San Diego Jewish World

Thursday, May 17, 2007    

Vol. 1, Number 17
 

Yes, UJF annual fundraising will set record; but will it also meet local San Diego goals?

By Donald H. Harrison

SAN DIEGO—Fundraisers at the United Jewish Federation have reason to cheer, but as UJF's June 19 annual meeting approaches, they also have reason to worry. 

With a little bit more than a month to go before that meeting, UJF is assured of having raised more money in the 2006-2007 Fiscal Year than in any year before.  However, the record was achieved because there were two extraordinary campaigns in which local Jews were asked to donate over and above their regular UJF contributions. Perhaps as a result, contributions to the regular campaign, which raises money for continuing local and overseas Jewish needs, so far has not done as well as hoped.

And, she said, she hopes other people will step forward as well.

UJF's regular campaign dollars are allocated by its board to support both Israel and overseas Jewish communities, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, such local Jewish agencies as Jewish Family Service, Seacrest Village, the Agency for Jewish Education, Hillel, and the Jewish Community Center.   

"What I sense is that people may think because they contributed to the Israel Emergency Fund, that is their contribution," Norten said.  "However our needs continue to exist."  Besides the subsidies of the agencies, she pointed out, "we still have applications for scholarships for Jewish camping, applications for scholarships to Jewish day schools." Furthermore, she said, "the situation in Israel is not good.  Social services in Israel are losing dollars; it is up to us Jews of the world to help out."

The women of United Jewish Federation thus far have raised about $2.6 million of the total, and another division, The Ben Gurion Division for people in the 25-45 cohort, who contribute at least $1,000 annually, also has been doing well, she said.

Norten expressed hope that people who normally donate less than $1,000 to the UJF will have their ranks swollen with newcomers to Jewish philanthropy.  She said last year Federation tried to expand this base with mailings at Rosh Hashanah, Chanukah and Passover, and a telephonic appeal on Super Sunday.  "What else can we do to reach them?" she asked.

With former President Bill Clinton the major draw, a single night's dinner raised $650,000 toward the annual campaign.  As sponsors paid the costs of the evening, all this money went directly into the UJF campaign without deductions, Norten said. 

The Clinton dinner combined the women's division event known as Options with the annual Men's Events and attracted several thousand participants.  However, some people said they preferred to have separate events for the two genders, and that format will be returned to in the next fiscal year, Norten said.

How will this year's totals finally turn out?  The result will be announced at the Annual Meeting, which will be held from 5pm-6:30 pm Tuesday, June 19, at the Lawrence Family JCC, Jacobs Family Campus.

Israel Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni warns
Gaza rocketing of Sderot "intolerable'

JERUSALEM, May 16 (Publicity Release) —Following is the text of a statement issued by Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in response to ongoing Qassam missile attacks on Sderot from Gaza:

Israeli civilians are now under ongoing attacks by terrorist organizations which are part of the Palestinian government headed by Hamas, which is itself a terrorist organization. Israel views the Palestinian government as responsible for the situation.

The situation in the last two days is unbearable. It is important to understand that the Israeli government has shown restraint in the last two months, but the last two days, in which Israeli civilians are being attacked on a daily basis with missiles from the Gaza strip - a place that Israel left in order to give the Palestinians the possibility to create a normal life and not to attack Israel - this is a situation that should be changed.

The Israeli government will take all the necessary steps in order to give security to Israeli citizens, and we expect the international community to demand of the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinians to stop this violence against innocent civilians in Israel.

The army has received instructions to act in accordance with some of the proposals that were submitted to us. The fact that terrorist organizations that actually make up part of the government in the Palestinian Authority, headed by Hamas, are involved in this shooting is a situation that, from from Israel’s standpoint, is intolerable.

We view the Palestinian government itself as responsible. We will act in order to provide the residents of Sderot with better security. That is our responsibility as a government and, as you have seen, we are appealing to the international community in order to highlight the situation in Sderot.

We also want to clarify that, from out standpoint, this is a situation that cannot continue. We are making it clear to the international community that, until now, Israel has shown restraint, but for no reason and because of some internal disagreements in the Palestinian Authority, someone has decided to strike the residents of Sderot in such a massive and severe manner. This is something we cannot accept.

I think that every citizen of Israel, and certainly we, as cabinet ministers, feel the pain of the people of Sderot. We identify with their feelings, but we also have a responsibility - and our responsibility is not just to identify with the situation, but also to try to decrease the quantity and to convey the message to the Palestinian Authority, both militarily and otherwise, that this situation, from our standpoint, is intolerable.

We have shown restraint for a lengthy period of time, when the situation was different from what we have seen in the past few days. We must understand that no one has a magic solution. We will have to act, and the time period will be determined by the circumstances.

The foregoing was provided by Israel's Foreign Ministry.
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  Jerusalem Diaries
         Judy Lash Balint
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Crowding the Kotel on Yom Yerushalayim


Editor's Note: Columnist Judy Lash Balint previewed Jerusalem Day in a column that ran May 15.  Here is her subsequent report on how the day went:

JERUSALEM—After a day of rain, thunder and lightning that was more reminiscent of mid-winter than mid-May, the skies clear and tens of thousands of people flock to the Kotel in the late afternoon of Jerusalem Day.

All roads in and around the Old City are closed as buses from every part of the country disgorge Israelis of all ages dressed in blue and white. Many who march in the Flag Parade are soaked to the skin by the time they arrive at Jaffa Gate.

Walking down the wet, slippery stones of the Old City shuk where almost all the Arab-owned shops are shuttered tight, many youth groups sing at the top of their lungs. One favorite that resounds off the ancient stone alleyways is: "Heshiveynu Hashem aylecha, venashuva, Chadeysh Yameynu Kekedem"—Turn us to you, Hashem, and we'll return: Renew our days as of old.

Soldiers and border police are stationed every few feet along the way down to the Kotel plaza. Two soldiers are standing in ankle-deep water on a balcony overlooking the northern side of the plaza where I plant myself every year to get the best view of the crowd.

Despite the weather, the plaza is completely full by the time dusk begins to fall. Whirling circles of dancers jubilantly waving flags jostle for space on the men's side, while throngs of teenage girls kick up a storm a few yards away.

Jerusalem songs blast out over the sound system as more and more people pour into the plaza from every direction. I'm standing just above the tunnel into the Moslem quarter, which is spotlighted, so I have a great view of the crowds arriving from the direction of Damascus Gate.

Everyone is trying to tell their friends where they are, so the cell phone networks go down periodically.

As well-known singer Chaim Dovid starts to play, the dancing circles intensify and the feeling in the air of gratitude and jubilation that we are here to witness the 40th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem is palpable,

Sephardi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar steps up to speak and start the evening prayers with a request that everyone join together to recite the Shema and the traditional prayer for God's help—Ana Hashem Hoshiana.

With Jews under Qasam attack just an hour and a half away in Sderot, we need all the help we can get. Looking at the mostly young crowd of Israelis celebrating at the Kotel who are so deeply committed to their country at least gives a glimmer of optimism that we'll soon be able to overcome our inept leadership and embark on the right path.



 

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Jews in the News          
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 Like you, we're pleased when members of our community are praiseworthy, and are disappointed when they are blameworthy. Whether it's good news or bad news, we'll try to keep track of what's being said in general media about our fellow Jews. Our news spotters are Dan Brin in Los Angeles, Donald H. Harrison in San Diego, and you. Wherever you are,  if you see a story of interest, please send a summary and link to us at sdheritage@cox.net.  To see a source story click on the link within the respective paragraph.
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*The trial balloon for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's possible run as a self-financed independent for the presidency received more loft when U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) told a reporter he would be "open" to supporting the mayor. Christopher Arnott has the story in today's Hartford Courant. An Associated Press story involving Lieberman in the Hartford Courant reports speculation that demands that Patsy Papandrea resign her membership in the Democratic State Central Committee for forwarding a racist and anti-Semitic e-mail—a communication that she thought was a joke and for which she later apologized—may be less motivated by the e-mail's content and more by Democratic furor over her support of Lieberman in last year's election against official Democratic nominee Ned Lamont.

*It's not that judges don't like having the office of the district attorney sharing the South Bay courthouse in Chula Vista; it's just that they need the room for more courts.  Now, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis has announced she'll have the offices moved to a building across the street.  Ray Huard has the story in today's San Diego Union-Tribune.

*Alan Greenspan, former chairman of the Federal Reserve, has been signed as a consultant by Pacific Investment Management Co.  Walter Hamilton of the Los Angeles Times has the story.

*In retaliation for the continuing Qasam missile attacks on Sderot,  Israel Air Force fighters fired two rockets at Hamas targets in Gaza yesterday, killing four Hamas members, but Palestinians were killing each other at an even more furious rate: 18 killed in fighting between the Fatah and Hamas factions.  Joel Greenberg of the Chicago Tribune has the story in today's San Diego Union-Tribune.

*Peter Kahane, pianist and conductor of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, is returning to his position after a two-month hiatus that was due to hypertension.  The story is briefly reported in today's Los Angeles Times.

*Robert Klein, chairman of the state stem cell research committee, said the State Supreme Court's decision to refuse a challenge to the constitutionality of stem cell research, guarantees its future in California. Mary Engel has the story in today's Los Angeles Times.

*U.S. Sens. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) were among the 20 non-Republicans who voted against a proposal by Democratic Senators Russell Feingold of Wisconsin, Harry Reid of Nevada and Christopher Dodd of Connecticut to set next March as the cutoff for funding the Iraq War.  David Lightman had the story in yesterday's Hartford Courant. 

*Dr. Mario Z. Rosenberg, a gastroenterologist, was among three doctors arrested yesterday on accusations of bilking insurance companies for unnecessary surgeries. The Associated Press story is in today's San Diego Union-Tribune.

*U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), reacting to a list of 26 U.S. Attorneys that had been considered for firing by the Justice Department, says it shows how "amok" the processes were under Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. The Washington Post story by Dan Eggen and Amy Goldstein is in today's San Diego Union-Tribune.   

*Adriano de Souza, chauffeur to murder defendant Phil Spector, said in a second day of testimony that he was afraid for his life after the record producer told him he thought he may have shot someone.  Matt Krasnowski of the Copley News Service has the story in today's San Diego Union-Tribune.

* Paul Wolfowitz announced he will resign as president of the World Bank on June 30, ending the controversy over whether he inappropriately arranged salary increases for his girlfriend, Shaha Riza.  {A letter to the editor on this subject is below.}

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The Jewish Grapevine                                                    
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COMMUNITY WATCH—Elaine Chortek has agreed to chair an endowment campaign for the United Jewish Federation of San Diego County; previously she successfully volunteered her efforts for a similar campaign in behalf of UJF's women's division. Chortek has a passion for Jewish education: she has been active in both the Agency for Jewish Education and Hillel.

CONGREGATIONAL CURRENTS—Rabbi Baruch Lederman of Congregation Kehillas Torah loves jokes and he loves math.  He passes along these riddles:  Q: What did the zero say to the eight?  A: Nice belt.  And, Q: What did the two say to the three about the unruly six?  A: Don't mind him. He's just a product of our times. .. Amy Corton has become the new president of Congregation Beth Israel.  A development officer for Planned Parenthood, Corton came up through the ranks of temple involvement, starting with activities as a paren of children in the day school.

CYBER-REFERRALS—Jay Jacobson of St. Louis Park, Minn., referred us to this video clip put up by HonestReporting.com of a Gaza-launched Qassam missile strike in Sderot, Israel, in a story questioning why mainstream media seems to ignore the situation.... Bruce Kesler refers us to an article on the Jerusalem Post's website quoting Malcolm Hoenlein, chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, as saying the American elite are being poisoned against Israel... Yesterday, we linked to an old Sid Caesar video pantomiming a family argument to the melody of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and asked who the actress playing against him was. Our theatre critic Carol Davis says she's pretty certain it's Nanette Fabre.

POLITICAL SCENE—San Diego Community College President Marty Block has enlisted some well known members of the Jewish community to serve among a group of co-chairs at a June 18 fundraiser for his campaign for the Democratic party nomination in the 78th Assembly District: Laurie Black, Murray Galinson, Fred Schenk and former Congresswoman Lynn Schenk.  Block also has received the endorsement of the California Federation of Teachers for the seat will become vacant because incumbent Shirley Horton, a Republican, is serving her third and final term. ... There really can be reconciliations in politics.  Back in 1982, when then Gov. Jerry Brown was running for the U.S. Senate unsuccessfully against then San Diego Mayor Pete Wilson, Bill Kolender was a staunch supporter of Wilson's, a fellow Republican and San Diegan.  That's all ancient history, however.  Today, Kolender is the San Diego County Sheriff while Brown is the state's new attorney general (reversing the order that his father, Edmund G. "Pat" Brown, had served in those two statewide offices), and Kolender will be hosting Brown tomorrow at a meeting of law enforcement officials at the Kona Kai Resort on Shelter Island.  Among the attendees at a morning reception will be San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis; Imperial County Sheriff Raymond Loera; Sheriff Bob Doyle, Indio Police Chief Brad Ramos; San Diego Police Chief William Lansdowne and Chula Vista Police Chief Rick Emerson.

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Editor, San Diego Jewish World
 
The resignation of Paul Wolfowitz is another glaring example of the problems of what power can do to the individual who professes that they will root out corruption and create translucency in affairs which they are in control of. He did neither. As number two architect of the crumbling Bush management of the Iraq war he left it I shambles and was promoted by his coconspirator to head the World Bank. It makes me smile when I hear of those like Wolfowitz who promised to rid Africa of corruption and graft. It kept growing there and we as a modern democracy are plagued with our own situations where the human being is always tempted to grab his share of the spoils when money is spent without procedures to warrant that it is spent wisely and that there are no hands in the pot pilfering the assets. The example of the oil scandal in th United Nations and the current disclosure that billions of dollars of construction funds spent in Iraq can not be accounted for, tells a sad story of how governments including are own, have plenty of hands looting the dollars purloined from the hardworking middle classes. Paul you fooled us twice. Go home and count your dollars and think about the disaster you helped create in Iraq.   
                                                                                      —Norman Mann
                                                                                          San Diego