Donald H. Harrison

Donald H. Harrison

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.

Israeli President and Viral Video Creator to Share Webinar on Sunday, Aug. 25

“We basically have been dehumanized,” Eitan Chitayat said in a Zoom interview from Tel Aviv. “We have been boiled down to apartheid lovers, to colonialists, to genocide enablers, and this has to stop.  The only way it will stop is if one person at a time in the private sector, in our own individual lives, start saying ‘We’re Jewish,’ or ‘I’m Jewish!’  Let’s start there.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Antisemitism, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Dreaming a Child’s Fears Away in Book for K-3 Readers

This book for kindergarteners through 3rd graders is intended to help children overcome their fears. In this case Tali, who wears a hamsa necklace to ward off evil, is afraid to join other children on playground equipment. She’s especially fearful of joining her peers at a martial arts class.  The reason?  She’s afraid that she will fall and break to pieces. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison

Memoir Tells of Russian Immigrant’s Social Climb in New York City

Memoirs are typically written by famous people or by those who survived extraordinary events.  Politicians, movie stars, artists, and diplomats are in the first category.  Soldiers and Holocaust Survivors are in the second.  But who is Anya Gillinson?  How many people outside of New York City have ever heard her name?  What impelled her to write her memoir? [Donald H. Harrison]

Memoir Tells of Russian Immigrant’s Social Climb in New York City Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Memorial Mixes with Celebration at Jerusalem-San Diego Zoos’ Fete

Like a Jewish wedding, at which celebration is mixed with sad remembrance of the destruction of the Temple (as symbolized by the breaking of a glass under the groom’s foot), so too was this year’s annual luncheon on Wednesday, August 7, celebrating cooperation between the Jerusalem Zoo and the San Diego Zoo tinged with sadness. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, The World We Share, USA

Vegan Tefillin, Mezuzot, and Someday a Vegan Torah

With a friend, software engineer Austin Weisgrau, whom he met in his high school B’nai B’rith chapter, Lantry decided to research whether tefillin – the phylacteries which observant Jews utilize in morning prayer – could be made from plants instead of animal hides. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, California, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Technology

Judaism in Colonial America Pictured in Story Book about Sukkot

In this story, Papa who has been traveling on business in Europe sends a letter to his wife and children, Aaron and Leah, that he has purchased in Corsica a beautiful etrog (citron), and that he hopes to be home in time for the High Holy Days.  However, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur go by and he still hasn’t arrived.  [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Women Artists, Survivors, and Victims who Fought the Nazis

Graphic artist Trina Robbins, who died earlier this year, was saluted by Comic-Con panel members who recalled Robbins’ salute to Lilly Renée, another woman pioneer in the comic book industry.  Both Jewish women had a hand in World War II comic book stories in which the evil Nazis were given their comeuppance.
[Donald H. Harrison]

Women Artists, Survivors, and Victims who Fought the Nazis Read More »

Antisemitism, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, San Diego County, Shor M. Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Netanyahu Lays Out Vision for Gaza, Broader Middle East

“Israel does not seek to resettle Gaza but for the foreseeable future, we must retain overriding security control there to prevent the resurgence of terror to insure Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel,” he said from the rostrum of the House of Representatives as its Speaker, Republican Mike Johnson, and the Democrat who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Ben Cardin, sat behind him. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Middle East, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

‘Four Women’ Trust a Self-Doubting Attorney to Resolve Their Legal Fates

Another fictional case, from which the novel’s title is derived, is about four Jewish women whose property on the Miami shoreline is coveted by a wealthy, mysterious German-speaking developer with deep political connections.  If the women, including Joshua’s aunt Helen, a Holocaust survivor, don’t accept the developer’s paltry financial offer, he threatens to have the city condemn the property in favor of high-rise development.  Joshua negotiates for the women. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Jose Galicot: Bringing Jewish Communities to Life

The businessman’s methods include bringing people together, encouraging them to work as a team and to elect leaders from within their membership, to develop their own programming and cadre of volunteers. While he contributes financially to these efforts, he is also a cheerleader and an advocate for education and youth programming, so the nascent Jewish communities can sustain themselves. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

OpEd: The Folly of Academic Boycotts Against Israel

That research is important in the quest for cures for Alzheimer’s Disease, Cancer, Schizophrenia, and Parkinson’s Disease. The research helps physiologists calculate the length of a person’s step; makes strides toward thought-activated speech; and utilizes mathematics for defining medical issues. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Opinion, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Technology, USA

Jewish Officials, Past and Present, Condemn Assassination Attempt on Donald Trump

From across the seas and across party lines, past and present Jewish public officials denounced the attempted assassination of former U.S. President Donald Trump during a campaign rally Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Israel, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Animals Protest Zoo Mismanagement in Novel for Youngsters

In this novel, the adult human characters are either good or bad, with few shades of gray.  The animals, of course, are all good, although sometimes they can’t restrain their natural urges.  The behavior of the children improves over the course of the novel, as they come to understand what is at stake. [Donald H. Harrison]

Animals Protest Zoo Mismanagement in Novel for Youngsters Read More »

Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Staff and Bylined Contributors, The World We Share