2007-01-12—Friday
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Friday, January 12, 2007
History on My Mind
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2007-01-12—Friday |
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SAN DIEGO—I suppose printed papers have several fates. The best, from my standpoint, is if they bear such important information that they are stored in archives or libraries. I like to think that is where my articles, books and research will wind up. Second-best in my opinion is if they are recycled, such as the papers that are collected in the blue can at our house every other Friday, such as today, because then they have a chance to make it into the library or archives the second go-around. The worst fate is if they are simply tossed into the trash to be buried in a landfill somewhere. Yes, they may biodegrade, and with the help of worms, be turned into a soil additive, but, oh, such wasted potential! Photographs of places and people, have similar fates, so rarely do people (myself included) label photos and thereby enable future generations to identify the people pictured, much less the places, which with steam shovels and other earth moving machines, soon can be transformed to such an extent that were a person to return after an absence of many years, he or she might not even recognize the place. So, those of us who believe there is purpose in leaving behind records, have a duty that can be easily fulfilled, simply by taking photographs and labeling and dating them. 
 A recycling truck lifts a blue barrel, which it will flip so that its contents fall into the bin of the truck. At right is the first view of Santee as one crests Mission Gorge Road between Cowles Mountain on right and Kwaypaay Mountain in Mission Trails Park on the left. 
 Westbound Highway 52 has an open feeling west of Mast Avenue and east of Santo Road. Between these two exits one passes the Mission Trails Summit—all of 821 feet. During commute hours traffic tends to crawl until one reaches this point, then opens up. Surely it can't be because of the breathtaking height! My first destination for the day was the Agency for Jewish Education offices in Suite 100 at 4858 Mercury Street, which is the large off-white building with large windows in the center of the picture below. The letters "Qua" at the top of the building are visible behind a tree. I met with Alan Rusonik, the executive director, in the agency's library to discuss various possible history projects, and said hello to Noah Hadas, the director of adult education, on my way out. Next, Rabbi Arnold Kopikis and I went first to Starbucks for coffee, then next door to Extreme Pita, where he fasted and I had a pita with felafel and other vegetables—quite nice. I learned that the fellow behind the counter, Bret Weiss, was the proprietor, and has franchising rights for Orange and San Diego Counties. I wish him luck. Kopikis and I also had projects to discuss; both of us are interested in helping to create a Jewish Museum for San Diego.   The Agency for Jewish Education Building at left; Alan Rusonik, executive director, at right.   Noah Hadas (left); Rabbi Arnold Kopikis at Starbucks (4898 Convoy).  Beginning of an Empire?—Bret Weiss serves up a specially wrapped (so it doesn't drip on you) felafel pita at the Extreme Pita (4898 Convoy) in the Kearny Mesa area—a chain for which he has franchising rights in the San Diego and Orange County areas. In the late afternoon, Nancy and I drove to the World Mark by Trend West time share development at 1301 Carmelo Drive in Oceanside, where we were directed to Suite 2127, where we found David and Sheila Epstein, down from Los Angeles. David is the co-publisher of Western States Jewish History on which I serve on the advisory board. Although we have talked innumerable times on the phone, the last time we actually saw each other was on a tour for Jewish journalists in Philadelphia approximately 10 years ago. After David's first cousin, on his mother's side, Ed Lifset, a retired Marine colonel, and his wife, Pat, arrived, we decided to have dinner at the Overseas Restaurant at 2820 Roosevelt in Carlsbad, which was quite enjoyable. The portions were so large that we could not begin to finish them all, so we took home a box of food for reheating for a future lunch. We found cousin Ed to have traveled extensively around the world, with one of his hobbies being to photograph synagogues wherever he goes, a problematic pursuit given the level of security necessary for Jewish institutions in some countries such as Turkey and Argentina . We learned from Pat that her family has been in the Americas since colonial times and that she grew up in Gainesville, Florida.      Top: Timeshare near Oceanside pier; second row: Pat and Ed Lifset; David and Sheila Epstein in Suite 2127 of the World Mark by Trend West time share, and Sheila and David at the Overseas Restaurant in Carlsbad. Bottom row: Another view of David, and Pat and Ed; Nancy and Don Harrison, and Sheila and David. |