By By Mark Powell
My mother’s family did not leave Egypt by choice; they were forced out in 1956 for one reason alone: they were Jewish. Stripped of citizenship and denied passports, they became stateless overnight, refugees in search of any country willing to take them in. They were allowed to carry only a single suitcase and the clothes on their backs. Everything else, their home, their belongings, their sense of stability was left behind.
With no way to protect their savings, they converted what little they had into gold bracelets, accepting only pennies on the dollar, and hid them beneath their clothing to avoid confiscation by Egyptian authorities. It was a desperate act of survival. Ethiopia, of all places, offered temporary refuge while they waited and hoped for a permanent home.
That hope was realized on March 28, 1959, when through the help of the United HIAS Service, supported by the United Jewish Federation of San Diego, my family arrived in San Diego. They came with less than $100, layering clothing on their bodies because it was all they owned. But they also arrived with something far more powerful: determination, resilience, and an unshakable belief in the promise of America.
San Diego became my mother’s home a place where she believed she could live freely, without fear of being Jewish.
Today, I live in District 6, where our Jewish community continues to grow and thrive. Within our district are synagogues and the Jewish Community Center places where families gather, where children learn, and where traditions are passed down. These should be spaces of joy, safety, and belonging.
But step inside the Jewish Community Center today, and you’ll see something deeply troubling: armed security guards standing watch. They are not there by coincidence they are there out of necessity. They are there to protect families and even preschool children from the very real threat of violence simply because they are Jewish.
This is not hypothetical. Just this past month, an anti-Semitic terrorist drove a car into a synagogue in Michigan while children were inside. Thankfully, disaster was avoided, but the intent was clear. And here at home, we cannot forget the 2019 attack at the Chabad of Poway, where Lori Gilbert-Kaye lost her life in a senseless act of hatred.
This is the reality Jewish communities face today not just across the country, but right here in San Diego.
As a first-generation Jewish American, this is not an abstract issue to me it is deeply personal. My family came to this country seeking safety and freedom. They came to San Diego to escape fear, not to relive it.
That is why I will not stand by as anti-Semitism rises. The Jewish community and every community deserves a strong voice at City Hall. A voice that will stand firmly against hate, confront prejudice head-on, and ensure that every resident feels safe in their own city.
My mother came to San Diego to live without fear of being Jewish. As a member of the City Council, I will fight every day to make sure that promise is not only preserved but strengthened for generations to come.
Mark Powell is a former San Diego County Board of Education member and a candidate for San Diego City Council District 6.
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