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Contents

PUBLISHERS

Mark Edelstein and Dr. Mark Moss

OCTOBER 2026 | TISHREI • CHESHVAN 5787

EDITOR

Susan Edelstein ASSISTANT EDITOR

Makayla Hoppe

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Donna D’Angelo

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Eileen Sondak

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

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

Pepe Fainberg

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES

Alan Moss | Palm Springs

EDITORIAL

editor@sdjewishjournal.com ADVERTISING

marke@sdjewishjournal.com

Features 22 An Art-Filled October 24 The Rosin Box Project Invites the Ghosts In 26 Am KeLavi: Rising Through the Fog 28 Maintaining Momentum 32 The Oceanside Museum of Art — After Dark

Columns 12 From the Editor | October Tidings 16 Israeli Lifestyle | The Circle Game 18 Literature | God’s Angry Man

Every Issue 12 Our Town 14 News & Notes 34 Local Arts 36 Food 41 Last Word Cover: The Rosin Box Project. Photo by Hannah Cox.

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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

October Tidings

elcome to our Fall Issue. Fall in San Diego is lovely if barely noticeable. Cooler than summer, fewer tourists, less beach traffic, kids back to school. But here on the East Coast, fall announces itself with certainty. The chill in the air, the wind through the trees, the vivid coloration of leaves and their eventual fall to the ground, the donning of sweaters and warmer clothes in general. The squirrels are scurrying, the patio furniture is stowed away, and other annual winterization procedures begin. It is a comforting season, if a tad melancholy with the earlier onset of night. But there is a beauty in this transition, how nature lets go and prepares for quiet rest. Fall is a time for reflection on the transience of life. There is a plethora of festivals and fairs celebrating fall and no shortage of pumpkin fields, an annual event for many families. Fall is also the time when we honor and commemorate our dead, solemnly on Oct. 7, and less so on Oct. 31. In this issue we are proud to present the Oct. 7 reflections of our American Israeli writers, Andrea Simantov and Galia Sprung. We are also featuring the annual fun-for-all La Jolla Art & Wine Festival, and the Halloween extravaganzas exhibited by The Rosin Box Project and the Oceanside Museum of Art. Please enjoy our October bounty of narratives as well as this poem.

October

By Robert Frost O hushed October morning mild, Thy leaves have ripened to the fall; Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild, Should waste them all. The crows above the forest call; Tomorrow they may form and go. O hushed October morning mild, Begin the hours of this day slow. Make the day seem to us less brief. Hearts not averse to being beguiled, Beguile us in the way you know. Release one leaf at break of day; At noon release another leaf; One from our trees, one far away. Retard the sun with gentle mist; Enchant the land with amethyst. Slow, slow! For the grapes’ sake, if they were all, Whose leaves already are burnt with frost, Whose clustered fruit must else be lost— For the grapes’ sake along the wall.

Tishrei-Cheshvan 5787 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 11

Our Town BY LINDA BENNETT & EMILY BARTELL

On Sept. 2, the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center presented “Witnessing Iran: Journalism, Memory and Resistance with Roya Hakakian.” Roya Hakakian is an acclaimed Iranian-American author, journalist and political commentator. We thoroughly enjoyed her personal accounts and experiences growing up as a Jewish woman in post-revolutionary Iran and listening to her in-depth insights on the evolving realities presently facing Iran. Some of those enjoying the evening along with us were Steve Mischek, Frances Lobman, Elaine and Mark Smith, Irwin Jacobs, Cathy Cozzen, and Alla and Boris Kagan. Jewish Family Service of San Diego (JFS) hosted its “Friends of the Family” gathering outside at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD). We heard from JFS volunteers who shared their experiences helping with On the Go and Foodmobile, as well as from Dana Toppel, JFS CEO, who shared some of the new and exciting happenings. With a beautiful sunset view, some of those we were delighted to run into were Barbara Bry and Neil Senturia, Sarah and Willie Burger, Buddy Voit, Seth Krosner, Jackie and Charlie Mann, Loretta Adams, and Linda Snider. Mazel Tov to Lianna Friedman and Adam Bartell on their marriage. The ceremony on Sept. 25 at Canopy Grove in Escondido was officiated by Rabbi Newfield of Congregation Ner Tamid. Lianna is the daughter of Sharon and Harlan Friedman. Adam is the son of Emily Bartell and Gregg Bartell. With smiles all around, both the Bartell and Friedman families and friends are completely overjoyed! Mazel Tov to Ali Bloom and Samuel Ross on the occasion of their marriage on Aug. 22 in Kauai. The

12 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM October 2026

beautiful outdoor ceremony was officiated by Ali’s brother, Adam Bloom. Proud parents are Karla and Larry Bloom and Bobbi and Ken Ross of New York. Mazel Tov to Taylor Bloom Melzer and Drew Melzer on the birth of their son, Laurence Taylor. Grandparents are Karla and Larry Bloom and Daryn and Andy Melzer. Laurence’s two older siblings, Tatum and Tripp, are so excited to welcome their brother into the family. Mazel Tov to Carrie and Mathew Colona and Sally and Mark Tukeman on the birth of their first granddaughter, River Michal Tukeman. River’s parents are Gabi Tukeman and Charles Colona.

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News & Notes (All images Wikimedia Commons; design by Grace Yagel)

COMPILED BY SUSAN EDELSTEIN

The late singer’s program sending free books to children inspired Harold Grinspoon to found PJ Library, which gets Jewish books into the hands of Jewish families. (The Dollywood Foundation)

Dolly Parton’s Legacy Includes the Jewish Children’s Book Program She Inspired by Penny Schwartz, JTA News Dolly Parton was mourned around the world as a stellar songwriter, consummate country hitmaker, savvy entrepreneur and generous philanthropist. In Jewish circles, she was also remembered as the inspiration for PJ Library, a program that sends free children’s books to Jewish families in order to foster Jewish values and traditions. In 2005, when Harold Grinspoon, a philanthropist in and out of the Jewish community, launched PJ Library, he took a page from Parton, who a decade earlier had started Imagination Library, a literacy program that mails free children’s books to families across the U.S. Witnessing a lack of connection to the values, stories and traditions that have been at the center of the Jewish experience for millennia, Grinspoon was looking for ways to build Jewish literacy. “We should create a Jewish version of Imagination Library,” he said. Two decades later, PJ Library has more than 670,000 subscribers in 40 countries.

14 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM October 2026

He Went to a Different Manhattan Synagogue Every Week. Here’s What it Taught Him. by Andrew Silow-Carroll, JTA News Andrew Waxman has written what amounts to a field guide to the varieties of being and praying Jewish in New York City. For “My Year in New York Synagogues,” he spent his Friday evenings and Shabbat mornings in 2025 visiting nearly every synagogue within walking distance of his home on the Upper West Side. That’s close to 50 synagogues. The result is part sociological field trip to the city’s Jewish landscape and part love letter to its Jewish variety: Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Moroccan, LGBTQ, Modern Orthodox, haredi Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist and independent, to name a few. Written at a time when the city’s Jews are on edge, buffeted by waves of antisemitism and anti-Zionism, Waxman wants to remind them that the community’s diversity and creativity are its strength. “Judaism, at the end of the day, for me, is really about giving people a community, a sense of belonging,” he said.

Eli Sharabi’s ‘Hostage’ Memoir Named Jewish Book of the Year by Andrew Silow-Carroll, JTA News Eli Sharabi’s memoir “Hostage,” recounting his experience in Hamas captivity after the Oct. 7, 2023 attack, has been named Book of the Year by the National Jewish Book Awards. Sharabi writes about the terror of his abduction and the daily struggle to survive after Hamas fighters stormed Kibbutz Be’eri. He would spend 491 days in captivity, much of it in tunnels beneath Gaza, before being released on Feb. 8, 2025, as part of a negotiated deal. Throughout the ordeal, Sharabi clung to the hope of rescue, writing: “I refuse to let

myself drown in pain. I am surviving. I am a hostage. In the heart of Gaza. A stranger in a strange land. In the home of a Hamas-supporting family. And I’m getting out of here. I have to. I’m getting out of here. I’m coming home.” “‘Hostage’ is my testimony, a story of my survival, written so others could bear witness. I hope it helps ensure that what happened is never forgotten.” Eli Sharabi’s memoir recounts his 491 days as a Hamas hostage in Gaza. (Harper Influence)

Gloria Steinem, Jewish Feminist Trailblazer, Dies at 92 by Ron Kampeas, JTA News

Gloria Steinem attends Equality Now 30th Anniversary Gala at Guastavino’s on Nov. 15, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images)

Gloria Steinem was a trailblazing feminist who turbocharged the women’s rights movement’s second wave by casting the liberation of women as part of the broader project of eliminating other bigotries including antisemitism. Steinem was born in Toledo, Ohio, in 1934 to a Jewish father, Leo Steinem, and a Protestant mother, Ruth Nuneviller. Her father left the family when Steinem was 10 years old and it was her mother who instilled Steinem with her understanding of her Jewish background. It helped shape her understanding of how one group may deprive another of essential rights, how oppression is

structural and interrelated among targeted groups. “When we look at women and blacks in this country, or at women and Jews in Nazi Germany, or in South Africa, we understand that these two caste systems are interdependent and truly can only be fought together,” Steinem said. Her credo was kindness. “Kindness matters enormously. And empathy. Finding some point of connection,” Steinem said. She also advised never standing down. “The great thing about obstacles is that they cause you to identify with other groups of people who are facing obstacles.”

Tishrei-Cheshvan 5787 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 15

ISRAELI LIFESTYLE

LIVING ON THE FRONT PAGE by Andrea Simantov | andreasimantov@gmail.com

The Circle Game “ Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

rying to stop the passage of time is akin to catching a moonbeam in your hand or keeping a wave upon the sand. And even if one is not trying to solve a problem like Maria, most of us struggle to maintain a semblance of spiritual and physical vigor while simultaneously staving off the vestiges of aging. This month marks three years since that never-anticipated morning of carnage rained down upon the sleeping, praying and dancing people of Israel. We, the Oct. 7 people, could barely regain our breath between mopping up blood, manning the gates of our communities and saferooms in our homes, identifying and burying the dead, and frantically racing to rescue 251 innocent hostages. That was, indeed, the spirit and heartbeat of Oct. 7. And then it was Oct. 8, the second day of Simchat Torah in the Diaspora. On this Sunday in Israel, more than 1,200 graves were dug for the burned and butchered Nova attendees, the men, women and babies who’d been ambushed in their homes, and the hundreds of soldiers, police officers and local security personnel who heroically forfeited their lives on that fateful day. Mourners keened over freshly hallowed ground, soaked in blood and never-ending tears.

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— Ferris Bueller My personal Oct. 7 story is a comparatively pale one. I was not in Israel but, rather, visiting family in Silver Spring, Maryland. I would not have known of the carnage, as it was the Sabbath, but even in 2023, many American synagogues were protected by outside security companies. The nonJewish security guard had heard the reports and informed the rabbi. I could barely contain the panic until after the Sabbath. For the rest of my American family, it was still chag (holiday), but as an Israeli, I only observed one day. At 2 a.m. Israel time, I reached my husband, who told me that most everything was on lockdown. No, he did not know where my reservist son was. “He’s been called up; somewhere between Tulkarem and Gaza.” I was scheduled to fly home the next day and hoped he would meet me at the airport. Clearly, I was clueless, because the airport was closed, most flights were cancelled, and how or when I’d return remained an open question. Utilizing 20/20 hindsight, I should have remained in the States until air travel opened up. But I didn’t. I couldn’t.

The first leg of my return flight took me to Rome, and I got stuck. But I wouldn’t accept being stuck and, instead, flew to Istanbul. Back to Madrid — or Munich, I can’t remember. Then I was back in Rome. For many nights and days, I slept on airport floors, my body covering the battered dufflebags I’d shlepped for days, until the polizei/polis/politzia/polizist told me to move. Occasionally, I heard whispered Hebrew and sheepishly asked equally stunned compatriots to watch my belongings while I used the restroom. Desperate and unable to reach Tel Aviv, I ultimately flew back to America. My credit card had reached its limit somewhere around Vatican City but, thankfully, I had a backup from my husband. To this day, 22,000 shekels remain unclaimed from travel providers whom I can no longer find or remember. continues on page 19 >>

CMY

Tishrei-Cheshvan 5787 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 17

LITERATURE

WRITTEN IN FIRE by Trevor James McNeil

tremcneil1980@gmail.com

God’s Angry Man

ew people are the same person they were born when they die. In few cases is this more literally true than that of the Canadian poet and professional gadfly, Irving Layton. Now considered a lion of the Canadian literary canon, particularly associated with the vibrant and diverse Montreal literary culture, Layton was born Israel Pincu Lazarovich to Jewish parents in the Targu Neamt county of Romania. It bordered the historic, and infamous, Carpathian Mountains, not too far from Transylvania in the country’s northeast. Before little Israel, later Irving, was a year old, his parents, Moses and Klara, had left their rural existence in Northern Romania for the gritty, working class grind in Montreal’s notorious St. Urbaine neighbourhood, which was known at the time for its high Jewish and immigrant population, much to the dismay of the local FrenchCanadians who grew increasingly uncomfortable with the high numbers of non-Francophone immigrants in the area. The constant resistance only added to Layton’s attitude as a freethinker, not generally letting religion, politics or propaganda sway his opinions, always being much more of an objective pragmatist. A tough kid, Layton made it through Alexandra Elementary School and the death of his father when he was only 13. Barely a teenager and needing to help his now single mother in an era between the world wars, Layton entered the Baron

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Layton Lazarovich. Photo by Sam Tata.

Byng High School, later the famous alma mater of the likes of the Heretic of Montreal himself, Mordechai Richler. His high school years led to another major change in young Layton’s existence that would pivot his trajectory forever. It was while attending Baron Byng that Layton was exposed to poetry for the first time, soon counting rebels and misfits like Lord Byron, Percy Shelley and Jonathan “A Modest Proposal” Swift among his favorites. True to his freethinking nature, Layton became very interested in politics and social theory. Meeting and befriending David Lewis, a leading leftwing politician at the time, Layton joined the Young People’s Socialist League (YPSL). Still open to differing ideas, the stack of books on Layton’s night table

grew to include both Karl Marx and Friedrich Nietzsche. More than a traditional dose of youthful rebellion, Layton’s interest in socialism happened soon after the first and actual “Red Scare” (1917-1920) sparked by the Russian Revolution, as opposed to the expanded efforts by Joseph McCarthy much later in the 20th century. His involvement with the YPSL was taken as a direct threat by the jumpy school administration, and he was ejected from Baron Byng while within a hair of graduating in 1930. Not leaving Layton in the lurch, Lewis hired a Latin tutor to train Layton for the junior matriculation exams, and paid the testing fee so Layton could show high school completion and be eligible for college.

Literature continued Used to adversity, Layton worked his way into Macdonald College, later renamed McGill, Canada’s premier university; his lack of finances or an official high school diploma did not deter him. An excellent student with outspoken views, Layton was noted for his viciously anti-bourgeois sentiments and sharp criticism of politics in general. It was there that his first poem was published by an underground student newspaper called “The McGilliad,” a play on “The Iliad,” which Layton was editing at the time. Graduating in 1939 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Agriculture, Layton was firmly on the path of a poet. He packed up his freshly-baked degree and moved with his hew wife, Faye Lynch, to the cheaper horizons of Halifax. There were few jobs going for poets at the time, so he worked odd jobs where he could. The rough living existence not quite what Bukowski would later romanticize, Layton ditched his youthful illusions for another hard left turn, returning to Montreal to teach English to immigrants like himself, making the already stroppy Francophones even more irate.

Pulling a coup of his own in terms of his chosen art form, Layton formed a Fifth Column of young Canadian poets who directly opposed the likes of the famous critic Northop Frye, and broke with the British tradition of poetry, arguing that English Canadian poets should make their own forms and reflect contemporary realities. His uncompromising approach to politics and life would get Layton banned from the United States for 20 years due to his continued involvement with the YPSL. Having no truck with bullies, Layton enlisted with the Canadian Forces in 1942 to go boot Hitler in the bum during the worst period of destruction in the Second World War. It was not to last however — Layton’s dreams of freeing Europe were cut short by an honorable discharge the next year. Returning to Montreal, his career started to take off, getting involved with the growing independent publishing industry as both a writer and an editor. To help his finances, he returned to school, earning a degree in Economics and Political Science also at McGill, leading to a second career as a teacher.

Never one to hold his tongue, Layton found fame as a poet working in a daring, distinctly Canadian style, including scathing satire and erotically charged love poetry. The publication of “A Red Carpet for the Sun” in 1959 secured Layton’s national reputation, while the many books of poetry that followed eventually gave him an international reputation. He also became a popular fixture on the CBC debate show “Fighting Words” in the 1950s. Supplementing his poetry and editing career with a multi-year stint as a teacher at the Jewish parochial high school Herzliah, where he taught the likes of Moses Znaimer and Joseph Pivato, allowed him to say and write exactly what he liked right until he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in the late 1990s. Layton died of natural causes in 2006 at the age of 93. A

intact but with an altered soul and spirit that bear wounds beyond my ken. Three years later, apparently, we are the aggressors. Architects of the most inept genocide to be launched upon an enemy population. Flailing killers of babies, Machiavellian bankers and money launderers, media Svengalis, cabalists uniting to take over the world. The Jewish New Year of 5787 is still damp from birth. We have seen indescribable miracles in this life’s orbit. Israel’s first Prime Minister,

David Ben-Gurion, famously said, “In Israel, in order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles.” Agreed. It is all a matter of time. 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 For me, it is a story. Just a story. I thought that when my plane finally landed in Israel, my fellow flyers (including returning soldiers and family members of fighters) and I would burst into raucous cheers and sing a stirring rendition of “Hatikvah.” That did not happen. The airport was eerily quiet. We grabbed our bags and raced through the doors, anxious to avoid any potential missile attacks. And in case you are wondering, unlike too many others, my son returned, body

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.

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An Art-Filled October by Makayla Hoppe

irard Avenue stretches several blocks through La Jolla Village, and its beautiful shopping and dining options make it a favorite destination for tourists and locals alike. This Oct. 10-11, the avenue will host the La Jolla Art & Wine Festival (LJAWF): a two-day, free event for lovers of fine art, families (pets are welcome!) and those looking for a fun weekend by the sea.

Activities The festival has brought together over 170 artists from near and far to showcase their work. Paintings, ceramic works, jewelry and more — there is no shortage of beautiful things to admire. In addition to the diverse works of art, the festival will feature entertainment, interactive

22 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM October 2026

activities, local dining options, a wine and beer garden and a live auction. The music lineup features Josh Weinstein, the San Diego Opera; Seaside Serenaders; Paging the 90s; The Rosin Box Project; Pop Vinyl; Slack Key ‘Ohana; The Dub Squad; ZB Savor; Captain’s Orders; and Full Strength. The locally owned and operated Geppetto’s Toys will host the Family Art Center at the intersection of Wall Street and Girard Avenue. The activities for kids are endless — crafts, ballet lessons, prize drawings, acrobatics, robotics, coloring and face painting. If you’re looking for a bite to eat, food offerings include hot dogs, bao buns, ice cream, pizza, fresh lemonade and more. It wouldn’t be the art and wine festival without the wine, and dozens of wineries

have come out with their best bottles to enjoy. Valentina Vineyards, Turtle Rock Ridge Winery and Mia Marie Vineyards are just a few options to choose from. Beer is also on offer, featuring Mike Hess, Pure Project and other breweries. “Eighteen years in, the La Jolla Art & Wine Festival has grown into Southern California’s premier coastal arts event, drawing collectors and families from across the region to La Jolla Village,” said Abraham Musto, Executive Director of LJAWF. “This year, we’ll have new artists from across the U.S. and Mexico participating, expanding the diversity and caliber of work on view.”

Featured Artist A special featured artist is selected every year, and for 2026, the talented Doug

FEATURE 2026 Featured Artist

DOUG MERSKIN

The La Jolla Art & Wine Festival has grown into Southern California’s premier coastal arts event, with over 170 artists showcasing their work. Merskin will display his colorful, oceaninspired pieces at the forefront of the festival. Doug is a bicoastal artist, drawing inspiration from the waters around both Florida and Southern California. His pieces begin as pigments, acrylic paints and metallic powders that are painted on a flat surface. Like magic, his heating and warping technique transforms the flat canvas into a three-dimensional wonder. “My pieces have a sculpted depth to it that gives you the dimensional, wave-like feel,” Doug said. “[I’m] a surfer. I have a sailboat in San Diego. I have a boat here in Florida. I’m a diver, so that kind of brings it into the movement of the creation of the water, earth and sky. That gives it the character of my art.”

The festival is thrilled to feature Doug’s unique and one-of-a-kind artwork this year. “Doug’s work immediately grabs your attention because it’s unlike anything you expect,” Abraham said. “His intricate process, vibrant color palette and ability to create movement within every piece embody the creativity and originality that make the festival such a unique experience. We’re thrilled to welcome him as this year’s Featured Artist.”

Giving Back The La Jolla Art & Wine Festival Foundation has donated more than $1.7 million to five La Jolla public schools — Bird Rock Elementary, La Jolla Elementary, Torrey Pines

Elementary, Muirlands Middle School and La Jolla High School. Reaching more than 4,000 students each year, the foundation supports arts, music, science and technology. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, it has been giving back to La Jolla public schools since its inception.

When and Where If you’re looking for a fun, laid-back weekend near the coast, the La Jolla Art & Wine Festival has everything you could want: good food and drink, music, family-friendly activities, and, of course, beautiful art! This October, take a day trip to La Jolla Village and enjoy one of San Diego’s most engaging and colorful events. A WHEN: Oct. 10-11, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. WHERE: Girard Avenue from

Prospect Street to Torrey Pines Road

PRICE: Festival is free; ticketed beer and wine garden

Tishrei-Cheshvan 5787 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 23

Feature Name continued

The Rosin Box Project Invites the Ghosts In

Photos by Hannah Cox.

by Susan Edelstein

24 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM October 2026

hen a theater empties for the night, one light is often left burning on the stage. There is a sensible reason — someone returning in the dark should be able to see where they are going. There is also the older, eerie reason, whispered by theater people who have spent enough nights backstage — the light keeps the ghosts away. The Rosin Box Project’s “Ghost Light Masquerade” takes that reassuring little tradition and turns it around. Perhaps the light has been inviting them in. For seven nights this October, the San Diego contemporary ballet company brings its recurring Halloween production to The Nocturne Theatre on Imperial Avenue. It is a ballet you enter, rather than one you watch from an assigned seat. The dancing, music, theatrical setting and story surround the audience, and guests can move through the space, deciding what to follow and how far to venture into the fiction. You may come for the Halloween atmosphere and discover that the most unsettling thing in the room is how close a dancer can be. The Nocturne has a history, at least in the world of the show. In that telling, the theater appears each autumn and its ghost light gathers the memories of performers who never quite left the stage. A figure called The Voice Beyond the Veil leads visitors into their masquerade. The legend gives the evening an intriguing question to carry with you as you wander — who is here to watch, and who has returned to perform? Everyone wears a guest mask. The company offers a choice of two colors, one signaling that you are open to encounters with the resident spirits and the other that you would prefer to observe. That is a clever bit of hospitality in a haunted theater. Some people will want to follow every mysterious character, others may be happiest standing back and taking in the dance. Either way, there is no fourth wall to keep the supernatural, or the performers, at a polite distance. Founder and Artistic and Executive Director Carly Topazio puts it this way:

FEATURE

Light’ was created “ ‘Ghost to completely dismantle the expectation of what going to the ballet can be.

You aren’t sitting in a seat watching a world from a distance. You’re inside of it. A dancer can pass inches from you, a spirit can lead you somewhere you didn’t know existed, and the experience you have may be completely different from the person standing next to you.” The roaming format makes room for curiosity and for a little courage. It invites people to see what movement can do when the story happens all around them. You do not have to know the vocabulary of ballet to understand a body moving through a story. Sometimes you simply have to be there. Topazio founded The Rosin Box Project in 2018 with an interest in expanding how artists create contemporary ballet and how audiences experience it. Even the name welcomes us backstage — dancers use rosin on their shoes for the grip they need to move safely across the floor. The company is based in Liberty Station, where it offers adult classes and workshops as well as developing performances, and has created more than 65 new works by emerging and established choreographers. “Ghost Light Masquerade” is one of

the more deliciously unusual results. The company became a nonprofit in 2020 and continues to put education and community connection alongside its work onstage. Its outreach programs bring dance to students throughout San Diego County, and its dancers and choreographers bring classical training into new settings and narratives. The company is interested in how artists and audiences connect, and “Ghost Light Masquerade” makes that ambition wonderfully literal — for an evening, the audience is close enough to become part of the theatrical world. Halloween gives the artists a marvelous set of possibilities: masks, hidden identities, a theater that may or may not be what it seems, and the peculiar power of a single lamp burning after everyone ought to have gone home. Yet the evening also has a welcoming side. Guests need no knowledge of ballet to participate, and the choice to engage with a spirit or simply watch is theirs. Wear a costume if you like, and wear shoes comfortable enough for wandering. The production runs Oct. 22‑30 at The Nocturne Theatre, 3246 Imperial Avenue, San Diego. Tickets and information are available at therosinboxproject.com/ghost-light-masquerade, by emailing info@therosinboxproject.com or by calling (619) 259-0184. The space between the stage and the audience is about to disappear. Whether you follow the light is up to you. A

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Am KeLavi: Rising Through the Fog

t’s hard to write about Oct. 7 and the aftermath. It’s hard to write this in the first person. I’m on the periphery. Thank G-d, I did not suffer directly on Oct. 7. There are, however, degrees of separation that connect me to the terror of that day. I highly doubt there’s even one person in Israel who doesn’t have a connection. For me, it’s my son-in-law’s nephew and his family from a kibbutz in the south who were miraculously rescued in the late afternoon of Oct. 7 after a fierce battle between the army and the terrorists who had taken over their house. And my friend’s niece and her husband who were murdered in a kibbutz. There are more. It’s even harder to comprehend that three years have passed since that horrifying day. I can’t even use that cliché: like it happened yesterday. No. It’s still happening. It’s never left. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about those horrific moments, that I don’t see them: the scenes from the Nova of terrified young people running through the fields, even scenes that thankfully I did not see, of the atrocities against women and girls. I’m not alone. Maybe it’s the post trauma that so many are enduring. It’s not the “stress syndrome,” just a light fog. One you can get through, yet the dampness of the fog clings to your subconscious. On the outside, most of us continue with determination.

Galia Miller Sprung

26 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM October 2026

FEATURE

Some of the tragic deaths from that day are fresh in my mind, so I am surprised to see pictures of the weddings of bereaved spouses who have chosen life and remarried. In my mind, they are still reeling from the shock of their devastating loss. I am not judging. I am just not on the same timeline as they are. I see announcements from survivors who had protected their newborns or were pregnant, sharing news of another baby, and I wonder how a baby could have been born so quickly. Yet, a full year has passed, two years, three years. I am aware of that. Yet apparently, I’m not.

The Names of the Wars Tell a Story It’s hard to remember which name denotes which war or a war within a war, and all the operations and campaigns we’ve had since Oct. 7. I’m living through this history, yet I can’t always keep them straight. It’s overload. Stress. It’s comforting when others also mix up the names. Even TV commentators often hesitate before coming up with the correct name. Who can blame them? One war after another. I find more significant comfort in what is expressed in many of these names. They are living expressions of who we are, if you know the history, if you know the Bible. Names tell a story. They are a direct link to our heritage. They connect us to ancient battles and biblical stories related to the situation or geographical location. Am KeLavi, “Rising Lion,” Mivtza Chetz HaBashan, Operation “Arrow of Bashan” and Mivtza Sha’agat Ha’Ari, Operation “Roaring Lion.” When I hear these names, I feel thousands of years of our history reaching out to the present. Almost a wink. A reminder of the strength of our connection. I am reinforced by a sense

This time, we were the people and we did rise up as a great lion.

of familiarity and tradition that surges through me. My favorite code name is Am KeLavi, otherwise referred to as “The 12-Day War.” At 3 a.m. on Friday morning June 13, 2025, we were rudely awakened with an Extreme Alert that shattered our senses. Israel was attacking

Iran’s nuclear sites! TV anchors, probably just as tired at that hour, kept repeating something that sounded like they were swallowing syllables instead of coffee, which left me struggling to decipher an unintelligible “amkelavi.” I had no idea what they meant and assumed it was a Hebrew word I had never encountered. How embarrassing and depressing to not understand a word used so frequently that first day. What were they saying? It wasn’t until I saw it in print online that the syllables took form. They were saying Am-Ke-La-vi. I discovered I wasn’t the only one who had been stymied by the blurred pronunciation, including native Hebrew speakers. It became a topic of conversation.

Rising Up as a Great Lion In fast-paced, spoken Hebrew, the phrase “ ”— Am KeLavi — flows together as one word. To a listener hearing it on the news for the first time, in a secure room or bomb shelter, it sounded like a single, unfamiliar multi-syllable jumble rather than a poetic two-word phrase. No, I didn’t know the reference by heart, but I did remember the context. After defeating the Amorite kings, Sihon and Og, the Israelites journeyed south and were encamped in the Plains of Moab. King Balak, fearful of the Israelites below, hired the prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites. Instead, Balaam ended up blessing them three times. The second blessing begins: “Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion...” (Numbers 23:24). This time, we were the people and we did rise up as a great lion. Eight months after Am KeLavi, the second offensive strike against Iran was launched. This operation was called

continues on page 29 >>

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FEATURE

Maintaining Momentum by Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort

hile sitting at my desk this morning, I was contemplating the radical changes in Jewish life that take place this time of year. During the Hebrew month of Elul, we ramp up our activities as we prepare for the High Holidays. There are added prayers, the daily blowing of the shofar, and the recitation of psalms. The week before Rosh Hashanah, we add the penitential “Selichos” prayers each morning. Erev Rosh Hashanah, we up the intensity by annulling our vows and perfecting our power of speech. On Rosh Hashanah itself, we picture ourselves standing before “Our Father,

28 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM October 2026

Our King” and spend an intense 24 hours trying to squeeze every drop of goodness and quality time humanly possible. Even the food we eat is carefully curated to symbolize sweetness for the coming year. From the beginning of the New Year through Yom Kippur, we are immersed in the 10 Days of Repentance, which, true to their name, elicit a focused mindset towards repairing our shortcomings and making positive resolutions for the future. Midway through the month of Tishrei, there is yet another radical change. We transition from the serious nature of the first part of the month and progress to the ‘over-the-top’ joy of the

latter half. Sukkot, the holiday known as the Time of Our Joy, becomes the central feature of our daily schedule, and that ‘simcha’ ( joy) crescendos until it climaxes during the Shmini Atzeret / Simchat Torah holiday. And then...BOOM! (Did you hear that? It was the sound of silence. That’s right, silence.) The month of Cheshvan, aka Mar (bitter) Cheshvan, is upon us. Why is it called Bitter Cheshvan? Because it is bereft of all holidays. After a monthlong succession of days filled with holiness, we are left with days without the additional divine blessings we just spent a month enjoying and benefitting from.

Am KeLavi continued “Roaring Lion” — a clear message of power symbolized by a Lion on attack — with the added element of fear mentioned in Amos 3:8 “The Lion has roared — Who will not fear?” “Arrows of Bashan” was unleashed in December 2024. Israeli forces moved in to take control of the demilitarized buffer zone and of the strategic peaks of Mt. Hermon in modern Syria. Of course! Bashan is the biblical name for the region south of Mt. Hermon and east of the Jordan River that was conquered by Israelites after defeating the same Og, the king of Bashan, mentioned above. Bashan is mentioned in several biblical sources, especially Numbers 21:33–35. How fitting. I visited that same area with the Israel Defense and Security Forum (IDSF) six months later and wrote about it here in the August 2025 issue. The strategic

aspect needed no explanation. IDF bases, observation posts and even an IDF hospital have filled the buffer zone. We stood as close to the zone as possible, and were able to see in the distance the field hospital set up to treat Syrian civilians, mainly from the Syrian Druze community. Druze in Israel serve in the army and they, too, have made the ultimate sacrifice, as have Circassian citizens, non-Arab citizens of Israel (Muslims, Bedouins, and Christians).

The Lions of Oct. 7 It’s hard to remember the names of the murdered civilians of Oct. 7 or the names of the soldiers who fell in these wars and operations. So instead, I honor their memory by reading about their lives, visiting memorials set up by their families, like the Ahihud Forest Olive grove in memory of Druze soldiers or

the park in my community honoring Sgt. Roni Eshel, killed in the Nahal Oz base. As I honor the fallen, I take a deep breath and look to the future. It’s a process. I see the Oct. 7 survivors and the soldiers from all the wars rising up like lions as they engage the challenges of mental and physical recovery. I, too, rise up. If they can walk to a chuppah with a prosthesis and invisible scars, take trips, laugh and dance, and enlist in the IDF, I — we — must continue. We are indeed Am KeLavi. 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 Tzur Yitzhak.

Momentum continued I decided to investigate the concept of inertia, and this is what I found. Inertia is the natural tendency of an object to resist any change in its state of motion or rest. In physics, inertia is a core principle tied to Newton’s First Law of Motion. At Rest: An object that is not moving will stay still unless a force pushes or pulls it. In Motion: An object moving in a straight line will keep moving at the same speed unless an outside force slows it down or changes its direction. Mass Connection: An object with more mass has more inertia. It is harder to start moving or to stop. When we analyze that which G-d loves, we find that He loves life. Life is identified with those things that move and grow. What I came to realize is that the momentum our community created throughout Elul and Tishrei is meant to carry us forward during Cheshvan and beyond. But here is the rub. The

rabbis added several rituals during Elul preparing us for Tishrei, which is when we are given several biblical mandates concerning our daily lives. This accelerates the Divine Energy we are experiencing. Then the external motivational sources cease, and we are left with the responsibility of generating the necessary connection with our Creator through our own devices. We must build up momentum during the two months of Elul and Tishrei so that we can bring the requisite passion into Cheshvan and beyond. Judaism is a remarkable, allencompassing lifestyle. We never take our foot off the gas and certainly never pump the brakes. We never coast. We are never complacent. In fact, we view complacency as our deadly enemy. Instead, as the Psalmist states, “We go from strength to strength.” More Torah study. More prayers. More acts

of kindness. This is how we roll. This is why we will transform the darkness in the world into light and how we will take that which is mundane and make it into holiness. We will usher the holiness of the High Holidays into the days of Cheshvan, transforming its bitterness into sweetness. May we be blessed with the ultimate transformation of dark into light with the immediate arrival of our righteous Moshiach! 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.

Tishrei-Cheshvan 5787 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 29

Scripps Clinic OB/GYN DINA FAINMAN, MD Dr. Fainman specializes in general obstetrics and gynecology, birth control options, pregnancy care and childbirth, minimally invasive gynecologic surgery, and hormone replacement therapy and menopause. She speaks English, Spanish and Hebrew. Scripps Clinic, Encinitas 310 Santa Fe Drive, Suite 204 Encinitas, CA 92024 Call 760-633-7245 to schedule an appointment or visit Scripps.org for more information.

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30 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM October 2026

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voucher to use at Fox Point Farms on Nov. 15, and an invite to our Stroll for the Soul Happy Hour Kick-Off on Thursday, Nov. 12. Pick up your T-shirts early, enjoy refreshments and celebrate with Seacrest residents.

The Oceanside Museum of Art — After Dark by Makayla Hoppe

alloween is right around the corner, and everyone is gearing up for a devilishly fun evening of tricks and treats. Prepare your best costume and head to the Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA) for the season’s most creative party: Art After Dark. Held on Oct. 24, the 21+ event will feature costume contests, food, drinks and more.

The Surrealist This year’s theme is Anatomy of the Surreal, inspired by San Diego artist David Adey’s exhibition, “Sacrificial Bodies.” Described as a hybrid of a mad scientist and engineer, David works fulltime as a professor of Art & Design at Point Loma Nazarene University. He has honed his skills for 25 years, using craft punches, laser cutting, 3D scanning, custom electronics, digitally altered corporeal forms and more. “David’s work explores identity, fragmentation, technology, mortality,

32 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM October 2026

and what it means to inhabit a human body,” OMA said. “Sacrificial Bodies” runs until Nov. 1, and the exhibition is sure to leave a thought-provoking impact on visitors.

A Colorful Contest Costumes are not required, but they are encouraged; the evening’s contest and fashion runway are a highlight of Art After Dark. Everybody who purchases a ticket is welcome to participate. There are three categories to compete in: Best Upcycled Design, which takes outdated items and transforms them into something brilliant and new; Best Interpretation of David Adey’s “Sacrificial Bodies,” a take on the museum’s current exhibition and the inspiration for the event; and Best

Interpretation of the Theme: Anatomy of the Surreal, taking a different look at the human body or drawing from other surrealist artists. “There’s no one way to interpret the theme,” OMA said. “It’s about taking the familiar and turning it on its head. Bodies stretching, fragmenting, multiplying, transforming, and becoming something uncanny, unexpected, and dreamlike. You can go all out or keep it simple with a literal, abstract, or completely surreal look.” If you need a little help or want that extra oomph, look no further than the museum’s Pinterest page, filled with dozens of examples that could inspire an award-winning costume. (pinterest.com/oceansidemuseum)

Art After Dark: Oct. 24, 2026, 7-11 p.m. Dinner Experience at 24 Suns: Oct. 4, 2026, 5-8 p.m. Visit oma-online.org/aad2026 for all details and ticketing information.

FEATURE

San Diego Artist David Adey’s

“SACRIFICIAL BODIES”

Enjoying the Evening Whether you attend Art After Dark, join the accompanying intimate meal, visit the museum’s exhibition, or do all three, the Oceanside Museum of Art is ready to entertain and delight visitors for the spooky and spectacular Halloween season. A

Photos courtesy Oceanside Museum of Art.

An Enticing Meal A ticket to Art After Dark includes light bites and one cocktail. However, OMA also offers a visually striking, festive five-course meal on Oct. 4 as a separately ticketed event. Chef Nicholas Webber of 24 Suns and David Adey will be there to immerse guests in a “thought-provoking meal taking inspiration from the exhibition’s themes of consumerism, objectification, religion, and more.”

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Local Arts BY EILEEN SONDAK

CYGNET THEATRE cygnettheatre.com

Cygnet Theatre snared the six-time Tony Award-winning blockbuster “Dear Evan Hansen.” a moving, modern classic that deals with a lonely teenager who reinvents himself. The show will run through Oct. 11. Cygnet’s Studio Theatre will feature “Job,” a story of a woman’s fight for her high-tech job. The play is a tale of morality in the digital age and it abounds with black humor. You have from Oct. 7 through Nov. 1 to see the show.

THE OLD GLOBE THEATRE theoldglobe.org The Old Globe’s Main Stage production of “Begin Again,” a brandnew musical, continues through Oct. 18. The show is about a chance encounter between a gifted but struggling songwriter and a burnedout record producer — a fortuitous meeting that transforms them both. The Globe’s White Theatre is bringing Pulitzer Prize-winning “Topdog Underdog” to local theater lovers through Oct. 18. Considered one of the best contemporary American plays, this theatrical gem is funny, provocative and charged with emotion.

34 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM October 2026

NORTH COAST REP: Brian Mackey (Jack Paar) & David Corlew (Oscar Levant) in “Good Night, Oscar.” Photo by Aaron Rumley.

LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE lajollaplayhouse.org La Jolla Playhouse has a world premiere to show off. “A Black-Billed Cuckoo,” a charming comic drama, will play on through Oct. 11. The Playhouse has another world premiere to unveil at the Mandell Weiss Theatre on Oct. 27. Titled “GRIM,” this quirky and irreverent black comedy is side-splittingly funny and heartbreaking as it celebrates life and death. The musical is set to stick around through Nov. 29.

NORTH COAST REPERTORY THEATRE northcoastrep.org North Coast Repertory Theatre kicks off its new season in style with the West Coast Premiere of “Good Night Oscar,” a peek into the world of musician, actor, and razorsharp wit Oscar Levant. Good news for latecomers: the run has been extended through Oct. 18. Up next on the season lineup is the screwball comedy “The Cottage,” opening Oct.28.

LAMB’S PLAYERS THEATRE lambsplayers.org The Lamb’s Players extended their summer blockbuster, “American Rhythm,” through Oct. 18. If you haven’t seen this tribute to the songs of the 20th century, you should plan to snare a ticket before it’s too late.

LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY theconrad.org

La Jolla Music Society will start off the month on Oct. 8 with Joyce DiDonato and Time for Three: “Emily — No Prisoner Be,” followed on the 11th by Poeseis Quartet. Pianist Gabriela Montero performs on Oct. 23, and on Oct. 24-25 John Pizzarelli Presents “Dear Mr. Bennett.” Lila Downs is on tap for the 29th with “Dia de Muertos,” and cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras joins pianist Alexandre Tharaud on Oct. 30.

SAN DIEGO JUNIOR THEATRE: “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

SAN DIEGO JUNIOR THEATRE

SAN DIEGO OPERA

juniortheatre.com

sdopera.org

San Diego Junior Theatre will launch its season on Oct. 23 with “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” a delightful musical based on the classic children’s novel. You can enter the fantastical world of Willy Wonka and his mysterious chocolate factory while it plays out at the Casa del Prado in Balboa Park through Nov. 8.

The San Diego Opera will kick off its new season on Oct. 23‑25 with Verdi’s highly dramatic tragedy, “Rigoletto.” The weekend of performances will take place at the Civic Theatre.

LA JOLLA MUSIC SOCIETY: “Dear Mr. Bennett.”

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36 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM October 2026

Food BY MIRIAM PASCAL

Pumpkin Crumb Cake This dairy-free cake is an autumnal crowd-pleaser. Who can resist a crumb cake? The only thing better than the dense cake on the bottom is the thick layer of cinnamon crumbs on top. It’s full of spices and pumpkin, but no sour cream, so it’s non-dairy and just a touch less caloric than traditional coffee crumb cake.

INGREDIENTS:

PREPARATION:

For the crumb topping

• ⅓ cup sugar • ¾ cup brown sugar • 3 teaspoons cinnamon • pinch salt • 1 ¾ cups flour • ¾ cup vegetable oil For the cake • 1 cup vegetable oil • 1 cup sugar • ½ cup brown sugar • 2 eggs • 1 cup canned pumpkin purée (see Note) • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract • 2 teaspoons cinnamon • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1 teaspoon baking soda • ½ teaspoon salt • 2 ½ cups flour

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Grease and flour a 9×13inch pan; set aside.

2. To prepare the crumb topping: Combine sugars, cinnamon, salt and flour in a small bowl. Add oil and mix until combined and crumbs form. Set aside. 3. To prepare the batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together oil and sugars on medium speed until smooth. 4. Add eggs, pumpkin purée, vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat until combined. 5. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add flour gradually, beating until just combined. Do not overmix. 6. Pour batter into prepared pan. Cover entire surface of the cake with prepared crumbs (there will be a very thick layer of crumbs). 7. Bake for about 1 hour, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Note: Be sure to use canned pumpkin puree, not canned pumpkin pie filling, as it has ingredients not needed here. You can also use homemade pumpkin puree.

Tishrei-Cheshvan 5787 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 37

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Affiliated or Unaffiliated with a Synagogue.

✡

We can assist with At-need or Pre-need funeral planning. Purchasing cemetery plots or burial arrangements anywhere.

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We are here to help, call or email with any questions.

Post 385 | San Diego

JOIN JWV

• Connect with Jewish Veterans • Support Veterans and Active Duty • Advocate for Veterans Rights • Combat Antisemitism & Support Israel • Serve the Community A Jewish Voice for Veterans; A Veteran’s Voice for Jews

JWV385@gmail.com JWV.org Proudly Serving Jewish Veterans Since 1896

(619) 583-8850

6316 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego For a list of currents services and additional info:

www.amisraelmortuary.com Members of the JFDA- Jewish funeral directors of America, KAVOD - (Independent/Family owned Jewish funeral directors) Consumer Affairs Funeral and Cemetery division CA, Lic. #FD-1320

Allen Talansky – Escondido Ethel Schwab – San Diego Edmund Ernst – San Marcos Arnold Tubis – Lewes, DE Avraham Avraham – Tel Aviv, Israel Judith Wohl – San Diego Ira Lubliner – Delray Beach, FL Rebeca Rodkin – La Jolla Joseph Shelov – San Diego Dalya Dallal – San Diego Arlene Glube – La Jolla

Ruth Segal – Escondido Edith Siverstein – San Diego Stuart Naliaboff – San Diego Mira Mindlin – San Diego Allen Wortman – Laguna Niguel, CA Bella Attix – San Diego Patsy Millard – Encinitas Bernard Baruch – San Diego Roberta Kovin-Cohen – San Diego Bernice Frank – San Diego Denise Witkin – San Diego

May their memory be a blessing. AM ISRAEL MORTUARY We Are San Diego’s ONLY All-Jewish Mortuary Serving the community for over 40 years.

On behalf of AM Israel Mortuary, We extend our condolences to the families of all those who have recently passed. The families of those listed above would like to inform the community of their passing.

6316 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego

Members of the JFDA- Jewish funeral directors of America, KAVOD - (Independent/ Family owned Jewish funeral directors) Consumer Affairs Funeral and Cemetery division

www.amisraelmortuary.com

(619) 583-8850

For a list of currents services and additional info:

CA, Lic. #FD-1320

Tishrei-Cheshvan 5787 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 39

KORNFELD AND ASSOCIATES,, CPA ASSOCIATES CPAss

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

2067 First Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 Bankers Hill p: 619.563.8000 | f: 619.704.0206 gkornfeld@kornfeldandlevy.com

EW IO N AT C

RICK’S RESTAURANT

Gary Kornfeld Certified Public Accountant

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

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

Phone: 858.566.0866 ~ Email: info@streeterprinting.com

40 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM October 2026

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

Last Word BY SUSAN EDELSTEIN

Main photo: Fox Point Farms | Inset: Paul Nestor. Photos courtesy Seacrest Foundation.

Seacrest Foundation Launches Inaugural Stroll for the Soul

n Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026, Seacrest Foundation is launching its inaugural Stroll for the Soul at beautiful Fox Point Farms, a working farm and agrihood, in Encinitas. This family-friendly community event includes scenic walking routes, farm-fresh food, live music and activities for the kids. Every step benefits the residents of

Seacrest. Paul Nestor, Team Captain of the Jolly 16 & Founding Families Team, is proud to walk in honor of his grandmother, Freda Nestor, one of the original 16 women who helped build what is now Seacrest Village. So, if you haven’t yet been to Fox Point Farms, it’s time to lace up your walking shoes and take a stroll for the soul. A

Tishrei-Cheshvan 5787 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 41

An isolated cabin, a stormy night, a rocky marriage, resentments, paranoia, hallucinations. What could go wrong? Something brews unforeseen in the darkness. Guess the ending. Audience member closest to the truth wins a prize.

OCT 31 - NOV 8 Sat: Matinee 2pm | Eve 7pm Sun: Matinee 3pm | Eve 7pm

Point Loma Assembly 3035 Talbot Street

SCAN FOR TICKETS

42 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM October 2026

THE CONRAD Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster Home of La Jolla Music Society

Sunday, November 15 • 3 PM Beloved children’s book author Mo Willems’ delightful characters come to life in Manual Cinema’s imaginative show featuring colorful puppets, playful props, and live onstage movie‑making.

Visit TheConrad.org for Tickets & More Family Programming!

Great for Ages 3−8

The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center · 7600 Fay Avenue, La Jolla, California 92037 Tishrei-Cheshvan 5787 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 43

Build Hunger-Free Tomorrows You established your Donor-Advised Fund to make a difference.

Today, a grant recommendation to the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank can help provide nutritious food, dignity, and hope to neighbors facing hunger throughout San Diego County.

Recommend your grant today. Visit SanDiegoFoodBank.org or scan the QR code to give through your Donor-Advised Fund.

Fighting Hunger. Feeding Hope.

Learn about more ways to support the San Diego Food Bank. SanDiegoFoodBank.org