like other Loews Properties around the United States, it is owned by the Tisch Family, which operates the hotel business and other subsidiaries through Loews Corporation, a holding company. Tracing the Tisch family’s enterprises is an interesting study in how a family grows its wealth [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

Entrepreneur Tells of Taking 2 Companies Public and the Deal He Made for the San Diego Jewish Academy

This memoir tells of a man bouncing on the exceedingly rough seas of entrepreneurship and finding emotional safe harbor again and again in the warmth of his family.  It is not your standard how-I-made-a-bundle-and-you-can-too motivational book; it is a very intimate autobiographical portrait of Del Mar resident Richard Jaffe, which he wrote with the assistance of his daughter Charly.  [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and Food, USA

Jewish Brothers Became Shopping-Mall Magnates

For centuries, Jewish merchants have made an impact on every country and society in which they lived. We can find some good examples of this at our very first stop on our Interstate 5 tour, the sprawling Las Americas Premium Outlets center which sits close to the Mexican border on the U.S. side. It attracts thousands of shoppers from both countries. The 56.1-acre complex was built in 2007, and at a recent count had 125 stores, most being representative of well-known brand names. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, USA

Good News from Israel – December 26, 2021

NETANYA, ISRAEL — In the December 26, 2021 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:
–An Israeli treatment for Parkinson’s has successfully finished trials.
–Israel is the only Middle Eastern country where Christians are thriving.
–Israeli nanomaterials are reshaping the manufacturing industry.
–The UAE hosted an event in its Embassy to showcase Israeli technology.
–An Israeli woman has won Israel’s first World Championship swimming gold medals.
–Three major archaeological discoveries in Israel. [Michael Ordman]

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Business & Finance, International, Jewish History, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions