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.

Former IDF soldiers aided Gaslamp Quarter wounded

The bystander credited with saving a wounded man’s life following Thursday night’s Gaslamp Quarter attacks said modestly on Saturday that he deserves only half the credit.  “My friend also helped,” said Shai Gino, 28, a former captain in the Israel Defense Force now married to an American and studying for U.S. citizenship.  His friend, who served in a “special unit” of the IDF, is Dvir Benesh, 26. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, San Diego County, USA

On Asian fetishization and the humanity of migrants

At the end of last month, we ran an article by Korean-American Kelsey Kloza about what she described as “Asian fetishization” by which American males tend to construe any Asian woman as an “exotic and erotic two-dimensional object designed only for tempting male characters into forbidden pleasures.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, International, San Diego County, USA

The Brothers Belland Team on Short Stories

Almost Havana: A Collection of Short Stories by F.W Belland and Chris Belland; Whiz Bang LLC, 2014; ISBN 9780692-378885; 192 pages; $14.95; Available on Amazon Amazon.com : almost havana By Donald H. Harrison SAN DIEGO – Brothers Fred and Chris Belland each contributed ten stories to this well-written collection. While reading older brother Fred’s stories,

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison

‘Planet Corona’ Is Everyone’s Current Residence

An American living in retirement in Jerusalem, Chaya Passow has been described by her friends as a “pollyanna,” one who tries to see the best in everything and everybody.  So when the coronavirus pandemic confined many people to their homes – except to go out for necessities or approved errands – she unsurprisingly decided to “glean from this unprecedented experience any lessons for better understanding the human condition, for self-improvement, for a closer connection to Hashem and others.” [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, Middle East

‘Jews in Space’ Lecture Filled with Anecdotes

Boris Volynov was first among approximately 19 Jews who have flown in space, serving as a Russian cosmonaut in 1969.  Thereafter, Judy Resnik, Ilan Ramon and Gregory Chamitoff joined him in an exclusive club, being the first Jews from their nations to go into space.  Resnik was from the United States, Ramon from Israel, and Chamitoff from Canada. These were among the factoids presented by Roger Weiss, a contractor on the International Space Station (ISS) program, in a Zoom program sponsored on Sunday, March 11, by the San Diego Outreach Synagogue. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Travel and Food, USA

Another Shoe May Drop in Chabad of Poway Case

The Passover 2019 attack on Chabad of Poway in which congregant Lori Gilbert-Kaye was murdered and three other persons were wounded has prompted a pair of criminal cases and a civil case in its wake, while a fourth criminal case involving tax fraud proceeds in federal court. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, USA

The Sage Hillel Guides Our Choice of Stories

With antisemitism on the rise, it is tempting to stay laser focused on stories that impact our community, but we must resist the temptation.  Those who complain how few people helped Jews during the Holocaust (although the Righteous Among the Nations surely did), need to follow the same moral high road that we wish others would have followed during our time of peril.  [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, USA

Adventure story is gentle introduction to the Holocaust

This graphic novel is a relatively gentle introduction for children to the Holocaust, wherein two Polish Jewish children escape from their ghetto to the woods, where they are found by a Gentile farmer who has been working with the resistance.  In fact, the farmer has been hiding from a German search party three Partisans who blew up a train that was headed with weapons and supplies to the Russian front.  Among the brave Partisans is none other than the children’s aunt, who had left home before the Jews of their town had been moved and restricted to  a ghetto. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History

Addressing hate and division in our society

Elsewhere in today’s report on San Diego Jewish World is a story from the Anti-Defamation League reporting that nearly two-thirds of American Jews, based on a survey, have experienced or heard some form of antisemitism in the last five years.  On our television screens, meanwhile, is the ongoing trial of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin for the death of George Floyd – a case study in White violence against Black people.   And, in the San Diego Union-Tribune this morning was a story from New York City about an unprovoked attack on an Asian-American woman which other people witnessed without intervening. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Proud of the U.S. and local response to migrant children

I’m so proud of President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Cabinet Secretaries Alejandro Mayorkas and Xavier Becerra, San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher, our city’s Mayor Todd Gloria, the folks at Jewish Family Service, and San Diego Jewish World’s own contributor Mimi Pollack. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Mimi Pollack, San Diego County, USA