Congratulations to the San Diego Jewish Journal! Mazel Tov!

With its first issue hitting news stands in December 2001, this month marks 10 years since the San Diego Jewish Journal began covering local, national and international stories of Jewish interest and the Jewish people and organizations that do their part to repair the world. This month, we take a look back at the past decade and examine 10 ways we’ve evolved along the way. We also catch up with, yes, 10 prominent figures we’ve featured in that time to see what they’re doing now. Finally, we ask a diverse group of community members (10, of course) how they envision Jewish San Diego 10 years into the future. And check out this month’s restaurant review and business features — all three establishments have been with the SDJJ since day one. Cheers to another 10 years!


By Jessica Hanewinckel and Alanna Berman


Full story after the jump
ow.ly/7Kl6D

Urge Congress to Pass Iran Sanctions!

The International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) unprecedented and detailed report released recently provides the agency’s first public confirmation that Iran is closing in on the capability to produce nuclear weapons. This stark determination is a wake-up call that we must act now to prevent Iran’s nuclear breakout. The United States and our allies must immediately impose biting sanctions on Iran to dissuade the regime from building nuclear weapons.  The Iran, North Korea, and Syria Sanctions Consolidation Act in the Senate and the Iran Threat Reduction Act of 2011 in the House add significant new sanctions to our diplomatic arsenal while there is still time to press Iran to abandon its illicit nuclear program and repressive activities. Both pieces of legislation would impose tough new sanctions on Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which not only is the major instrument of regime repression in Iran, but also controls Iran’s nuclear program and much of the economy.   The bills would, for the first time, enshrine in law that it is U.S. policy to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. They would escalate the level of sanctions against the regime’s human rights violators and sharply tighten the enforcement of existing sanctions law. The new legislation also provides an opportunity for Congress to highlight the Iranian threat and make clear that the United States will not lose focus on Tehran’s destabilizing activities. Linda Feldman Director, JCRC San Diego

Carmel Valley Women Helping Change the World

The community of Carmel Valley San Diego is filled with great woman who are, on a daily basis, making a difference in the world. The wonderful thing about it is that each are making a difference in their own unique way. Being a woman who is “making a difference in the world,” ranges from a mom who devotes her entire life to raising her kids while maintaining a household, to a non-profit CEO who spends countless hours a day making sure each fundraised dollar is put to great use and reaches the less-fortunate.  Of course, these are just two examples of the type of woman in our community who are changing the world for the better.  That being said, let me share with you two more examples and introduce you to a group of woman living a life outside themselves.

Breakthrough: Israel Develops Cancer Vaccine

Vaxil’s groundbreaking therapeutic vaccine, developed in Israel, could keep about 90 percent of cancers from coming back.

As the world’s population lives longer than ever, if we don’t succumb to heart disease, strokes or accidents, it is more likely that cancer will get us one way or another. Cancer is tough to fight, as the body learns how to outsmart medical approaches that often kill normal cells while targeting the malignant ones.

In a breakthrough development, the Israeli company Vaxil BioTherapeutics has formulated a therapeutic cancer vaccine, now in clinical trials at Hadassah University Medical Center in Jerusalem. If all goes well, the vaccine could be available about six years down the road, to administer on a regular basis not only to help treat cancer but in order to keep the disease from recurring.

Israel Action Network Update: Post UDI Developments

As many of you are aware, the leadership of the Palestinian Authority (PA) is continuing with the bid to seek admission as a full member state within the United Nations (popularly known as UDI). Tomorrow a Security Council subcommittee will publish a report on the PA’s request for full membership and whether “Palestine” meets internationally accepted statehood criteria. This could be followed next week by Security Council action, although it currently appears that the Palestinians are one vote short of the 9 affirmative votes required. As a result, the Palestinians, according to some reports, may actually not call for a vote.  Instead, they may simply request that the General Assembly upgrade the PA’s status within this body to non-member observer state – a measure that given the automatic majority there certainly would pass.

New Flotilla Headed For Gaza

As many of you might already be aware, there are two boats, one Canadian and one Irish, currently in the Mediterranean heading to Gaza. These boats carry passengers from a range of countries, including Canada and the United States. The Israel Action Network is monitoring the situation and will update you as to important developments.

Who is behind these actions?

A number of organizations are responsible, all of which have strong anti-Israel positions and political agendas, including the “Free Gaza” movement, the Palestinian Solidarity Movement and Code Pink.

What are the motivations of the flotilla organizers?

Flotilla organizers are looking to make headlines and provoke a confrontation with Israel, more than they are interested in actually providing aid to the residents of Gaza. This is highlighted that the Egyptian government reopened its Rafah border crossing with Gaza and humanitarian shipments can enter Gaza without difficulty.

Also while there is considerable poverty in Gaza, largely the result of Hamas’ extremist policies and actions that have led to its international isolation, according to the Deputy of the Red Cross in Gaza, “there is no humanitarian crisis.”

Men's Event - Dor L’Dor. Generation to Generation

Dor L’Dor. Generation to Generation. The theme of families passing on Jewish values through the generations was woven throughout Federation’s recent Men’s Event.  

  

From left to right, Gary Kornfeld, Theresa Dupuis,
David Geffen, Steve Shulman and Steve Morris.

CEO Steve Morris welcomed guests, who celebrated the kickoff of our 2012 Campaign at the exciting new venue on San Diego Bay.  Attendees were inspired and moved by local stories of three San Diego families (Sergio, Roberto and Ricardo Jinich; Bernard Z”L and James Lewis; and Joel, Brian, Brad and Lou Tauber) who lead by example and are committed to passing their Jewish values on to the next generation. 

A highlight of the program was a stimulating address by Keynote Speaker, Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.  A grandfather of 17, Hoenlein addressed the importance of family, philanthropy and Federation as well as talking about issues facing the Middle East and Israel.

>See event photos and more at The Men’s Event