Donald H. Harrison is the publisher and editor of San Diego Jewish World.
Harrison began his journalism career in 1962 on the UCLA Daily Bruin. Following graduation he joined the staff of the Associated Press, and later became politics writer for The San Diego Union. Afterwards he pursued a career in tourism, helping to establish San Diego’s Cruise Ship Program as well as Old Town Trolley Tours of San Diego. He also wrote for such Jewish publications as the San Diego Jewish Press Heritage and San Diego Jewish Times before starting San Diego Jewish World in 2007.
Don’s latest work is the three-volume Schlepping and Schmoozing Along the Interstate 5.
He is the author of six previous books. Those with links may be obtained on Amazon.
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—It was a ten-mile journey over a rutted wagon road from the tip of Point Loma to the area of San Diego known as Old Town, a distance that may sound inconsequential today in the age of automobiles. However, for Lighthouse keepers Robert and Maria Israel, who lived […]
San Diego’s Historic Places: Point Loma Lighthouse Read More »
Donald H. Harrison
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—It is commonplace to see elementary school classes walking through Cabrillo National Monument on history field trips. But similar field trips to Cabrillo may also be appropriate for high school trigonometry classes – especially for those students who wonder, “What’s the point of this stuff? When would we ever
San Diego’s Historic Places: 19th Coast Artillery at Cabrillo National Monument Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, USABy Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — UCSD has become a campus battlegrounds in the movement by pro-Palestinians to have Associated Student oganizations divest their funds from companies doing business with Israel. A resolution that will go before the student Senate on Wednesday, April 28, specifically targets United Technologies, which it says makes Apache helicopters,
Israel divestment campaign moves to UCSD campus Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle EastSAN DIEGO (Press Release) — Members of the La Playa Trail Association will place a monument at 10:15 a.m., Thursday, April 29, at the corner of Rosecrans Street and Avenida de Portugal to mark the location where the town of Roseville was founded in 1869 by Louis Rose. The monument duplicates one that had been erected
Roseville section of San Diego to reinstall historic marker on La Playa Trail Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History
SAN DIEGO—Israeli song, Israeli dance, Israeli politics, Israeli geography, Israeli foods, Israeli merchandise, Israeli trips… they all were components on Sunday, April 25, of the Israel Independence Festival held on the grounds of San Diego Jewish Academy. Shoshi Bogoch, Israeli shelicha who helped organize the festival, estimated that perhaps 2,000 San Diegans toured the multi-level
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – Whether it’s the Commuter Terminal mural of Charles A. Lindbergh by John J. Whalen, the sculpture by Paul T. Granlund at Terminal Two representing him as a boy and as a man, the bust by Paul Fjelde or the scale model of “The Spirit of St. Louis,”
San Diego’s Historic Places: Lindbergh Field Read More »
Donald H. Harrison
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—Although it was a gift in November 1970 from Mexico’s President Gustavo Diaz-Ordaz, it is not difficult to imagine the sculpture of a Mexican on horseback at the upper edge of Presidio Park as a scout for the Californios trying to determine whether the American troops at nearby Fort
San Diego’s historic places: upper Presidio Park Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, USA
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—As in a game of ‘Treasure Hunt,’ clues about San Diego’s history under three flags can be found in a variety of places outside the graceful Serra Museum – including on one of the three flagpoles! “In recognition of the financial contributions made by the inhabitants of the San
San Diego’s Historic Places: Presidio Park grounds Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, USA
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—Chief docent Janet Bartel removed a barrier and stepped into the archaeological dig area at Mission San Diego, beckoning others to follow. Two sets of shallow pits, with a dirt walkway in between, were on the southwestern side of the mission quadrangle. Approximately at the middle of the inner
San Diego’s historic places: archaeology at Mission San Diego Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, USA
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—It is not uncommon on Saturdays at Mission San Diego to find a bride posing at the landmark bell tower – two romantic images in white. “Whenever they established a mission, they would put a cross in the ground, and some kind of bell, and dedicate the mission
San Diego’s historic places: the bells of Mission San Diego Read More »
Donald H. Harrison
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — Rebuilt in 1931 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the church at Mission San Diego features a broken crucifix that intentionally has not been repaired. There are no arms on the figure of Jesus on the cross, but in 1970 when Monsignor Brent Eagen saw it in
San Diego historic places: the church at Mission San Diego Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, USA
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—At “Generations Day” on Tuesday, April 20, when parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents trooped to Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School to learn with their school children, this year’s lesson figured to be a snap. As the day corresponded with Yom Ha’Atzma’ut, Israel’s Independence Day, the teachers decided the all-school
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—Three Franciscan Padres whose lives are celebrated at Mission San Diego are Father Junipero Serra, who founded this mission and eight others, Fermin Lasuen, who succeeded Serra as president of the missions and founded nine more, and Luis Jayme (also spelled Jaime), who is remembered as the first Christian martyr
San Diego historic places: Three padres of Mission San Diego Read More »
Donald H. Harrison
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO–Old Mission Dam, a.k.a. Padre Dam, is celebrated as both a California Historic Landmark and as a National Historic Landmark for being one of the first irrigation projects on the West Coast of the United States, having been built between 1813 and 1816 by Franciscan padres and Kumeyaay
San Diego’s historic places: Old Mission Dam Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, USA