Obituaries & memorials

Richard Lerner, who led Scripps Research to greatness, dies at 83

Richard Lerner, the masterful biochemist who guided Scripps Research on its way to becoming an elite center for biomedical science and helped develop Humira, the highest-selling therapeutic drug in the world last year, died on Dec. 2. He was 83. The private, nonprofit institute told the San Diego Union-Tribune that Lerner died of cancer at his home in La Jolla. [San Diego Union-Tribne]

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Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

A Cantor Says A Final Goodbye to the Grandfather Who Inspired Him

I flew to London last Wednesday, to say goodbye to my 97-year-old Grandpa. Although I usually see my grandparents half a dozen times a year, the pandemic has made it so that I haven’t been able to see them for two and half years. I entered their new assisted living apartment and went straight to my grandfather’s bed. Without hesitation I began to sing our favorite Yiddish song “Oy vey fein”. Immediately he chimed in and sang with me for about fifteen seconds. [Cantor Hanan Liberman]

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International, Jewish History, Obituaries & memorials

A Mother’s Plea on the Sixth Anniversary of Her Daughter’s Death

I created the Jaclyn Beth Kaufman Tauber Memorial Fund through the Jewish Community Foundation to honor the memory of my beautiful daughter Jackie, she was my best friend. Jackie had the ability to connect with people on a very personal level, especially children. Jackie was creatively gifted. A master puppeteer, she was a member of the San Diego Guild of Puppetry, a non-profit organization created to educate through the magic of Puppet Theater [Dale Kaufman]

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Eric George Tauber, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County

Memorial Service for Former Federation CEO Michael Jeser to be Held August 26

SAN DIEGO (Press Release) — Heidi Gantwerk, Interim President & CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County, and Jack Maizel, Board Chair of the Federation, today issued the following announcement regarding an upcoming memorial service for former Federation CEO Michael Jeser, who died July 24: Friends, In observance of the conclusion of Sheloshim

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Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County

A Memorial Day Weekend Tale of Two Jewish American Military Heroes

As part of our JWB Jewish Chaplains Council® National Jewish Community Observance of Memorial Day, on Thursday, we were honored to visit the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Nathan Bruckenthal, while the ship was in port in New York City. The USCGC Nathan Bruckenthal is named for the first Jewish Coast Guardsman killed in combat since the Vietnam War. Petty Officer Bruckenthal, described to us by the ship’s captain as “a nice Jewish kid from Long Island,” served his country as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was killed during a successful attempt to thwart a seaborne IED (improvised explosive device) attack on a major installation in the Arabian Gulf.  He sacrificed himself to protect others [Rabbi Irving A. Elson and Doron Krakow]

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Jewish History, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, USA

Obituaries provide much to learn and ponder

I often read the obituaries of people I have never met, and often find myself regretting that life hadn’t afforded me the opportunity to sit down with them and benefit from hearing their stories and life experiences.  In today’s San Diego Union-Tribune there were 4 ½ pages of paid obituaries, and many of them had an endearing fact or two about the deceased family member.  Below I pull brief quotes from 22 of them so you can see what I mean. If you’re like me, I bet you also would have enjoyed meeting each one of these remarkable people. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Travel and Food