AJC Fights Antisemitism

APRIL 2026

AJC fights antisemitism Plus:

HOLOCAUST EDUCATION

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contents April 2026 • www.lchaimmagazine.com

in this issue...

COVER STORY AJC Fights Antisemitism..........................................................................................................................................

1000 WORDS

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AJC SUMMIT

08 11

Dr. Shimrit Tirosh Maman, the Israeli Woman Breaking Barriers in Space...................

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

FOOD Rainbow Sesame Salad................................................................................................................................

FEATURES

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18 20 22 23 26

Holocaust Education in San Diego........................................................................................................

Hebrew Free Loan of San Diego...........................................................................................................

SESAME SALAD

JFest at 33: A Landmark Year for Jewish Arts...............................................................................

SDJA.........................................................................................................................................................................

Danielle Meyers’ Love Story......................................................................................................................

12 16 26

COLUMNS

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

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Guest Column............................................

LOVE STORY

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

PUBLISHERS Diane Benaroya & Laurie Miller EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alanna Maya CREATIVE DIRECTOR Laurie Miller CONTRIBUTORS Barbara Birenbaum, Franklin Felber, Donald H. Harrison, Jacob Kamaras, Stephanie D. Gittleman, Salomon Maya, Jana Mazurkiewicz Meisarosh, Mimi Pollack, Rachel Stern, Eva Trieger, Deborah Vietor, Cheri Weiss

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

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COVER INFO: Standing Together 2025 Keynote John Ondrasik, Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter also known as Five for Fighting, with leadership of AJC's California Regional Offices and Garry Rotto, Director of Federal Government Relations for San Diego State University.

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TORAH l BY RABBI-CANTOR CHERI WEISS

prayers

& passages BLESSINGS & RESPONSIBILITIES

O

ur family was recently blessed by the birth of our first grandchild, Owen. When my daughter Emma was born, I experienced a profound maternal love (and still do) unlike any other love I have ever experienced. Holding baby Owen in my arms for the first time, I was overwhelmed by the intensity of love flowing through me for this little boy. When he looked into my eyes, I felt enormous gratitude to God for giving life to this precious child, and I prayed to the Divine to always watch over him as he grows.

The responsibility of parents to teach Torah to their children is made clear in the first paragraph of our Sh’ma prayer: “You shall love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. Take to heart these instructions with which I charge you this day. Impress them upon your children, and recite them when you stay at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise up.” — Deuteronomy 6:5-7 The Torah serves as our roadmap for leading ethical lives, and parents therefore have an obligation to ensure that their children are taught its lessons. Parents teach their children Torah not only through formal 6

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • APRIL 2026

Jewish education, but by exemplifying the Torah’s values and morals in their own daily lives. The Talmud also stresses the importance of teaching Torah to children, advising that if one is unable to do so personally, a tutor should be retained. (Kiddushin 29a) But what about grandparents? Do they have any particular responsibility in transmitting Judaism to their grandchildren? The Torah says they do. During Moses’ final speech before turning over the reins of leadership to Joshua, he stresses the importance of telling the story of the revelation at Sinai to future generations: “But take utmost care and watch yourselves scrupulously, so that you do not forget the things that you saw with your own eyes, and so that they do not fade from your mind as long as you live. And make them known to your children and to your children’s children.”

— Deuteronomy 4:9 Grandparents have the same obligation as parents to model ethical behavior, help those in need, study Torah, and pass along Jewish traditions. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks (of blessed memory) notes that while there are often tensions between parents and children, this is generally not so in the relationship between

grandparents and grandchildren. Children may misbehave, and their parents will discipline them accordingly. Grandparents, however, are generally free from this responsibility.

In Genesis 48:20, as Jacob lies close to death, he blesses not only his son Joseph, but Joseph’s two sons as well: “By you shall Israel invoke blessings, saying: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’” This is the only known blessing of grandchildren in the Torah, and it emphasizes the importance of the grandparent-grandchild relationship.

As Owen grows, I will be aware that he is watching me: how I celebrate Shabbat and Jewish holidays, how I honor our traditions, study Torah, and contribute to the community. By fulfilling the mitzvot (commandments) of our people, I hope to set a positive example that Owen will want to emulate, make an integral part of his own life, and pass along to his own children and future generations.

RABBI-CANTOR CHERI WEISS IS AN INDEPENDENT LIFE-CYCLES OFFICIANT. LEARN MORE AT WWW.SANDIEGO-RABBI.COM

HUMOR | BY STEPHANIE D. GITTLEMAN

mazel

& mishagoss JEWISH FAMILY TAKING OVER TECHNOLOGY!

I

often wish my GPS would have more of a personality as it dictates directions.

Disclaimer: The following is a cautionary tale to be careful what you wish for! I now have a Jewish mother shrieking loudly through my Mazda GPS speaker.

Don’t believe me? Normally it methodically states, “Turn left in 500 feet.” But now it nags, “Turn left in 500 feet…unless you think the other way is better. I’m just suggesting.

You’re the driver.”

If that isn’t suspicious enough, after I opted to turn right instead, it sighed and said, “Recalculating! But you shouldn’t worry that it’s any sort of a bother.” After I ignored directions a third time, I heard it utter, “Do whatever you want. I’m only trying to help.

But your brother always listens to his GPS. I’m just saying.” Then it proceeded to switch into “Family History Tidbit” mode, which sounded something like this: “In half a mile, the destination is on the right…just past the Outback Steakhouse where your Aunt Bernice had a first date with that dentist who seemed nice but turned out to have terrible parents.” Next she cycled into “Judgment” mode. “There’s an accident ahead. You’re still on the fastest route…not like when you switched your major three different times at that expensive college, floundering over your future.” Just as I was getting extremely irritated at having my opinionated mother embodying my GPS, I remembered my car has a self-driving operating system. Quickly enabling that option, I breathed a sigh of

relief; my maternal GPS would now be forced into silence as the car drove on its own. I can hear you from here wondering aloud… “And how’s that working out for you?”

“Auto Navigation is ON,” announced my GPS in a rather arrogant male voice. Wait!

Was that my father? “Murray! Stay out of this! We were doing just fine without you around,” my motherly GPS retorted. Oh dear! Did I mention my parents divorced many years ago? It would be a very long car ride at this rate. “Sheila, there’s horrendous traffic ahead. Who goes out at this hour?

Lunatics, that’s who!” Suddenly I noticed both systems had activated their Passive Aggressive controls, ominously glowing bright red on the dashboard. “All normal people leave the house at this hour. That’s why it’s called Rush Hour. You know Murray, if we would’ve left the house when I said we should, we would’ve been there already.”

At this point, I abandoned my squabbling parents, err I mean I left my car on the side of the road and opted for walking. After all, I had my Apple Smartwatch on. What could possibly go wrong?

At first the device on my wrist seemed perfectly normal. It counted my steps, it tracked my heartrate, but then the notifications started getting uncannily personal. “You walk an average of 2.3 miles each day. Your cousin David runs marathons!” And “You haven’t had water for eighty minutes. You want you should get dehydrated? Don’t complain to me.” OMG,

this was my grandmother inside my watch!

I begged Bubbe to give me a break because I was exhausted. “Nu? Why so tired? I’ll tell you why.” The watch flashed my sleep chart.

“See that? You only closed your eyes for five hours last night. No wonder you’re weak. And what were you doing with your phone at 2:45 a.m.?” (I confessed to being on Instagram, watching kitten videos.) “Instagram! That’s what you’re doing with your life?” I tried to ignore my watch’s admonishments, but it began to wildly beep and short-circuit all sorts of questions and reminders.

“You didn’t answer your sister’s text. She thinks you’re mad at her. Just write 'Hi'. Is that so hard?” And “Did you really need a second bagel? I’m just asking.” And “The temple giftshop has mezuzahs half-off. Your scroll isn’t kosher.” And “Did you RSVP to the wedding yet? They need a headcount.”

And “I see you were within three blocks of my apartment yesterday and didn’t stop in for a visit. Interesting.” But when I got strategic and stopped walking, it finally concluded by declaring, “You’ve arrived! Text someone so they know you got here safely.” Honestly, I was just going to wait it out, certain that the battery would eventually run out of juice.

But then it dawned on me: Family inhabited devices will last forever, powered solely by concern, guilt and meddling. Oy. STEPHANIE D. GITTLEMAN WILL INJECT HUMOR INTO ANYTHING YOU HIRE HER TO WRITE. EMAIL HER AT THEQUOTEGAL@YAHOO.COM. WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

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L’CHAIM | BY ATARA BECK | JNS.ORG

Shimrit Tirosh-Maman in front of the Beresheet spacecraft, which was launched from Cape Canaveral in 2019. PHOTO COURTESY: IAI. 8

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • APRIL 2026

L’CHAIM

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WORDS MEET THE ISRAELI WOMAN BREAKING BARRIERS IN SPACE

D

r. Shimrit Tirosh Maman, 45, is the first woman to be appointed chairperson of the Israel Space Agency (ISA) at the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology.

“I’m also the youngest to be selected. But the important thing is to highlight my achievements, not my gender,” she said Her achievements are impressive. A senior scientist and space researcher at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in Beersheva, she established and heads the United Nations’ regional support office in Israel for space-based information supporting disaster management and emergency response (UN-SPIDER), represents Israel on the U.N. Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, and serves as vice chair of the Earth Observations Committee at the International Astronautical Federation (IAF).

Maman also founded “She Space,” a BGU educational project that encourages high school girls to become involved in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) studies. The project won the IAF’s annual Excellence in 3G Diversity Award in 2021.

When she discusses the progress made by the teenage participants, she speaks with pride and passion. She encourages her students to dream big and look at the stars, but also to keep their feet firmly on the ground.

“Space is not only about exploration. It is a strategic infrastructure that underpins national resilience, economic growth, security and scientific excellence,” she said. “Leading the ISA is a responsibility to shape a forward-looking space ecosystem by nurturing talent, enabling industry and advancing cutting-edge research.”

TOWARD NEW FRONTIERS

Maman is leading the ISA boldly toward new frontiers. Indeed, her entire worldview is built on a single philosophy: “Space is not just for exploration. It’s a tool that can—and absolutely should—be used to focus on urgent, down-to-earth issues and to save lives.”

For example, in February 2023, a massive earthquake struck Turkey. Tens of thousands of people were killed, and rescue missions were rushing to get there from around the world.

At the same time, totally by chance, Maman happened to be at BenGurion International Airport with some of her She Space students,

and they ran into an Israeli rescue team from United Hatzalah that was on its way to the disaster zone. A member of the team jokingly asked, “What can you do to help? Get me a satellite picture of the area?”

Maman immediately called ISI, a leading Israeli provider of spacebased intelligence solutions, and the images she managed to get were the very first satellite photos in the world to reach the rescue teams on the ground. They helped find survivors in the rubble and get them out.

However, she said, “the applications are not limited to disaster scenarios. For instance, the expansion of certain towns in the Negev is causing friction with wildlife. To alleviate the situation, they’re using satellites to track environmental changes and combine that data with motion cameras on the ground and even an AI system that can analyze an animal’s body language to see if it’s stressed out.

“The core information comes from satellites. It’s space that is directly connected to the environment.”

CREATING REAL BENEFITS FOR SOCIETY

Her role, she said, “is to ensure that space technologies translate into real benefits for society, ranging from climate monitoring and disaster preparedness to education and innovation.”

In fact, “50 percent of the data we could gain about climate change comes from satellites. People don’t know that.”

In a pilot program in the southern Israeli town of Omer, her student Maria teaches residents important tools for preparedness.

“First of all–know your tech,” Maman said. “Do you even know if your smartphone has satellite capabilities? Most of us don’t.”

“Recent regional events highlight that space is an integral part of our national security infrastructure,” Maman explained. “Spacebased systems enable situational awareness, anticipation, and preparedness–transforming information into actionable insight. In an age of multi-domain threats, national resilience depends not only on what surrounds us, but also on what operates above us.”

According to Maman, “the current security reality makes it unmistakably clear that space is no longer a future domain; it is an operational one. Space-based capabilities support decision-making, WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

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L’CHAIM

Shimrit Tirosh-Maman with her father, Gabriel Tirosh, at her appointment ceremony.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL DIMENSTEIN.

early warning, and real-time situational understanding. In an era when threats transcend traditional boundaries, superiority is shaped not only at sea, in the air, or on land, but also by our ability to see, interpret, and act from space.”

Maman is married with two children—an 18-year-old son and a 15-year-old daughter. “It’s very demanding, but I prioritize, like with everything else,” she said.

“Since the children were very young, they have been used to the activity. My career started a long time ago. Luckily for me, I have a very, very good relationship with my spouse, who is very supportive.

We’re very good partners. He has a PhD in physics, and he also works for BGU. “It was also a wonderful opportunity for the kids to learn. When my children were very young, I often tried to turn some work trips into family trips when possible. Coming back to the hotel or apartment in the evening and not being alone made those intense travel periods much more meaningful. It was a real privilege for them as well, because growing up, they were exposed to many places, cultures, and experiences. In many ways, it became a win-win situation, and they gained a lot from it.”

Maman was also privileged to travel in her youth. Her parents, originally from Morocco, were shlichim (emissaries) for the Jewish Agency. When she was a month old, the family moved to Brazil until she was five. They went back to Israel for four years and then moved to Toronto for four years before returning to Israel.

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • APRIL 2026

Asked how the She Space program helps young women advance in the field, she replied: “Mainly, I provide them with the opportunity to gain experience. The program is designed for high school girls, and the reason is that when they enter university, it’s often too late to switch majors. In high school, they’re at a stage where we could influence their decision and remove many barriers and social prejudices.”

She added, “It’s a very demanding program. I won’t lie. It’s very serious. A student in 10th grade does work at a master’s level. But it’s doable. Everything they need to learn, they will learn. We invest in them, but they must be very motivated to stay in the program.

“I want students who want to learn and who dare to do something they have never done before. We have had incredible results. This program has operated in 11 countries. We ran international programs, and the exciting part is that they present their results among other partners worldwide.

“The fun part,” she continued, “is that some of them traveled to places where, otherwise, they would never have gone. In fact, we were the first Israeli youth group to go to the United Arab Emirates after the Abraham Accords were signed.

“Our girls won third place in a competition in South Korea against people with 10 years of experience in the industry. These are high school girls. I’m so proud of them.”

Her daughter is not pursuing the field, Maman said; she plans to become a doctor. “But speaking of my daughter, the program started with her asking me, at the age of four and a half, why I don’t have any female friends who are astronauts. She grew up having dinners and lunches with astronauts because of my job. I had never noticed that all she was seeing were men.

“That’s how the She Space program started. That’s what sparked the program.”

GOING BACK TO THE MOON

Beresheet, Israel’s first lunar spacecraft, launched by SpaceIL from Cape Canaveral, FL, on Feb. 22, 2019, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, crashed during its landing attempt on April 11, 2019, after a malfunction in its main engine caused it to lose control in the final moments before touchdown.

A brand-new national innovation lab is getting a 60-million-shekel ($19.5 million) budget, Maman said. Its purpose is to supercharge startups that are researching the space sector.

This is paving the way for Israel’s next big ambition. “We are going back to the moon,” Maman declared. “NASA’s Artemis Accords are not only about returning to the moon. They are about shaping how humanity explores space together, responsibly and cooperatively.”

Israel is planning to send its first woman to space, an initiative led

by Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology Gila Gamliel.

Why specifically a woman? “Promoting any sector of society promotes society as a whole,” Maman said. “It all comes down to one goal: to make life better for people on earth.”

TEST YOUR JEWISH IQTM 1. Which Jewish comic-book artist co-created Captain America, the Fantastic Four, the Hulk, Iron Man, the Silver Surfer, Thor, the X-Men, Ant-Man, the Avengers, and the Black Panther? __ a. Jack Kirby (born Jacob Kurtzberg) __ b. Joe Shuster __ c. Jerry Siegel __ d. Bob Kane (born Robert Kahn) 2. Someone who is loaded with mezuma has plenty of what? __ a. Food in his belly __ b. Gelt __ c. Guilt __ d. Booze in his blood

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3. Which of these is not used on the Passover seder plate to symbolize the bitter herb? __ a. Horseradish __ b. Romaine lettuce __ c. Hot peppers __ d. All are used for the bitter herb 4. Which of these biblical figures did not want to kill his brother at some point? __ a. Cain and his brother Abel __ b. Esau and his brother Jacob __ c. Reuben and his brother Joseph __ d. Absalom and his brother Amnon 5. Jews may not combine species, but are allowed to benefit from combinations, such as the offspring of a male horse and a female donkey, which is called what? __ a. A filly __ b. A mule __ c. A hinny __ d. None of the above 6. Among these nations – Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan – which has not made peace with Israel? __ a. Egypt

__ b. Jordan __ c. Sudan __ d. All made peace with Israel 7. King Saul’s son, Jonathan, demonstrated personal courage when he did what? __ a. Defied his father’s command to deliver David to his almost certain execution __ b. Secretly warned David of his father’s intention to kill David __ c. Single-handedly attacked and routed the Philistine army __ d. All of the above 8. The heavenly voice that told Moses to go to Egypt to free the Jews from slavery came from what object that seemed to burn without being consumed? __ a. An acacia tree __ b. A bush __ c. A wooden ark __ d. A cedar tree 9. What fraction of the Jewish population of Europe was slaughtered by Crusader mobs? __ a. 1 to 2 percent __ b. 3 to 5 percent __ c. 10 to 20 percent __ d. 30 to 50 percent 10. Which Jew is widely considered to be the 20th century’s most influential philosophers of science, and is credited with developing the modern scientific method? __ a. Karl Popper __ b. Yeshayahu Leibowitz __ c. Ludwig Boltzmann __ d. Martin Heidegger

Answers on page 25. ©2026 Felber, Starmark, Inc., all rights reserved.

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COVER STORY | BY SARA E. BROWN, PHD, AJC SAN DIEGO DIRECTOR

ANTISEMITISM SUMMIT AJC TO HOST THIRD ANNUAL EVENT IN LA JOLLA

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • APRIL 2026

COVER STORY

O

n April 19, San Diegans will gather for the third annual conference to learn how to recognize, understand, and fight back against antisemitism.

“Antisemitism has never been just a Jewish problem. It’s one we must all solve. Because that’s what a community does,” Those words from San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria get at the heart of AJC San Diego’s mission for its annual Standing Together Against Antisemitism: A Community Summit.

This year’s summit will feature keynote speaker Ambassador Dr. Deborah Lipstadt, former U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism and Professor Emeritus at Emory University.

Skills-building breakout workshops will focus on K-12 Education, Assembly Bill 715, modern media advocacy, and fostering community on college campuses.

“In these times of polarization, we sometimes forget our capacity for allyship, that we are stronger together,” said AJC San Diego Director Sara E. Brown.

With about 100,000 people, Jews make up roughly 3% of the population in the San Diego area. While relatively small in number, the community has made its presence felt fighting antisemitism and pushing back against blatantly anti-Zionist liberated ethnic studies content in K-12 schools. Along the way, the Jewish community has developed close partnerships with leaders from different faiths and ethnic groups who have also experienced hatred and prejudice.

The Summit is framed in part by AJC’s State of Antisemitism in America 2025 Report, a comprehensive survey of the impact antisemitism has had on American Jews. The study found that 91% of American Jews say they feel less safe as a Jewish person in the U.S. due to violent attacks in the past year including the burning of a Jewish governor’s home, the firebombing of Jews in Boulder, Colo., and the murders at the Capital Jewish Museum.

Additionally, 78% of American Jews say they feel less safe as a Jewish person in the U.S. because of the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks. More than half (55%) of American Jews say they changed their behavior in the past year out of fear of antisemitism.

In addition, 73% of American Jews say they have experienced antisemitism online—either by seeing or hearing it or by being personally targeted, while 31% say they have been the personal target of antisemitism—in person or virtually—at least once over the last year.

Antisemitism is on the rise, and San Diego has not been immune to this hate. The AJC San Diego office opened in January 2023 at a critical moment for the Jewish community in the area. Antisemitism is on the rise, and San Diego has not been

immune to this hate.

In 2024, AJC San Diego held the first Standing Together Against Antisemitism Symposium in response to spiking antisemitic activity in the area following the Hamas terrorist attacks. Co-sponsored with the Jewish Federation of San Diego, it featured a keynote panel discussion with AJC CEO Ted Deutch and former Anti-Defamation League National Director Abraham Foxman on their experiences and recommendations for addressing antisemitism.

Last year’s symposium drew more than 400 participants and featured author Franklin Foer whose 2024 article in The Atlantic, “The Golden Age of American Jews,” attracted widespread attention for its warning that antisemitism from the right and left threatened to upend the American Jewish experience. He called antisemitism a “bellwether for how conspiracy flourishes of our country, how we are incapable of trusting one another and incapable of having conversations about difficult things.”

The 2025 Symposium also added a specially designed component for dozens of Jewish teens, who took part in a student leadership workshop focused on maintaining a strong Jewish identity in the face of rising antisemitism and how to be an effective Jewish advocate. This year’s teen track will feature special presentations from two local San Diegans with an outsized presence on social media: “Hot Girls Do Shabbat” creator Sophie Harris and hip-hop artist and advocate Westside Gravy.

These advocacy skills are at the core of AJC’s Leaders for Tomorrow (LFT) program, which has trained nearly 2,000 high school students across the country, including dozens from San Diego, on how to effectively speak up for Israel and the Jewish people.

Join AJC San Diego on April 19 for a day of learning, community, and advocacy. When we all stand together, San Diego becomes a safer place not only for Jews, but for all.

Antisemitism is a societal issue, not a Jewish issue. And together, we can be a part of the solution.

AJC’s San Diego office connects the San Diego community with AJC’s global advocacy work to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel. By working with elected officials, universities, school administrators, media, and intergroup and interfaith partners, it has worked to combat the growing threat of antisemitism, promote Israel’s place in the world, and champion the values of democracy and pluralism.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, create trusted partnerships with leaders around the world to ensure Jews and Israel are safe and thriving. With an unparalleled reach spanning six continents, AJC engages leaders in more than 110 countries through 40 offices and dozens of partnerships with Jewish communities worldwide.

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FOOD

RAINBOW SESAME SALAD WITH SESAME GINGER VINAIGRETTE

BY ERIN GRUNSTEIN-HALPERN @ERIN.EATS.MTL

A

vibrant mix of crisp, colorful vegetables tossed with sesame and finished with a bright ginger vinaigrette. It’s fresh and flavorful with just the right balance of crunch, nuttiness, and a little sweetness. This salad is easy enough for everyday, but special enough to stand out on the table.

INGREDIENTS For the dressing: 1 green onion, sliced 1 inch knob ginger, peeled and grated 1 clove garlic, grated (optional) 2 tbsp orange juice 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp rice vinegar 1/2 tbsp maple syrup 1 tbsp soy sauce 1/4 cup oil (I use grapeseed) 2 tbsp sesame seeds 1 tsp sesame oil For the salad: Salad greens (I used Boston lettuce and spinach) Shredded Napa cabbage Grated carrots Avocado Baby corn Mandarin orange segments Dried cranberries or cherries

Toasted pumpkin seeds and/or peanuts Fresh mint DIRECTIONS 1. Place green onion, garlic and ginger in jar and top with juices and vinegar.

2. Allow to marinate for a few minutes. Add remaining salad dressing ingredients and shake.

3. Assemble salad ingredients and top with dressing.

4. Enjoy!

Recipe Developer Erin Grunstein-Halpern lives in Montreal, Canada with her husband and 4 children. She is a pediatric physical therapist. As a newly married woman, Erin developed a love for being creative in the kitchen and eventually started sharing recipes on her Instagram page, @ erin.eats.mtl. She knows how busy life can be and her goal is to share easy and healthy(ish) recipes for the busy family. While sharing recipes, Erin gained a love of food photography as well and now she develops recipes with accompanying photographs for different companies. Erin’s goal is to bring families and friends together around the table, and she believes that a shared love for food and tradition are the key ingredients to making this happen.

THIS RECIPE WAS SUBMITTED BY SHARSHERET: THE JEWISH BREAST AND OVARIAN CANCER COMMUNITY. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SHARSHERET, VISIT SHARSHERET.ORG. SHARSHERET IS A JEWISH NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF BACKGROUND, RACE, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AGE, OR RELIGION.

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FEATURE STORY

Holocaust Education in San Diego A Community Commitment to Remember and Learn

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ith the support of the City of San Diego and the County of San Diego, efforts to preserve Holocaust history and expand public education continue to grow through Remember Us The Holocaust—a locally driven initiative dedicated to keeping history alive through artifacts, storytelling, and community engagement.

Currently on display at the La Jolla Public Library, the exhibit offers visitors a powerful and personal look into the lives of Holocaust 18

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • APRIL 2026

survivors connected to the San Diego region. Guests can view rare and authentic World War II artifacts while gaining a deeper understanding of this critical period in history. Thoughtfully curated

by Sandra Scheller, the exhibit brings forward voices and stories that might otherwise be lost to time. Also featured in the exhibit is the original ceramic artwork of Holocaust survivor Maria Jutasi Coleman. These pieces tell the story of the Holocaust through her personal experiences, resilience, and the profound emotions of

FEATURE STORY

survival, offering visitors a deeply human perspective on history that cannot be conveyed through words alone.

Open through June during regular library hours, the exhibit welcomes the public as well as organized groups. Guided tours are available on Tuesdays, along with specialized programming for schools, retirement communities, and individuals seeking a more in-depth educational experience. At present, it stands as San Diego’s only Holocaust exhibit and museum open to the public. Sandra made a promise to my mother, Ruth Sax, a Holocaust survivor, to establish a Holocaust Museum in San Diego—something that had never been done before. She is now fully committed to supporting living Holocaust survivors and turning this long-held dream into a reality.

Looking ahead, Remember Us The Holocaust is expected to relocate to the San Diego Public Library in September. The move will expand opportunities for student engagement through interactive storytelling and art, further strengthening its educational impact.

Since its founding in 2020, the exhibit has traveled to multiple library locations throughout the county, growing with each installation thanks to strong community support.

More than a traditional exhibit, the initiative serves as a living space for dialogue, reflection, and truth. Its growing collection of artifacts has been made possible by San Diego families—many with personal ties to World War II veterans and Holocaust survivors— who are committed to preserving these important pieces of history for future generations.

In addition to this exhibit, the region will host Americans and the Holocaust, a traveling exhibition from the United States Holocaust

Memorial Museum. It will be on display at Grossmont College from April 14 through May 21. Grossmont is one of only 50 locations nationwide selected for this prestigious exhibition, offering another opportunity for the community to engage with Holocaust history on a national level.

The Butterfly Project continues to honor the memory of the 1.5 million children who perished in the Holocaust, using art and education to teach new generations about their lives, stories, and the importance of remembrance. For more information about this world-renowned project contact info@thebutterflyprojectnow.org or call (619) 790-7691 Also arriving soon is the Legacy of Light Goldberg Institute for Holocaust Education, a mobile learning experience designed to bring Holocaust education directly into schools. This innovative program aims to reach students and educators in accessible and meaningful ways, ensuring that the lessons of the Holocaust extend beyond traditional spaces.

Tours are from 12-2:30 pm on Tuesday unless by appointment. To schedule a tour of Remember Us The Holocaust or to learn more about donating World War II and Holocaust artifacts, please contact Sandra Scheller at (619) 422-3429 or email rememberustheholocaust@gmail. com.

This ongoing initiative reflects San Diego’s deep commitment to education, remembrance, and historical truth. By supporting Holocaust education efforts across the region, the community demonstrates a shared dedication to preserving the past and inspiring future generations to learn, reflect, and remember.

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FEATURE STORY

A Hand Up, Not a Hand Out

Hebrew Free Loan San Diego Celebrates Five Years of Impact

O

n March 28, 2026, the grounds of Leichtag Commons in Encinitas glowed with a profound sense of community. Over 100 supporters including donors, community members and loan recipients gathered to celebrate a landmark milestone: the five-year anniversary of Hebrew Free Loan San Diego (HFLSD), an organization that offers interest-free loans to members of the San Diego Jewish community.

The story of HFLSD began as a dream brought from Detroit

by Hilary and Selwyn Isakow, aiming to plant an ancient Jewish tradition into the modern San Diego landscape. When the first loan was issued in April 2021, they were testing a radical philosophy: Could community trust be more valuable than a credit score? Five years later, the answer is a resounding yes. HFLSD practices the highest form of Tzedakah described by Maimonides: helping an individual become self-sufficient. The impact over the last half-decade is staggering, as HFLSD has approved over 200 loans, with over $2 million committed to community members in need.

What makes HFLSD unique is the “recycling” power of every donation. Maintaining a 0% loan loss, with over $887,000 in repayments already received, these funds are continually lent, repaid, and re-lent. This creates a perpetual resource that grows stronger with every cycle and is building a growing safety net for future generations.

The heart of the celebration lay in the personal journeys of loan recipients. Guests heard firsthand how interest-free loans allowed parents to consolidate debt, students to pursue education, and entrepreneurs to launch businesses. These aren’t just statistics; they are 20

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • APRIL 2026

shifted trajectories. As recipients shared their triumphs over struggle, it became clear that the “magic” of HFLSD lies in its ability to offer dignity alongside financial relief.

Founding Executive Director Mindi Frankel expressed gratitude to the all the supporters and partners who transformed HFLSD into a vital community asset. She shared that “The loan recipients are the true soul of HFLSD, and their openness about how an interest-free loan has impacted their lives, their families, and their communities is the powerful inspiration that fuels our work. Every repayment made by a loan recipient allows HFLSD to help the next person who needs a hand-up.” The gratitude to HFLSD was evident in the many loan recipients that were there to celebrate this milestone.

A video showcased families recounting their HFLSD journeys, reinforcing why this organization is a cornerstone of the local Jewish community. Looking ahead, Board Chair Hilary Isakow outlined a vision for growth, specifically through a renewed focus on the Small Business Loan program.

As the sun set, the evening concluded with a Havdalah service, weaving together the spiritual and the communal. The ceremony served as a reminder that the “hand up” provided today is a promise of stability for future generations.

As HFLSD enters its next five years, its mission remains clear: ensuring that financial hurdles never stand in the way of a San Diegan’s potential.

TO LEARN MORE OR SUPPORT THE MISSION, VISIT WWW.HFLSD.ORG.

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FEATURE STORY

JFEST ANNOUNCES LANDMARK SEASON THE LIPINSKY FAMILY SAN DIEGO JEWISH ARTS FESTIVAL (JFEST) MARKS 33RD YEAR

T

he Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival (JFest) has announced its 2026 season, marking a major milestone as the festival presents its 33rd year of programming and its first year as an independent arts organization.

Audiences can expect an eclectic mix of comedy, theater, music, storytelling, and immersive cultural experiences across multiple venues throughout San Diego, from La Jolla to Carlsbad and Encinitas.

“JFest has always felt like an artistic home for me,” said Becca Myers, JFest Producing Director. “A place where the joy of being Jewish is celebrated unapologetically through Jewish creativity, stories, and music.

JFest creates programming that people can attend with their friends, siblings, parents, grandparents, children, and with people who have never been exposed to Jewish culture before. As we celebrate our first year of independence, I feel a deep sense of hope and possibility. I imagine a JFest that grows to be even more woven into the fabric of San Diego's Jewish community—a place where everyone feels just as at home as I do.”

This year’s festival features an exceptional roster of internationally recognized performers alongside acclaimed local and emerging artists.

Headlining the season is the return of Emmy and Tony Award–winning comedian Alex Edelman, whose critically acclaimed storytelling comedy has captivated audiences worldwide. The festival also welcomes back Grammy-nominated singer Perla Batalla, appearing with Broadway star Patrick Page in a powerful evening celebrating the music and legacy of

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • APRIL 2026

Leonard Cohen. Other featured artists include internationally renowned vocalist Ohad Moskowitz; acclaimed chazzan and baritone Colin Schachat; regional theater creator Ali Viterbi; celebrated vocalists Mara Kaye, Elizabeth Schwartz, and Whitney Shay; and composer/musician Yale Strom.

The festival will also present the 17th annual Women of Valor, JFest’s signature theatrical celebration honoring extraordinary Jewish women in the San Diego community through music, storytelling, and performance.

“JFest entertains and inspires,” said Todd Salovey, founding artistic director of JFest. “We ask big questions. We invite audiences across communities. And we celebrate art, artists, and the power of art to uplift.

It’s such a thrill after 33 years to be our own independent nonprofit.

We look forward to offering more programs and creating an even larger “sukkah” for audiences to join us in.”

Building on years of celebrated programming, JFest enters this new chapter with an ambitious lineup of performances, concerts, theatrical premieres, and community gatherings that showcase the vibrancy and diversity of Jewish culture.

THE 33RD ANNUAL LIPINSKY FAMILY SAN DIEGO JEWISH ARTS FESTIVAL WILL RUN MAY 12-JULY 14. TICKETS RANGE FROM $15 TO $100 AND CAN BE PURCHASED ONLINE AT WWW.SDJFEST.ORG.

FEATURE STORY

SAN DIEGO JEWISH ACADEMY STUDENTS ADVANCE IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP COMPETITION

T

hree student teams from San Diego Jewish Academy have advanced past the first round of applications for the internationally recognized Diamond Challenge, one of the world’s largest entrepreneurship competitions for high school innovators.

Founded and hosted annually by the Horn Entrepreneurship program at the University of Delaware, the Diamond Challenge attracts thousands of submissions from more than 55 countries each year, empowering students to develop, test, and pitch original business concepts that create real-world impact.

This opportunity was made possible through San Diego Jewish Academy’s Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Technology offerings, led by Adam Borek, and through the school’s unique high school course Ideas to Products, which guides students in developing entrepreneurial thinking and real-world venture creation.

This year’s SDJA ventures included:

A smart orthodontic retainer featuring a microchip that tracks real-time usage and alerts wearers when they fall below orthodontistrecommended compliance.

A student-led robotics education program in which high school innovators design and deliver robotics and engineering foundations to elementary-grade learners, expanding STEM access and mentorship.

A home-maintenance tracking application that helps homeowners monitor required upkeep, receive reminders, and manage long-term care of their property with ease and organization.

All three teams successfully passed the initial application round, placing them among a highly selective global cohort of young entrepreneurs.

“We are incredibly proud of our students’ creativity, commitment, and entrepreneurial spirit, and we wish them the best of luck as they await the next round of results,” said Adam Borek, who oversees SDJA’s Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Technology offerings.

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ANSWERS TO TEST YOUR JEWISH IQTM 1. a. Jack Kirby is widely regarded as one of the medium’s most influential and prolific creators. Shuster and Siegel created Superman.

Bob Kane and Bill Finger created Batman.

2. b. Mezuma is the American slang version of the Yiddish word mezumn, the unslangy word for cash. Mezuma and gelt both mean money, but mezuma has a more lingering, amusing effect (The New Joys of Yiddish).

3. c. Hot peppers are not used because, from the perspective of Jewish law, spicy is not the same as bitter. Peppers are native to the Americas and were unknown to the Jews of the biblical, mishnaic, and talmudic eras in the Middle East and Europe.

4. c. Reuben rescued Joseph from their brothers, “We will not strike him mortally!” (Gen. 37:21). Cain and Absalom killed their brothers.

Esau wanted to.

5. c. A hinny. Sorry, but a mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse.

6. d. The UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan signed the Abraham Accords. Israel signed the Camp David Accords with Egypt in 1979 and the peace treaty with Jordan in 1994.

7. d. With only his armor-bearer by his side, Jonathan attacked a Philistine garrison, killed about 20, and created a great panic, causing the Philistines to turn against themselves and then run for their lives (1 Samuel, 14:1-22).

8. b. The voice came from a burning bush (Exo. 3:2-4).

9. d. About 10,000 Jews, 30 to 50 percent of the estimated population of 20,000 to 30,000, were slaughtered by mobs incited to violence by the Crusaders.

HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY? Are you interested in sharing it with our audience and can you work best on deadlines?

10. a. In his groundbreaking book, “The Logic of Scientific Discovery,” Karl Popper distinguished science from pseudoscience by defining as scientific only those ideas that can in principle be falsified or proven wrong by an experiment or observation. He was born to Jewish parents who had converted to Lutheranism for social assimilation. The Nazis classified him as Jewish, which forced him into exile from Austria to England. _____________________________________ 0–2 Talmid/Talmida (Student) 3–5 Melamed/Melamedet (Teacher) 6–8 Talmid Chacham/Talmidat Chacham (Scholar) 9 – 10 Gaon/Gaona (Genius) _________________________________________

WANTED: CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Your comments are welcome at Felber@Jewish-IQ.com

Email editor@lchaimmagazine.com with your resume and areas of expertise.

©2026 Felber, Starmark, Inc., all rights reserved.

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FEATURE STORY

Danielle and Shlomo Meyers. Credit: Courtesy.

DANIELLE MEYERS' LOVE STORY

BY RIKKI ZAGELBAUM | JNS.ORG

D

anielle Meyers still smiles when she recalls the moment she first noticed her husband, Shlomo Meyers, at summer camp more than a decade ago.

“He was standing on a rock, and as my camp was going back on the bus, I turned around,” the 34-year-old Los Angeles native said.

“It was love at first sight.”

Two years later, in 2014, the couple married under the chuppah and moved to Danielle’s hometown, where their life looks much like that of other Orthodox couples. They split household chores. They take long walks around their neighborhood. They unwind with their favorite movies.

They also both have Down syndrome.

The couple talked from the Los Angeles home of Danielle’s father, Terry Magady. The two described their marriage and what it took to build a life together at a time when romantic relationships involving people with disabilities were still uncommon in the Orthodox world.

Both Danielle and Shlomo said that they dreamed of getting married from a young age, even though they had almost no examples of Jewish couples with Down syndrome.

Danielle, who attended a mainstream, Haredi girls’ school in Los Angeles, said that marriage was a constant topic among her friends.

Naturally, she assumed that she would marry, too.

“In high school, all my friends were talking about marriage and shidduchim,” she said, using the Hebrew term for matchmaking.

“I saw a lot of my friends get married, and I felt it was time for me.”

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Shlomo, who is 40 and originally from Chicago, said he felt the same.

He attended dozens of weddings, including those of his siblings, and often wondered when his turn would come. After his sister’s wedding, he told his mother: “I’m next.”

“I had no idea how I was next,” Shlomo said. “I’m emotional, which is not a bad thing. But there was a time I thought, ‘What would happen if I got married?’ Then I met Danielle and thought she was the one.”

Avromie Adler, international director of Yachad, said that the Orthodox disabilities conversation has shifted in recent years, and inclusion is no longer only about schooling, programming or employment. More families are asking about adult relationships, including marriage, he said.

“The ‘next level’ conversations I’m having with families, whether it’s the participants themselves or parents, revolve around one of two issues,” he said. “One of them is long-term relationships, specifically marriage.”

That kind of expectation was far less common when Danielle was born in 1991, her father said.

Magady said that he believed by the time his daughter was 1 that she would marry one day.

“Back then, it was new. Nobody was doing it much,” Magady said. “I remember a Jewish professional, a nice person, telling me at a panel, taking off his glasses to make a point: ‘It will never happen.’

FEATURE STORY

And he repeated: ‘It will never happen.’”

Magady and his wife, Holly, pushed for Danielle to have as typical a childhood and adulthood as possible, sending her to regular schools throughout her life.

When she returned from two years in seminary in Israel, he began looking for a match. He made calls across the country, sometimes multiple a day, and reached out to organizations, including Yachad, to spread the word.

Many, he said, did not know what to do with the request.

“When I called organizations, it didn’t register,” he said. “It was like I was talking about Mars.”

Some were confused, he said. Others warned him to “be careful.”

“But I wasn’t looking for warnings,” Magady said. “I just wanted help finding a match.”

Magady eventually found a matchmaker willing to take on the search. Danielle and Shlomo were soon arranged to sit next to each other at a dinner at Camp Lavi, an Orthodox summer camp with a Yachad program, where Danielle was working as a counselor.

They connected quickly, Magady said.

Nearly 12 years later, despite early bumps in the road, especially during the pandemic lockdowns, the couple has settled into married life, Magady said.

“They’re not a caricature,” he said. “They’re real people with real differences. Shlomo is very different from Danielle and vice versa.”

“He’s a cool guy. He has an amazing sense of humor,” Danielle said of Shlomo. “He makes me laugh. We have the same personalities, but he’s also wise and punctual. That’s just how he was raised.”

Shlomo said they have been “shmoozing” more lately. They spend time with friends and talk at night before bed. They go to the movies, see musicals and head to the beach.

“We like being around people, and sometimes just ourselves,” he said. “We both have a fear of the dark, and we both like socializing.”

The couple receives support from outside programs and organizations but lives independently.

In early February, Magady said, the two decided on their own to go to the beach to watch the sunset. Their families learned about it afterward, when they received a photo.

“They went to the beach, watched the sunset, asked a stranger to take a picture of them with a beach ball and then Ubered home,” Magady said. “That’s not orchestrated. That’s just their life.”

Magady said that perceptions in the Orthodox world around

marriage for people with disabilities have shifted since Danielle got married.

“At a macro level, things have changed a lot,” he said. “People call us now and say, ‘My son or daughter is dating. What do we do?’

Organizations acknowledge it’s real.”

Still, Magady said, misconceptions remain about what people with disabilities and special needs can do, and what kinds of adult lives they can build.

Historically, he said, communal attitudes have moved through phases, from hiding people with disabilities away, to institutions, to education and then to inclusion in community life.

Marriage, he said, is the next phase.

“When people actually see Danielle and Shlomo out at a restaurant and talk to them, it changes perception,” he said. “It’s not just, ‘Nice they got married.’ It represents an entirely new expectation of what’s possible.”

Adler, of Yachad, said that families often come to him with questions about dating and marriage after hearing about couples like Danielle and Shlomo.

Yachad can help families navigate the process, from dating through the early and ongoing adjustments of married life, he said. But the organization does not decide for families whether marriage is the right choice.

“We don’t see ourselves as deciding for people what is or isn’t right for them,” Adler said. “They make decisions. We lay out pitfalls to watch for and provide handholding where possible.”

Danielle said that she and Shlomo take marriage “day by day.”

The most important things, she said, are “patience and compromise.”

“Be patient,” she said. “Some people with special needs struggle with words. It takes time to get them out.”

Shlomo agreed. “If you’re Jewish and were born with a disability, it doesn’t mean you cannot have a good future or cannot have a good life,” he said. “Not everyone understands people with special needs.”

“It is not easy for anyone living with special needs or people born with Down syndrome,” he said. “Me, I’m good at communicating.

That’s one of the many things I’m good with. But there are times it’s hard to understand. People need patience.”

“Our relationship is good, but it’s not always perfect,” he added.

“We take care of each other. We joke around. We support each other through hard times.”

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L'CHAIM l BY MARK POWELL

guest

column My Family Fled Persecution — Now Never Again Starts Here

M

y mother’s family did not leave Egypt by choice; they were forced out in 1956 for one reason alone: they were Jewish. Stripped of citizenship and denied passports, they became stateless overnight, refugees in search of any country willing to take them in. They were allowed to carry only a single suitcase and the clothes on their backs. Everything else, their home, their belongings, their sense of stability was left behind.

With no way to protect their savings, they converted what little they had into gold bracelets, accepting only pennies on the dollar, and hid them beneath their clothing to avoid confiscation by Egyptian authorities.

It was a desperate act of survival. Ethiopia, of all places, offered temporary refuge while they waited and hoped for a permanent home.

That hope was realized on March 28, 1959, when through the help of the United HIAS Service, supported by the United Jewish Federation of San Diego, my family arrived in San Diego. They came with less than $100, layering clothing on their bodies because it was all they owned. But they also arrived with something far more powerful: determination, resilience, and an unshakable belief in the promise of America.

San Diego became my mother’s home a place where she believed she could live freely, without fear of being Jewish.

Today, I live in District 6, where our Jewish community continues to grow and thrive. Within our district are synagogues and the Jewish Community Center places where families gather, where children learn, and where traditions are passed down. These should be spaces of joy, safety, and belonging.

But step inside the Jewish Community Center today, and you’ll see something deeply troubling: armed security guards standing watch. They are not there by coincidence they are there out of necessity. They are there to protect families and even preschool children from the very real threat of violence simply because they are Jewish.

This is not hypothetical. Just this past month, an anti-Semitic terrorist drove a car into a synagogue in Michigan while children were inside. Thankfully, disaster was avoided, but the intent was clear. And here at home, we cannot forget the 2019 attack at the Chabad of Poway, where Lori Gilbert-Kaye lost her life in a senseless act of hatred.

This is the reality Jewish communities face today not just across the country, but right here in San Diego.

As a first-generation Jewish American, this is not an abstract issue to me it is deeply personal. My family came to this country seeking safety and freedom. They came to San Diego to escape fear, not to relive it.

That is why I will not stand by as antiSemitism rises. The Jewish community and

every community deserves a strong voice at City Hall. A voice that will stand firmly against hate, confront prejudice head-on, and ensure that every resident feels safe in their own city.

My mother came to San Diego to live without fear of being Jewish. As a member of the City Council, I will fight every day to make sure that promise is not only preserved but strengthened for generations to come.

MARK POWELL IS A FORMER SAN DIEGO COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBER AND A CANDIDATE FOR SAN DIEGO CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 6.

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