By Donald H. Harrison

SAN DIEGO, Calif.— Like everyone else anticipating a first day at a new school, I had my worries yesterday. 

Writing daily for this website about Jewish subjects, I wondered how much material I would encounter at San Diego State University, where I am a brand new enrollee in the graduate program in the History Department.

I parked my car—with its "S" sticker properly displayed on the driver's side of the dash board—in Lot W on the west side of the campus, and then I made aliyah up a ziggurat staircase to the main campus. I shlepped up more than 60 steps, more than one for each of my years, and at the top of a walkway I smiled at what obviously was a good omen.

There in front of me was Nasatir Hall, which I knew had been named for the late History Prof Abraham Nasatir, who not only had been a revered faculty member but also had been a leader and one of the most admired men in the San Diego Jewish community through much of the 20th century.

From Nasatir Hall, I walked over to the new Arts & Letters building, which now houses the History Department on its 5th floor.  Taking the elevator up, I saw a man wearing a kippah. By his accent, I knew that he was an Israeli, and I guessed that he was the new Visiting Israeli Professor  who would be lecturing this year under the auspices of SDSU's Jewish Studies Program. He smilingly confirmed that he indeed is Prof. Eliezer Tauber, and when we got off the elevator we wished each other a shalom.

After checking out the History Department, and with plenty of time before a 5 p.m. Seminar in Historical Methods, taught by Prof. Paula De Vos, I headed over to visit the Graduate Division offices, which are located adjacent to the offices of SDSU President Stephen  L. Weber  in Manchester Hall. 

Emerging from that building, I noticed that it had a primo view of the Lipinsky Tower, named by the university during the lifetime of the late Jewish philanthropist Bernard Lipinsky.

To the right of the exit is the walkway leading to Aztec Center, where invitations for various events were being handed to student prospects by other students. No one handed anything to me, probably assuming that anyone who looks like me, a zayde, can't possibly be a student,  But, hey, SDSU, Zayde the Student is here.

At Aztec Center, I found yesterday's edition of the Daily Aztec and soon my impression was deepened that there will be plenty of Jewish story material at San Diego State.

On Page 3, Assistant City Editor Stephanie Nehmens wrote that at the recent student and family convocation, an honorary doctorate was awarded to Dr. Irwin Mark Jacobs, cofounder and chairman of Qualcomm.  He's a very active Jewish community philanthropist who once taught engineering at UCSD. Today UCSD's School of Engineering is named after him.  Thinking of the Lipinsky Clock Tower, I couldn't help but wonder whether something might be ticking towards naming something after Jacobs at SDSU.

On Page 9 of the same issue, columnist Ben Shore wrote that he missed the good old administration of President Bill Clinton, who recently turned 60.  During that administration, suggested Shore, "the country's gravest concern was whether the President had fooled around with Monica Lewinsky."—a reference to yet another Jewish story!  Accompanying his story was the famous photograph of Clinton, arms spread wide, impresario style, as Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and the Palestinian Chairman Yasser Arafat engaged in their famous first hand shake. It's hard to believe those two longtime adversaries are both dead.

On Page 11, there was a column by a writer with a Jewish-sounding last name, Conor Shapiro, inveighing against racial/ religious profiling of Middle Easterners by security workers at airports. Rather than humiliating one group of people, argued Shapiro, airport officials should require all of us to undergo the same scrutiny before we fly.  I found myself in agreement.

On Page 18, there was an advertisement for D.Z. Akins, explaining to San Diego newcomers that it is a deli "known for our pastrami, corned beef and bagels." They must have meant as choices, because I've never heard of anyone ordering the three in combination.

Even the crossword puzzle on Page 28 had a Jewish angle.  24-Across asked for the name of Isaac's father.  A-b-r-a-h-a-m fit perfectly.

I had noticed that just before the Interstate 8 turnoff at College Avenue there is a sign identifying that portion of freeway as the Kumeyaay Highway, after the Native American people who populated this portion of California long before Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo sailed into our Bay in 1542 and claimed this area for Spain. 

In yesterday's Daily Aztec, City Editor Giselle Domdom and Melissa DeLeon, a contributor, reported that the new building that is home to Student Health Services, Counseling and Psychological Services, and Student Disability Services has been named the Calpulli Center.  The newspaper explained that "Calpulli" is an Aztec name "for a neighborhood organized to perform a common goal."

This too made me smile, as it was further confirmation that San Diego State University obviously has a healthy respect for the cultures of all us Ancient peoples!