San Diego Jewish Journal March 2015

MARCH 2015 l ADAR • NISAN 5775

SIMCHAS resources for premium party planning

PASSOVER Seders, travel tips and more

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2 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 3

CONTENTS

March 2015 Adar/Nisan 5775

40

COVER STORY: Planning a party? Don’t leave home without consulting our Simchas section for details on caterers, venues, entertainment, decorations and so much more. Plus, the party experts at BESA offer some tips to keep everyone on their best behavior.

30

PASSOVER: Passover comes early at the Journal this year – we’ve got the details you need to get your (Kosher) ducks in a row.

56

THEATER: Theater critic Pat Launer speaks with Delia Ephron about family, her hugely successful writing career, the deep bond she shared with her sister Nora and their collaboration “Love, Loss, and What I Wore.”

68 4 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

FEATURE: The history of The Salk Institute chronicles San Diego’s transformation into a global biotechnology powerhouse.

Income Generation in Retirement Our conversation on retirement income can help you move from “Can I retire?” to “How can I make the most of my retirement?”

While most people understand the importance of saving for retirement, the concept of retirement income planning may be less familiar. Retirement income planning is a holistic process to help address key retirement decisions, effectively manage risks, and efficiently provide ongoing income to meet both the clients’ current and long-term retirement needs.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: 32 PASSOVER:

Rethinking the “wicked child”

35 PASSOVER:

Traveling for Passover? You’re not the only one

36 FEATURE:

Temple Emanu-El’s Myrna Cohen retires after 36 years of song

39 FEATURE:

Diversity at County libraries

61 FEATURE:

Valley Center’s secret Jewish residents - past and present

65 FEATURE:

Rarefied Recordings offers hope for the musical little guys

70 FOOD:

Polish chicken patties

74 SYNAGOGUE:

Jewish Collaborative of SD

70 Around Town 10 Mailbag 12 Our Town 14 Event Recap 72 What’s Goin’ On 80 Calendar In Every Issue 8 The Starting Line 18 Parenting 20 Israeli Lifestyle 22 Dating 24 Aging 26 Spirituality 28 Israel 75 News 79 Diversions 85 Desert Life

We can support you by providing the guidance needed to make better, more informed choices to help provide a retirement as flexible as you are. As experienced advisors, we take the time to understand your unique goals to help create a plan tailored for you – one that will modify and change over time.

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www.sdjewishjournal.com March 2015 • Adar/Nisan 5775 PUBLISHERS • Mark Edelstein and Dr. Mark S. Moss EDITOR-IN-CHIEF • Natalie Jacobs CREATIVE DIRECTOR • Peter Talhamé

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ASSISTANT EDITOR • Tina B. Eshel ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR • Eileen Sondak ADVERTISING MANAGER • Nancy Segal CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tori Avey, Betsy Baranov, Linda Bennett, Abby Walker, Leah Singer, David Ebenbach, Judith Fein (Senior Travel Correspondent), Michael Fox, Jennifer Garstang, Amanda Kelly, Brie Stimson, Miki Lamm, Pat Launer, Curt Leviant, David Ogul, Pamela Price, Sharon Rosen Leib, Nikki Salvo, Andrea Simantov, Jon Schwartz CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS/ARTISTS Vincent Andrunas, Ediz Benaroya, Leigh Castelli, Leetal Elmaleh, Pepe Fainberg, Steve Greenberg, Pat Krause, Paul Ross (Senior Travel Photographer), Angela Sissa, Daisy Varley, Nicholas Patton, Sheri Liebovich ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Ronnie Weisberg (Office Manager and Account Executive), Alan Moss (Palm Springs) SAN DIEGO JEWISH JOURNAL (858) 638-9818 • fax: (858) 638-9801 5665 Oberlin Drive, Suite 204 • San Diego, CA 92121 EDITORIAL: editor@sdjewishjournal.com ADVERTISING: sales@sdjewishjournal.com CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS: publisher@sdjewishjournal.com ART DEPARTMENT: art@sdjewishjournal.com LISTINGS & CALENDAR: calendar@sdjewishjournal.com SDJJ is published monthly by San Diego Jewish Journal, LLC. Subscription rate is $24 for one year (12 issues). Send subscription requests to SDJJ, 5665 Oberlin Drive, Suite 204, San Diego, CA 92121. The San Diego Jewish Journal is a free and open forum for the expression of opinions. The opinions expressed herein are solely the opinion of the author and in no way reflect the opinions of the publishers, staff or advertisers. The San Diego Jewish Journal is not responsible for the accuracy of any and all information within advertisements. The San Diego Jewish Journal reserves the right to edit all submitted materials, including press releases, letters to the editor, articles and calendar listings for brevity and clarity. The Journal is not legally responsible for the accuracy of calendar or directory listings, nor is it responsible for possible postponements, cancellations or changes in venue. Manuscripts, letters, documents and photographs sent to the Journal become the physical property of the publication, which is not responsible for the return or loss of such material. All contents ©2015 by San Diego Jewish Journal. The San Diego Jewish Journal is a member of the American Jewish Press Association and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

#SDJewishJournal 6 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

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THE STARTING LINE

by Natalie Jacobs Editor of the San Diego Jewish Journal editor@sdjewishjournal.com

Let’s Celebrate

M

y first Passover was a bit nontraditional.

I think we’ve been over this before, but I wasn’t raised Jewish and aside from challah bread, lox and matzah ball soup, I didn’t know much about Jewish holidays and traditions until recently. Three years ago, when I was living in New York City, my friend and I started a book club. We planned to read the classics that we either read in high school and didn’t remember much about, or never got around to reading but always wished we had. I was new in town so most of the book club members were friends of my friend, who was, at the time, a graduate student at New York University studying public policy. Among a rotating cast of monthly attendees there was the law student at Columbia, the financial analyst who lived an hour into Brooklyn, the social activist who grew up in Washington D.C., the Lutheran pastor and his wife, and the Jewish boy from New Jersey who worked at the Department of Education.

We gathered at a different apartment each month. In addition to the book, we picked a theme for the meal we’d share together. Our second meeting, where we would discuss both “1984” and “Brave New World,” was during Passover. Quickly and with genuine enthusiasm, The Good Jewish Boy offered his home as the meeting place, so long as we were comfortable with the meal being Kosher for Passover.

“Matzah pizza!” he exclaimed.

As multicultural as the group was, none of us had participated in Passover, or even really knew what it meant to be Kosher. But we didn’t hesitate in saying “sure!” and proceeded merrily to the Kosher section

8 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

of our local grocery store. We didn’t exactly have a Seder that night – there was no special plate or Haggadah or kids holding the door open for Elijah – but we were a diverse group that came together to think deeply about a story while sharing a meal with intention and gratitude, and it felt good to have the added dimension of Passover even if we were vague on the details. It was one of the best-attended and most interesting book club meetings we ever had.

As I approach this Passover from the West Coast, I find myself craving a bit of that matzah pizza and definitely the empassioned discussion that followed.

You may notice that we’re celebrating Passover a bit early at the Journal this year. We wanted to highlight the Seders that are scheduled at synagogues and community groups, so we’ve expanded our coverage across two issues – March and April – to give you time to plan and reflect. You officially have one month to stock your cupboards with Kosher products and eat all the leavened bread you can stand. Flip to the Passover section on pg. 30 for that listing of Seders and then get in party mode because this is also our annual Simchas issue. Our assistant editor Tina B. Eshel caught up with the good folks at the Bar/Bat Mitzvah Service Association to get some advice on planning the party that’s right for your child. As the mother of a 12-year-old who just decided he wants a Bar Mitzvah, Eshel has a fresh perspective on this important but stressful time for Jewish families. Coverage starts on pg. 40.

Stay tuned for April as our Pesach coverage continues with an exploration of Persian Passover traditions. A

Don’t Forget!

The JFS Heart & Soul Gala co-chairs Karin and Tony Toranto and Heather Keith want to remind you that the big night is on March 28 at the Hyatt Regency. Details at jfssd.org.

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Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 9

We’re Listening!

>> mailbag

Let us know what you’re thinking.

STILL MISSING SOMEONE?

ON THE COVER This month’s cover is a photo

by Del Rio Studios from Julia Bernicker’s Bat Mitzvah. The party, held at the Catamaran, was an Alice and Wonderland theme, planned by Lydia Krasner.

Send us your comments: editor@sdjewishjournal.com 5665 Oberlin Dr., Ste 204 San Diego, CA 92121

10 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

Dear Editor: The January cover of your magazine showed a (Jewish) woman entering the ocean, with her arms outstretched in a meditative pose.

It’s a beautiful picture, but it misses the opportunity to bring attention to a more authentic connection of Jewish women to living water – mikvah. Immersion in a mikvah – ocean or a dedicated pool – provides spiritual renewal, opportunity for introspection, teshuvah, expression of gratitude, release of pain, fulfillment of a mitzvah. When a Jewish man or woman immerses, his/her hands are open and fingers are spread to allow the healing waters to touch everywhere on the person.

Whether someone goes monthly, annually or occasionally to mark significant life cycle events, mikvah is transformative and deeply moving for the person who takes part.

Waters of Eden is dedicated to encouraging immersion as a holy and healing act, as a gateway to self and God-awareness, as a means of connecting to Jewish tradition in a profound and fruitful way.

Waters of Eden welcomes participation and inquiries from anyone in our diverse 21st century Jewish community who would like to learn more about or experience mikvah/immersion as part of their journey and growth.

If your magazine would like do a more in-depth story on the growing impact of pluralistic mikvaot throughout the U.S., I am happy to be part of that conversation. There is much to learn and much to do!

Rabbi Lenore Bohm, Executive Director Waters of Eden: San Diego Community Mikvah and Education Center Dear Editor: When I saw the picture on the front of the Jan. 2015 issue, I

thought “Oh! Mikvah! An article about Waters of Eden!” Imagine my dismay not to find any such article listed in the table of contents.

I do realize that all magazines have space contraints. However, when I got to page 38, and saw the title about San Diego’s Women Rabbis, I thought I was about to be in for a real treat. However, the article was NOT about San Diego’s women rabbis (plural, mind you), who number more than a dozen.

Misleading? Yes, both the front cover and the title of the article on page 38. What reason(s) could you possibly have for so grossly misleading your readership regarding either or both?

Holly Gail Baumann San Diego

“UNAFRAID” LOVING IT

AND

Dear Editor: Just enjoyed David Ebenbach’s midrash on Ex 20:17 in the February issue. “Don’t be afraid; stay and learn the fear of God. . . .” (paraphrase) could seem contradictory with a superficial reading. But Ebenbach unpacks it.

Especially the linguistic idea of yirah as, depending on context, awe. The often celebratory Psalms are full of the yare and yirah of God. It’s the beginning of wisdom (Ps 111) upon which all sound understanding is based. David declares his embodied self to be “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps 139, JSB). Indeed the encrypted construction blueprints we call DNA, human or butterfly, are awe-inspiring. The biological realm is based on instruction. Torah if you please. In the inanimate realm, the Fibonacci sequence informs shells and galaxies. To say that the entire physical universe exists in its present state because of an original outside observation would not be inconsistent with quantum theory.

(Some of the greatest universities in the western world used to call science “natural theology.”) Nor are

terror and awe mutually exclusive.

Surely the two meet in an enraged giant grizzly or Earth’s position in the vastness of space. God intended that Israel should experience yirah as both awe and terror at Sinai “so that the fear of Him may be with you, so that you don’t sin.” Our worst selves hate that. We want to be as idolatrous, as dishonoring to parents, as murderous (if only in our minds), as adulterous, as thieving (legally or otherwise), as perjured, and/or as covetous as we WANNA BE! Though of course we don’t want to be the victim. Ebenbach nails it when he concludes that the fear of God “is our ultimate test, the place where we become our best selves.”

David, the king, would agree.

Dale Haynes Valley Center

GER TOSHAV STATUS TOO

GET

Dear Editor: I write regarding the article by Rabbi Ben Leinow, “In Our Mid’zt,” (Feb. 2015). Non-Jews who are married to Jews certainly do have recognizable status in the Jewish community: they are spouses. A certificate denominating her a ger toshav would in no way enhance the status of my gentile wife. She IS a ger toshav because of her adherance and conduct, and her status as such is in no way detracted from her by her failure to complete a course or be handed a certificate.

If Maimonides accorded a place in heaven to the ger toshav who achieves that status by his/ her conduct, why do we need to award a certificate to confer such status? Such a certificate is harmless of course, precisely because it is meaningless. I do agree with the offering of a course on Judaism such as suggested by Rabbi Leinow, and believe that many Jews could benefit from taking it.

Dale Haynes Valley Center

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our

TOWN

BY LINDA BENNETT & BETSY BARANOV l BETSY1945@COX.NET PHOTOS BY EDIZ BENAROYA AND CAROL SONSTEIN

Fabulous Festival

The 25th anniversary of the San Diego Jewish Film Festival was a fabulous success! Throughout the festival, we were happy, we were sad, and we were laughing out of our seats (especially while viewing this hilarious family comedy “Serial (Bad) Weddings”). Of course, we enjoyed the one-time showing of Theodore Bikel’s “In The Shoes Of Sholom Aleichem,” where Mr. Bikel was in attendance. He spoke at the underwriter’s opening night on Feb. 4 and even treated the audience to a favorite song.

Just some of the people we saw, movie after movie, were Sarah and Earl Feldman, Sandra and Arthur Levinson, Mickey Stern, Helene and Allen Ziman, Sonia and Andy Israel, Carol and Stephen Baird, Leslie and Shlomo Caspi, Leon and Dvora Fajerman, Marty and Nancy Goldberg, Susan and David Kabakoff, Gayle and Bob Silverman, Betty Amber, Elisha Blatt, Linda and Robert Bernstein, Bonnie and Ellis Diamond, Richard and Sharon Gabriel, Chuck and Suzi Gold, Stan Hoffman and July Galper, Marsha and Al Korobkin, Fanny Krasner Lebovits, Eydie Kornberg, Bobbi and Steve Laufer, Yvonne Lazar, Jain Malkin, Nancy Martin, Barbara and Terry Rakov, Beth Saks, Marlene and Marc Hamovitch, Jay Shirley and Karla Ober, and Dale and Jerry Spector.

Birthdays...

Happy 95th birthday to Harvey Greenfield!

On his 89th birthday we congratulate Marvin Levine!

Happy birthday Ralph Berman who is now 88!

Mazel Tov...

Mazel tov to Dr. Dina Fainman and her newborn baby Livvy Batia! The happy and healthy baby girl was born on Jan. 15 at 6:24 p.m.

Mavel tov to Shayna Meltzer on her Bat Mitzvah on Feb. 14! Proud parents are Rabbi Scott and Jennifer Meltzer.

Mavel tov on the wedding of Rachel Yemini and Jeffrey Spector. Happy parents are Nancy and Alan Spector of San Diego, and Ari and Janet Yemini.

From top: Saundra Saperstein and Craig Prater (photo by Carol Sonstein) • Seth Krosner, Linda Bennett, Dave Roberts (photo by Ediz Benaroya) • Michael Cohen, Phil Ginsberg, Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman, Dave Roberts, Larry Katz (photo by Carol Sonstein) • Fred, Shari and Benjamin Schenk (photo by Ediz Benaroya).

12 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

Anti-Defamation League San Diego proudly presents the San Diego premiere of

VOICES FROM THE PAST, LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE: CREATING A WORLD WITHOUT HATE Co-chaired by Caryn Viterbi and Erna Viterbi

The Defiant Requiem is a moving multi-media concert-drama revealing the powerful story of Holocaust prisoners and a contemporary message of hope.

Murry Sidlin, Creator/Conductor Featuring the San Diego Symphony Orchestra and Master Chorale

JACOBS MUSIC CENTER/COPLEY SYMPHONY HALL

THURSDAY | MAY 7, 2015 7:30 p.m.

Tickets on sale now

sandiegosymphony.com/defiant.aspx Anti-Defamation League 858-565-6896 | sandiego.adl.org/defiantrequiem All ticket sales, sponsorships and funds raised through the Defiant Requiem project will benefit ADL San Diego’s Endowment Fund — Lessons from the Holocaust: Changing Hearts and Minds.

Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 13

be SEEN MIKI LAMM l MIKISDJJ@GMAIL.COM l PHOTOS BY EDIZ BENAROYA

Tu B’Shvat at the Ranch

More than 110 young Jewish professionals enjoyed a unique Shabbat on Jan. 30. The evening, held at the Leichtag Ranch in Encinitas, was co-hosted by San Diego Hazon, Hillel of San Diego, and Jewish Federation’s NextGen. Upon arrival, each guest was handed a beautiful wine glass embossed with a tree. After an opportunity to schmooze with friends, attendees were invited to participate in a Tu B’Shvat Seder, led by Hazon’s Director of Teva, Elan Margulies. Guests were encouraged to reflect on their relationship to the planet, both locally and globally, through immersive experiences which included food, wine, storytelling and discussion.

“Shabbat at the Ranch was a fantastic time with great food, diverse, positive people, and excellent camaraderie! It was exactly the way I wanted to engage in the spirit of Tu B’Shvat,” said Zach Warburg, NextGen’s Shabbat Connections Co-Chair.

For more info on Hazon San Diego visit: hazon.org/about/where-weare/san-diego/. Interested in learning about NextGen (formerly YAD): nextgensandiego.org. If you’re a college student in San Diego and looking for a Jewish connect: hillelsd.org/.

Top: Dena Hartman, Joshua Wortman. Clockwise from middle: Samantha Fink, Margaux Ryp • Daniel Fleischer, Ryan Race, Maya Rich and Dovi Kacev • Janese Cassel, Rayna Karrol, Monica Kohan, Rachel Shyloski • Shiran Bozikovsky, Tracy Jaffa.

14 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

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the SCENE

BY EILEEN SONDAK l NSONDAK@GMAIL.COM PHOTOS BY SHERI LIEBOVICH AND EDIZ BENAROYA

Opening Night at the Opera

The Opera celebrated a sold-out opening night of their 50th season in late January with a special toast to everyone who made their future possible, including Carol Lazier and the San Diego community at large.

“If it hadn’t been for each and every one of you, we wouldn’t be here tonight,” said Courtney Ann Coyle, executive vice president of the Opera Board during the pre-Opera reception.

Just before the curtain rose, CEO Keith Fisher introduced Lazier, who lead the Opera reinstatement efforts last year, as “the hardest working woman in San Diego.” The audience cheered in agreement - it was a welldeserved standing ovation for a heroic effort.

From top: Mary Dawe, Sarah Dawe • Joyce Nash, Martin Nash, Susan Spoto, Gary Spoto. (Photos by Sheri Liebovich)

Symphony Gala

The San Diego Symphony reserved one winter weekend for a John Williams Celebration. In fact, the composer himself was slated to conduct the program but unfortunately, the renowned music man had to withdraw for health reasons. Cello virtuoso Johannes Moser was there to deliver a stunning performance of a suite from “Memoirs of a Geisha,” and Williams’ successor at the Boston Pops, Keith Lockhart, came to the rescue and led the orchestra.

The performance included a reception and dinner at the University Club.

Among the many music lovers on hand for the evening were Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Pauline Foster, Seth Goldman, Alexander Silverman, Barbara and Stuart Brody, and Karen and Jerome Eisman.

Clockwise from bottom right: John Rebelo, Sarah B. Marsh Rebelo, Evelyn Lamden, Bill Lamden • Lily Blond, Gus Johnson, Sherree Piscatelli • Irwin Jacobs, Joan Jacobs, Barbara Brody, Stuart Brody.

16 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

Saturday

N ov e m b e r 1 4 , 2 0 1 5 Celebrate in style at the University of San Diego’s Founders’ Gala.

The evening will feature unique silent and live auctions, an exquisite dining experience and an unforgettable After Party. Don’t miss out on USD’s signature black-tie event in support of student scholarships.

HONORARY CHAIRS

Andrew and Kim Busch USD Parents

Heritage Sponsors

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For more information please contact: usdevents@sandiego.edu | (619) 260-8814 | sandiego.edu/foundersgala Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 17

parenting

MUSINGS FROM MAMA

by Sharon Rosen Leib srleib@roadrunner.com

Measles Madness

I

’ve got March Madness, but not of the basketball variety. My madness centers around the resurgence of measles and other preventable illnesses like pertussis (whooping cough) and hepatitis B because of parents who use California’s “personal belief ” exemption to opt out of vaccinating their children. The fact that some California parents are fearful enough to ignore decades of scientific progress and put all of our children at risk defies my comprehension.

In an attempt to understand this irrational phenomenon, I turned to my favorite, most accessible panel of California medical experts: my brother, Dr. Rick Rosen, a pediatric ENT; my sister-in-law, Dr. Rosa Sanchez Rosen, a pediatric hematologist/oncologist; and my sister, Dr. Dina Rosen, an internist. As scientists, they articulate their thoughts more clearly and compellingly than my less-informed, emotional rants. So here’s what they had to say: My brother attributes the anti-vaccine movement to two major factors. First (and most depressingly), to some affluent parents’ lack of community responsibility – an implicit attitude that protecting their kids from alleged vaccine risks matters more than protecting the general population from a potentially catastrophic, preventable illness (a sort of Precious Prince/Princess Syndrome). My sisterin-law echoed my brother’s assessment saying, “I don’t want to stereotype but the parents who didn’t want to vaccinate were higher-maintenance, upperclass and educated.”

Several Los Angeles Times articles and numerous media reports support their observations, noting that the highest percentage of unvaccinated California kids reside in upscale communities including coastal Orange and San Diego Counties, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Silicon Valley and Marin.

Secondly, these parents maintain an unrealistic perception of the risk of vaccinating their children.

My brother and sister-in-law ascribe this to longdebunked British physician Andrew Wakefield’s 1998 study alleging a link between the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella) and autism.

Former Playboy Playmate of the Year, actress, 18 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

and talk show host Jenny McCarthy embraced Wakefield’s research and used her high profile, bigbreasted platform to embed his discredited theory in the American cultural landscape.

“The public continues to latch on to these studies long after legitimate scientists have discredited them and moved on. Besides people are just more into Playmates than researchers,” my brother wryly observed.

“There is no evidence to support that vaccinations are unsafe for healthy children. Vaccines prevent children from getting horrible communicable diseases,” my sister-in-law said. She believes doctors have the right to exclude unvaccinated patients from their practices. What about schools with high populations (more than 10 percent) of unvaccinated kids?

“A bunch of unvaccinated kids in the same school is a recipe for disaster – like a Jurassic Park experiment,” my brother said.

Parents may have the right to decide whether or not to vaccinate their children but that doesn’t mean they have the right to infect other kids in parks, preschools, public school classrooms, college dorms/dining halls/libraries/Hillel houses, hospitals or at Disneyland, where the recent measles outbreak started in December.

If parents are not going to vaccinate their little Princes and Princesses, they should be required to keep these delicate royal offspring in their castles – home school them and design their own vaccinefree amusement parks.

My big-hearted sister frets about those most at risk for contracting measles: babies, immunecompromised kids and pregnant women. Infants don’t receive their first MMR vaccine until they are 12-15 months old. Prior to this, they are highly vulnerable. Measles’ symptomology of a fever up to 105, cough, and a rash that begins at the head and spreads to the rest of the body can lead to pneumonia, brain inflammation and death for highrisk patients.

So please, be a mensch (or a saint) and vaccinate!

A

FYI

Three California legislators, State Senators Dr. Richard Pan and Ben Allen, and San Diego Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, announced in February they are co-authoring legislation to eliminate the personal belief exemption for vaccinations in California.

The legislation would maintain the exemption for children medically unable to be vaccinated.

Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 19

israeli lifestyle

LIVING ON THE FRONT PAGE

by Andrea Simantov

andreasimantov@gmail.com

Wandering the Desert

A

t the behest of friends he’d met during the past year in Israel, my son traveled to the United States to speak in synagogues, Jewish day and public schools, a steel factory and a Catholic college about what it means to be a soldier in the Israeli army. Minnesota, Florida, Texas and California were some of the states in which he addressed the aforementioned communities. Everyone had a daughter/sister/ cousin for him to meet and he experienced yachts, motorcycles, jet skis and the New York 20 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

City subway. Between speeches, he visited relatives in New York, Florida, New Jersey and Maryland.

Still overseas, before shabbos he called for advice. “It was fun in the beginning but now I’m confused. It’s like a fantasy land and part of me just wants to stay and ‘get lost’ in America.

I mean, no pressure, no reserve duty, no one is pushing or cutting each other off on the highway.

But on the other hand, I don’t really ‘belong.’ I was born here and have a social security number

but I’m Israeli. Should I come home? Should I stay a while longer? I’m running out of money.

Should I get a job???”

His angst evoked images of the Children of Israel at the dawn of their liberation from slavery.

The “fleshpots” of Egypt were so enticing that neither bondage nor Moses could compel 80 percent of the Hebrews to leaved Egypt. They were so steeped in Egyptian culture that they were unwilling to join the Exodus.

Would it have made good parenting sense to share this with my wanderlusting son who had initially traveled to America in order to share the wonder of the Zionist state? A product of the best yeshivas and military institutions this country has to offer, he awakens in the middle of the night, despairing, “A laptop in New York costs a third of what it costs in Jerusalem. I can buy four pairs of jeans for what one pairs costs in Tel Aviv. I’ve been to Gaza and don’t feel like going again this year.”

To what end would my recap of the arduous 40-year journey of Bnei Yisroel be? Would a lightbulb suddenly burst aglow in his confused state, convincing him that the intoxicating allure of the American melting pot is the work of the Devil himself? That “Israel” equals “Truth” and everything else is an optical illusion?

We are commanded to recall the Exodus from Egypt every single day of our lives and in keeping with both my ideological and religious sensibilities, I’ve tried to observe this tenet.

However, although I love our ancestral homeland, nowhere is it stated that the aforementioned “recollection” is only credible with an Israeli zip code.

In just a few weeks time we will break the matzah and dip our herbs but I’ll wait until the last moment to set the table. Perhaps my boy will return home in time to sing the Ma Nishtana, even if he changes the tune to “America the Beautiful.” A

JEWISH NATIONAL FUND 4TH ANNUAL LOVE OF ISRAEL BRUNCH SUNDAY, MAY 3, 2015

Registration: 9:30 am • Breakfast & Program: 10:00 am

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Complimentary Event • Open to the Community • Dietary Laws Observed jnf.org • 800.JNF.0099 Event Chairs: Myra Chack Fleischer • Lauren Lizerbram • Bill Miller RSVP by April 22, 2015 at jnf.org/sdbrunch or contact Stacey Lewis at slewis@jnf.org or 858.824.9178 x964.

jnf.org • 800.JNF.0099 Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 21

dating

PLAYING WITH MATCHES

by Jennifer Garstang jenscy@gmail.com

From Seder Plate to Single Life

J

ewish holidays are full of symbolism, but if any holiday wins the award for “most symbols per serving” it would be Passover. On Pesach, every object, every action, and every piece of food on our plate has special meaning. It’s fair to say that on Passover, we literally stuff ourselves with symbols.

Much like a Seder, our romantic lives are stuffed with symbolism. Any object we use or action we take becomes a symbol when we use it to give tangible form to an intangible concept. When we give flowers to our date, it’s either a symbol of affection or apology. When we cook dinner for our partner, we’re showing we care. In dating, we commonly refer to these symbols as “romantic gestures.”

But what do our romantic gestures actually symbolize? That’s where it gets tricky, because the romantic gesture itself has no inherent meaning.

Thus, the exact same gesture can take on different meanings. Let’s say you decide to buy your date an expensive necklace. Does it symbolize A) your deep and abiding affection, B) your desperate attempt to impress, C) your desire to show off, or D) something else entirely? The answer will vary depending on the context. If this is an anniversary dinner, and your date is your long-term significant other, odds are the answer is A. If this is a second date, and you blew your savings to buy a spontaneous surprise, then the answer probably leans toward B. To make matters even more complicated, we need to consider both the situational and the emotional context for both partners. How often in our relationships do we hear some variation of the phrase: “It’s not what you did, it’s how you did it!” For some reason, your gesture held a different 22 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

meaning for your partner than what your partner wanted to hear. In other words, if you say “I love you” to stop your significant other from nagging you about something, then saying “I love you” becomes nothing but an empty gesture...or worse, a symbol of your irritation.

So how the heck can we use romantic gestures to actually communicate? To begin answering that, let’s take another look at the Seder. On Passover, do we just dig in and eat? No! We take time and talk about what these symbols mean, and why they are important to us. In the same way, we must communicate with our partners about what our romantic gestures mean, and make sure both parties are on the same page. For instance, if your girlfriend’s ex only bought her flowers when he did something wrong, make sure she understands that for you, they’re just an expression of affection.

As an added bonus, when we communicate about our romantic gestures, we start to understand our own motivations in performing those gestures.

In doing so, we can get better and better at avoiding the meaningless gestures and keeping the genuine ones. Likewise, if we fixate on a certain romantic gesture (“If he doesn’t hold the door, it means he doesn’t care”) we can step back and recognize that the gesture and its meaning are not one and the same (“Oh, his ex said he was ‘demeaning’ her by holding the door!”)

Ultimately, the gesture itself isn’t what matters.

It’s what it represents. And while there will always be occasional misunderstandings, if you come from a place of genuine care and affection, you’re off to a great start. A

FYI:

MidraSHOW, a new multimedia experience created to make Jewish values come alive, will premiere on March 10 at the Lyceum Theatre. Take your sweetheart! For tickets visit midrashow.com.

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Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 23

aging

OLDER, WISER, BETTER

by Jon Schwartz

jonaschwartz@hotmail.com

The Most Difficult Conversation

I

have been told that if one recites a story from Greek mythology he will instantly gain credibility and be perceived as intelligent by an audience. Consider this my attempt to test that theory: According to Greek mythology, Eos, the goddess of the dawn, was immortal. However, she had a lover, Tithonus, who was but a mortal man who would eventually pass away. While most of us do hope to eventually pass on, the thought of Tithonus’ eventual death was unacceptable to Eos. She loved him so much that she could not imagine life going on without him.

In the story, Eos went to the almighty Zeus for a wish: that Tithonus would live forever. Zeus asked Eos if this was truly what she wanted. Of course, she did not hesitate to say, and she was overjoyed as Zeus granted her wish. The caveat was that while Zeus was able to allow Tithonus to live forever, he was unable to promise good health. And so, Tithonus got older and he began to face common aging maladies. His chronic disease and pain became worse as Tithonus sadly lived in increasing agony as his days continued to go on and on.

In addition to trying to sound brilliant, I bring up this story to discuss a topic that is very difficult to talk about. The topic of death is perhaps the most important conversation that we are not having with our loved one’s. Studies have shown that 75 percent of Americans wish to die at home. However, about 75 percent are passing away in hospitals, nursing homes and long-term care settings. This shows that advanced aging and death have shifted a lot in recent history.

I believe this conversation is starting to shift too. Last year, two best selling books – “Can’t We 24 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

Talk about Something More Pleasant” and “Being Mortal” – both had authors who bravely talked about their aging parents and the experience of their passing. Another example of the changing attitudes: In 2014, a woman named Brittney Maynard made national news when, at the age of 29 she was faced with a terminal illness. After her diagnosis, she began talking openly about the way in which she wished to die (she ultimately went to Oregon where euthanasia is legal). Then, earlier this year, UT San Diego picked up a story about the Conversation Project and their “Death Over Dinner” initiative. The group is encouraging loved ones and friends to get together over dinner to ask each other questions like: Do you want to live as long as possible, no matter what, or is quality of life more important than quantity? Where do you want to receive end-of-life care, at home, at a nursing facility or a hospital? And what kinds of aggressive treatment would you want, or not want, such as resuscitation if your heart stops, breathing machines or feeding tubes?

There are no one-size-fits-all answers to any of these questions. The only right answer is the one that works for you. We are living in a time where medicine is quickly advancing, ultimately enabling individuals to live longer than ever before. However, these advances don’t promise great improvement in quality of life. Like the story of Eos and Tithonus, we must consider in what condition we want to live. Many assume that we are afraid to have these very difficult conversations. I think we just need to give ourselves permission to engage and discuss these issues. Maybe when we look realistically at death, it will teach us how to live. A

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Register at www.jfssd.org/language Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 25

spirituality

THE ARTIST’S TORAH

by David Ebenbach ebenbach@netzero.com

Working in the Shadows

F

ame is a fleeting thing, even in the Torah.

Take Bezalel, the star architect of the book of Exodus. When God tells the Israelites to build a Mishkan, a portable sacred space to carry through the wilderness, the instructions are daunting, detailed, and so complex as to be at times actually incomprehensible, at least to a modern audience. Luckily, God also designates a master architect – Bezalel – to make sure it comes out right. Nevermind that (according to the sages) Bezalel is thirteen years old when he gets the call – God tells Moses that this young man is infused with divine creative wisdom. Indeed, his name means “in the shadow of God;” he’s quite explicitly an inspired builder.

And so, under Bezalel’s supervision, the Mishkan does get constructed, in all its complexity and beauty and grandeur, and it becomes the center of religious life for the people. Further, this structure goes on to become the model for the Temple in Jerusalem, which will be the spiritual center of that nation and people, and the foundation on which ancient Judaism develops. In other words, this prodigy has made one of the most important contributions in the history of the Jewish people.

And then, as soon as the Mishkan is built, Bezalel disappears. Like Dinah (who we talked about a couple of months ago), we never hear from him again, never see how his adult life turns out. Unlike Dinah, we don’t even hear rumors in later literature about what happens to him.

Being in the shadow of God allows Bezalel to do inspired work – but it’s work that’s so huge, so important, that it casts its own shadow, obscuring everything he goes on to do and produce 26 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

afterward.

So let’s speculate: where does life take Bezalel?

Well, he’s an incredibly gifted architect, so he probably keeps designing spaces, even though none of them has any chance of getting the kind of attention his first project did. And that must weigh on him. It’s nice to be recognized, but it must be hard to be recognized for only one thing – a thing that’s finished, complete, in his past – when he has a lot more yet to offer.

Faced with this, Bezalel has three choices. One option is to spend his whole life dwelling on and re-telling stories from the Mishkan experience, clinging to that one success in the desperate hope that he can continue to squeeze satisfaction, pride, and happiness from it. The second option is the one where he allows bitterness to consume him; he’s a one-hit wonder, a child star that people have stopped caring about, and so what’s the point?

Both of these paths lead, of course, to misery.

Luckily, there’s a third option: moving on. Sure, he’s not famous anymore, but he’s still called to his work, and there’s always work to be done.

Maybe his fame will help him land more jobs – if so, great. Certainly he’ll be proud of the Mishkan, what he’s contributed. But he’ll also be proud of himself for getting up every day and building new things (well, every day except Shabbat). And sometimes he’ll forget about pride altogether and just do what he’s been called to do. On this path, Bezalel realizes what we all need to realize: sustainable satisfaction doesn’t come from being renowned – it comes from doing the work, no matter whether we do it in fame’s spotlight or whether we do it in shadow. A

 This

month’s Torah portions March 7: Ki Tisa (Exodus 30:11-34:35) March 14: Vayak’hel/Pekudei (Exodus 35:1-40:38) March 21: Vayikra (Leviticus 1:1-5:26) March 28: Tzav (Leviticus 6:1-8:36)

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Family Camp Weekend 2015 Friday, April 17 – Sunday, April 19

Play. Relax. Rejuvenate.

Join Supporting Jewish Single Parents, a program of Jewish Family Service, and Camp Mountain Chai for our 9th Annual SJSP Family Camp Weekend. Come meet new friends, strengthen family relationships, and enjoy a great outdoor experience.

• Shabbat services • Family evening programs • Traditional camp activities for current kindergarten & older • Child activity program for current pre-k & younger • Break-out sessions for parents • All family meals and snacks included!

Register by April 1, 2015

Registration & Information www.jfssd.org/camp • (858) 499-1330

Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 27

ISRAEL

NOT QUITE JEWISH ENOUGH

Israel’s Orthodox marriage laws leave many Jews out of marriage options in the Holy Land

BY NATALIE JACOBS

The nonprofit group Hiddush, which focuses on religious freedom in Israel, recently completed a study of marriage freedom in 194 countries around the world. The report found that Israel is one of 45 countries with the most severe restrictions on marriage. Of those 45 countries, 67 percent are ruled by Sharia law.

I

n Israel today, there are hundreds of thousands of people who cannot get married, and it’s not because they’re gay. As it stands now, marriage in Israel is governed by Orthodox law and as result, a wide swath of Israeli citizens are not deemed Jewish enough to be married in the country. The nonprofit group Hiddush formed on the eve of Rosh Hashanah in 2009 to address this issue and others that fall under the tent of religious freedom in Israel. To illustrate the marriage problem, the group’s founder, Rabbi Uri Regev, gives the example of Sara.

Sara was adopted at the age of one. Her Jewish parents wanted to raise her as a Jew, so they had Sara complete the full conversion process, including the mikvah, as a young child. Sara eventually made aliyah to Israel where she met a native and fell in love. Though she was Jewish enough to make aliyah, the two could not get married in Israel because of her convert status.

“The law in Israel is that the only authority to celebrate marriage of Jews is in the hands of the established Chief Orthodox Rabbinate and that the law governing the law of marriage in Israel is Jewish law in its Orthodox interpretation,” Regev explains.

Hiddush believes that the Orthodox control over religious freedom is against Israel’s Declaration of Independence and an affront to 28 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

human dignity. Hiddush uses the marriage issue and works with other groups that focus solely on niche issues within the religious freedom spectrum – like those that focus on gender equality and army service for the Orthodox – to cut across political lines with the hopes of creating what we would call here in the U.S. “bipartisan support” for bills that would individually strike down the discriminating laws.

In the previous government, which will be officially uprooted with the elections this month, Hiddush had support of four bills that offered different approaches to creating more freedom of marriage. But those bills are likely to be dead on arrival in the new government.

“The political circumstances of the collapse of the current coalition and calling for early elections may herald return to the unfortunate political configuration which is based on support of the Ultra Orthodox parties,” Regev says.

“Netanyahu has already indicated his desire to see the Ultra Orthodox in his party. With that in mind, we may not only be slowing down the progress or halting the progress that was made in the last couple of years … but we’re afraid that it will also potentially be attempting to roll back on some of the progress that was already made.”

Part of Hiddush’s mission is to bring Diaspora groups into the fold on these religious freedom

issues. Last year, the Jewish Federations of North America took on a project to advance marriage freedom in Israel, while the American Jewish Committee also took up the cause. Regev will be in San Diego on March 9 and 10 to speak at Temple Emanu-El and Congregation Beth El (this event is co-sponsored by Beth Israel and Federation) to talk about the issues of religious freedom in Israel and encourage further American Jewish support.

Ultimately, Regev says the issue boils down to the recurring question of “who is a Jew.” “Who is a Jew has been a key bone of contention between American Jewry and the Israeli government going back to the mid 70s,” Regev says. “Almost every 10 years there is some kind of eruption of the issue. Consistently, every time the issue erupted and American Jewish leaders spoke up, whoever was the Prime Minister at the time turned around and said ‘sorry, I didn’t realize you really cared that much about it.’ If you ask me, can American Jewry really make an impact? It can, it does, it will, if only it cares enough.”

Learn more about Hiddush at hiddush.org or look specifically into their work on the marriage issue at marriage.hiddush.org. A

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PASSOVER

Community Seders

Many synagogues and community groups are opening their doors to individuals and families at least once this Passover.

Find the one closest to you in the listings that follow.

Keep in mind, many organizations request reservations in advance. If you do not see your synagogue listed here, they are either not hosting a Seder or did not respond to requests for information. Check websites for most up-to-date info.

CHABAD CONGREGATIONS Chabad Jewish Center of Oceanside 1930 Sunset Dr. Vista, CA 92081 jewishoceanside.com (760) 806-7765Â April 3: 6:30 p.m. at Chabad Jewish Center.

Cost is $35, open to everyone.

R.S.V.P. by March 26.

Chabad Jewish Center of Rancho Santa Fe P.O. Box 8282 Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067 jewishrsf.com (858) 756-7571 April 3: time TBD, Morgan Run Club and Resort.

Reservation requested. Reserve a seat at jewishrsf.com or call for more information.

Chabad of East County 8691 La Mesa Blvd.

La Mesa, CA 91942 jewishec.com (619) 387-8770 April 3: 7:30 p.m.

Seder dinners are open to everyone, check website in case times have changed.

Chabad of La Jolla 909 Prospect St., Suite 210 La Jolla, CA 92037 chabadoflajolla.com (858) 455-5433 Chabad of La Jolla will host Seder dinners on both nights in La Jolla village. Both evenings are open to everyone, please visit website for details.

Chabad of Pacific Beach 4150 Mission Blvd., Suite 216 San Diego, CA 92109 chabadPB.org (619) 333-0344

Chabad of Downtown 472 Third Ave. San Diego, CA 92101 chabaddowntown.com (619) 702-8518

April 3: time TBD

April 3: 7 p.m.

April 4: 7:30 p.m.

Chabad of San Marcos and the Alef 1739 Turnberry Dr. San Marcos, CA 92069 alefcenter.com (760) 481-7503

Both Seder dinners are open to everyone.

30 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

The exact time and cost is to be determined. Check the website for updated information.

April 3: 7:30 p.m.

April 4: 8 p.m.

Both Seders are open to members and nonmembers.

Cost is $36 for adults and $18 for kids.

ORTHODOX CONGREGATIONS

CONSERVATIVE CONGREGATIONS

Congregation Adat Yeshurun 8625 La Jolla Scenic Dr. North La Jolla, CA 92037 adatyeshurun.org (858) 535-1196 option 2

Congregation B’nai Chaim 29500 Via Princesa Murrieta, CA 92563 bnaichaim.com (951) 677-7350

Adat Yeshurun does not host a community Seder but they are more than happy to help find a Seder for anyone in need.

Contact megan@adatyeshurun. org or Annette@adatyeshurun. org and they will assist you.

April 4: time TBD

Kehillas Torah kehillastorah.org (858) 829-9648 April 3: time TBD The exact time is to be determined. Reservations requested, contact rbl@ kehillastorah.org or call (858) 829-9648 for more information. Address will be given upon reservation.

Seder is open to the public, check website for details.

Congregation Beth Am 5050 Del Mar Heights Rd. San Diego, CA 92130 betham.com (858) 481-8454 Seders rotate annually between Beth Am and Beth El. This year, the Seder will take place at Congregation Beth El. See below.

Congregation Beth El 8660 Gilman Dr. La Jolla, CA 92037 cbe.org (858) 452-1734 Community Seder with

PASSOVER

Congregation Beth Am, hosted at Congregation Beth El.

but attendees must R.S.V.P. by March 27.

April 4: 6:30 p.m.

REFORM CONGREGATIONS

$30 for adult members of both synagogues, $15 kids 5-12; $50 for nonmember adults, $30 for kids; R.S.V.P online by March 25.

Chai, Beth El’s young adult group, will also host a Seder for everyone in their 20s and 30s.

This will take place on April 4 at 6:30 p.m. at Congregation Beth El in the Beit Midrash.

Cost is $25 for members, $36 nonmembers. Contact Elana Kobernick, Chai Program Coordinator, at chai@cbe.org or (858) 452-1734.

Congregation Beth Israel 9001 Towne Centre Dr. San Diego, CA 92122 cbisd.org (858) 535-1111, ext. 3318 April 3: 6:30 p.m.

Cost is $40 for members and their guests, $45 for nonmembers. Children 6-12 are $18, children younger than 5 are $5.

R.S.V.P. cbisd.org/event/ congregational-first-night-seder

Ohr Shalom Synagogue 2512 Third Ave. San Diego, CA 92103 ohrshalom.org (619) 231-1456

Congregation Etz Chaim P.O. Box 1138 Ramona, CA 92065 etzchaimramona.org (760) 789-2781

April 4: 6 p.m.

April 4: 4 p.m.

R.S.V.P required at (619) 2311456, by March 27. Cost is $40 for adult members, $20 for child members; nonmembers are: $50 for adults, $30 for children.

This Seder is a potluck open to everyone. The synagogue requests meat dishes only, no dairy. The meal will take place at 16911 Gunn Stage Road, Ramona, CA 92065.

Temple Beth Shalom 208 Madrona St. Chula Vista, CA 91910 bethshalomtemple.com (619) 420-6040

Temple Adat Shalom 15905 Pomerado Rd. Poway, CA 92064 adatshalom.com (858) 451-1200

April 4: 6:15 p.m.

April 4: 7 p.m.

Cost is $25 per adult, $15 per child under 13 and reservation is required.

Cost is $36 for members, $40 nonmembers.

Temple Isaiah 332 W. Alejo Rd. Palm Springs, CA 92262 templeisaiahps.com (760) 325-2281 April 3: 5:45 p.m.

This Seder is open to everyone,

Temple Emanu-El 6299 Capri Dr. San Diego, CA 92120 teesd.org (619) 286-2555 April 4: time TBD Reservations required, contact synagogue for more

information.

Temple Solel 3575 Manchester Ave. Cardiff by the Sea, CA 92007 templesolel.net (760) 436-0654 April 4: 5:30 p.m.

Cost is $30 adults and $20 for children 10 and younger.

Reservations due by March 16.

Free Seder plate included with family reservation.

RECONSTRUCTIONIST CONGREGATIONS Congregation Dor Hadash 5440 Kearny Mesa Rd. San Diego, CA 92111 dorhadash.org (858) 268-3674 April 4: 6 p.m., doors at 5:30 p.m.

Fee is to be determined, and reservations are required.

HUMANISTIC CONGREGATIONS Kahal Am: The Humanistic Jewish Community of San Diego P.O. Box 927751 San Diego, CA 92192 kahalam.org (858) 549-3088 April 4: 3-5 P.M.

Jewish Collaborative of San Diego 5927 Balfour Ct. #203 Carlsbad, CA 92008 Jcosd.com (760) 707-7111 April 4: time TBD For more information, please visit their website or contact Rabbi/Cantor Gabi at Cantorgabiarad@gmail.com Congregation B’nai Tikvah 2510 Gateway Rd. Carlsbad, CA 92009 bnaitikvahsd.com (760) 650-2262 April 3: 5:30 p.m.

Seder will take place at the Carlsbad Seniors Center, 799 Pine Ave. Carlsbad CA 92008.

Reservations are required, tickets cost $30. Call or email info@bnaitikvahsd.com to reserve your spot.

COMMUNITY GROUPS Moishe House Located in North Park, this residential community hosts events for local Jews in their 20s to connect in a variety of ways.

The Moishe House Passover Seder will take place on April 4 at 6 p.m. Email mhousesd@ gmail.com and michael@ moishehouse.org to R.S.V.P. and get location details.

The Seder will take place at the Encinitas Community Center, 1140 Oakcrest Park Dr. Encinitas, CA 92024.

Cost is $30 for members, $35 nonmembers and $12 for children 6-10. Children 5 and younger are free.

POSTDENOMINATIONAL AND UNAFFILIATED CONGREGATIONS Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 31

PASSOVER

REDEFINING THE RASHA

This Passover, look not upon any child as wicked, and instead embrace curiosity

BY RABBI MICHAEL LEO SAMUEL

C

hildren have an unusual ability when it comes to confronting our spiritual hypocrisy as parents and as adults; very often they get to the essence of the problem as they perceive things. As parents we often fail to hear the questions our young people ask of us.

We overreact whenever we feel that our beliefs and values are being questioned or attacked.

Rather than listening with our inner ear, we respond with harshness and anger. Sometimes, we wish our children were more respectful and compliant, or that they would at least, “mind their place” at the Seder table.

As any Woody Allen fan certainly knows, passionate family discussions have been a part of Jewish life since ancient times. When you have two or more Jews together in dialogue, unanimity has never been the goal. Passover is no exception to this rule.

During Passover, this thought finds expression in the question of the “Rasha” (better known to most of us as the “Wicked Child”). Without his presence and participation, the entire Seder would be a dull experience. Here is a literal translation of the controversial passage we read in the Passover Haggadah: “The wicked child, what does he say? ‘What is this service to you?’ Note what the Torah says, ‘to you,’ but not to him. Because he has excluded himself from the community, he has denied a basic teaching of the faith. Therefore, you shall smack his teeth and tell him: ‘It is because of this that God wrought for me in my going out of Egypt’ (Exod. 13:8). ‘For me,’ but not him.

Had he been there, he would not have been redeemed.”

As a parent, I have often wondered how anyone could call their child “wicked.” The glaring meaning of “Rasha” is arguably offensive.

If we are to choose a less offensive title, let us describe him or her as a “Wayward Child,” or perhaps more accurately a “Rebellious Child.”

At any rate, our Rasha is a person who stands perilously close to the edge of his/her Judaism; without a proper pedagogical response, the Rasha may grow up to disaffiliate as a Jew. So we wonder: Why does the Rasha strike such a visceral note? The anger of the father deserves special attention. Why does he get so upset? How could a simple question push a parent to act so

32 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

violently at the family Seder?

Clearly, the Rasha has touched a raw nerve in his father. If my conjecture is correct, the Rasha’s question now begins to make more sense, for s/he may be a child who is dissatisfied with superficial answers. The father may love tradition, but he lacks the ability to articulate to his rebellious adolescent child what it means to be a Jew, especially in a modern age. Of all the children who are present at the Seder table, the Rasha is asking the best question of them all!

On a deeper level, the question is really asking us to consider “What does this service mean to you? If the Seder has no deeper meaning for you, why should it have any special meaning for me?

How can I make this Seder a self-authenticating experience if the Seder is nothing more than a mechanical exercise? Until I find out the answer, I will not be subject to you or any tradition until I know for sure what it really means, assuming

that it means anything at all.”

Children have a way of discerning a parent’s Achilles heel. A child knows when parents are just breezing through the motions of religious life. Maybe the rebellious child has a good reason to rebel, for s/he instinctively knows when a parent is real or unreal. The Rasha may well see something hollow about his “religious” father. As parents, Passover reminds us that we need to constantly reexamine what it means to celebrate freedom. If the story of Passover has personal meaning for us, then we will better be able to articulate a response to the most difficult question of the Seder: What does this service mean to you? A Rabbi Samuel leads Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista.

Enjoy a Palm Springs Mini Spring Break

2015 Jewish Film Festival

Tuesday/Wednesday March 24/25

2 days/8 films

Miklat • 400 Miles to Freedom Apples from the Desert • Transit Farewell Herr Schwarz • Zero Motivation Hannah Cohen’s Holy Communion Hannah’s Journey

Camelot Theatres, Palm Springs $54 Platinum Series Pass • $36 Series Pass Individual tickets $8

Purchase tickets at 760-325-2281 or online www.templeisaiahps.com/jff and stay through Sunday or just come in for the weekend to hear world renowned

HAZZAN ALBERT MIZRAHI and his fabulous friends in concert

Sunday, March 29 • 4 PM

at beautiful TEMPLE ISAIAH/Jewish Community Center 332 West Alejo Rd, Palm Springs

● RENAISSANCE PALM SPRINGS $119/night

888 Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs 800-585-6064 Available for Film Festival only: March 23-26.

(Blocked space held thru 3/20) Ask for “Jewish Film Festival” rate.

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385 North Palm Canyon, Palm Springs 760-322-9000 Special rate available March 23-30. For reservations: https://resweb.passkey.com/go/23TE If additional assistance is required, please call 888-421-1442 and refer to group code 23TE. Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 33

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PASSOVER

TRAVELING FOR PASSOVER

Whether to escape the Pesach cleaning grind or to see family in a far-off place, more families are jet-setting during the Exodus holiday

BY BRIE STIMSON

P

assover is a holiday steeped in tradition, family, crowded air travel, and big business for hotels. According to the Transportation Security Administration, Passover is one of the five major events throughout the year in which a large increase in the numbers of travelers is anticipated. The holiday is compared with the Super Bowl, Spring Break, summer travel, and the Fourth of July.

This makes sense, as Passover is essentially a pilgrimage holiday. So to honor it, thousands of Jews travel to five-star resorts and hop aboard cruise ships. According to Raphi Bloom, the founder and CEO of TotallyJewishTravel.com, the number of traveling Jews tops 125,000 this time of year. But that’s only including leisure travel.

Plenty more thousands travel to visit family during the Exodus holiday.

To accommodate the influx, the TSA has increased measures to be more sensitive to Jewish travelers.

A statement on the TSA website explains: “Our workforce is aware of the unique items

carried by individuals and [the] religious practices individuals may engage in while traveling. This may include reading of religious text or participating in prayer rituals. Observant travelers may be wearing a head covering, prayer shawl, and phylacteries [in Hebrew, kippah, tallit, and tefillin]. Passengers traveling with religious items, including handmade matzoh, may request a hand inspection by the TSA of the items at the security checkpoint.”

While many travelers will visit family, the holiday has also seen a recent upsurge in destination travel. Several websites now cater exclusively to Passover travel, offering vacations at hotels and cruises around the world, from Cuba to South Africa. Aside from luxurious accommodations, the vacation packages offer catered kosher meals, Orthodox, Sephardi and Ashkenazi minyanim, as well as talks by notable speakers. Guests tend to be orthodox, live in a U.S. city with a large Jewish population, and have money to spend, as hotel stays can run in the thousands.

Most of these resorts (excluding the Israeli ones) are regular hotels. About a week before Passover, people are brought in to kosher the kitchen. They are certified and supervised by the meshkia.

“They’re not only controlling that meat and dairy are not eaten together or on the same plates or cooked in the same utensils, but they’re also making sure that the products that are being used are coming from strictly kosher locations and that nothing that has bread or any other things that are specifically not allowed during Passover are not used,” Laurie Vanesschoten, the founder of TheWanderingJew.net told NPR in 2010.

As a sign of deep faith, some Jews, in order to rid their property of bread, grains, and leavened products, go to the extreme of selling their home before they go stay at a luxury hotel or to a cruise for the holiday. While most people partake in a deep house cleaning, some have found a way out of the laborious ritual by temporarily renting their home to a gentile. These goyim, nonJews, actually buy the home for the duration of Passover, usually with the Rabbi as a broker, and sell the property back at the end of the holiday.

According to Bloom of Totally Jewish Travel, “For many observant Jews, the attraction of leaving home is two-fold: the drudgery of getting away from Pesach cleaning, as well as traveling to a fun, friendly place where food, intellectual stimulation, and even physical activities are plentiful and appealing.”

For these reasons, the Passover travel trend grows each year.

“Increasingly, family reunions are becoming more and more global,” says Lynda Clare of Presidential Kosher Holidays. “Not everyone in the family may be observant, but they enjoy celebrating it together. Moreover, we have seen lasting friendships formed among families coming from different parts of the globe; they’re coming together again and again to celebrate Pesach. A

Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 35

FEATURE

A LIFETIME OF SONG

After 36 years, Myrna Cohen, Temple Emanu-El Cantorial Soloist, retires

PHOTO BY RICK GARCIA

BY SARA APPEL-LENNON

Cantorial soloist Myrna Cohen and her husband, JCC Director Michael Cohen.

W

ith no formal vocal training, Myrna Cohen achieved a 36 year Jewish musical career at the Reform congregation Temple Emanu-El. That kind of success is almost unheard of in the world of cantorial soloists and although she never received the special training technically required to be a cantor, Cohen met many people in the Jewish community who opened doors to her career after hearing her sing.

“Your instrument is inside of you,” she says.

“No one can take it away from you.”

With a natural gift, Cohen realized that singing was how she could be a leader in the community.

It was also the source of her self confidence.

“I lived music,” she says, reflecting on a childhood filled with classical music. Her 36 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

mother, Goldie Cohen, worked as a Soprano Opera singer in New York City. The family later moved to Pittsburg where Goldie taught voice and music from their home, while singing in a professional choir at the family’s synagogue.

Music runs in the family and Myrna’s brother was a classical pianist since age six. Due to the rigorous standards he placed on himself, joy eluded him. The Cohen parents attempted to encourage him to relax by buying him a guitar to play in between piano practice, but it spent years in the corner, untouched.

Myrna was burdened by her brother’s sadness, and when her mother offered Opera voice lessons, she refused. After seeing her brother struggle with music, Myrna specifically avoided such a diligent commitment. But one day, for fun, she picked up

the abandoned guitar and began to strum. Her love affair had begun.

“My guitar accompanied me wherever I went,” she remembers. “I could just sing and it sounded ok. That sounds so arrogant. I’m not trying to be arrogant, I’m just being honest.”

Eventually, she discovered a knack for Hebrew, and began to sing in the language.

At age 14, Myrna led the congregation in song at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh and job offers immediately started pouring in from every Jewish agency in town. She accepted all of them.

“Judaism is a passion for me. It defines me, who I am. That doesn’t mean I’m religious. I’m a cultural Jew,” Cohen says.

By 1976, when Myrna was 21 years old with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and English from the University of Pittsburgh, people in the community were continuously encouraging her singing career. That summer, she worked as a camp counselor at Camp Sabra near St. Louis, Mo. During the first week, the camp director, Ed Robbins, personally introduced himself.

“I do sing from my soul,” she says. “I do sing from somewhere deep inside of me. It’s very authentic. … That’s how I communicate.”

By that first summer’s end, Ed Robbins was hired as Executive Director of the Jewish Community Center on 54th Street in San Diego.

He asked Cohen to be the Senior Adult Director and Cohen drove across the country with him and his family.

From there, Cohen taught Jewish music and led Passover Seders here in San Diego for the JCC, Jewish Federation, and Temple Emanu-El. “[Passover] teaches Jewish history in a fun, simplistic way,” she says. “Teaching the young kids, that’s what I love about Pesach because you do it in your home.”

Her favorite Passover recipe is sweet and sour meatballs, from her mother and grandmother.

The holiday continues to remind her of her childhood, where she learned many of the lessons she employed throughout her teaching and

FEATURE

In 2004, Cohen’s friend Barry Greur presented her with a guitar he made specially for her. Cohen was moved, to say the least.

Myrna Cohen’s Musical Notes After three decades in the business, Cohen has picked up on a few lasting truths and they’re applicable beyond the podium. Here’s her advice:

PHOTO BY ELLEN GREUR

1. Learn to play guitar. It’s portable.

2. Don’t be difficult.

3. Sing in a key so others can join in. singing career.

During those first years at the JCC, Cohen wrote a grant for a kosher kitchen to provide 120 kosher lunches daily. She taught music, preschool, and worked as the Summer Camp Unit Head.

During her first Hanukkah celebration with the community center, she sang in the building lobby.

“I’m more of a sing-along-with-me singer than a performer … I’d rather sing with you,” she says.

At that first Hanukkah performance, a man who looked like Omar Sharif approached her, he said he was a rabbi. And so began her relationship with Temple Emanu-El. Rabbi Marty Lawson invited her to sing with him and co-lead High Holiday Services that year at the Del Cerro synagogue, but she was already committed. Jim Sultan, who led Hillel services at San Diego State University, trained Cohen to lead High Holiday services at Hillel UC San Diego.

Though she already had a High Holidays commitment that year, Cohen started working part-time at Temple Emanu-El. With her

influence, the synagogue was established as a sing-along congregation. Eventually, after Rabbi Morton J. Cohen retired, Rabbi Lawson hired Cohen to be the temple’s Cantorial Soloist.

With her professional life falling into place, Myrna met Michael Cohen, then Physical Education Director at the JCC (now Executive Director). They shared the same values, initials, and even last name. They were married in 1979 and now have three grown kids and one grandchild.

“He’s the best decision I ever made,” Myrna says. “That’s true. Not everyone gets it.”

As her life became complicated, with the death of a close friend, the onset of vertigo, her son’s diagnosis of Juvenile Diabetes and her mother’s diagnosis of lung cancer, Myrna’s singing and some gentle yoga exercises helped her physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

“My mom gave me a gift,” Myrna says, reflecting on a long career. “She was a singer. I’ve done pretty well with it, that gift she gave me.

Any success is from her music opening doors.” A

4. Don’t be an arrogant performer.

5. Embrace people with your music.

6. Be grateful. Be kind and nice to people.

7. Act like you’ve got a gift and you’re privileged to share it.

8. All you have to do is do the work and be nice to people.

Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 37

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FEATURE

DEEP CONNECTION TO JEWISH COMMUNITY ENCOURAGES DIVERSITY A conversation with San Diego County Library Director José Aponte

BY NATALIE JACOBS

PHOTO COURTESY SAN DIEGO COUNTY LIBRARY

Ballet Folklorico performed cultural song and dance at the 2013 Legends Exhibit reception at the Rancho San Diego Library.

S

ince 2008, the San Diego County Library (SDCL) has been building upon a diversity plan intended to make the library and its 33 branches a welcoming home for multicultural interaction and organization. While diversity is a motivating factor in staffing decisions as well as in information technology access and training, a large part of the library’s diversity plan is centered around multicultural programming in each of the branches – spread across a truly diverse set of suburban cities that encircle the city, from Vista out to Borrego and down to the South Bay. “As I see it,” says José Aponte, SDCL Director, “libraries are at a crossroads. I see libraries with two very important virtues that we can leverage.

We are a place that is trusted, safe – a sanctuary if you will – where people can come for the free and open exchange of ideas. The second opporutnity for us is the increasing digitization of the world and the opportunity to flatten that access for everyone.”

Aponte, who is approaching his 10-year anniversary with SDCL, grew up during the Civil Rights era in New York state. From an early age, he was introduced to cultures outside of his Latino heritage, through his mother, a librarian, and her involvement in the local UN Club.

Once a month, a parade of diverse people with

professional jobs in law or academia would join together to discuss ideas and personal histories.

During that time, Aponte’s mother also developed a close relationship with a Jewish colleague who had a son about Aponte’s age. Together, the two young boys began to attend programs at the Albany Jewish Community Center and Aponte’s affinity for the Jewish religion and culture was solidified.

“I can honestly tell you that I have gone to more Bar and Bat Mitzvahs than I have quinceañeras in my life,” he says.

In high school, Aponte, along with a Jewish student, an Armenian, and an African American integrated their small, previously “whites only” private school. Aponte was involved again in an integration movement in his first year at Bard College in Hudson, N.Y. Those connections grew in the 60s when Aponte pursued social activism movements and looked to follow the examples of Matthew Shermer and the Freedom Writers, Cesar Chavez and Dr. Martin Luther King.

After a brief career in Off Broadway theater, Aponte followed in his mother’s footsteps and attended library school in Arizona. His cultural connection to Judaism followed him to San Diego when he became the director of the San

Diego County Library and immediately got to work introducing programs like the Davka and Anne Frank Holocaust exhibits, Klezmer concerts, and programs associated with the San Diego Jewish Book Fair.

“The first opportunity for libraries in a changing world is to go back to the basics,” he says. “Bring people together. Serve as a bridge, a convener, a place where communities come together to celebrate their uniqueness.”

In May, 2013, Aponte developed the San Diego Legends art and photography exhibit. This annual program recognizes the influencers among us who may easily go unnoticed. The exhibit honors those who have embraced “inclusion, spiritual integrity, humanism and healthy living,” through their life’s work. Each year, five or six individuals are honored as the exhibit travels to a new County Library each month.

Last year, the library hosted more than 28,000 programs. Aponte quickly does the math – that’s about 75 programs per day. With such a broad geographical area and the physical meeting space to provide for the kind of community interactions that Aponte imagines, the opportunities for diversity at the San Diego County Library can only continue to grow. Visit sdcl.org to browse upcoming events in your area. A Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 39

2015 Simchas Resource Guide WRITTEN AND COMPILED BY TINA B. ESHEL PHOTOS BY DEL RIO STUDIOS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

The Sheraton Harbor Island was transformed into an exotic paradise for Leah Feinberg’s Bat Mitzvah in December.

F

or the second year in a row, we’re bringing you a full list of everything you need to plan a party. With particular focus on Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, we’ve scoured San Diego to highlight vendors, venues, and various tips in one covenient place.

As usual, we’ve turned to the Bar/Bat Mitzvah Event Services Association (BESA) and its fearless leaders Lydia Krasner and Patricia Del Rio to get some insights into what’s up with the party scene this year. In addition to our extensive list of local resources, we’ve spotlighted advice, trends and a new kosher cakery throughout this section.

Everything marked with a B is part of the BESA group, and Kosher caterers are marked with a K .

Here’s hoping for a smooth planning process and a wonderful party when all is said and done.

40 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

venues B

Hilton Garden Inn San Diego/Del Mar 3939 Ocean Bluff Ave. hiltongardeninndelmar.com (858) 720-9500 Capacity: up to 150 Room cost: food and beverage minimum of $2,500 gets free room rental Advance booking recommended: anytime Outside catering allowed: Only for ethnic requirements, but perperson fee is applied B

Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines 10950 North Torrey Pines Rd. hiltonlajollatorreypines.com (858) 558-1500 Call for quote and details Hilton San Diego Bayfront 1 Park Blvd. hiltonsandiegobayfront.com (619) 321-4211 Capacity: up to 2,400 Room cost: varies, call for quote

Advance booking recommended: one year Outside catering allowed: No, Kosher catering available in-house B

Hilton San Diego/Del Mar 15575 Jimmy Durante Blvd. sandiegodelmar.hilton.com (858) 764-6044 Capacity: up to 400 Room cost: call for quote Advance booking recommended: 6 months Outside catering allowed: Only if dietary restrictions are required Hornblower Cruises 1800 N. Harbor Dr. hornblower.com (619) 686-8700 Capacity: 10-1,000 Room cost: price varies with custom options Advance booking recommended: as soon as possible Outside catering allowed: No B

Hotel Del Coronado 1500 Orange Ave. hoteldel.com

(619) 435-6611 Capacity: up to 1,100 Room cost: food and beverage minimums on top of room rental charges Advance booking recommended: at least one year Outside catering allowed: No B

Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine 3777 La Jolla Village Dr. lajolla.hyatt.com (858) 552-6025 Capacity: up to 650 Room cost: $50-$200 person Advance booking recommended: one year Outside catering allowed: Yes B

Maderas Golf Club 17750 Old Coach Rd. maderasgolf.com (858) 451-8100 Call for quote and details B

Capacity: 1,000 Room cost: $2,500-$6,500 Advance booking recommended: availability varies Outside catering allowed: No, but exceptions can be made for Kosher requirements B

Party Pals 10427 Roselle St. partypals.com (858) 622-6613 Capacity: up to 1,000 (inside and/ or outside space available) Room cost: call for quote Advance booking recommended: extremely busy through summer, starting in May. Recommended six months in advance Outside catering allowed: Yes B

San Diego Zoo 2920 Zoo Drive sandiegozoo.org/catering (619) 685-3223 Call for quote and details

The New Children’s Museum 200 West Island Ave. thinkplaycreate.org (619) 233-8792

San Diego Botanic Garden 230 Quail Gardens Dr. sdbgarden.org

Three Tips to Help Kids Have a Great (and Safe) Party SET YOUR EXPECTATIONS WITH AN INSERT IN THE INVITATION “Let kids know before the party happens how they are expected to dress and behave. You’ll help them avoid embarrassing themselves and save yourself the hassle of having to call a parent to come pick up their child because they are misbehaving,” our experts suggested. Krasner and Del Rio offer these ground rules: “no texting, no bare shoulders, no jeans, no tennis shoes, skirts must touch the knee.”

DELEGATE SOMEONE TO ENFORCE YOUR RULES Delegate someone to enforce your rules. This is your party. Assign a trusted adult with the responsibility of making sure that misbehaving children are given a chance to correct their behavior and let them know they’ll have to leave the party if they don’t.

HAVE A GUEST LIST HANDY AND PASS OUT PARTY BRACELETS Party crashing is real. The guest list should include names and phone numbers in the event that someone will need to be picked up early. The bracelets are to prevent party crashers, which is becoming more of a problem Krasner says, especially when the simchas is being held at a popular venue. It may not sound like fun, but then again, neither is hearing from a lawyer if a child at your party is hurt or injured.

Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 41

(760) 436-3036 Capacity: 30-300 Room cost: $550-$1,900 Advance booking recommended: 15 months Outside catering allowed: No, but exceptions can be made for Kosher requirements B

San Diego Marriott Del Mar 11966 El Camino Real marriott.com/hotels/travel/sandmsan-diego-marriott-del-mar (858) 523-1700 Capacity: 120-420 Room cost: varies by event date and requirements Advance booking recommended: depends on the season desired Outside catering allowed: Yes B

San Diego Marriott – La Jolla 4240 La Jolla Village Dr. marriottlajolla.com (858) 597-6384 Capacity: groups of 80-700 Room cost: $25-$60 plus tax and service charge Advance booking recommended: short term up to a year and a half out

Outside catering allowed: only if full kosher is need B

San Diego Marriott Mission Valley 8757 Rio San Diego Dr. marriott.com/hotels/travel/sanmvsan-diego-marriott-mission-valley (619) 692-3800 Capacity: 150-550 Room cost: food and beverage minimums only, depend on day of week Advance booking recommended: as soon as possible Outside catering allowed: Yes B

Sheraton Carlsbad 5480 Grand Pacific Dr. sheratoncarlsbad.com (760) 827-2414 Capacity: 300-500 Room cost: no room reservation cost, only charged for food and beverage to be consumed Advance booking recommended: 6 months to one year, but flexible Outside catering allowed: No B

Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina 1380 Harbor Island Dr.

THROWING A SIMCHA? WE CATER ANY EVENT! • BAR/BAT MITZVAH PARTIES • WEDDINGS • GRADUATION PARTIES • CORPORATE EVENTS • 30-5,000 PEOPLE • KOSHER PLATTERS • BARUCHA LUNCHEONS

ALWAYS COOKED FRESH ON-SITE! • Rotisserie Free Range Chicken • Kosher Slow-Cooked Brisket • Whole Rotisserie Lamb • Grilled Salmon & Mahi Mahi • Choice cut Roast Beef • Rotisserie Marinated Turkey • Shabbat Luncheons

sheraton.com/sandiegomarina (619) 692-2702 Capacity: 50-1500 Room cost: consultation required Advance booking recommended: at least one month Outside catering allowed: No B

Stoneridge Country Club 17166 Stoneridge Country Club Lane stoneridgeclub.com (858) 487-2138 Capacity: up to 300 Room cost: consultation required Advance booking recommended: Yes Outside catering allowed: Call for more information.

Tango Del Rey 3567 Del Rey St. tangodelrey.com (858) 794-9044 Capacity: 5,000 sqft with seeting up to 220 Room cost: varies, call for quote Advance booking recommended: as early as one month depending on preferred date.

Outside catering allowed: No. Kosher-style available

B

UCSD Faculty Club 9500 Gillman Dr., #0121 facclub.ucsd.edu (858) 534-5450 Capacity: 400 Room cost: $400-$2,000 Advance booking recommended: flexible availability with summers very open Outside catering allowed: No B

The Westin Gaslamp Quarter 910 Broadway Circle westingaslamp.com (619) 239-2200 Capacity: 100-600 Room cost: call for a quote Advance booking recommended: as far out as possible but availability is very flexible Outside catering allowed: Yes

sell it all estate sales BUY OUTS/LIQUIDATIONS/AUCTION/BUYING/SELLING/ APPRAISALS/STAGING/CLEAN OUTS

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858-578-8891

7313 Carroll Road • 92121 www.rotisserieaffair.com 42 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

2015

You bring the traditions.

We’ll cater to them.

Begin the journey here. Catering to your distinct preferences, our premiere setting and culinary choices provide exclusivity for your celebration. To plan your next event, or for more information, contact our Event Professionals at 858.552.1234 x2107 or visit lajolla.hyatt.com Hyatt. You’re More Than Welcome.

HYATT REGENCY LA JOLLA

3777 La Jolla Village Drive San Diego, CA 92122

HYATT name, design and related are trademarks of Hyatt Corporation. ©2014 Hyatt Hotels. All rights reserved.

Traditional Passover Dinner* Chopped Liver or Gefilte Fish Matzo • Matzo Ball Soup Brisket of Beef or Roasted Half of Chicken Potato Kugel Carrot & Sweet Potato Tzimmes Macaroons *No Seder

Available April 3rd & 4th, 2015 Reservations Preferred

RSVP 619.265.0218

$19.95 per Person $12.95 Child’s Portion (Under 10)

No Sharing & No Substitutions, please!

6930 Alvarado Road (I-8 at 70th St) San Diego (619) 265-0218 Sunday-Thursday: 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Friday & Saturday: 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. www.dzakinsdeli.com Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 43

50th Anniversary Lecture Series

Schedule of Events Monday, March 9, 2015 • 7 pm Rabbi Uri Regev: “The Israeli Elections: The Challenge to Religious Freedom and the Role of American Jewry”

BUILDING COMMUNITY

Sunday, April 26, 2015 • 1 pm Amnon Ben-Yehuda: “I Will Not Forget This, My Friend” Film Screening and Discussion

Announcing the kick-off to our lecture series as part of our year-long celebration of Temple Emanu-El’s 50th anniversary!

Friday, May 1 - Sunday, May 3 Rabbi Gershom Sizomu will join us for a special weekend of learning about the Abayudaya Jews of Uganda

Presented by Temple Emanu-El’s Robert M. Gardner Memorial Scholar-In-Residence Program, Adult Education Committee and Tifereth Israel Synagogue in promoting life long learning.

Sunday, May 31, 2015 • 6 pm San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman: “Building Community”

For more information, call the Temple office or visit our website www.teesd.org

6299 Capri Drive San Diego, CA 92120 (619) 286-2555 temple@teesd.org • www.teesd.org • facebook.com/teesd Devorah Marcus, Rabbi • Martin S. Lawson, Rabbi Emeritus Shiri Haines, Executive Director • Jim Lewis & Ron Marx, Co-Presidents Affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism

WHEN YOU NEED A RABBI CALL RABBI BEN LEINOW “A RABBI WHO CARES”

Ben Leinow Rabbi, PhD

COUNSELING & CEREMONIES FOR:

Weddings (for all couples) • Baby Namings • Rabbi at Congregation Etz Chaim (Ramona) & Congregation B’nai Tikvah (Carlsbad) cell: 619.992.2367 • 760.727.5333 email: rabbiben@email.com 44 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

MFT Lic #11820

event planners Hire a pro to help you with all the details for your next party. Remember, they do this every weekend!

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Mitzvah Event Productions mitzvahevent.com (619) 548-3485 Years in Business: 20 B

The Party Link thepartylink.net (619) 464-3800 Years in Business: 16 B

Sherrill Kinsler Events sherrillkinslerevents.com (858) 647-1644 Years in Business: 21

BAGELS & SANDWICHES SO GOOD THEY’RE TO LIVE FOR!

FIVE  ENTERTAINMENT! Jacquelyne Silver, that sparkling and witty mistress of piano, will make your special event PERSONALIZED and MEMORABLE.

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CALL OR EMAIL JACQUI FOR YOUR NEXT HAPPENING! 858-412-5858 • jsilver@san.rr.com Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 45

INVITATIONS

Invitations/Favors/Judaica/Decorations B

The Center of Attention thecenterofattention.biz (619)857-5225 Products: décor B

AFR Lounge Furniture Rentals afrevents.com (619) 819-9680 Products: furniture B Absolutely Fabulous! absofab.net (858) 866-6807 Products: games, lighting, glow products, furniture B

Shirley Sharff ssinvitations.com (858) 675-0509 Products: invitations, tallit, kippot, accessories, simcha scroll B

The Finished Touch thefinishedtouchsd.com (858) 342-7774 Products: invitations, accessories, party favors

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Charming Expressions charming-expressions.com (858) 674-1664 Products: bracelets, photo frames, flip-flops, necklaces B

Lickety Split Balloons licketysplitballoons.com (760) 207-4675 Products: balloons

Party Trends for 2015

So you want to throw a memorable party but feel overwhelmed about the choices? Follow Lydia Krasner and Patricia Del Rio’s advice for a unique party this year.

SWEETS AND TREATS The candy bar continues to be a popular item with Bnai Mitzvah crowds. If you want to make it really cool, go with a color scheme like all black and white candy or with a style theme like retro sweets and treats.

“Donut bars are big for 2015,” says Krasner, who plans 40-45 parties a year. Expect to see smaller, cuter and more unique treats like, “specialty donuts, more unique sundae bars like gelato bars, and even mini macaroons colored to match the event.”

FOCUS ON FAMILY Turns out, a simchas are a family affair after all.

“What we are seeing now is a trend away from having only a kid party and having a intergenerational party instead, with adults and kids coming together to celebrate,” Del Rio says.

Kids really do need to be chaperoned, and there’s a resurgence of commitment to the Jewish traditions involved in these ceremonies.

MITZVAH PROJECTS “Families today are incorporating mitzvah projects into the event,” in novel ways, says Krasner.

46 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

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Backdrops Beautiful backdropsbeautiful.com (858) 300-2100 Products: digital and static backdrops B

A Little Scene Flip Books alittlescene.com/bar-bat-mitzvahs (619) 922-0939 Products: photo flip books

B Chris’ Custom Airbrush airbrushchris.com (858) 488-7723 Products: airbrush t-shirts B

Create-A-Design at CLONE createadesign.net (858) 259-6789 Products: invitations, napkins, iPhone cases, other favors and gifts B

Paper Moment Papermoment.com (858) 342-7774 Products: invitations GloCone glocone.com (402) 871-8356 Products: edible cotton candy glow cones Edible Arrangements ediblearrangements.com (858) 792-9100 Products: edible fruit baskets

“Book drives and food drives,” are also popular.

INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND PERSONAL BRANDING Today’s most elaborate Bar or Bat Mitzvim will adopt a personal brand or logo for the child’s name, or a party theme that incorporates something about who they are. Decorations, napkins and even the dance floor can be personalized.

UNIQUE PHOTO AND VIDEO OPPORTUNITIES Most parties now include some type of video montage of the child and his or her family. Which brings us to the last on our list of trends – photo ops!

Throw on some props, ham it up in front of the green screen, photo booth, glow booth (pictures are taken at a slower shutter speed) and get your instant photomontage on the spot. Another new trend is something called the “Selfie Mirror” from a local vendor called Payton Classy Event Group, and Krasner tells us that “entrance videos” are starting to hit the party circuit too.

FINAL THOUGHTS We realize that party planning can be a stressful time for families and parents, which is why we offer this final bit of advice: stay focused on what’s most important to you. Bigger doesn’t mean better. The rite of passage matters most. Set your budget, clear up expectations and plan a party that fits your family above all else.

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Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 47

Annie Journal Ad 14_Card Front 2/19/15 3:20 PM Page 1

JCC BOX OFFICE: (858) 362-1348 • www.jcompanysd.org Generous Season Underwriter: Melissa Garfield Bartell & Michael Bartell Monica Handler Penner & Amnon Gires and Family David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre • Potiker Family Arts & Culture Complex Viterbi Family Galleria • Foster-Ratner Performing Arts Education Center Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center • JACOBS FAMILY CAMPUS 4126 Executive Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037-1348

TEMPLE BETH SHALOM

EXPERIENCE REAL COMMUNITY FEELING Passover is a time for celebrating liberation as we join together in retelling our timeless ancient stories.

Join Temple Beth Shalom of Chula Vista as we celebrate the holiday of freedom

Passover Seder, 2nd Night Saturday, April 4 at 6:30 p.m.

All are Welcome $25 for adults, $15 for children under 13 Reservations by April 1 Call Arlene: 858-344-5632

TEMPLE BETH SHALOM (619)420-6040 208 Madrona Street • Chula Vista www.bethshalomtemple.com

48 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

Beth Shalom 0315.indd 1

2/19/15 2:22 PM

photography/videography Sam Handler dances the hora at his Bar Mitzvah at the Paraside Point Hotel.

B

Del Rio Studios delriostudios.com (760) 480-7553 B

Bob Hoffman hoffmanmitzvahs.com (858) 576-0046 B

Aaron Huniu Photography aaronhuniuphotography.com (949) 307-8499 Daisy Varley daisyvarley.com (619) 405-4780 Leetal Elmaleh leetalphoto.com (858) 692-3418 Alon David photographybyalon.com (858) 699-5376

Love is in the details!

JUNE 8th through AUGUST 14th

So you can enjoy your special day

2 FOUR-WEEK SESSIONS

Plus A Two-Week Science & Nature Exploration Camp

FOR 2-5 YEARS YEARSOLD OLD FORCHILDREN CHILDRENalso2-5 Currently registration Currently accepting registration for the 2015/2016 school year!

Design Production Decor

Mitzvah Event

Productions

for the 2015/2016 school year!

Please contact Preschool Director Tamara Levin at (619) 286-2999 or or tamara@teesd.org tamara@teesd.org to to enroll enroll or or for for additional additional information. information 6299 Capri Drive San Diego, CA 92120 (619) 286-2555 temple@teesd.org • www.teesd.org • facebook.com/teesd Devorah Marcus, Rabbi • Martin S. Lawson, Rabbi Emeritus Shiri Haines, Executive Director • Jim Lewis & Ron Marx, Co-Presidents Affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism

LYDIA KRASNER 619.548.3485 www.MitzvahEvent.com

member of

lydia@mitzvahevent.com Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 49

Entertainment/DJs Cirque Quirk cirquequirk.com (619) 800-1887 Services available: clowns, performing arts B

Classy Event Group classyeventgroup.com (888) 978-8998 Services available: DJs, photo booth, green screen, graffiti wall B

Dance Masters dancemasters.tv (818) 430-5626 Services available: hip hop and break dancers Henna San Diego hennasandiego.com (858) 752-3628 Services available: Henna tattoos DJ Zack Gitler gets kids to boogie at the Krasner twin’s ice-creme themed party last year.

Pediatric Care

“We enjoy and take great pride in providing the best possible pediatric care for our families.”

Joel M. Snyder, M.D., F.A.A.P CertiFieD OrthODOx MOhel

CAll 619-583-6133

San Diego Pediatrics 6475 Alvarado Road, Suite 120 • San Diego, 92120 Snyder Pediatric 0315.indd 1 50 l March 2015 2014 50 SDJewishJournal.com www.SDJewishJournal.com l March

2/19/15 2:32 PM

and prizes, clowns, jugglers, magicians, dunk tanks, rock walls, amusement rides, pony rides, balloon decoration B

PHOTO BY AARON HUNIU

Mr. Disc Jockey mrdiscjockey.com (760) 575-4798 Services available: DJ, party pumpers, lighting

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Launch Live Art stephenfishwick.com (619) 787-5215 Services available: live art B

Maximum Impact m-i-p.com (760) 929-9669 Services available: DJs, dancers, party pumpers, lighting, sound

systems, video screens Magic Mike Stilwell magicmikesd.com (619) 660-9662 Services available: magic shows B

Second Avenue Klezmer secondavenueklezmer.com (619) 275-1539 Services available: live music B

B

My Little Carnival mylittlecarnival.com (619) 571-7654 Services available: carnival games

SoCal Green Screen socalgreenscreen.com (760) 755-7720 Services available: green screens B

Sundance Productions sandiegobarmitzvah.com (619) 286-DJDJ Services available: MC/DJ, dancers, video projection, party props, lighting B

B

Charles Handler

B

Star Shields starshields.com (949) 939-4363 Services available: airbrush and body art

ZG Productions zgproductionsonline.com (760) 722-4450 Services available: MC/DJ, dancers, lighting, video screens, photo booth B

3d Cheeze 3dcheeze.com (714) 771-1281 Services available: flip photos, graffiti wall, 3d images, flip books, magazine covers

Capture the Moments

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Trusted in the Jewish Community since 1983 Bar/Bat Mitzvahs | Weddings | Photography | Videography | Photo Montage

Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 51

PHOTOS BY LINDA LAW

The New Kosher Cake in Town

L

inda Law came to cake-making by accident several years ago. Her daughter wanted a luau design for her birthday cake and Law, who was grieving the death of her father, decided that a little baking

OUR IDEAL CAMPER We train and play hard, but

THE ONLY JEWISH OVERNIGHT SPORTS CAMP ON THE WEST COAST! We’re the newest addition to the JCC Movement’s programs for youth and teens.

If your child loves sports and wants to advance his or her skills in a Jewish environment, you’ve found the perfect camp.

During our two-week camp sessions, campers focus on developing athletic skills and improving as teammates in their sport of choice – Baseball, Basketball, Soccer, or Tennis.

JCC Maccabi Sports Camp is funded by:

coachability and a desire to improve are more essential than current skill

could be therapeutic and fun…even if she had no formal training to match her creative inspiration. Nearly a decade later, Law is “filling the need for beautiful and delicious kosher cakes,” with her recently launched business, How About Cake.

Law’s cakes can be kosher or not, which means there’s some variability in the price. Kosher cupcakes start at $2.75 a piece, and prices go up from there for elaborate multi-layered ultra elegant options. Law uses a San Diego-based Chabad commercial kitchen to bake her kosher delicacies, which are supervised and verified kosher by a local Chabad rabbi.

“If you can dream it, I can bake it,” Law, whose cake designs run the gamut from simple to elaborate, she says.

One of her most unusual creations was a yellow-and-black cake that looked like a dragon, and she’s been known to spend up to three days putting one of her beauties together. From cakes for birthday parties, to weddings and Bar Mitzvahs, Law has turned her hobby into a thriving startup.

You can reach Linda Law of How About Cake at (928) 380-1769.

Until her website is launched, visit her Facebook page at facebook/ HowAboutCakeAZ.com.

Support our dog’s Hebrew education!

level when considering our program.

OUR COMMUNITY At camp, “Jewish” isn’t a concept we wave to in the outfield, it’s a way of life to be explored. Jewish values, ritual and culture are at the center of our lineup, woven through camp

Students Give the Gift of Sight to Israeli Blind Students are urged to help sponsor a puppy, either as a class Tzedakah Project, or as a Mitzvah Project for their Bar or Bat Mitzvah, to assist blind Israeli veterans and civilians in regaining their lives.

in a way that resonates with campers.

For information call REGISTRATION FOR SUMMER 2015 IS OPEN NOW!

267-927-0205

732 S. Settlers Circle Warrington, PA 18976

In affiliation with:

415-997-8844 | info@maccabisportscamp.org | maccabisportscamp.org

52 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

www.israelguidedog.org

TiferTh israel CommuniTy orChesTra

2nd Night Passover Seder

David Amos, Conductor OUR FORTY-FIRST SEASON

Saturday, April 4 • 6:00 PM

In Concert

The musiC of ernesT BloCh

Zecharia Plavin, Piano

Holidays are a time for sharing and for coming together as a community to celebrate. During the festival of Passover, we invite you to join us for a congregational second night seder.

Rabbi Devorah Marcus will lead the seder, which will be entertaining, spiritual and fun for young and old!

SUNDAY, March 22, 2015, 3:00 p.m.

TUESDAY, March 24, 2015, 7:30 p.m.

Concerto Symphonique for Piano & Orchestra Violin Concerto Concerto Grosso #2 for Strings ThURSDAY March 26, 2015, 7:30 p.m.

Enjoy the warmth and camaraderie of our Temple Emanu-El community!

Open To The Community - Everyone Welcome!

• Adults: • Ages 6-12: • Ages 5 & under:

Raimondas Butvila, Violin

“The reTurn of Dr. BloCh”

a monodrama for actor and two musicians

$60 $45 $12

For reservations and information, please contact

the Temple office at (619) 286-2555 or office@teesd.org.

Deadline for reservations is March 26.

Tickets will not be available at the door.

All performances at: Tifereth Israel Synagogue 6660 Cowles Mountain Blvd.

San Diego, CA 92119

6299 Capri Drive San Diego, CA 92120 (619) 286-2555

For more information...

619-637-6001 www.tiferthisrael.com/tico

Simon Ordever, Actor

temple@teesd.org • www.teesd.org • facebook.com/teesd Devorah Marcus, Rabbi • Martin S. Lawson, Rabbi Emeritus Shiri Haines, Executive Director • Jim Lewis & Ron Marx, Co-Presidents

Additional Support Provided by

Summer 2015 Theatre Programs

Expert teaching artists inspire and provide a nurturing place for young performers to reach for the stars.

Grades 3 – 12

Grades 5 – 12

Grades 10 – 12

young performers’ workshop June 22 – July 17

young performers’ academy July 20 – August 7

young performers’ conservatory June 22 – July 24

1-3 Week Program

2-3 Week Program

5 Week Program

Building character both on stage and off

The next step in theatre training for young performers

Pre-professional training program for high school students

Registration Open Now! (858) 550-1070 x101 Limited Space Available. LaJollaPlayhouse.org

Young Performers at La Jolla Playhouse

Affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism

Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 53

CATERERS

PHOTOS COURTESY SIMA’S GOURMET CATERING

caterers

Sima Gourmet’s signature jeweled rice at Justin and Jenna Ross’s wedding at the Hilton Del Mar. B

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Catering by Charles Rubin of Shmoozers 10785 Pomerado Rd. shmooerz.com (619) 583-1636 or (619) 261-8856 Food cost/person: call for quote Food style: ethnic variety D.Z. Akin’s 6930 Alvarado Rd. dzakinsdeli.com (619) 265-0218 Food cost/person: $10.95 Food style: New York deli EcoCaterers 4934 Voltaire St. ecocaterers.com (858) 246-6129 Food cost/person: call for quote

Food style: seasonal farm-to-table Embargo Grill 3960 West Point Loma Blvd. embargogrill.com (619) 786-7522 or (619) 994-4834 Food cost/per person: $10-$20, call for quote Food style: Top-rated Cuban, Caribbean and Latin American Elijah’s Delicatessen 8861 Villa La Jolla Dr. elijahsrestaurant.com Food cost/person: call for quote Food style: Jewish deli, Russian B

Festivities Catering 9558 Camino Ruiz festivitiescatering.com

54 www.SDJewishJournal.com SDJewishJournal.com l March 20152014 54 l March

(858) 586-2121 Food cost/person: $30-120 Food style: California coastal/ fusion B

The French Gourmet 960 Turquoise St. thefrenchgourmet.com (858) 488-1725 Food cost/person: $25-35 Food style: French K

The Grille thegrillsd.com 6548 El Cajon Blvd.

(619) 286-1847 Food cost/per person: call for quote Food style: Glatt Kosher, international fusion

Hanna’s Gourmet 2864 Adams Ave. hannasgourmetcatering.com (619) 280-5600 Food cost/person: starts at $18 for lunch and $35 for dinner Food style: international eclectic Milton’s Delicatessen Restaurant 2660 Via De La Valle miltonsdeli.com (858) 792-2225 Food cost/person: call for quote Food style: Jewish style deli, bakery, sandwiches New York on Rye 8385 Miramar Mall newyorkonrye.com (760) 452-6365 Food cost/person: call for quote

Food cost/person: call for quote Food style: Japanese B

Terra Catering 11860 Carmel Creek Rd. terracatering.com (619) 985-8202 Food cost/person: $30-35 Food style: customized farm-totable

Dessert spread at a Bar Mitzvah at Ner Tamid.

Food style: New York style deli, food truck North Park Produce 4 locations to serve you northparkproduceonline.com (858) 810-8228 Food cost/person: call for quote Food style: Persian, deli, kosher style available Oink and Moo Burgers and BBQ 121 N. Pico Ave oinkandmoo.com (760) 451-6005 Food cost/person: call for quote Food style: Top rated BBQ, Burgers in north county, San Diego Outcast Grill 6104 Regents Rd. outcastgrillutc.com (858) 202-0097 Food cost/person: $8-13 Food style: Mediterranean American Pacifica Del Mar 1555 Camino Del Mar pacificadelmar.com (855) 792-0476 Food cost/person: $40-70 Food style: primarily seafood, with steak and chicken options available Puesto 1026 Wall St. (858) 454-1260 or (858) 344-4456

eatpuesto.com Food cost/person: call for quote Food style: Mexican, gourmet street food K

The Place at JCC 4126 Executive Dr. (858) 457-3030 Food costs/person: call for quote Food style: kosher, Israeli style, ethnic variety B

Rotisserie Affair 7313 Carrol Rd. rotisserieaffair.com (858) 578-8891 Food cost/person: $20-25 Food style: Rotisserie B

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Shalom Catering 11860 Carmel Creek Rd. shalomcatering.com (619) 985-8202 Food cost/person: $35-40 Food style: kosher K

Sima’s Gourmet Catering simascatering.com (858)205-9738 Food cost/person: call for quote Food style: Persian, Meditteranean, gluten-free with kosher options available B

Sushi on a Roll 1620 National Ave. sushionarollsd.com (619) 702-1468

Toast Catering 7000 Saranac St. Ste. 72 toastcatering.com (858) 208-9422 Food cost/person: call for quote Food style: themed or ethnic food options available K

Z Catering 17290 Newhope St., Suite A californiakoshercatering.com (855) 567-4371 Food cost/person: $30-45 Food style: Kosher

Dippin’ Dots 2892 South Santa Fe Avenue St. 112 dippindots.com (760) 801-2301 Food cost/person: starting at $2.50 per serving Food style: ice cream B

Dolce Donuts dolcedonuts.com (619) 985-9854 Food cost/person: call for quote Food style: donuts and treats K

How About Cake howaboutcake@outlook.com (928) 380-1769 Food cost/person: call for quote Food style: Kosher gourmet cakes and cupcakes (non-kosher available too) B

Desserts and extras: The Baked Bear 4516 Mission Blvd. thebakedbear.com (858) 886-7433 Food cost/person: call for quote Food style: full service ice cream sandwich bar and pre-packaged ice cream sandwiches, homemade fresh daily B

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Java Jive Expresso Catering javalive@cox.net (858) 876-5282 Food cost/person: call for quote Food style: coffee B

Sensational Treats sensationaltreats.com (858) 776-4999 Food cost/person: $5-15 Food style: interactive dessert stations

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Chocolate Haven chocolate-haven.com (619) 993-7785 Food cost/person: call for quote Food style: chocolate fountains and figurines (Kosher options available) The Cravory 3960 West Point Loma Blvd. thecravory.com (619) 795-9077 Food cost/person: call for quote Food style: ultimate gourmet cookies

Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 55

THEATER

One-half of the “Love, Loss and What I Wore” adaptation team dishes on the 13-year process

The cast of the San Diego production of “Love, Loss and What I Wore,” Clockwise L-R: Elsa Martinez, Jacole Kitchen, Rachael VanWormer, Deanna Driscoll, Melinda Gilb.

56 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

PHOTO BY DAREN SCOTT

BY PAT LAUNER

THEATER

Soliciting women’s stories – and a San Diego Connection “The play is based on this simple idea: if you ask women about their clothes, they tell you about their lives. We sent out emails to all our girlfriends, saying ‘Tell us about your clothes.’

And they did.”

The Ephrons sent out 100 emails. Rosie O’Donnell responded; Nora and Delia’s stories are in there, too. And they dispatched their niece to interview young women about their ‘first bra’ experiences.

They used stories from a gang member from

Chicago, a brave and defiant breast cancer patient, a vixen of sorts. There are funny stories about weight, dressing room anxiety (“Is this mirror, like, distorted?”), nutty things your mother told you ( “Nice Jewish Girls do not get their ears pierced.” “Never wear velvet before Rosh Hashanah”), and comical discourses on impossibly high heels, overstuffed purses (a piece borrowed from Nora’s book, “I Feel Bad About My Neck”), wardrobe malfunctions, the tyranny of the closet (“I have nothing to wear!”) and the importance of the color black (“Sometimes I buy something that isn’t black and I put it on and I am so sorry”). There are poignant monologues about mother/daughter relationships, sisterhood and friendship, and men who come and go in women’s lives.

But the Ephrons were hamstrung; they could not capture Gingy (Beckerman’s nickname, due to her ginger-colored hair). Many of Gingy’s stories, taken directly from the book, made their way into the play script. But after several workshops and readings, the play still wasn’t working; they gave up and let the option lapse.

Now, here’s where the San Diego connection comes in. Director Karen Carpenter, who had been the associate artistic director at The Old Globe, had read the play and held onto it for years. She contacted the Ephrons, and set up a workshop and public performance/reading in East Hampton, Long Island. They snagged Tony Award-winning actor Linda Lavin to play Gingy.

And suddenly, everything clicked.

One of the lessons of this experience, according to Delia: “Sometimes, the right actor makes all the difference. Suddenly, we knew who Gingy was. She’s so important to the piece; she’s the mistress of ceremonies, and Linda made her come alive.”

When the show opened Off Broadway (with Rosie O’Donnell, Tyne Daly and Samantha Bee, not Linda Lavin), it became wildly popular, and ran for more than two years, winning the Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience and the Broadway.com Audience Award for favorite New Off Broadway play. The show has been produced on six continents and diverse countries, including France, Australia, Mexico, Germany, the Philippines, South Africa and Israel.

The five women who make up the cast (typically a decade apart in age), changed every month in the New York production. All told, 150 women participated during the course of the run.

“It was the most fun I ever had,” Delia says.

“It was always a sisterhood; the bond between

the women onstage and in the audience was palpable. Personal.”

In terms of sisterhood, it doesn’t get closer than Nora and Delia Ephron.

The cult of Ephron “From early childhood, we were always superbonded,” Delia recalls. “She always said we shared a brain. She was often mistaken for my twin.”

Nora was three years older, then came Delia, then Hallie, then Amy. All were writers. Their parents were writers, too (Phoebe and Henry Ephron, who jointly penned classic films such as “Daddy Longlegs” and “Take Her, She’s Mine”).

In the family lore, Nora was “the smart one” and Delia was “the funny one.”

“We had an extremely dynamic mother,” Delia says, “who believed all her daughters would have careers. The subtext of everything was ‘You’ll be a writer.’ She had this idea of us, The Ephron Girls.”

Their mother started out poor, a Bronx girl

Illustrations from Ilene Beckerman’s book “Love, Loss and What I Wore” Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 57

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ILENE BECKERMAN

O

kay, try this experiment (admittedly, it may not work as well if you’re a man): Go to your closet. Pick out a favorite item of clothing.

Can you remember when and where you first wore it? Does it call up any memories of what you were up to in your life and how you felt at that time?

If so, maybe you’re among the thousands – worldwide – who’ve read the book, “Love, Loss, and What I Wore,” by Ilene Beckerman, or have seen the play of the same name based on the little book. If you haven’t seen the show, now’s your chance (through March 22, at the Lyceum Theatre).

The play was the final collaboration of the sisterly writing team of Nora and Delia Ephron (Nora passed away in 2012, after a six-year struggle with leukemia; she was 71). I spoke to Delia Ephron, from her home in New York, about the play she adapted with her sister, and supplemented our delightful conversation with quotes from her recent (2013), funny/poignant book, “Sister Mother Husband Dog.” “Nora found [Beckerman’s 1995] book and fell in love with it,” Delia says. “It’s a small, powerful, illustrated memoir, the story of her life told through the clothes she wore. Even though it was completely specific – about her life and clothes – reading it opened a floodgate of memories about what-you-wore-when. “[Nora] knew it was a play, a ‘Vagina Monologues’ sort of thing. We always called it ‘The Vagina Monologues without the vaginas,’ though the ‘Vagina Monologues’ people weren’t very happy about that.”

The Ephron sisters, who had collaborated on the films “You’ve Got Mail,” “Hanging Up,” “Mixed Nuts” and “Sleepless in Seattle,” optioned the book in 1996, and the play opened Off Broadway in 2009.

“The world’s longest birth,” Delia says of the 13-year gestation process from concept to reality.

PHOTO BY ELENA SEIBERT

THEATER

Delia Ephron from Russian immigrants. As soon as she could, she moved her family from New York to Beverly Hills, “where we went to assimilate. That move had a huge impact on all of us.”

They didn’t have a very religious upbringing (“until 8th grade, when boys had their Bar Mitzvahs, I’d never entered a Temple ... While we ate nova and bagels every Sunday, I didn’t taste a matzah ball until I was 40”). But the family was very strongly culturally Jewish.

“My mother was violently opposed to organized religion,” Delia reports. “She left the Bronx Jewish ghetto behind and established her own religion: Ephron. A sect of writers. Services were held nightly at the dinner table. Laughter was the point, not prayer, and the blessing was ‘That’s a great line; write it down.’

“My mother believed in nonconformity, and we, her four driven daughters, were expected to be nonconformists, too, which essentially meant we had to conform to everything she said.

Still, it was fantastic, because her rules called into question everything that was common wisdom at the time. My mother’s rules were our commandments. She was Moses, and we were her followers.”

Although her mother’s pronouncements didn’t make it into the play, some of them were doozies: “Just because you’re related to someone is no reason to like them.”

“Never learn to do housework, or someone may ask you to.”

“Never eat leftovers” “Pick one hairdo and stick with it.”

“No censorship,” Which somehow seems to conflict with, “You can read anything except the comics.”

58 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

“She never said, she proclaimed,” Delia recalls.

All this was fine for a number of years. It laid the groundwork of their lives. And then, when Delia was 11, she says, “my mother went to pieces. She became an alcoholic, and she died at 58 of cirrhosis [in 1971]. I had a very very sunny childhood, and then it turned very dark. But the imprinting was incredible up to that time. What she did give me was such a powerful sense of identity.

“Writing has been a blessing in my life. It’s how I make sense of my family. When we were younger, we brought all our stories to the dinner table. Storytelling was so valued. I got attention by being funny and clever.”

Delia started out as a journalist. Over time, she has written for Vogue, The Wall Street Journal, O the Oprah Magazine and many others. Her 500word piece for the New York Times Magazine section, “How to Eat Like a Child,” about children and food, turned into an Emmy Awardwinning TV special and then a musical revue for children. It was her “first big success,” and it came at age 32.

“It was the first time I understood my own voice, truly heard it. Your writing is your fingerprint.”

She went on to be a contributing editor at New York magazine, and then to write nine screenplays (including “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”), novels for adults, and for teens, books of humor and essays. Her most recent creation, the well-received memoir, “Sister Mother Husband Dog,” was “precipitated by Nora’s death.” The first chapter is titled, “Losing Nora.” Delia still finds it so difficult to talk about the loss that she referred me to her book instead.

“Losing her is like losing an arm,” she writes.

“It’s that deranging. She was/is a national treasure.”

(I was lucky to meet Nora, interview her, even have dinner with her, when she was at the Old Globe in 2002, for her first play-with-music, “Imaginary Friends.”)

“So many women have come up to me,” Delia says, “telling me she was their role model. And she was mine, too. Writing is the only way I know to move on. Also, it’s comforting … it’s a way to be together … The knowledge of how similar we were, how much we appreciated each other, depended on each other, made each other laugh, could live without many other people but not without each other, was a solace and joy for both of us … She’s still part of my consciousness.”

“Love Loss.”

Director John Anderson, production manager at the San Diego Repertory Theatre, has a few different ideas for the show, though the basic structure (five women sharing monologues) remains.

After Anderson’s successful direction of “Old Jews Telling Jokes” for Playhouse Productions, the producers asked him to helm a show of his choosing. He opted for “Love Loss,” because “I thought it was right up the alley of their audience.

“These stories touched me,” Anderson says.

“I’m not testosterone-poisoned. I have a mother, grandmothers, two sisters and a wife. I can certainly enjoy this play.”

He had Melinda Gilb, a multi-talented San Diego favorite, in mind for Gingy from the start.

He cast not only multiple voices and ages, but also a racial diversity. One actor (Jacole Kitchen) is African American; Elsa Martinez is Latina.

Local favorites Deanna Driscoll and Rachael VanWormer round out the cast.

“This will not just be people sitting and reading,” Anderson promises. “But there will be no props. I want them to create the audience’s idea of that favorite sweater. We don’t need to show it.

“It’s not just a Girls Night Out,” he reiterates “I invite any enlightened San Diegan to come.

These stories are funny and charming for everyone.”

Anderson explains “a direct address play,” which requires very particular skills of the performers.

“The actors are not pretending to talk to somebody else. There’s no setting, no narrative line. Each story begins fresh. And each time, the actor is talking to you. They’re not necessarily the hero of their stories. Most of the stories are about less than triumphant experiences in their lives. They’re doing what you do with friends and confidantes, but to a big roomful of people. It’s all about storytelling.”

Which brings us back to Delia Ephron, that successful product of a storytelling family.

“I love the play,” she confesses. “It’s associated with so many wonderful feelings for me: my clothes, my girlfriends. And Nora, of course.

It was just a joy to work on. It was truly about sisterhood: our own, and the shared experiences of women.

“It’s perfect that it’s in San Diego now,” she adds. “That takes it full circle, back to the very beginning.” A

From page to stage… to San Diego “One of the great things about plays,” Delia asserts, “they’re always being re-interpreted.”

And so it is with the San Diego production Of

“Love, Loss and What I Wore” runs Feb. 25-March 22, in the Lyceum Theatre in Horton Plaza. Tickets ($45-$65) are available at (619) 554-1000; playhouseinfo.com.

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Ohr Shalom Synagogue

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Danny Siegel is a well-known author, lecturer, and poet who has spoken in more than 200 North American Jewish communities - to synagogues, Jewish Community Centers, Federations, and other communal organizations - on Tzedakah and Jewish values, besides reading from his own poetry. He is the author of 25 books on such topics as Mitzvah heroes and practical/personalized Tzedakah, and has produced an anthology of 500 selections of Talmudic quotes about living the Jewish life well called, Where Heaven and Earth Touch.

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2512 Third Avenue at Laurel | San Diego, CA 92103 | (619) 231-1456 www.ohrshalom.org | office@ohrshalom.org

60 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

FEATURE

HIDDEN RURAL TOWN BOASTS RICH JEWISH HISTORY

Valley Center historian investigates the community’s connection to Hollywood and diplomatic royalty

PHOTOS COURTESY VALLEY CENTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY

BY ROBERT LERNER

ABOVE: Russian-Jewish emigres hosted Shabbat services more than a century ago at this extant Valley Center cottage which may welcome a new generation of worshipers next year. First Lady Eleanore Roosevelt stayed here during frequent visits in the last 10 years of her life.

“T

his is no place for a rabbi’s wife,” declared the rebbetzen after surveying the home that had just been acquired for her newly-retired husband, the spiritual leader of a major San Diego synagogue.

The home was a sprawling, classic adobe set in an orchard of 5,000 citrus trees spread across 35 acres. The place was Valley Center, a rural community in North San Diego County where most homes, ranches and groves are on estatesized lots.

Like most of Valley Center, the rabbi’s new home was not visible from the street. Also out of sight in 1974 was any sense of a Jewish community, although dozens of families lived in the town at the time, and the community could claim that it had been home or had a connection to many Jews: celebrities, ranchers, diplomats, even a legendary outlaw-gunman. In fact, there had been a Jewish presence in the community since 1868. And it is a place where the term

“Jewish cowboy” is not an oxymoron.

Among the more prominent citizens of Valley Center was United Nations Ambassador Irving Salomon. A one-time industrialist and vice president of the American Jewish Committee, Col. Salomon acquired an historic 2,300acre ranch in 1945 at which he and his wife entertained countless dignitaries, including one U.S. President, at their rustic ranch house while personally overseeing a thriving cattle ranch.

Cecile Salomon was a concert pianist who wrote liturgical music for temples and synagogues across the country. Their daughter, better known in later years as Abbe Wolfsheimer, was educated in a one-room Valley Center school and later carved out a distinguished career as an attorney, writer, and twice was elected to the San Diego City Council.

Some 77 years earlier, the Salomon ranch had been home to the Howards, a Russian Jewish family that came to Valley Center in 1868 after

working the gold fields at Sutter’s Mill. The Howards – Henry and his sons Jacob and Phillip – were cowboys, riding herd on hundreds of cattle. On the Sabbath and High Holidays, the family hosted services for their extended family and other local residents at their ranch house.

Phillip, who died in 1921, is buried on the ranch.

The Salomons had been welcomed into Valley Center by another prominent Jewish family headed by Martin Gang. After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1939, Gang established a successful dairy farm and concurrently launched a law practice where he pioneered in the field of entertainment law.

He would also serve as Western chairman and National vice president of the American Jewish Committee. During the Holocaust, he rescued members of his own family from the Nazis and later sponsored several children who were raised on his Valley Center farm.

In time, Gang’s legal client roster included Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 61

FEATURE

LEFT: Wyatt Earp relaxes at the Valley Center home of his Jewish relatives in 1928, one year before his death. RIGHT: Irving and Cecile Salomon with daughter Abbe in 1950 at their 2,300-acre ranch and home in Valley Center. a who’s who of Hollywood: George Burns, Groucho Marx, Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Bette Davis and Frank Sinatra, among others.

Another client of Gang was comedian Jack Benny (née Benjamin Kubelski) who was such a frequent visitor to the community that many townspeople assumed he lived here. In fact, Benny and his wife, actress Mary Livingston (Sadie Marks), owned an interest in a cattle ranch and were close friends of legendary film producer Sam Zimbalist who lived for many years in an historic adobe home in Valley Center while overseeing such blockbuster films as “BenHur,” “King Solomon’s Mines” and “Quo Vadis.”

Couriers from MGM would make regular runs from Hollywood to Valley Center with scripts and production documents.

Other celebrities with a Valley Center connection include actor Paul Newman and playwright Neil Simon who owned ranches.

Actor George Segal, longtime owner of a 400acre citrus grove, is often seen by his orchard manager picking oranges.

Actor-dancer Fred Astaire (Frederich Austerlitz), who made Valley Center his personal residence from 1933 until 1948, was a descendant of a Bohemian German-speaking Jewish family from Prague. His European relatives were all born Jewish although Astaire’s immediate family 62 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

converted to Christianity.

Valley Center also has its own “Anne Frank.”

Ruth Harber, a longtime resident and prominent environmentalist, survived much of the war in hiding. Her dramatic life as a young girl hiding in Belgium mirrors that of Anne, save for the fact that Ruth survived.

Dr. Harry Weinberg, longtime superintendent of Valley Center schools, is widely acknowledged for the high academic reputation enjoyed by the school district. He was acclaimed one of the 100 top school executives in North America before becoming superintendent of San Diego County schools.

The hub of community life today is the dramatic Valley Center Branch Library complex where patrons are welcomed by head librarian Laura Zuckerman. No stranger to rural life, she has raised quarter horses and lambs and is as comfortable around horses as she is with the Dewey decimal system. The library support group, Friends of the Valley Center Library, is headed by Marian Klein and Carol Gartner, president and vice president, respectively.

And then there is the legendary folk hero Wyatt Earp who was a frequent visitor to the Valley Center compound of relatives. Although not born a Jew, Earp married into a Jewish family (Sadie Marcus) and is buried in a Jewish

cemetery. Like all the other local persons of fame and celebrity, Earp is featured in a permanent exhibition at the Valley Center History Museum.

Now, a word about the rabbi and the reluctant rebbetzen. Rabbi Monroe Levens had retired from Tifereth Israel in San Diego when the Valley Center property was acquired. Sadly, he fell ill with cancer and never had an opportunity to experience the rural life of Valley Center. The home and the citrus grove, however, remained in family ownership. One of the sons of Monroe and Lillian Levens moved into the house with his own family, and added to the town’s growing Jewish population.

Finally, a thought about the future of the Valley Center Jewish Community. The property of former U.N. Ambassador Salomon, which remained in family ownership until recently, is being turned over to a conservancy that will preserve the historic ranch where the town’s first Jewish family settled nearly 150 years ago.

The holdings include several historic bungalows, one of which may once again host High Holiday and Sabbath services for inland North County’s growing Jewish population. A Robert Lerner is historian of the Valley Center Historical Society and History Museum. Visit www. vchistory.org.

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GOLDBERG LECTURES ON THE MIDDLE EAST

PROFESSOR JACOB GOLDBERG

Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday, March 16, 17, 18, 2015 • 7:00 P.M. at the David and Dorothea Garfield Theatre, LFJCC • 4126 Executive Dr., La Jolla, CA 92037

• Monday, March 16 • 7:00 P.M. Middle East Chaos: From Civil Wars to Disintegration of States Islam, Islamism and Islamist terrorism; Division of the region into camps; Stability of Turkey, Iran and Israel; Failed states: Iraq, Syria, Libya and Yemen; Survival of oil monarchies; The historical transformation of Turkey; The Iranian danger; Are Islam and democracy incompatible?

• Tuesday, March 17, 7:00 P.M. American Dilemmas in the “New” Middle East: The Elusive Search for Coherent Strategies Stopping the Iranian nuclear drive; Confronting radical Islamism and terrorism; Supporting US allies in the Middle East; Choosing between two evils in Syria, Iraq and Yemen; Preventing Russia’s ambitions in the Middle East; American policies and Middle East oil.

• Wednesday, March 18 • 7:00 P.M. The Day After Elections: Israeli Challenges in a Chaotic Middle East Who will be Israel’s next Prime Minister? The new nature of military threats; Iran’s multi-challenges; The Hamas-Israel war of summer 2014; Palestinian domestic politics; Wither Israeli-Palestinian relations; American-Israeli relations and the acute need for Israeli peace initiatives.

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64 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

FEATURE

AMPLIFYING THE LOCAL MUSIC SCENE

From house shows to in-home recordings, Roy Silverstein is a tireless music-community organizer

BY JUNE OWATARI

PHOTOS BY NICHOLAS PATTON

Roy Silverstein (LEFT) oversees a studio session with freelance sound mixer Ariel Levine.

I

magine a small, cute, Golden Hill home. A hundred or more hipsters cram themselves into the living room with a third of the space used up by the band and the band’s equipment. The crowd spills out into the hallway and onto the front porch where people could still hear the tunes.

So starts an email from Mickey Walker who was asked to describe The Habitat – or as fans called it, The Habitat House – where free shows were held twice a month from 2006 to 2010.

Everyone who attended, even those relegated to the porch, came to The Habitat for a reason: to support local music and connect with the community.

“It was a music lover’s dream come true,” Walker says.

The mastermind behind this dreamy house venue was Roy Silverstein. Silverstein moved to the Golden Hill neighborhood in 2006 and thought what San Diego, and the neighborhood, needed most was a place for musicians and new fans to make real connections. And he had an ulterior motive: he missed the house shows that he and his friends used to put on back in

Evanston, Ill., and a part of him wanted to relive those days.

Evanston had a small but thriving Jewish community, right outside the even bigger community in Skokie. By learning about the history of his culture and religion, Silverstein learned that being a minority in the United States automatically marked him as different, but this difference helped him to develop a strong sense of self and identity. In short, he learned to be “okay with it.”

In fact, he attributes much of his current musical tastes and endeavors to that sense of confidence. He started to listen to a lot of different music, not just Top 40 songs. A lot of it was “weird,” he says, but he stopped caring what other people thought. He was already different so why not take it a step further?

Silverstein and his family weren’t complete outsiders, he says, owing in part to his parents taking him to Hebrew school and synagogue.

Through that shared experience, he learned about community and camaraderie.

That’s what ultimately led Silverstein and his

friends to start their own music projects and house shows in high school (with the blessing of his parents, of course). That commitment to community and togetherness is also what inspired him to start throwing shows in Golden Hill.

The Habitat shows were always free so anybody could attend, regardless of age or income. Anybody was welcome to play there as well.

“It gave local artists a stepping stone to perform without having to be in a big venue and gave guests a chance to see them in a very unique, intimate setting,” Walker says.

Op Tran, another Habitat attendee, agrees.

“You got the feeling of a real community.”

Guests were friendly and supportive, and bands could play there as long as they were respectful and passionate.

The Habitat no longer exists, but Silverstein’s commitment to San Diego musicians continues.

In 2010, he moved from Golden Hill to North Park with his wife. There he quickly began realizing another dream, a state-of-the-art home Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 65

FEATURE

Silverstein’s home studio in North Park is equipped with state-of-the-art machinery and all the instruments a musician or engineer could imagine.

recording studio. Legendary studio designer Wes Lachot led the build-up of Rarefied Recording, which finally opened its doors in 2013 after three years of planning and construction. The studio houses beautiful, high quality equipment that any professional would drool over.

Silverstein calls himself the house engineer at Rarefied Recording, but he’s much more than that. Much like The Habitat, Silverstein’s studio has become a community hub and a popular recording destination for Los Angeles- and San Diego-based musicians as well as freelance recording engineers. That’s intentional.

“I don’t want to hoard the space to myself,” Silverstein says. “I want to be able to share with other creatives.”

There was no point, he thinks, in investing his time and money into the studio if others could not enjoy it.

His goal has always been to keep studio rates affordable so that more musicians have a chance to follow their passions. His plan is working.

Most of the time, the studio is booked 20-30 days out of the month to freelance engineers and musicians.

Brian Scheuble was an established recording engineer in Los Angeles but in 2014, contrary to the career tragetory of most in the music biz, he decided to start fresh in San Diego.

66 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

Upon arrival, Scheuble put his feelers out and discovered that many of the studios in San Diego charged high day rates, a holdover from the golden days of the recording industry. It was hard to find something that catered to the budget with which Scheuble working. With little money but high expectations, the engineer found Rarefied Recording and his assumptions about low budget studios were uprooted. Scheuble found the equipment housed in Silverstein’s studio to be as high or even higher quality as the equipment in more expensive studios.

Silverstein doesn’t expect to raise his prices anytime soon either. With the downfall of the traditional recording industry and the advent of home studios, more self-funded, independent musicians have a chance to create and record their own material without the financial support and red tape of a record label. Silverstein and Scheuble both cite this trend as an exciting new time for music.

“There’s no label support anymore,” Silverstein says. “Bands are left on their own.”

Despite this fact, he says that the creativity of the music community has not stopped.

“Music is a fundamental part of culture and subculture,” he says, and that culture and creativity needs to be recorded and documented as it grows and changes.

Silverstein credits Mark Rubel, a well-known engineer and personal idol for the small business owner, with this world view. After hearing Rubel speak at a conference before he started the recording studio, Silverstein was inspired to become a “documentarian of his community.”

That sentiment still drives him today.

“I’d love to record an instant classic, but it may not happen,” Silverstein says with a laugh. “But at least I can be in the local community and put out things that people will listen to, that people will have an emotional reaction to.”

Despite his full-time job as a Codec Systems Engineer at Qualcomm, and his role as house engineer at Rarefied Recording, Silverstein still makes an effort to organize music-related events around town. Most recently, he curated a live show to accompany the Handmade Holiday craft fair held at the San Diego Central Library.

The bands – all local acts – and Silverstein volunteered their time for the benefit of local artisans, craftspeople, artists, and buyers.

Silverstein also has a hand in SD Music Wire, a local blog that records, mixes, and releases live sets of bands coming through his studio.

“Indie music and underground music deserve a voice,” Silverstein says, and for now, he’s happy to be the megaphone. A

MARK CHARLES

HARDIE

FOR UNITED STATES SENATE 2016 • Former soldier in the United States Army • Former commando in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) • Former attorney in the Governor’s Office of Legal Affairs • Recipient of the National Defense Service Medal • Member of the World Jewish Congress • Former intern in the office of Senator Barbara Boxer

Hardie for US Senate PO Box 102 Whittier, California 90608 Email: hardieamerica@yahoo.com Phone: 310-402-4499

A

Vote HARDIE for our Jewish Communities

MAINLY MOZART’S SPOTLIGHT SERIES

FEBRUARY 6 - MAY 31 | LA JOLLA • RANCHO SANTA FE • CARLSBAD MARCH 6 & MARCH 8

Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, violin; Anne-Marie McDermott, piano; The Miami String Quartet Schuloff Chausson

Five Pieces for String Quartet Concerto for Violin, Piano, and String Quartet in D Major, Op. 21

MARCH 27 & MARCH 29

Ida Kavafian, violin; Steven Tenenbom, viola; Peter Wiley, cello Bach

Goldberg Variations (arr. Sitkovetsky)

ANNE MARIE McDERMOTT, SPOTLIGHT SERIES CURATOR

WWW.MAINLYMOZART.ORG • (619) 46-MUSIC Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 67

FEATURE

THE SALK INSTITUTE AND THE CREATION OF AN INDUSTRY How the greatest thinkers of the greatest generation transformed San Diego

Fellows and President Joe Slater, 1969. L-R: Jonas Salk, Francis Crick, Joe Slater, Bob Holley, Warren Weaver, Steve Kuffler, Jacques Monod, Mel Cohn, Ed Lennox, Salva Luria, Danny Lehrman, Jacobs Bronowski, Renato Dulbecco, Leslie Orgel.

I

n 1941, the Torrey Pines area of La Jolla was home to Camp Callan, an Army training center intended to prepare soldiers in the event of a Japanese attack on the California coastline.

By the end of 1945, with the end of WWII, there was no more need for such a camp and the vacated land, which was originally Mexican pueblo land, returned to the city’s jurisdiction.

What is now considered a thriving biotechnology corridor – with world-class research institutions, successful private corporations and the sprawling UC San Diego campus – was then just empty land on a cliff above the Pacific Ocean in a relatively unknown town.

In the late 1950s, the city began making concerted efforts to diversify its economy. With the military waning as a significant source of income, San Diego’s 27th mayor, Charles Dail, got to work attracting new industries, so-called “clean businesses and organizations” that would provide well-paying jobs while leaving his city free of the pollution that plagued its Los Angeles neighbor. General Atomic was the first to set up camp in La Jolla but Roger Revelle wasn’t far behind with his San Diego location of the

68 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

University of California. The third leg of the La Jolla biotechnology stool was the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

While San Diego was quietly going through changes and making itself more attractive to businesses that dealt in WWII and Cold War technologies (i.e. atomic energy), Jonas Salk was working to capitalize on the success of his polio vaccine by establishing an independent research institute for the new field of molecular biology.

San Diego, however, wasn’t even on his radar.

The story of how the Salk Institute came to be was written by one of the Institute’s first junior faculty members. In “Genesis of the Salk Institute: The Epic of its Founders,” (University of California Press, 2013) Suzanne Bourgeois carefully chronicles the Institute’s beginnings, from as far back as barely germinated ideas in individual founder’s minds. The story introduces readers to some of the most important and least familiar scientific names of the 20th century.

There was, of course, Jonas Salk who was a household name at the time, but also Leo Szilard who conceived of the atom splitting that was the foundation of the atomic bomb, Melvin Cohn –

an influential immunologist, Nobel Prize winner Jacques Monod, Francis Crick who did become known for identifying DNA, and others from across the field of biological research.

While the book somewhat accidentally charts the rise of the biotechnology industry in San Diego, Bourgeois spends most of her scholarly efforts on the invention of the field of molecular biology and the contributions and personal histories of the individual minds of “the greatest generation.”

“All of the founders were involved in one way or another in WWII,” Bourgeois explains over the phone. “I had a connection with the war too, and that is one of my interests. I was born before WWII in Brussels. Of course, as a girl I didn’t go into war, but I went through five years of occupation in Belgium. That is an experience that I think was very important to me. That’s why I am interested in immigrants and what happens to people.”

Of all the founders of the Salk Institute, most were trained as physicists because the field of biology was relatively new, and almost all were Jewish.

PHOTOS COURTESY THE SALK INSTITUTE

BY NATALIE JACOBS

FEATURE

Suzanne Bourgeois, author of “Genesis of the Salk Institute: The Epic of its Founders,” was one of the first junior faculty members at The Salk Institute.

Bourgeois was trained at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, where she eventually met and married one of the founders, Melvin Cohn. They came to the Institute together, at the personal request of Jonas Salk. Bourgeois went on to become the Founding Director of the Regulatory Biology Laboratory at the Salk Institute, where she would make pioneering discoveries in regards to the characterists of genes and the ways in which they regulate themselves, or not. Her work led to greater understanding of how cancer and other diseases develop in the human body.

In order to write the history of the Salk Institute, Bourgeois needed archives but unfortunately the Institute didn’t keep any, and the documents they did attempt to preserve were destroyed by a vengeful president many years ago. Since they had been involved since the beginning, however, Bourgeois and Cohn had kept personal archives of correspondence and date books that chronicled the Institute fairly well. Bourgeois then supplemented those with interviews of more than 40 people who were involved throughout the years.

Knowing that she was a part of something remarkable, Bourgeois also kept a diary, jotting down notes about speakers or meetings at the Institute, as well as her personal thoughts about how things were going.

“The quality of the people who were involved,

there was no doubt that they were all extraordinary people,” she says, reflecting on the magnitude of the organization. “Of course, I knew them all.

I also was aware of the fact that my generation, although I was one generation younger than all those people, it was the last possible world war.

I was raised in the middle of it. To me, that has bothered me the rest of my life. I knew that it was a very special period. So I’ve always wanted to talk about that, but I never have. I was very careful in my book, it’s not an autiobiography, but I say enough so that people know where I’ve come from, and what I’ve been through. I know what I’m talking about.”

As a San Diegan, one of the most interesting parts of the book is the chapter entitled “What Was It About La Jolla?” It was a reasonable question at the time. The idea for a biological Institute first came to Salk when he was at the University of Pittsburgh. Given complications with the administration there, and the geographical location itself, Salk was warned that it would be difficult to attract talent to Pitt. After working through a slew of other possibilities, he set his sights on Stanford and it was while he was working on arrangements to build something there that he was invited down to San Diego.

Roger Revelle was very interested in having an independent research institute nearby but not affiliated with his new university, and a close

personal friend of Salk’s had also relocated to the area for different reasons. After a visit where he was wined and dined and escorted to all of the most beautiful locations in San Diego, Salk returned to Pittsburgh and made a list of the pros and cons of Standford vs. San Diego. The list seemed to lean heavily toward Stanford, until the last entry which compares the availability of land. In San Diego, it was free and beautiful, thanks to support from Roger Revelle and Mayor Dail (who, as a polio survivor, was personally connected to the project). In Stanford, land was too big an unknown. The book goes on to chronicle the political machinations that needed to spin in order to bring the Institute here, but, obviously, everything worked out in the end.

Today, the Salk Institute focuses on neural biology including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s research. Cancer research has grown and a new focus on metabolism has also emerged. But for the most part, the course of study remains the same as how Salk envisioned it decades ago.

“The Institute pioneered the study of the brain.

That has continued,” Bourgeois says. “The only thing that has disappeared was the idea of Jonas Salk of having humanists and philosophers.”

The false starts and years of planning and preparation will be familiar to anyone who has ever tried to build anything. That Salk was successful and the Institute remains an important contributor to science is a testament to the people who laid its foundations. As the “greatest generation” makes their grand exit, it is our responsibility to keep their stories alive.

Learn more about the Salk Institute and its genesis at salk.edu. A

Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 69

in the kitchen WITH

TORI AVEY

POLISH CHICKEN PATTIES

B Tori Avey is an awardwinning food writer, recipe developer, and the creator of the popular cooking website toriavey.com.

She writes about food history for PBS Food and Parade. com. Follow Tori on Facebook by searching for “Tori Avey” and on Twitter: @toriavey.

70 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

ack in the fall of 2013, our Israeli friends Hagai, Limor, Karin, and Lidan came to town for a family wedding. Whenever they come to visit it’s like a whirlwind passes through our home. They light up our world with an unquenchable enthusiasm for life and the energy of their home country. During their last visit, they shared a family recipe for Polish Chicken Patties (ktzitzot) from Hagai’s side of the family. Like all great family recipes, this one comes with a story. It all started with a woman named Tola and a man named Moshe.

Moshe Stroweiss, Hagai’s father, was born in Łód, Poland, in 1912. During the war, Moshe and his entire family were sent to the Nazi concentration camps.

Moshe survived his imprisonment in Auschwitz and was liberated in 1945. After the war, he spent three years traveling around Europe hoping to locate his relatives. Eventually it became clear that he was likely the only surviving member of his family. In 1948, he left Europe and made his home in Israel.

Moshe’s life took a much happier turn when he met a young woman in Israel named Tola Sohachevsky. Tola was born in Łód in 1914 and moved to Israel with her family in 1932. There she became a nurse with the British army. When they met, Tola and Moshe fell in love, got married and eventually had children, one of them being our friend Hagai.

We’ve known Hagai and his ex-wife Limor for many years. That’s right, his ex-wife. Hagai and Limor are divorced but remain good friends. Together they have two children, Karin and Lidan. We consider them all an Israeli extension of our family, and we love them dearly.

Lidan and Karin call me their Doda (the Hebrew word for Auntie). During their last visit, I asked Limor if she might share a family recipe handed down to her by Hagai’s mother, Tola, who passed away not long ago.

She immediately chose a family favorite they refer to as Polish Chicken Patties – in Hebrew they are known as ktzitzot, or “little meat patties.” Lidan, their son, was more than happy to lend a hand. Lidan loves to cook and I was so happy to have him with us, especially in the kitchen. We like to joke that maybe he’ll follow in my footsteps someday. I’m sure he’ll go on to do much greater things.

While the family calls these tasty chicken patties Polish, they seem to be a cultural fusion between Polish and Israeli cuisine. They can be cooked in sauce, fried,

or both. Frying them browns the surface and produces a more flavorful result. For those of you cutting back on calories, feel free to cook the patties directly in the sauce, but Limor insists that frying first adds a more authentic flavor. If you fry them, they can also be served separately from the sauce.

Limor recommends shredding or grating the vegetables very fine. She uses an Israeli meatball spice blend for her recipe, which I’ve replicated below with easy-to-find spices for those of you who don’t have access to kosher markets or Israeli spices. I also added a pinch more spice than Limor to enhance the flavor. If you do have an Israeli meatball spice blend that you’d like to use, start with 1 tbsp and adjust the amount to taste. We used breadcrumbs for the patties, but matzo meal could easily be subbed to make this recipe Kosher for Passover. I’ve simplified things by using one pan for the meatballs and the sauce, but free to use two pans to cook the patties and the sauce simultaneously for faster results.

POLISH CHICKEN PATTIES CHICKEN PATTY INGREDIENTS 1 lb ground chicken (I prefer dark meat) 1 lb ground turkey, 85 percent lean 1 small carrot, grated fine 1 small zucchini, grated fine 1 small onion, grated or minced very fine ¾ cup plain breadcrumbs (or more if needed) – for Passover use matzo meal 1 egg, beaten 4 tsp crushed garlic 1 ½ tsp paprika 1 ¼ tsp salt ½ tsp ginger ½ tsp nutmeg ½ tsp allspice ¼ tsp cloves ¼ tsp black pepper ¼ tsp cinnamon ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (or more if needed) 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

SAUCE INGREDIENTS 2 medium carrots, shredded fine 1 small onion, minced 1 tbsp olive oil

PHOTOS BY TORI AVEY

1 tsp paprika ½ tsp salt (or more to taste) ¼ tsp pepper (or more to taste) 1 qt chicken or vegetable stock ¾ cup frozen peas (optional) You will also need: Hand grater or food processor with shredding disc attachment with fine holes, mixing bowls, large sauté pan with high sides and a lid Servings: 25 patties Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes Kosher Key: Kosher, Meat – use matzo meal for Passover Trim zucchini, peel carrots and onion. Grate the vegetables with a hand grater or food processor with shredding disc attachment with fine holes. I suggest using a food processor, you can hand grate if you prefer. You can mince the onion rather than grate if you prefer, as long as you mince it very fine.

In a mixing bowl, combine grated zucchini, carrots and onion. Add breadcrumbs, beaten egg and spices. Stir until combined. Add ground chicken and turkey. Mix well until thoroughly combined.

Form the mixture into patties with ¼ cup of meat mixture each. The mixture is slightly sticky; I like to spray my hands with a little cooking

oil spray or water before forming the patties. If the mixture is extremely soft or sticky and you’re having trouble forming the patties, add more breadcrumbs till the patties are moldable (they should be soft and tacky but still moldable).

Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a sauté pan with high sides and a lid over medium heat. Fry patties in the oil, 6-7 at a time to avoid overcrowding the pan.

Cover the pan with a lid and cook the patties for 4 minutes on each side (8 minutes total). When finished cooking, remove and set aside. Continue till all the patties are cooked and browned, adding more olive oil to the pan if needed to prevent sticking.

To make sauce, add shredded carrot, minced onion, salt, pepper and paprika to the same pan you used to fry the patties. Add more oil if needed.

Scrape any brown bits up from the bottom of the pan as you cook.

Cook until onions are soft and translucent, then add stock. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the carrot shreds are very tender and the sauce is orange. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Add the fried patties to the sauce, cover and cook for 20 additional minutes. If adding peas, throw them into the sauce 5 minutes before the end of cooking till heated through. Serve patties warm in carrot sauce.

Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. A

IKWTA Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 71

D

WHAT’S

GOIN’

ON?

Musical Marvels

D

T

he March entertainment scene offers a cornucopia of theatrical, musical, and dance events, along with several exciting exhibitions at local museums. The Globe will weave a spell with Mary Zimmerman’s visionary interpretation of a Chinese fable. Cygnet will revive the beloved musical, “My Fair Lady.”

The San Diego Rep will offer a contemporary re-telling of “Oedipus Rex.” The San Diego

72 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

City Ballet will stage a "Balanchine Spectacular" this month, March 6-8.

Symphony will bring Pinchas Zukerman back to San Diego (along with a litany of other artists).

San Diego Opera will tackle “Nixon in China,” and City Ballet will perform a “Balanchine Spectacular.”

The San Diego Repertory is moving into uncharted territory – again – with “Oedipus El Rey,” its new take on one of the greatest tragedies in the Western world. Sophocles’ 2,500-year-

old play never looked like this, with a tattooed chorus, street language, violence, a sly sense of humor, and nudity. Nevertheless, the basic Oedipus theme remains intact in this riveting piece by Luis Alfaro. Obviously, the show (slated to occupy the Rep’s Lyceum Stage March 7-29) is aimed at mature audiences. Sam Woodhouse is directing the newly-envisioned spellbinder.

The San Diego Opera is giving John Adams’

PHOTO BY DALE STOKES

by eileen sondak • nsondak@gmail.com

Pinchas Zuckerman returns to Symphony Hall March 27-29.

PHOTO BY PAUL LABELLE

D

Hall March 27-29 with “Zukerman Plays and Conducts,” featuring works by R. Strauss, J.S. Bach, and Shostakovich.

La Jolla Music Society has another interesting musical mix this month, starting on March 6 with Inon Barnatan at Sherwood Auditorium.

Barnatan will show off his keyboard gymnastics with works by Barber, Beethoven, Brahms, and Franck. The Dance Series will move to Spreckels Theater on March 13 for “Momix.”

Jazz royalty, Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea, will jazz it up at Symphony Hall, courtesy of the Music Society, on March 20; followed on March 22 by award-winning young pianist Charlie Albright at TSRI. To cap off the month, the London Symphony Orchestra will visit Symphony Hall on March 29, with Yuja Wang on the keyboard. The program will feature works

by Sibelius, Gershwin, and Britten.

The La Jolla Playhouse’s staging of “The Darrell Hammond Project,” which takes audiences on a hilarious and heartbreaking journey into the mind of a comic genius, will wind down on March 8. The Playhouse’s sitespecific show “The Grift” has been extended at the Lafayette Hotel until March 22.

The Lamb’s is entertaining audiences through March 22 with “You Can’t Take It With You,” a vintage comic masterpiece by the inimitable George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. The play takes place during the Great Depression, but it remains as fresh and funny as ever. The Lamb’s production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” continues at the Horton Grand Theatre through March 29.

City Ballet is returning to the Spreckels Theatre for a “Balanchine Spectacular.” The all-Balanchine dance program will tantalize balletomanes March 6-8.

J*Company is ready to bring everyone’s

favorite orphan back to the stage. “Annie,” directed by Joey Landwehr, will move into the La Jolla JCC March 6-22. Leapin’ Lizards, the kids will love this one.

San Diego Junior Theatre is featuring “The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe,” a popular children’s story by C.S. Lewis. The show will be ensconced at the Casa del Prado through March 15. This classic is recommended for all ages, so share the adventure with your kids.

The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center is highlighting two IMAX films: “Humpback Whales” and “Journey to Space.” The museum has several permanent exhibitions, including “Don’t Try This at Home,” “Tinkering Studio,” “Block Busters,” and “Origins in Space.” The Fleet’s Concert Series will feature Earl Thomas on March 27.

The San Diego Museum of Art will highlight two interesting exhibitions beginning on March 28. “Devine Desire: Printmaking, Mythology, and the Birth of the Baroque” will feature more than 70 exquisite engravings from the late 16th and 17th centuries. It will remain on view through June 30. “Lalla Essay di: Photographs, 2005-13” consists of 10 large-scale photographs exploring women in the Arab culture. The photographs will stay put through Aug. 1.

The Air and Space Museum is featuring “2theXtreme: Math Alive,” an interactive exhibit that makes mathematics fun.

Mingei’s “Black Dolls” (ensconced through July 5) includes more than 100 unique handmade dolls and rare photographs. “Three on the Edge,” showcases designs by Kellogg, Hubbell, and Cunningham. It will be exhibited through March 15. “In the Realm of Nature,” displaying one-of-a-kind furniture from Bob Stocksdale, and complex weave structures by Kay Sekimachi, will stay on until March 15 as well. A

D

“Nixon in China” a staging March 14-22 at the Civic Theatre. It marks the final opera for this season (although two special events are on tap for April).

The Globe’s White Theatre continues to showcase Nathan Englander’s “The TwentySeventh Man” through March 15. Barry Edelstein re-imagined the piece for the intimate space – with Hal Linden heading a stellar cast.

The story takes place in 1952 at a Soviet prison, where 26 writers – the giants of Yiddish theater – are incarcerated. The plot thickens in this chilling drama when a 27th unknown, teenaged author suddenly appears.

“The White Snake” – an enchanting theatrical spectacle written and directed by Tony Awardwinner Mary Zimmerman – will begin on the main stage March 21. This show, featuring live music and stunning visuals, was based on a Chinese fable about a gentle snake that is transformed into a beautiful woman. The lavish production is recommended for all ages, and you have until April 26 to share it with your loved ones.

North Coast Rep continues to showcase the witty Neil Simon comedy, “Chapter Two.” This touching romantic comedy, directed by David Ellenstein, will be ensconced at the Solana Beach theater through March 22.

Cygnet is reviving the glorious musical comedy, “My Fair Lady” on March 5. The classic will delight audiences at Cygnet’s Old Town Theatre through April 26, with its wonderful songs and captivating characters. Get a behindthe-scenes look at how the show came together at Cygnet’s artist forum, featuring the director, costume designer, lighting and more on March 10.

The San Diego Symphony will start off the month on March 6-7 with The Midtown Men: Four Stars from the original Broadway cast of “Jersey Boys.” Todd Ellison will conduct. The Symphony is featuring Orqesta Sinfonica del Estado de Mexico on March 13. Enrique Batiz will conduct a three-piece program that includes Brahms’ Symphony No. 4. Trinity Academy of Irish Dance is due at Symphony Hall on March 15 – and Curtis Chamber Orchestra will perform on March 17 at Qualcomm Hall. The three-piece program will include Mozart’s Symphony No. 41 in C Major.

“Zukerman Plays Beethoven” – a not-to-bemissed concert with Pinchas Zukerman on violin and on the podium – is coming our way March 21. Angela Chang will play piano on this exciting program, which features the Violin Sonatas Nos. 1 & 5 and Symphony No. 3. “Zukerman Chamberplayers” is slated for March 24, with Zukerman on violin, Forsyth on cello and Chang on the keyboard. This unique chamber music special is slated for the intimate ambiance of TSRI. Zukerman is back at Symphony

Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 73

SYNAGOGUE

WHEN "COLLABORATIVE" IS YOUR MIDDLE NAME Jewish Collaborative of San Diego takes individualized approach to religious education for all

BY NATALIE JACOBS

PHOTO COURTESY JCO

Rabbi Gabi Arad helps a young student work through his Hebrew language packet during a Wednesday night workshop.

I

n a world where “have it your way” has become a hard-wired reality and not just an advertising jingle, the idea of a synagogue that invites its members to create the spiritual home of their dreams shouldn’t be that revolutionary an idea. For the Jewish Collaborative of San Diego (JCo) and its 73 member families, a customizable Jewish experience is key to keeping the faith alive, especially in the hearts of young people who have grown accustomed to a life that bends to their wildest imaginations.

“As a collaborative,” Rabbi Josh Burrows explains, “our basic philosophy of everything that we do – from the way that we do services to all of our programs – must be congregant inspired, researched, written, driven, facilitated. This is a collaborative so it’s all about all of us not just making a menu together but hanging out in the kitchen together and cooking.”

Burrows and his wife Gabi Arad are founding partners of the Jewish Collaborative, though given the democratic structure of the organization, they consider all of their current members to be founders.

One of the most revolutionary aspects of JCo is their education programming, which is set up in the same collaborative way as all the

74 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

synagogue offerings – intended to create deep ties to the Jewish community without offering a prescription for any interactions. This means taking the focus off of Bar and Bat Mitzvah as the main goal of Jewish education, and allowing the kids to explore different aspects of the religion at their own pace, on their own terms.

“If we and the Jewish community say becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah means that you are now a member of this community, if we’re going to say that as Jews, then we need to be serious about it and we need to look at what our community is and allow those kids to find their way into that community. Not to say just learn the prayers and your Torah portions and then we’ll figure it out,” Arad, who leads the Hebrew class and the Bar/ Bat Mitzvah program, says.

Unlike traditional synagogues, JCo offers Hebrew classes for students as early as kindergarten. Classes take place for an hour each week and kids are invited to come and work with Arad, parents, and teen volunteers on language packets that encourage kids to read Hebrew in a new and more productive way. Since the system is so individualized, students can start at any time. This program began in early January and

at press time had 10 kids attending on a regular basis.

“It’s a very loose environment,” Burrows says of the Wednesday afternoon classes. “We’re not forcing them to sit quietly after a long day at school. They can come here and have fun.

We’ve got third graders and first graders working together on the same thing.”

While that class is focused on teaching kids to read Hebrew, the organization also offers the JCo Kids Club to brings kids out in the community to experience Judaism with their own eyes.

Programs have already included a hike to explore what Judaism teaches about nature, and a visit to Seacrest Village to show the importance of taking care of elders. Like many of the adult programming at JCo, the Kids Club was created by a group of JCo kids.

“They were at one of our ShabBats,” Arad says, “and they went with our youth organizer on a hike and they had so much fun that they decided to call themselves the JCo Kids Club. They said ‘we want to do more things,’ so one of the moms came in and she’s been meeting with our youth organizer [to get the club going].”

This kind of openness and trust comes from having an intimate relationship with all members of the community. Burrows and Arad have made this priority number one for their synagogue.

JCo celebrated their first Bat Mitzvah in January, and are looking forward to more customized services throughout the year. In an effort to keep kids engaged in the group after their Bar or Bat Mitzvah is over, JCo has also affiliated with BBYO to offer the only Southern California chapter of the Jewish youth group.

“That’s not to say there won’t be more programs,” Arad is careful to note, “but for now, that’s what has come to be.”

There is no shortage of interesting ideas from this energized group of dedicated leaders. To check out their post-denominational take on what it means to be a synagogue community, visit jcosd.com or drop in on a class in their Carlsbad location. A

N news

Hadassah Elects New San Diego President

Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, has elected Audrey Levine as its new San Diego President for a two-year term. Levine has been involved in Hadassah for 16 years and has held many leadership positions.

“No other organization resonates with me the way Hadassah always has,” Levine said. One of her goals for 2015 is to increase the involvement of younger women.

Hadassah has eight active groups throughout the San Diego area. For more information, contact Deena Feinman at (858) 268-3200.

“Israel in Song” in Concert

On March 15 at Congregation Beth Am, two choirs will unite for a first-time performance. The Shirati Choir conducted by Cantor Ari Litvak from Congregation Beth El Mexico will join Beth Am’s choir for the Sunday performance called, “Israel in Song.” The soloist will be Jonathan Valverde who is a member of a Christian Zionist group called, “Latinos for Israel.” The performance starts at 3:30 p.m. For more information please contact Susan Mualin at Beth Am at (858) 481-8454.

City Considering “House of Palestine”

The City of San Diego Parks and Recreation department is considering adding a House of Palestine to Balboa Park’s International Cottages. In response, congregation Beth Jacob, T.E.A.M and other Jewish leaders are calling on San Diegans to voice their concerns.

“The House of Pacific Relations appears not to have done its homework and is putting its credibility and the City’s credibility at risk,” said J. J. Surbeck, T.E.A.M.’s director. “The City of San Diego, represented by its Department of Parks and Recreation, is ultimately responsible for overseeing organizations like the House of Pacific Relations operating in its parks, and it should look into the selection process that led to this decision. I respectfully suggest that it would be a good idea to eliminate from the list of potential cottages at Balboa Park all candidates that are not independent countries.”

If you would like to voice your opinion about a potential House of Palestine, contact your elected officials: Mayor Kevin Faulconer, kevinfaulconer@sandiego.gov; Councilmember Todd Gloria, Council District 3 (Balboa Park), toddgloria@sandiego.gov; District Manager Susan Lowery-Mendoza (Parks & Recreation), SMendoza@sandiego.gov; or San Diego City Park Designer Charlie Daniels, CDaniels@sandiego.gov.

IAC Hosts Conference for College Students

Young Israeli-Americans from college campuses across North America gathered in Los Angeles in February for the inaugural Mishelanu National Conference of the Israeli-American Council (IAC). Mishelanu is a campus-based program founded in 2012 with 33 chapters nationwide. The conference, with the theme “Meet Your Past, Shape Your Future,” was aimed at nurturing IsraeliAmerican college students’ emerging identity and supporting Israeli-American campus leaders.

More than 150 students participated in the event including co-founder, Dadi Perlmutter.

“When we founded Mishelanu, we recognized the need to connect to our Jewish heritage and our dual Israeli-American identity. With the first Mishelanu National Conference, we are building a nationwide college network to advocate for our values at a time when that’s more critical than ever.”

For more information, visit israeliamerican.org.

Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 75

N news

Temple Mount Visitors Double

JNF Welcomes New Director

Official Israeli police figures have been released – last year, 10,906 Jews visited the Temple Mount, a 92 percent increase since 2009. The statistics also point to a surprising 28 percent rise in visitors between 2013 and 2014, despite the regular closures of the site during those years. The figures only include Israeli Jews who have ascended the holy site. Tourists and those who do not hold Israeli citizenship were not included in the sum.

The Jewish National Fund in January welcomed Amy Hart as the new Director for the San Diego division of the organization. Hart, who will take her first trip to Israel this month, has extensive experience in fundraising and organizational advancement.

Save the date for JNF’s 4th annual Love of Israel Brunch, to meet Hart and other JNF members on May 3 at the La Jolla Hilton. Learn more and reserve your seat at jnf.org.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund Launches Pilot Program

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) and the Embassy of Israel in Washington, D.C., announced a new scholarship program for Hispanic students. Awards of $500-$5,000 will be given to qualified students (based on merit and need) to attend colleges in the U.S. with an option to also study abroad in Israel.

“We are thrilled with this new program, especially for the bond it creates between the Jewish and Hispanic communities that is grounded in our mutual commitment to advancing higher education for a better future,” said Fidel A. Vargas, President and CEO of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.

Today, one-fourth of all public school students in the U.S. are Hispanic, with 69 percent of Hispanic high school graduates going to college.

“As a result of this unprecedented surge of Hispanic college-bound students, the need for scholarships and related services for students and their families is greater than ever before,” Vargas said.

Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Ron Dermer, praised the importance of investing in education and the Hispanic American community.

Interested students can apply at hsf.net. Applications are due March 30.

Federation Introduces Women's Philanthropy

In mid-February, Federation announced that Lisa Kalal has joined the staff as Director of Women’s Philanthropy. In this capacity, Kalal will lead the Women’s Philanthropy of Federation and Shalom San Diego, an initiative aimed at connecting new residents and those who are unengaged with the San Diego Jewish community.

“We are thrilled to welcome Lisa to Federation,” said Michael Sonduck, president and CEO of Jewish Federation of San Diego County. “After an extensive search to fill this position, we are excited to have found someone with Lisa’s background, experience, reputation and energy. We look forward to working with her to further grow and engage the San Diego Jewish community.”

Learn more at jewishinsandiego.org.

76 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

N news

Chabad of La Jolla Expands into New Space

On March 22, Chabad of La Jolla will celebrate the grand opening of its expansion at 909 Prospect Street with a dinner program entitled, “One Person, One World,” honoring long time community contributors, Jack and Judith Leif.

“The community at large is to thank for our exquisite new center,” said Rabbi Baruch Ezagui, who added that the new space would allow for more programming and special events. Tickets for the program are $360 per couple. Visit chabadoflajolla.com/dinner for more information.

Brandeis Nat’l Committee to Host Book and Author Luncheon

National Fraternity Condemns AntiSemitism

The Rancho Bernardo Chapter of the Brandeis National Committee is hosting an author luncheon and is inviting the San Diego community to participate. The program is scheduled for March 10 and begins at 10:15 a.m. at the Bernardo Heights Country Club. The four authors are: Susan Meissner, Michelle Gable, Dr. Kelly Parsons and J. Elke Ertle. Tickets are $55 with proceeds going to fund scholarships at Brandeis University.

Call Leslie at (760) 317-1819 to register.

In response to anti-Semitic attacks at UC Davis in February, the Jewish fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi is coordinating with university officials and police to ensure the safety of their 9,000 undergraduate members. After their fraternity home on the UC Davis campus was vandalized with swastikas, the national organization sent out a statement saying, “Alpha Epsilon Pi International has dispatched staff and security experts to Davis to assure that our brothers are safe in their university and safe when expressing their Judaism and support for Israel.

“On campuses throughout North America and Europe, AEPi brothers have been leading the Jewish community and leading the student movement to defend Israel,” the statement continued. “In the last few months alone, our brothers have been the targets of anti-Semitic attacks at a dozen universities including Oregon, the Claremont Colleges, Arizona, Calgary, Loyola, Ohio, Ohio State, Vanderbilt, Temple, Emory, SUNY-Oneonta, Tufts and, now, in Davis.”

Additionally, the fraternity is working with the Jewish Federation to, “educate students, college administrators, and local communities about the rising tide of anti-Semitism.”

Inbal Hotel Tops TripAdvisor

The Inbal Jerusalem hotel is an award-winning, five-star deluxe hotel overlooking the Old City walls and minutes away from major cultural and historical sites. The 283-room hotel is known for its intimate character and impeccable world-class service. And now, TripAdvisor has named The Inbal as Jerusalem’s most luxurious hotel based on millions of reviews collected in a single year by the online user-review platform. This ranks the hotel in the top one percent of all hotels around the world.

The hotel adds this award to its already impressive collection of recent accolades, which includes a "best hotel in Israel" nod, and selection as fourth-best hotel in the entire Middle East by readers of Conde Nast Traveler magazine.

Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 77

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OHR SHALOM SYNAGOGUE

SECOND SEDER Saturday, April 4 at 6:00pm

Join Ohr Shalom Synagogue for a traditional Second Seder led by Rabbi Scott Meltzer.

For more information please contact the office at (619) 231-1456.

May your cup overflow with goodness and happiness. Happy Passover!

Scott Meltzer, Rabbi Ray Sachs, President

2512 Third Avenue at Laurel | San Diego, CA 92103 619.231.1456 | www.ohrshalom.org | office@ohrshalom.org

Ronnie Weisberg Nancy Segal t: 858.638.9818

It’s MORE than just a magazine.

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sales@sdjewishjournal.com • www.sdjewishjournal.com 78 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

DIVERSIONS

By Natalie Jacobs

“The Boston Girl” From “Rent Tent” author Anita Diamant, a grandmother’s personal history.

“Breaking Borders” What if a conversation held over dinner could solve the world’s most difficult border conflicts? What? Come on – you really don’t think it could happen? Even if a Peabody Award-winning journalist and a master chef were involved? Well, that’s the lofty goal of a new Travel Channel show anyway. “Breaking Borders,” will follow hosts journalist Mariana Van Zeller and chef Michael Voltaggio as they travel to the most hotly contested zones in the world, and invite both sides to talk it out over a meal. Leading up to the meal, each host digs into her and his specialty, making for an altogether new kind of journey through world politics and culinary traditions. The first episode, premiering Sunday, March 15, sets the conflict bar high as the crew stops in Israel and invites Israelis and Palestinians to the table. Check local listings for Travel Channel station information.

“Kosher Soul” Reality shows are everywhere these days, but this one sounds truly original. Billed as a “docu-sitcom” by the good folks at the Lifetime network, “Kosher Soul” follows Jewish stylist Miriam Sternoff and her black comedian fiancé O’Neal McKnight as they navigate Los Angeles, wedding plans, and his conversion to Judaism. Airing Wednesday nights at 10 p.m.

“Broad City” What started as an internet show following the lives of two improv comedians has gained critical acclaim for bringing refreshing female voices to the fore. Freshly into its second season, “Broad City,” produced by “Parks and Recreation’s” Amy Poehler, follows real-life and on-screen best friends Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson as they trapse through life in New York City. See what all the fuss is about on Comedy Central, Wednesdays at 10:30 p.m.

“My Dearest One” A doctor explores how to keep wonder alive in children.

“City of the Sun” This WWII story takes place in Egypt as the Germans advance on North Africa.

Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 79

TAKE NOTE MARCH 1-31 by tina b. eshel

BEST BETS

Mark your calendar.

P

urim comes up quick this month and we’ve picked three different celebrations to please the pickiest of partiers. Take a break from the traditional celebrations and do it Hollywood Style at Shevet Galim’s 5th Annual Purim Party. Come dressed as your favorite movie character and nosh in style. This adultsonly party is $40 and starts at 8 p.m. on March 7. The event raises money to benefit the Israel Scouts of San Diego. Grab your tickets at shevetgalim.com/Purim.

Celebrants of all ages can kick it up at Purim Palooza 2015 at Congregation Beth Am in Carmel Valley on March 8 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Expect carnival rides, fair food and lots of fun. Got to purimpalooza.ticketleap.com/purim-palooza-2015/, for more deets.

If you are in North County, celebrate at Temple Solel’s Purim Carnival. We got super excited when we learned their event includes spa services for adults and a used book sale (as well as the requisite rides, costumes, carnival, food and more!). Get info on this event, taking place on March 8 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at templesolel.net.

Lovers off of-the-beaten-path acoustic sounds and soulful singing will want to check out singer-songwriter duo (and husband and wife) Genna and Jesse. This musical couple creates “haunting vocals” mixed with “great musicianship.” They will be performing tunes from their upcoming album, “Tumbleweed and Tonic,” on Thursday, March 12 at the Folkey Monkey, 6154 Mission Gorge Road. Get your tickets for this performance at this ecclectic hideaway at folkeymonkey.com. Check out the smooth jazz and Americana sounds of Genna and Jesse at gennaandjesse.com.

The annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival is happening March 14 and it’s free. Traditional Irish dancing, live entertainment, a kid zone and even beer served in a Celtic village will keep everyone happy throughout the day. Plan your trip carefully as this has become one of the largest single-day events in San Diego. Map out the parade route and pick your spot at stpatsparade.org.

Finally, adult education is happening big time through the Center for Jewish Culture at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center this month. An eight-session course called, Turning Inward: Jewish and American Life, 1965-Present, begins March 24 and runs through May 19. The course will examine a whole slew of awesome Jewish topics from counter culture to feminism to the growth of the State of Israel. The Distinguished Speakers series Jacob Goldberg Lectures on the Middle East also runs throughout March with an eye toward current events. Purchase your tickets or sign up for the class at sdcjc.org or by calling Ilene Tatro at (858) 362-1154.

A

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PURIM PARTIES GALORE Shevet Galim, March 7; Congretation Beth Am, March 8; Temple Solel, March 8

“GENNA AND JESSE” JAZZ AND ACOUSTICS CONCERT March 12 The Folkey Monkey 6154 Mission George Rd. gennaandjesse.com

ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE AND FESTIVAL March 14 Downtown/Bankers Hill stpatsparade.org

TURNING INWARD: JEWISH AND AMERICAN LIFE, 1965-PRESENT LECTURE SERIES March 24 – May 19 Center for Jewish Culture at the JCC sdcjc.org

SAN DIEGO JEWISH

SENIOR EVENTS MARCH 1-31

Lawrence Family JCC 4126 Executive Drive, La Jolla Contact Melanie Rubin to R.S.V.P. (858) 362-1141 San Diego Community College Continuing Education Classes Free spring semester classes in figure study painting, music and opera appreciation, law, and more. Call for full schedule.

Senior Model Seder Friday, March 27, noon Celebrate Passover early with Rabbi Scott Meltzer of Ohr Shalom Synagogue. Light lunch served with ceremonial foods. Cost: $11 members/$15 nonmembers.

Zukerman in Concert with San Diego Symphony Sunday, March 29 Pinchas Zukerman performs with and conducts the San Diego Symphony.

Cost: $40 members/$50 nonmembers. Limited availability, reserve early.

Oceanside Senior Center 455 Country Club Lane, Oceanside Call Josephine at (760) 295-2564 North County Jewish Seniors Club Third Thursday of each month, 12:30 p.m.

Join us to hear speakers and/or entertainment at our monthly meetings.

Light refreshments served. Visitors welcome.

Joslyn Senior Center 210 Park Ave./Broadway, Escondido Call (760) 436-4005 Jewish War Veterans meetings Second Sunday of each month, 11 a.m.

Preceded by a bagel/lox breakfast at 10:45 a.m. San Diego North County Post 385.

Seacrest Village 211 Saxony Road, Encinitas Call Jon Schwartz at (760) 516-2001 Monthly Senior Dance First Friday of every month, 1 p.m.

Refreshments and appetizers from our kosher kitchen will be provided.

Free and open to the public.

JFS University City Older Adult Center 9001 Towne Centre Drive, La Jolla Call Aviva Saad for details or to R.S.V.P. (858) 550-5998 PURIM Celebration Thursday March 5, 10 a.m.

Lunch available at noon with reservation.

Spring Celebrations Around the World Wednesday March 25, 10 a.m.

Lunch available at noon with reservation.

On the Go excursions A program of Jewish Family Service, On the Go provides transportation to events throughout the county for homebound seniors. For information on any of these excursions, please call (858) 637-7320.

CONTINUING EDUCATION CLASSES

Lawrence Family JCC, 4126 Executive Drive, La Jolla Contact Melanie Rubin at (858) 362-1141.

Free spring semester classes in figure study painting, music and opera appreciation, law, and more. Call for full schedule.

40th Annual Senior Talent Show!

Thursday, March 19, 2015, bus departs at 11 a.m.

Cost: $20, due by March 12.

Annie, J*Company at the Lawrence Family JCC Sunday, March 15, 2015, bus departs at noon Cost: $33 due by March 9.

JFS No. County Inland Center 15905 Pomerado Road, Poway Call (858) 674-1123 for details. Most Activities are free to members, and lunch is $7 with reservations.

Safari Express Wednesday, March 4, 11 a.m.

Experience exotic animals from the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s animal therapy and outreach program.

Does Nutrition Affect Mental Health? How? Wednesday, March 18,11 a.m.

Dr. Ruth Wallace, PhD, RD explores.

Member Spotlight Monday, March 23, 11 a.m.

How well do you know your fellow NCIC members?

JFS Coastal Club at Temple Solel 3575 Manchester Ave., Cardiff by the Sea Call (858) 674-1123 for details. R.S.V.P. for lunch by Monday at 12:30 p.m. All activities are free and lunch is $7.

Photography Illusions Showcase Tuesday, March 31 Optical illusions, mysterious and perplexing photographs from San Diego’s Museum of Photographic Arts.

JFS College Avenue Center 4855 College Ave., San Diego Call Sara Diaz (858) 637-3270 for details or to R.S.V.P. Feeling Satisfied with a Life of Simplicity with Rabbi Aliza Berk Thursday, March 5 at 12:45 p.m.

Learn ways to find greater satisfaction in your life by reducing personal consumption.

Fall Prevention Presentation Tuesday, March 17 at 12:45 p.m.

Falls are one of the leading causes of health decline. Mercedes Margit of St. Paul’s PACE Program will share information about the importance of exercise and safety tips in your home.

Vintage Fashion Show and Lunch Sunday, March 22, noon The Victorian Ladies Society of San Diego is putting on an afternoon of food, fun, friendship and fashion with a show of vintage Victorian and Edwardian designs. Lunch and refreshments included. A Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 81

THE MARKETPLACE - SIMCHA ISSUE DANCE

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For further information please contact www.deborahjdavis.com Deborah Davis • (619) 275-1539 82 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

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Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 83

With great sadness, we join the Viterbi family and the entire San Diego Jewish community in mourning the loss of

Erna Viterbi, z�l She made a difference in the lives of so many, from California to Israel, and will be greatly missed by all.

www.afmda.org

San Diego JewiSh Community obituarieS arrangements by am israel mortuary

All ServiceS AlreAdy Held Ben Shreiber - Encinitas 6/26/1913 - 11/14/2014 Survivors: wife, ida Shreiber; daughters, davida and Maeera Shreiber; and four grandchildren.

Harry Weitz - San Diego 6/11/1921 - 12/05/2014 Survivors: wife, charlotte Weitz; sons, roy and eric Weitz; and two grandchildren.

Bernard Baar - La Jolla 3/31/1915 - 12/07/2014 Survivors: cousin, dr. Seymour Filman.

Leonard Kestler - Winchester 6/04/1922 - 12/11/2014 Survivors: wife, carla Kesler; and son, Steven Kestler.

Barbara Lowin - Oceanside 10/20/1931 - 12/12/2014 Survivors: daughter, robin lowin; son, david lowin; and three grandchildren.

Marlene Matthews - La Jolla 12/31/1935 - 12/12/2014 Survivors: husband, Joel Matthews; daughter, Pam Matthews; son, Jeff Matthews; and five grandchildren.

Esther Schwartz - San Diego 2/13/1926 - 12/10/2014 Survivors: son, Joseph Schwartz; and two grandchildren.

Robert Forman - El Cajon 6/18/1920 - 12/15/2014 Survivors: wife, Theresa Forman; daughter, dena Holstein; and son, ross Forman.

Charles Rubin - Chula Vista 5/29/1929 - 12/10/2014 Survivors: wife, Pauline rubin.

Faina Lepler - La Mesa 12/12/1932 - 12/18/2014 Survivors: daughter, elena

3 15.indd 1 84 Obits SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

Kasnikov; three grandchildren and one grandchild.

Basya Zeltser - San Diego 7/09/1927 - 12/18/2014 Survivors: son, Alexander Zeltser.

Heinz Gottlieb - La Jolla 10/03/1922 - 12/18/2014 Survivors: daughter, Patricia Gottlieb; son, Thomas Gottlieb; four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Norman Bartel - San Diego 11/09/1934 - 12/18/2014 Survivors: wife, Marlene Bartel; and son, Steven Bartel.

Herman Slutzky - San Diego 5/25/1923 - 12/23/2014 Survivors: wife, Hilda Slutzky; daughter, Marsha Sutton; and two grandchildren.

Frank Reinhard - La Jolla 4/23/1923 - 12/23/2014

Survivors: son, Kenneth reinhard.

Herman Rosenthal - San Diego 5/25/1933 - 12/23/2014 Survivors: wife, donna rosenthal; daughter, diane Olive; sons, Steven and daniel rosenthal; and seven grandchildren.

Max Marcus - San Diego 1/14/1922 - 12/24/2014 Survivors: daughters, diane Jones, Sharon cruise and Hadass Marcus; son, Allan Marcus; and ten grandchildren.

Shirley Rosen - Rancho Santa Fe 4/12/1925 - 12/24/2014 Survivors: daughters, Michelle Powers and lisa rosen; sons, Andrew and douglas rosen; and three grandchildren.

Molly Cohen - Encinitas 6/19/1917 - 12/25/2014 Survivors: son, Marc cohen.

2/19/15 4:01 PM

desert life

PALM SPRINGS

by Pamela Price

pamprice57@gmail.com

Jordan Schnitzer: “The Prints of Prints”

PHOTO COURTESY HARSCH INVESTMENT PROPERTIES

Jordan Schnitzer's world-class art collection has been exhibited all across the world, including at the Palm Springs Art Museum and The Galen.

W

hat do you do after you have collected and archived more than 8,000 post-WWII prints? If you’re Jordan Schnitzer, you open the Art Museum at the University of Oregon. The recognized president of Harsch Investment Properties is recognized as having the largest private print collection in the United States. He has escalated his role in the art world by moving on to share his passion and still-growing print collection with museums throughout the U.S., especially those affiliated with colleges and universities.

“I’ve been involved with 90 exhibitions at more than 72 museums during the last 20 years,” Schnitzer says.

Two exhibitions were held at the Palm Springs Art Museum so far – the Roy Lichtenstein collection in 2006 and the John Baldessari collection in 2011.

Jordan’s art journey began when he was five years old, in Portland, Ore., when his mother, Arlene, opened The Fountain Gallery of Art. During the next 25 years, she consistently nurtured Northwest artists, supporting art in public spaces, homes, and offices.

“By the time I was 14 years old, I purchased my first work of art by Louis Bunce, a local artist.”

That was the beginning for Schnitzer, and his collection is now legendary.

Beyond this art collection, his footprint in the Oregon Jewish community is also very impressive.

He is the President of the Robison Jewish Home, co-chair of Rose Schnitzer Manor development company, and serves on the board of the local Temple Beth Israel. He also established the Jewish Studies Association and supports two Judaic studies programs at the University of Oregon. His commitment to the Jewish community extends

to his role in increasing membership at Shaari Torah, a Conservative synagogue where he serves as co-president. He is credited with growing the synagogue from 247 to 375 member families.

The eldery have also benefitted from Schnitzer’s philanthropic endeavors, as he was involved in raising $14 million to open Rose Schnitzer Manor in Robeson Park, Ore. Among his set of accomplishments, Schnitzer was one of the highlights at the Palm Springs Fine Art Fair in February where he reiterated these words of wisdom: “Don’t buy art as an investment, but it because you want to live with it.”

Whether you discover the Schnitzer collection at the Cer Modern in Ankara, Turkey, or the Frederick R. Weisman Museum at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif., his message connects art and education throughout the world. A Adar • Nisan 5775 l SDJewishJournal.com 85

Website Powered by

86 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2015

THE HANDSHAKE THAT BROKE 25 YEARS OF SILENCE

La Jolla Symphony & Chorus

60th Anniversary Season ❘ 2014-2015

San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus

John Tiranno

tenor

STEVEN SCHICK conducts

HECTOR BERLIOZ

REQUIEM THREE PERFORMANCES! March 13 & 14 @ 7:30pm March 15 @ 2pm Mandeville Auditorium, UCSD

Tickets $18 - $36!

Free pre-concert lecture by Steven Schick one hour prior to concert times.

858-534-4637 www.lajollasymphony.com

2015-2016 Season Subscriptions Go On Sale March 16th!

Take advantage of the “Early Bird” discount for the best seats and best price.

Discount ends June 15

MAR 14 • MAR 17 • MAR 20 • MAR 22 • 2015 Straight from the headlines and live broadcasts of the day, Nixon in China pays musical witness to President Richard Nixon’s historic trip to Beijing in 1972 and goodwill meetings with China’s Chairman Mao Tse-Tung. Nixon in China explores an heroic gesture by a sitting American President towards a burgeoning world power that changed history.

Tickets start at $45 sdopera.com (619) 533-7000 Tickets also available at

All performances at the San Diego Civic Theatre.

Free lecture one hour prior to each performance.

ENGLISH TEXT DISPLAYED ABOVE THE STAGE

“Exquisite—as chilling and haunted as a ghost story.”

Time Out New York

By

Nathan Englander Barry Edelstein

Directed by

In a Soviet prison in 1952, Stalin’s secret police have rounded up 26 writers, the giants of Yiddish literature in Russia.

As judgment looms, a 27th suddenly appears: a teenager, unpublished and unknown. Baffled by his arrest, he and his cellmates wonder at what has brought them together and wrestle with what it means to write in troubled times.

NOW PLAYING Must Close March 22!

Robert Dorfman, Ron Orbach and Hal Linden. Photo by Jim Cox.

“Visually splendiferous!”

Chicago Tribune

“Strikingly beautiful!”

National Public Radio

THE WHITE SNAKE Written and Directed by Mary Zimmerman Based on the classic Chinese fable

An enchanting theatrical spectacle with live music and sumptuous visuals. In this visionary staging of a classic Chinese fable, a gentle serpent transforms into a beautiful woman. She falls in love with a dashing young man and decides to stay human forever, until a wicked monk discovers her true identity and vows to destroy her.

March 21 – April 26 Tickets start at $29 Amy Kim Waschke, Jon Norman Schneider, and Lisa Tejero.

Photo by Liz Lauren, courtesy of the Goodman Theatre.

(619) 23-GLOBE (234-5623) www.TheOldGlobe.org