Lifestyles

Assembly candidate advocated as a midwife

State Assembly candidate Sarah Davis, 39, is no stranger to the Legislature.  With baby Lucia in tow, she often made the rounds of legislative offices and committee rooms in the state Capitol arguing successfully for greater state recognition of midwives, so that they could be considered full-fledged health care professionals rather than semi-professionals requiring supervision by physicians.  The issue was important not only for the midwives but for the new mothers who preferred to be attended by them at home or in home-like clinics, rather than in hospitals.  Until the law was changed, without a physician present, Medi-Cal would not pay the cost for their treatment. [Our shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education

How not to make C-Virus worse than it is

What’s Covid-19 Got to Do With Feeling Anxious? Nothing. What? Nothing? Are you serious? “Ever since this COVID19 earthquake hit, I’ve been a nervous wreck,” said a client in a first session, by phone of course. So, I’ll ask again, as I asked this new client, riddled with anxiety, “What’s the COVID19 got to do with what you’re feeling?” And, so began his transformative journey to calm, peace and tranquility in the face of a coronacopia of life upending matters related to COVID19. [Michael Mantell, Ph.D]

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Lifestyles, Michael Mantell

Council candidate tells of being Cheney’s gatekeeper

Attorney Joe Leventhal, who is seeking election in the 5th San Diego City Council District, once served as a “gatekeeper” for U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, deciding what memos should go to him, which should first be vetted by others, and reading his proposed speeches for accuracy.  It was a pretty heady job for a young lawyer, just 26 years old.  Previously having served on the staff of U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson (R-Illinois), he had observed then that “Washington at the highest levels of government is actually run by all of these folks under 40, even under 30 — the Administration, Capitol Hill, even at the Supreme Court. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County, USA

Stocking up for emergencies an Israeli constant

I’m ready. I had no need to stock up on toilet paper, pasta, tins of food or any other staple, as I am always certain to have good supplies of those items. Anyone, like myself, who has lived in Israel, and especially Jerusalem, for over fifty years, has learned to always be well supplied with good stocks of foodstuffs. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, Lifestyles, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education

Coronavirus ~ It’s our time to shine

I humbly submit that it is our time to shine. Yes! Of course we should take the precautions mentioned by the governmental agencies. Certainly we should be washing our hands with soap as much as possible and using hand sanitizer when we cannot wash. Indeed it would be wise to postpone our planned cruises and other international (or perhaps even domestic) travel. And yes, if your children’s school says to keep the kids at home that is what we should do. But none of that means we are meant to helplessly cower under our beds fearing our own shadows! If the government says we need to place distance between each other they mean PHYSICAL distance. Since we are challenged with maintaining physical distance it is time to close the spiritual distance! [Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort]

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Lifestyles, Science, Medicine, & Education, Yeruchem Eilfort-Rabbi

Many S.D. Jewish institutions announcing coronavirus precautions

More and more Jewish organizations in San Diego County are announcing precautions and responses to the coronavirus pandemic, including Jewish Community Foundation, Jewish Family Service, Jewish Federation of San Diego County, Jewish National Fund, Lawrence Family JCC, Ohr Shalom Synagogue, Seacrest Village Retirement Community, Tifereth Israel Synagogue, and Western Jewish Studies Association. Following in alphabetical order, is a report about each. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA, Videos

Healthy Thinking During the COVID-19 Outbreak

People are infected by disease, not disturbed by disease. People disturb themselves by their rigid and extreme views of disease. If you are experiencing increased anxiety during this time of elevated risk of #COVID-19, aka coronavirus, here are some healthier ways of disturbing yourself less, living happier, more fulfilled, and not sweating the virus stuff. [Michael Mantell, Ph.D]

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Lifestyles, Michael Mantell, Science, Medicine, & Education

Seacrest Village takes coronavirus precautions

As a resident at Seacrest Village I am impressed how well management is educating and protecting the health of residents and staff from the Coronavirus. At a recent Town Hall meeting for residents, Carl Miser, Operations Officer, explained the rules and guidelines for residents to protect themselves from the virus. A follow up letter from Pam Ferris, CEO of Seacrest Village, was then placed in every resident’s apartment. Seacrest Village also has an in-house television station that streams continuing information to every resident. Special emphasis was placed on washing one’s hands for twenty seconds often, and avoiding shaking hands with others. [Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel]

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Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel, z"l, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education

All you can do is cultivate your garden

Reading the headlines of The New York Times wreaked havoc with my immune system, my hippocampus, my cardiovascular system, or possibly all of the above. Did I need to know that Venezuela’s hospitals are lacking medicines or that there is no food on the shelves of grocery stores? That there is a terrible drought in Australia while fires are ravishing the country and cattle are dying from lack of water? That bad floods are inundating city streets in India? [By Natasha Josefowitz, Ph.D]

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Lifestyles, Natasha Josefowitz, San Diego County

Coronavirus curtailing normal life in Israel

The Coronavirus, also known as COVID 19, is spreading steadily throughout the world. At first it seemed to be confined to one region of China, then to other places in the Far East, but now it’s getting closer every day, appearing first in Italy and then in the rest of Europe, the Middle East and now even Israel. The unfortunate Israelis who happened to be on the Diamond Princess cruise ship, commonly known in Israel as the coronaship, were first confined to their cabins for a fortnight, then isolated in Japan, and when finally allowed to return to Israel (not all of them though, as a few were found to be carriers before being able to board the plane bringing them to Israel, so had to remain behind), only to be subjected to another two weeks of isolation in a hospital in Israel. One sad result of this was that one couple had to be separated, the wife returning to Israel and the husband remaining in isolation in Japan. Those two happen to live quite near to me in Mevasseret, though I do not know them personally, I’ve read about them in the local paper, and my sympathies certainly go out to them. [Dorothea Shefer-Vanson]

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Dorothea Shefer-Vanson, International, Lifestyles, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Sidewalk Talk Project helps end people’s isolation

Five years ago in San Francisco, an experienced psychotherapist, Traci Rubles, was inspired to help people increase their connections to one another.  Noting the importance of personal connections to good mental health, she decided to go out on the sidewalk and invite people to sit and talk while she provided heartfelt listening.  Since that time, Sidewalk Talk has flourished and is now in 92 cities around the world. [Bobbi Cohen]

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Lifestyles, San Diego County

Tired brains make default decisions

We are bombarded with constant decision-making, and our brains get tired. This explains why ordinarily sensible people buy junk food, splurge on unnecessary items, or procrastinate. Our brains begin to look for short cuts either by acting impulsively, not thinking through consequences, or by saving energy by doing nothing—avoiding making any decision—which could also lead to unintended consequences. Becoming aware that our brains are beginning to function by default, we can postpone whatever decision we were about to make. If your need is to decide now, give your brain some glucose and you’re good for another hour or so. [Natasha Josefowitz, Ph.D]

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Lifestyles, Natasha Josefowitz, Travel and Food

‘Legacy of Light and Love’ to provide care for needy elderly

Seacrest Foundation is hosting the 2020 Women’s Auxiliary Gala, “Legacy of Light and Love,” to benefit the increasing numbers of community members in the greatest need.  The event will take place on Saturday, February 22nd, from 6-11 pm, and all proceeds raised will support Seacrest Village Retirement Community’s Resident Assistance Fund. I was informed that this year alone, Seacrest will provide nearly $2.5 million in charitable care. [Eva Trieger]

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Eva Trieger, Lifestyles, San Diego County

Orlanskys spend their 71st Valentine’s Day together

Danny and Arlene (Addleson) Orlansky, who celebrated their 71st Valentine’s Day as a married couple on Friday, say the man who was their Cupid was the late Rabbi Morton Cohn of Congregation Beth Israel. Two years after the end of World War II, on a Sunday when Arlene was being installed as president of the Temple Youth League, Rabbi Cohn suggested that because the teens of the only three synagogues in the county (Beth Israel, Tifereth Israel, and Beth Jacob) didn’t know each other, they should have the occasion double as a dance in his Reform congregation’s social hall. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County, USA