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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Private memoir describes an interesting Jewish life

He now lives with his wife Judy in Austin, Texas, but he spent a number of years in San Diego and Escondido, where I got to know him.  Because he is a native Hebrew speaker, he was often drafted by Ner Tamid Synagogue in Poway to be its Torah reader, and eventually the Conservative congregation’s president. [Donald H. Harrison]

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California, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Jewish History, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

History of Jews in Iraq cloaked in fantasy

Louise’s parents want to shield her from knowledge of the antisemitism that brought an end to more than two millennia-long Jewish settlement in Iraq, once known as Babylon.  [Donald H. Harrison]

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Antisemitism, Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Jewish History, Lifestyles, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

Jewish developments at UCSD, SDSU

San Diego Police said they are investigating vandalism and a weekend break-in at a home being utilized by members of Alpha Epsilon Pi of UCSD as a hate crime, which carries penalty enhancements in case perpetrators are found guilty. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, News Media, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Book explains holiday of Sukkot to tykes

Author Deming and illustrator Teplow take us through the process of decorating a sukkah, with especial attention to such kid-friendly activities as hanging fruit and vegetables from the support beams of the ceiling; making paper chains; indulging passions for many colors; and participating in the ancient ritual of shaking the etrog and lulav to the east, south, west, north, above and below. [Donald H. Harrison]

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

Tradition, tradition: Each generation gets to add an ingredient to the recipe for stuffed cabbage rolls

A family tradition invites a representative of each generation to add her own touch to the recipe. Greatgrandma (Nana) added raisins to the mixture; grandma (Bubbe) added diced onions; Stella’s mother (Mama)added crushed garlic; and after much consideration, Stella chose to add a drizzle of honey. [Donald H. Harrison]

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

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