January 2026

JANUARY 2026 | TEVET • SHEVAT 5786

San Diego Museum of Art Celebrates 100 Years

+

Caring for Our Holocaust Survivors

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Contents

PUBLISHERS

Mark Edelstein and Dr. Mark Moss

JANUARY 2026 | TEVET • SHEVAT 5786

EDITOR

Susan Edelstein ASSISTANT EDITOR

Makayla Hoppe

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Donna D’Angelo

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Eileen Sondak

20

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Emily Bartell, Linda Bennett, Andrea Simantov, Trevor James McNeil, Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort, Galia Miller Sprung, Micah Siva, Lisa McGuigan CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR

Pepe Fainberg

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES

Alan Moss | Palm Springs

22

27

EDITORIAL

editor@sdjewishjournal.com ADVERTISING

marke@sdjewishjournal.com

Features 20 Caring for Our Holocaust Survivors 22 A Hundred Years Finer 25 Soldiering On and On and On 27 Finding the Essence Through Downsizing 30 Rob Reiner Urged Resilience for Holocaust Survivor Event

Columns 11 From the Editor | 2026 — The Year of Resilience 16 Israeli Lifestyle | Because Jews 18 Literature | Kiddin’ Around

Every Issue 12 Our Town 14 News & Notes 32 Food 34 Local Arts Cover: Art of East Asia at San Diego Museum of Art. Photo by Larny Mack.

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CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS

ronniew@sdjewishjournal.com ART DEPARTMENT

art@sdjewishjournal.com LISTINGS & CALENDAR

assistant@sdjewishjournal.com SDJJ is published monthly by San Diego Jewish Journal, LLC. Subscription rate is $24 for one year (12 issues). Send subscription requests to SDJJ, 122 15th Street, PO Box 421, Del Mar Ca 92014. 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 ©2026 by San Diego Jewish Journal. The San Diego Jewish Journal is a member of the American Jewish Press Association and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

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SUSAN EDELSTEIN

2026 –The Year of Resilience Let’s declare 2026 the Year of Resilience — just thinking this can make one stand taller, feel stronger, and let’s face it, we need to display resilience.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is January 27, 2026, a day to honor the resilience of the Jewish people. The resilience of our Holocaust Survivors is unparalleled, and in this issue, we honor and celebrate them and we let you know what they and Jewish Family Service are up to.

The San Diego Museum of Art will celebrate its centennial year on February 28, 2026.

This beloved cornerstone of our community has given us 100 years of ‘joy through art,’ and has created in us a sense of pride in its beauty and significance. It takes resilience to grow such a museum.

The climate of our current times will take resilience to navigate and keep living with joy. Rabbi Eilfort, the ultimate uplifter, says, “The way we fight darkness is by spreading light. Light and positivity are our secret weapons. The answer to darkness is more and more and more light. The Jewish people are known to be obstinate. That is sometimes a very good thing.”

Our Andrea Simantov says of Israel today, “Allow me to let you in on a little secret, one that separates the hand-wringers from the arm-wavers: Israel intends to survive, thrive and light the way...Israel is a Phoenix risen from the ashes of the 20th century’s greatest shame.”

Galia Sprung, recalling her beloved UCLA says, “The school where I once walked freely as a Jew, where I joined scores of students in Israeli folk dancing and observed holidays, has become a place where Jewish students are targets...” Appalled when her granddaughter applied, the response was, “‘We have to stand up to the antisemites who want to control the universities. We have to fight back.’ He’s right of course. That’s what our legacy demands.”

Perhaps Rob Reiner’s recorded message to this year’s Claims Conference says it all: “I know the theme of the evening is resilience, and if ever we needed to be resilient, it’s now,” he said. “We’re living in a time where what’s happening in our country is scary and reminiscent of what we’ve seen happen in the past, and we just hope that we can all survive this and that we can hold on to our democracy...let’s be resilient.” A

Tevet–Shevat 5786 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 11

Our Town

BY LINDA BENNETT & EMILY BARTELL

On Nov. 2, we attended the FIDF (Friends of the Israel Defense Forces) Solidity Dinner. Nadav Padan, Head of FIDF in America, and a number of IDF soldiers spoke on the heroic efforts of the Home Front Command.

Some enjoying the evening were Marlene Bellamy and Don Maescher, Michelle and Danny Recht, Janet Rostovsky, Lori and Jonathan Roth, Rabbi Levi Raskin, Nicole and Brian Blocher, Ruth Gold, Alexis and Steven Larky, Nancie and Rick Vann, Candace Lagnado, Ali Edelman, Claire and David Ellman, Sharona and Yehuda Bock, and Mindy Gold.

The Jewish Community Foundation’s Jewish Women’s Foundation of San Diego (JWF) hosted a reception and double-feature movie day on Nov. 4 at the LFJCC. During this well-attended event, we viewed “The Joyce Short Film Series” and a screening of “The Property.”

Some enjoying the evening along with us were Paula Bernstein, Silvana Christy, Anne Sloop, Sharon Leib, Debbie Carnick, Marsha Sutton, Bobbi Cohen, Howie Dworkin, and Amy Stern.

Mazel Tov to Leif Peterson on being called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah at Temple EmanuEl on Oct. 18 by Rabbi Devorah Marcus and Rabbi Benj Fried. Leif is the son of Jennifer and Mark Peterson and brother of Cole (10 yrs). Proud grandparents are Beth and Marc Mann.

Mazel Tov to Morganne Sigismonti and Hillel Rubin on their marriage. The ceremony on Oct. 19 at the Secret Garden in Rancho Santa Fe, was officiated by Rabbi Devorah Marcus and Rabbi Marty Lawson of Temple EmanuEl. Proud parents are Cathy and James Sigismonti, and Kathy Robbins and Jan Statman ( ).

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Save The Date: Sunday, 1/11/26, 11:00 am: 36th Annual San Diego International Jewish Film Festival Sneak Peek Day.

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News & Notes

Photo: James D. Morgan/Getty Images.

Photo: Roman März, Jewish Museum Berlin.

COMPILED BY SUSAN EDELSTEIN

Exhibition Immerses Listeners In Voices From The Holocaust

by Andrew Silow-Carroll, JTA News A new exhibit at the New York Historical, “The Recordings: Voices from the ‘Shoah’ Tapes,” begins with a statement from Louise Mirrer, the Manhattan museum’s president and CEO. The exhibit features recordings made by and for filmmaker Claude Lanzmann in the 1970s as he prepared what would become his monumental 1985 documentary “Shoah.”

“This is a very unusual exhibition — almost exclusively audio,” said Mirrer.

“We are at the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the 40th anniversary of ‘Shoah,’ and what would have been Claude Lanzmann’s 100th birthday. With rising antisemitism, the occasion demands that we rethink how we confront hate in the present. Listening to these tapes makes clear that history can, in fact, repeat itself.”

14 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM January 2026

Sydney Opera House lit by giant menorah as vigils for Bondi Beach victims take place across Australia More than 1,000 people gathered for a vigil on behalf of the 15 people killed in the Hanukkah attack.

by Grace Gilson, JTA News The Sydney Opera House was illuminated by a large menorah on Dec. 15, a solemn tribute to the 15 lives lost the previous day in an antisemitic terror attack that rocked Australia’s Jewish community.

The projected menorah, displayed on the iconic opera house’s largest sail, was called for by the premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns.

“Lighting the Opera House is a simple but powerful gesture: a message to the world that we cherish our Jewish community, that we honour

their courage, and that we stand with them in solidarity and love,” Minns said in a statement. “Tonight, those candles are a symbol of resilience and a reminder that even in darkness, we choose to stand with one another.”

The light of the menorah was one of several acts of remembrance that sprung up across Australia on Monday, a day after two terrorists opened fire on a ChabadHanukkah event on Bondi Beach, killing 15 and injuring at least 40.

Photo courtesy Joint Distribution Committee.

In India, my Jewish community celebrates Hanukkah not with fear, but in belonging

CBS Mornings co-anchor Tony Dokoupil (r) challenges author Ta-Nehisi Coates about Israel in a controversial on-air interview.

Bari Weiss names Tony Dokoupil, who defended Israel on-air in closely scrutinized interview, to top CBS News anchor job

Latkes come with a side of masala chai and Bollywood dancing in Mumbai.

by Nissim Pingle, JTA News

Dokoupil’s sparring match with Ta-Nahisi Coates divided CBS leadership at the time.

by Andrew Lapin, JTA News Bari Weiss, the polarizing new editorin-chief of CBS News, has named the longtime network personality Tony Dokoupil to anchor the evening news chair, in a potential sign of how Weiss’ pro-Israel views may be reshaping the network’s news priorities.

The move came amid a rash of prominent vacancies at the venerable network since new Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison, who is also Jewish and pro-Israel, appointed Weiss top editor earlier this year.

The elevation of Dokoupil is notable in the aftermath of his debate with

bestselling author Ta-Nehisi Coates about Israel in a viral interview last fall that was rebuked by CBS top brass at the time, prior to Ellison’s appointment.

“We live in a time in which many people have lost trust in the media.

Tony Dokoupil is the person to win it back,” Weiss said in a statement announcing the move. “That’s because he believes in old school journalistic values: asking the hard questions, following the facts wherever they lead and holding power to account.

Americans hungry for fairness will see that on display night after night.”

Amid the rumbling vibrancy of Mumbai, a city of 27 million within a country of 1.5 billion, lies my small yet mighty community where everyone knows each other. We enjoy the everyday treasures of our Indian culture, from Bollywood dancing to savory foods. Our friends and neighbors celebrate Diwali in all its richness and spirit, and we, too, celebrate a festival of lights. It just happens a few weeks later and is called Chanukah.

Indian Jews have always been a tiny community, but knowing we are part of a global Jewish family spread across continents yet connected by tradition, values and shared history gives us a profound sense of belonging.

Tevet–Shevat 5786 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 15

ISRAELI LIFESTYLE

LIVING ON THE FRONT PAGE

by Andrea Simantov | andreasimantov@gmail.com

Because Jews

H

anukkah on Bondi Beach.

Manchester Yom Kippur attack. Paris Holocaust Memorial vandalised. Washington, D.C. Embassy shooting. Rabbi murdered in United Arab Emirates.

Crown Heights stabbing. Synagogue Arson in Athens. Because Oct. 7, 2023? Uh, no. Because Jews.

While organizing some facts for this article, I amassed 28 pages (photos removed), singlespaced, 12-point Ariel font of global antisemitic incidents since Hamas waged war on Israel on that Simchat Torah morning where dancers, revelers, shul-goers and farmers either slept, worked or prayed. Twenty-eight exhaustive pages that are available to anyone who is as self-punitive and sleepless as me. Name a country where Jews have contributed and thrived, and I’ll show you marches and swastikas and physical attacks that seemed unimaginable on May 8, 1945, the day that Germany unconditionally surrendered. But even more stunning?

Show me a country where Jews have not lived for hundreds of years and I’ll still show you marches and swastikas and calls for globalizing the Intifada. Because Oct. 7, 2023? Uh, no. Because Jews.

My head is pounding as I write these words. Where to start? The war supposedly ended, but we still keep the phone open on Shabbat in case of sirens and instructions to enter the bomb shelter. For the first time in my

16 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM January 2026

life, I heard that American friends did not place menorahs in their windows for fear of repercussions. Jewish restaurants are under siege and their patrons are terrified—yes, TERRIFIED—of potential ramifications that might accompany an evening out. And don’t anyone dare tell me that I’m exaggerating. Because when a Torah-observant college student cannot safely wear a kippah or tzitzit while attending classes at an erstwhile respected Ivy League institution, both that institution and our entire society have lost their way.

Allow me to let you in on a little secret, one that separates the

hand-wringers from the arm-wavers: Jews cherish life, and Israel intends to survive, thrive and light the way. That “eternalvictimhood” thing has run its course and, despite the West’s furious downward spiral into the hands of hate-mongers, gay bashers, wielders of child-shields, wife killers, public executioners, suicide bombers, female genital mutilators, loathers of civil discourse and free enterprise, Israel will flourish. It is the reason she was reborn, infused in 1948 with defiance and righteous purpose; a Phoenix risen from the ashes of the 20th century’s greatest shame.

Israel wants to live while, seemingly, the West wants to die. For what other reason would civilized nations permit— no, EMBRACE— a tsunami of aberrant values that stand in direct opposition to the ones that birthed their flawed-butdemocratic societies? Countries that once stood proud against tyranny and oppression have unfurled the red carpet, paying terrified homage to these most ungrateful houseguests who not only continues on page 19 >>

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LITERATURE

WRITTEN IN FIRE

by Trevor James McNeil

tremcneil1980@gmail.com

Kiddin’ Around

T

he idea of cutesy mawkishness in children’s fiction is a relatively new idea, invented not too long after children stopped working in mines.

It was also only a blip before it started to be challenged. The stark, often brutal realities of the Edwardian era started to be reflected in the works of authors like Edward Gorey. Less well known than Gorey but no less important in terms of the significant cultural shift was the American artist and author Sheldon Allan “Shel” Silverstein.

Born in the summer of 1930 in the historically working-class area of Albany Park in Chicago, Silverstein’s father, Nathan, was a Jewish immigrant from Russia escaping the Soviet regime, and his mother, Helen, was a Hungarian Jew getting out of Eastern Europe while the getting was still good. Getting to America was a narrow escape, but the Silversteins turned out to be the victims of bad timing, opening their family bakery at the beginning of the Great Depression.

An innately artistic type, Silverstein first showed this proclivity at the age of seven, tracing the work of Al Capp, the author of the popular newspaper comic strip “Li’l Abner.” Self-aware about his own ambitions and limitations, by the time he was a teen, he would have preferred to have been a good baseball player or popular with girls, but faced the realities of his lack of athletic prowess and utter inability to dance without risking injury, and instead stuck with what he was good at, honing his drawing and storytelling skills.

18 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM January 2026

A stark commentary on the realities of life, Silverstein’s best known book, “The Giving Tree,” had a hard time finding a publisher...

Generally, without heroes or influences, the type of work he was doing was more or less new to the world.

Silverstein was able to carve his own path and find his own style that stood out in terms of the market at the time.

His first success came relatively early, with his first publication appearing in the student newspaper The Roosevelt Torch while attending Roosevelt University. An undeclared student of the truest kind, he then moved to the University of Illinois for one semester before transferring again to the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts before being drafted in 1953 to serve in the later stages of the Korean War, effectively ending his academic career.

A grafter to the core, Silverstein kept working; his first official job was at the military newspaper Pacific Stars and

Stripes, where he was first assigned to oversee the layouts. His first published book, 1955’s “Take Ten,” was a collection of his Stars and Stripes cartoons.

His second book, “Grab Your Socks,” published a year later in 1956, was along the same lines, collecting his previously published cartoons.

Getting himself a day job as many artists are required to do, Silverstein became a staff cartoonist at the very early version of Playboy magazine in 1957, when Hugh Hefner was more known for a preppy suit-and-tie style before shifting to his infamous “pajama chic.” Silverstein was still working there when he published his next collection of magazine cartoons titled “Now Here’s My Plan.”

Silverstein’s first publication of original work was the adult-market book, “Uncle Shelby’s ABZ Book.” Published in 1960, “Uncle Shelby’s” is a satirical take on traditional alphabet books, similar in general spirit to Gorey’s “The Gashlycrumb Tinies,” even though Gorey actually intended “Gashlycrumb” to be for kids.

The first of the children’s books for which Silverstein would become known, “Lafcadio: The Lion Who Shot Back,” was published by Harper & Row in 1963.

Maintaining the irreverent humor shown in his earlier cartoon work, “Lafcadio” was one of the first milestones in the shift away from the trend in saccarine or exclusively educational material in children’s publishing at the time. continues on next page >>

Literature continued A stark commentary on the realities of life, Silverstein’s best known book, “The Giving Tree,” had a hard time finding a publisher before Harper & Row finally went for it. No one had really seen anything like it before, and the story was deemed to be too depressing for children and not sophisticated enough for adults, leaving it in a sort of no man’s land in terms of market niche.

The conceptual middle-ground of many of his books was something Silverstein acknowledged, once stating, “I never planned to write or draw for kids. It was Tomi Ungerer, a friend of mine, who instead practically dragged me kicking and screaming, into Ursula Nordstrom’s office. And she convinced

me that Tomi was right; I could do children’s books.”

Convinced of his own abilities, Silverstein released several more books marketed to children, including “Who Wants A Cheap Rhinoceros” (1964), “Uncle Shelby’s Zoo: Don’t Go Bump The Glump! and Other Fantasies” (1964), “Where the Sidewalk Ends” (1974), “The Missing Piece” (1976), “Falling Up” (1996) and “Draw A Skinny Elephant” (1998), all rendered in Silverstein’s distinctive, stark, deceptively simple black and white illustration style, adding to the inherent, slightly dark, existential satire of many of his books.

Silverstein became so popular not even death could stop him. Despite

leaving the world after a heart attack in 1999, no less than four of his works, three original and one reissue, have been released by HarperCollins well into the 21st century, with the most recent, “Runny Babbit Returns,” published in 2017. A Growing up in the far north, Trevor James McNeil had little to do other than read when the temperature went below 40 Celsius, and he developed an affinity for stories of all sorts.

Graduating from the University of Victoria in 2009, he has been reading and writing in a professional capacity since. He lives in a cabin in the woods with his dog, and firmly believes The Smiths would have been better as a trio.

Israeli Lifestyle continued defecate in the homes of their naive hosts but, in fact, pray for their demise. The irony is nearly comedic, were it not for the accompanying tragedy. To dumb it down a tad, the wolf is no longer at the door; he has moved in and is pushing you aside.

Tacit blessings were all he needed.

Limping out of the charmingly-named Holiday of Lights, it is imperative to realize that despite pluralistic attempts to morph the holiday into a ‘Jewish Christmas,’ Hanukkah was born of a refusal to assimilate and, ultimately, disappear.

What has happened to us that we are uncomfortable with saying “No”? Parents struggle with it, educators may pay a price by employing it and clergy keeps watering down doctrine until it is diluted to feel-good ambiguity.

Standing at the cusp of a new Gregorian year, we have an opportunity to make miracles happen. Not waiting for some magical splitting of the Red Sea or discovering a small flask of pure oil that inexplicably lasts for eight nights. The relationship with G-d is one of partnership, a relationship where miracles are not awaited but forged. Courage coupled with moral vision are critical for the societal challenges that lie ahead. Wimps needn’t apply. Our existence depends on such bravery. Take a page from Israel. Being liked is less rewarding than being alive. A New York-born Andrea Simantov moved to Israel 29 years ago. She is a small-business owner and both a print and media journalist. Her popular podcast, “Pull Up a Chair,” is produced by Israel News Talk Radio.

She can be reached at andrea@israelnewstalkradio.com.

Tevet–Shevat 5786 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 19

Caring for Our Holocaust Survivors

by Jean Walcher

E

ach year on Jan. 27, Holocaust Remembrance Day asks us to pause, to mourn, and to promise: Never again. But remembrance alone is not enough. All around us, the last living Holocaust Survivors—now in their late 80s, 90s, and even centenarians—are quietly facing the challenges of aging, often without the family, resources, or the supportive care they need. They are among the most vulnerable members of our community, yet they carry the heaviest histories. Our responsibility to them is not symbolic. It is deeply human, it is moral.

On Holocaust Remembrance Day in 2021, Jewish Family Service published a book titled “Life Lessons,” a collection of interviews conducted with 44 Holocaust Survivors to “honor their

20 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM January 2026

legacies and affirm that their stories and experiences will live on to inform and inspire others.” JFS grows its own legacy with its devotion to Survivors of whom there are about 500 in the San Diego area, providing compassionate, trauma-informed care that honors Survivors’ full stories—stories of loss, strength, displacement, rebuilding and resilience. These aren’t just services; they are lifelines. They are reminders to Survivors that they are seen, valued and never alone.

Laura’s Story Laura’s life began in wartime Odessa, after Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941. Her survival as an infant—while her family fled to Siberia in a packed cattle car—was possible only

because a stranger saw that her mom was starving and could no longer feed Laura and helped feed her by bringing fresh milk.

Growing up Jewish in the Soviet Union meant enduring harsh discrimination. She was beaten by classmates, shut out from universities, and urged to change her name to hide her identity. Laura explains, “While many things could humiliate me, no one could take away my Jewish identity.” After years of attempting to leave, she and her husband finally immigrated to the United States in 1991.

Laura arrived in Kansas, and for two decades she devoted her career as a social worker to helping refugees, families, and other Survivors. When she later moved to San Diego, life dealt new blows: breast

FEATURE

2025 Rosh Hashanah Challah Bake — Holocaust Survivors making challahs with teens. Photos courtesy Jewish Family Service.

cancer, then the loss of her husband.

Alone and grieving, Laura found comfort and connection at JFS. Now nearing 85, she fills her days with yoga, dance fitness and meaningful social groups. “Being social means the world to me,” she said.

“These activities keep me strong in body and spirit and remind me there is still so much to enjoy. Looking back,” she says, “resilience and hope have always been part of my life.”

Luba’s Story Lyubov “Luba” Geller also carries memories of wartime childhood in Ukraine, which came under German occupation in 1941. She remained in Kiev until 1990, when she and her children emigrated to San Diego, arriving with no community and little support. When she discovered JFS, she thought, “My people are alive,” Luba shared. “They make me feel strong, give me the ability to still have joy in my life, and help me look forward to things. Most importantly, I have someone to call if I need

Laura, left; Luba at right.

something — that makes me feel safe.”

With that safety has come a renewed willingness to share her story. This fall, Luba joined fellow Survivors for a private challah bake with local high school students.

As they braided dough together, the Survivors opened up about their pasts, giving teens a rare and profound opportunity to sit face-to-face where they shared life experiences and advice.

“Aging comes with physical and emotional challenges, and these are often compounded for Survivors due to trauma, language barriers or isolation,” Cally Clein, director of JFS’s Holocaust

Survivor programs, explained. “We wrap them in a community of support that lets them know they are not alone and deserve compassion and dignity.” A

To determine if a San Diego resident qualifies for the Supporting Our Survivors (SOS) program, call Jewish Family Service at (858) 637-3018. Orange County residents can call (949) 435-3460. For volunteer opportunities, visit jfssd.org/volunteer or to donate, visit jfssd.org.

Tevet–Shevat 5786 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 21

A Hundred Years Finer

T

he Fine Arts Gallery of San Diego opened to the public on Feb. 28, 1926, as part of the Panama–California Exposition. Three thousand visitors explored the new gallery, taking in the “plateresque” architecture and growing collection of fine art. Today, the gallery is known as the San Diego Museum of Art, and the museum is hosting a fun and festive centennial celebration in 2026. From lavish birthday cake tastings to free live performances, the museum is pulling out all the stops for visitors to the museum and Balboa Park.

“One hundred years is a lot of time; it’s a fabulous moment to look backwards and see what has happened,” said Roxana

22 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM January 2026

by Makayla Hoppe Velásquez, Maruja Baldwin Executive Director and CEO. “What the San Diego Museum of Art has brought to this community is joy through art, and it has indeed brought the best representation of art in the world to San Diego through exhibitions, acquisitions and workshops.

But of course, it has also created a sense of pride and a sense of ownership for this community.”

The Gallery The centennial celebration begins with SDMA 100 Years, a new exhibition opening on Jan. 24. Featuring photographs, ephemera and film footage, the exhibition will explore the museum’s growth and changes over its 100-year history. SDMA

will also pay tribute to the indigenous lands on which the museum stands by opening the exhibition with antique photographsof Kumeyaay villages in the area.

Also debuting Jan. 24 is Local Visions: Reimagining the Façade. Artists from around the country brought their own interpretations and visions of what SDMA’s iconic Spanish Colonial Revival façade could be. “The response to the call was remarkable, with an inspiring range of proposals that demonstrated the depth of talent in our community,” the museum stated.

On May 16, SDMA will present Forging a Legacy: 15 Years of Landmark Acquisitions. This exhibition celebrates some of the museum’s finest works.

FEATURE

museum will also feature family-friendly art-making activities and artist and community-hosted booths. To top it all off, the museum will offer free admission to the gallery on Feb. 28 as part of the centennial celebration.

Photos courtesy San Diego Museum of Art. Photo insets, facing page.

LEFT: Fine Arts Gallery and Plaza de Panama with the Arch of the Future during the California Pacific International Exposition, 1935. © San Diego History Center. RIGHT: Rendering of the The San Diego Museum of Art West Wing. Renovation concept design by Foster + Partners.

“Forging a Legacy is maybe the most spectacular project of the year,” Roxana said. “It will showcase around 140 or 150 pieces of art that have been acquired in the recent 15 or 17 years. It’s going to be jaw-dropping and eye-opening; I can just mention donations like oils by Pablo Picasso and Claude Monet, which are, of course, the biggest names that everybody knows. But we will also be showcasing the great old masters: Lucas Cranach, Francisco de Zurbarán and Joaquín Sorolla, who is a very beloved artist for this community.”

A Birthday Fest to Remember The centennial celebration brings more than just exhibitions. On Feb. 28,

The Cake Party will feature some of San Diego’s best bakeries for cake tastings and a champagne toast. The ticketed event will include live music and more.

“As you know, we have been working for the future—the next 100 years,” Roxana said, “We will be revealing important data about our next expansion

by Norman Foster, so people will find activities, music, ballet performances, wonderful food and on top of it all, the cake.”

Additionally, the museum will hold a birthday edition of their popular community program, On the Steps at SDMA. The event will include live music and dance performances, free to visitors of Balboa Park. The front steps of the

Building the Future The next 100 years will bring an expansion to the West wing of the museum. Designed by Foster + Partners, the new building will double SDMA’s display area. The space will not only help reduce the museum’s environmental impact but also provide free, open access to visitors through the Community Engagement Pavilion.

Pieces in the expansion will include the Asian collections, featuring art from Japan, Korea, China and more.

Sculptures and contemporary art will also fill up the new space, both inside and out.

“Architecture is also one of the highest considered pieces of art,” Roxana said. “Everything will be done for the community. Our big dream is to open up the spaces for everyone, continue free days and free access—this is what we would like to achieve.”

The San Diego Museum of Art is one of Balboa Park’s cornerstones and a pillar of the museum community. The centennial event celebrates the artwork and the contributions to San Diego’s culture.

“I just hope to continue this path of excellence,” Roxana said. “I hope that everybody could tell the next generations what happened during these first 100 years, but how this art and this conversation and dialogue through art will make us a better community.” A

Visit sdmart.org/centennial for further information.

Tevet–Shevat 5786 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 23

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FEATURE

Soldiering On and On and On

by Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort

A

nother unprovoked and horrid attack, this time perpetrated against our brothers and sisters in Australia, calls for action. Action is a must. Hand-ringing will not get the job done.

We woke up early Sunday, Dec. 14, anticipating the Festival of Lights, our beloved Chanukah, which began that evening. This year we went all out preparing our giant menorahs, our hundreds of dreidels, our Chanukah signs and lights, and lots and lots of Chanukah ‘swag’. We were looking forward to an absolutely packed schedule. And then the terrible news from Australia reached us, and in an instant, our joy turned to grief.

The answer to darkness is more and more light.

First and foremost, we directed our prayers to the victims of this evil attack. May the wounded have a Refuah Shelaimah, a complete and speedy recovery. May the martyrs’ souls ascend on high, and be enveloped by the Divine Light and Energy, and enjoy an enlightened Heaven/Gan Eden.

May they be advocates for blessings for their families, communities and all the Jewish people. And may their families,

communities, and all the Jewish people be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. The phone calls from the local news media came in fast and furiously. They wanted to know if we are scared, if we are canceling our Chanukah events, are we enhancing our security, did we know anyone who was there during the attack, how does it make us feel, etc.? Emails, texts, calls and personal visits from friends, neighbors and community members started pouring in. Many, many people looking for answers and inspiration reached out.

To say it was a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts would be a massive understatement. Worldwide Jewry has continues on next page >>

Tevet–Shevat 5786 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 25

Soldiering On continued (again) been traumatized by this attack.

What are we to make of this persistent Jew-hatred? What can we do about it?

What is it that would provoke people to murder innocents? What is their goal?

Why attack people celebrating light and life? Why try to destroy happiness and positivity? In this case, their goal is to advance jihad, an Arabic word that means holy war. This is what ‘Globalize the Intifada’ means in real time in the real world. The first target is the Jewish people. Their next target is the Christians. Then will come others they deem to be infidels, including fellow Muslims who do not practice Islam exactly as they do. There is no tolerance for any divergent opinions or practices.

What there is, is hatred, murder and ultimately, death.

This is what we Jews define as darkness. How is darkness defeated? The answer is simple and clear. The answer

must inform our thinking, our words and our behavior. Ironically, there is no fight when light is brought into a dark room.

There is no debate whatsoever. The light wins every time.

It is critical that we respond to this tragedy by fighting the darkness by increasing light. The answer is more people wearing symbols of Judaism out and about; more Torah classes; more minyanim; more kosher restaurants and larger kosher sections in the supermarkets; more mezuzos on the doors in our home; more children in our Jewish day schools. Judaism is the light.

Let us take a lesson from Chanukah and apply it during the entire year by sharing the light. With love and peace, let’s conquer the world.

As for us, it is upon all of us to engage in this war against evil. The way we fight darkness is by spreading light. Light and positivity are our ‘secret weapons’. It is

with enhanced pride that we will light the menorah. Each successive night we increased the illumination. We lit our menorahs near our doors or windows, specifically so the world could see and share in the benefits of the light. We will not be intimidated, we will, in fact, double down. The answer to darkness is more and more and more light. The Jewish people are known to be obstinate.

That is sometimes a very good thing. In this instance, it is the best thing possible.

We will be victorious! A

Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort co-directs, with his wife Rebbetzin Nechama Eilfort, Coastal Chabads, Chabad at La Costa, Encinitas, and Carlsbad North where everyone, regardless of level of knowledge or observance, feels cherished and loved. Rabbi Eilfort welcomes and encourages comments and questions: rabbie@chabadatlacosta.com.

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FEATURE

Hanukkah 1951

h 1955

Hanukka

Finding the Essence Through Downsizing

by Galia Miller Sprung

D

ownsizing: something I thought we’d never do. But with the years, it was us against the 16 steps down from the driveway to the front door. Five from living room to next mid- level; 11 to our bedroom; another four to the finished attic. We knew, in the end, we would probably lose the down and up battle.

Time for an apartment and elevators.

Time to make choices: to decide what to keep and what to toss. Our security room, no longer filled with emergency war supplies, is now a staging ground for organized chaos of disemboweled plastic boxes with hundreds of photographs, newspaper clippings of family members, including my grandparents, everything

I’ve ever written, scrapbooks, souvenirs, letters, notebooks and even film negatives. I have decades of tangible memories, a century of tangibles if I count those passed on to me by my parents and grandparents.

Each day, I become more ruthless.

Why do I need this? I make piles of pictures according to decades. I trash empty scenes, views, mountains, rivers and waterfalls. Empty, lifeless pictures.

I crave people with funny faces, smiles, tears and laughter. No sentiment? Toss.

I sift through hundreds, pausing at memories that make me smile, like the Hanukkah pictures from 1951. I’m almost three years old in our living room in West Los Angeles — Beverlywood, to be exact.

GI Bill homes with incinerators in the back yard so we can burn our own trash, swing sets and fruit trees, a detached garage, more likely housing a batteryoperated train set than a car. Grass in the small front yard and yes, white picket fences. Our neighbors; not ours.

Every year, my parents retrieved the Hanukkah box from the garage.

I remember sitting with my older brother and my mother, newspapers spread out on the dining room table to collect the mess as we made styrofoam cutouts — I never got used to the squeaky, irritating sound of the knife cutting out the shapes — and glued and glittered dreidels, menorahs, candles and continues on next page >>

Tevet–Shevat 5786 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 27

Downsizing continued

“If you [Ford] are trying to discredit the Jewish Nation before the American public by prejudice, hatred and intrigue...you can count us out.”

Grandparents Max and Etta in Los Angeles. All photos courtesy of Galia Miller Sprung.

Stars of David. Our huge, sparkly blue Star of David was placed in the living room window facing our quiet street.

There was only one Christian family on our block, and they lived next door to us; a lone Christmas tree among windows glowing with menorahs that got brighter each night. We were surrounded by our Jewish neighbors. So why did I want a Christmas tree one year?

I can see my five-year-old self sobbing under the dining room table demanding a Christmas tree and vowing not to come out until we got one. My parents did not give in. I assume they just let me cry it out, instilling the message that Christmas is for Christians, not Jews. We are proud of our own traditions. Standing up for Judaism was a family legacy. But I didn’t know that then.

My maternal grandfather, Max Barish, set a high barrier to ascribe to already in 1921. He, along with his father and brother, owned a Ford dealership in Sioux City, Iowa. When Henry Ford Sr. demanded his franchise owners actively promote sales of his antisemitic newspaper, The Dearborn Independent,

28 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM January 2026

my grandfather and his family made a crucial, life-changing decision. They chose to give up their lucrative business rather than be conspirators in promoting Ford’s beliefs and denounced his policy in a full-page letter in the Sioux City Daily Tribune. They wanted their loyal customers and readers to understand just why the Barish family was giving up their dealership. “If you [Ford] are trying to discredit the Jewish Nation before the American public by prejudice, hatred and intrigue. . . you can count us out.” They chose their Judaism over profit. I have the original newspaper in a manilla envelope, lying under sheets in a dark closet for protection. However, a framed copy hangs on our living room wall.

Decades later, I found myself at UCLA surrounded by the vibrant Jewish campus life of the late 1960s. One day in 1969, walking along Bruin Walk where students sat at tables promoting campus organizations, I was intrigued by one of the signs: “American and Israeli Students for Israel.” I stopped by for a quick chat, and that encounter led to another crucial, life-changing decision. As with

my grandfather, my identification as a Jew became the dominant influence in my life, culminating in my decision to make Aliya after graduation.

And I brought my American past with me: scrapbooks, mementos, memories of eventful years at UCLA. I was a proud alum, a lover of UCLA sports. I wrote for the Daily Bruin. I loved those campus years. But as I turn the pages of my scrapbooks now, I am sickened when I compare my years to what has been happening on my campus. The school where I once walked freely as a Jew, where I joined scores of students in Israeli folk dancing and observed holidays, has become a place where Jewish students are targets. I’ve even thought about burning my alumni card in protest, if only for my own conscience.

The contrast is painful — I can’t imagine a table on Bruin Walk today announcing Jewish events.

Reality hit harder after the violence at Wilshire Boulevard Temple, my grandparents’ synagogue after they moved to Los Angeles in the 1940s.

One of my daughters forwarded a post

UCLA 1967

I can’t imagine a table on [UCLA] Bruin Walk today announcing Jewish events. she saw on social media; a reporter asked a witness to the violence if she was surprised that such an attack had occurred. Her response said it all: “I go to UCLA.” I laughed. But it was more chilling than funny because now one of Grandpa Max’s great-greatgranddaughters is about to choose a college. She is leaning towards UCLA. I was appalled. Why would she want to go there with all the overt antisemitism?

“What do you think about her going there?” I asked her father. “I think she should go,” he answered. “We have to stand up to the antisemites who want to control the universities. We have to fight back.” He’s right of course. That’s what our legacy demands. My grandfather did not give in to the powerful Henry Ford Sr. My parents gave a clear message to my brother and me that Hanukkah.

These messages of commitment have already reached more generations: my eldest granddaughter, studying now in New York, asked to borrow my “Chai” necklace so she could wear it on the streets of New York. No hiding her identity in fear.

There are hidden treasures in those boxes; a treasure chest of stories about our families, the essence of their lives, their principles and commitments. Old letters give them a voice — including mine. So, as I sort through decades of mementoes in my attempt at downsizing, I am searching for the heart of my memories. Each item I choose to keep — a family snapshot, a worn ticket stub, or a century-old newspaper — carries

a story I want to pass on. This mosaic will tell my children and grandchildren who we were, what we cherished and how we stood firm when tested. A Galia Miller Sprung moved to Israel from Palm Springs, California in 1970 to become a pioneer farmer and was a founding member of a moshav in the Jordan Rift Valley. Today, she is a retired high school teacher, a writer and editor.

She lives with her husband in Tzufim.

The ARC of San Diego Winter Wonderland Fashion Show & Luncheon A sparkling celebration of fashion, festivity, and philanthropy supporting children and adults with disabilities in San Diego County.

Event Chairs (L-R): Jenny Seligmann, Laura Applegate, Erica Ram, Cici Drummond, Maria Stanley, and Malissa Sanfilippo.

Dr. Howard & Barbara Milstein.

Models on runway.

Tevet–Shevat 5786 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 29

Rob Reiner Urged Resilience for Holocaust Survivor Event Reiner’s wife, who was also killed, was the daughter of a woman who was the only member of her family to survive Auschwitz.

by Grace Gilson, JTA News

A

t a virtual Holocaust survivor event on Dec. 18, 2025, beloved Jewish film director Rob Reiner gave a pre-recorded address where he urged those watching to be “resilient.”

For the survivors, families and advocates who tuned into the virtual event hosted by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, or Claims Conference, Reiner’s words carried added weight, having been recorded just weeks before he and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were killed in their home on Sunday.

Ahead of Reiner’s pre-recorded remarks, Greg Schneider, the executive

30 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM January 2026

vice president of the Claims Conference, said that Reiner had begun working on the organization’s annual International Holocaust Survivors Night a few years ago, including appearances in the virtual screening in 2023 and 2024. The organization has disbursed restitution money to survivors since 1951.

Schneider then read a quote from a 2017 Jewish Telegraphic Agency interview with Reiner.

“Yes, all this is reflected in my work.

It’s my sensibility. I’m a Jew. I was raised a Jew. I value honesty and integrity and knowledge and education,” said Schneider, quoting Reiner.

Concluding his introduction to Reiner’s address, Schneider said, “Rob and Michelle, we will carry on your values of acting with honesty, integrity, knowledge and education.”

As Reiner came on the screen, surrounded by posters from some of his most acclaimed films, including “The Princess Bride” and “A Few Good Men,” he began by describing his family’s “personal connection” to the Holocaust.

“Thank you again for asking me to join your evening, I can tell you that what you’re all about means a lot to me,” Reiner said in the video. “Personally, my wife, her mother, was in Auschwitz, and

FEATURE

Left: Rob Reiner gives a posthumous address at the annual International Holocaust Survivors Night hosted by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany on Dec. 18, 2025.

Right: Rob and Michele Reiner attend Human Rights Campaign’s 2025 Los Angeles Dinner at Fairmont Century Plaza on March 22, 2025. Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/ Getty Images

her whole family died there. Her mother was the only survivor, and my aunt was also in Auschwitz.”

On Wednesday, the USC Shoah Foundation shared a 1994 video of Singer Reiner embracing her mother, Holocaust survivor Nicole Silberkleit, who described her children as “very understanding, loving, and affectionate.”

In his address, Reiner then shifted his focus to urging “resilience,” which was the theme of the virtual event to honor Holocaust survivors.

“I know the theme of the evening is resilience, and if ever we needed to be resilient, it’s now,” he said. “We’re living in a time where what’s happening in our country is scary and reminiscent of what we’ve seen happen in the past, and we just hope that we can all survive this and that we can hold on to our democracy, but I want to just thank everybody for being there, and let’s be resilient.”

The Claims Conference’s event was part of an annual menorah lighting ceremony on the fifth night of Hanukkah to honor survivors. It concluded with around 100 survivors lighting candles at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

This year, Claims Conference officials also used the event to draw attention to antisemitism, with the survivor event taking place just days after 15 were killed during an antisemitic attack on a Hanukkah event in Sydney, Australia.

“Even in these difficult days, when antisemitism is rising and Jewish communities around the world are under attack — this very week on the first night of Hanukkah in Sydney, Australia — we draw strength and inspiration from you, the survivors, from your personal and collective resilience,” Schneider told the group of survivors in Jerusalem.

One of the victims of the attack, Alex Kleytman, was a Holocaust survivor who had passed World War II living with his family in Siberia.

“Lessons from the past should have protected Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman – a husband, a father and a grandfather,” the Claims Conference wrote in a post on Facebook. “Educating about how words of hate can turn into violence must not be a hollow promise.”

The couple’s 32-year-old son, Nick, briefly appeared in a Los Angeles court after he was charged in connection to his parents’ killing. He has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder with a special circumstance of multiple murders.

The other Reiner children, Jake and Romy, shared a statement with People expressing their grief over the loss of their parents.

“Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day,” the statement said. “The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends.” A

Tevet–Shevat 5786 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 31

Food

BY MICAH SIVA

Health Salad Health salad is the unsung hero of Jewish deli cuisine — a simple slaw made from finely shredded green cabbage dressed in vinegar, sugar and a tiny bit of oil. Sometimes there’s a whisper of celery seed, maybe some shredded carrot for color. That’s it. No mayo, no sour cream. In reality, that “health salad” is typically high in sugar but low in fat (thanks to the 90’s for making us all fear fat!). Bubbes and Zaides would pile it high on their plates, claiming it was “good for digestion” while reaching for another pickle. The genius of deli health salad isn’t really in its health credentials—though cabbage is pretty great for you.

This stuff lasts for days in your fridge, getting better as it sits and the flavors meld together.

I make mine with the bagged cabbage slaw (I love a shortcut), a good glug of olive oil, white vinegar for tang, and just enough honey to balance it all out, with some thinly sliced bell pepper and a little dill. The trick is letting it sit for at least an hour, but preferably overnight.

The salt draws out the cabbage’s moisture, the vinegar softens, and everything becomes this perfect, crunchy, tangy situation that makes you want to eat it straight from the container.

SERVES 4-6 INGREDIENTS:

PREPARATION:

• 1 14-oz cabbage slaw mix

1.

• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced • 2 green onions • ½ cup white vinegar • ¼ cup honey • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil • 2 teaspoons kosher salt • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage slaw mix, bell pepper, and green onions.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the white vinegar, honey, olive oil and salt. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

3. Cover, and let sit in the fridge for at least one hour, or overnight.

Photo: Micah Siva

4. Before serving, toss with fresh dill.

This salad gets better as it sits. Keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days before enjoying it!

Tevet–Shevat 5786 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 33

Local Arts

BY EILEEN SONDAK

SAN DIEGO MUSEUM OF ART sdmart.org

SAN DIEGO JUNIOR THEATRE

LAMB’S PLAYERS THEATRE

juniortheatre.com

lambsplayers.org

San Diego Junior Theatre is raising the curtain on “Disney’s Frozen Jr.” on Jan. 9 at the troupe’s Casa del Prado home. The musical tells an enchanting tale of two sisters in the magical land of Arendelle where love and courage conquer fear. “Frozen” is a familyfriendly show with a great big heart, and it will keep audiences of all ages engrossed through Jan. 18.

The Lamb’s Players is staging an American classic this month. “A Trip to Bountiful,” a heartwarming adventure story about returning to your roots, will open at the Lamb’s Coronado home on Jan. 13 and continue through March 1.

The San Diego Museum of Art is featuring “Eduardo Chilida: Convergence,” a stunning exhibition of sculptures by a visionary artist who transformed the way we think of space, form and material. This exciting show will remain at the museum through Feb. 8.

MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART SAN DIEGO mcasd.org The Museum of Contemporary Art has “Pop Artists Capture a Cultural Era, A Decade of Pop Prints and Multiples 1962-1972: The Frank Mitzel Collection” through May 25.

34 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM January 2026

MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART: “Pop Artists Capture a Cultural Era, A Decade of Pop Prints and Multiples 1962-1972: The Frank Mitzel Collection.”

THE OLD GLOBE THEATRE theoldglobe.org The Old Globe will present “Powers New Voices Festival,” an annual fourday play-reading event showcasing works by emerging and award-winning playwrights. This free festival will be held in the White Theatre, Jan. 15-18.

NORTH COAST REP: Faline England and James Sutorius in “Louisa Gillis.” Photo: Aaron Rumley.

NORTH COAST REPERTORY THEATRE

LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY

northcoastrep.org

The La Jolla Music Society has an eclectic slate of offerings this month, starting on Jan. 15 with “Doug Smith: Wild Wolves of Yellowstone.” The wildlife biologist will share stories and never-before-seen photos and videos of the quest to bring back the gray wolves. “Cotton,” a multi-media song cycle, arrives for one night only on Jan. 16, followed on the 18th by two performances of “Sunny Jan’s Wild Wild East.” The concerts will showcase the artist’s Global Indian and jazz fusion.

North Coast Repertory Theatre is rolling out the red carpet on “Louisa Gillis,” a world premiere opening on Jan. 14. The new play, directed

by David Ellenstein, is a haunting examination of the effects of revenge.

This mesmerizing new work is a psychological thriller about family bonds, betrayal and an attempt at healing. The saga is laced with humor as it unravels secrets about a family in crisis. “Louisa Gillis” will keep audiences on the edge of their seats through Feb. 8.

theconrad.org

Lucas and Arthur Jussen will tickle the ivories on Jan. 22, and on Jan. 30, “Campagne Herve Kaubi Sol Invictus” will shake things up with their special blend of contemporary and urban dance moves and martial arts to round out the month for the La Jolla Music Society.

BROADWAY SAN DIEGO broadwaysd.com Broadway San Diego will feature “The Simon and Garfunkel Story” Jan. 31-Feb. 1 at The Balboa Theatre.

The show chronicles the astounding rise to fame of this iconic duo, while bringing their unforgettable hits to contemporary audiences.

Tevet–Shevat 5786 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 35

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Mitzvah Event Productions

LYDIA KRASNER 619.548.3485 www.MitzvahEvent.com member of lydia@mitzvahevent.com

ROTISSERIE AFFAIR CATERING

36 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM January 2026

RICK’S RESTAURANT

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Insurance Representative of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111-0001, and its affiliated US insurance companies. Registered Representative of and securities offered through MML Investors Services, LLC, Member SIPC and MassMutual subsidiary.10960 Wilshire Blvd Suite 2100 Los Angeles, CA 90024 (310) 689-3300. CA Insurance License #0515950.

CRN202411 -1217636

Gary Kornfeld Certified Public Accountant

EW IO N AT C LO

L I F E I N S U R A N C E .

D I S A B I L T Y I N C O M E I N S U R A N C E .

L O N G T E R M C A R E I N S U R A N C E .

p: 619.563.8000 | f: 619.704.0206 gkornfeld@kornfeldandlevy.com

Est. 1985

NOW SERVING BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER OPEN DAILY 7AM–9PM HAPPY HOUR 3PM–CLOSE 1596 N. Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 | (760) 325-2127

Fresh secular voice of Judaism

Phil Bresnick

Portfolio Manager Senior Vice President Wealth Advisor 101 West Broadway San Diego, CA 92101 619 668-4334 Philip.Bresnick@morganstanley.com www.morganstanleyfa.com/bresnickbresnick CA Insurance Lic #0A05261 NMLS #1401662

We create personalized ceremonies with you

© 2025 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. BC007 CRC 4044509 11/24

• Weddings/Commitment • Celebration of life/Memorial • Bar/Bat Mitzvahs & Education • Baby-namings

Contact us for a free consultation Madrikha Beverly Zarnow 858-549-3088 madrikhabeverly@kahalam.org

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Buy Judith’s new books, ‘The Lost Art of Dating’ & ‘Your Soul Mate Awaits’!

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Call us today for competitive pricing and the product you need with the service you deserve!

Judith’s thoughtful system is a fabulous guide, a must-read for every single!

DR. DIANA KIRSCHNER, Bestselling author of ‘Love in 90 Days’

sman, MS Judith Gotte

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No one cares more about helping people than Judith.

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If I wouldn’t have contacted Judith, my life would be very different. I wanted to thank Judith for the time and GIDEON S. IN SAN DIEGO

All ages and backgrounds

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Read testimonials & buy her books at

Phone: 858.566.0866 ~ Email: info@streeterprinting.com

SoulMatesUnlimited.com Tevet–Shevat 5786 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 37

YOU’ OU’R R E INVITED

SEACREST FOUNDATION PRESENTS THE 2026 WOMEN’S AUXILIARY

golden hearts

LUNCHEON Connection through Wisdom + Wellness

SUNDAY, MARCH 1, 2026

11:00 am • stunning north county coastal location

featuring:

Deb Serban, M.S.

Founder of Serban Wellness & Fitness Clinic Licensed ONERO™ Provider Evidence-Based Exercise Specialist for Optimal Aging

Dr. Margo Aura Emami, MD Founder of AURAE MD Aesthetic & Regenerative Medicine

s po n so r ip s ava il a bs h le!

Join Seacrest Foundation for The Women’s Auxiliary Golden Hearts Luncheon, an inspiring event that celebrates wellness, wisdom, and connection. Guests will be treated to a champagne reception with beauty and wellness experts, breathtaking coastal views, a heartfelt panel of Seacrest Village residents sharing their personal “secrets” to happiness, health, and longevity, and a luncheon and program with featured speakers.

tickets $150/person $150 /person

learn more and register at seacrestvillage.org/goldenhearts2026 Proceeds from this very special event will provide charitable care for Seacrest Village residents who may have nowhere else to turn for help.

Fiasco Theater’s

Improving lives through cost free, interest-free loans.

Loans are available for many needs, and support those who are facing financial challenges or realizing life dreams. As loans are repaid, funds are recycled to make new loans. The process is simple, free and always confidential!

Life Cycle up to $15,000

Personal Needs up to $10,000

Education up to $20,000 Healthcare up to $5,000

Parents & Children in Crisis up to $3,500

To learn more visit www.hflsd.org email info@hflsd.org or call (858) 345-8018

Small Business up to $20,000

Recently Unemployed or Emergency up to $12,000

Aging/ Elderly Care up to $10,000

Tevet–Shevat 5786 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 39