San
Diego Jewish World
Saturday
Evening, July
21, 2007
Vol. 1, Number
82
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Archives Event Tracker HOME Jewish Directory Jewish Grapevine Jews in the News News Sleuths Sports |
Today's newsmakers (click links to go to their stories):
Spielberg
Schupf
Avni
Halperin-Kaddari
Reinharz Bloomberg
Dumanis Leitner
Marquis
Yukilis
Hebrew University completes digitalization of
Jewish film
library for viewing on the Internet
JERUSALEM (Press
Release)—The “virtual cinema” film digitization project at the Steven
Spielberg Jewish Film Archive at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has
been completed.
More than 400 films from the archive covering the history of the Jewish
people in the modern era are included in the treasure of films that can
now be accessed through the archive’s web site. These include historic
films on Jewish life in Europe and on various periods and events in the
land of Israel.
The site is accessible at:
http://www.spielbergfilmarchive.org.il/kv/index.html
The five-year digitization project, begun in 2002, has been aimed at providing access for the general public to the archive’s extensive collections. The films can be viewed on the Internet but not copied. The project was funded by the American Friends of the Hebrew University in Los Angeles in honor of the late Motion Picture Association of America Chairman Jack Valenti.
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San Diego Jewish World—July
21, 2007
Ben Gurion U
researcher believes Israel may be due for an earthquake of 6.25 magnitude or
more |
The preceding story was provided by Hebrew University (Return to top) |
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Weizmann Institute announces
scholarships
to help women scientists in their careers
REHOVOT, Israel (Press Release)—The Weizmann Institute of Science has instituted a new program aimed at assisting highly talented young women to work toward a career in the natural or exact sciences. The goal of the program is to begin closing the gap between male and female scientists in the highest ranks of academia.
The numbers of women and men completing graduate degrees (M.Sc. and Ph.D.) in the sciences are close to even. But in Israel, as in the rest of the world, relatively few women end up on the track to academic advancement, and their representation on the higher levels of academic faculties is abysmally low.
A new, nationwide
initiative put forward by the Weizmann Institute to help fill the ranks of
outstanding women scientists has been established with the support of the Clore
Foundation and S. Donald Sussman. This year, as part of this Weizmann Institute
of Science Women in Science Program, ten young women will receive Sara Lee
Schupf Postdoctoral Awards.
Any young woman who has completed a Ph.D. in an Israeli academic institution in
one of the natural or exact sciences, and who has been accepted to postdoctoral
studies abroad, is eligible to apply. The awards will average about $20,000 a
year and are meant to supplement scholarships received from foundations or host
institutions, to assist women, particularly those with families, in coping with
the added financial burden.
The two or so years a scientist spends abroad conducting postdoctoral research is considered a critical step to career success, in which the up-and-coming scientist gains independence and is exposed to the international scientific community in which she must prove herself. Yet this stage can be a bottleneck for women, especially as many have spouses and young children by this stage. Personal, financial and family considerations may all conspire to keep these women from being able to spend several years abroad, and the result is a relatively small number of women entering the academic track.
The Sara Lee Schupf Postdoctoral Awards, conferred within the framework of the Weizmann Institute of Science Women in Science Program funded by the Clore Foundation and S. Donald Sussman, aims to change that situation. The grants will give women incentives – financial, but also social, personal and professional – to engage in postdoctoral research in leading labs around the world. The long-term goal of the program is to invest resources in women who plan to develop their scientific careers in Israel, and to create a feminine leadership within the Israeli research community.
The Weizmann
Institute is now calling for women who have completed a Ph.D. in science in an
Israeli university to submit their candidacy for one of these awards. A special
selection committee at the Institute, headed by the President’s Advisor for the
Advancement of Women in Science, Prof. Hadassa Degani, will evaluate the
applications and choose ten outstanding women, who will receive their awards in
October, 2007.
For more information in Hebrew on the awards, please go to:
http://www.weizmann.ac.il/feinberg/WomenInScience
(Return to top)
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BEER SHEVA, Israel (Press Release)—A researcher at Ben Gurion University predicts a major earthquake following the 80th anniversary of the most recent earthquake that hit Israel. Dr. Ron Avni, University Comptroller and lecturer in the Department of Geography and Environmental Development, is a specialist in the study of earthquakes.
Israel's last significant earthquake struck the northern Dead Sea area in 1927 and hit 6.25 on the Richter scale, killing close to 300 people. Dr. Avni said that the 80-year birthday of the last earthquake brings us into a new period called “the range of statistical error.” From what is known regarding the previous earthquake, the time for another destructive earthquake is imminent.
Avni has based his assessments on statistical data from quakes in central
Europe, where earthquakes occur about every 10 years. The region is an
appropriate model for determining potential building damage in Israel because
the style of construction there is similar.
If an earthquake on the same scale as that in 1927 would occur, 17% of older
buildings in Jerusalem would likely be damaged. He expects 45% to suffer only
light damage, such as cracks in the cement and plastic walls, but no structural
damage; however, 5% would suffer heavy damage requiring immediate evacuation, as
well as significant repairs and investments amounting to almost half the
building's value.
He predicts that another 5% of the buildings would be completely destroyed. Of
the newer buildings that are in good condition and are only 30 years old, only
11% are likely to be damaged. Of these, half would experience light damage and
half would suffer heavy damage.
In Tel-Aviv, 9% of the older buildings are likely to be damaged, 5% of the
buildings of middling quality and only 2% of those in good condition. In Beer-Sheva,
researchers predict that only 2% of the older buildings would be damaged. Since
the 18th century, Israel's three most destructive earthquakes occurred in 1759,
1837, and 1927. The 1837 earthquake that obliterated Safed caused more than
5,000 fatalities.
The government has appointed a committee to explain to the public how best to prepare for a major earthquake, whether at home, outside or in a car. Dr. Avni emphasizes that most local authorities do not have enough data to assess the durability of buildings during an earthquake. He says that the scenarios prepared by the governmental steering committee established to assess damage and casualties caused by an earthquake between 7 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, point to widespread damage and casualties in the thousands.
In the model simulated by Dr. Avni, there is no way to estimate the number of casualties. An estimation of this kind would require the hour in the day the earthquake would take place and data on the number of buildings and their quality in every town, data which does not exist.
The preceding story was provided by Ben Gurion University
(Return to top)
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U.S. confers 'Woman of Courage' award on Israeli women's rights advocate Ruth Halperin-Kaddari
RAMAT GAN, Israel (Press Release)—Dr.
Ruth Halperin-Kaddari, director of the Ruth and Emanuel Rackman Center
for the Advancement of the Status of Women at Bar-Ilan University’s
Faculty of Law, has received the US government’s annual International
Women of Courage Award.
The award was granted on behalf of US Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice to Dr. Halperin-Kaddari for her role in actively eliminating
discrimination against women in the State of Israel and the
international arena. The ceremony took place at the residence of the US
Ambassador to Israel Richard H. Jones on Tuesday, July 18.
In discussing the prestigious honor, Ambassador Jones said "The award is being given to Dr. Halperin-Kaddari for her social leadership and her work for the advancement of women and social change in Israel by means of her expertise in feminism and law."
Achieving the
United States' mission of advancing democracy, prosperity and security worldwide
is not possible without the empowerment of women. Through this annual
international award the US honors the courage of extraordinary women worldwide
who have played transformative roles in their societies.
In June 2006 Dr. Halperin-Kaddari was
elected by 96 states at the United Nations center in New York to one of
the prestigious UN bodies dealing with women's rights – the UN Committee
for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). It was the
first time that an Israeli legal expert has been elected as a member of
CEDAW, which deals with important issues of civil rights in general and
women's rights in particular.
(Return to top)
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Adventures in Cruising
Aboard Holland America Ryndam
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WALTHAM, Massachusetts (Press Release)—Brandeis alumni and friends supported the institution as never before in the just-completed fiscal year, propelling the University to its best-ever fundraising year and bettering the year-old record by 10 percent.
Despite forecasts for a down year by some observers, Brandeis donors supported the institution in record numbers during the fiscal year that ended June 30, helping the University raise an all-time high of $89.4 million in cash gifts. The cash total for fiscal year 2007 represents a 10 percent increase over the previous record high, $81.3 million, which was set last year.
The record-setting year continues a trend of fundraising growth under Brandeis President Jehuda Reinharz, Ph.D. ’72. Since becoming president in 1994, Reinharz has charted a new era of philanthropy at Brandeis, which has helped improve its academic standing, transformed the campus physical plant, and put the institution on strong financial footing.
Contributions by friends of the University, a group comprised of leading international philanthropists and members of the National Women’s Committee, set an all-time record, surpassing the former mark by 35 percent.
“While some people will question our direction and commitment to the University’s foundational values, I am gratified that our donors continue to show unwavering support for Brandeis,” Reinharz said. “It is clear that now, more than ever, donors recognized the importance of our unique position as a world-class research institution with the personal touch of a small liberal arts college.”
Some other highlights of the University’s record-breaking year:
--Brandeis received an additional $44.5 million in new gift pledges
--The University’s endowment has grown to nearly $700 million, more than tripling in size in the last decade
--Thirty-one alumni have made gifts of between $1 million and $10 million to The Campaign for Brandeis
“It is such a privilege to be associated with this University, which continues to grow and even exceed the dreams of its founders,” said Nancy Winship, Brandeis’s senior vice president of institutional advancement. “Without the enduring commitment of our alumni, friends, trustees, and members of the National Women’s Committee, this would not have been possible.”
The record fundraising year brings the Campaign closer to reaching its target of $770 million by June 30, 2009. Since this most ambitious fundraising initiative in University history was launched in July 2000, the Campaign has raised $657 million in cash and pledges, more than 85 percent of goal.
The preceding article was provided by Brandeis University
Hadassah honors Mayor Bloomberg—in absentia
NEW YORK (Press Release)—New
York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has received the Henrietta Szold Award at
the 93rd National Convention of Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of
America, just concluded in New York City. Szold, the founder of Hadassah, was a
Jewish-American patriot, a fervent Zionist, and a great humanitarian; in
October, she will be posthumously inducted into the National Women’s Hall of
Fame in Seneca Falls, NY.
Since its establishment in 1949, Hadassah’s highest honor has been awarded to a
woman or man who represents the ideals and beliefs of Henrietta Szold. The
recipient has traditionally been a world leader or a prominent figure in his/her
field, beginning with Eleanor Roosevelt in 1949. Over the years, doctors,
statesmen, elected officials and other humanitarians have received the award,
including Elie Wiesel, George Schultz, and Golda Meir. In 1995, then-Prime
Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres were the dual
recipients. The nominating committee for the Szold Award is comprised of past
national presidents, and is chaired by Bonnie Lipton (1999-2003).
At the last minute, the Mayor was unable to attend the gala dinner, but the
festivities continued with First Deputy Mayor Patricia E. Harris accepting the
award on his behalf.
In her introductory remarks, Bonnie Lipton cited the many reasons Bloomberg
received this coveted award: “He is a man who holds steadfast to his principles
– one who sees new opportunities and challenges where others see problems or
limitation. A profound thinker, his entire personality is keyed to action and
achievement…. Like Henrietta Szold, he has the vision to plan and the daring to
make decisions, the faith to keep his dreams alive and the wisdom and strength
to make them a reality.”
In her remarks to the 2,500 convention delegates, Harris noted that nearly a
century after its founding, Hadassah has “changed the nature of women and
volunteerism and continues to be at the forefront of progressive social
change...the legacy of Henrietta Szold is very much alive.”
Bloomberg, the 108th Mayor of the City of New York, was born to a middle class
family in Medford, MA. After graduating from Johns Hopkins and Harvard Business
School, he quickly rose through the ranks at Salomon Brothers. With a vision of
an information company that would use emerging technology to bring transparency
and efficiency to the buyers and sellers of financial securities, he began a
small start-up company called Bloomberg LP in 1981. Today, Bloomberg LP has over
250,000 subscribers to its financial news and information service.
As his company grew, Michael Bloomberg began directing more of his attention to
philanthropy, donating his time and resources to many different causes. He has
served on the boards of numerous charitable, cultural, and educational
institutions.
He officially entered public life in 2001, when he ran for Mayor of the City of
New York. His election came just two months after the tragic attacks of 9/11. In
2005, Mayor Bloomberg was re-elected by a diverse coalition that spanned the
political spectrum.
Mayor Bloomberg is the father of two daughters, Emma and Georgina.
The preceding story was provided by Hadassah
 Jews
in the News
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 and we'll acknowledge your tip at the end of the column. To see a source story click on the link within the respective paragraph. |
*In a focus
story on Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards, Richard
Fausset of the Los Angeles Times interviewed Emory University
Political Science Prof. Alan Abramowitz who suggested that
Edwards' "Two America" emphasis on the poor, is intended not only to
attract the votes of the poor but also of party liberals.
*Laurie David, who produced An Inconvenient Truth, the
documentary on global warming featuring former Vice President Al Gore,
has filed for divorce from her husband, television producer Larry
David, citing irreconcilable differences. The suit seeks joint
custody of the couple's two daughters. The
story is in the Public Eye column of today's San Diego
Union-Tribune.
*Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and U.S. Rep.
Jane Harman (Democrat, California) spoke at the Port of Los Angeles
about a new contingency response plan to an attack on a major port such
as that in Los Angeles. According to Chertoff, instead of shutting
down all ports after such an event and further crippling the economy,
the closure of other ports would be calibrated to perceived threats. The
story by Louis Sahagun is in today's Los Angeles Times.
*Erran Baron Cohen and his band Zohar presented a blend of
Middle Eastern music and electronica at the Skirball Museum. Some
attendees mistakenly believed Cohen would be funny or whimsical like his
comedian brother Sasha Baron Cohen. The story by Don Heckman is
in today's Los Angeles Times.
*Lenny Goldberg, president of the California Tax Reform
Association, said the budget bill passed by the California Assembly, but
not yet by the state Senate, contains hidden tax breaks for jet plane
owners, Hollywood film companies, energy companies and other businesses.
He said the breaks were snuck into the budget bill in an effort to avoid
public scrutiny. The
story by Evan Halper and Patrick McGreevy is in today's Los
Angeles Times.
*Palestinian prisoners freed by Israel were given heroes'
welcome at the presidential compound in Ramallah of Mahmoud Abbas, who
said Israel needs to release even more prisoners. Some of those
released spoke of a new era of peace between Palestinians and Israelis.
The Associated Press
story by Karen Laub is in today's San Diego Union-Tribune.
*A
story by the Religion News Service noting that Jews observe
Tisha B'Av on Monday, July 23, and briefly explaining the fast day is
included in the religion roundup of today's San Diego Union-Tribune.
*U.S. Rep. Sander Levin (Democrat, Michigan) has a proposal in
Congress that has attracted attention, most of it negative, from Wall
Street. It calls for taxing private investors who buy companies,
fix them up, and then sell them at the same 35 percent rate as other
people whose income exceeds $349,700, instead of at the 15 percent
capital gains rate. The
story by Jonathan Peterson and Walter Hamilton is in today's Los
Angeles Times.
*When architect Daniel Libeskind traveled with his family in
Europe, he made certain that his teenage daughter, Rachel,
wouldn't be cut off from her friends. He invited Alessandra
Gotbaum to join them for Passover. Having a teen member of the
family bring along a friend on a family trip may be a growing trend. The
New York Times News Service
story by Ralph Gardner Jr. is in today's San Diego Union-Tribune.
*The office of Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is
dismissing reports that Syria and Iran have signed a treaty in which
Iran has assured Syria of ongoing military aid on the condition that it
does not enter into peace negotiations with Israel. The
story is on Y-Net News.
*Unable to persuade President George W. Bush to change course in Iraq,
Democrats in Congress are turning the heat up on their Republican
colleagues by forcing votes on the unpopular war so Republican
officeholders will have to explain themselves back home. Comments
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (Democrat, New York): "The president
doesn't take advice." The story by Noam N. Levey is in today's
Los Angeles Times.
*A letter from U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman (Democrat, Los Angeles)
to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) still remains
unanswered about whether trailers with formaldehyde that made people
sick in New Orleans are being tested before being put out for sale on
the used trailer market. The
story by Claudia Lauer is in today's Los Angeles Times.
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TONY GWYNN SALUTE—Sportscaster Ted Leitner emceed the moving ceremony this evening dedicating a statue to "Mr Padre," Tony Gwynn, in Petco Park's "park in the park." He summarized the way many fans felt who watched Gwynn play 20 seasons for the San Diego Padres: "He played baseball the way baseball is to be played." Proving that the Gwynn family is multi-talented, his daughter Anisha led the baseball crowd in singing "The Star Spangled Banner." Next week there will be another honor for #19: he'll be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown. Never one to rest on his laurels, Gwynn, who also is the coach of the San Diego Aztec baseball team, went right to work in the broadcast booth announcing the Padres game tonight against the Philadelphia Phillies.
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The Jewish Sports Fan
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Unless otherwise indicated, source for these stories is today's edition of The
San Diego Union-Tribune, to which we gratefully provide the links below. We do
not apply halacha to determine if a player is Jewish; rather, if he or she has a
Jewish parent or has converted to the faith, we count him or her as a member of
our community.
BASEBALL—The news in Friday's 8-4 victory of the San Francisco Giants over the Milwaukee Brewers wasn't Barry Bonds, who went 0-4 and remained two homeruns behind the all-time record of 755 set by Henry Aaron. Instead it was the fact that baseball commissioner Bud Selig was in the stands to watch Bonds' assault notwithstanding controversy over the slugger's possible use of steroids. There had been speculation he might boycott the moment Bonds' ties the record. ... Brad Ausmus walked once, but otherwise went 0-3, as his Houston Astros edged the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1. His batting average is now .246. ... Jason Marquis pitched one out shy of eight innings, allowing two runs including a solo homer by Chris Young, propelling the Chicago Cubs to a 6-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Marquis' strong performance brought his season ERA down to 3.92 and his record to 7 wins nd 5 losses... Shawn Green couldn't do anything against Los Angeles Dodgers pitching, going 0-4 at the plate, but the rest of the Mets were more productive offensively, combining for a 4-1 victory. Green's BA is now .274. ... Kevin Youkilis of the Boston Red Sox was hit by a pitch by Jose Contreras of the Chicago White Sox and converted that automatic trip to first base to one of Boston's runs in its 10-3 victory. That didn't help his batting average any, and for the fifth day Youkilis was not on the list of the American League's top batters... Texas Ranger relief pitcher Scott Feldman, back from a minor league tune-up in Oklahoma, threw an inning in relief against the Cleveland Indians, giving up two hits and an intentional walk, but allowing no runs. His ERA is 6.44.
FOOTBALL—Accuse of arranging fights between dogs, Michael Vick of the Atlanta Falcons is attracting the ire of animal lovers everywhere. Some are calling for him to be fired, even in advance of any trial. In an interview with Tim Sullivan of the San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego public relations executive Jack Berkman said the team should continue treating Vick per normal for now, but if public outrage boils over the NFL team must protect its reputation and that of the league.
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