L'Chaim March 2020

MARCH 2020

MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER SCIENCE

Meets Art at San Diego Art Institute

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2020

Join us for a fun, whimsical evening of community & philanthropy Saturday, April 25, 2020 6pm | Hyatt Regency La Jolla Honorary Chairs

Evelyn & Ernest Rady

Chairs: Scott Schindler, Marie G. Raftery & Dr. Robert Rubenstein

Celebrating the 2020 Mitzvah Honorees

Marcia Hazan

Danielle & Brian Miller

Mark Hetfield, CEO

Purchase tickets:

jfssd.org/gala Underwriting Opportunities: Dana Levin | (858) 637-3013 | danal@jfssd.org

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contents March 2020 • www.lchaimmagazine.com

COVER STORY Moving Forward Together with Jewish Family Service.......................................................................

1000 WORDS New president of Technion seeks ‘soft sciences’ to meld with Israeli high-tech.........

FOOD Aushak with Duxelles......................................................................................................................................

FEATURES Spinning Science into Art at San Diego Art Institute................................................................

Spotlight On: North Coast Repertory Theatre...............................................................................

Israel: Revolutionizing Urban Warfare with Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence.......................................................................................................................................

Museum of Southern Jewish History opening.............................................................................

Ancient Crafts to Create Breakthrough Designs at the Dead Sea.................................

UC San Diego Receives $1.3M from Koret Foundation............................................................

HEALTH Is Loneliness Affecting our Health?.....................................................................................................

COLUMNS

06 08

jewishmom.com................................................

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26 28 30 34

Daniel Bortz, Michael Gardiner, Donald H. Harrison, Steve Horn, Stephanie Lewis, Salomon Maya, Terra Paley, Mimi Pollack, Rachel Stern, Eva Trieger, Deborah Vietor, Chana Jenny Weisberg

ADVERTISING & SALES

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TECHNION PRESIDENT

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO, LLC (858) 776-0550 San Diego, CA 92127

ART DEPARTMENT lauriem@lchaimmagazine.com LISTINGS & CALENDAR: calendar@lchaimmagazine.com

EDITORIAL editor@lchaimmagazine.com

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alanna Maya

CONTRIBUTORS

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Torah: Of the Book..........................................

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Laurie Miller

JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE

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Mazel and Mishagoss............................

PUBLISHERS Diane Benaroya & Laurie Miller

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SUBSCRIBE ONLINE: www.lchaimmagazine.com/shop On the Cover: Marcia Hazan will be honored at the JFS Heart & Soul Gala this month for her work serving the San Diego Jewish community. Photo courtesy: JFS. Copyright ©2019 L’Chaim San Diego LLC. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator” to: publisher@lchaimmagazine.com Published in San Diego, CA • www.lchaimmagazine.com

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FAMILY | BY CHANA JENNY WEISBERG

jewish

mom.com Give Your Kid a Smartphone!

M

y approach with my kids has generally been to keep smartphones away from them as long as socially possible, and then when I can no longer delay the inevitable, allow smartphones without a browser. But (as I’ve recently discovered) those teenagers eventually grow into young adults with their own bank accounts and smartphones of their choosing.

Does the fact that I’d limited their access to smartphones or iffy internet content until that point prepare them for that point in their lives when they will be choosing where to surf, not their smartphoneallergic Eema?

This past Shabbat at my daughter’s high school, all the 9thgrade parents sat together with the school’s director to discuss the smartphone-teenager conundrum. It was a lively meeting, and a lot of different opinions were expressed regarding ways to keep our kids away from smartphones.

But one mother, Chava, expressed a completely opposite point of view. I don’t think any of the parents present (and certainly not the school’s director) shared her opinions.

“I believe that banning smartphones from schools is an extreme approach. The world is advancing, and ignoring that fact isn’t an option,” she said, before outlining a number of steps she said would most effectively educate our children regarding smartphone use.

1. Don’t Panic: When you see your child using a smartphone in a way you don’t like, don’t radiate panic. Rather radiate security and stability. We love them even when they are doing things that are less acceptable or that we’d prefer not to see them doing.

2. Normalize: Remind yourself that our kids’ desire to be exposed to new things and to do what their friends are doing is normal and understandable.

3. Moderation: Keep an eye on how much time our children are spending with their phones.

4. Empowering Correct Choices: We must teach our children that each of us has the ability to choose, and each of us is responsible for the choices we make. Regarding smartphones, we must choose what to watch, what to look at, and what to investing our time in.

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2020

“It’s important for us to remember, and to teach our children, that the subconscious documents, preserves and burns into our brains every single experience we have, from all five senses,” this mother said. “And after we have experienced something, that experience is recorded and saved in our brains forever as a thing we’ve already encountered, something that’s familiar.

“When a person views harsh or extreme scenes or images, they are recorded and burned into their brains and converted into something that the brain considers legitimate. Something that the spirit and consciousness find bearable,” she added. “And the more harsh and extreme images we see, those things become more and more something that lands on soft ground, familiar ground, making it seem more and more legitimate.”

We don’t start educating our children as teenagers. We need to be speaking with them about this from a young age. The central, most important message being that the choice is in our hands.

So, what do I take from Chava’s controversial approach? I’m personally not planning to give my young teenagers unrestricted smartphone or internet access. But Chava’s approach does open up my eyes in a big way regarding something else. The fact that my home computer is filtered and my kids either don’t have or have kosher smartphones is not necessarily educating them about how to make the right choices regarding smartphone use — should they be confronted with that choice today or (almost inevitably) in the future. I need to be talking more with my kids about this crucial issue, not just keeping it at a distance.

CHANA JENNY WEISBERG, THE CREATOR OF JEWISHMOM.COM, IS A STAY-HOME MOTHER OF 8 CHILDREN LIVING IN JERUSALEM WITH HER HUSBAND, RABBI JOSHUA WEISBERG. ORIGINALLY FROM BALTIMORE, CHANA JENNY HAS DEVOTED HER NONMOM TIME OVER THE PAST DECADE TO PROVIDING INSPIRATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT FOR OTHER JEWISH MOMS THROUGH HER POPULAR BOOKS EXPECTING MIRACLES AND ONE BABY STEP AT A TIME.

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TORAH l BY RABBI DANIEL BORTZ

of

the book Purim

O

n his deathbed, Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai — the leader of his generation — is surrounded by his students. They beg him to share one final piece of wisdom with them to live by. He says: “May it be that your fear of Heaven be like your fear of mortals.” His disciples said to him, “Is that all!?” He replied, “If only it were so! Know that when a person transgresses, he says, ‘May no man see me.’”

I often ask my students, do we hold ourselves to moral standards because of people’s impression of us and what society dictates, or because we truly believe in doing the right thing?” There are plenty of situations where we can get away with anything without being caught. But if we live in such a way that we’re accountable to our own standards and to G-d’s, then when our head hits the pillow at night we can smile and be at peace.

Esther, a Jewish orphan from millennia ago, was presented with such a private challenge. All of a sudden, she is chosen to be queen of an empire and hides her identity lest the king disapprove. One day, she hears from her relative Mordechai that the King has

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2020

agreed to the wicked Haman’s plot to destroy her Jewish people. She desires to help, but she reasons that the king has a rule in place that anyone who approaches his throne uninvited — even the queen herself — is liable to be put to death. Wouldn’t the prudent move be to wait this one out?

Mordechai responds: “Do not think that you will escape the fate of all the Jews by being in the king’s palace. For if you will remain silent at this time, relief and salvation will come to the Jews from another source, and you and the house of your father will be lost. And who knows if it is not for just such a time that you reached this royal position.”

Esther agrees to risk her life and approach the king.

This message from Mordechai always hits me deep. When challenge arises and we debate whether to take that action we think can make a positive difference, “Will you remain silent? Who knows if it is not for just such a time that you reached this position!”

Throughout our lives we’re placed in unique situations, equipped with our unique skills and experiences to make a difference. G-d has placed us here to see the issue in need of

correction for a reason.

It would be so much easier if someone else would do it for us, or at least help us. But so often in the Torah, our heroes are alone in the major decisions they make. Abraham stands in defiance of the his entire society with his beliefs, Jacob wrestles the angel alone at night, Joseph is thrown into the dungeon, Moses approaches the burning bush and later scales the mountain, King David runs away from his enemies and composes poems of faith. And Esther approaches the throne.

These courageous actions were the right thing to do even if no one ever found out.

May we gain inspiration from Mordechai and Esther to fight for what’s right, whether others know about it or not. We can’t fathom the impact our deeds may be having. As we celebrate Purim and Passover, results of the actions of Esther and Moses so many years ago, ask yourself: Could our ancestors have ever imagined how their actions might reverberate until the end of time?

DANIEL BORTZ, THE MILLENNIAL RABBI, IS THE FOUNDER OF JTEEN AND SOUL X. CONNECT AT RABBIBORTZ.COM.

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COVER STORY l BY DEBORAH VIETOR

IN SYNC

JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE CELEBRATES 'MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER' AT HEART & SOUL GALA At the Corner Market, JFS clients can “shop” for food using a points system that encourages healthy eating habits.

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2020

COVER STORY

J

ewish Family Service of San Diego (JFS) will highlight its support of more than 39,500 San Diegans of all ages, faiths and backgrounds and share stories of success from throughout the year at its annual Heart & Soul Gala next month. For 102 years, JFS has been a pillar of the San Diego community, fueled by its volunteers and community partners.

2020 MITZVAH HONOREES

The event will celebrate the contributions of JFS’s 2020 Mitzvah honorees: Danielle and Brian Miller, Marcia Hazan, and HIAS, an international nonprofit resettling refugees.

Owners of Geppetto’s toy store, Danielle and Brian Miller donate hundreds of gifts to JFS’s Embrace-A-Family holiday campaign and the Jewish Big Pals/Supporting Jewish Single Parents Chanukah party each year.

“We’re passionate about supporting children because we know when they thrive, our whole community gets stronger,” the husband and wife said. “And that is why we are involved with JFS. Their services are multi-faceted; touching every organization from the youngest, to the young at heart who are meeting the challenges of aging.”

One of this year’s JFS Gala Chairs is Marie Raftery, a businesswoman and philanthropist who also served as chair of the Board of Directors for JFS from 2017-2019. She is a longtime supporter of JFS’s mission to build a community of stronger families and greater opportunities, creating healthier and happier lives at any age.

“For over 10 years, the Millers’ passion for helping children thrive has strengthened the community, providing vulnerable families with the tools, resources, and support needed to transform their lives,” said Raftery.

Raftery also offered praise for honoree Marcia Hazan: “Marcia played an important role in shaping many new JFS social justice initiatives that have created lasting change in the San Diego community,” she explained.

Hazan was instrumental in expanding JFS programs for Jewish single parents, survivors of domestic violence, and low-income older adults. She also served on the Behavioral Health Committee, supporting mental health awareness and combating the stigma attached with accessing treatment.

“During my time at JFS, I’ve seen every person at the agency serve our community with kindness, dignity and integrity,” Hazan said.

“It’s rare to find an organization that has such a ‘can do’ spirit and goes the extra mile to improve the lives of others. I’m grateful to have

"[JFS's] services are multi-faceted; touching every organization from the youngest, to the young at heart who are meeting the challenges of aging.” been a part of it.”

Honoree HIAS is internationally recognized for its work resettling refugees, assisting displaced people from around the world reach safety, and rebuild their lives. JFS’s partnership with HIAS began in the 1980s and has since helped connect thousands of refugees to housing, employment, and education, and ensuring San Diego is a more humane, prosperous, and diverse place to live.

“Between protecting asylum seekers at our southern border with legal assistance and helping refugees replant their family trees in San Diego, the long-standing partnership between JFS and HIAS embodies our shared commitment to welcome the stranger and protect the refugee,” said Mark Hetfield, president and CEO of HIAS. WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

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COVER STORY

JFS's Foodmobile program delivers hot kosher meals to 39 zip codes in San Diego County.

“JFS’s partnership with HIAS has certainly evolved over the last 40 years, but it’s clear the two organizations have greatly deepened each other’s impact,” Raftery said.

JFS SERVICES

CEO Michael Hopkins shared that while many people first turn to JFS with a specific need – such as an older adult needing meals delivered — the agency offers so much more. That same senior may also need home care, or rides, a case manager or home repairs — JFS listens to each person’s unique situation and then offers solutions that will holistically change that person’s life for the better.

“One of the biggest problems for seniors is social isolation, which has been proven to be as detrimental to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Add cognitive decline, sensory impairments, and then affordable housing and transportation, and it is easy to understand the many older adults struggle to live and age well,” Hopkins said. “With JFS’s help, older adults can feel connected to a community that cares about them, because all of our programs have reducing social isolation as a core component.”

Raftery also speaks highly of JFS’s older adult centers, where respite is offered to families with aging parents. The centers provide care, hot 12

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2020

meals, and social opportunities.

JFS serves the Jewish and non-Jewish community with meals and meal delivery services, using its commercial kosher kitchen located on the JFS Joan & Irwin Jacobs Campus in Kearny Mesa where meals are prepared, and the Corner Market, where clients can “shop” for food using a points system that encourages healthy eating habits.

“Fifteen percent of San Diegans, or 460,000 people, are food insecure, uncertain if they have enough to meet the needs of family.

This is typically due to insufficient funds or resources,” said Hopkins.

“We know that when San Diego families have enough to eat, they can more easily afford other necessities, maintain their health and focus on long-term goals.”

“One of the innovative ways we provide nutrition assistance is through a food rescue program with Starbucks, where we pick up unpurchased food items between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m. each day from 30plus stores,” he continued. “Our Foodmobile program, which delivers home-cooked kosher meals, just recently expanded to delivering to 39 zip codes throughout San Diego, and the community has been pitching in to help us meet the additional delivery needs.”

Raftery encourages people to “find something that touches your heart, that speaks to you,” referring to the many opportunities to

COVER STORY

volunteer through JFS. JEWISH CONNECTIONS

In addition to the organization’s work with the general senior population, JFS works to support Holocaust survivors in the San Diego area.

“Research [shows that there are] 500 Holocaust survivors in San Diego and we serve 150 of them who are struggling to make ends meet,” Hopkins said. “The Claims Conference (Jewish Material Claims Against Germany) assists with home care, case management services, and along with JFS, works with the Jewish Federation to assist Holocaust survivors. Survivors have trauma playing out as they age, as many carry a clear memory of concentration camps. We are sensitive to their needs.”

Many of JFS’s Jewish-specific programs also center around Jewish youth and Jewish parenting.

“Our Big Pals Program matches adults over 25 in a mentoring program with children from 6 through 16,” Hopkins said. “Often, a Big Pal has encouraged a Little Pal to have a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, creating amazing role models for Jewish life and often becoming lifelong friends.”

Raftery and her husband Dr. Robert Rubenstein also started the David Rubenstein Scholarship Program in 2009, annually granting between 15 to 20 scholarships of up to $5,000 each, encouraging students to treasure their Jewish heritage, reflecting on their Jewish values and better understanding the connection to the community.

It has been a major year for JFS and immigration issues, too.

“As an organization rooted in Jewish values and tradition, we are ever mindful that, like the millions of other refugees around the world, the Jewish people were once strangers, too. Through our work with the San Diego Rapid Response Network, the JFS Migrant Family Shelter — now in its 7th location — has served more than 22,000 asylum seekers since November 2018. These are all families with young children who would have otherwise been abandoned at bus stations in San Diego with no resources and no way to get to their final destinations.”

WHAT’S NEXT

Lately, Hopkins said that JFS has been approaching the subject of mental illness — how to break down barriers surrounding mental health and how underserved, diverse groups interpret and respond to these issues — including the LGBTQ community, African Americans, Native Americans, and others.

JFS will also be hosting a second night Seder for Passover to the LGBTQ community and allies this year.

When asked about future goals for the agency, Hopkins shared insight into a new strategic planning initiative, Blue Print for Impact, that is currently in progress: “In the coming months, we will seek input from our leadership, staff, community partners, volunteers, and

“As an organization rooted in Jewish values and tradition, we are ever mindful that, like the millions of other refugees around the world, the Jewish people were once strangers, too. supporters to help decide how JFS will move forward. We want to take a deeper dive into the specific needs of the both the Jewish and general San Diego community and create a plan that will help us address emerging issues while maintaining our core services.”

JFS will host its annual Heart & Soul Gala at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine on Saturday, April 25 at 6 p.m. Partnering with Honorary Chairs Evelyn and Ernest Rady, Gala Chairs Scott Schindler, Marie Raftery and Dr. Robert Rubenstein will host an evening of dinner, dancing, and an auction encouraging awareness and philanthropy throughout the year. Underwriting packages are available and tickets are $360; both can be purchased at www.jfssd.org/gala, or by contacting danal@jfssd.org or (858) 637-3013.

WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

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L’CHAIM | BY CARIN M. SMILK | JNS.ORG The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa.

Photo Credit: David Shankbone via Wikimedia Commons.

Uri Sivan

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2020

L’CHAIM

1000

WORDS

NEW PRESIDENT OF TECHNION SEEKS 'SOFT SCIENCES' TO MELD WITH ISRAELI HIGH-TECH

I

t seems that not a week goes by without hearing news of some technological breakthrough undertaken by Israelis. The biomedical developments alone — heart surgery using sounds waves, the first country to perform an “artificial meniscus” implant, innovative ways of detecting cancer cells in the human body — have made international headlines, with more advances to come.

Many of these can be credited to the nation’s academic institutions; while small in number, they remain big in productivity.

The Technion‒Israel Institute of Technology is one of them.

Quietly going about doing the research and development it does, the world-renowned university in Haifa has possessed marked breakthroughs since its beginnings in 1913 — a full 35 years before the establishment of modern-day Israel.

Well, maybe not so quietly: it has been reported that the Technion will handle two experiments as part of a joint Israeli-Italian microgravity medicalexperimentation project and space launch slated for the end of March.

But leaving these impressive ventures aside, what it really comes down to is the innovation of its students and faculty, coupled with its administrative leadership, which for the past several months has been led by Uri Sivan of the school’s faculty of physics. Officially elected last Feb. 7, he took the helm as president on Oct. 1.

Sivan, 64, points out that Israel has gone through tremendous changes in the past three decades as the economy has transformed

dramatically, and the technological impact has grown along with it.

“The country today is booming,” he said.

“There has been a technological revolution that has led to Israel being called the ‘startup nation.’ “ Developments in the biomedical industry, computer sciences, health and human services, mathematics, engineering, security and defense contribute to the making of “a world-class university that educates technological and societal leaders,” notes Sivan. And one’s that’s inclusive, he adds.

Being in Haifa and further from the politics that embroil Israel’s other major cities of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, students can more unobtrusively go about their business of academics and research. Being in Israel’s diverse north, Technion also draws a significant number of Arab students — about 20 percent — as part of its total enrollment of about 9,500 undergraduates and 4,500 graduate students. Add to that a minority empowerment program that includes boosts for Ethiopian, women and haredi students.

“We aim to be an island of pluralism and tolerance, to serve as a beacon for those values,” says Sivan. “We are creating a just and non-discriminatory environment where everybody feels good and brings their individual potential to the maximum so as to succeed. Our social role is very important to us.”

INCREASE YOUNG PEOPLE’S INTEREST IN NANOTECHNOLOGY

Sivan, a resident of Haifa and father of three, served as a pilot in the Israeli Air

“We are creating a just and nondiscriminatory environment where everybody feels good and brings their individual potential to the maximum so as to succeed. Our social role is very important to us.”

Force. He holds a bachelor of science degree in physics and mathematics; a master’s degree in physics; and a Ph.D. in physics, all with honors, from Tel Aviv University. He joined the Technion’s physics department in 1991.

His research has covered a range of fields, including quantum mesoscopic physics, and the harnessing of molecular and cellular biology for the self-assembly of miniature electronic devices. His group at the university designs and builds ultra-high-resolution atomic force microscopes.

WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

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L’CHAIM

The computer-science faculty building at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa.

Photo Credit: Beny Shlevich via Wikimedia Commons.

He and Dr. Ohad Zohar of the Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute at the Technion (of which Sivan is founding director, and headed between 2005 and 2010) engraved the entire Hebrew Bible onto a small silicon chip. On a gold-plated silicon chip the size of a grain of sugar, the “Nano Bible” was written as part of an educational program developed to increase young people’s interest in science and nanotechnology. Its text consists of more than 1.2 million letters carved with a focused beam of gallium ions and must be magnified 10,000 times to be readable, according to the American Technion Society.

In 2009, President Shimon Peres presented the Nano Bible to Pope Benedict XVI during his official visit to Israel. The three copies of the chip are at the Vatican Library; the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C.; and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

Over the course of his career, he has been awarded the Mifal Hapais Landau Prize for the Sciences and Research, the Rothschild Foundation Bruno Prize, the Israel Academy of Sciences Bergmann Prize, the Technion’s Hershel Rich Innovation Award and the Taub Award for Excellence in Research. He also sits on a number of scientific advisory boards.

So how does he intend to apply his prodigious scholarly contributions to a new phase of work at the university — that of building other less concrete bridges to the 16

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2020

world?

He notes three major directions for investment, both intellectually and fiscally.

The first, he explains, is continuing a process that started several years ago in relation to the network of multidisciplinary centers at Technion. “We are in the process of restructuring our research to build on human health, energy, environmental sustainability, education and advanced manufacturing.

These subjects cannot be addressed in a single discipline.”

Practically, he adds, this means restructuring the campus as well, physically housing these areas of research and its researchers together.

More foreign faculty would help as well in “this global world” and endeavor, says Sivan.

Second, he speaks to a different type of education in areas of math, science and engineering.

“We aim at the highest bracket; our graduates lead the industry,” he says.

“But we have to start a center embedding leadership skills in a more general arena, on nontraditional studies like entrepreneurship, ethics, environmental awareness — skills that are different from conventional engineering. We believe these are essential for the technological leaders of tomorrow.”

He calls them “soft skills,” though integral in the making of contemporary researchers, scientists and engineers.

And lastly, he considers the ecosystem within the industry — what he describes as the loss of a monopoly over knowledge. “Just a few years ago, university professors were the sole source of information and authority.

This is not the case now. People have easy access to information and there have been major developments in communication; basic research is now done in the outside industry and not as much in academia.”

And so, one of his goals is also one of his challenges.

“The companies doing research today don’t necessarily represent the interest of societies, as universities do. They focus on commercialization. It’s the flip side of the startup nation: how to serve society versus financial gain.”

One way to do that, he says, is to build ties with the industry on both local and global scale. We need to reach a new understanding with those companies,” stresses Sivan. “They need to understand that their long-term interest is in preserving academic interest and protecting curiosity-driven research. We need to streamline the technology transfer from the university to tech and startup companies.”

Money and academia, he states (cue audible sigh). “It is challenging. We’re going to work on that.”

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2020

MODERN KOSHER

A TALE OF THE SILK ROAD AUSHAK WITH DUXELLES

BY MICHAEL GARDINER

A

ushak is the national dish of Afghanistan. I first encountered the dish at the marvelous Afghani restaurants of Madison, Wisconsin restauranteur Ghafoor Zafari.

His restaurants, the first of which featured an upscale Afghani cuisine, convinced me from the first taste that food of the Middle East could be more than falafels and shawarma (though there is nothing wrong with those).

There was something very appealing — at once exotic and familiar — about the delicate raviolis of sautéed leeks, the big and comfortable flavors of the meat sauce, and the fresh feeling of the yogurt sauce. As much as each of these elements pleased, Aushak is very much a case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. And it’s a whole that has as much of a place on a fine dining table as it does as street food.

Perhaps the secret to the appeal of Aushak is geographical and historical. As a major stop on the Silk Road — the ancient trade routes between Europe and China — Afghanistan necessarily reached its arms both east and west. Its culture and its food took something from both, never fully assimilating either.

Aushak, like many Afghani dishes, shows that heritage — with the dumplings feeling like one-part Italian ravioli, one-part Chinese jiaozi.

But, like many Middle Eastern dishes, traditional Aushak combines yogurt (for creaminess) with meat (for richness and savory character). By substituting a rich mushroom duxelles for the ground beef of the original recipe, however, a fully kosher dairy-based dish results. While this version of Aushak is certainly different than the

classic — lighter, more umami-forward — it is every bit as rich and tasty.

My version of the dish is, in addition to being kosher, closer in style and intent to that which Zafari might have served had he been Israeli rather than Afghani: unabashedly upscale and uncompromising.

AMBA SAUCE (RECIPE BELOW)

Directions

TO MAKE THE DUXELLES:

1. Roughly chop the mushrooms, place

2.

AUSHAK WITH DUXELLES Serves 6 Ingredients

FOR THE DUXELLES

8 ounces white mushrooms 2 teaspoons butter 1 teaspoon canola oil 2 tablespoons finely minced shallot 1 tablespoon dry sherry Kosher salt 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg FOR THE AUSHAK:

2 leeks, white parts only, cleaned and finely chopped 1⁄3 teaspoon red chile flakes 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt 24 circular wonton wrappers (such as Gefen or Twin Marquis) All-purpose flour FOR THE CHAKAH (YOGURT SAUCE):

2 cups plain Greek yogurt 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon salt FOR THE GARNISH:

Fresh mint leaves

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

them in the bowl of a food processor, pulse a few times to break the mushrooms down, then process until finely minced.

Transfer to a square of cheesecloth, wrap, and wring out the liquid. The result should be a nearly solid lump of chopped mushrooms.

Melt the butter in the canola oil in a medium sautée pan over medium heat and heat until the foam subsides.

Add the shallots and cook until they just turn translucent, about 1 minute.

Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they begin to brown and there is almost no liquid remaining, 5 to 6 minutes.

Stir in the sherry and cook until evaporated.

Add the salt and nutmeg.

TO MAKE THE AUSHAK:

1. In small sautée pan, cook the leeks with the chile flakes in the olive oil over medium heat until the leeks are translucent, about 2 minutes.

2. Add the salt.

3. Fill a small bowl with cold water, and starting with 1 wonton wrapper on a lightly floured surface, use your index finger to swipe a ring of water around the perimeter of the circular wonton wrapper.

4. Spoon a teaspoon of the leeks into the center of the wrapper. Fold one side of WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

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MODERN KOSHER

As a major stop on the Silk Road, Afghanistan necessarily reached its arms both east and west. Its culture and its food took something from both, never fully assimilating either.

Aushak, like many Afghani dishes, shows that heritage — with the dumplings feeling like one-part Italian ravioli, one-part Chinese jiaozi. the wonton wrapper over the filling to form a half moon, pressing down around the filling carefully to force out any air.

5. Seal the edges of the Aushak by compressing them with your thumb and index finger.

6. Repeat with the remaining wontons.

7. As they are formed, transfer the Aushak to a plate, spread a little flour between the dumplings to keep them from sticking, and cover with a dry kitchen towel, turning them occasionally.

TO MAKE THE CHAKAH:

Combine the yogurt, garlic, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to mix.

Set aside.

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2020

TO COOK THE AUSHAK AND SERVE:

1. In a large pot, bring 8 cups of water to a boil and add the salt and oil.

2. Carefully drop the Aushak in the water and cook until tender, about 3 minutes.

3. Ladle a circle of the chakah onto each plate.

4. Arrange three Aushak, straight sides in and circular facing outwards, around the chakah.

5. Spoon two tablespoons of the duxelles over the chakah on the inside of the circle 6. Garnish each Aushak with a mint leaf and some of the amba sauce.

AMBA (PICKLED MANGO) SAUCE Makes about 1 1/2 cups Ingredients 1. 1 ripe mango and 1 unripe mango (about 1 1/2 pounds total) 2. 2 large lemons 3. 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 4. 2 cloves garlic, minced 5. 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds 6. 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 7. 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper 8. 1/2 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika (aka pimenton) 9. 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 10. 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin Directions 1. Peel the mangos, cut the flesh of the fruit from the pit, and add it to the bowl of a food processor.

2. Zest the lemons with a grater, reserving the fruit, and add the zest to the food processor.

3. Pulse several times to combine, then increase the speed and process to purée, about 20 seconds.

4. Heat the olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, Aleppo pepper, smoked paprika, turmeric, and cumin and cook until the garlic is lightly golden, shaking the pan occasionally, about 2 to 3 minutes.

5. Add the puréed mango to the pan and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding salt or lemon juice, as desired.

6. Let the sauce cool, then cover, transfer to the refrigerator, and store, for up to one week.

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21

feature SPINNING SCIENCE

INTO ART

Scientific, technological research on display at SD Art Institute's latest exhibit

M

ost people know there’s cutting-edge scientific and technological research occurring in the San Diego region.

But as noted by the artists in the current exhibition at the San Diego Art Institute (SDAI) in Balboa Park, you have no idea!

ILLUMINATION: 21st Century Interactions with Art + Science + Technology is the result of a years-long effort by Jacqueline Silverman, SDAI’s Executive Director.

Silverman is quick to point out that her role is to oversee exhibitions and that ILLUMINATION could only occur through the efforts of curator Chi Essary, the participation of seven of San Diego’s leading scientific and research institutions, and the thoughtfulness, skill, and daring of 26 highly imaginative artists.

“All exhibitions are the results of a collaborative process,” Silverman says, “and our entire small staff is integral to creating every exhibition we stage. Collaboration is essential to the work I do.”

Jacqueline Silverman has every reason to know about collaboration.

Moving from New York City to lead the Center for Jewish Culture at the Lawrence Family JCC in La Jolla – and after running the Jewish Film Festival for many years – Silverman’s knowledge about working with for- and non-profit boards, citizen committees, businesses, advocacy groups, foundations, and individuals is a defining element of her skill set.

As she says, “collaboration is essential in a show like ILLUMINATION because artists are paired with leading scientists, 22

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2020

others work independently but rely on technological concepts, and there are events, details, and personalities to be considered – and everyone must stay focused.”

Not unexpectedly, the 26 artists participating in ILLUMINATION have divergent takeaways from their interaction with scientists, technologists, and contemporary research.

Some opt for artworks that serve as metaphors for the science they’ve encountered, some use the science as a stimulus to a creative journey they’re already engaged in, and all bring individual experience, a reflective attitude, and sometimes a deeply intimate history to their endeavor.

Artist Becky Guttin met with Dr. Lu-Lin Lang from the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute where Dr. Lang is doing research into Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).

Guttin recalls hearing certain words repeated over and over: clean, dust, dirt. Beta amyloids that accumulate in the brain and are a sign of AD added “dust” to brain cells. As “dust” accumulated, what had been “clean” became jammed with “dirt.” For Guttin it meant creating a sculptural installation for ILLUMINATION that provides a direct metaphor to the process of going from normal to diseased.

Other artists dealt with issues of sustainability, addiction, climate change, technological surveillance, or simply the wonders of scientific thinking, research, and potential. Because we now live in an era where microscopes provide increasingly finer levels of resolution, it’s possible to see the precise organization of atoms within individual cells as well as see cells multiplying in a 3D environment that look more like astronomy than biology. Research is underway to save lives, reduce pain, serve the planet, and keep us from disease, decline, and degeneration. Those efforts come from thinking that’s linear, non-linear, radical, and just plain ingenious. And all of that is what ILLUMINATION celebrates.

ILLUMINATION: 21ST CENTURY INTERACTIONS WITH ART + SCIENCE + TECHNOLOGY IS AT THE SAN DIEGO ART INSTITUTE IN BALBOA PARK THROUGH MAY 3, 2020. ADMISSION IS FREE. LEARN MORE AT WWW.SANDIEGO-ART.ORG.

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feature

SPOTLIGHT:

NORTH COAST REPERTORY THEATRE

By Eva Trieger

I

first discovered North Coast Repertory Theatre in 2000, the very same year I got divorced. After attending a show, I read in the program that they were looking for help with a set strike the following Sunday. I arrived at 2 p.m. and was given a ballpeen hammer and the direction, “See that wardrobe structure? It has to fit into that dumpster. Go!” Great therapy for an angry woman who was looking for an outlet. But that was just the beginning of my love affair with this very intimate, incredibly special theater. I encourage you to come to NCR’s Spotlight Gala to see just what I’m talking about.

In 2003, David Ellenstein came on board as the Artistic Director. He has grown the theater in so many tangible and critical ways. Every season Ellenstein elevates his audiences’ artistic appreciation by introducing some groundbreaking world premieres and employs actors of the highest caliber to perform in this cozy platform. Of course, the seven mainstage productions offer something to suit everyone’s taste buds, but I love that Ellenstein challenges people to move just a tad beyond their comfort zone to be moved and provoked.

I spoke with the Artistic Director about the upcoming Spotlight Gala which will feature his friend and Academy Award winner Richard Dreyfuss and wife Svetlana, who will be serving as Honorary Chairs. In addition to these standouts, the theater will be honoring champions of the arts, Julie and Jay Sarno, and the event is chaired by Laura Applegate and Co-chairs Sarah King and Martin Davis. There is an additional throng of volunteers and other committee members who will make the event magical.

RICHARD AND SVETLANA DREYFUSS. PHOTO COURTESY ABC NETWORKS 24

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2020

FEATURE STORY

Ellenstein told me that he is excited about the high quality of acting in the plays chosen for this season. Despite the small size of the theater, he has succeeded in attracting actors from Los Angeles and New York.

When Ellenstein was asked what NCRT offers that sets it apart from other local area theaters he shared that, “the enormous talent of the actors rivals that of the Globe or La Jolla Playhouse but NCRT has the added bonus of being a more intimate setting. Every audience member is up close and personal.”

With this intimate space come challenges. When I asked David about his biggest hurdle, he noted that the “lack of backstage, no green room” and in general, the small space of the physical plant is somewhat problematic. While Ellenstein would love to see the theater expand in size, he is determined to keep the setting intimate, no more than 350 seats in the audience.

Having an amazing staff and crew who’ve been committed to the project long-term goes a long way toward making NCR the sensational place it is. Award-winning set designer, Marty Burnett, has completed his 200th consecutive set at this theater. He has won awards and accolades for his creativity and ingenuity. The stage manager, Aaron Rumley, and Patron Services Director, Jeff Needham, have been with the venue since 2003. This degree of dedication is unusual in the theater environment but proves that NCR is sensitive to each staff member and strives to reward them, and treat them with dignity and value.

Though Ellenstein couldn’t share specifics about the upcoming season (yet another reason to attend the Gala) I did learn that he is anticipating a great season of high caliber actors performing a broad range of shows including two classics, and a world premiere among others. The current season’s shows feature two political comedies that Ellenstein says are both very clever and quite distinct from each other. The Homecoming, Human Error, Forbidden Broadway and a host of off-night events are some of the many reasons to attend NCR. Additionally, the Youth Theater, under Ben Cole’s direction, produces five shows and a thriving summer camp for teens.

Julie and Jay Sarno also have a long history with NCR. Jay shared that he’d first attended a show at the venue when a friend gave him a ticket, in the old space in 1982. An electrical engineer by training, Jay noted several issues that the fire department would frown upon, so he offered his expertise and has been helping with technical things ever since. He later joined the Board, and later still, served as Board President. Julie was working as Director of Development for the theater when Olive Blackstone asked her to join the Board. Julie and Jay worked together on Board matters, and eventually found they shared more than a love for the arts and local theaters. The Sarnos were married on stage at NCR in April of 1989. Jay reported that it “wasn’t a sellout,” but that the setting was perfect for the “inherently theatrical occasion.”

The two are active patrons of the arts all over San Diego county.

Both concurred that what sets NCR apart from many other area theaters is its professionalism. Julie proved this by saying that when you watch actors in a small space, “Richard Baird can’t fake it.” Jay averred that a fiscally sound Board ensures hiring full equity actors, and having the ability to support artists as the professionals they are. This, in turn, enhances the reputation of the theater and the community’s respect for the institution.

The Sarnos have lent their many talents to improving the theater and supporting the actors in a variety of ways. Jay helped the theater to achieve and sustain financial stability. In 2014, new LED lighting was installed which was not only cost-effective but produced less heat for the actors. These changes are critical. So too, is the care of the cast. Every tech week, the Sarnos provide dinner at their home for the hard-working actors and crew. They have been doing this over the past ten years, whether it is a one-man show or the 28 members of A Christmas Carol.

The Fairmont Grand Del Mar, a premier venue, will be the scene for North Coast Repertory Theatre’s Spotlight Gala, March 22. Over 200 guests will be treated to “non-stop laughs and toe-tapping Broadway show tunes from Gypsy, Cabaret, Sweet Charity, Forum and other well-loved shows.” The fun will be complemented by fine food and wine, live and silent auctions and promises to be an evening of delights. Don’t miss out on this special evening. Get your tickets today at rick@northcoastrep.org or by calling (858) 481-2155, ext.224

F E AT U R E S T O R Y An illustration of Rafael’s BNET system. A vehicle that has BNET installed onboard means that it can handle video feeds from multiple drones, with the system using an algorithm to manage this complex communications events.

Photo Credit: Courtesy.

REVOLUTIONIZING URBAN WARFARE ISRAEL'S RAFAEL USES AUGMENTED REALITY, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CAPABILITIES BY YAAKOV LAPPIN | JNS.ORG

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2020

F E AT U R E S T O R Y

T

he German military is currently studying cutting-edge digital battlefield technology produced

by Israeli defense firm Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, as are several other NATO countries.

In December, a German company named Atos was selected by a German federal office, which reports to Germany’s Federal Ministry of Defense, to study the creation of a “glass battlefield to support dynamic operations.”

Atos was tasked with demonstrating how drones could be used together with ground vehicles and soldiers to create a real-time, three-dimensional picture — “glass battlefield” — for managing combat operations.

To carry out its study, Atos joined forces with Rafael. The Israeli company is delivering two key components for the study.

Michal (full name withheld), deputy director for Marketing and Business Development at the Innovation Programs Center in Rafael, said that the first component is “Fire Weaver,” an advanced, augmentedreality system that connects all friendly forces to a single battlefield picture and makes sure that all of them are looking at the exact same targets. Augmented reality is a reference to technology that superimposes visual symbols over images of real-life surroundings.

The purpose of the study, she said, was to see what happens when multiple drones send in video feeds to forces on the ground and how this data can be used to improve combat effectiveness.

Atos is in charge of running the drone fleet, while Rafael’s Fire Weaver enables the revolutionary sharing of information. The target data appears aspixels on the sights and screens of all of the forces on the ground, creating a 3D picture that is common to all units.

The Israel Defense Forces has been working closely with Rafael to develop Fire Weaver.

“This is the most precise manner of displaying data,” said Michal. “It eliminates mistakes. The forces will all know what they are looking at.” That means that a terror squad hiding on the fourth floor of a building

can be flagged to all of the forces logged in to Fire Weaver.

“They all see the same augmented-reality symbols [which are superimposed on the real picture],” she said. This, in turn, means that very little time passes between the detection of a threat, and the sending of its location data to any other force, which can then open fire accurately. In military jargon, this process is known as the sensor-to-shooter cycle; Fire Weaver represents a generational jump in the speed that this cycle can be closed. It effectively turns all of the forces in a given area into a single digital network, able to detect and instantly share targets with one another.

With every member of the same force looking at the same picture, Fire Weaver instantly distributes enemy location data, creating a unified network of sensors and shooters.

The second component offered by Rafael for the study is a radio system called BNET, which can be used by soldiers, vehicles or drones, connecting them all together.

A vehicle that has BNET installed onboard means that it can handle video feeds from multiple drones, with the system using an algorithm to manage this complex communications events.

“A single BNET system on a vehicle captures the video feeds from all of the drones in the air,” said Michal.

BNET is in service with the IDF. The German study requires yearly trials lasting until 2023 with follow-up project planning lasting until 2025.

“This is a study that the client views as a first stage,” said Michal. “The contract allows the client to go for full-scale development and then to acquire such systems if it chooses to do so.”

Rafael’s export of such technology represents the transfer of Israeli battlefield know-how, based on years of combat in complex environments, to Western militaries.

The company has invested a great deal in developing computer vision and combat artificial intelligence, as well as in highly advanced radio-frequency technology.

Prior to such technology, Michal said, ground forces had to rely on very narrow bandwidths for radio transmissions, and could not send video to one another.

Being able to send such data is critical for any military that wants to make sure its ground forces can manage several drones as they move through a territory. The communications must be able to withstand hostile environments that bristle with enemy jamming attempts.

Michal described Fire Weaver as a “lifesaving system.”

“Once you are precise, the window or home you are seeing is what you mean to see, and you won’t hit the one next to it,” she explained. “This reduces collateral damage and friendly fire incidents. In an urban environment, that is critical because without this precision, it is very hard to operate.”

Now, clients around the world, including many NATO member countries, are expressing keen interest in Rafael’s systems.

This is part of a wider trend of digitizing the battlefield — a trend that is taking off in Europe particularly, where militaries are upgrading older systems. Holland, Spain and Australia are all examining these systems.

Even the United States, which enjoys modern digital equipment, has shown interest in Fire Weaver as a system that is well-suited to American battle doctrines. The U.S. military could end up purchasing the system.

“Today’s battlefields are undergoing farreaching changes,” said Yoav Wermuth, vice president and head of Rafael’s C3I directorate, in a statement.

“Assimilation of these systems into the Bundeswehr [German military] will lead to a number of significant changes: It will provide a common visual language between different types of units not only from the Bundeswehr, but also from allied forces, which share the same threats and missions, connecting multiple sensors and shooters on one single ‘flat’ network.”

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F E AT U R E S T O R Y

SHALOM, MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME MUSEUM OF THE SOUTHERN JEWISH EXPERIENCE TO OPEN IN NEW ORLEANS FALL 2020

O

fficials with the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience (MSJE) have announced that the new museum will open in fall 2020 in New Orleans. Exhibits will explore the many ways Jews in the American South influenced and were influenced by the distinct cultural heritage of their communities, covering 13 states and more than 300 years of history – including Colonial, Civil War, World War II and the Civil Rights Movement.

“This will be the only museum in the country to focus exclusively on the history and culture of Jews across the South,” said Jay Tanenbaum, museum chairman.

Multi-media exhibits will illustrate how Jewish immigrants and succeeding generations adapted to life in the South, forming bonds of deep friendship and community with their non-Jewish neighbors.

The Museum will also address issues of race and anti-Semitism, and the many ways that Southern Jews navigated them at different times.

“Southern Jews have more often been a part of their communities than apart from them,” says Kenneth Hoffman, executive director. “This contrasts with America’s urban immigration centers where Jews formed more insular enclaves. The contributions they made and the acceptance they received attest to something unique in the Southern heart.”

New Orleans was chosen as the home of museum based on the city’s vibrant tourism economy, long Jewish history and the historical connection to the broader southern region. MSJE will be located in the city’s popular “Museum District,” in proximity to the National WWII Museum, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art and the Contemporary Art Center – conveniently

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2020

MSJE Renderings courtesy of the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience.

located on the historic St. Charles Avenue streetcar line and on the walking path between the museums and the Oretha Castle Haley redevelopment.

The Museum’s collection of more than 7,000 artifacts was transferred from the original Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience, established in 1986 at Jacobs Camp, in Utica, Mississippi and shuttered in 2012. Tanenbaum explained “The museum’s mission changed and grew into the Goldring/ Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life, which is headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi. In order to reimagine and grow, the museum separated from the Institute, giving it the independence to become a world-class attraction.”

MSJE is working with Gallagher & Associates, an internationally recognized museum planning and design firm, responsible for award-winning experiences at scores of international projects including

the National Museum of American Jewish History, the National College Football Hall of Fame, and in New Orleans, the Sazerac House and the National WWII Museum.

The Museum is expected to appeal to a wide array of visitors. “You don’t have to be Jewish and you don’t have to be Southern to relate,” said Hoffman. “Our hope is that visitors come away with an expanded understanding of what it means to be a Jew, what it means to be a Southerner, and ultimately, what it means to be an American.”

Museum officials encourage members of the public to consider donating relevant artifacts to the collection. Curators are especially interested in items from early Jewish history (1800s), items related to the stories of women and people of color and any item with a strong connection to a personal story of Southern Jewish life. Find out more about the artifact donation process at msje.org/our-collection.

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F E AT U R E S T O R Y

Students in the Department of Industrial Design at Bezalel Academy in Jerusalem participate in a Bedouin style weaving course as part of at the annual Dead Sea Seminar, February 2020. Credit: Courtesy.

ANCIENT CRAFTS AT THE DEAD SEA WORKSHOPS AT AN ANNUAL DESIGN SEMINAR CREATE BREAKTHROUGH DESIGNS

BY EDEN ZUREK | JNS.ORG 30

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2020

F E AT U R E S T O R Y

Students in the Department of Industrial Design at Bezalel Academy in Jerusalem utilize a hand-built wooden bicycle to scrape and shape natural materials at the annual Dead Sea Seminar, February 2020. Credit: Courtesy.

T

he Dead Sea is a haven of relaxation for the many thousands of visitors who flock to the lowest place on Earth. Visitors love to take advantage of the natural spa treatments and float on the sea’s tranquil shades of water to recharge their batteries and heal.

One group of visitors, however, recently made their way down to the Dead Sea for a lot more than relaxation. Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, Jerusalem’s Department of Industrial Design, held a three-day off-site seminar to spark creativity and opportunity in the minds of their students, inspiring them to produce innovative new designs.

The Dead Sea Seminar has taken place

every December since 2004 and was the brainchild of then-chairman of the Department of Industrial Design, Professor Ami Drach. After his sudden death seven years ago, the department decided to honor their beloved mentor and keep his tradition alive by dedicating future seminars in his memory.

The seminar introduces different approaches to craft, including ancient, manual and computerized. Methods and techniques are presented by the department’s lecturers alongside guest designers from abroad in a variety of workshops, such as blacksmithing, sand-casting, Bedouin-style weaving, plastic rotation, wood-engraving

and 3D printing with mud and coffee.

Students are encouraged to think outside the box.

Though the seminar is officially run by the Department of Industrial Design, it’s evident that the students are involved in every step of the process. They take part in all arrangements, workshops, kitchen duties and even financial expenses. The seminar isn’t created for them; rather, it is created by them. For example, last year, the students decided that they no longer wanted to use plastic cutlery as the ecological aspect is a focal part of the seminar. Therefore, this year, each person brought their own set of cutlery, plates and cups.

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F E AT U R E S T O R Y

When the students are not spending their time working and creating, they are most likely to be found setting up their own tents, doing yoga and bonding around the bonfire. One of the main values highlighted throughout the seminar is teamwork.

“Each person comes from a different background and has their own unique set of skills to share,” said student Erez Eitan. “We all work together, combining ideas to create new and wonderful things.”

During the seminar, students are encouraged to open their minds and think outside the box.

“We are here to experiment and find new solutions,” said Rabea Gebler, an exchange student from Germany.

“This workshop is an opportunity to remember the simplicity and beauty of nature, and the world of art. This place allows us to put our worries aside and stop our daily routines, take a deep breath, and let our wild ideas run free,” said student Sharon Delevi.

This year, for the first time, international guest lecturers participated in the seminar, working hand-in-hand with the students.

This new initiative was mutually beneficial for both students and guests, who were exposed to new ideas and varied methodologies.

Having never visited the Dead Sea before, award-winning French product designer, Marlene Huissoud—one of the international guests invited to the seminar to help students push boundaries—said she found the opportunity to combine the beautiful natural surroundings with art extremely valuable.

“This location allows you to disconnect from all the limitations that are holding you back,” described Huissoud. “It is fantastic for the students to learn about all of these primitive techniques, which challenge their current ways of thinking and creating. We encourage them to search for alternatives, and since we live in such a materialistic age, we wanted to take the students back to the roots of crafting, start from zero and rethink 32

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MARCH 2020

“In a world full of machines and high-tech, we sometimes forget the basics of using our hands and nature to create,” artist Omer Polak, product designer and graduate of Bezalel Academy said. everything they know in order to create a better and more sustainable future.”

Huissoud was invited to the seminar by artist Omer Polak, product designer and graduate of Bezalel Academy. Polak, who lives in Berlin, agrees with Huissoud’s approach.

The Dead Sea can be compared to a desert island.

“The seminar is amazing in its concept that it is low-tech and takes place in the lowest place in the world, allowing for the return of ancient crafts,” said Polak. “In a world full of machines and high-tech, we sometimes forget the basics of using our hands and nature to create. Things that are developed during these few days can serve the students throughout their entire careers.”

Ido Ferber, a Bezalel Academy graduate, who organized this year’s seminar, explained that “the industrial revolution almost completely obliterated the craft workers, thereby creating a gap in which the artisans disappeared. The purpose of this seminar is to bring it back to life, and make it relevant

to this day and age.”

According to Sefi Hefetz, head of the Department of Industrial Design, “the seminar is somewhat of a ‘sandbox’ — a metaphor for a place where ideas are formed through working hands and raw materials.”

The Dead Sea can be compared to a desert island in many ways, disconnected from the ordinary rhythm of life. Ironically, this disconnection from the rest of the world can create a deep connection between participants.

“There have been some great breakthroughs at this seminar, but the main value that this experience encourages is community — a human bonding between the students and everyone else,” said product designer Dov Ganchrow, one of Drach’s close friends and a senior lecturer at Bezalel Academy. “I come back every year, and the faces are usually very familiar. With most of us bringing spouses and children along, it’s become a wonderful reunion and family experience.”

JNF TO SHOWCASE WORK WITH DISABILITIES DURING WOMEN FOR ISRAEL TEA

W

omen are a powerful force in philanthropy and that power shapes our world. The impact of women in philanthropy continues to surge as more wealth becomes concentrated among women. It is estimated that by 2030, three-quarters of all wealth in the U.S. will be controlled by women. Today, 60 percent of wealth is already managed by women.

Studies also show that women are the major influencers of charitable giving in their households, and for the last decade, women’s giving has outpaced that of their male counterparts. At Jewish National Fund in particular, women philanthropists comprise 50,000 donors to Jewish National Fund’s annual campaign and bring in over $24 million in donations. That number represents individual women who make their own gifts through our Women for Israel campaign. The impact is even greater when we consider couples who give jointly. Women are philanthropic decision makers.

Jewish National Fund strives to engage young women through JNFuture, its community for young professionals ages 22–40, to teach about the impact philanthropy can make. It is our goal to nurture leaders who will go on to participate on Jewish National Fund Task Forces, Committees, and at the Board of Directors level. Women who make a generous contribution can become members of the Sapphire Society—one of the Major Donor societies for women—which now numbers over 835. The Chai Society, our donor society for women

beginning their philanthropic journey, now has over 500 members.

Our Women for Israel members have had, and continue to have, a unique opportunity to build the land of Israel for future generations. Remember, it was Jewish National Fund women who raised the dollars to build the town of Zuqim in the Arava, jumpstarting Jewish National Fund’s Blueprint Negev initiative back in 2000. We built a town in the desert, on a parcel of sand once laden with landmines from past wars! Today, 400 hundred people call Zuqim home. Women for Israel are not just givers—we are the doers.

And what are we doing in San Diego? In April, we are bringing a very special part of our vision to share with the community.

For the 2020 Women for Israel Tea, Lt. Col. (Res.) Tiran Attia is joining Jewish National Fund from Israel to speak about his work as Director of Special in Uniform, an innovative program that integrates youth with disabilities into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

The Women for Israel Tea, which is being chaired by San Diego Women for Israel Chair and San Diego Board Member Debbie Kornberg, will feature a boutique sale with apparel, jewelry, self-care items, homeware, culinary tools, and more; 20% of proceeds will benefit Jewish National Fund’s work with Special in Uniform.

Join Jewish National Fund for this unforgettable and unique celebration of women and the tremendous work being done for the prosperity of the land and people of Israel. The Tea will take place on April 26, 2020 at Fairbanks Ranch Country Club. The boutique will open at 1:00 pm and the Tea will begin at 3:00 pm.

RSVP is required by April 21, 2020 via jnf.org/sdwfitea2020.

Tickets are $36. This event is open to all women who make a minimum annual gift of $360 to Jewish National Fund. For questions and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Monica Edelman, San Diego Director, at medelman@jnf.org or 858.824.9178 x988.

Myra Chack Fleischer is national president of Jewish National Fund’s Women for Israel.

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F E AT U R E S T O R Y

Nearshore excavation with newly developed barge system at Biblical port of Tel Dor, Israel. Photo: Anthony Tamberino, SCMA

UC SAN DIEGO RECEIVES $1.3M KORET FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT BINATIONAL COLLABORATION ON MARINE ARCHAEOLOGY RESEARCH

BY EDEN ZUREK | JNS.ORG

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F E AT U R E S T O R Y

T

he University of California San Diego has announced a gift of more than $1.3 million from the Koret Foundation to support research collaborations focused on marine archaeology between UC San Diego’s Scripps Center for Marine Archaeology (SCMA) and the University of Haifa’s Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies in Israel.

This three-year award will facilitate scientific exploration of coastal environments in Israel, which offer the most sensitive deeptime records for how humans have adapted to climate and environmental change over the past 11,000 years. The relatively new field of marine archaeology offers new ways of investigating these issues through the ages. Through this collaboration, UC San Diego and the University of Haifa will deepen a long-term research and teaching collaboration along Israel’s Carmel Coast.

“The Koret Foundation is thrilled to support this groundbreaking partnership between two world-class academic institutions as they make new discoveries to benefit all humankind,” said Anita Friedman, president of the Koret Foundation. “This partnership will further strengthen the bonds between the U.S. and Israel, reinforcing the close ties between our two countries to respond to some of today’s most pressing environmental issues.”

The Koret Foundation’s U.S.-Israel BridgeBuilding Initiative aims to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship in diverse ways by supporting organizational collaborations, educational and humanitarian action programs, and opportunities for cooperation and exchange. In addition to its support of this project, Koret has supported other high-level collaborations among Stanford University,

UC Berkeley and Tel Aviv University, and the Rambam Medical Center. These academic collaborations both advance critical scientific research, while simultaneously creating opportunity for deep relationships to develop between leading scholars from Israel and the United States.

This unique collaboration between the Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies and SCMA – which is co-led by Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Department of Anthropology at UC San Diego – has the potential to advance the study of climate and environmental science by utilizing the rich archeology of the eastern Mediterranean. Israel’s Carmel Coast provides an exceptional case study for investigating these problems because of its rich submerged cultural heritage.

Over the past century, Scripps Oceanography has developed cutting-edge research tools to study environmental change involving marine geology and geophysics, coastal processes, paleomagnetism, paleobiology, and climate science. SCMA researchers will utilize these tools and work in tandem with the University of Haifa to create a state-of-the-art research facility in Akko, Israel, where qualified scientific diver students will come on annual field school seminars.

“The world’s oceans and seas are the last great frontier of archaeological exploration, and the Mediterranean Sea holds the oldest and most densely traversed maritime network in the world,” said Thomas Levy, distinguished professor in the Department of Anthropology at UC San Diego and codirector of SCMA. “This new CaliforniaIsrael collaboration will provide students and faculty from both the U.S. and Israel with

unique opportunities for original research concerning climate, environmental, and culture change.”

John Hildebrand, distinguished professor of oceanography at Scripps and co-director of SCMA, added, “The Koret Foundation’s gift enables SCMA to marshal the excellence in marine and environmental science at Scripps Institution of Oceanography with more than 50 years of underwater archaeology expertise from the Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies. We see this as a unique opportunity to build up SCMA’s international presence, as well as to bring the tool-kit we develop home to San Diego and apply it off the beach here in La Jolla.”

“Along the coast of Israel, submerged settlements, ancient harbors and sunken ships tell a unique story of 11,000 years of human resilience and adaptation. The exploration of this frontier can only be done with cutting-edge technologies and innovative training programs for archaeologists,” said Assaf Yasur-Landau, director of the Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies at the University of Haifa. “I am very excited for this tremendous opportunity in which both partners – the University of Haifa and UC San Diego – join forces to create pathbreaking underwater and coastal research as well as a joint training program on the Carmel Coast.”

Levy and Hildebrand anticipate that this joint project in Israel will have significant public and scientific impact, bringing to light new discoveries including ancient shipwrecks and submerged villages, ports, and cities from the past 10,000 years in the Mediterranean region.

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HEALTHCARE | BY DIANE CEMPELLIN, DNP

Is Loneliness Killing Us? LONELINESS IS FINALLY RECEIVING ITS DUE ATTENTION

WHAT'S NEW!

HEALTHCARE SEGMENT In tradition, toasting l’chaim brings people together in every Jewish life cycle. In that spirit, L’Chaim magazine is excited to introduce a new healthcare column, aimed at improving your quality of life through education and awareness.

San Diego is a high-tech hub for healthcare/health science activities and resources. L’Chaim magazine will leverage and share the vast public information by aggregating them into relevant and understandable segment features. These articles will be presented by experts in their fields along with resources to contact.

We will continue to bring the Jewish community together through shared medical discoveries to help you be more informed about health issues that matter to you. We hope that you will enjoy the new upcoming segment and we look forward to being a resource in your life.

L’Chaim, to your health!

Disclaimer & Disclosure The contents of this column are for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing found in the segment is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

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Researchers around the world are reporting its impact on health utilization, acceleration of the chronic disease process and mortality.

The late John Cacioppo, a leading psychologist on the subject of loneliness said, “is not synonymous with being alone, nor does being with others guarantee protection from feelings of loneliness. It’s the feeling that wreaks havoc on the body and brain.”

Loneliness is particularly dangerous for the senior population as it hastens decline in health and life expectancy. A study published by AARP in 2010 found more than one-third of adults 45 and over reported being chronically lonely. Whereas, a decade earlier the same survey reported only one in five adults were chronically lonely.

Loneliness impacts young adults as well. Daniel Russell, a professor of human development and family studies at Iowa State University co-created the UCLA Loneliness Scale to measure the social isolation and loneliness an individual is experiencing.

His research found high school and college students experience loneliness more frequently than any other demographic.

Research has found that

some social media – Facebook, Snapchat, and other apps to keep connected with friends and family bring happiness to your life. However, students who spend more than two hours every day using social media mainly as a substitute for real connection, are at risk for developing worsening feeling of loneliness. Humans are social animals. We need to be attached to others and the internet is not a substitute for real live face to face interactions and communications.

Build your social connections now. The only way to combat loneliness is to be around others, interacting and nurturing friendships.

Diane Cempellin is an accomplished healthcare executive with a passion for transforming the health care delivery system. She has worked in both start-ups and multinational healthcare corporations.

Her background includes working for payors, providers, health plan and the medical devices industry.

She has expertise in design and implementation of clinical transformation projects, clinical innovation and care redesign to achieve care delivery optimization.

She holds a Doctorate in Nursing Practice from Simmons College in Boston, Ma.

HUMOR | BY STEPHANIE LEWIS

mazel

& mishagoss The 5 Love Languages, Tweaked for Jews

W

e’ve all read Gary Chapman’s book The Five Love Languages, true? Of course true! These five methods (Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Physical Touch) are how people give and receive love. Clearly he didn’t grow up in my quirky Jewish family and hasn’t figured out there are actually 50 ways of sharing and accepting love. Lucky for him, I’ve devised a separate quiz to determine which Jewish “Love” Language we favor. Ready?

You’re feeling down, so you’d like your loved ones to: a) Deliver you home cooked matzo ball soup. (Broth Method) b) Take you to local deli for a bowl of high-priced matzo ball soup. (Waitress Tactic) c) Slip a rolledup message in a corked (Manischewitz wine) bottle that says “Cheer up!” and set it afloat inside a huge pot of matzo ball soup. (Love of Innovation) You have doubts about being cherished so you send a group text that says: a) “I’m having doubts about being cherished. Show me the soup!” b) “Finding myself with lots of time on my hands and wondering what it means to be cherished. Why do I have so much time on my hands, you ask? Oy, sorry! The head surgeon just walked in – I better stop texting and pay attention to this big macher giving me pre-op instructions.” (‘Don’t Worry About Me, I’ll Be Fine!’ angle) c) “Nu? I’m listening to the radio on Mother’s Day and haven’t heard my children request a dedication asking the DJ

to play for their mother the song Cherish, by The Association. Must be because the phone lines are out of order from so many of you trying to call in all at once.” (The“You’ll Give Me the Attention I Deserve” Matriarch Assumptive Close Musical Variation) When hosting Passover, your preferred procedure to evaluate your guests is: a) Place pillows on each chair so guests fulfill their obligation to recline at the Seder – then observe if they lean to the left or right, making note of their political affiliation.

(Presidential Predictive Presumptiveness) b) Hide the afikomen in an intimate place in your bedroom to test which parents teach their kids to respect elders’ privacy (Judgy Lovey Language) c)Pack up To-Go boxes of your main course and see who declines or “Passes Over” taking the leftovers home.

Translation - They found your brisket to be dry. (Backhanded Insult Perception at a Holiday Dinner Slant) On a first date, your ideal practice of discerning a good sense of humor is to: a) Quote Tevye verbatim (especially in scenes with Golde) to see if your date laughs.

Particularly this line - “Quiet woman, before I get angry! Because when I get angry, even flies don’t dare to fly.” Haha! (Fiddler on the Roof “Do You Love Me?” System) b) Stash the check between pieces of matzo and hide it in the restaurant to see if they’ll make the amusing afikomen connection from #3 above and go on a hunt. (Immature But Still Creative

Mode) c) If it’s a coffee date, invent words that sound like Yiddish (i.e. Starbucktchatchke, sugaranukkah and creamchutz) and speak them throughout your conversation. When questioned, look askance and say, “What?

You don’t know Yiddish? It’s already a dying language without some people going around butchering it. Ahh Kenahora!” (Mishagoss Modality) After sneezing at a family simcha, you look around anticipating: a) Five people will exclaim, “G-d bless you!” and three are gonna shout, “Gesundheit” (German Words of Affirmation) plus someone kvells that their son is spending his next four years in medical school. (Jewish Quality Time) b) You’ll get to wear a 100% wool sweater, a leather jacket, or a luxurious fur coat (Receiving Gifts of Shvitzing) when the older Jewish generation remarks how you’ll catch your death of cold if you don’t immediately put on one of their offerings. (I Know More Than an MD Love Language) c) A well-meaning bubbe pours hot tea with lemon/honey/raw egg down your throat very fast (Jewish Physical Touch) Your Results: a’s, b’s or c’s? You’re definitely Jewish and your love language is Food, Guilt, Exaggeration, or Neurotic Behavior. Now that you know…go express yourself!

STEPHANIE D. LEWIS WRITES FOR THE HUFFINGTON POST AND AT ONCEUPONYOURPRIME.COM

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The JFS-David Rubenstein Memorial Scholarship Up to $5,000 Available for College

The JFS-David Rubenstein Memorial Scholarship seeks to encourage students to treasure their Jewish heritage, reflect on their Jewish values, and better understand their connection to community. Awards are based on financial need, academic performance, and community involvement.

Application Deadline: April 17, 2020

www.jfssd.org/rubenstein Questions? Maria Cuevas (858) 637-3215

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