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.
Fourth in a series By Donald H. Harrison ABOARD MS ROTTERDAM—In the National Yiddish Theatre in New York, he starred in the title role in the musical based on Isaac Bashevis Singer’s Gimpel Tam (Gimpel the Fool). In a touring national children’s theatre production, he played Mudge, a big, joyful, sloppy dog based on the […]
Versatile Adam Shapiro plays many roles during cruise ship gig Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonThird in a series By Donald H. Harrison ABOARD M.S. ROTTERDAM—Two men on being introduced to each other automatically shook hands. “Ooops, sorry about that” said the first one. “Yes, “ said the second, “force of habit, it seems.” They walked to a nearby hand sanitizer on board the cruise ship MS Rotterdam and squirted
Fighting a stubborn virus at sea Read More »
Donald H. Harrison
Lifeboat maneuvers to floating object in Pacific during recovery operation. Photos: Donald H. Harrison ___________________________________________________ By Donald H. Harrison -Second in a series– ABOARD MS ROTTERDAM –Recovering the body of a man who threw himself overboard and avoiding a possible tsunami in the wake of a large Chilean earthquake were unscheduled and unforgettable events during
‘Man Overboard!’– Drama aboard MS Rotterdam not to be forgotten Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, USA
_____________________________________________________________________________________ First in a series By Donald H. Harrison LIMA, Peru—Were it not for cruise ships like the one we embarked upon here in the wee hours of Monday, Feb. 22, I believe I’d be ready to consign my leisure travel to the lazy boy chair in front of the television in my home. I’d
Devotion: A Memoir by Dani Shapiro, Harper , 2009, ISBN 978-0-06-162834-4, 245 pages, $24.99. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—Successful though she may be as an author, Dani Shapiro has had a difficult emotional life. The parent whom she admired was killed in a car crash following his seizure behind the wheel. The parent with
‘Devotion’ is a journey through emotional trauma Read More »
Donald H. HarrisonBy Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO–Emails, phone calls and snail mail–an editor never knows what the day will bring. Here’s the most recent sampling: MIDDLE EAST & SAN DIEGO — Congressman Bob Filner (Democrat-San Diego), on a J-Street sponsored tour of the Middle East with other members of Congress, met on Monday with Jordan’s King Abdullah
Schmooze and News of San Diego-area Jews Read More »
Donald H. Harrison
QUESTION PERIOD—Brian Greenspun and Scott Goldstein listen to a question posed by an audience member at San Diego Jewish Film Festival Tuesday, Feb. 16, at Lawrence Family JCC in La Jolla, California _________________________________________________ By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO — Where I Stand: The Hank Greenspun Story introduced to attendees of the San Diego Jewish
Full-length documentary needs to be encyclopedic in length to cover Greenspun’s span Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, USABy Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO–Emails, phone calls and snail mail–an editor never knows what the day will bring. Here’s the most recent sampling: POLITICS—The Republican candidacy of former Marine Gunnery Sergeant Nick Popaditch in the 51st Congressional District has prompted incumbent Bob Filner, chairman of the House Veteran Affairs Committee, to caution supporters that “there
Schmooze and News of San Diego-area Jews Read More »
Cynthia Citron, Donald H. Harrison
By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – On a perfect, sunny Sunday, a day after the rainstorms, Jewish single parents and their children got a five-day head start on Tu B’Shevat by planting three blue elderberry bushes near the Visitor Center at Mission Trails Regional Park. One of the fathers, Elisha Blatt, pronounced
Editor, San Diego Jewish World In your article “Community Mikvah to locate on Tifereth Israel grounds” (September 22, 2009) you write “Although there are three mikvaot operated under Orthodox auspices in San Diego, none are available for conversions by the other movements. This means that many people who convert to Judaism under Conservative auspices, for
Letter to the Editor: Mikvaot in San Diego Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Yeruchem Eilfort-RabbiTempest in the Temple: Jewish Communities & Child Sex Scandals edited by Amy Neustein, Brandeis University Press, 2009, 272 pages, $35. By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—This is a difficult book to read, not only because it primarily is written for other academics, but because of the subject matter itself. While we are cognizant that
Sexual abuse of children in the Jewish community: difficult but important to face Read More »
Amy Neustein, Donald H. HarrisonBy Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO—Preschool teacher Sara Kaminski spotted me one Friday night at Shabbat services at Tifereth Israel Synagogue and asked if I would come one day to the kochavim (little stars) class and tell about newspapering. After I agreed, I wondered just what aspect of newspapering four and five-year-olds would be interested
Adventures in a Jewish pre-school Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, San Diego Calendar
Loretta Adams at home __________________________________________________________ By Donald H. Harrison LA JOLLA, California—The life and business success of Loretta Hirschfeld Adams illustrate how advantageous a bilingual education can be, especially for those of us who live in the southwestern United States. Adams, who established and later sold a company of nearly 300 employees specializing in Spanish-language
San Diego Jewish Profile: Bilingualism jumpstarted Loretta H. Adams’ career Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, USA
Oceanside Museum of Art …. Photo: OMA _____________________________________________________ By Donald H. Harrison OCEANSIDE, California—The Jewish poetess Emma Lazarus is best known for the “New Colossus,” a poem that is engraved onto the base of the Statue of Liberty. She expressed the promise that America held for immigrants in 1876, the American centennial year
OMA exhibit juxtaposes American dreams and realities Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, USA