L'Chaim Magazine November 2023

NOVEMBER 2023

resilient

THE JEWISH COMMUNITY RESPONDS

Plus:

CHANUKKAH

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contents

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November 2023 • www.lchaimmagazine.com

in this issue...

COVER STORY San Diego Responds to the events of October 7..................................................................................

1000 WORDS San Diego Jewish Community Study...................................................................................................

FOOD Stuffed Eggplant...............................................................................................................................................

CHANUKKAH Gift Guide...............................................................................................................................................................

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Oasis........................................................................................................................................................................

18

18 13 17

TEST YOUR JEWISH IQTM.........................................................................................................................

FEATURES

RESPONDING TO WAR

STUFFED EGGPLANT

24

20 22 24 28

Haredi Jews Take up Arms, Form Civil Defense Groups..........................................................

SWU Gala .............................................................................................................................................................

NEWS.....................................................................................................................................................................

COLUMNS

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Prayers & Passages........................................

PUBLISHERS Diane Benaroya & Laurie Miller EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alanna Maya CREATIVE DIRECTOR Laurie Miller CONTRIBUTORS Ariela Alush, Barbara Birenbaum, Franklin Felber, Donald H. Harrison, Stephanie Lewis, Salomon Maya, Jana Mazurkiewicz Meisarosh, Terra Paley, Mimi Pollack, Rachel Stern, Eva Trieger, Deborah Vietor, Chana Jenny Weisberg, Cheri Weiss

ADVERTISING & SALES Diane Benaroya: dianeb@lchaimmagazine.com 4

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Mazel & Mishagoss..................................

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Baruch ata Adonai, Elohenu melech ha-olam asher kideshanu be-mitzvotav, ve-tzivanu le-hadlik ner shel Hanukah.

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TORAH l BY RABBI-CANTOR CHERI WEISS

prayers

& passages Giving Thanks

O

n most mornings, upon opening my eyes, the first thing I do is recite this blessing: “I thank You, living and enduring Sovereign, for You have graciously returned my soul within me. Great is Your faithfulness.” Being granted another day of life is not a given; and in this prayer, we may express our profound gratitude to the Divine for allowing us to experience life for another day. Through these words, we set an intention for gratitude as our day begins.

While there is a good chance that we will run into some small (or large!) irritations over the course of this day, hopefully there will also be opportunities to bring some goodness into the world and into the lives of those with whom we will interact.

The central prayer in our liturgy is known as HaTefilah (“The Prayer”) or alternatively, HaAmidah (“The Standing” – as it is recited while standing). It is included in morning, afternoon, and evening prayer services, comprised of a series of blessings ranging from seven (on Shabbat and certain holidays) to 19 (weekday). All versions end with three blessings of gratitude to God, the second of which is known as Hoda’ah: (“Thanksgiving”):

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • NOVEMBER 2023

“We give thanks to You that you are the Lord our God, and God of our ancestors forever and ever, Rock of our lives and Shield of our salvation from generation to generation. We thank You and sing your praises, for our lives that are entrusted in your hand, and for our souls that are in your safekeeping, and for your miracles that are with us every day, and for your wonders and good deeds that are with us at all times: evening, morning, and noon. Good One, your mercies never fail us, Compassionate One, your loving kindness never ceases. We have always placed our hope in You. And for all these things, may Your Name, our Sovereign, be continually blessed, exalted, and extolled forever and all time. And all the living shall thank You forever and praise Your Name with sincerity— the Almighty, Who is our deliverance and our help forever. Blessed are You, God; Your Name is the Beneficent and it is fitting to praise You.” In this prayer, we are given the opportunity to thank God for the blessings in our lives three times a day. Yet the words reflect more than gratitude. They are about placing our faith and trust in the Divine: “… our lives that are entrusted in your hand, and for our souls that are in your safekeeping.”

With the world seeming to be spinning out

of control, antisemitism on the rise, the war in Israel and Gaza raging on, and over two hundred Israeli hostages tragically still being held captive (as of this writing), we may ask ourselves how it is possible express gratitude and trust in God when so many are suffering.

Yet reaching out to something larger than ourselves amidst the chaos can help calm the storm that rages within and around us.

In this month of Thanksgiving, each of us can express gratitude to God and to other people for the many blessings in our lives and reach out to help people in need within our communities.

For each day we are granted life, there is a Divine purpose. It is up to us to discover, uncover and manifest it in the world. We may not have control over the world at large, but we do have the ability to bring joy and kindness to someone every day. For all these things, let us express thanks to the One who grants us life.

RABBI-CANTOR CHERI WEISS IS THE SPIRITUAL LEADER OF TEMPLE EMANUEL IN HONOLULU, HAWAII.

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HUMOR | BY STEPHANIE D. LEWIS

mazel

& mishagoss I'm Suing Walt Disney

D

isney studios has been stealing snippets and scenarios from my own personal life to make scores of hit movies! I’m thinking there’ll be many lawsuits with the evidence and Exhibit A’s I’m listing as follows: SLEEPING BEAUTY: It’s shocking how much

Disney plagiarized my childhood events for this animated feature—Where do I even begin? First of all, just like Maleficent, I was not invited to a certain baby christening. My own! Although my parents sited Judaism as the reason they weren’t having one. Also identical to Aurora, I was born as royalty (according to my father)—his Jewish American Princess. Then in middle school, while sewing my own gym bag in Home EC class, I pricked my finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel. Okay, okay, I just poked myself with a sharp needle but still, from that day forward, my mother could never awaken me from my deep slumber to get to school on time.

CINDERELLA: There can be no doubt of

blatant copycatting here. But how Walt managed to spy on me in shoe stores, I’ll never know! Obviously, it was my shoving, jamming and forcing my pregnant, swollen feet inside that last pair of sparkly stilettos in a Size 6 narrow, (Nordstrom’s half-yearly sale!) that sparked his inspiration for the wicked stepsister’s dramatic scene where she cuts off her heel. Perhaps I’ve never cleaned ashes from our fireplace but make no mistake, I’ve definitely thought of turning 8

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • NOVEMBER 2023

mice into coachmen because I have a severe rodent phobia. Original Smoriginal!

WRECK-IT RALPH: Disney obviously tapped

into my phoneline to get this clever title.

You see, Ralph is the name of my Farmer’s auto insurance rep. Three times during the year before this movie was made, I had to sheepishly call and report a claim with my Mazda—lowering my voice to a shameful whisper the third time, I confessed, “I Wrecked it, Ralph.”

FINDING NEMO: I might be persuaded to

drop these allegations since it’s a bit of a leap. However, I think I have a valid claim of plagiary here. Whenever I get a new cellphone and want to make a grocery list, I can never locate that little yellow “Notepad” icon. All around the house, I can be heard shouting, “Somebody! I need help FINDING MEMO!” Aha! I rest my case!

PARENT TRAP: Alright, nobody can poke

holes in this airtight accusation. I have identical twin boys. (See where I’m going with this?) One day, my one scaredy-cat son talked his twin brother into taking his place at the pediatricians for a flu shot. When their dad and I discovered this sneaky switcheroo, we didn’t have a romantic reunion and reconcile our marriage, but we did get them radically different haircuts. Shame on you Disney, give credit where credit’s due!

101 DALMATIANS: One year I challenged

myself to do a whole bunch of mitzvahs so

I decided to make 100 Donations to Jewish Family Services. If Disney thinks they can get away with adding a 1 and changing my philanthropy quest to some random white dog with black spots on it, they’ve got another thing coming!

At a fundraiser auction at my old synagogue, I was in charge of readying the portrait of Roger (our newest handsome clergy) for people to bid on. I guess I should’ve had his photo professionally mounted and matted at Aaron Brothers because everyone kept asking, “Who Framed Rabbi Roger?” Sheesh!

The similarities are uncanny, Walt!

WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT?:

HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS: I’m hereby

accusing Disney of eavesdropping in my laundry room the day I haphazardly tossed my daughter’s white tennis shoes into the washer and dryer. Pulling them out, they looked two sizes smaller, so I shouted, “Honey, I shrunk the Keds!”

JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH: This movie

title was directly lifted from my Uncle James who presides over our Passover seders. We always bring extra chairs because the guests overflow. We refer to it as James and the Giant Pesach. Shame on Disney studios. I’ll see you in court!

STEPHANIE D. LEWIS WILL INJECT HUMOR INTO ANYTHING YOU HIRE HER TO WRITE. EMAIL HER AT THEQUOTEGAL@YAHOO.COM.

Chanukah HAPPY

From the Staff of L’CHAIM MAGAZINE

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L’CHAIM | BY ALANNA MAYA

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • NOVEMBER 2023

L’CHAIM

1000

WORDS A BLUEPRINT FOR OUR FUTURE: JEWISH COMMUNITY STUDY LOOKS AT JEWISH LIFE IN SAN DIEGO

R

eleased early this month, A Blueprint for our Future: The 2022 San Diego Jewish Community Study was conducted by the Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies (CMJS) at Brandeis University, in partnership with NORC at the University of Chicago. The principal goal of the study is to provide valid data about the San Diego Jewish community that can be used by communal organizations and their leadership to design programs and policies that support and enhance Jewish life.

Speaking together about the importance of the study, especially during a time where Antisemitic events are on the rise and war in Israel continues, Beth Sirull, president and CEO of the Jewish Community Foundation San Diego, and Carole Yellen, senior director, Center for Jewish Care at Jewish Family Service of San Diego, said data will be used to allocate resources and develop community programming in the years to come.

“The last time that a Jewish community study was conducted in San Diego was in 2003; 20 years ago,” Sirull said. “While our community is thriving, [with this study], we wanted to make sure that we understood the diversity of the population so that we have accurate and up to date information to make decisions moving forward with how to best support our Jewish community.”

The process to launch, design and implement the study was led by the Jewish Community Foundation San Diego, Jewish Family Service of San Diego, Jewish Federation of San Diego County, Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center JACOBS FAMILY CAMPUS and the Leichtag Foundation. The comprehensive report represents community collaboration and a response to serving the diverse Jewish community in San Diego County.

“We all know that resources are extremely precious and there’s never enough of them,” Yellen said. “So, being able to make decisions based on data, to allocate resources to best support the community is really critical at this time.”

"As we look at the next generation and we look into the future creating welcoming communities and understanding the diversity of the Jewish experience is going to be really critical.”

Among the key findings from the report, 70% of local Jewish adults are very concerned about antisemitism around the world, and 64% are very concerned about antisemitism in the United States. (It is important to note that the study was conducted before the events of October 7.)

Even in late 2022 when study data was collected, Sirull points out, 91% of those who were surveyed recognized that there was “a need for Israel to exist as a safe refuge for the Jewish people,” and 65% reported that they have some emotional attachment to Israel or that Israel is “a key and essential part to many of our local community’s WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

11

L’CHAIM

Jewish identity.”

One of the more eye-opening statistics from the study: About 19-22% of Jewish households in San Diego earn under 80% of the Area Median Income, which is defined as low-income in San Diego County. About one-third of these financially struggling households said they could not afford a $400 emergency expense.

“At the Center for Jewish Care at JFS, we have a unique obligation and cultural expertise to support our Jewish community, and our focus is to work locally,” Yellen said. “While we continue to get the calls from those who are at this moment struggling to make ends meet, whether it’s because they are food insecure or they can’t make next month’s rent; we now have on top of that, the emotional impact of this moment in time.

“We are always assessing whether people feel that they are connected to community because community is one source of support, and we want to make sure that people have a support network at times like this.”

For both Yellen and Sirull, the data alone does not dictate action, which is why the community has been invited to participate in an event next month and upcoming workshops to dig into the results 12

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • NOVEMBER 2023

and learnings from the study. On Sunday, December 3, from 3:306:30 p.m., the community is invited to engage in crucial dialogue about who we are, how we view the most important issues facing us today, and what it means to be Jewish. The event will also include an update on the situation in Israel.

“Data informs the conversation, but it doesn’t tell you what to do,” Sirull said. “As we look at the next generation and we look into the future creating welcoming communities and understanding the diversity of the Jewish experience is going to be really critical.”

TO LEARN MORE AND TO ATTEND “BLUEPRINT FOR OUR FUTURE: A COMMUNITY GATHERING + CONVERSATION,” PREREGISTRATION IS REQUIRED AT WWW.LFJCC.ORG/STUDY.

CHANUKAH GIFT GUIDE

Stumped on what to get this year? Here are a selection of items and brands that feature unique, thoughtful pieces this holiday season.

SUGAR PLUM HAPPY CHANUKAH BOX

Happy Festival of Lights! Hanukkah sameach! Each Happy Hanukkah Box includes 4 Pretzel Rounds with Blue and White Nonpareils, Milk and Dark-ChocolateCovered Popcorn, 4 Milk Chocolate-Covered Sandwich Cookies, 4 Chocolate Dipped Marshmallows, Chocolate Menorah, 2 Milk Chocolate Happy Chanukah Lollipops, Blue and hite Nonpareils, and a Milk Chocolate Bar. OU Kosher Certified, available at sugar-plum.com.

ARTFUL GIFTS FROM MCASD LA JOLLA

The Museum of Contemporary Art, La Jolla has lots to offer when it comes to holiday gifts. Each purchase at The Shop at MCASD directly supports the work of the Museum. A great gift for kids, the Andy Warhol Marilyn Paint By Numbers Kit from Galison includes line-drawing of Warhol’s iconic Marilyn Monroe masterpiece. Available at shopmcasd.com.

BARBARA SHAW GIFTS

Artistically presenting Israel and Judaica in a fresh way, fusing the ancient with the contemporary. The Chanukah Gift Box includes: potato Latke-recipe apron, chanukah icons hand towel, sufganiyot coaster set of 4, hipster latkes coasters set of 4, ‘Nes Gadol’/miracle baby onesie and baby bib, 2 fabric gelt bags, build-your-own wooden dreidel and a chanukah songs CD. Available at barbarashawgifts.com.

MEDICAL SCRUBS COLLECTION

These chic shoes have a breathable, flexible knit upper for all-day comfort, especially if you’re prone to swollen feet. The interior lining and insole are also treated with Certainty® antimicrobial technology to inhibit the growth of microbes that cause odor. Available at medicalscrubscollection.com

LUXURY JUDAICA WITH HANDCRAFTED ARTISANRY

Drawing inspiration from Jewish heritage and ancient Rabbinic text, Atoof’s products embody a deep sense of spirituality and artistic expression. The debut collection includes 13 unique tallit bags, tefillin bags, challah covers, and a matzah cover and afikomen set. Available at atoofcollective.com.

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COVER STORY | COMPILED BY L'CHAIM STAFF

ISRAEL AT WAR SAN DIEGO RESPONDS 14

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • NOVEMBER 2023

COVER STORY

T

he October 7th attack on Israel was an attack on every Jew around the globe. Our brothers and sisters were murdered just for being Jewish. The IDF is now fighting for all of us and for the free world. In San Diego, many members of our community are doing their part to keep hope alive for the hostages and praying for peace in Israel.

For example, Hebrew Free Loan of San Diego launched an emergency loan program, offering interestfree loans to those who have family or friends in Israel in need of financial assistance, up to $5,000. Their Israel Emergency Loan Program is designed to provide quick and accessible support to members of our San Diego Jewish community who may not be able to access funds as quickly as necessary. The goal is to empower community members to be able to send essential funds to loved ones in Israel who may be struggling to meet their basic needs during this difficult time.

Hebrew Free Loan of San Diego is also participating in a program that is being facilitated by the International Association of Jewish Free Loans (IAJFL) via Hebrew Free Loan of NY. IAJFL is working with all of the North America Jewish Free Loan agencies to provide a consolidated loan for Ogen, formerly known as Israel Hebrew Free Loan, and are raising funds specifically for this purpose, with the belief that a larger loan represents a continent-wide effort and will constitute a strong expression of solidarity and support. Ogen is the largest nonprofit lender in Israel committed to advancing financial well-being, inclusion, and opportunities for the people of Israel. Although Ogen provides loans for individuals as well as non-profits and businesses, these dollars will be used to help individuals directly affected by the war. This will be a bridge loan to assist Ogen during this difficult time. This loan will have repayment terms of 50% after three years and the remaining 50% six months after the end of the fifth year, with all funds borrowed from Hebrew Free Loan of San Diego returning in 5.5 years.

Under the leadership of JNF-USA’s National President Dr. Sol Lizerbram, a pillar in the San Diego Jewish community, JNF-USA has touched the lives of nearly 300,000 Israelis in need. Dr. Lizerbram has also worked tirelessly to keep countless thousands of American supporters of Israel apprised of ongoing developments in Israel by holding online daily briefings with Israeli officials, IDF leaders, journalists on the ground, diplomats, civil servants, survivors, and more. His briefings take place Monday–Friday at 9 a.m. PT on Zoom. To receive the live link for future briefings, email JNF-USA San Diego Director Monica Suissa at msuissa@jnf.org. To watch past briefings, visit www.jnf.org/briefings. Since October 7, JNF-USA in San Diego has seen a tremendous outpouring of support for our Emergency

In San Diego, many members of our community are doing their part to keep hope alive for the hostages and praying for peace in Israel.

Resilience Campaign from new and loyal supporters alike.

Later this month, 80 San Diegans will attend the JNF-USA Global Conference for Israel in Denver along with thousands of fellow Israel supporters from across the nation. Now more than ever we must stand together and say, “Never again… and never alone.” All are invited to conference November 30-December 3, 2023, at the Colorado Convention Center. Full conference registration is only $50, and registration will remain open until November 20. For more information and registration, visit www. jnf.org/global. Immediately following conference, JNF-USA will begin to send groups of American volunteers to Israel. JNFUSA Volunteer Missions will help relieve Israel’s labor shortage and will show the world the true meaning of “Am Israel Chai”.

Volunteers will work on farms, volunteer in hospitals, perform logistical tasks on military bases, and aid evacuee populations.

For more information on volunteering in Israel, visit www.jnf. org/volunteeril.

Immediately following the attacks, Rabbi Yair Yelin of Chabad of San Marcos with Yonaton Farber of ITAC SECURITY raised money, bought helmets and vests, flew to Israel and delivered the equipment to the soldiers on the ground. The soldiers were deeply touched by the support and love.

“We are now preparing the purchase of tactical equipment,” Yelin said. “We are in direct contact with reserves in the south and in the north and I will travel for a second time to hand deliver the equipment to them. In addition, we will make BBQ’s and bring hot and tasty food to hundreds of the soldiers that come back exhausted from Gaza and Lebanese border.”

Rabbi Yellin is working on collecting more funds to continue

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COVER STORY

this support. To learn more, visit alefcenter.com/supportIDF. Several years ago, concerned by rising antisemitism in our community, a group of lay leaders strategized how to take effective action. They decided to invite American Jewish Committee (AJC), the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, to San Diego. Bringing its long history of advocacy and effective activism and networks at the global, national, and local levels, AJC opened its 25th U.S. regional office this year and hired Dr. Sara E. Brown as its Regional Director. AJC San Diego immediately got to work in three key areas: education, political advocacy, and interfaith and intergroup allyship.

Since the start of the war, AJC has been working on several fronts to support Israel and our Jewish community. It has raised more than $4.25 million in an emergency appeal to aid Israeli NGOs, including hospitals and trauma centers. It also held a solidarity rally at its New York headquarters that was attended by diplomats from 60 nations. AJC was also a co-sponsor of an empty table installation in Times Square, with a chair and place setting for each of the hostages being held by Hamas, and the Stand with Israel rally hosted in San Diego.

AJC has also ramped up efforts to engage with university administrators and support college students in the wake of numerous anti-Israel rallies, many of which also featured antisemitic rhetoric.

AJC has been a leader in conveying when criticism of Israel verges into Jew hate. The definition of “From the River to the Sea” from AJC’s Translate Hate glossary has been cited by dozens of media 16

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • NOVEMBER 2023

outlets across the globe since the war began.

Here in San Diego, these efforts take a local focus and have included working with our university campuses, the San Diego County Office of Education, school district administrators and educators, and parents impacted by the 400% increase in antisemitism we have witnessed since October 7, 2023.

AJC advances democratic values, promotes pluralism, and works with political leaders to protect the Jewish people and open doors to and for Israel. AJC San Diego serves not only as a pipeline for communication but also as a resource for local elected officials. Now more than ever, that work has been crucial. Several local leaders have traveled to Israel with AJC and have shown moral clarity in their statements against Hamas and with Israel and it defends its people.

At this time, allyship is critical, and for more than a century, AJC has cultivated interfaith and intergroup relationships across the globe. The Latino Jewish Coalition in San Diego was a cornerstone of cross-community dialogue, cultivating mutual understanding, collaboration, and enduring friendships between Latino and Jewish communities. Following a temporary pause, we are thrilled to announce the coalition’s reactivation under the leadership of AJC San Diego. Together, we will come together and stand against all forms of hatred.

Am Yisrael Chai!

SINGING & SHARING a variety of traditional Jewish music We welcome new members!

Email Rita for more info: rheller8@gmail.com

TEST YOUR JEWISH IQTM 1. Which of these is a Jewish dessert to die for (well, maybe not literally)? ____ a. Rugelach ____ b. Babka ____ c. Sufganiyot ____ d. All of the above 2. When Rav Chanina and Rav Oshaya would delve into the Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Creation) every Friday, according to the Talmud (San. 67b), what would happen? ____ a. The voice of Elijah the Prophet would guide them in their studies. ____ b. A calf would be created for them, which they would slaughter and eat in honor of Shabbat. ____ c. They would be transported to the study halls of the Sanhedrin (supreme court) at the Temple Mount. ____ d. They would experience the sights, sounds, and smells of the Garden of Eden.

3. According to the Torah, a Jew would die if he would do what to the holy Ark of the Covenant? ____ a. Strike it with a staff ____ b. Touch it ____ c. See it ____ d. Any of the above

Hanukkah is a time to remember the past and celebrate the present.

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All are welcome no matter your background or affiliation.

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4. Which of these games is the most shabbosdiche (appropriate for Shabbat)? ____ a. Golf ____ b. Basketball ____ c. Chess ____ d. Poker 5. What is the chronological order in which blame was passed for eating the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge? ____ a. Eve blamed the serpent.

Adam blamed Eve. The serpent blamed the Creator. ____ b. Adam blamed Eve. Eve blamed the serpent. ____ c. Adam blamed the serpent.

Eve blamed Adam. ____ d. The serpent blamed Eve. Adam blamed Eve and the serpent.

6. Before the 7th Zionist Congress in 1905 firmly committed itself to a Jewish homeland in Palestine, Theodore Herzl presented to the 6th Zionist Congress in 1903 a British idea to establish a Jewish Colony on land that is now in which country?

____ a. Kenya ____ b. Switzerland ____ c. Austria ____ d. Russia 7. If Alec Baldwin had accidentally killed someone with his slingshot in the land of Israel during the First or Second Temple eras, what does the Torah say he should do? ____ a. Flee to a city of refuge and live there until the Kohen Gadol dies ____ b. Depart the country and live in exile the rest of his life ____ c. Turn himself in to the Sanhedrin for a punishment of 40 lashes ____ d. Turn himself in to the Sanhedrin for execution by stoning – measure for measure, a life for a life 8. Women are excused from performing positive commandments that are bound by what? ____ a. The existence of the Temple ____ b. Location ____ c. Time ____ d. Physical strength 9. Which righteous Jew debated and negotiated ardently to spare the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, possibly the wickedest cities on Earth, from destruction? ____ a. Abraham ____ b. Isaac ____ c. Jacob ____ d. Moses 10. Which secular Jew, son of a Polish textile seller, earned a PhD in Philosophy in 1982, met and was inspired by Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik and Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, and became Chief Rabbi of United Hebrew Congregations of the United Kingdom in 1991 for 22 years and a Member of the House of Lords? ____ a. Moshe Feinstein ____ b. Jonathan Sacks ____ c. Joseph Telushkin ____ d. Abraham Twerski

Answers on page 29. ©

2023 Felber, Starmark, Inc., all rights reserved.

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • NOVEMBER 2023

FOOD

EGGPLANT ROLLS

BY THE SEPHARDIC SPICE GIRLS

S

tuffed foods from vegetables to pastries represent abundance. For Sephardim, it’s all about the stuffed veggies. The Syrians and Egyptians call it Mehshi (pronounced mekh’shi) from the Arabic word for stuffed. Like the Ottoman Turks, the Iraqi Jews call stuffed grape leaves dolma. But for the holidays and other festive occasions, the Iraqi Jews prepare a large assortment of stuffed vegetables giving it the name ma’hasha. These stuffed eggplant rolls are one of our favorites. Most recipes call for frying the eggplant, but to make it easier and a little healthier, we roasted it in the oven.

INGREDIENTS (SAUCE)

1/4 cup olive oil 2 onions, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped 1 14-ounce can of tomato sauce 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/2 cup water 1 large lemon, juiced DIRECTIONS 1. Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender.

2. Add the tomato sauce, salt and pepper.

Lower heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Add water and lemon juice and stir well for 2 more minutes. Set aside.

INGREDIENTS (EGGPLANT ROLLS)

3 medium eggplants, thinly sliced in

long strips 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1/2 cup avocado oil, divided 1 onion, chopped finely 1 lb ground beef 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 3 tablespoons potato starch 1 egg 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup pitted prunes DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 450°F 2. Sprinkle salt over eggplant strips, place in a colander and let drain, about 20 minutes.

3. Squeeze water from eggplant and pat dry with a paper towel 4. Brush both sides of eggplant with 1/4 cup oil and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

5. Bake for 10 minutes or until tender and slightly golden.

6. Remove eggplants from the oven and reduce oven heat to 350°F. 7. In a medium skillet, warm oil over medium heat and add onion. Sauté until onions are translucent and soft. Set aside to cool.

8. Place ground beef in a medium bowl, then add the onions.

9. Add the spices, potato starch, egg, parsley and oil and mix to combine.

10. Roll the beef mixture into an oval

meatball and place on the wider side of the eggplant. Roll the eggplant over the meat filling and place in a large ovenproof dish. Repeat to use all the ingredients.

11. Arrange prunes in between the eggplant rolls.

12. Pour the tomato sauce over the eggplant rolls.

13. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

The Sephardic Spice Girls, Sharon Gomperts and Rachel Emquies Sheff, have been friends since high school. They are passionate about preserving Sephardic heritage and tradition and recording the recipes of their mothers. Follow them on Instagram, @sephardicspicegirls. Visit sephardicspicegirls. com to see more of their Sephardic recipes with a modern twist!

SHARSHERET, A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, IS THE JEWISH BREAST CANCER AND OVARIAN CANCER COMMUNITY. IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE HAS BEEN IMPACTED BY BREAST OR OVARIAN CANCER, OR HAS ELEVATED GENETIC RISK, CONTACT SHARSHERET FOR FREE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES. FOR MORE INFO, VISIT SHARSHERET.ORG OR CALL (866) 474-2774.

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FEATURE STORY

Oasis Institute

A Rancho Bernardo Center for Learning

BY EVA TRIEGER

Judy Applebaum.

T

hanks to technology, great accessibility to food and medicine, Americans are living longer than ever before. But as we all know, it’s not the number of breaths you take but the number of moments that take your breath away. If, as we’re told in Genesis 6:3, that man is granted 120 years, who doesn’t want to make the most of every day, learning new perspectives, forming new connections, experiencing vitality? This concept is at the very core of Oasis Institute in Rancho Bernardo.

This nonprofit organization is committed to providing mental, physical, and emotional stimulation for those 50 or better in the San Diego community. Membership is free, and most classes are about $15. The variety of classes is staggering and limited only by

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the imagination. Many are taught by experts in their field and some feature prominent celebrities! 50,000 members have discovered this gem so far, but the facility is huge and there is truly a class, lecture or fitness program to interest every single person.

Oasis has been in existence in San Diego’s Mission Valley for decades, before making a move to La Mesa. Judy Applebaum climbed aboard in time for the grand opening in Rancho Bernardo this past June and granted me a phone interview to learn more about this dynamic and all-encompassing program.

This incredible operation offers a plethora of opportunities to address every aspect of the human condition. Staffed by only three full-time, paid employees, Oasis is a volunteer-run organization. The

FEATURE STORY

she returns to fifteen emails from individuals offering new ideas or This nonprofit wanting to learn more about Oasis. She told me that she is thrilled that in this setting there is none of the “red tape” she had experienced organization is in previous roles. She has been given a green light and loves the freedom to program whatever she wants. membership is growing monthly, Applebaum looks forward to committed to providing anAsincrease in the number and type of classes offered at Oasis. There are dreams of a kiln for a ceramics class, special events such as soul mental, physical, and line dancing and exciting concerts. The center has plans to become a site for vaccination clinics, a cool zone in summer, and anticipates emotional stimulation for increased usage of their gourmet kitchen space. Currently, the voluminous space is rented for weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs and other local gatherings. A large conference room is the perfect spot those 50 or better in the large for guest speakers and lectures. Some of the space is used by the Boy Scouts and the Kiwanis Club of Rancho Bernardo to name but a few.

San Diego community.

The space is non-denominational and clearly all religious faiths

front desk, programming and classes are all supported by enthusiastic, dedicated volunteers. Partnerships with schools, AARP, Aging Well, Thrivent, SDG&E, and Sharp Health allow Oasis to provide members with a multitude of services for free or at minimal cost.

Fitness classes are but one of the offerings, and a popular one at that. Oasis offers philosophy classes, gourmet cooking classes, classes on marketing, and retirement finances. A 500,000-foot game room with 50 tables allows for mahjong, bridge, gin rummy and so many other table games. As this fills up quickly members are encouraged to register online to reserve their space. Another lovely feature, Applebaum shared, is that if a member wants to see a class offered or teach a class s/he can fill out a form and request that this new class be put on the docket. Applebaum or a volunteer will help the member make sure that the title and description of the class will draw attendees. There is currently a member-requested Cribbage class being offered!

As you can see, Oasis differs from so many other “senior centers” in that the emphasis is on energy! Applebaum refers to a “buzz” that is ever present. She, and volunteers, often stay late or come in extra hours because the thrum of excitement and passionate vitality is contagious. Applebaum said she loves coming to work each day and the excitement is constant. If she leaves her desk for five minutes,

are welcomed and included. Klezmer star and UCSD professor, Yale Strom, is on the schedule as is local historian Steve Halpern.

Who knows? Oasis may even get to host a Hanukkah celebration, partnering with local synagogue Ner Tamid. Applebaum is eager to share traditions so we can all educate each other and become enriched by our exchanges.

Oasis is, well… truly an oasis! This thriving center provides so much to so many in our community and plans to continue making a positive impact with a Women’s discussion group led by Michelle Shelton, an experienced Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT), cardio drumming, courses in technology and software. There are classes on how to use Uber, cell phones, and how to manage Google photos. Two classes that piqued my curiosity are Senior 101 taught by Bryan Devore, and Dr. Casciani’s Living to 100 Club.

Applebaum is asked constantly when the new course catalog is coming out. While the scheduling is a massive undertaking, the goal of filling every classroom every day from 10 a.m. to 1pm fuels her devotion. Membership is free and class costs are minimal.

The center relies on donations and its partnerships. This new large facility provides naming opportunities for those who’d like to leave a meaningful legacy. Each level of donation comes with benefits. Oasis welcomes you to visit the beautiful facility, sign up for a class, sign up to teach a class, or come sign a check to promote this unique center for active, curious, and engaged adults over 50. Why not come to Oasis and see what you can learn in your remaining 70 years?

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FEATURE STORY

Haredi Jews Take Up Arms Forming Civil Defense Groups

BY DAVID ISAAC | JNS.ORG

T

he Oct. 7 Hamas massacre has led to a societal shift in thinking when it comes to personal defense in Israel.

Previously content to let the official security forces handle such matters, Israelis now want to protect themselves.

Perhaps nowhere is this switch more dramatic than in the ultraOrthodox, or haredi, community.

Haredi Jews have shunned not only self-defense but sharing in the nation’s defense, avoiding army service in favor of religious study (a fact which has led to an undercurrent of hostility—occasionally contributing to political upheaval—among the largely secular public).

“Up until now, haredi people didn’t take part in such things.

They didn’t look at it as their job,” said Roni Ayalon Hirsch, a former special forces operator in the IDF’s elite Sayeret Matkal (General 22

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Staff Reconnaissance) unit, who heads a new group, Mishmar Ha’am (“The People’s Guard”), the first to train haredim in firearms and community defense.

To their credit, though haredim had the furthest to go in terms of a change in mindset, they seem to have turned on a dime. “We actually thought there’d be more opposition,” Hirsch said rattling off a list of admorim—leaders of hassidic dynasties—who have given their blessing to the training.

Judaism has no qualms about taking up arms. There are mitzvot, or religious injunctions, to prepare for defense, said Hirsch. What changed is a shift in focus as reality set in.

“They saw what happened in the south. There was no army and no police. And it could take hours until they come. So everybody

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Brothers to the Homefront is a haredi initiative, a new organization comprising a number of haredi groups that came together following the Hamas attack. understands that there is a very high possibility that they will have to handle themselves in such an attack on their homes. It’s not so farfetched,” said Hirsch.

“There’s a common, basic feeling of a lack of security after the attack,” he said.

Since the Hamas assault, as of Oct. 30, the Israeli National Security Ministry has received 180,500 new applications for personal firearms permits. An average of 10,000 new requests are received every day (vs.

850 requests per week prior to the outbreak of hostilities).

Hirsch, who is a ba’al teshuvah, meaning one coming to religion from a secular background, joined the Breslov branch of hassidism.

He was asked to run the People’s Guard group because of his military background by Mishmar’s umbrella organization, Achim L’Oref, (“Brothers to the Homefront”).

Brothers to the Homefront is a haredi initiative, a new organization comprising a number of haredi groups that came together following the Hamas attack.

Its goal is to help meet the nation’s needs, to promote unity and to strengthen what it calls societal “resilience.”

“With most secular people going to the war and in miluim [military reserves], we also want to show that we’re not going on with our lives as if nothing has happened,” said Hirsch.

The Brothers group is engaged in many activities, from helping the wounded to providing economic assistance to families that have suffered loss in the horrific Hamas attack.

The Mishmar group is the defense pillar of the Brothers group. It has set up training in 20 locations across the country with about 100 volunteers in each one. Hirsch said he hopes to expand Mishmar to 40 locations.

Haredi communities are, if anything, more in need of defense training than other populations, as many are in areas suffering from constant tension with Arab neighbors, including neighborhoods in Jerusalem and in cities like Beit Shemesh, Elad and Bitar Illit.

Haredim are also prime targets for Arab terrorists as it’s well known that they are overwhelmingly unarmed—at least until now.

Mishmar offers a first-tier training for unarmed guards. The daylong course teaches volunteers how to patrol their neighborhoods, how to spot something suspicious, and what to do in case of an incident.

Armed guards go through a more rigorous course—four days between five and six hours each day.

Hirsch said the main difference between teaching haredim and other Israelis when it comes to handling firearms is that the former have had no prior training. So many are now arming themselves that it’s dangerous in its own right if they don’t learn how to properly handle their firearms, he said.

Training is conducted with the help of another organization with which Mishmar partnered, called Hashomer Hachadash, (“The New Guard”). Hashomer, founded in 2007, generally protects farms in the Galilee and Negev, mainly from Arab pillaging.

“Now they also started guarding different villages and even urban areas,” Hirsch said. “So we contacted Hashomer to help us, first of all, to build this volunteer movement and also to train the volunteers.”

The plan is to prepare haredim to guard their own neighborhoods and then in the future also to go out to agricultural areas to help protect farms, which remain under constant threat from thieves.

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FEATURE STORY

"We Have Been Here Before" StandWithUs Reminds San Diego Amid War in Israel

BY JACOB KAMARAS

A

s the daughter of Holocaust survivors, StandWithUs cofounder and CEO Roz Rothstein grew up deeply immersed in the shadow of the Shoah.

That is what made the unprecedented Hamas assault on Israel all too familiar, Rothstein said at the StandWithUs Southwest “Leaders of Tomorrow” gala on Sunday at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina. In the wake of the October 7 surprise attack widely identified as the deadliest day in Jewish history since the Holocaust, she repeatedly emphasized, “We have been here before.”

“I heard stories [of the Holocaust] of people hiding in closets and 24

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begging for their lives; and being taken away by monsters. Isn’t that exactly what we are seeing this last week?” said Rothstein.

She continued, “We have been here before. We have been here before. We are familiar with the sadism. We are familiar with all these things, begging for your life. And we are familiar with how you make a Nazi and how you make a jihadist. How do you do it?

You take little children, and you teach them bad things about Jews or other minorities. You teach them to hate and to demonize people, and then you end up with someone who feels comfortable hurting another person, marginalizing, dehumanizing another person. You

FEATURE STORY

“We have been here before. We are familiar with the sadism. We are familiar with all these things, begging for your life." get that through training—ongoing training. The Nazi youth of the 1930s grew up to become the Nazis. And so, we have the Palestinian children who are growing up on a steady diet of hate. It should come as no surprise. What we see is predictable. We have been here before.

We have seen this movie before.”

Due to their efforts on the ground in Israel amid the war, StandWithUs’ keynote speaker Colonel Richard Kemp and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Mitch Danzig both could not attend in-person. Kemp delivered remarks via live video feed and Danzig in a recorded message.

Noa Rosenbaum, a StandWithUs Kenneth Leventhal High School Intern during the 2022-23 academic year at Urban Discovery High School, received the Leader of Tomorrow award.

Kemp—a former commander of British troops in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Balkans, and Northern Ireland—described the current war as the “toughest situation Israel has ever faced in its history,” and Hamas as “a combination of Islamic State and Nazism.” There is no political solution to this conflict because Hamas exists solely to annihilate Israel and the Jewish people, he said.

He said Israel “is probably the only country that is attacked for being attacked” in the media and in the international community.

While Israel “is adhering religiously to the rules of war,” Hamas terrorists are hiding behind Gaza’s civilian population and forcing civilians to stay put despite the impending Israeli ground operation, according to Kemp.

Under those conditions, he said the death of Palestinian civilians is “not a war crime. It is unfortunately a consequence of the way Hamas fights.”

Kemp also predicted that the war “is almost certainly going to widen” to involve Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Islamic

Revolutionary Guard Corps in Syria.

“Those of us who are not fighting…should see it as an enormous honor to be able to play our part to stand up for Israel,” he said.

In that regard, Oz Laniado, executive director of StandWithUs Southwest, told the crowd that “if you are not on the frontline, please be online. Spread your message.”

“Every person in good conscience, Jews, non-Jews, must stand with Israel today. This massacre wasn’t just against Israelis or Jews.

It is against humanity,” Laniado said, adding, “We have to stop apologizing for defending our people.”

Danzig, who spent seven years as president of the StandWithUs San Diego Advisory Board and helped StandWithUs launch a national pro bono legal network for Jewish and pro-Israel students facing harassment and discrimination, said that Israel’s enemies “never get off message.”

“They repeat these lies…knowing that thanks to systemic and endemic Jew-hatred, there is a ready audience for their lies as well as a sea of ignorant people to be persuaded by lies camouflaged in the language of social justice,” he said. “And this is why StandWithUs’ mission remains so relevant and so important. We cannot cede the rhetorical battlefield, the battle of hearts and minds, to people who rationalize intentionally mass murdering babies and hundreds of unarmed kids at a peace concert.”

Similarly, Rothstein asserted that the greatest threat to the Jewish people today is misinformation and ignorance.

“This is a moment in time where you have to be involved, you have to help educate people, because of this low information,” she said.

Rothstein recalled that StandWithUs—an international education organization that supports Israel and fights antisemitism—was founded just two weeks after Jewish teenagers Koby Mandell and Yosef Ishran were murdered by Palestinian terrorists in May 2001.

Two months earlier, another Palestinian terror attack had killed Shalhevet Pass, a 10-month-old baby.

Now, the Jewish community finds itself “in an international shiva, and it feels like a nightmare that simply does not want to end,” Rothstein said.

“What we usually do [at a gala] is we ask for everybody’s support to help support students in high schools and middle schools and college campuses, so that they can stand up and be proud of their Zionism and fight for Israel; and teach their friends and inspire their friends,” she said. “Tonight, we still have to do that. With rising antisemitism, we are still obligated to do the same thing. We must do our job.”

Jacob Kamaras is editor and publisher of San Diego Jewish World.

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NEWS

TO KNOW

NOW WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

USIEA CALLS FOR REMOVAL OF STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS IN WAKE OF GAZA WAR

While Israel continues to gain ground against Hamas in Gaza, bringing it closer to ridding the world of the terrorist organization that has brought nothing but death and destruction, employees of Biden’s State Department are accusing him of genocide for his support of Israel. EJ Kimball, Director of Policy and Strategic Operations for the U.S. Israel Education Association (USIEA) is calling for those employees to be immediately removed from their positions.

USIEA is a Birmingham, AL-based non-profit organization, founded by Heather Johnston, that educates senior government leaders and advances important dialogue and collaboration between the United States and Israel. In addition to briefing Members of Congress on issues concerning the U.S.-Israel relationship, USIEA pioneered the first privately funded, bipartisan Congressional tours to Israel that visit the West Bank, offering Members of Congress firsthand experience to better inform their policy decisions. Since October 7th, the USIEA has been outspoken about how the U.S. can be the best possible ally to Israel, including rooting out anti-Zionism and antisemitism here at home.

“This isn’t about punishing these State Department staffers for questioning the President or Israel, but because employees of the State Department have a responsibility to know what genocide means,” says Kimball. “These staffers either don’t understand the meaning of the word, or they are letting their biases against Israel dictate their work on behalf of the United States. Either way, they have proven themselves unfit for their positions.”

To learn more about USIEA, visit their website at USIEducation.org.

BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL CALLS ON 850,000 ALUMNI TO VOLUNTEER IN ISRAEL DURING WAR AGAINST HAMAS

Birthright Israel announced a vital effort to assist the Jewish state as it defends itself from Hamas.

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Birthright’s initiative involves placing volunteers on kibbutzim and moshavim to harvest crops in the absence of the thousands of foreign field workers who returned to their countries during the war.

The volunteers will thereby make a crucial contribution to saving the hundreds of family farms whose residents were evacuated or called into reserve duty since Hamas massacred southern-Israel residents on October 7 and launched its war against the Jewish state.

Participants will also work in donation centers to help with sorting, packing and distributing boxes of supplies for civilian evacuees and military units.

Birthright is coordinating the effort through its Onward Volunteer Program. The first round of applicants will volunteer for two weeks in 2 rounds in November and more spots are expected to open in December.

The program will fully cover Tel Aviv-area accommodations, all of which have fortified rooms; transportation from and to the airport, and to and from the volunteering sites; and a small stipend.

Participants will pay the cost of their flights and travel insurance.

The Volunteers will be working up to six hours daily, during which they’ll meet Israeli peers who also are lending a hand in farms and warehouses.

Applicants need to be between 18 and 40 years old, regardless of their previous Israel-program experience, with preference given to those who have already participated in Israel programs and who are ages 25 and up. All applicants will need to identify themselves as Jewish.

For more information and to apply to volunteer, visit www. birthrightisrael.com/beyond/resource-center.

ELIZABETH TOBIAS NAMED GALLERY CURATOR IN RESIDENCE OF THE MANDELL WEISS GALLERY IN ARTS DISTRICT LIBERTY

NEWS

ANSWERS TO TEST YOUR JEWISH IQTM

STATION

Elizabeth Tobias has been named Gallery Curator in Residence of The Mandell Weiss Gallery in ARTS DISTRICT Liberty Station.

Her debut exhibit features Los Angeles Artis Lorraine Triolo’s documentary series, “People Who Look Like Art.” The exhibit is open now and runs through Feb 29, 2024. The gallery is open daily from 9am to 9pm in the Dorothea Laub Dance Place at 2650 Truxtun Road in Liberty Station. Mandell Weiss Gallery is a project of San Diego Ballet.

For more information, visit https://libertystation.com/do/peoplewho-look-like-art-by-lorraine-triolo.

HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS CELEBRATE B’NAI MITZVOT

1. d. Babka is a sweet buttery yeast bread, usually with swirls of chocolate or cinnamon running through it. Rugelach, Yiddish for “little twists” or “rolled things,” are croissant-like cookies. Sufganiyot, fried jelly-filled doughnuts, are a Chanukah staple. Such a mechayeh!

2. b. Rav Chanina and Rav Oshaya were so holy they considered everything in the world to be a gift from Heaven. A calf being created for their Shabbat dinner was no more exceptional to them than a frozen chicken in the supermarket is to us.

3. d. Only the Kohen Gadol (chief priest) could enter the Holy of Holies in which the Ark rested, and only on Yom Kippur. If he was not holy and pure enough, he too would die, and his body would be pulled out by a rope tied around his waist for that eventuality.

4. c. Chess generally does not involve any of the categories of work forbidden on Shabbat, like carrying an object more than four cubits (about 6 to 8 feet) in a public domain or, heaven forbid, handling money. Give yourself credit for “d. Poker” if you had in mind that no money would be involved, even after Shabbat, and no scores would be written down.

5. b. Adam blamed Eve, “The woman whom You gave to be with me – she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” Eve blamed the serpent, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

On Nov. 5, at Irvine’s Merage Jewish Community Center, an incredible simcha took place. Fifty-nine Holocaust Survivors, ranging in age from 78 to 102, participated in a belated B’Nai Mitzvah ceremony and celebration funded by the Honig Family Foundation. The survivors, from San Diego and Orange County, are participants in Serving Our Survivors, a program of the Center for Jewish Care at Jewish Family Service.

“These b’nai mitzvah have spent a lifetime of resilience, overcoming persecution and building beautiful families and successful careers. We are all the beneficiaries of their strength and contributions,” said Carole Yellen, senior director, JFS Center for Jewish Care. “May we all stand as confidently in our Jewish identity, continue to add to the rich tapestry of our community and stand fiercely against hate.”

EVACUATED FAMILIES FROM THE GAZA ENVELOPE ARE BEING HOUSED AT THE JEWISH NATIONAL FUND-USA ALEXANDER MUSS HIGH SCHOOL IN ISRAEL IN HOD HASHARON.

6. a. A majority of the 6th Zionist Congress agreed to investigate the British offer, presented by Theodore Herzl, of a Jewish Colony in what is now Kenya. But the proposal was strongly opposed by the Russian delegation, which stormed out.

7. a. The Torah commands that there should be six cities of refuge, three on each side of the Jordan River. If an accidental killer manages to reach one of these cities before the victim’s relatives, the “avengers of the blood,” kill him first, he may live there in safety. When the Kohen Gadol dies, he may return to his home, and the victim’s relatives are no longer permitted to kill him.

8. c. Women are excused from positive time-bound commandments, those that apply at a given time and not at another, like saying shema, laying tefillin, hearing the shofar, and dwelling in a sukkah.

9. a. Abraham (Gen. Ch. 18), “What if there should be fifty righteous people in the midst of the city? Would You still stamp it out ... 45 ... 40 ...

30 ... 20 ... 10 ... ?”

10. b. Thirteen years after Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson urged Jonathan Sacks to seek rabbinic ordination, Sacks became Chief Rabbi of the largest synagogue body of the United Kingdom. The Prince of Wales, later coronated King Charles, called him a “light unto this nation,” “a steadfast friend,” and “a valued adviser.”

_________________________________________ 0–2 Talmid/Talmida (Student) 3–5 Melamed/Melamedet (Teacher) 6–8 Talmid Chacham/Talmidat Chacham (Scholar) 9 – 10 Gaon/Gaona (Genius) _________________________________________ Your comments are welcome at Felber@Jewish-IQ.com ©2023 Felber, Starmark, Inc., all rights reserved.

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