Donald H. Harrison

[caption id="attachment_119310" align="alignright" width="100"] Donald H. Harrison[/caption]

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.

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Historic Jewish places dot North America

The states covered are Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Texas runs 72 pages; Wyoming a mere 4. California, divided into southern, central, and northern sections, runs over 40 pages with the City of San Diego allocated portions of 5 pages. (Donald H. Harrison)

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, California, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Novel paints picture of celebrities of the pre-World War II era

This novel spins a story of Einstein and Chaplin taking the luxury Santa Fe Super Chief from Chicago to Los Angeles, along with fellow historical personages J. Robert Oppenheimer, Charles Lindbergh, Mickey Cohen, Lena Horne, and Fritz Duquesne, a Nazi spy. {Donald H. Harrison}

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Antisemitism, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, California, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, International, Jewish Fiction, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA

Introducing Shahar Masori and his children’s books

I persuaded him to write a column for San Diego Jewish World to offer an Israeli-American perspective on the news.  As he did so, the writing bug must have bitten him.  He poured himself into writing some books for children, and now books for adults are in the works. [Donald H. Harrison]

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animals, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Jewish Religion, Sandi Masori, Shahar Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food, USA

5 die in aftermath of gunfire at Islamic Center of San Diego

Five people are dead, including suspected teenage shooters Cain Clark and Caleb Vazquez in the wake of an attack on Monday at the Islamic Center of San Diego. Two of the other three victims were not immediately identified, but one was security guard Amin Abdullah whom law enforcement officials said may have prevented a much larger death toll. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Girl’s family and pets make a discovery on a local beach

One day, when Yoshi, mom, Laggie, and Grillo were beach combing for brightly colored sea glass, they found a shiny green object that stood out from all the other pieces.  When they brought it home, dad said it looked like a gem, more valuable than the others. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Former SDSU art history professor writes candidly about her previous life in apartheid South Africa

Berelowitz, who went on to become an art historian and a professor at San Diego State University, combines her personal experiences with meticulous research to paint a portrait of South Africa under the heel of the racist Nationalist party. She never felt she belonged in the country of her birth. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, California, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Childhood of Judy Blume reimagined in poetry

Otherwise Known as Judy the Great: A Poetic Ode to Judy Blume by Selina Alko; New York: Christy Ottaviano Books, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company; © 2026; ISBN 9780316-570633; 42 pages; $18.99. By Donald H. Harrison in San Diego Children’s author Judy Blume (née Sussman) was born in 1938 and through her 7th

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

A suburban tale during the 49 days of counting the Omer

This is not a religious tract, although kabalistic suggestions for counting the omer are thrown in.  I must confess I didn’t find the nexus between what is essentially a story of suburban life and those suggestions for meditations on each day of the 49 between the second day of Passover and the arrival of Shavuot.  [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Fiction, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Children’s lives enriched by screen time alternatives

Linda Moskovics is a retired former head librarian at the Benjamin branch of the San Diego City Library system. She has now written a children’s book, for ages 4-14, inveighing against “too much screen time [that] can quietly steal joy, focus, sleep, and connection.  It can increase anxiety, harm social skills, impact brain development and crowd out important life experiences.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Technology, USA

Novella figuratively screams for systemic reforms in authorities’ care for abused juveniles

Our protagonist was a math nerd because unlike people, numbers don’t lie about who they are. A 3 is a 3, a 5 is a 5. And a 2? That’s where doubles come in. Lonely at the children’s farm, she felt like 1/2 a person — half at Valleyview, the other half back in her rightful home, living with her father, older sister Vicki, younger brother Hank, and grandma. That was 4 other people. It had been 5 before her mother died from breast cancer. [Donald H. Harrison]

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

Jewish reactions to attack on Michigan synagogue

An armed assailant rammed his truck on Thursday into Temple Israel, a large Reform congregation in the Detroit suburb of West Bloomfield.  He was subsequently killed in a firefight, according to officials. Here are some comments by recognizable Jewish individuals and organizations. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Antisemitism, Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, International, Israel, Jewish History, Middle East, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

‘The Optimist’: Troubled teenager brings out Holocaust survivor’s hidden story

An independent film, The Optimist, opens on Wednesday, March 11, in over 700 theaters nationwide.  It tells the story of Theresienstadt-and- Auschwitz survivor Herbert Heller (Stephen Lang) recounting his Holocaust experiences after 60 years of keeping silent. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Holocaust, International, Jewish History, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA