Local wall to feature butterflies honoring children who died in Holocaust

March 29, 2010 (San Diego -- Each year, San Diego Jewish Academy hosts a Remembrance Ceremony for Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) in partnership with the New Life Club, a San Diego-based group of Holocaust survivors. The ceremony will focus on honoring the 6 million Jews, 1.5 million of whom were children, murdered in the Holocaust.

Survivors will share their stories with students to ensure that an important part of Jewish history is passed on to the next generation. With most survivors now in their 80s, the event could be one of the last opportunities for students to hear these historically significant individuals’ stories first hand.

Photos by Howard Bagley

March 28, 2010 (El Cajon ) – On March 27, winners were crowned in the Miss El Cajon and Miss Teen El Cajon Scholarship Pageant at the East County Performing Arts Center. A total of 26 young women ages 14 to 26 competed for titles.

March 26, 2010 (San Diego) -- County staff spent a day teaching Monarch School students about jobs in public service by hosting a career day at the County Administration Center.

“We want to help the Monarch School provide these young people with bright futures by showing them how to prepare for a career in government or any other area they want to pursue,” said Helen Robbins-Meyer, the County Assistant Chief Administrative Officer.

East County Mother-Daughter Philanthropic Organization Hosts  Fashion Show and Silent Auction 

March 18, 2010 (El Cajon).-SPRITES of East County, a mother-daughter philanthropic organization, hosts its 42nd annual fundraiser at Steele Canyon High School this Saturday, March 20. The theme of this year’s event is “Takin’ it to the Streets!” 

By Miriam Raftery

February 21, 2010 (Julian) – “Mexican gray wolves are the rarest land animals in North America. They are highly endangered—there are only 52 in the wild,” said Erin Hunt, general manager of the California Wolf Center in Julian, which is open to the public, researchers, photographers, education and youth groups. “This is a binational effort," she added,  "because once, the only population left was in captivity.”

February 13, 2010 (San Diego)----San Diego Self Storage’s Jamacha Point facility in Spring Valley donated 100 corrugated boxes for shipping supplies to benefit earthquake victims in Haiti. The boxes transported items collected at the Light of the World Church, including clothing, medical supplies, food and water.

February 4, 2010 (El Cajon)—On February 7, East County Bahá’í members will join supporters around the globe in offering prayers for Baha’i leaders in Iran, known as the “Yaran,” who have been held in prison for nearly two years for their religious beliefs.

The gathering will be held at 1:30 pm at the Rancho San Diego Branch Library, 11555 Via Rancho San Diego, in El Cajon. Relatives of Mrs. Kamalabadi, one of the prisoners, will be present for comment. The Baha’i community asks people of all faiths to “join in prayers and show their support for religious freedom.”

January 29, 2010 (Mt. Helix) – Dr. Carolle Jean-Murat, founder of Angels For Haiti and Health Through Communications, was among the first to bring food and water to quake victims. Now she has teamed up with other local doctors to obtain thousands of dollars in donated orthopedic supplies. They seek additional supplies--and money to pay shipping costs.

January 21, 2009 – Over 700 Salvation Army relief workers are in Haiti, bringing food and medical attention to earthquake survivors. Amid the devastation, there are some tiny miracles –including three babies born at the Salvation Army clinic since the quake struck (photo, left).

“We do not rest much. Every minute is the difference between life and death.” – Darryl Hall, team leader, Rescue Task Force
 

By Miriam Raftery

 CHALDEANS & ASSYRIANS COMMEMMORATE 1600-YEAR-OLD SYNOD

 By Miriam Raftery

January 22, 2010 (El Cajon) – “We look forward to establishing a New Babylon. This is something many of us have dreamed of,” Bishop Bawai Soro, a Chaldean Christian from Iraq, told East County Magazine in an exclusive interview.

Soro is among an estimated 65,000 to 70,000 Iraqi Christians now living in the western U.S., of whom most are in East County. He provided insights into the plight of persecuted Christians in Iraq, the struggles faced by thousands of local Iraq War refugees, the rich heritage of their ancient culture, and his hopes for the future of his people. 

He spoke with us at the Catholic Diocese of St. Peter the Apostle in El Cajon, where Chaldean and Assyrian bishops led a symposium January 7-9 to commemorate the 1600th anniversary of the Synod of Mar Isaac in 401 AD.

January 17, 2009 (San Diego) – Two San Diego organizations, International Relief Teams (IRT) and Rescue Task Force (RTF) are dispatching teams to aid victims of the devastating 7.0 earthquake that rocked Haiti last Tuesday. 

The situation is criticial with infrastructure destroyed including most hospitals, the major port, roadways and the palace. Hundreds of thousands are feared dead and many remain trapped in rubble, yet survivors continued to be pulled out of debris as late as today. 

Open House for Haiti fundraiser planned Jan. 23 on Mt. Helix