San Diego Jewish Journal August 2014 by San Diego Jewish Journal

AUGUST 2014 l AV•ELUL 5774

YOM LIMMUD And more Jewish learning for the whole family in our Education section

SALVADOR DALÍ

Growing up with the surrealist master

WATER

San Diego’s desalination plant will be largest in Western Hemisphere. Israel helps us get there.

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CONTENTS

August 2014 Av/Elul 5774

EDUCATION: Yom Limmud 10 years strong, and Jewish education gets technological.

FEATURE: The Carlsbad desalination plant goes live in 2015. Why didn’t San Diego do this sooner?

FEATURE: Was Salvador Dalí Jewish? Well, no, but...

61 4 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

THEATER: Ram Dass is a Buddhist, Hindu Jew whose life story will play out in Ocean Beach, for three nights only.

66 IN THIS ISSUE: 30 POLITICS: Hillary 2016

Good Eats 66 Food

36 EDUCATION:

SDJA moves into 21st century

38 EDUCATION:

Beth Israel offers cultural interchange for high-schoolers

40 EDUCATION:

SCY High raises the bar

41 EDUCATION:

Hebrew Day offers students a beautiful slice of life

42 EDUCATION:

New programs at local religious schools

44 EDUCATION:

Israeli dad creates “Facebook for Kids”

46 EDUCATION:

Hillel and the next generation

58 FEATURE:

The bitcoin revolution

70 SYNAGOGUE: Ohr Shalom

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 Guest 26 Spirituality 28 Israel 75 News 79 Diversions 85 Desert Life Av •Elul 5774 l SDJewishJournal.com 5

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www.sdjewishjournal.com August 2014 • Av/Elul 5774 PUBLISHER • Dr. Mark S. Moss CO-PUBLISHER • Mark Edelstein EDITOR-IN-CHIEF • Natalie Jacobs CREATIVE DIRECTOR • Peter Talhamé ASSISTANT EDITOR • Tinamarie Bernard ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR • Eileen Sondak ADVERTISING DIRECTOR • Mark Edelstein CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tori Avey, Betsy Baranov, Linda Bennett, Abby Walker, Leah Singer, David Ebenbach, Judith Fein (Senior Travel Correspondent), Michael Fox, Jennifer Garstang, Natalie Holtz, Miki Lamm, Pat Launer, Curt Leviant, David Ogul, Pamela Price, Sharon Rosen Leib, Nikki Salvo, Andrea Simantov 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 ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Ronnie Weisberg (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

Another Listing by Lisa

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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 ©2014 by San Diego Jewish Journal. The San Diego Jewish Journal is a member of the American Jewish Press Association and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

Call for details. Lisa represents Buyers and Sellers throughout San Diego County!

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EDITORIAL: editor@sdjewishjournal.com ADVERTISING: sales@sdjewishjournal.com CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS: publisher@sdjewishjournal.com ART DEPARTMENT: art@sdjewishjournal.com LISTINGS & CALENDAR: calendar@sdjewishjournal.com

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

Back to the Past

’m writing this in a coffee shop on Park Boulevard. Ambient music hums and scattered conversations intermingle with the song’s bass line. It’s 9:30 on a warm summer weeknight. The café is full and cars line up at the Stop sign outside. They come or go in no particular hurry. As I look around, I’m reminded, as I have been a lot this last month, how easy it is to take things for granted. A little more than a month ago, three Israeli boys went missing. About two weeks later, they were found dead. After that, a Palestinian boy suffered the same fate although it didn’t take as long to find his body. And then rockets and bombs started firing back and forth. This much we know. When I first heard about the kidnapping of Naftali z”l, Gilad z”l, and Eyal z”l, I immediately thought back to Secretary of State John Kerry’s “peace talks.” It’s hard to believe that those derailed only about three months ago. Sure, the proposals were far from perfect, but the process made the situation feel hopeful for a little while. “Peace” was back on the agenda. And then, suddenly, we were back to 2012, 2008, 1967 in the blink of an eye. Since the #BringBackOurBoys campaign was successful in the sense that it got the U.S. media talking about Israel and Hamas again, the transitions from covering a nation in suspense to broadcasting a nation in mourning to criticizing a nation unwilling to continue sitting back and taking it, were seamless as far as I could tell. Now, coverage of the situation in Gaza has become a staple of the 24-hour news cycle here. The images are powerful and the rhetoric is compelling. And we all have our favorite examples of media misrepresentation but at least American Jews have the benefit of knowing someone (or at least someone who knows someone) who is actually in Israel, protecting himself in

8 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

a bomb shelter or trying to continue her life as “normal.” With the initial rocket fire in early July, a couple of the Israelis from my Birthright trip posted in our Facebook group. One, a captain in the IDF, shared a link from CNN. The other, a recent IDF alum and current drummer in a metal band, let us know that they are ok in Israel and that this latest barrage of rocket fire was not “some surprise attack by Hamas. We have been living this way for years,” he wrote. Statements from all the Jewish organizations, even some Christian ones, have been pouring into my Inbox since the boys went missing. Handfuls everyday condemn the killings, call for justice, point out media bias, ask for financial support. They’re doing their part to present a united front for the Jewish community and it does help a little to know that they’re keeping watchful eyes on things, even though it feels like nothing can really be done. But they have to try, because, as it’s been said time and again, if we don’t live together, we’re going to die alone. In this situation, though, that’s a very tall order. In an op-ed for the Los Angeles Times, Etgar Keret, the Israeli author I wrote about in our Sept., 2013, issue, wondered if the first step to peace might be obliterating the word “peace” and instead replacing it with the word “compromise.” “It might be a less rousing word,” he wrote, “but at least it reminds us that the solution we are so eager for can’t be found in our prayers to G-d but in our insistence on a grueling, not always perfect dialogue with the other side.” As I look out this window onto Park Boulevard at a couple sharing a cookie and a man giving his dog some water, it’s easy to feel so far from danger. But then, of course, it’s also very easy to get too comfortable. A

Please note:

Things are advancing quickly in Israel. Keep up with the latest news by checking a variety of sources like The Jewish Daily Forward, Tablet, The Times of Israel and Ha’aretz.

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Gary & Jerri-Ann Jacobs Youth Endowment Fund Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Endowment Fund Sigrid and Jack Fischer Scholarship Fund Albert A. and Leanore Hutler Camp Scholarship Endowment Fund Leichtag Foundation The Larry Pidgeon JCC Youth Basketball Endowment Sheila & Hughes Potiker Family Foundation Community Campership Council, Inc. JCamp 180: A program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation

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>> mailbag

We’re Listening! Let us know what you’re thinking.

MARIJUANA IS NOT HEALTHY Dear Editor: I was appalled at your cover story “Your Health:...and medical marijuana” [July, 2014]. As an emergency physician, I see multiple cases of marijuana toxicity on a daily basis. People are conned by articles like yours that marijuana is benign and helpful. Cyclical vomiting syndrome is a new diagnosis that I never made 10 years ago, and now it is an every day problem. This is a terrible disease caused by chronic marijuana use that leads to intractable vomiting, abdominal pain and leads to an addiction to painkillers. A nice elderly man was brought to San Diego for a second opinion for his cancer. His son thought to take him to one of the “marijuana” clinics for his nausea. He ended up in the ER with chest pain and tachycardia. The state of Colorado expects to lose an entire generation to marijuana from addiction, unemployment, depression, and disability. Colorado also reports higher rates of motor vehicle accidents with marijuana involvement. Marijuana is not dispensed or regulated like a medication; you do not know how many milligrams of

tetrahydrocannabinol you are getting. Beware – you do not know what you are smoking. Roneet Lev, MD Director of Operations Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego Emergency Department

QUESTIONING CRUZ So let me get this straight. On the one hand Senator Ted Cruz “unequivocally blamed the Palestinians as being solely responsible for derailing the recent round of peace talks” but on the other hand he hopes that the United States can “provide a neutral forum” in further negotiations [Politics, July 2014]. When you blame one side 100 percent, it seems pretty difficult to me to stay neutral. Senator Cruz, who was more than willing to see the U.S. government close down and was agitating that it shouldn’t pay its bills, has shown himself to be nothing but a panderer and his comments regarding Israel, despite the assertions of Rabbi Tendler, is a prime example. Who but a panderer would say that the Palestianians are totally at fault and Israel bears not a smidgen of responsibility in the failure of the peace talks? Rob Cohen Kensington

A NOTE FROM TEL AVIV, SENT JULY 8 Dear Editor: My wife, Ali, and I are fortunate to live in safe and wonderful San Diego. At the moment, we are sleeping in a “protected room” in a Tel Aviv apartment. The assault being suffered by the State of Israel is being viewed by us in a much different light being in Tel Aviv. To a very large degree, to this point, life as “normal” (at least in Tel Aviv) goes on here; all the Israelis we have been in contact with have

been uniformly reassuring regarding our safety. Tonight, we stayed close to our apartment and had dinner at one of the newer hotels at the beach. Even though we had no reservations and were not guests at the hotel, the guard let us in; the young French woman working behind the front desk gave us further details on the surrounding events. My wife asked her why she was here (in Israel) and she said France is not a good place for Jews anymore and she felt safer here. The killing of the four teenagers by the twisted rage afflicting the murderers has had a profound impact on this country. Without hesitation, without equivocation, the murder of the Palestinian teenager has been condemned across the political and ideological spectrum here in Israel. We love our country for the opportunities provided and the protections afforded us and we must be vigilant to attack those that would marginalize us. With the United Nations now the center for legitimization of global antiSemitism, with much of Europe headed down the dark hall it has traveled before, we cannot assume it “cannot happen here.” We all need to be aware of the politics that surround us and the drivers of those that attack Israel. Zach and Ali Shuman Rancho Santa Fe

CORRECTIONS In the “Our Town” column in our July issue, we failed to mention that Nancy Geist, a founding member of Temple Emanu-El, was honored at the Gala held on May 17. She also sang for the gathering. The SDJJ regrets this omission.

Send us your comments: /SanDiegoJewishJournal 10 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

@SDJewishJournal

editor@sdjewishjournal.com • 5665 Oberlin Dr., Ste 204 • San Diego, CA 92121

Av •Elul 5774 l SDJewishJournal.com 11

our

TOWN

BY LINDA BENNETT & BETSY BARANOV l BETSY1945@COX.NET PHOTOS BY NICHOLAS PATTON

Seacrest Village’s 211 Club Patron Party

The 15th annual Seacrest Village 211 Club Patron Recognition Party was held on Sunday, July 13 at the gorgeous home of Lee and Frank Goldberg in Rancho Santa Fe. The fabulous evening began with hors d’oeuvres and drinks followed by a delicious dinner menu of gravlox with tian of cucumber and avocado honey mustard and dill sauce. This was followed by whole roasted filet of beef with mushroom sauce and a summer vegetable ragout. And the dessert buffet was unbelievable! The entire repast was catered by Jeffrey Strauss of Pamplemousse Grille. Among those enjoying the tasty evening were Merrill and Bob Haimsohn, Len Gregory, Morris and Barbara Winicki, Allison and Michael Taylor, Elyse and Bill Nissinoff, Jere and Joyce Oren, Zita and Morris Liebermensch, Inge Feinswog, Lois and Marty Ehrlich, Sheri Hallis and Howard Bolotin, Anne Nagorner, Suzie and Bernie Feldman, Eddie Goldberg, Esther Fischer, Alice and Zane Feldman, Norma and Werner Dryfuss, and many more in the 130-plus crowd.

Anniversaries...

So many to celebrate this month: Happy 70th anniversary to Sivia and Norman Mann. Happy 66th anniversary to Joan and Marvin Jacobs. Happy 65th anniversary to Shulamith and Irv Shapiro. Happy 59th anniversary to Naomi and Myron Shelley.

Weddings...

Erika Gail Hall and James Edward Morris were married on May 25 at Ponte Winery in Temecula. Happy parents are Beth and Andy Friedenberg!

Mazel Tov...

Mazel tov to Hillary Chorny on becoming a rabbi and cantor at Temple Beth Am in Los Angeles. Proud parents are Stacey and Alan Blank. 12 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

Top: Wayne and Linda Olchis. Clockwise from middle right: Howard Bolotin and Toby Cohen • Dalia and Ed Cohen, and Joyce and Dave Abrams • Rabbi Patti Haskell and Ron Israel.

Av •Elul 5774 l SDJewishJournal.com 13

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

Bowling for Change

Young adults in San Diego have myriad choices for social engagement within the Jewish community and beyond. But for young adults looking to affect social change here through volunteerism, with a specific Jewish focus, there is JFS Emerging Leaders. This group “brings together socially minded Jewish professionals … to contribute creative problem solving and professional skills to the social issues affecting the community.” JFS Emerging Leaders offers opportunities to participate in community service projects such as Operation Curb Appeal, an intiative to help seniors with minor home safety repair projects. Members of the group also attend development trainings and networking socials throughout the year. On June 24, co-chairs Danny Recht and Scott Schindler, along with Emerging Leaders Coordinator Ashley Harrington, hosted the first networking event of 2014 at East Village Tavern and Bowl. In addition to providing an enjoyable evening of bowling and beer-drinking, this social allowed attendees the opportunity to build relationships and discuss past community engagement projects. The organizers also made mention of other planned events such as their Connections with Holocaust Survivors and Coffee with the Corner Office programs. To learn more about JFS Emerging Leaders, upcoming events and ways to get involved, contact Ashley Harrington at AshleyH@jfssd.org or visit: jfssd.org/emergingleaders.

Top: Miriam Maya and Justine Goldberg. Clockwise from middle: Danny Recht, Ashley Harrington, Scott Schindler, and Brad Slavin • Susana Cory, Sara Zolott and Greg Frank • Joshua Lappen and Zach Warburg.

14 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

Fueling Innovation in Education Established recently by a grant from Qualcomm’s co-founder, Dr. Irwin Jacobs, and his wife, Joan Jacobs, the Mobile Technology Learning Center at USD’s School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES) is the only university-based research center in the nation specializing in integrating mobile technology in K-12 education. It provides the research and evaluation, professional learning, and strategic planning services that allow school districts from across the country to infuse technology into learning from the first day of kindergarten to the last day of high school.

The University of San Diego. We are Changemakers.

www.sandiego.edu

Av •Elul 5774 l SDJewishJournal.com 15

the SCENE BY EILEEN SONDAK l NSONDAK@GMAIL.COM PHOTOS BY EDIZ BENAROYA

Party at the Zoo

The San Diego Zoo’s Rendezvous in the Zoo Gala raised money for new habitats for zebras, warthogs, ibex, and baboons in the Conrad Prebys Africa Rocks exhibit. The big bash was dubbed “Wild Things: A Night in the Savanna,” and the Zoo’s outdoor ballroom was dressed to kill with designs reflecting the wild theme – including zebra-striped table cloths in brilliant colors. Guests were decked out in exotic animal patterns and black ties for the popular annual event. The evening started with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction. Joan Embery and her furry and feathery friends entertained, of course. Then the party moved to the large ballroom, where a lavish sit-down dinner awaited. The crowd danced to the music of Wayne Foster until 11:30 p.m. Honorary Chairs Audrey Geisel and Ernest Rady made a generous challenge grant that matched every donated dollar two-and-a-half times. Jennifer and Richard Greenfield, Jan and Tom Fetter, Laura and Rick Bregman, and Debbie Turner and Conrad Prebys were just a few of the members of the host committee for this year’s event. Among the many supporters enjoying the evening were Lonnie Kaufman, Pam and Mark Jacobson, Roger and Marilyn Boesky, Pam Fein, Roberta Feuerstein, Frank Fink, Marc Geller, Vicki Granowitz, Leonard Hirsch, Rich Israel, Mark Krasner, Isaac Levy, Pam Morris, Charles and Viviana Polinsky, Natasha Reiss, Hermeen Scharaga, Harris Steinberg, Dotti Howe, Joan Pollard, Harold Zimnick, and Jean Stern.

Top: Bill and Clarice Perkins. Clockwise from middle: Richard and Jennifer Greenfield, Stephan and Sandra Dorros • Mary Walshok, Lynn Schenk and Karin Winner • Tina Peoples and Abeer Hage.

16 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

Are You Looking for a Meaningful Jewish Experience?

Come to our annual Open House Celebration! Sunday, August 17th, 2014, 1:30pm - 4:00pm Food, festivities, live music and fun for all ages. Temple Etz Rimon, a Reform synagogue in the heart of Coastal North County, is celebrating another fantastic year with our annual open house event! All are welcome to stop by and enjoy the food, fun activities for all ages and fabulous live music. Meet our rabbi and members in an informal relaxed and intimate atmosphere. Learn more about our worship opportunities, social action, sisterhood and brotherhood, havurot, life-long learning programs, youth group and our premier children’s education programs. See for yourself why Temple Etz Rimon is a truly unique, close-knit Reform Jewish community that blends tradition with the modern world. We have the premier Kindergarten through 7th Grade Sunday School, B’nai Mitzvah and Confirmation Programs for busy families in ALL of North County. We proudly offer an all new weekday Pre-Kindergarten education and development program (with extended day care!) for our cherished little ones. For a very limited time, members can receive further discounts off our already reasonably priced membership programs. Come to our Open House Celebration for more details and see for yourself why Temple Etz Rimon may be the right choice for you.

Call (760)929-9503 or email info@templeetzrimon.org for more information and a special invitation.

Temple Etz Rimon A Reform Synagogue in the Heart of Coastal North County

2020 Chestnut Avenue • Carlsbad • 92008 760.929.9503 • templeetzrimon.org Av •Elul 5774 l SDJewishJournal.com 17

parenting

MUSINGS FROM MAMA by Sharon Rosen Leib srleib@roadrunner.com

The State of the Union

’ve avoided visiting my ancestral home on the Palos Verdes Peninsula for the past six years out of fear I’d be pulled under by a tidal wave of sad memories. Since my parents died and we sold their house, I’ve focused on looking forward rather than back. Last month, I finally felt brave enough to revisit old haunts. With my supportive husband behind the wheel, we took the two-hour drive north to enjoy some long-sought-after couple time. (Parents of teenagers desperately need reunification to survive all manner of wily teen behaviors.) We headed for the highly touted, 102-acre resort Terranea that opened five years ago on the expansive Palos Verdes promontory where marineland once stood. Longtime locals, my late mother included, were skeptical about a resort hotel being able to make it in Palos Verdes. Doubts abounded: Who is going to want to schlep all the way out to a remote bluff top? There’s not much to do and not even a real beach on the property. It’s going to ruin the environment and/ or be over-the-top/borderline tacky like Donald Trump’s place down the road. After walking through Terranea’s lobby – tastefully decorated with a soothing palette of pale sand and aqua ocean tones, down the halls adorned with paintings and sketches of familiar local landmarks, and into our room with its whimsical seashellencrusted bathroom wall sconces, I knew the developers had trumped the doubters. My parents, especially my mother, would’ve loved the place. I felt sad they weren’t around to enjoy it. But mostly I felt happy to be reveling in the natural beauty that infused my childhood – surrounded on three sides by caramel-colored, terraced cliffs cascading down into the Pacific Ocean; the jade18 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

green water lapping at the rocky shoreline; and the outcroppings of land that created a series of coves and caves ripe for exploration. I thought how lucky I was to have grown up on this precious Peninsula. I had a checklist of places to visit. First up, the family home – remarkably still intact after a developer purchased it as a tear-down. It felt paradoxically disconcerting and comforting to see another family living there. Next, historic Malaga Cove Plaza where my dad had his dental office; and my alma mater Palos Verdes High – both aging in place, but aren’t we all? Finally, we visited the Point Vicente Interpretive Center on the bluff just north of Terranea, where my mom volunteered as a docent helping visitors spot migrating whales. I knew she’d donated money for a whale-shaped paver that we’d never seen because she died prior to its installation. My husband and I walked around the entrance with our heads down, pouring over the dark bronze whales at our feet. I finally spotted one inscribed, “For the grandchildren of Debbie and Sandy Rosen” with our kids’ names listed. I choked up. My mom had passed a little piece of Palos Verdes to the next generation. Later, walking the resort’s immaculately maintained public coastal access trail, I read an interpretive sign explaining that Palos Verdes had been an island until a volcanic eruption eons ago connected it to mainland California. I don’t remember ever learning that as a kid. The metaphorical revelation struck me. Life’s eruptions can either break us apart or unify us. By road-tripping through Palos Verdes, my husband and I merged the bittersweet past with the present while renewing ties to each other. The state of the union looks strong. A

Don’t forget:

If you’re married with kids, it’s easy to let life get in the way. Don’t forget that it’s still important to spend quality “together time” with just your spouse.

Join Jewish National Fund for the 2014 National Conference! September 12 - 15, 2014 • Los Angeles, CA • The Beverly Hilton Guest Speakers Include: Governor Jerry Brown, Governor of California and Anne Gust Brown Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Israel Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Ido Aharoni, Consul General of Israel to New York Consul General David Siegel, Consul General of Israel to Los Angeles Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of OPI Products

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Av •Elul 5774 l SDJewishJournal.com 19

israeli lifestyle

LIVING ON THE FRONT PAGE by Andrea Simantov

andreasimantov@gmail.com

Music from the Choir

e’d been waiting for news – any news that might allow a nation to exhale. And when the bodies were finally found, we emitted a communal gurgle of gags, moans and screams. My neighbors and I do not personally know the families of the boys but wafting out of open windows on a warm summer evening, the cry that reached Heaven emerged from only one house. The House of Israel. News travels in a heartbeat and it took mere moments for our respective Facebook walls to become covered in angst-filled messages. Each member of my dwindling household hid in his own respective corner, stunned into silence and afraid of uttering something banal or injurious. And, truly, what was there to say? “Thank God there were bodies to bury”? “They didn’t suffer like the Wachsman boy”? “The families bore their grief with such dignity”? When I found myself on the Route 1 Highway the next afternoon, foolishly trying to reach a hospitalized friend, I wept inside my crawling car, 20 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

pressed bumper-to-bumper with other weeping drivers on their way to a funeral for three boys who but for the grace of G-d were/are our sons. And so, 50,000 men, women and young adults stood in the blazing heat, respectfully absorbing the eulogies of Prime Minister Netanyahu, Chief Rabbi Lau and Rosh Yeshiva Singer of Makor Chaim where two of the boys were students. They listened in silence while anemic words of solace washed over them. There is, indeed, a sound to silence and it reverberates in the bones of the living. While my compatriots and I viewed the three flag-shrouded remains of Eyal z”l, Naftali z”l and Gilad z”l, we were able to hear what those who don’t live here can never hear unless they come home: The blare of the shofar as we stood shoulder-to-shoulder at the foot of Sinai; the defiant roar of Maccabees; the weeping of Chana pleading for children; the sobs of Avraham, brandishing a knife over his beloved Yitzchak; the torture and firing-squad death of Hannah Szenes; the majestic, shouting

cacophony of the intermingled exhortations of Theodore Herzl, Ze’ev Jabotinsky, Eli Cohen, Golda Meir, and other, other, other voices calling out from sandy graves soaked with sacred Jewish blood. The silence is truly deafening. Forever libeled as “aggressors,” we cower in our abodes while the “victims” stone us as we drive to retrieve our toddlers from nursery school or race our ambulances into their villages to assist someone who is ill. Feebly, we protest, begging anyone who will listen to understand that we hire, educate, inoculate and provide them with free electricity and water, enriching their lives as none of the neighboring 22 Arab countries from which they hail ever would. But no one listens and we remain ever-the-fool. The world feigns shock as the “victims” distribute candy in their streets in celebration of their latest slaughter; the mother of one of the accused killers has been interviewed again and again, dabbing at tears of nachas that pool in the corner of her eyes: “If my son is responsible for this, I am very, very proud.” But none of this is as sad or scary as when a Facebook friend who lives in Chicago, Los Angeles, Montreal or New York posts on my wall: “Our hearts are broken. We stand together as one.” No, we don’t. We. Stand. Alone. Words of empathy are nice and on bleaker days when we are feeling particularly exploited in the role of unwillingaggressor, it is comforting to know that some galut Jews (and quite a lot of Christians) “get it.” But it is still left only to those of us who have chosen to observe the commandment of “inhabiting the land” to man the front line of world-Jewry. Still, despite the silence, the words “Am Yisroel Chai” envelop every Jewish soul; it would be lovely to sing in unison. A

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dating

PLAYING WITH MATCHES by Jennifer Garstang jenscy@gmail.com

Singles and Statistics

ast month, one of my readers sent me a lovely letter expressing, in part, her concern about a disturbing statistic: 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. I’ve heard this number before, from many sources, and wouldn’t have thought too much of it...if it wasn’t for a fantastic video blogger named Hank Green, who, at one point, called random people, told them an encouraging fact, and hung up (part of a trend called “positive pranking”). One of these encouraging facts: The actual divorce rate is much lower than most people think. I did a little digging, and found several articles in publications like Time Magazine and The New York Times which confirmed that the statistic is murky, at best. Depending on how you calculate it, the overall divorce rate has been estimated at anywhere from 12 to 41 percent (give or take). This got me thinking about the surprising number of statistics we rely on in our dating lives. The act of going to certain places and doing specific things to give ourselves the best chance of finding a suitable partner, and then getting to know those potential partners, is itself playing statistics. Numbers seem to be a solid starting point for decisions, but they are always far more complex than they appear. And if we’re not careful, the numbers can start playing us. So, here are my top three things to keep in mind when thinking about statistics: 1. Beware flawed data: Even the most ethical of data-collectors must contend with all kinds of biases, which can mess up results – from the way questions are worded, to where and how a survey 22 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

gets distributed. 2. Keep in mind the Tree of Life...er...the Tree of Statistics: I will never forget a quote from my high school health book: “More than 80 percent of sexually active adults have some form of herpes.” Oy va voi! That’s a scary number, especially to singles braving the already terrifying world of dating. But it becomes a lot less scary when we realize that every statistic can be broken down into an ever-expanding tree of sub-statistics. In this case, the quote said “some form of herpes,” not “genital herpes.” That means that this 80 percent includes every sexually active adult with a cold sore. 3. Be careful with your conclusions: Once we’ve got our (hopefully good) data, we start to draw conclusions. Let’s consider the common report that couples who live together before marriage have a higher rate of divorce. The immediate and easy conclusion: living together before marriage makes you more likely to get a divorce. That easy conclusion is what the media tends to pick up and propagate because it’s, well, easy. Of course, it’s also completely incorrect. More recent studies suggest that, in fact, the higher divorce rate happens when couples settle down too young, either by living together OR getting married...which is also an extreme oversimplification. So, with all that complexity, how can you ever hope to make a decision again? Start by recognizing that you don’t need all the answers to have a rich, full romantic life. You and your partner are people, not numbers, and only you can truly know what is right for your life. A

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guest column

HEAVEN ON EARTH by Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort RabbiE@ChabadatLaCosta.com.

Educating Our People

f asked to define the single passage that is the faith-statement of a Jew, most would agree that the “Shema” (“Hear o’ Israel, the L-rd is Our G-d, the L-rd is one,”), is that statement. Immediately following the “Shema,” the Torah further commands: “And you shall love the L-rd your G-d with all of your heart, with all of your soul, and with all of your being. And you shall place these things that I command you today upon your heart. And you shall teach them to your children and you shall speak of them when you are sitting in your house, when you are traveling on the road, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” The Rabbis ask: “How is it possible to command someone to love anything? Love is an emotion, and emotions are not so simply controlled. To behave in a certain way, one that is certainly “commandable,” seems, at first blush, beyond the pale. The Rabbis answer: “When one will meditate into the meaning of the ‘Shema,’ that the same G-d that created the vast universe is our G-d, Who takes an active interest in us and our doings, he/she will certainly come to love (and be in awe) of the Almighty.” But the Torah does not leave it at that point. It is not enough to achieve a personal love of the Creator. The Torah clearly demands demonstrable action – teach it to your children! Speak of it wherever you are. Think about it constantly. Let this one, overarching thought inform your very life and influence every step you take. As soon as you have incorporated this love of G-d into your own life you must, we must, teach the children to do the same! Now, we Jews are known as the “People of the Book.” Jews are notorious for being over-achievers in various academic fields. Who amongst us hasn’t basked in pride at the disproportionately high number of Jewish Nobel Laureates? But, and this 24 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

is a big but, when we acquired the name “People of the Book,” it meant the Book, in other words, the Torah. And it is from the Book that all of the blessings – not to mention our unique moral code – that have accrued to the Jewish people, and indeed all of humanity, have come. This is not to say that high academic achievement in secular studies is not a good thing; of course it is. But the method of expressing our love and devotion to our beneficent Creator comes through delving into His Book. Torah study brings about a unique and miraculous outcome. Typically, when we study a subject, like arithmetic for example, our mind grasps the concept. However, when we study Torah, our mind grasps the concept which then embraces our mind! How is this possible? The wisdom enclothed in the Torah is of divine origin, and therefore has miraculous properties not found elsewhere in nature. The bottom line is this: By all means, do everything possible to give our children (and ourselves) the best general education possible, but only after making absolutely sure that we have built a mighty foundation of Torah knowledge. When it comes to Torah wisdom, there is no place of compromise, complacency, or shortcuts. The future of our people is directly and irrevocably tied to the Jewish education, the Torah education, we give to our children. It is the ultimate insurance policy. It is the key to Jewish continuity. As Proverbs 22:6 says: “Educate the youth according to His way [the Torah], and even when he grows old he will not depart from it!” A Rabbi Eilfort is Director of Chabad at La Costa. He welcomes readers’ comments and questions and may be reached via email at RabbiE@ ChabadatLaCosta.com.

 This

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spirituality

THE ARTIST’S TORAH by David Ebenbach ebenbach@netzero.com

More than Bread

inding your place in the world – your work, your ideal life situation – often involves some struggle. That’s especially true if the place you’re seeking is somewhat unconventional. Maybe it’s a vocation or career path that no one in your family has ever pursued, or a kind of relationship you’ve never experienced first hand. Or maybe you’re the Israelites and you’re trying to find your way to the promised land. Whoever you are, whatever you’re trying to do, you might not have expected so much wandering along the way. Of course, that wandering is informative. Toward the beginning of Deuteronomy, Moses reminds the people, just before they enter the land, “The Lord your G-d led you for 40 years in the wilderness to afflict you, to test you, to know what was in your heart” (8:1). In the Biblical story, G-d gives the Israelites a long path to see whether they have the integrity, devotion, and determination to stay on a righteous path. So, too, many of us are tested as we work and struggle to get our lives right. I see my students – budding writers – agonizing over their first imperfect stories and poems, and then agonizing over the first rejection letters they get when they send out their more accomplished work, seeking publication. There are a lot of bumps and twists in that particular road, and the ones who keep going anyway are the ones who will actually make it, who will lead a writing life. But it’s not just about perseverance. A few verses later, we encounter a very famous line, which is often translated “Man does not live by bread alone” (8:3). We usually take that to mean that people need more than bread in order to survive, but that’s not what the line actually means. Some context: Moses has been talking about how G-d responded to the hunger of the Israelites on 26 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

their journey; although they didn’t get bread, G-d provided manna to sustain them – and that worked just fine. In other words, it’s not that we need more than bread to live; it’s that bread, in fact, isn’t the only thing that enables us to live. Of course, the miracle-producing G-d of the Torah could easily have provided bread for the Israelites. But there’s a lesson here: G-d seems to be saying (via metaphor) that the Israelites are on a very particular path and that they will need to draw sustenance from different sources than other peoples do: from Torah and from G-d’s generosity, specifically. Those two sources remain valuable for many of us today. More generally, though, the lesson is that we, on our various paths, may need to look for our nourishment in unexpected places. Some of my students start out with the intention of becoming bestselling authors, and indeed some may get there – but there are not too many bestsellers, and the more common writing life involves plenty of struggle even once you’re fully in it. Given that, the writer who needs great fame or huge sums of money in order to live will likely be disappointed. On the other hand, a writer might end up very satisfied if she or he relies on other things for happiness: getting work into print, reaching some readers, making community with other writers, and above all the pleasure of the writing itself. The analogy holds for all very particular paths. To the extent that you, like the Israelites, feel determined to make your own unique way through the world, you will surely find yourself tested, and you likely will need to draw sustenance from the (perhaps unexpected) pleasures that are specific to your journey. In this way, you will not only find your place, but make a life there. A

 This

month’s Torah portions Aug. 2: Devarim (Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22) Aug. 9: Va’etchanan (Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11) Aug. 16: Ekev (Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25) Aug. 23: Re’eh (Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17) Aug. 30: Shoftim (Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9)

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More than 1,800 rockets have been fired at Israel since the start of Operation Protective Edge, from Sderot and Be’er Sheva, to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and as far north as Haifa. As rocket attacks in Israel escalate, the paramedics of Magen David Adom are ready to drive armored ambulances into dangerous “hot zones” to save injured Israelis. You can stand with them by helping ensure they have the equipment and protection they need to save lives now. Please make a gift today.

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israel

One nonprofit works to feed the need in Israel By Natalie Jacobs

PHOTO COURTESY YAD EZRA V’SHULAMIT

POVERTY ON THE RISE

Young Israeli soldiers volunteer to pass out food baskets for Yad Ezra V’Shulamit.

n late June, the Jewish Telegraph Agency (JTA) reported that Israel’s Committee to Fight Poverty recommended the country double its funding for programs that combat the growing issues related to an increase in poverty. The 50-member committee recommended 6 billion shekels, equivalent to $1.7 billion, per year be alloted for poverty programs throughout the country. JTA noted a separate Israeli government report that previously found more than 20 percent of Israel’s population, breaking down to 439,500 families and 817,200 children, live below the poverty line. This is the secondhighest poverty rate of any developed nation, just ahead of Mexico, the report noted. While government agencies work to get more funding, nonprofit agencies are continuing to do their part, with the limited funds and resources they’ve always had. Enter the 26-year-old nonprofit Yad Ezra V’Shulamit. After escaping poverty himself, the group’s founder and director Aryeh Lurie set out with a mission to deliver food boxes to local families, with a broader goal of helping these families to overcome the challenges of poverty and ultimately achieve financial stability. Over the years, Yad Ezra V’Shulamit has

28 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

decided to narrow its focus to specifically help Israeli children living in poverty. The organization has expanded into a nationwide operation that includes weekly and holiday distributions of thousands of food baskets, feeding more than 1,000 children daily. They also run drop-in youth clubs for at-risk teens, credited with helping more than 8,000 young people “get back on track.” There are also programs for emergency relief and clothing distribution. Painting an even more stark image than the government’s report on poverty in Israel, the National Council for the Child in Israel found that 905,000 children were growing up below the poverty line in 2011. “They don’t want to beg,” V’Shulamit’s Lurie says, “but we hear their cry.” The organization has also expanded into distribution of school supplies, blankets and heaters. In total, Yad Ezra V’Shulamit is credited with helping nearly 100,000 individuals throughout the country in some way through their vast array of programs. Back at the Israeli government level, other nonprofit organizations are applauding the Committee to Fight Poverty’s request for

increased funding for poverty programs. “If Israel were to accept these findings,” Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, founder and president of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, tells JTA, “you would have a wonderful situation of the country moving forward and eliminating poverty.” “They make some outstanding recommendations,” Gidi Kroch, CEO of Leket Israel, says in a statement. “[They] advocate for new cooperation between ministries and a plan to reduce poverty in Israel by 40 percent throughout the next 10 years.” But these groups also understand that it’s still a long road. “The problem is implementation,” Kroch continues, “and I am not optimistic, given the bureaucracy, that this report will garnish real results and bring about a new reality.” Regardless of progress made through the Israeli government, though, Lurie and his team at Yad Ezra V’Shulamit will continue working tirelessly to do their part to address this growing problem. You can learn more about the organization by visiting yadezra.net. A

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POLITICS

JEWISH AMERICANS GET “READY FOR HILLARY” A new Super PAC begins

Clinton on the campaign trail in 2008 with thencandidate Barack Obama in Orlando, Fla.

According to Rabinowitz, the idea to create as a grassroots effort in January, 2013. Its latest hile Hillary Rodham Clinton jets around the country promoting Jewish Americans Ready for Hillary came FEC disclosure filing showed that the group her newly released memoir “Hard together a couple of months ago, at a breakfast raised close to $6 million in the 2014 election Choices,” a group of prominent Jewish Democrats meeting with Marc Stanley, a Dallas trial attorney cycle and proceeded to spend all but $857,243 has placed bets on the former Secretary of State and the immediate past chairman of the National on operating costs, such as staff salaries and in advance of her possible run for the presidency. Jewish Democratic Council, as well as political additional fundraising expenses. “The goal of Ready for Hillary is fourfold,” Jewish Americans Ready for Hillary was fundraiser Fran Katz Watson of Silver Spring, launched in June as a vehicle to unite Clinton’s Md. They then contacted Craig Smith, senior Rachel Schneider, director of Ready for Hillary’s Jewish supporters nationally, and to encourage adviser for Ready for Hillary, which welcomed Jewish Americans and young Americans programs, her to run for President in 2016. It is affiliated the Jewish group, along with other constituency says. “One is to identify supporters and build a list of them; two is to build infrastructure in the with the pro-Clinton Super PAC Ready for outreach groups, under Ready for Hillary. The Jewish effort represents a small slice of states, empower our supporters to volunteer and Hillary. “Ours is a community that just knows her the two million supporters and 55,000 donors to take ownership over this work on the ground; really, really well, and so there are already clearly participating in Ready for Hillary, which is three is to amplify Hillary’s message this year; millions of American Jews who support her,” by far the largest of the many pro-Clinton and four is to use the groundswell of support for says Steve Rabinowitz, one of the Jewish group’s PACs registered with the Federal Election Hillary to support 2014 candidates.” Ready for Hillary in May changed its founders who served as White House director Commission (FEC) with the stated purpose of of design and productions for President Bill supporting a Clinton Presidential bid. According designation with the FEC, becoming a “Carey to Rabinowitz, many of these supporters and committee,” or hybrid PAC. This allows the Clinton. While some are using segments of her book to donors are Jewish anyway, and his group PAC to accept unlimited donations similar to question her stance on Israel, Rabinowitz brushes provides another vehicle to focus outreach to the a Super PAC, while at the same time, collect limited donations like a traditional PAC into two off the criticism, noting that a large majority community. “When people see if there are Jews who are separate bank accounts. The unlimited account of American Jews voted to re-elect Obama as president – a base of support he believes would undecided about whether or not Hillary should will be used for traditional Super PAC activities, run and if they should support her, then perhaps such as running ads on behalf of candidates or remain intact for Clinton. “Well first, I can’t think of any Hillary they’ll see when so many people like them are causes without direct collaboration, while the detractors on Israel or Iran who aren’t either supporting her, it will persuade them along,” he other bank account could be used to directly fund political campaigns of Clinton allies in the 2014 hardcore partisan Republicans or longtime says. midterm elections and even Clinton herself. A The Ready for Hillary organization began Obama and Clinton bashers,” he says. L-R: Katherine and Mayor Kevin Faulconer, Michael Bolton, Doreen and Dr. Myron Schonbrun. 30 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

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YOM LIMMUD x 10 A decade of Jewish learning BY TINAMARIE BERNARD

om Limmud is back for its 10th year with books, lectures, roundtable discussions and much more. This year, the day of learning will take place on Aug. 24 with a diverse collection of speakers and topics to get the San Diego Jewish community thinking together. The goal is to create an environment that inspires participants of all ages and levels of observance to enjoy and celebrate life-long Jewish learning. This year’s topics introduce a smörgâsbord of fascinating, even fantastical topics. There will be sessions on scriptures that have gone missing from the Bible, ancient Jewish magic, the rise of Orthodoxy, Israel in the world media, Jewish parenting as a spiritual practice, and the Jewish people’s evolving relationship with prayer and meditation. Yom Limmud organizers, including co-chairs Silvana Christy and Bill Friedel, are especially pleased to announce two world premiere book releases by the award-winning authors Maggie Anton and Dr. Joel

Hoffman. Attendees can purchase their latest releases in the Yom Limmud bookstore before they go on sale for the rest of the country in September. Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, one of the most widely read authors on Jewish spiritual life, is this year’s Keynote Speaker. Rabbi Kushner is a regular commentator on NPR’s "All Things Considered" and is regarded as especially skilled in conveying the beauty and profundity of Jewish mysticism. He’ll bring his gifts as storyteller and scholar to teach a Hasidic text on, “What ‘really’ happened on Sinai?” or as Rabbi Kushner puts it, a lesson on “holiness, revelation, Kabbalah and G-d.” His presentation will make these sacred teachings accessible and meaningful to the modern mind. His session will close-out the day at 2:15 p.m. This day-long mini-conference on Jewish life and thought takes place at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center in La Jolla. Sessions are held in one-hour blocks

from 9 a.m. until Kushner’s Keynote at 2:15 p.m. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and authors will be signing books in the bookstore at 8:30. And if you’re the type to start your morning off with some Jewish mindfulness, arrive early for a guided meditation with presenter Jay Michaelson, also at 8:30 a.m. Admission is $36 for adult JCC members and $14 for teens; $42 and $18 for nonmembers, respectively. Kosher lunch, served at 12:30 p.m., is included with the price of admission and VIP opportunities are available. We at the Jewish Journal will also be hosting a “Gift of Life” donor drive at this year’s event. From 11 a.m.-2 p.m., we’ll be taking cheek swabs for those who are interested in becoming organ donors. Find us in the lobby! On the following pages, you will see a full schedule of speaker sessions, along with more information on few highlights for each hour-long set.

Av •Elul 5774 l SDJewishJournal.com 33

EDUCATION

Yom Limmud 2014

9-10 a.m.

10:15-11:15 a.m.

Dr. Joel Hoffman

Maggie Anton

It’s hard to know what was originally in the Bible. But, thankfully, scholars are looking into it. In “Bible’s Cutting Room Floor”, Dr. Joel M. Hoffman brings the stories of ancient texts to life in a modern and engaging way. “The more I read these missing texts from antiquity, the more I fall in love with them,” Hoffman says. “They enlighten our reading of the Bible and offer compelling accounts that speak to the human condition with surprisingly modern insight.” Hoffman, a professor of linguistics who has served on the faculties of Brandeis University and Hebrew Union College, is the author of several books including “My People’s Prayer Book,” for which he won the National Jewish Book Award and the thriller series “The Warwick Files,” written under the pen name J.M. Hoffman. Like Anton’s “Enchantress,” Hoffman’s latest book, “The Bible’s Cutting Room Floor” will available in book stores on Sept. 2 but Yom Limmud attendees will get a chance to buy it early. In discussing the importance of the book, Hoffman explains that, in some cases, holy writings were left out of the Bible for political or theological reasons, while other passages were omitted purely by accident. “The book of Genesis tells us about Adam and Eve’s time in the Garden of Eden, but not their saga after they get kicked out or the lessons they have for us about good and evil. “The Bible introduces us to Abraham, but it doesn’t include the troubling story of his early life,” Hoffman writes, “which explains how he came to reject idolatry.” What’s more, “while there are only 150 Psalms in today’s Bible, there used to be more.” “Bible’s Cutting Room Floor” is described as an “impressive blend of history, linguistics and religious scholarship” that “reveals what’s missing from your Bible, who left it out, and why it is so important,” a topic sure to wow the curious and scholarly alike. Hoffman is also offering a second session just for educators. Catch him at 9 a.m. in the Teen Lounge.

Writer Maggie Anton’s fictionalized version of Rav Hisda’s daughter, the Talmudic woman who famously wanted to take two husbands, was 20 years in the making. “Any girl who, when presented with a choice of two bridegrooms, said she wanted to marry both of them, was someone I had to find out more about,” Anton says, adding, “I knew I had to tell her story and write about her audacity.” But, surprising to lovers of her books, Anton didn’t feel she could fully illuminate the story at first when she first had the idea. Anton is the award-winning and beloved author of the historical fiction trilogy about Rashi’s daughters. She brings her keen scholarship and wit to bear in “Enchantress,” telling us just how rare it was for a young girl at the time to be learning Talmud and to be given the choice of bridegrooms under very dramatic circumstances. “The Talmud story tells us that she married both of them, and had children with both,” Anton says. She reveals the particulars in the book. In working on the book, she filled in the details of Hisdada’s life through five years of painstaking research. The result: Anton brings a near-neglected aspect of Jewish history to life, from the perspective of a courageous and passionate woman. “The whole scene fascinated me for years. I needed to become a better writer before I could tell her story. What was going on in her mind, in the suitor’s minds?” “Enchantress” is being hailed as a “a compelling combination of drama, suspense, and romance,” and, “the work of a master craftswoman,” that weaves together Talmudic lore, ancient Jewish magic, and a timeless love story set in fourth-century Babylonia. Yom Limmud participants will be able to purchase “Enchantress” before the official Sept. 2 publication date. Expect a compelling conversation with Anton, a Talmudic scholar who “prides herself on her authenticity” in storytelling, at 10:15 a.m. in the Garfield Theatre.

The Bible’s Cutting Room Floor: The Holy Scriptures Missing From Your Bible

Dr. Jay Michaelson

iSpirituality: A Personal Story of Boundaries and Boundary-Crossers

Enchantress: A Novel of Rav Hisda’s Daughter

Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg

Ode to Joy: A Few Takes On Some Powerful Emotions

Rabbi Adam Greenwald Professor Edwin Seroussi

“Tradition:” Eastern European Jewish Music and its (Post-)Modern Offsprings

Dr. Sherry Casper & Amy Siegel

Tips and Tools: Special Needs in Today’s Learning Environment

Poetry of Possibility: Amichai and the Search for Peace

Professor Edwin Seroussi

Judeo-Spanish Mystique: “Ancient” and “Modern” in Contemporary Sephardi Music

Dr. Steven Cohen

Jewish Education Today: What Do We Really Need to Know?

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Arthur Magida

The Nazi Séance: The Strange Story of the Jewish Psychic in Hitler’s Circle Arthur Magida, Georgetown University professor and contributing correspondent to PBS’s “Religion and Ethics Newsweekly,” is coming to Yom Limmud to tell the tale of “The Nazi Séance: The Strange Story of the Jewish Psychic in Hitler’s Circle.” Described as, “a chilling parable about the ultimate price paid by those who blindly allied themselves with brute power,” Magida’s book follows Erick Jan Hanussen, a psychic from Berlin in the 1930s. Hanussen was rumored to have led séances for highranking officers and may have advised “Hitler as his personal psychic,” writes Magida. But, he says, “for all his supposed clairvoyance, Hanussen failed to see what awaited the Jews, including himself.” Magida wrote this book to explore his fascination with life at the margins of culture and society. “For me,” he writes on his website, “religion and faith and history are not sterile, staid, fixed or formulaic; they are part of a wrestling to find our place, not just in the world, but in ourselves. “It’s a searching we never complete, that we can’t complete: every moment is a journey; every word – indeed, every syllable and every letter that we write – is also part of that journey, a journey without end. “If we do it right, and if we do it well, we have time for a long drive to the beach with the top down, for a long sip of wine as the sun goes down, or for hours swinging in a hammock, contemplating what we’ve gotten ourselves into – and hoping we don’t get ourselves out of it.” The author of “The Nazi Séance” is a prolific award winning writer, educator and consultant listed in “Who’s Who in America” and “Who’s Who in Religion.” He has also appeared on Dateline, NPR, and many other media outlets. Attend his Yom Limmud session at 11:30 a.m. in the Rehearsal Room.

Dr. Steven Cohen

From Boomers to Millenials and Beyond: The Changing Contours of American Jewish Engagement

Amotz Eyal

Israel in the World’s Media: The Problems and the Solutions

Rabbi Adam Greenwald

Help. Thanks. Wow: Putting Down the Siddur and Starting to Pray

Dr. Joel Hoffman

This is Your Brain on Hebrew: What You Have to Know About how People of All Ages Learn Languages

Jon Moffat

Cyber Education: What Classroom Teachers Need to Know

1 p.m.-2 p.m. Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg

Tears, Poop, and Radical Amazement: Parenting as a Spiritual Practice When being a parent tests your nerves, tries your patience and makes you question everything you ever thought you knew, do you turn to Judaism for help? Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg thinks you should. The author of “Surprised by G-d: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Religion” and editor of “The Passionate Torah: Sex and Judaism” and “Yentl’s Revenge: The Next Wave of Jewish Feminism,” Rabbi Ruttenberg has something new to say about Jewish parenting. “My mother always said that she never believed in G-d until she had children,” Ruttenberg says in her April 2014 ELI Talk on parenting, poop and radical amazement. “Judaism has a tremendous amount to offer those who are in the trenches of the exhausting, crazy-making and so profound work of caring for small children.” For example, she goes on to say, children are masters of wonder. “Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heshel describes this as Radical Amazement… and it is, he says, the root of spirituality.” Rabbi Ruttenberg has been named by Newsweek and The Daily Beast as one of ten “rabbis to watch,” one of the top 50 “most influential women rabbis,” and as one of the “36 Under 36” (36 most influential leaders under age 36). She has written for The New York Times, The Atlantic, Salon, The San Francisco Chronicle, Huffington Post, and is a contributing editor to Lilith magazine. You’ll have two opportunities to engage in a lively and interactive discussion with Rabbi Ruttenberg: A morning session called “Ode to Joy: A few Takes on Some Powerful Emotions” at 10:15 a.m. and an afternoon session called “Tears, Poop, and Radical Amazement: Parenting as a Spiritual Practice” beginning at 1 p.m.

Dr. Steven Cohen

The Declining Jewish Middle, or the Rise of Orthodoxy and the Religious “Nones”

Dr. Jay Michaelson

Evolving Dharma: Meditation and Enlightenment in the Jewish Context

Alden Solovy

Wow! Gimme. Thanks. Oops.

Session Key: General Audience Educator Session Teen Session

EDUCATION

Designing a New Way to Learn San Diego Jewish Academy embarks on school year with new 21st century focus

PHOTOS COURTESY SDJA

BY NATALIE JACOBS

Students in SDJA's lower, middle and upper schools participate in a variety of STEM learning activities.

irth rates for the Jewish community in San Diego are experiencing a slight downturn throughout the county. Meanwhile, the line between the affiliated and the unaffiliated is getting wider. At the same time, outside the Jewish community, it is getting harder to compete for college admissions and jobs. In recent years, the San Diego Jewish Academy has felt the strain of all of these changes but instead of resting on their laurels, they’ve set out to change the way they do business. “We asked ourselves, ‘what is the Jewish community in San Diego going to look like and what are the needs that we’re going to have for the 21st century?’” SDJA Head of School Chaim Heller explains from his office during the final days of the 2013-14 school year. “Jewish schools need to change and adapt,” he goes on to say, “because our reason for existence is being called into question.” After working with consultants from Washington, D.C., to survey families about their expectations of and desires for a Jewish day school, SDJA developed a plan. By focusing on what is called “design thinking,” SDJA will 36 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

present Jewish learning in ways that are relevant to students’ daily lives. Design thinking is an education strategy that attempts to teach students how to have creative ideas that solve problems. To implement the curriculum at SDJA, Heller and his team brought in faculty from Standford University’s Design School, a leading program in the field that was first explored in the late 1960s. “Our focus has been on creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial thinking,” Heller says. This breaks down to an emphasis on a different aspect of creativity for each of the three schools at the Academy. In the lower school, they’ll introduce the design thinking methods by focusing on the creative process itself. “Specifically what is creativity?” Heller asks. “How does one come up with divergent thinking? How does one look at a situation and see all of the different possible alternatives?” The upcoming 2014-15 school year marks the beginning of a three-year process to develop curriculum to address these questions throughout the school. In the middle school, the focus will be on

innovation, taking the creative thinking strategies learned in the lower school and applying them to specific problems. The goal is to teach students to look at the world and see it for what it should be, not only for what it is. Then, the upper school will focus on putting these ideas into practice, with an internship program that will begin in the 2015-16 academic year. To implement these big new ideas, SDJA has hired Dr. Anthony Kandel as new head of the upper school. Kandel is moving with his family to San Diego from the east coast where he has worked in prestigious prep schools. Leading the lower school will be Kelley King, a well-known gender-based education advocate. “Today,” Heller concludes, “families are increasingly weighing options. It’s a consumerist model. We need to provide good and exciting options for the families to make them want to come to the school.” To explore those options, visit sdja.com. A

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EDUCATION

Learning About Their Roots Beth Israel’s youth go to Israel BY ABBY WALKER

PHOTO COURTESY BETH ISRAEL

Beth Israel's teens pose for a group photo on their inaugural trip to Israel.

or 11 high school juniors at Congregation Beth Israel, last December proved to be a very special month. These students were the first group to participate in the Linda and Shearn Platt Youth to Israel program, an enriching trip that the school intends to make an annual event. The Platts made Israel a regular part of their travel schedule a long time ago. They sponsored their first teen trip with a North American Federation of Temple Youth initiative a handful of years later. Then, the couple created their Youth to Israel fund, back in 1993. Three years ago, they made the decision to partner with Beth Israel to help make this trip a reality for the children of the synagogue. “We are very dedicated to Israel and certainly to what it stands for,” Linda Platt says. “We feel that it’s very important for all the kids, teens and everybody to visit Israel and we felt that [high school] would be a good age to let kids experience exactly what Israel is all about.” Students applied for the nearly fully-funded trip with a 500-word essay on why they want to visit Israel and what they hope to learn from the experience. Their involvement in Temple activities was also taken into consideration. Last year, the group of teenagers, along 38 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

with two chaperones, spent 10 days traveling through the homeland, experiencing all of Israel’s uniqueness and deep-rooted history, under the leadership of a tour guide from Keshet Tours. “The highlight for us was definitely watching the transformation of our kids almost from the first day,” says Ava Kurnow, director of religious school education at Beth Israel and chaperone for the trip. “They were totally absorbed in learning about the country and culture. Our kids all came home more knowledgeable and deeply connected to Israel.” To fully immerse themselves in the culture, the students stayed two nights in the homes of Israeli teenagers in San Diego’s sister city Sha’ar HaNegev, a town that borders Gaza. Several of these Israeli teens then accompanied the Beth Israel group on a three-day bus tour, which allowed the teens to form a strong friendship with their international bretheren. Since returning from Israel, Kurnow has noticed that the students’ bond with each other and with Temple Beth Israel has strengthened. As part of the program, the participants shared their experiences with other students and the members of Congregation Beth Israel, and are now encouraging others to visit Israel as well. So far, 16 students have applied for the second trip,

which will take place this December. Thanks to the Jewish Federation of San Diego, nine of the Israeli teenagers whom the Beth Israel group met on their trip recently had the opportunity to visit California and to reconnect with the Beth Israel students in San Diego. The Israeli students spent three weeks in the community, working at either Temple Solel’s Camp Shemesh or the Ken Community Day Camp while living with host families throughout the County. Several fun, social events were also planned to promote bonding between the teenagers and the Jewish community here, including a 4th of July celebration and a sleep-over. “Beth Israel is very committed to youth education and programming,” Kurnow says. “We are all about building community and connections for our students and their families. “I think the Teen Israel Endowment is what will have the biggest impact on our youth now and in the future,” she continues. “We are thrilled to be able to offer this to our members.” For more information on Congregation Beth Israel and their new Youth to Israel program, visit cbisd.org. A

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Av •Elul 5774 l SDJewishJournal.com 39

EDUCATION

Reaching for the SCY Nine-year-old Southern California Yeshiva High packs an impressive punch

PHOTO COURTESY SCY HIGH

BY TINAMARIE BERNARD

Yeshiva students take notes on computers during lectures.

ituated just west of Mesa College in the heart of Clairemont lives the tiny Southern California Yeshiva High School, an Orthodox secondary school with a short history but a long list of academic achievements. “There are plenty of places to go in San Diego to get a great education,” says Rabbi Moshe Adatto, dean of the school. “The beauty of SCY High is you get quality secondary education grounded in deep Jewish tradition.” Students who have graduated in the school’s nine years attended or are currently attending such renown universities as Columbia, UCLA, NYU, UC Berkeley, Emory, Boston and Washington University of St. Louis. A current student recently received recruitment letters from Harvard, Yale and Princeton too. “For a school of 30 students to be on the radar of these prestigious universities is mind boggling,” Adatto points out. Beyond a rigorous emphasis on academic excellence, Rabbi Adatto has other ideas for why this school is consistently matriculating the high quality citizens of tomorrow.

40 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

First, he explains, the student body, though small, is diverse and spirited. Perhaps surprisingly for an Orthodox school, one-third of the students (approximately 10) come from non-observant homes. But the mission of the school is clear: Provide a Yeshiva education that appeals to all Jewish families who understand that “Jewish education and leadership are the key to the continuity of the Jewish people.” As such, SCY High is proud of its achdut, or community sense of oneness. Additionally, the school has excellent athletics programs for cross-country, tennis and basketball. Teams have gone to CIF playoffs in the latter two sports. “It’s especially important for boys to have that physical outlet,” Adatto explains, adding, “a lot can be taught through physical play.” The ruach, feeling, at SCY High is one of tight-knit friendships and excitement where, because of the small class size, each boy is given multiple opportunities to take a leadership role in an area of his choosing. “We place a strong emphasis on developing

life-long learners and leaders,” Adatto says. The school wants to increase class sizes with an ultimate goal of serving 60 students per year. “We are a mission-based school with a goal to provide this level of education to every Jewish boy who wants this opportunity,” Adatto says. For those who think it’s financially out of reach (2014 full rate tuition is $20,500), Adatto has an emphatic message: “Go through the application process. Significant scholarships ARE available. “We are extremely grateful for our benefactors who make the SCY High education available to our students,” Adatto continues. This includes individuals within the Orthodox community who recognize that Jewish education is the foundation for Jewish self-preservation and a thriving Jewish future. “Being prepared for the modern world doesn’t just mean knowing how to use technology. It’s knowing your values and living accordingly.” At SCY High, Jewish ideals and values are a reality in a world that strongly needs grounded, intelligent and principled leaders of the future, today. A

Hebrew Academy Not Just for the Orthodox School boasts diverse enrollment, among other accomplishments BY TINAMARIE BERNARD

PHOTO COURTESY HEBREW ACADEMY

(L-R): Tikun Olam patients, Dudu, who suffers from phantom pain and PTSD after losing his legs in a terrorist attack, and Alexander Barak, a paralysis patient who passed away.

Chabad Hebrew Academy sudents work through assignments on tablets during classtime.

cripps Ranch has been home to Chabad Hebrew Academy, on 27 acres of sprawling land in the tree-lined community, for 35 years. It’s a unique place to go to school, one that focuses on the individual needs of students, who, surprisingly, aren’t all Orthodox. “At Chabad Hebrew Academy, every one of our kids has an Independent Education Plan,” says Rabbi Yosef Fradkin, dean of the school. “Our teachers are specialists very advanced in their fields,” Charlene Stanley, school principal, says. “Public schools are surprised by the accommodations we put into place for our students. “Everything fluctuates depending on what kids need,” Stanley continues. “For example, we recently had three students who were ready for Honors Geometry and so we created the curriculum for them.” In some cases, a class can include up to 30 students. Five teachers are in charge of their 30 kindergarteners, a ratio nearly unheard of elsewhere. Also important for parents to know about the

school is their willingness to accept children at all levels of observance. “We are a traditional Jewish values school,” Fradkin explains, “and even though the school is run by Chabad, we aren’t Orthodox and we aren’t Chabad.” He says 85 percent of the students come from non-Orthodox families. “The Chabad philosophy is to enrich the community that you are in, and that’s what we are doing.” Stanley, who isn’t Jewish, concurs. “A top general education that is balanced by a top Jewish education is of the utmost importance." Beyond that, the grounds and facilities are another differentiator for the school. At Hebrew academy, kids can literally walk through the forest. “We have 27 acres,” Principal Stanley says. “That means lots of experiential learning. We have a student garden. ... We call it the kibbutz.” This emphasis on interactive learning is brought inside as well. For example, their science instructor teaches about circulation with a supersized replica of a human heart. Children walk

through the structure to explore how the organ works, from the inside out. “We have resources and we know how to use them,” Stanley says. It is also clear that the school places heavy emphaisis on its science program. In addition to the giant heart lesson, students in the upper grades build robots and bring them to the lower school to teach those students how to operate them. This focused attention is inspiring excellence beyond the classroom and awards abound from science to sports. Many students have competed in and won several prestigous science competitions, including two with NASA, the California State Science Fair and the San Diego Science and Engineering Fair. A quick glance in the administrative office confirms that the Hebrew Academy also boasts competitive sports programs in 16 areas for boys and girls, as well as summer and drama camps. To learn more, call (858) 566-1996. A

Av •Elul 5774 l SDJewishJournal.com 41

EDUCATION

Religious School Goes to Camp Temple Solel revamps programming BY NATALIE JACOBS

PHOTO COURTESY TEMPLE SOLEL

orth County’s Temple Solel has re-vamped its religious school for grades three through six. Called Kesher, or “connection,” the program aims to help the congregation’s children establish stronger connections to Judaism and the San Diego Jewish community at an early age. School Director Ellen Fox took example from the Jewish camp model in developing this new curriculum, to make it interactive, fun and full of Jewish learning. Every Sunday, starting with this year’s first day of classes on Sept. 7, the young students will begin the day with activities based on building Jewish friendships. They will proceed to traditional study but then they will end the day with fun and unique chugim (activities) which may include Krav Maga, cooking, drama, games, art, singing and Jewish yoga. Special programs will take place to celebrate holidays, including hands-on activities like building a sukkah and harvesting food at a local farm. Temple Solel believes this active approach to Jewish learning will enhance the students’ Jewish values and identity, and overall understanding of Torah, G-d, and Israel. For more information, contact Ellen Fox at (760) 334-1465 or efox@templesolel.net. A

Students nosh on matzah one Sunday.

Teen Leadership at Local Synagogues ADL’s Manhigim Institute comes to San Diego BY NATALIE JACOBS

PHOTO COURTESY ADL

Manhigim Institute participants tour the "Wall of Truth" at UCSD.

42 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

he Anti-Defamation League’s Manhigim (leaders) Institute is a 14-year-old program serving Jewish students throughout the country. The program recently expanded in San Diego to include a parternship with Congregation Beth Am and Congregation Beth Israel to provide leadership classes for 10th and 11th grade students at these congregations. This eight-month program will educate Jewish youth on the ADL’s mission to fight anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry in the United States and abroad. The program is designed to help build and promote bridges of communication, understanding, and respect among diverse groups of people. ADL says the Manhigim Institute provides San Diego Jewish teens “with the practical tools to defend democratic ideals, protect civil rights, and serve justice to all citizens through information, education, and development of enhanced Israel advocacy skills.” Teens do not have to be members of either synagogue to participate in the program. While this year’s Institute is already underway, you can apply for the 2014-15 academic year and gather more information at adl.org/ manhigimsandiego. A

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Av •Elul 5774 l SDJewishJournal.com 43

EDUCATION

Israeli Dad Creates “Facebook for Kids” Safe social network adopted by schools in Israel and abroad BY ABIGAIL KLEIN LEICHMAN, ISRAEL21C

tay Eshet’s 10-year-old said she wanted a Facebook account. Nothing doing, Dad said. But everyone’s using it, the little girl complained. At that point, some parents would have caved in and others would have ignored the whining. Itay Eshet did neither. He agreed that children younger than 13 – the official minimum age for Facebook – need a safe social network of their own, so he created one. In Israel, it’s called Nipagesh (Let’s Meet) and elsewhere it will be NetoKids. Children sign up through their schools. So far, about 150 Israeli schools have registered to use the program for free, with the cooperation of the Ministry of Education. “Since at that age, kids’ lives are centered around school, we decided to give them a platform that will enable them to connect with other kids with similar interests, share ideas and chats, and connect to school as well,” Eshet tells ISRAEL21c. Teachers can use Nipagesh to send students assignments and announcements, start and moderate online group discussions, and cooperate in educational projects with other schools using the network.

44 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

And not just in Israel. Moty Kanias, director of the Jewish Agency’s School Twinning Network, tells ISRAEL21c that three Israeli and three South American Jewish schools participated in a Nipagesh pilot program this year. Funded by the Jewish Agency, the L.A. Pincus Fund for Jewish Education in the Diaspora and Beit Hatfutsot, The Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv, the project is to expand next year to encompass 10 schools in Israel and 10 in South America. “We hope to connect Jewish kids from around the world on a daily basis through Itay’s network,” Kanias says. “We chose Nipagesh after researching all the possibilities.” In May, Eshet launched a Headstart crowdfunding campaign seeking to raise NIS 75,000 (about $21,000 U.S.) to keep the service free in Israel. Eshet, who has been a computer programmer for 30 of his 39 years, hopes to roll out NetoKids internationally in September with a subscriptionbased business model, probably targeting Europe first. The six people behind Nipagesh work out of an office in Hadera. “This is more than a full-time job for me,” Eshet says, a veteran of high-tech and the space

industry in Israel. His three children are currently aged 13, 11 and one month. “We also want to create an application for kids as an alternative to social apps such as WhatsApp, which has an age limit of 16. We want to bring a more suitable alternative to the chatting aspect of social media and prepare the kids for using social networking correctly when they’re older.” Parents of children using Nipagesh/NetoKids receive alerts when their children post comments and photos, and know with whom their child is chatting, though they may not read private messages. Both adults and kids can notify administrators if they notice bullying or inappropriate language on the network. People often ask Eshet how he cut through bureaucratic red tape to get Nipagesh approved by the Education Ministry relatively quickly. He responds that ministry officials “understood what I proposed was a solution to a problem that they have. They are responsible for education of kids, and technology is part of that – learning how to act online and respect others, learning the limitations of the Internet.” For more information, see netokids.com. A

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EDUCATION

From Students to Alumni: Hillel works to sustain the Jewish connection through NextGen grant

PHOTO COURTESY FEDERATION

BY LEAH R. SINGER

Hillel delegates accept their NextGen grant at Federation's offices in June.

ewish Federation of San Diego reports that there are approximately 20,000 Jewish young adults in the county, yet only 2,000 of these individuals feel connected to their heritage or are involved in Jewish activities. Hillel of San Diego created a new Senior-to-Alumni Transition Initiative to address these sobering statistics. The goal of the program is to connect Jewish college juniors and seniors with local Jewish organizations that provide programming for Jewish young adults. To do this, Hillel received a $10,000 grant from the Jewish Federation of San Diego’s NextGen Grants Initiative. The program includes 15 local young adult organizations working to inspire thousands of San Diegans to get engaged in the Jewish community and embrace their heritage. The Federation’s goal for the Hillel program is to more than double Jewish young adult engagement in the next four years. Hillel was chosen to receive the grant because the community it serves is a direct feeder into the San Diego Jewish community – a large percentage of Hillel students stay here after graduating. The programming will take place primarily at UC San Diego and San Diego State University, but college-aged students in North County and those attending community colleges or the University of San Diego are also invited to 46 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

participate. “Once students graduate, it’s almost like we can’t help them anymore,” says Andrew Bratt, a member of Hillel’s board of directors and a lay leader on the project. “With this grant, Hillel can help introduce the students to Jewish organizations in San Diego and encourage the continuation of their Jewish journey.” One such program will be special Shabbat services at both campuses where students will interact with alumni and Jewish community members. Unlike other Shabbat services, this event will focus on networking so students can commune with professionals in their chosen career field. Other proposed events include off-campus happy hours near both universities, for students to socialize with representatives and volunteers from the other NextGen partner organizations. This will give students the opportunity to learn about ways to get involved in the local Jewish community in a relaxed setting. Hillel plans to measure its success by capturing the contact information of graduating students in order to help them connect to a Jewish community group after college. Students will be encouraged to attend the Young Adult Division’s newcomer’s brunch during the fall after they graduate.

Jennifer Paul, Hillel of San Diego’s director of alumni and parent development plans to give the NextGen network organization a list of students who want to participate in their programs and communities. Hillel also plans to conduct focus groups with college students to determine what programs were successful and should be repeated in future years. “We don’t want the students’ Jewish journey to stop when they graduate college,” she says. “We want them to attend Shabbat services, celebrate the holidays, join a community of friends, and maybe even find their life partner.” Aside from Hillel of San Diego, the network of other NextGen grant recipients are: ADL; Congregation Beth El, Chai Group; Entwine; JCoast Network; Jewish Community Foundation; Jewish Family Service (Emerging Leaders, Jewish BIGPals, North Coastal, Pachie’s Place); Moishe House; Moishe House Without Walls; NEXT: A Division of Birthright Israel Foundation; SDCJC, In the Mix; Shalom Baby/ PJ Library; StandWithUs; Taglit – Birthright Israel (San Diego community trips); Tarbuton; and YAD. For more about Federation’s NextGen grants, visit jewishinsandiego.org. A

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FEATURE STORY

FROM SEA TO SHINING SINK

Carlsbad desalination plant set to begin operation in 2015, with expertise from Israel BY NATALIE JACOBS

PHOTOS COURTESY CARLSBAD DESALINATION PROJECT

Aerial view of plant construction as of Nov. 2013.

ou’ve probably noticed that your water bills have been slowly creeping up in the last year. There are always increases for inflation and the fluctuating costs of imported water, but we saw a big hike in 2013 when the City Council voted on a 15 percent jump, to be distributed by water usage per household (meaning those who used the most water saw rates increase the most). Then in June of this year, the San Diego County Water Authority announced a 2.9 percent increase for untreated water and a 2.6 percent increase for treated water. And we’re not done yet, partially because drought conditions continue to worsen, but also because the Water Authority will be adding a new kind of water to the mix soon. Desalinated water, from a plant under construction in Carlsbad, will stack $5 onto San Diego County residential water bills in 2016, after the plant has been up and running for a year. But it’s worth it, says everyone involved in the project, and the residents who responded to a Water Authority survey about the desalination plant proposal back in 2012. A longtime coming In the early 1990s, San Diego was experiencing

drought conditions similar to those we face now. At that time, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), a water distribution center in Los Angeles, was essentially San Diego County’s only source of water. In 1991, MWD cut San Diego’s supply by 31 percent. With that, the San Diego business community started looking to other sources of water for the 3 million people and hundreds of acres of farmland in the region. Today, still 90 percent of our water is piped in from Northern California, sourced by the Colorado River and sold through MWD. Local reservoirs provide 5-10 percent of the water we use, depending on the amount of rainfall in a given year. There are also a handful of reclamation plants that treat wastewater for use in irrigation for agriculture, parks and golf courses which provide nearly 5 percent of the water we need there. The desalination plant, which will produce 50 million gallons of water per day starting in November of 2015, will accommodate 7-10 percent of the regional needs. “Ultimately,” says Robert Yamada, water resources manager for the Water Authority, “the primary reason [for developing the desalination

plant] is that we see desalination as a highly reliable part of the overall water supply portfolio. We’ve been planning on adding desalination, noted in our planning documents, since the early 2000s.” The Carlsbad project has been in development in some form or another since 1998. Understanding that the water situation in San Diego County was unsustainable, the privately held seawater desalination company Poseidon Water, headquartered in Boston, conducted a feasibility study for the plant in 2000. They looked at options for both a plant that would meet only the needs of the City of Carlsbad, and one that would (partially) satiate the entire region. Two years of discussions followed, and by 2002, agreements were made with the City of Carlsbad and the San Diego County Water Authority to move forward with permitting activities, designs, and construction contracts for a large regional plant. Since nothing like this had been done in the area, permitting proved a challenge and the process took a very long time, 10 years in fact. Finally, in 2012, the Water Authority entered into a 30-year performancebased purchase agreement with Poseidon Water. Av •Elul 5774 l SDJewishJournal.com 49

ILLUSTRATION ADAPTED BY PETER TALHAMÉ

FEATURE STORY

How the plant works, in 30 seconds or less.f

It stated, essentially, that if Poseidon builds the plant in Carlsbad and delivers 50 million gallons of potable desalinated water per day, the Water Authority will buy it at a fixed price until 2046 (the fixed price will still increase with inflation, at a rate of about 2.5 percent per year). Before embarking on the project, Yamada says, the Water Authority conducted a survey of San Diego County residents to “ascertain the public’s interest in paying more for a reliable water supply like desalination.” The result: 82 percent of respondents felt it was important to add desalination to the water supply and 58 percent supported a rate increase of $5 or more to support it. So a rate increase of $5 is what we’re getting. But why now? Desalination is the process of taking the salt and minerals out of ocean water. Traditionally, the technology to do this has been very expensive and energy intensive. For the United States, and California in particular, it has always been cheaper to get water from other sources, like runoff from the Sierra Nevada Mountains. “It’s because of the perceived value of water,” says Mark Lambert, CEO of the Americas for IDE Technologies, the Israeli company 50 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

contracted to build and operate the Carlsbad plant. He’s explaining why desalination hasn’t been viewed as a viable solution to the water problem in the U.S., particularly in the droughtprone Southwest. “It’s taken a long time to really consider how water should be priced and valued,” he continues. “When you think about the economics of the value of water, you think of value differently.” The Water Authority’s Yamada says the desalinated water will cost about twice as much as the imported water, but based on the projected price increases of the imported water, that price gap is expected to close out by the mid 2020s (as the cost of the imported water is expected to rise more quickly than the cost of the desalinated water). Both IDE’s Lambert and Peter McLaggan, Vice President at Poseidon and lead on the Carlsbad project, underscore that the goal of the desalination plant is to lower the future costs of water and ultimately make San Diego County water independent. “It’s part of a diversified water supply portfolio where the desalination component is your one truly drought-proof component,” McLaggan says. While we’re just getting started with

desalination here in the United States, the process has proven a reliable source of water for Europe, Australia and the Middle East for years. Around the time that Poseidon started looking to Southern California for its next desalination project, Israel began pumping water from the Mediterranean through its first desalination plant in Ashkelon, a seaside town just north of the Gaza strip. The plant was built and is operated by IDE Technologies. The Ashkelon plant, commissioned in 2005, was the largest and most advanced plant in the world at the time, producing 86 million gallons of water per day. Today, IDE has completed two other projects in Israel, one in Hadera which produces 96 million gallons per day, and one in Sorek which produces an enormous 120 million gallons per day. With all three of these plants in operation, Israel now gets more than 50 percent of its water from the Mediterranean when 12 years ago, no water was sourced from there. “This is quite a change that has strengthened the country tremendously,” McLaggan, who visited the Israeli plants during the design phase of the Carlsbad project, says. “They are no longer relying on their neighbors, they are self-sufficient at least for half of their water.” But both veteran water executives are careful

FEATURE STORY

The crew lays pipes on Melrose in Vista. INSET: Construction of the Media Filters that will cleanse the incoming seawater prior to the reverse osmosis treatment.

to caution that desalination alone isn’t a magic bullet for water independence. “It’s a mixed part of the whole bag,” IDE’s Lambert says. “But the goal is for independence from imported water. And the ocean is the largest reservoir on the planet.” Poseidon hired IDE to build the Carlsbad plant with similar specs as the ones they’ve completed in Israel, because of the Carlsbad plant’s high production needs. “In Carlsbad,” McLaggan explains, “we’re the fourth generation of that series [of IDE’s desalination plants in Israel] so we feel very confident that with IDE’s expertise we’re building a plant using proven technology at a new location. And we get the benefits of the innovation and lessons learned over [IDE’s] many years of doing this sort of thing.” In addition to the three plants in Israel, IDE has completed 400 desalination projects throughout the world since they opened up shop in Israel in the mid-’60s. Poseidon has built another desalination plant in the United States, in Tampa Bay, Fla., which produces 25 million gallons per day. The company is also in talks with Texas water authorities to get a plant going there. But for now, once the Carlsbad project is up and

running, it will be the largest desalination plant in the Western Hemisphere. “We’re only going to satisfy seven percent of the regional demand,” McLaggan says. “It’s not [actually big]. In terms of the local needs, it sounds like a small number. But in terms of the scale at which this has been done elsewhere in the U.S., it is considerably larger.” As the developers, Poseidon bears the cost of the construction, financed through private equity investment and private activity bonds. That cost, $922 million plus interest, will be recouped as the Water Authority buys water through the lifespan of their contract. Aside from the annual water purchases, the Water Authority is responsible for coming up with $80 million to create a 10-mile pipeline from the plant to the existing piping system at the county line in Fallbrook. Most of the pipes that have been pumping the water from Northern California out to our faucets were built in the ’60s and ’70s. The youngest pipe was laid in 1985. The desalinated water from Carlsbad will be injected into those existing pathways through the new pipe that will run from Carlsbad, through Vista and San Marcos until it hits the current pipes situated on either side of the I-15. “If you can imagine,” McLaggan explains,

“there are two rivers underneath San Diego County that nobody ever sees. There’s about 700 million gallons of water piped into the County every day, just to meet the needs of the 3 million residents here.” At 50 million gallons of desalinated water per day, the plant will produce 18 billion gallons of water per year. Under the purchase agreement, the Water Authority will pay about $2,000 per acre-foot for the desalinated water. This equates to approximately $112 million per year for 1/10 of the water we use throughout the county each year. At press time, the project was halfway complete and both McLaggan and Lambert say everything is on schedule. The plant is contracted to go live Nov. 26, 2015. To learn more about the Carlsbad desalination project and keep up on construction progress, visit carlsbaddesal.com. For more information on Israel’s IDE Technologies, visit ide-tech.com. A Av •Elul 5774 l SDJewishJournal.com 51

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PHOTOS COURTESY CHRISTINE ARGILLET

FEATURE STORY

GROWING UP WITH SALVADOR DALÍ A childhood with the surrealist leaves Madame Argillet with a rare art collection BY NIKKI SALVO

alvador Dalí: the melting clocks, the long, skinny mustache, the boisterous exit from the Surrealist movement. The renowned Spanish artist, best known for his eccentric behavior and wildly imaginative paintings, was a complex and often controversial figure in the art world. This summer, art lovers in San Diego are treated to a more personal side of the man behind the mustache, with Meyer Fine Art’s show “Salvador Dalí: The Argillet Collection.” Madame Christine Argillet, daughter of Dalí’s longtime publisher and confidante, Pierre Argillet, is curating the exhibit. In the show, Argillet shares 70 works from her family’s extraordinary collection, consisting of copper etchings, drawings, watercolors and handwoven tapestries, as well as the rare etchings “Songs of Maldoror,” created between 1934 and 1973. Argillet says the collection, on display from July 25 through Sept. 6, is a tribute to her father. Pierre and Dalí met in 1934 but didn’t begin working together until the late ’50s. “My father had an immense pleasure working with Dalí,” Argillet says. “[Dalí was] someone very enthusiastic, always ready to work.” After some time, Pierre began working almost exclusively with the artist, and continued to do so

54 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

until Dalí was no longer able to produce copper etchings due to his deteriorating health. As Madame Argillet is the last living link to the iconic artist, many questions come to mind. First up: What was it like growing up around prestigious members of the Dada and Surrealist movements? Argillet describes her childhood as “free, whimsical, charming ... full of poetry.” As a youngster, she found the environment fascinating, and was happy to tag along with her father, observing him with the artists. “These were people [living a] very spiritual life, but a very simple life, in those times,” Argillet says, as she recalls seeing Dalí with Scotch tape on his mustache, ready to entertain, “always finding a new way to surprise people.” To Argillet’s delight, Dalí and his colleagues would often ask her opinion, seeking the “fresh vision of a child,” which would help them gain new perspective on a project. Dalí, she says, would converse with her about experiments with geometric shapes or the Golden Ratio, an artistic theory she admits she wasn’t familiar with at the time. He would urge her to look at a geometrical etching or painting and ask: “What do you see?” Dalí was curious about science and philosophy, and was exploring concepts like DNA in the ’60s,

well ahead of his time. It was this “surprising, open-minded” quality that made Argillet fall in love with art. To this day, she credits Dalí with helping her to keep a positive disposition and “see every new day as a new thing to behold and to envision.” Pierre and Dalí shared “a great passion, one for the other,” Argillet says of her father’s friendship with the artist. But, Argillet says, her father could be “very impatient” with Dalí, whose bizarre antics were “difficult to accept.” She shares an example from 1971. While in Paris, Pierre suggested Dalí do a live etching for the public before going back to Spain. When the artist agreed, Pierre organized a reception, inviting more than 200 journalists from around the world. When Dalí arrived, he etched swiftly and poorly. After showing the crowd, Dalí walked away, Pierre chasing after him, stunned. “This is impossible. It looks terrible,” Pierre thought to himself, and asked Dalí if he was feeling alright, trying to get him to come back to the crowd. Dalí insisted he was done, and left the event. Days later, Pierre and Christine met Dalí at his hotel, bringing along the copper plate, as Dalí requested. The few wavy lines (which eventually

FEATURE STORY

Left: Madame Argillet as a child with the artist. Above: Pieces from the Argillet collection, on display in La Jolla until Sept. 6. became Dalí’s “The Women and the Waves,” included in the Argillet collection), perplexed Pierre. “Dalí,” Christine recalls her father asking, “what happened the other day? What was wrong?” Dalí admitted he had no recollection of the event because he had taken two dosages of LSD prior to his arrival. He had just spent two months traveling with the psychedelic ambassador Timothy Leary, studying hippie culture. Instead of enhancing his imagination as Leary had suggested it would, the psychedelic drug seemed to have the opposite effect on Dalí’s creativity, as evidenced by the tragic plein air event in Paris that Pierre had choreographed. The artist is now widely quoted as having said “I don’t do drugs, I am drugs.” But the event showed Christine that Dalí was “capable of doing wonderful things, and terrible things.” The possibility that his behaviors could damage his reputation did not occur to Dalí, she says. This could explain why he had no qualms about depicting Hitler in his work. This period of Dalí’s career is steeped in controversy, and it has been said that he was “obsessed” with the Nazi leader. It has been noted, though, that Dalí was apolitical. Art critics explain that it’s not so much that he was fascinated by the fascist dictator, but that he was simply an unpredictable artist who loved to shock people.

Argillet backs this up by saying Dalí was “capable of any eccentricities” and that he thrived on exaggerating scenarios, creating reflections that were not to be taken at face value. She believes Dalí was “conscious of the way Europe was [deteriorating] in the late ’30s” and his art, at the time “grey, dark, anxious,” was a manifestation of that period. Worth noting is the poignant “The Enigma of Hitler,” painted just before WWII, which includes several symbolic images like a cut telephone wire and a photo of Hitler. Here there is a mood of foreboding, “the impossibility of communicating with that dictator,” Argillet says. This painting reflects a time when Dalí was “terrified of the second war in Spain,” she says, and she sees in it a “premonition.” Argillet insists he was not a fascist, and describes a man who was “gentle” and “against aggression and war,” misunderstood by the public. “He was respectful of people from every culture,” she says, and explains how, when he wed the love of his life, Gala, they visited eight places of worship to be married, to gain perspective on different ideologies and lifestyles. Dalí wanted “to be universal and he had this large vision,” Argillet says. But in satirizing Hitler, and aligning himself with Spanish militant Francisco Franco, Dalí severely damaged his status in the art world, which eventually led to his formal expulsion from the Surrealist movement. Further supporting the notion that Dalí was

The possibility that his behaviors could damage his reputation did not occur to Dalí. not pro-Hitler, some of his later work focuses on positive Jewish material, like the painting “Aliyah,” which opens the door to speculation about his Jewish heritage (it is rumored that his mother had Jewish ancestry). This and other Israeli-themed paintings were commissioned late in his career. Exposure to Dalí’s genius definitely paved the road for Argillet’s entré into the art world. She is in the process of completing a book of previously unseen, unpublished photographs that her father, an excellent photographer, had taken of Dalí over the years. She expects the book to be available in 2015. San Diego residents will have a chance to ask Madame Argillet their own questions about growing up with Dalí on Aug. 23 and 24 (appointments are recommended). Visit meyerfineartinc.com for details. A

Av •Elul 5774 l SDJewishJournal.com 55

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TECHNOLOGY

BITCOIN MAKES ALIYAH Cryptocurrency finds Israeli fans BY BEN SALES, JTA

locks away from the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and the headquarters of two major banks, in the corner of the lobby of a boutique hotel, Nimrod Gruber sticks his hand into an ATM. A few seconds later, a QR code prints out. Gruber takes the slip of paper and walks away, no cash in hand. He’s not worried. He owns the ATM, and there’s nothing like it in the Middle East. It identifies users by scanning their palms, and

58 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

instead of dispensing dollars, euros or shekels, it dispenses bitcoins. “It shows up in your account in 30 seconds to a minute,” he says. Bitcoin, a digital currency invented in 2008, has spread across the world, and made a hefty profit for its holders, without printing a single bill. As bitcoin has gained value throughout the years, an ecosystem of startups and organizations have taken shape in Tel Aviv to promote its use in Israel’s tech scene.

“Here we adopt new technology earlier than other places,” Gruber, 28, a former model who became involved in bitcoin technology during a stint living in New York City, says. “It makes sense that this would be a bitcoin center. We’re at the heart of the high-tech area and the Tel Aviv financial district.” Called a “cryptocurrency” because it is secured by encrypted data, bitcoin itself could be best described as cryptic. Its reputed inventor, who goes by the name Satoshi Nakamoto, has

communicated only by email. Unlike mainstream currencies, bitcoin isn’t backed by a government or central bank and has no physical form. Instead, it exists in computer code, and its value is determined purely through supply and demand in online exchanges where bitcoin holders buy and sell it for other currencies. People can “mine” new bitcoins by performing complex calculations on their computers. Bitcoin has encountered a host of issues in its development, from the question of government regulation to its use for illegal activities to the volatile growth pattern it has followed. But governments and traditional banks are starting to pay closer attention to the elusive currency. In July, it was rumored that Russia was looking to legalize the currency and therefore levy a tax on its use. Other countries like China and Denmark have already banned its use. According to a digital currency tracker, one bitcoin was worth about $100 a year ago and had spiked to nearly $1,000 by last November. Three weeks later, though, its value dropped to about $600 after China banned it. It is worth roughly $630 now, with $8 billion worth of bitcoins on the market. The ups and downs haven’t deterred Israeli bitcoin believers, who expect growth ahead and say the currency will stabilize as more people adopt it. Dozens of startups have proliferated around bitcoin use in Israel, and more than 120 Israeli businesses, from restaurants to real estate firms, accept bitcoin as payment. “I hope we can make Israel a lab for bitcoin,” says Ayal Yona Segev, an “ambassador” at bitcoin Embassy, which provides guidance and acts as a meeting spot for Israeli bitcoin entrepreneurs a few blocks from Gruber’s ATM. “We have the flexibility to become a place where we test and develop everything.” The ATM in the hotel hooks up to an online exchange. Users can log into their accounts and either deposit cash to buy or sell Bitcoin and receive cash. Similar ATMs already exist in the United States, Canada and Europe. Gruber hopes the ATM will be one of many in Israel. He jokes about placing one in the middle of the divider between men and women at the Western Wall. Another Israeli startup, Colored Coins, allows users the opportunity to trade other currencies online using the bitcoin code. BitcoinBox offers bitcoin holders insurance for their “digital

Nimrod Gruber uses Israel's first bitcoin ATM in Tel Aviv.

wallets.” Coin Commerce offers businesses a service to accept bitcoin as payment. “We have a good community here,” says Aaron Aguillard, founder and CEO of Coin Commerce. “What Coin Commerce is trying to do is set up Tel Aviv for the tourist season so people can buy bitcoin and travel around Israel, and book hotels and use bitcoin on the beach.” Israeli bitcoin entrepreneurs see the currency as a practical tool as well as an ideological dimension of their work. Segev’s office sells bitcoin-themed T-shirts and bumper stickers, one of which writes out Nakamoto’s name in a style of chant traditionally used to celebrate the Hasidic sage Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. Segev says that in addition to bitcoin’s startup nature, it appeals to Israelis who took to the streets three years ago in massive numbers to protest income inequality. He calls it an alternative for people who are mistrustful of their banks and tired of high credit card fees. “It will make people aware of the current

situation [in Israeli banking],” Segev says. “This is an alternative that will make service providers – banks, the state, insurance companies – compete for customers.” Bitcoin’s regulatory status remains unclear. The Internal Revenue Service in the United States taxes bitcoin profits as a capital gain, but Israel only taxes income made from bitcoin once it is transferred into shekels. In February, the Bank of Israel issued a warning regarding bitcoin, noting that it isn’t backed by any state, is unsupervised, and could be susceptible to manipulation and criminal use. But Avi Nov, an Israeli international tax law expert, says the legal concerns will fade as bitcoin expands and that regular currencies also carry risk. “The risks are greater in the regular world than in the digital world,” he says, adding that “nobody knows if tomorrow a state or a bank will fail.” Learn more at bitcoin.com. A Av •Elul 5774 l SDJewishJournal.com 59

PHOTO BY BEN SALES, JTA

TECHNOLOGY

nion, i p O r u o Y Give Us ckets i T r e t a Win The sh! o N o t 0 and $10

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THEATER

A Spiritual Journey Staged in San Diego The story of counterculture icon Ram Dass to play in Ocean Beach

PHOTOS COURTESY VANTAGE THEATRE

BY PAT LAUNER

Av •Elul 5774 l SDJewishJournal.com 61

THEATER

sk yourself: Where am I? Answer: Here. Ask yourself: What time is it? Answer: Now. Say it until you can hear it. These are the inspirational words of spiritual teacher and influential author Ram Dass (née Richard Alpert), whose seminal 1971 book, “Be Here Now,” dubbed “a counterculture Bible,” has sold more than two million copies. It also inspired a George Harrison song of the same name, and has affected numerous writers, including Wayne Dyer, Steve Jobs and Michael Crichton. Now it’s the name of a play. “Be Here Now: The Journey of Ram Dass,” by Lynne Kaufman, will have a brief run at the Ocean Beach Playhouse (Aug. 15-17), courtesy of Vantage Theatre, a 30 year-old company whose mission is to “present theater from a different vantage point.” The birth of “Be Here Now” Dori Salois and Robert Salerno, the husbandwife producing/directing team behind Vantage Theatre, were in San Francisco when they met Warren David Keith, a well-respected repertory actor who had recently won acclaim for two Bay Area runs of a play about Ram Dass. “We were ecstatic when we heard about it,” Salois, Vantage’s executive director, says. (Salerno is artistic director.) “I’d seen David perform, and he’s the real deal. An M.F.A. graduate of Yale. We’re thrilled to have him in San Diego.” Vantage is a site-specific theater, so Salois went scouting for locations. And when she came upon the Ocean Beach Playhouse, she knew she had a perfect match. “It’s got that ’60s vibe,” Salois marvels. “With big paintings of Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, and padded chairs and sofas scattered about.” The 70-minute solo show was originally called “The Acid Test: The Many Incarnations of Ram Dass,” but though Alpert was long associated with Timothy Leary, “the play is not about drugs,” Salois, who’d seen Ram Dass in San Diego in the ’80s, asserts. “It’s the story about Richard Alpert’s wild and weird journey on his way to spiritual leadership. Without a quest for inner life and connectedness, life would be very dry. It’s a universal story, a path of self-realization.” As a company, Salois explains, “in both location and production, we’re always looking for that 'aha!' moment. We want to enlighten, elevate and entertain.” With or without drugs, the story of Ram Dass is enlightening. The road from Richard Alpert to Ram Dass Richard Alpert was the scion of a wealthy Jewish family in Newton, Mass. His father, George, was a noted attorney, president of New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad and one of 62 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

Actor Warren David Keith portrays Ram Dass (pictured behind him) in "Be Here Now." the founders of Brandeis University and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He was active in many Jewish philanthropies. Richard had a bar mitzvah, even though he considered himself an atheist at the time and admitted that he “didn’t have one whiff of G-d until I took psychedelics.” Much later, he would say: “My belief is that I wasn’t born into Judaism by accident, and so I needed to find ways to honor that.” He still identifies as Jewish, as well as Buddhist and Hindu. After studying at Tufts (B.A.) and Wesleyan (M.A.), he received his doctorate in psychology from Stanford. Following a visiting professorship at UC Berkeley, he accepted a tenured position at Harvard, where he had appointments in three departments. He became close friends with his colleague Timothy Leary, and together they performed research on the potential therapeutic effects of (then-legal) hallucinogenic drugs. Both professors were dismissed, Leary for leaving classes without notice and Alpert for allegedly giving psilocybin (the active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms) to an undergraduate. In 1967, Alpert traveled to India, where he met the man who would become his guru, Neem Karoli Baba, whom Alpert called Maharaj-ji. He gave Alpert the name Ram Dass, which means “servant of G-d,” referring to the incarnation of G-d as Lord Rama. At age 60, in the early 1990s, Ram Dass began exploring his Judaism. In 1991, he was awarded the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award. Then, in 1997, he suffered a massive, lifethreatening stroke that left him with right-side paralysis and expressive aphasia. He no longer travels as he did, but continues to write books and teach at his compound in Maui, Hawaii.

Spiritual foundation The Love Serve Remember Foundation was organized to preserve and continue the teachings of Neem Karoli Baba and Ram Dass. The only directive his disciples got from Maharaj-ji was: “Love everyone. Serve everyone. Remember G-d.” The nonprofit’s executive director is Raghu (née Mitchell) Markus. Markus grew up in a Conservative Jewish family in Montreal, of Russian and Polish background. He attended a Hebrew day school until his bar mitzvah, and he still strongly identifies as a Jew. He first interviewed Richard Alpert on air; Markus was program director of a large Montreal rock station, and he was convinced that, having taken LSD, “there was another reality.” Ram Dass, he felt, “tapped into the questions I had: What is reality? How does life work? One by one, he answered all my questions.” In 1970, Markus accompanied Alpert to India, where he spent 1.5 years, met with Maharaj-ji, and received a new name for himself as well; Raghavindras Das, which also means “servant of G-d,” but this time, the Lord of the Raghu, “the family dynasty name of Ram, incarnated as a king in ancient India.” “That first trip was life-changing,” Markus says. “It informs my life to this moment.” A year after they returned, their guru Majaraji-ji died. But Markus has been back to India “more times than I can count,” and though he currently lives with his wife in North Carolina, he is frequently in Maui with Ram Dass, now 83. “He’s an indomitable spirit,” Markus says. “He lost his greatest gift: speech. His power used to be communicated through the words. He was the Lenny Bruce of the spiritual world: funny,

THEATER

(L-R): Playwright Lynne Kaufman, Ram Dass and Warren David Keith. Individual portraits follow.

Ira Bauer-Spector in full Bette Midler drag poses for “Miss M Saves the Universe.”

honest, self-deprecating. Now the power is in the love.” Among the many guest instructors at the Foundation site and website, there are many Jews. “Jewish people have very adventurous souls,” Markus feels. “And they’re always questioning. “For me, G-d is the supreme essence. There isn’t a Jewish or Buddhist or Christian or Muslim G-d. There’s only One G-d. There are different manifestations of the same One, and different ways of people being able to understand their connection to the universe and find their path.” Markus is in charge of the Foundation website (500,000-600,000 visitors a month), as well as books, films, fundraising, big retreats, a podcast network and marketing. He was there when the play, “Be Here Now,” was performed for Ram Dass. Markus says it was hard to accept some of the poetic license taken with the stories. “I know some things were done for dramatic reasons. But some of the exaggerations were a little over-the-top for me.” Fortunately, the Bay Area critics didn’t feel the same. Turning life into art “The joy at the heart of Lynne Kaufman’s new play,” crowed the San Francisco Chronicle, “is the deftness with which she captures [Ram Dass’

humor], his playful dance on the edge of one illumination after another. That, and a pitchperfect performance by Warren David Keith.” Playwright Kaufman had been “a seeker, and a lover of literature” her whole life. She developed a close friendship with mythologist Joseph Campbell. Plus, she lived in San Francisco and taught at Berkeley, so she knew all about Ram Dass. But she grew up in the Bronx, N.Y., living with her grandparents on the Lower East Side. “My first language was Yiddish,” she reports. “I was an early bilingual.” The family was “not particularly religious.” Her brother had a bar mitzvah, but she only attended Hebrew school briefly. Similarly, her son was bar mitzvah but not her daughter. “I still identify as Jewish,” Kaufman says, “and there’s a big Jewish community in San Francisco,” where she still lives, and regularly attends lectures and events at the JCC. “Ram Dass was a presence in the cultural life of the Bay Area. I first heard him in Prague, right after his father died. It was magical. I thought he was funny, a good writer, a great storyteller. “After the stroke, his story was very personal to me, the loss of faith he had at first.” Kaufman related closely to that story. Her brother had been in a serious accident when he was 19, which left him wheelchair-bound.

"For me, G-d is the supreme essence. There isn't a Jewish or Buddhist or Christian or Muslim G-d. There's only one G-d. There are different manifestations of the same One, and different ways of people being able to understand their connection to the universe." “He had to re-invent himself,” she says. “I had a very personal connection to that. “With all his seeking, every time Ram Dass thought he had found the answer, the question changed. That pertains to everyone’s life, doesn’t it?” Kaufman is an accomplished playwright, novelist, short story writer and musical theater librettist. When her Ram Dass play was presented at The Marsh Theatre in San Francisco in 2012 and again in 2013, “it was funny and poignant, and audiences loved it. David is fabulous. He truly became Ram Dass.” Kaufman and Keith went to Maui to present the piece for Ram Dass himself, along with 250 of his devotees. She’d already gotten his Av •Elul 5774 l SDJewishJournal.com 63

THEATER

blessing and script approval. She even joined his Foundation and put her name on the waiting list for a one-on-one Skype conversation with Ram Dass; it took eight months (currently, there’s a one-year wait). “When I first talked to him about the play, he said, ‘The only thing is, Lynne, I don’t memorize or work from a script.’ He thought I wanted him to do it! Who would have the chutzpah to write a script for him? When I said there’d be an actor, he was so relieved. Later, he was thrilled with the rave reviews. ‘I worked my whole life to suppress my ego,’ he said, ‘I can’t handle this.’ But he was soaring. “When the show starts,” the playwright explains, “David is in a wheelchair. Then, in Maui, they wheeled in Ram Dass. The audience looked from one to the other, like mirror images. It was an amazing experience. For me to have dared to write this man’s life – and there he is! We didn’t realize what a profound experience it would be for us. “The only caveat he had was about the ending,” Kaufman confesses. “He has, in fact, made peace with Andy Weil [the high-profile naturopath who was responsible for getting Alpert ejected from Harvard]. “For a long while, they were estranged. I loved the ending, for the drama of it. I think it makes Ram Dass more human. 64 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

“He says he’s in a place of bliss now. I really felt that. When he struggles with speech, it adds something to his discourse; you hang on every word as he tries to retrieve it. And I loved that, if he runs out of words, his default is ‘yum yum.’ It’s an expression of delight.” The structure of the play, Kaufman explains, is “his life as a seeker, how he kept transforming himself. He was one of the youngest faculty ever at Harvard. He was a playboy, with a Cessna and an MG sportscar. Then he became a spiritual seeker, then a spiritual leader.” One of the elements that intrigues Kaufman most is Ram Dass’ relationship with his father. “He was the youngest of three boys. He referred to himself as ‘Tinker Bell,’ but he was deeply loved and indulged. His father didn’t get what his young son was into, but he accepted him completely, at every stage. And during the last year of his father’s life, Ram Dass moved in to take care of his dad. He has never negated his background or his identity. “After every performance, people come up to say their lives have been touched or changed by Ram Dass. It’s an extraordinary story. He’s worked his whole life to get ‘there’ and now he’s ‘there.’ He lives in this highly spiritual plane that transcends time. He has a heightened sense of presence. Everything else had burned away, leaving the core serenity and beneficence. It’s like

the sun shining on you. “I hope San Diegans will be able to get a sense of that light and energy.” A “Be Here Now: The Journey of Ram Dass” runs at the Ocean Beach Playhouse, 4944 Newport Ave., Aug. 15-17 only. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $40 (for cushion or couch; discount seats available for groups, seniors and students). Limited discount tickets are available at goldstar. com and brownpapertickets.com. Info and Tickets: 858-859-2281 vantagetheatre.com.

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6/18/2014 8:54:32 AM

in the kitchen WITH

TORI AVEY

EASY ONE-INGREDIENT BANANA SOFT SERVE

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.

66 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

Bananas may seem commonplace in our kitchens today, but that wasn’t always the case. Immediately following the Civil War, bananas were imported to the U.S. from Jamaica. It was a lengthy trip, sometimes taking a few weeks to arrive, which made them quite exotic. At first, only the upper class could afford bananas, which sold for 10 cents each (equivalent to $2 in modern times). To hide their shape, which some folks back then deemed “provocative,” the bananas were peeled, sliced and wrapped in foil before being sold. I suspect the foil also helped to disguise that the bananas were overripe by the time they were ready for sale. As bananas became more popular in America, they gained the reputation of being a convenient source of nutrition that could easily be eaten while on the move. Not surprisingly, before the days of public trash bins, many banana peels were left behind on the sidewalks and streets. This led to what may have been the origin of the classic “slipping on the banana peel” joke. During the mid-19th century, Sunday School publications warned children against the dangers of leaving banana peels on the sidewalk by recalling tales of poor folks who had seriously injured themselves by slipping and falling on the abandoned peels. Eventually, children were enlisted to help keep the streets free of potentially hazardous banana peels. In 1900, a vaudeville actor by the name of “Sliding” Billy Wilson claimed that he was inspired to create the long-lived joke after he witnessed a man slipping on a banana peel right in front of him. We may never know if Wilson was the first to come up with the gag, but whoever did sure came up with something silly enough to stand the test of time. Today, bananas are more prevalent and affordable than ever before, and thankfully most peels find their way into the waste bin! Bananas are as convenient as they are versatile; I am always finding new ways to use them. About a year ago my friend told me that she tosses frozen bananas into her food processor to make “banana ice cream.” The only ingredient is frozen bananas! I told her that her method is very clever, but perhaps we should call it “banana soft serve” since there is no cream involved. She agreed, we made a batch, and the rest is history!

Food-processor banana soft serve is now the most popular dessert in my home, especially during the hot summer months. It’s healthy, dairy free and completely natural. I love that you don’t need to add sugar to sweeten it; the dessert is completely made from fruit, sweetened only by Mother Nature. This stuff is seriously delicious, and it’s a great way to extend the life of bananas that are just on the verge of being overripe. You can freeze them, pop them in bags and store them for later. Today I’m providing the basic method for banana soft serve with no add-ins, but it’s also incredibly versatile; you can add a variety of ingredients to make different flavors including other frozen fruits, spices, peanut butter, or cocoa powder. Try adding Nutella for a more decadent treat. The only limit is your imagination. Stock your freezer with frozen banana and get ready to party with this all natural summery sweet treat.

BANANA SOFT SERVE Bananas (5 or more) You will also need: Baking sheet or plate(s), parchment paper, freezer, food processor Servings: Varies, 1 pound banana slices equate to 3-4 servings Kosher Key: Pareve Freezing Time: 4-12 Hours Prep Time: 5 minutes Line a plate or baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice bananas into ½-inch rounds and place them on the parchment, evenly spaced. You can fit about 5 mediumsized bananas on one standard-sized baking sheet, and you will end up with about 1 pound of frozen banana. Freeze the banana pieces for a few hours, up to overnight, or until firm. Don’t freeze them for more than 24 hours or they may start to brown, get freezer burn and lose their flavor. Remove the pieces from the cookie sheet and immediately place them into Ziploc bags (they thaw quickly). Weigh each bag as you fill them to 1 pound of

PHOTOS BY TORI AVEY

banana in each (about 3 ½ cups banana slices). Remove the air from each bag before placing back in the freezer. I like preparing 1-pound batches this way so that they’re easy to grab and make whenever we feel like a quick dessert. This 1-pound portion of bananas seems to be the best for blending smoothly and easily in our processor. Alternatively, you can freeze the slices in bags without first putting them on the cookie sheets, but they will stick together as they freeze and it will be harder to blend them. When you’re ready to prepare the sorbet, fit your food processor with the blade attachment and pour the frozen banana pieces in. You can also attempt this in the blender, but it is much more difficult to avoid clumping and to get things to mix evenly. If you have a food processor, use it! Start by pulsing the frozen banana a few times until small crumbles form. Continue processing. As you do so, you’ll notice the banana mixture clumping or sticking from time to time. Open the processor and use a spatula to spread the mixture out evenly throughout the processor so that

it processes smoothly. Continue processing, stirring periodically with the spatula, until the mixture becomes smooth and has the consistency of soft serve ice cream. Scoop the soft serve into bowls and serve immediately. This is a basic recipe for basic banana soft serve and it’s great as-is, but it can easily be changed and improved by adding other ingredients – cocoa powder, peanut butter, or other frozen fruits. Note: this recipe is gluten free, dairy free and nut free as written. Any additional ingredients may render it less allergy friendly; add with care! A

IKWTA Av •Elul 5774 l SDJewishJournal.com 67

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Investment and insurance products: NOT FDIC-Insured NO Bank Guarantee MAY Lose Value Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Member SIPC, is a registered broker-dealer and separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. 68 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

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SYNAGOGUE

Ohr Shalom Welcomes New Sefer Torah And other happenings at the downtown Temple

PHOTO COURTESY OHR SHALOM

by Tinamarie Bernard

Temple Ohr Shalom resides in a historic building in downtown San Diego.

he first thing you notice about Ohr Shalom synagogue on 3rd and Laurel is the splendor of the historic building with its dominant domed roof. Step inside the sanctuary and your eyes bathe in natural light streaming through the stained glass windows. It’s a fitting scene to announce the arrival of a new Sefer Torah. On Aug. 10, the Ohr Shalom community will celebrate the generous gift, donated by synagogue member Elizabeth Goldman in honor of her late husband and son. “We’re thrilled to get a Sefer Torah,” says Ray Sachs, synagogue president. “A Torah is a fabulous event that some never to get to experience. “Elizabeth Goldman donated the Sefer Torah,” Sachs continues, “as well as two custom covers and this moved us to do a fundraiser to sell honors for covers for our other Torahs. As a result, we were inspired to accelerate our fundraising efforts and completely eliminate the debt on our mortgage.” Ohr Shalom took over the previous Beth Israel site when two smaller synagogues, Beth Tefillah and Adat Ami, merged. Rabbi Scott Meltzer and his family joined in 2003 and now this gem in

70 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

the heart of San Diego has become a vibrant hub of Conservative Jewish spiritual and communal activity. Since the merger and creation of Ohr Shalom, the congregation has had a few major makeovers, including a $4.2 million renovation completed in 2010. The new Sefer Torah will be housed in the recently renovated sanctuary. Celebration and music are an important part of the spirit at Ohr Shalom. From their Friday night Zamru services that feature Jennifer Meltzer, and Yale and Elizabeth Strom, to the Latin-infused sounds of Zeji Oseri, their youth director, a culturally and socioeconomically diverse cadre of congregants call Ohr Shalom their spiritual home. Ask what they love about the place, and invariably you hear about how approachable Rabbi Scott Meltzer, a Harvard chemistry graduate ordained through the Hebrew Union College, is; how children and families are encouraged to participate in services and that the community has an intimate feel; how new visitors are welcomed and people are encouraged to step into leadership roles and create vibrant

programming. Mostly, you learn about how down-to-earth everyone is, and how deep a well of knowledge the leadership brings to the shul. In addition to his Ivy-league degree, for example, Rabbi Meltzer also holds a master’s degree from USC as does his wife, Jennifer. Rabbi Meltzer is also a Senior Rabbinic Fellow of the Hartman Institute, among many other accomplishments. It’s this blend of modern sensibility with deep scholarly roots that invites active community involvement. In an era when many synagogues struggle to retain members, Ohr Shalom has seen it’s membership significantly increase since the Meltzers first came to the synagogue, bringing with them an irresitible family vibe. Today, the synagogue offers traditional services such as religious school for children, adult education classes, an active bar and bat mitzvah program, Friday night and Saturday morning Shabbat services, weekly minyans, monthly dinners, fundraising and other special events as well as summertime Shabbat services by the Bay. For more information, visit ohrshalom.org or call (619) 231-1456. A

Captions Make the World go Round

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WHAT’S

GOIN’

ON?

Entertainment Heats Up by eileen sondak • nsondak@gmail.com

PHOTO BY KEN JACQUES

D "Les Miserables" will play at The Lamb's Coronado stage through Aug. 24. Summer is sizzling – and so is the entertainment scene. Indoor and outdoor stages are serving up an eclectic mix of music, musicals, comedies and drama. Summer Pops has a full roster this month, the Old Globe’s Shakespeare Festival is bringing “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” to its 72 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

outdoor stage, Broadway-San Diego is importing multi-Tony Award-winning “Once” to the Civic Theatre, and a plethora of other shows are waiting in the wings. The La Jolla Playhouse is winding down its production of “The Orphan of Zhao.” This

new adaptation of the classic, directed by Carey Perloff, will complete its run at the Mandell Weiss Stage on Aug. 3. The Playhouse’s staging of Elizabeth Egloff ’s “Ether Dome,” (based on the true story of the discovery of ether as an anesthetic) will pack up on Aug. 10, so if you

PHOTO BY DAREN SCOTT

Dancers get funky in San Diego Rep's "In the Heights," on the Lyceum Stage until Aug. 25. moments in romance. However, this offBroadway sensation will end its run at NCR’s Solana Beach home on Aug. 3. The Lamb’s is featuring one of the greatest musicals of all time – “Les Miserables.” Based on the brilliant novel by Victor Hugo, “Les Mis” (as it’s affectionately known) is a masterpiece of music and storytelling. The show will grace the Lamb’s Coronado stage through Aug. 24 – with Sam Zeller (Teyve in “Fiddler on the Roof ”) in the lead. Robert Smyth is directing. The popular “Boomers: The Musical Revue of a Generation” is merrily ensconced at the downtown Horton Grand Theatre through the end of August. Cygnet is presenting “Pageant,” a hilarious send-up of beauty contests. The comedy – with an all-male cast – is being staged at the Old Town Theatre through Aug. 31. San Diego Repertory Theatre is partnering with the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts to bring “In the Heights” to the Lyceum Stage through Aug. 25. This dance spectacular is directed by Sam Woodhouse. Moonlight Stage Productions will give “Mary Poppins” an alfresco staging until Aug. 2. Moonlight will unveil its production of “My Fair Lady” Aug. 13, where it will remain through Aug. 30. CCT is performing “Les Miserables” in its outdoor venue atop Mt. Helix until Aug. 2. Moxie Theatre is offering the San Diego premiere of “Jade Heart” through Aug. 10 to complete its successful season. The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center’s newest

exhibition, “Illusions: Nothing is as it Seems” lives up to its name and should make science fun for everyone. From Friday through Sunday (3:30 and 4:30 p.m.) enjoy a one-of-a-kind live show at the Dome combining magic with science. That’s a hot ticket through Aug. 31. The Fleet’s newest IMAX film, “Hidden Universe,” takes audiences on an adventure deep in space. The IMAX film, “Journey to the South Pacific,” narrated by Cate Blanchett, provides an exotic tour of the locale that is home to more than 2,000 species. The Natural History Museum is highlighting the “National Geographics Real Pirates Exhibition,” which continues through Labor Day. This interactive show explores 18th century piracy with more than 200 artifacts recovered from a sunken ship off the coast of Cape Cod. Get a glimpse of the Mayan civilization through “Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed.” This exhibition is staying put through Jan. 3, 2016. The museum continues to feature “The Natural World of Thomas Mangelsen,” a photographic exhibition set to remain through Oct. 12. The Birch Aquarium recently unveiled the world premiere of a photographic exhibit dubbed “Mexican Seas.” This display of marine life from off the coast of Mexico should remain at the Aquarium through the end of this year. The Aquarium’s “Snorkel with the Leopard Sharks” is slated for Aug. 3, 17, and 23. On Aug. 16, you’re invited to enjoy “Sharks on the Line” at the Aquarium. A

want to see this exploration of the battle between altruism and ambition, make haste to the Mandell Weiss Forum Theater. The Old Globe’s summer Shakespeare Festival will continue on Aug. 10 with the Bard’s “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” on its outdoor stage. The raucous comedy – a fast-paced tale of friendship, romance, and secret identities – will remain on the boards through Sept. 14. The Old Globe’s two indoor productions are just as noteworthy. The Main Stage is giving Sondheim’s musical masterpiece, “Into the Woods” (a show that had its origins on this very stage) another staging. The show takes over the theater until Aug. 10 – showcasing an inventive new take on the fairy tales as they move into the unknown territory beyond “happily ever after.” Noah Brody and Ben Steinfeld co-directed and will appear in the show. You won’t want to miss this happy homecoming! “Quartet,” a comedy based on the appealing movie about three former opera singers forced to face a grudge from the past (in the form of a diva) is inhabiting the Globe’s White Theatre-in-theround. Directed by Globe favorite Richard Seer, “Quartet” will stay put through Aug. 24. Broadway-San Diego will give “Once” its San Diego premiere Aug. 12-17. The eight-time Tony Award-winner (including Best Musical in 2012) tells the story of a Dublin street musician who is ready to abandon his dream when a beautiful woman takes a sudden interest in his haunting love songs. The show (recommended for mature audiences) will be ensconced at the Civic Theatre. The San Diego Symphony’s Summer Pops season is in full bloom this month. The music continues on Aug. 1-2 with “Ray Charles, Motown, and Beyond,” presented by Ellis Hall. Nathan Pacheco makes a one-night stand on Aug. 3, followed on Aug. 8-9 by “Broadway Tonight” featuring “Chicago the Musical.” “Disney’s Fantasia” is slated for Aug. 10, and “Cirque de la Symphonie” arrives for two performances Aug. 15-16. Burt Bacharach is due on Aug. 17, and “A Tribute to Johnny Cash” is coming this way Aug. 21. Vanessa Williams is on tap for Aug. 22-23, and Ozomatli will keep the music coming on Aug. 24. The summer season comes to a spectacular close when the “1812 Tchaikovsky Spectacular” – with Matthew Garbutt on the podium – is performed Aug. 29-31. As usual, all concerts at Embarcadero Marina Park South will be followed by a fireworks display. North Coast Repertory Theatre continues to present a frothy confection, titled “Romance/ Romance,” a musical about the embarrassing

Av •Elul 5774 l SDJewishJournal.com 73

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?”

e Author will b t the a s ie p co signing ir wish Book Fa San Diego Je th r 16 on Novembe om on Amazon.c se a h rc u p r fo le Availab ndNoble.com and Barnesa

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. 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.

JEWISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SAN DIEGO APPOINTS JANE SCHER AS NEW BOARD CHAIR The Jewish Community Foundation Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Jane Scher as Board Chair as of July 1. Jane’s leadership experience spans 13 years as a Foundation board member, including serving as Vice Chair and Secretary and founding chair of the Endowment Leadership Institute. Jane succeeds Jeff Silberman, who led the Foundation for two significant years, including the past fiscal year when the Foundation’s grantmaking exceeded $100 million and assets exceeded the $300 million mark for the first time. Jane was the founding chair of the Foundation’s Endowment Leadership Institute. The Institute is a highly successful program that has resulted in significant endowments and bequests for Jewish organizations and synagogues in San Diego. Jane brings a wealth of experience leading other community organizations. She graduated as a Wexner Fellow in 1996. She is a past president of Hillel of San Diego and Parents’ Association at the San Diego Jewish Academy, and Campaign Chair and Board Chair of Women’s Philanthropy of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County. 74 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

N news

Local Teen wins Tikkun Olam Award

Jacob Gardenswartz, an 18-yearold from San Diego, recently received this year’s Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Award for his unique anti-bullying campaign. The prize, $36,000, recognizes Gardenswartz’s commitment to social good and volunteer service through his work with Theatre of Peace, a group of students who write and perform anti-bullying/ pro-peace skits and interactive lessons that help teach children to stand up for what they believe is right. For more information about Diller’s Teen Tikkun Olam Awards, visit dillerteenawards.org.

Couple donates $1 million to Israeli School

Leichtag Calling for Sukkot Designs

In early July, it was announced that San Diego couple Marlene and Barry Berelowitz donated $1 million to the Rogozin Israel SciTech charter school in the southern Israeli city of Kiryat Gat, 35 miles south of Tel Aviv. The gift was given for a three-year period as part of the Israel Sci-Tech Schools Periphery Project, which focuses on rehabilitating the country’s most impoverished schools. This includes re-training teachers, building new laboratories, and re-focusing on practical science and technologybased curriculum. For more info, visit israel-scitech-schools.org.

The Leichtag Foundation recently announced its second annual Sukkot at the Ranch Design Competition. Designers of all backgrounds from throughout California, as well as Jerusalem, are invited to participate and reimagine the Sukkah, a staple of Sukkot celebrations since Biblical times. Design submissions are accepted until Aug. 18. A panel of celebrated architects, designers, and critics will select three finalists from the pool of submissions to be constructed by volunteers at The Ranch in Encinitas. The three winning structures will serve as the focal point for a weeklong Sukkot celebration scheduled Oct. 8-17. The Sukkah is traditionally erected for one week each autumn to commemorate the holiday of Sukkot, in celebration and gratitude of the harvest. It is customary, within the impermanent walls of the Sukkah, to share meals, entertain, and rejoice. Three finalists will be chosen from the pool of submissions. The finalist teams will receive $2,500 for materials. Judges will award $3,600 to the winning design team, selected by public vote. To enter, visit tinyurl.com/ sukkahdesign.

Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi Dies

The founder of the Jewish Renewal Movement, Rabbi Zalman Schacter-Shalomi z"l, died in Boulder, Colo., on July 3 at the age of 89. According to an obituary in Jewish Week, Rabbi Zalman created Jewish Renewal to "take the blinders off Judaism" and encourage everyone to have a direct relationship with G-d. Prior to starting the Renewal Movement, Reb Zalman is known to have spent time studying Eastern traditions such as Buddhism, the Islamic tradition of Sufism, Roman Catholicism and Native American rituals. While his early scholarly pursuits were rooted in Chasidic Judaism, the Intermountain Jewish News explains that his "independent approach to Judaism resulted in a heated break from traditional Orthodoxy." He will be remembered as an indepedendent and tireless thinkiner. Contributions may be sent to his Endowment Fund for Jewish Renewal at fs4.formsite.com/aleph_membership/rz_memorial.

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N news

BNC Hosts Sept. Luncheon

Beloved Community Member Receives Honorary Degree

The San Dieguito Chapter of the Brandeis National Committee will celebrate 40 years in San Diego’s North County at its first event of the year. The opening meeting/ study group luncheon will be held Wednesday, Sept. 10 at 11 a.m. at the Lomas Santa Fe Country Club. The group will briefly discuss plans for the year and then move into topics as diverse as movies, books, and philanthropy. All are invited. For more information, contact Suzie at (858) 309-8348.

Beth Israel Men’s Club Hosts Rabbi Berk

Sondra Berk, a long-time member of the American Technion Society’s San Diego Chapter Board of Directors and founding member of the Jewish Women’s Foundation of San Diego, recently received an Honorary Fellowship at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. She accepted the award in Israel, given for her leadership and dedication to the Technion and the San Diego community. She and her husband Robert have co-chaired a summer internship program for Technion students and generously supported construction projects.

The Beth Israel Men’s Club invites the San Diego community, both men and women, to their Dinner Forum on Aug. 20. Rabbi Michael Berk will report on his July trip to Israel as part of the first Rabbinic Mission offered by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Rabbi Berk joined Congregation Beth Israel as Senior Rabbi in July 2007. From 1997 to 2007, Rabbi Berk served as Regional Director, Pacific Central West Council, for the Union for Reform Judaism. He has served as Rabbi at Temple Beth Torah in Ventura, Calif., Beth Sholom Temple in Santa Monica, Calif., and as Associate Rabbi at Temple Emanu El, San Jose. Rabbi Berk was ordained in 1980 and holds a master’s degree in Hebrew letters from Hebrew Union College and a bachelor’s degree in political science from UC Berkeley. Men’s Club Dinner Forums are open to the entire San Diego community for a nominal fee that includes a deli dinner. To register for the event or get more information, contact Judi Schwartz at (858) 900-2598.

Jewish Book Fair Delegates Travel to New York

A delegation of lay leaders from the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture recently attended the Jewish Book Council Network Conference in New York City. The group had the opportunity to hear more than 225 authors speak about their new books. The delegates will assist in making recommendations for which authors to include in the 20th Annual San Diego Jewish Book Fair. The Book Fair will take place Nov. 8-16, at Temple Solel and the Lawrence Family JCC. For more information contact Marcia Tatz Wollner at marciatw@lfjcc.org. Photo caption (L-R): Bill Friedel, Judy Friedel, Nancy Lorsch, David Berke, Linda Globerson, Lynn Shauger, Phyllis Epstein, Ruth Warburg, Annette Friend, Sarah School and Marcia Tatz Wollner. Not pictured: Nancy Calderon.

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Save the Date: Tree of Life Gala

Pancreatic Cancer Walk Comes to San Diego

This year’s Jewish National Fund Gala, titled “Tree of Life,” will take place on Sept. 14 at the Beverly Hilton as part of the JNF National Conference, happening Sept. 12-15. Special guests at the gala include Gov. Jerry Brown and wife Anne Gust Brown. Gala tickets include admission to the Conference. The Conference offers the chance to meet with hundreds of committed Jewish leaders from across the country to learn about key issues in Israel. To view the National Conference program or purchase tickets for the Gala, visit jnf.org/nc.

Federation Awards $56,400 in NextGen Grants

PurpleStride San Diego will host a run/walk to raise funds and awareness about pancreatic cancer on Sept. 21 at Mission Bay Park. More than 2,000 supporters are expected to attend, participating in either the 5K timed run or the family-friendly walk through De Anza Cove. The event will benefit the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, the national organization which supports research on the disease, patient support, community outreach and advocacy for a cure. Learn more and register at purplestride.org/sandiego.

The Jewish Federation of San Diego County’s NextGen initiative recently awarded seven local Jewish organizations a total of $56,400 for programming to engage the Jewish young adult population in San Diego. Federation’s NexGen initiative aims to connect San Diego’s young adult Jews to philanthropy, Jewish heritage, and each other, through a variety of programs from organizations throughout the county. This year’s grantees include: the Friendship Circle to expand Shabbat experiences to new families; CJC In the Mix for a series of pop-up art spaces around the city; Jewish Family Service to expand volunteer opportunities for young adults; NCSY to adapt their multi-media presentation for the young adult audience; Tarbuton to build a young adult program; Chai Group to launch the speaker series “Judaism: Inside Out;” and Hillel of San Diego for a program to bridge the gap between college students and NextGen programs around the city. For more information on the grantees, visit jewishinsandiego.org/nextgensan-diego.

CHAI Missions Now Accepting Applications for Trip to Cuba

CHAI Missions, a Southern California-based nonprofit humanitarian organization with focus on the Jewish community of Cuba, is now accepting applications for its next trip to the island nation. The trip, titled “Holiday in Havana,” will take place Dec. 25-Jan. 2, 2015. Travelers will visit historic sites, museums and art galleries, as well as visit with a Cuban guide who specializes in Jewish history, hear wonderful Cuban music, and much more. The group will also meet with leaders of the Cuban Jewish community and notable educators. All missions incorporate a mitzvah component, as groups bring supplies to those in need while forging new friendships with the Jewish community in Cuba. Learn more at chaimissions.org.

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The San Dieguito Chapter of the Brandeis National Committee Brandeis enriches lives and keeps minds active through study groups, and provides lifelong friendships, special social and cultural events, and community service activities, while supporting Brandeis University research and scholars. Please join us this year. For more information, contact Suzie at 858-309-8348. The San Dieguito Chapter of the Brandeis National Committee has announced its first event of the year. The annual Opening Meeting/Study Group Showcase luncheon will be held on: Wednesday, September 10 at 11:00 a.m. at the Lomas Santa Fe Country Club, 1505 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach. Study groups (informal learning sessions which are at the heart of the organization) and several special study trips will be presented at the Showcase. Interested members of the community are especially invited to this first event of the year. For more information, please call Bea at 760-434-2465.

ISRAEL UNDER ATTACK The State of Israel is again under attack by terrorists reminding us of the profound importance of the IDF soldiers’ selfless devotion, capabilities and sacrifice. The IDF initiated Operation Protective Edge to counter thousands of rockets deliberately targeting Israeli civilians and Hamas’ continued efforts to kill or kidnap Israelis. Through its Iron Dome system and unavoidable ground offensive, the IDF has prevented Hamas from killing many Israeli civilians. The IDF’s valiant defense of the People of Israel has tragically resulted in soldiers’ deaths, injury and enormous hardship. These soldiers deserve and need our support. The FIDF’s unique purpose is to provide programs geared to directly benefit IDF soldiers in the most meaningful ways. The FIDF is also responsible for the Lone Soldier program having 3,000 young soldiers from all over the world currently serving in the IDF. Tragically, two Lone Soldiers supported by FIDF, First Sergeant Nissim Sean Carmeli, 22 (z.l.) and Sergeant Max Steinberg, 24 (z.l.) who served in an elite unit, recently perished in combat. Because only a few family members would have been present, more than 20,000 Israeli’s attended Nissim’s funeral, demonstrating Israeli’s profound appreciation for Lone Soldiers. Each and every FIDF supporter stands shoulder to shoulder with the brave soldiers carrying out dangerous and complex operations necessary to protect the State of Israel. This vital support sends an important message of U.S. support. FIDF also provides much needed care packages, R&R facilities, call centers and support for Lone Soldiers, financial assistance to families who will suffer financial hardship, and many more programs. Please send the soldiers of Israel the vital message that we have closed ranks behind them by contributing to the FIDF at www.fidf. org/donate or by calling (858) 926-3210.

AN EMOTIONAL POWERHOUSE. A GENUINELY GREAT MOVIE!

“

Beautifully shot, elegantly written, and packed with genuine wisdom.” DREW McWEENY, HITFIX

EXCELLENT! WONDERFUL! “

Zach Braff does it again! Deep, profound, heartfelt, very funny.” SCOTT MANTZ, ACCESS HOLLYWOOD

GARDEN STATE FOR GROWN UPS! “

Funny and emotionally satisfying.” BOYD VAN HOEIJ, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

“Mandy Patinkin gives a

“Emotionally rich and

TOUR DE FORCE PERFORMANCE!”

HEARTFELT!” MARA REINSTEIN, US WEEKLY

PATRICK STONER, PBS FLICKS

NOW PLAYING IN THEATERS EVERYWHERE CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATER LOCATIONS AND SHOWTIMES

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SAN DIEGO JEWISH JOURNAL AUGUST ISSUE

DIVERSIONS By Natalie Jacobs “The Honorable Woman” In late July, SundanceTV began their run of the BBC’s highly anticipated eight-part mini-series “The Honorable Woman,” starring Maggie Gyllenahaal and directed by Hugo Blick. Billed as a gripping thriller “set against an international backdrop of paranoia and espionage,” the series follows businesswoman Nessa Stein (Gyllenahaal) across eight years, in eight episodes. It begins when Stein takes over the family business, Stein Corporation, which has a history of providing munitions to the Middle East. Despite their history, Stein is trying to move the company onto higher moral ground in the telecommunications industry. What unfolds is a story about the Israel/Palestine conflict, told through the lens of a powerful family from the UK. The mini-series goes from London to the CIA in Washington, D.C., to the deserts of the Middle East as Stein attempts to right the wrongs of her family’s past. As with any good knuckleclenching drama, there is a big secret that is revealed through twisting, suspenseful and jaw-dropping scenes. Great as it sounds, it will be gone before you know it. Catch the series on Thursdays before it’s too late. Check local listing for airtime details.

“The Outrageous Sophie Tucker” The Jewish Film Fest officially gets underway on Aug. 17 with a kick-off screening of “The Outrageous Sophie Tucker.” The documentary delves into the fabulous life of iconic 1920s vaudeville star Sophie Tucker. The event will feature a reception with producers Lloyd and Susan Ecker. Tickets are available through the Jewish Film Festival box office at (858) 362-1348 or online at sdjff.org. The Jewish Film Festival is Feb. 4, 2015.

“An American Hippie in Israel” Heralded as the “most psychedelic Jewish movie ever made,” this ’70s road trip romp was recently re-released on DVD. Written, directed and produced by Israeli Amos Sefer, “Hippie” only showed briefly in theaters in 1972 but has established itself as a cult classic since it was dusted off by an Israeli film expert in 2007. Now you can experience all the debauchery and anti-war monologues for yourself. Copies available on Amazon.

“David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits and the Art of Battling Giants” Malcolm Gladwell explores assumptions of power and advantage.

“Habad Portraits Volume 2” More secrets of the most intriguing Rabbinical personalities of the 20th century.

“It Won’t Always Be This Great” Seinfeld writer explores Jewish roots in a novel about a podiatrist and criminal of the most hilarious order.

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TAKE NOTE AUGUST 1-31

by tinamarie bernard

BEST BETS

Mark your calendar. August is here and that means plenty of summer activities to appeal to a wide range of interests. Early in the month, the Gotthelf Art Gallery will host its Kick Off Event Sunday, Aug. 3 at the home of Hanna and Mark Gleiberman. The Gotthelf Art Gallery is devoted to expanding and enriching cultural life, and most artwork at the event will be available for purchase. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit sdcjc. org. The California Center for the Performing Arts in Escondido debuts “The Art of Fantasia and Other Disney Classics: The David Yaruss Collection.” These masterpieces feature hundreds of media images of all the beloved Disney characters from Pinocchio and Snow White to Peter Pan and Mickey Mouse. The exhibit ends on Sept. 7. Tickets are $8, children under 12 free. For more information, go to artcenter.org. If you’re older than 21, you’re invited to Party on the Roof with Federation. Join their annual summer social event takes place this year on Thursday, Aug. 14 from 7-10 p.m. Dietary laws will be observed for this gathering held at the beautiful Hotel Palomar in Downtown San Diego. Cost is $25 and includes a drink ticket and appetizers. To purchase tickets, visit jewishinsandiego.org. This month, the House of Israel presents Fused, a digital exhibtion of artwork representing compelling connections to Israel. Submissions answer the question: “What connects you to the land of Israel and/or to its people?” and include photographs, paintings, sculptures, drawings, poetry and more from Chistians, Jews and Muslims. Visit the House of Israel in Balboa Park every Sunday from noon-4 p.m. ArtWalk NTC @ Liberty Station will reconvene Aug. 1617 at the Naval Training Center for a weekend of art, food, live entertainment and fun for residents and visitors of all ages. This year’s event will feature more than 175 local, regional and international artists. The festival will be held at Ingram Plaza, at 2645 Historic Decatur Road and will run from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Admission is free. For additional details, visit artwalksandiego.org/ntc. Also happening the third weekend in August is the Chula Vista HarborFest. On Saturday, Aug. 16 take the kids down to South Bay for a free, family-friendly celebration. Festivities start at 11 a.m. and run into the evening at Bayside Park in the Chula Vista Marina. Enjoy four performance stages, engaging educational exhibits by the Living Coast Discovery Center, unique automobiles and wooden boats, beautiful art displays, an awesome Youth Zone, a Sustainable SeafoodFest, and Baja Wine & Spirits Garden. Learn more at cvharborfest.com. A 80 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

THE ART OF FANTASIA AND OTHER DISNEY CLASSICS: THE DAVID YARUSS COLLECTION Aug. 1-Sept. 7 Thurs.-Sat., hours vary California Center for the Arts Escondido 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido, CA 92025

PARTY ON THE ROOF WITH THE JEWISH FEDERATION Aug. 14 7-10 p.m. Hotel Palomar 1047 5th Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101

CHULA VISTA HARBORFEST Aug. 16 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Bayside Park in the Chula Vista Marina

ARTWALK NTC @ LIBERTY STATION Aug. 16-17 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Ingram Plaza at Liberty Station 2645 Historic Decatur Road San Diego, CA 92106

SAN DIEGO JEWISH

SENIOR EVENTS AUGUST 1-31

Lawrence Family JCC 4126 Executive Drive, La Jolla Contact Melanie Rubin to R.S.V.P. (858) 362-1141 Day at the Races Wednesday, Aug. 6, noon Whether your horse wins, places, or shows, everyone has fun where the surf meets the turf. Food and beverages are available for purchase, or bring your own lunch. Cost is $15 for members, $19 for nonmembers and includes bus transport and admission and a Clubhouse seat. Evening Social Bridge Tuesdays, 7 p.m. For intermediate and advanced players, Chicago scoring, bring a partner. Cost is $2 for members, $3 nonmembers. Feldenkrais (Awareness through Movement) Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. Class is designed to minimize strain on bones and joints. Cost is $7 for members, $12 for nonmembers. 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. Paradise Village 2700 E. 4th St. Call (858) 521-8694 Jewish War Veterans meetings Second Sunday of each month, 10 a.m. Preceded by a bagel/lox/herring breakfast at 9:45 a.m. Greater San Diego Post 185. 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 Bingo, Exercise, Lunch and Music with Keyboard Player, Raymond Wednesday, Aug. 13, 10 a.m. Reservations required. Open House and Family Day Tuesday, Aug. 19, 10 a.m. Experience a day at the University City Older Adult Center. Family members are encouraged to join their loved ones. Reservations required. Cost is $10. On the Go excursions A program of Jewish Family Service, On the Go provides transportation to events throughout the county for

JFS UNIVERSITY CITY OLDER ADULT CENTER For information, call Aviva Saad (858) 550-5998 Experience a day at the University City Older Adult Center. Family members are encouraged to join their loved ones. Reservations required. Cost is $10. homebound seniors. For information on any of these excursions, please call (858) 637-7320. Twilight in the Park Concert Series: Real Jazz Big Band, Balboa Park. Tuesday, Aug. 19. Bus leaves at 4:45 p.m. Tall Ships Spectator Cruise at the San Diego Embarcadero Thursday, Aug. 28. Bus leaves at 9:45 a.m. JFS No. County Inland Center 15905 Pomerado Road, Poway Call Melinda Wynar at (858) 674-1123 for details. R.S.V.P. for lunch by Monday at 12:30 p.m. Broadway Bound: Broadway show tunes with vocalist/guitarist, Peter Seltser Monday, Aug. 4, 11 a.m. Raoul Wallenberg and the Rescue of Hungary’s Jews with Professor Lawry Baron Monday, Aug. 11, 11 a.m. In Defense of the Book with historian, Mark Carlson. Wednesday, August 12, 11 a.m. JFS Coastal Club at Temple Solel 3575 Manchester Ave., Cardiff by the Sea Call Melinda Wynar at (858) 674-1123 for details. R.S.V.P. for lunch by Monday at 12:30 p.m. The Operas of Puccini with Erica Miner Tuesday, Aug. 12, 11 a.m. After Ansel Adams with Kevin Linde of the Museum of Photographic Arts Tuesday, Aug. 19, 11 a.m. Jewels in America’s Crown: Yosemite; Yellowstone and Crater Lake with historian, Mark Carlson Tuesday, Aug. 26 from 11a.m. JFS College Avenue Center 4855 College Ave., San Diego Call (858) 637-3270 for details or to R.S.V.P. Arts and Crafts with the Friendship Circle Wednesday, Aug. 13, 11 a.m. David Amos presents: The Music Played On Thursday, Aug. 14, 12:45 p.m. Discover familiar orchestral pieces and works from the 17th and 18th centuries with David Amos, conductor of the Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra. Tony De Torre Friday, Aug. 22 at 12:30 p.m. Tony De Toree returns for a summer show. A

Av •Elul 5774 l SDJewishJournal.com 81

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SAN DIEGO JEWISH COMMUNITY OBITUARIES Arrangements by Am Israel Mortuary

ALL SERVICES ALREADY HELD Elizabeth Karten – Del Mar 6/14/1942-4/30/2014 Survivors: husband, Harvey Karten; sons, Daniel, Joseph and Seth Karten; and two grandchildren Monica Aroeste – San Diego 1/24/1965-5/1/2014 Survivors: husband, Jose Aroeste; Daughter, Natalie Estella Aroeste; sons, Alberto and Alexander Aroeste Benjamin Rosen – San Diego 10/29/1916-5/2/2014 Survivors: wife, Betty Rosen; and son, Harvey Rosen Michelle Busch – Spring Valley 6/21/1969-5/8/2014 Survivors: brother, Brian Wiseman Mendel Flaster – San Diego 4/23/1920-5/08/2014 84 SDJewishJournal.com l August 2014

Survivors: daughter, Helen Flaster; sons, Abie and Sammy Flaster; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren

11/13/1927 – 5/14/2014 Survivors: sons, Steve and Bruce Davis; seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

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Jennifer Stern – La Jolla 4/17/1942-5/17/2014 Survivors: sons, Gary and David Stein

Ruth Kass – El Cajon 4/18/1928-5/12/2014 Survivors: husband, Harold Kass Karen Natkin – San Diego 9/20/1927-5/12/2014 Survivors: brother, Edward Schwartz Sigrid Fischer – San Diego 11/23/1920-5/14/2014 Survivors: daughters, Sylvia Geffen, Susan Morris and Diane Hickman; and six grandchildren Floraine Davis – Chula Vista

Bernice Schumer – San Diego 6/19/1924-5/18/2014 Survivors: daughter, Marsha Schumer; sons, Ira and Sol Schumer Lorraine Allen – San Diego 1/1/1933-5/21/2014 Survivors: daughter Alana Allen; and sons Joe and Rick Allen Delores Timmons – Palm Dessert 12/6/1931-5/25/2104 Survivors: son, Michael Brownstein; one grandchild and two great-grandchildren

George Birnbaum – Coronado 8/2/1920-5/25/2104 Survivors: son, Dr. Gary Birnbaum Ethel Baron – Mission Viejo 2/15/1920-5/27/2014 Survivors: sons, Arthur and Martin Baron Kathryn Simkin – Rancho Sante Fe 11/2/1953-5/27/2014 Survivors: husband, Murry Simkin; daughter, Gayl Simkin; sons, Jordan and Ryan Simkin; and three grandchildren Phyllis Mazer – Poway 4/22/1931-5/27/2014 Survivors: sons, ted, Stuart and Bruce Mazer; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren

desert life

PALM SPRINGS by Pamela Price

pamprice57@gmail.com

Reel On

PHOTO COURTESY SHORT FEST

Jewish films dominate the screen all year round

“Raquel: A Marked Woman”

“Y

ou Don’t Have to be Jewish” was the well chosen title for the 20th Annual Palm Springs International Short Fest this year. The marathon event, featuring film screenings across seven days, was recently held at the Camelot Theatre in Palm Springs. Showcasing 320 films from more than 50 countries, Harold Matzner, chairman of the festival, reported that this annual program is “the largest event of its kind in the world.” The diverse short films screened throughout the week ranged from 10-34 minutes, all playing to a full house. Throughout the course of the week, one documentary stood out as the most unusual. “Raquel: A Marked Woman,” an American film produced by Gabriela Bohn, delved into a Jewish prostitution ring operated by the Zvi Migdal. This Jewish organization was ruthlessly operated by men, mostly from Poland, who set up their lewd and violent business in Argentina during the 1920s. Raquel Liberman, herself an immigrant from Poland, became a victim of this criminal organization after she lost her husband and subsequently left her two sons in another city in order to look for work. Despite her situation

in the Zvi Migdal prostitution camp, Liberman was assertive and took her case to court upon her escape, despite threats against her life. Myself and my guests were astonished at this untold Jewish/Argentinian history. After watching this rather astounding documentary, the remaining films, “The Man Who Buried His Own Leg,” directed by Sarah Lefton; “7 Day Gig,” directed by Kate Marks; “Goat to Hell,” directed by Roi Calvo; and “Mirror Image,” directed by Danielle Schwartz, while clever and humorous, did not hold my attention as rapt as “Raquel.” The stunning fact overarching the whole festival was that the emergence of Jewish films with themes relevant beyond the community are on the rise. With that in mind, I spoke to Dee Helfgott, a Desert resident and Jewish film maven, about her ongoing series of Jewish films screened at Cinemas Palme d’Or, The Grand Prix of Cinemas, located at Westfield Palm Desert. Helfgott launched a Jewish Film Festival at these theatres in November, 2008, jumpstarting an important program that now brings an ongoing repertoire of Jewish films to the Desert. The website, CelebrationofJewishFilm.com,

started in conjunction with the festival, has met with an impressive response as well. The screenings are now part of the the Coachella Valley art scene since the recent smashing season that showcased such titles such as “Aftermath,” “The Zig Zag Kid,” “Re-Emerging: The Jews of Nigeria,” “The Jewish Cardinal,” “Bethlehem,” “AKA Doc Pomus,” and my personal favorite, “Dancing in Jaffa” (directed by Hilla Medalia) which concluded the series on May 2. Helgott says that it is important to note that these stories of Jewish life have been seen by many non-Jewish filmgoers and that the audience outside the Jewish community is growing. A prime example of that growth is the ’50s film “AKA Doc Pomus,” a biographical documentary based on songs composed by Jerome Felder, a man credited as a founder of rock ’n’ roll, known for his legendary songs “Save the Last Dance for Me” and “This Magic Moment.” For the growing number of fans discovering the realm of Jewish films, there are magic moments in these revealing documentaries, real-life stories that are equally entertaining and educational. A

Av •Elul 5774 l SDJewishJournal.com 85

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Emily Young and Noah Brody. Photo by Jim Cox.

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September 3 – 28, 2014

April 15 – May 10, 2015

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Oct. 15 – Nov. 9, 2014

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Nearing the end of his life, Sigmund Freud has a final visitor, the writer and former atheist C.S. Lewis. The result is a lively debate touching on love, religion, politics and life. Mark St. Germain infuses this fictional meeting with gentle humor and sharp dialogue. A must-see for the discerning theatre-lover.

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Gunmetal Blues

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Neil Simon’s Chapter Two Directed by David Ellenstein

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