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.

$3,500 Reward Offered for Information about Suspect in Attack on Rabbi Aharon Shapiro

San Diego Crime Stoppers on Wednesday, Aug. 23, offered a reward of up to $1,000 for help in identifying and locating the suspect who threatened and assaulted Orthodox Rabbi Aharon Shapiro on July 24 inside a 7-Eleven store at 5142 College Avenue. Added to a previous offer of $2,500 from the StandWithUs organization, that brings to $3,500 the amount offered for the suspect’s identification and arrest. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Israel, San Diego County, USA

Jewish Men’s Choir Brings Joy in Several Languages

What once was a choir featuring the voices of male expatriates from South Africa has become a choir of many international voices performing not only Jewish liturgical music but also secular songs in Yiddish, Ladino, Hebrew, and English.  Choir members hail from countries around the world, among them the U.S., South Africa, France, Guatemala, Mexico, and Israel. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA

Rabbi-Cantor Cheri Weiss Combines Love of Judaism and Music

“Sometimes, I will do a creative service,” she continued. “I will have a theme and I will have some of the basic prayers, but I also ask people to bring poems or stories or something unique that speaks to the theme that I provided. Those were really received well because people could feel that they were participating. I am much more interested in participation than I am in performance.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Ben Dishman, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, USA

Gala to Honor and Learn from Israeli Survivors of Terror

The rocket explosion killed Ella and wounded Tamir, who still has some shrapnel in his head. Today, Tamir is a married adult. He has been asked to talk about “how he survived and how is his life now,” commented Carine Chitayat, the Swiss-born executive director of the Foundation. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Jewish History, San Diego County, USA

Speaker Tells of Life Among the Abayudaya Jews of Uganda

McKinney and Rabbi Marko renewed their friendship over the August 11-13 weekend, when McKinney served as Tifereth Israel Synagogue’s scholar-in-residence. She outlined what Jewish life is like in the Abayudaya villages, covering Jewish holiday and life cycle observances, and told of the efforts the foundation she heads is making to help impoverished families and children with disabilities. (Donald H. Harrison)

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California, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Shoshana McKinney, Travel and Food, USA

‘Yidishe Gauchos’ To Ride Again Sept. 9

If you haven’t seen something before, it is new to you, no matter how old it is. That’s the thinking behind Yiddishland scheduling a Sept. 9 showing and discussion by Mark Freeman of his 1989 half-hour-long documentary, The Yidishe Gauchos, at a private residence on Mt. Soledad. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food

Ann Jaffe Who Helped Raise Money for SDJA’s Construction Insists on Good Nutrition

In 2008, Jaffe joined the school’s Healthy Habits committee which had been organized by Ashley Stone. The committee called for the elimination from the campus of stands at which children could purchase ice cream, pretzels, and other junk food. “Within a year, we got that phased out,” Jaffe recalled. “Why have processed foods when we are teaching the kids to be the best version of themselves, knowing what goes into their bodies? We got salad bars for the kids to be included in their lunch so they could fill up on as many vegetables as they’d want.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Ben Dishman, Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and Food

San Diego Jewish Community Responds to Maui Fire Tragedy

For Jewish San Diegans, there was little to do immediately about the massive fires that swept through Lahaina and other parts of the island of Maui, except to contribute money to reputable relief organizations and to reach out to friends and relatives who either were living on the island or visiting the historic former capital of the Hawaiian royal family. [Donald H. Harrison]

San Diego Jewish Community Responds to Maui Fire Tragedy Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, San Diego County, USA

Former U.S. Attorney Grossman Reflects on His Career

Former U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman, who left office on August 4, recalls a High Holy Day service he attended that was held outside during the COVID pandemic. “I looked up to the roof and I could see armed guards,” he said during an interview on Thursday, Aug. 10. “It was just stunning to me how that could be happening at a time when you really want to be engaged in prayer and anything other than security.” [Donald H. Harrison]

Former U.S. Attorney Grossman Reflects on His Career Read More »

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

A Talk about Jewish San Diego at Yiddishland

If you are a regular reader of San Diego Jewish World, you may have noticed our slogan that appears on its masthead.  “There is a Jewish story everywhere,” it says.  I don’t mean that as hyperbole; rather it is a reflection of the fact that Jewish influence on the world has been so pervasive that if you look long enough, you’ll find a Jewish story anywhere that you go. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, San Diego County

Joey Landwehr Takes the Reins at the Center for Jewish Culture

For the last 17 years Joey Landwehr has served as the artistic director of the JCompany youth theatre.  Now, he’s been elevated to the position of artistic director of the San Diego Centre for Jewish Culture, of which JCompany is a part.  [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, The Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Despite Boycott, UCSD Prof. Plans Exchange Program with Tel Aviv University

UCSD Anthropology Professor Geoffrey Braswell says the decision last month by the American Anthropology Association (AAA) to boycott Israeli universities for their alleged support of “Israeli apartheid” will cause some American professors and students who engage in research with Israelis to feel stigmatized and ultimately may diminish, rather than elevate, the academic field of anthropology. [Donald H. Harrison]

Despite Boycott, UCSD Prof. Plans Exchange Program with Tel Aviv University Read More »

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

Middle School Remembers Jewish Astronaut Judith Resnik and Challenger Crew Mates

The seven astronauts reflected American diversity. They included Air Force Lt. Col. Dick Scobee, the spacecraft’s commander; Navy Cmdr. Michael J. Smith; electrical engineer Gregory Jarvis; physicist Ronald McNair, the second African-American in space; and these three “firsts”: Air Force Lt. Col. Ellison Onizuga, the first Japanese-American in space; Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher in space; and Judy Resnik, the first Jewish woman in space. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Celebrities, Jewish History, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA