MAY 2019
Strengthening the Next Generation
PLUS Poway Strong: San Diego's Jewish community stands together Israel Advocacy
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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MAY 2019
Coaching that is engaging, expanding and encouraging
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contents
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May 2019 • www.lchaimmagazine.com
COVER STORY Israeli American Council strengthens Israeli, Jewish identities for the next generation....................................................................................................
1000 WORDS
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Ruth Weber and Emilia Lopez-Yañez are making music to heal the world.................. FOOD
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HEALING THE WORLD
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JNF's Beit Asher Food-Tech Quarter is a food startup and innovation center...........
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ISRAEL A Moment of Silence for Lori Kaye, z"l ................................................................................................ USD students study Israeli water innovations.............................................................................. Changing campus climate on Israel at UCSD...............................................................................
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ARTS Lipinsky Family Jewish Arts Festival returns to SD REP........................................................
OLIVE OIL CAKE
Mainly Mozart..................................................................................................................................................... SENIORS
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Rethinking retirement communities..................................................................................................... JFS Gala raises record $1.5 million........................................................................................................ COLUMNS
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Letter from L'CHAIM.......................................
Torah: Of the Book....................................
Random Rants...................................................
Mazel and Mishagoss...........................
PUBLISHERS Diane Benaroya & Laurie Miller
CONTRIBUTORS
ADVERTISING & SALES Diane Benaroya (dianeb@lchaimmagazine.com), Sharon Buchsbaum (sharonbux@gmail.com) 4
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MAY 2019
ART DEPARTMENT lauriem@lchaimmagazine.com LISTINGS & CALENDAR: calendar@lchaimmagazine.com
EDITORIAL editor@lchaimmagazine.com ADVERTISING dianeb@lchaimmagazine.com
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Laurie Miller Daniel Bortz, Donald H. Harrison, Steve Horn, Stephanie Lewis, Salomon Maya, Mimi Pollack, Sharon Rapoport, Eva Trieger, Deborah Vietor, Chana Jenny Weisberg
MAINLY MOZART
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO, LLC (858) 776-0550 San Diego, CA 92127
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alanna Maya
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CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS info@lchaimmagazine.com
SUBSCRIBE ONLINE: www.lchaimmagazine.com/shop Copyright ©2019 L’Chaim San Diego LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator” to: publisher@lchaimmagazine.com Published in San Diego, CA • www.lchaimmagazine.com
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A LETTER FROM L'CHAIM WHEN WILL THE HATE STOP?
On Shabbat, the last day of Pesach, we heard news of the shooting at Chabad of Poway. Our hearts sank. Our publisher, Diane Benaroya’s youngest son became Bar mitzvah there. Chabad was her home after she left Israel and moved back to the states so many years ago. And each of us understands the importance of feeling safe in your place of worship. It is a tragedy that has become all too common today. Lori Kaye, z”l, Noya Dohan, Almog Peretz, and Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein are the victims. Lori was remembered by her friend Audrey Jacobs, in a piece on Facebook as the news spread that she had died during the attack. “Lori, you were a jewel of our community a true Eshet Chayil, a Woman of Valor. You were always running to do a mitzvah (good deed) and generously gave tzedaka (charity) to everyone. Your final good deed was jumping in front of Rabbi Goldstein to take the bullet and save his life,” Jacobs wrote. Another friend of Kaye’s, Barb Levine, remembered her on the morning of her funeral: “Lori was the light and energy of our Shul. She had many best friends. She knew something about or had a connection with everyone she met. If there was a person in need or something that needed to be done, she was always there. The irony of today’s services are she would have been the one spearheading and organizing the service. We will truly miss her. I know nobody with the energy and drive for good that Lori had and not nobody who will be missed by as many people.” Two family members, 8-year-old Noya Dahan, and her uncle Along Peretz were injured in the attack. Originally from Sderot, the family fled their homeland to escape terrorism and radical thinking threatening their way of life. The same type of terrorism and radical thinking that met them in synagogue yesterday. In the face of terror, Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein 6
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MAY 2019
attempted to comfort his congregants, even while he sustained serious injuries. As we all watched the news of the day unfold and spoke with friends in the Jewish community here in San Diego, we wondered: When will the hate stop? We are sick of this hate fueled by ignorance. It’s pervasive and touches every aspect of our life’s as Jews and as human beings. When will the hate stop? The day after the tragic events at Chabad of Poway, the community, commemorated Holocaust Remembrance Day at the JCC. The program began with tears as Barbara Ostroff, a second-generation Yom HaShoah Committee Chair, remembered her dear friend and fellow Poway Chabad Congregant, Lori Kaye, z”l. Organizers were prepared to say NEVER AGAIN, but sadly, not able. There was recognition and heartfelt applause for the County Sheriff, San Diego police and first responders, and a ceremonial candle lighting in memory of holocaust survivors who had passed away this year. It was a somber weekend for the San Diego Jewish Community, and one we hope we don’t have to relive ever again. In the words of Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, now is the time to go to synagogue. “We need to fill up those rooms! We need to show them that terrorism, evil, will never prevail. Let’s fill up the synagogues, let’s stand tall, let’s dance together,” he said. It’s time to come together as a community to show that we are strong. We are not afraid. And we will work together to combat anti-Semitism in all its forms.
In peace,
Diane, Laurie & Alanna
Diane, Laurie and Alanna L’CHAIM Magazine publishers and editor
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MY COMIC RELIEF l BY SALOMON MAYA
random rants Fill in the Blank
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e are creatures of a disgusting cyclical habit. A plus B equals C and within time back to A again. It’s just basic humanistic math. And we’ve unfortunately achieved a Field’s Medal level of genius when it comes to these types of equations. CLASS IS IN SESSION.
For all of you who a completely confused. Let me give you a real world example. A tragedy occurs (A) which leads to an outpouring of national support and prayer (B) that gives us some momentary action (C). And before we know it. We are back at A (in this case a different tragedy). Repeat as directed. So let’s look at this math problem and see what can we do. Let’s be 100% honest with ourselves. We’re not going to avoid “A.” It’s just a constant variable of our humanity. We are designed to destroy. It’s an ugly truth, but a truth nonetheless. You, my reader, might not be a destroyer. But someone you know right now (or even scarier someone you’ve never even met) is planning to destroy right this second. So since we can’t avoid A...all we can do is look at B and C right? Right. So let’s do that. An outpouring of support and prayer (and 8
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MAY 2019
if you don’t pray whatever moment of zen you so choose to follow). That, ladies and gentlemen we’ve got down. We’re good at supporting one another when things go bad. For the most part. In a post 9/11 world we’ve grown accustomed to lending a shoulder to cry on. And some of you beautiful people truly go out of your way to support. You donate blood, clothes, money, etc. when tragedy hits. So again. We’re good at the B. Then comes C. Action. After the candles of a tragedy vigil have been blown out, and the flowers on the wreaths float away with the passing winds. What do we do? We forget. It’s human nature unfortunately. Since the end of WWII we’ve never forgotten the atrocities of Nazi Germany, but have we allowed other genocides...yeah we kinda have. After numerous mass shootings have we just become numb to the volume that they’re just as common as going over the 65 MPH on the 805...yeah. Person 1...go...We don’t have a gun problem! Person 2...go...We have a gun problem! Blah blah blah. We have an us problem. We don’t talk to each other anymore. We yell! We choose sides and don’t waiver. WE TYPE IN CAPS. Some see a red hat and see bigotry and racism. Some see a rainbow flag and see
unforgivable sin. Some see snowflakes. Some see privilege. Some see colonizers. Some see marks. You’re more than likely quick to slap a frame on your social media profile picture saying “I stand with [insert victim here]” and think you’re actually changing something. But you’re not. You’re just shining a light into a black hole. Yelling into a turbine. Throwing a match into a volcano. And that’s where we currently stand. The face of antisemitism reached our beautiful city in the form of hate and an assault rifle held by the cowardly hand of a teenager on April 27 we finally read the words which we’ve dreaded to read...shooting at a synagogue (or Jewish community center or school). So, let’s recap: A (shooting at Chabad Poway) + B (thoughts and prayers) = C (_________________________) Now it’s your turn to fill in the blank before the test is up. Before the timer goes off. Before we get back to another A. Class dismissed. SALOMON MAYA IS A LOCAL ACTOR AND PLAYWRIGHT. FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTER @SALOMAYA OR EMAIL HIM AT SALOMONM@LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM.
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TORAH l BY RABBI DANIEL BORTZ
of
the book Soul Optimization
A
s the great Reb Zusha once remarked: “When I pass on to the next world, I’m not worried I’ll be asked: ‘Why weren’t you like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ I’m worried I’ll be asked: ‘Why weren’t you Zusha?’ Forget comparing myself to anyone else. Was I the best me I could’ve been based on my standards and potential?” “Come let us make the human in our image and likeness…” At the very beginning of the Torah, we learn how we came to be. G-d looks to the highest Divine realms to form Adam’s soul, and then from the lowest realm of dirt on earth to form Adam’s body. Both would mirror the expression of Divine light known as the ten Sefirot – ten character traits that make up our soul, psyche, and body: Three intellectual and seven emotional. The three intellectual soul traits are: Wisdom/Insight (right brain), Understanding (left brain), and Intimate Knowledge/ Recognition (center brain). The seven emotional soul traits are: Kindness/Love (Right arm), Strength/Restraint/Discipline (Left arm), Beauty/Compassion/Harmony (torso), Victory/ Ambition/Endurance (Right lower body), Splendor/Humility/Devotion (Left lower body), Foundation/Connection (reproductive organ), and Royalty/Receptivity/Expression (mouth). Each of these traits contains all the others on a certain level. 10
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These seven emotional paradigms are found throughout reality. They are the seven energies that characterize the seven days of the week, the seven colors of the rainbow, the seven musical notes in the western musical scale, and so much more. The seven-week period we are in the midst of, between the holidays of Passover and Shavuot [Exodus from Egypt and receiving the Torah on Mount Sinai] commemorates the 49-day journey of our ancestors in the Egyptian desert. To transition from the depravity of Egypt to the incomparable experience of hearing directly from G-d at Sinai, The Jews had to utilize these seven weeks to focus on intense self-reflection and refinement of each aspect of their seven soul traits. Everything that occurred in the Times of the Torah’s events is etched in the energy of time forever more. In this time we are in leading up to Shavuot on June 8-10, 2019, we too have a special opportunity to refine our emotional soul traits. Really, our entire life is about continual positive growth, refining our characters as we look to become the best version of ourselves. Endless pages of wisdom from our Sages discuss how to optimize our soul traits and perfect our character (I will be co-offering a course on this subject every Wednesday
evening of this month), but in this tiny space I will highlight one fundamental element for success in this arena: Balance. Love, giving, partaking, and outer expression are lovely attributes. But holding back at times, listening, having discipline and creating healthy boundaries are important too. A child needs unconditional live just as much as he or she craves order and some form of structure and moral responsibility. Love is wonderful, but so is respect. Hustle, perseverance, and ambition to accomplish are admirable. But we also need to have humility, teamwork, and the openness to learn. The right side — our outer impact on the world, and the left side — creating space for others and being open to learn, are the two general sides of our beings that must be harmonized through the middle path — the path of truth. Let’s take advantage of this very special time period to leap exponentially higher, preparing ourselves to connect on Shavuot with the One who breathed into our bodies this incredible soul of life. DANIEL BORTZ, THE MILLENNIAL RABBI, IS THE FOUNDER OF JTEEN AND SOUL X. CONNECT AT RABBIBORTZ.COM.
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PHOTO CREDIT WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
L’CHAIM | BY DEBORAH VIETOR
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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MAY 2019
L’CHAIM
1000
WORDS RUTH WEBER AND EMILIA LOPEZ-YAÑEZ: MAKING MUSIC TO HEAL THE WORLD
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uth Weber makes beautiful music with her daughter Emilia LopezYañez and they rock! Performing throughout San Diego County at schools, libraries and concert venues, the duo provide education, inspiration and entertainment in a magical and whimsical way. Their humorous, kid friendly music features eccentric, engaging characters making the world a better place through music. Ruth and Emilia’s newest album, The Spaceship That Fell in My Backyard, was just named Best Children’s Album of the Year by the LA Music Critic Awards, among other prestigious honors, including 2018 Kids First Media Award Winner, 2018 Family Choice Award Winner, 2018 Hot Diggity Award, and The Grand Prize for Children’s Music in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition. The love for music doesn’t fall far from the family tree. Weber’s grandmother, Betty, came to the United States from Roseve, Russia, during the Bolshevik Revolution. Weber has begun working on transforming her grandmother’s poems into beautiful song. “My grandma kept a book of poetry about her experiences in Russia, her travel to the U.S, and her marriage and life with my grandfather here. She read these poems to us, some in Yiddish and others in English,” Weber recalled. Grandma Betty is no longer living, but Ruth is keeping her poems alive by setting them to music. She and her children are creating an album of this music called Songs of an Immigrant. Her son assists with the song arrangements, and her daughter sings and plays oboe on the album. It is a labor of love produced by four generations. We
spoke with Weber about music, working with family, and her inspirations.
"Songwriting and making music was my release and since I was very shy, music was like a friend who was always there for me," Weber says. L’CHAIM MAGAZINE: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO HAVE A MUSICAL CAREER, TEACHING, COMPOSING, CONDUCTING AND PERFORMING? RUTH WEBER: Ever since I was little, music
was what I loved and did best. My sister and I would sit on the piano bench with my mom, singing as she played. My parents did not allow us to buy holiday or birthday gifts for them so we made them instead. Initially,
I wrote cards with poems. This developed into writing songs. Songwriting and making music was my release and since I was very shy, music was like a friend who was always there for me. L’CHAIM: HOW DID YOUR FAMILY BECOME INVOLVED IN MUSIC? RUTH WEBER: When my kids were young,
we played music games in the car. We sang rounds together and created elaborate harmonies. It made the trips pass quickly, and was something my kids really enjoyed and appeared to have talent for. I volunteered in my kid’s classrooms and was inspired to write songs about the subjects they were studying. It seemed to help them learn hard concepts like counting in Spanish or measurement. When my daughter was 3 and my son was 8, we sang and performed together as a family kids music trio, recording our first CD. Eventually my son, Enrico, thought singing kid’s music wasn’t very cool, so we produced other kinds of music projects. Enrico later attended UCLA and the University of Maryland, and is now Principal Pops Conductor of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra. Emilia attended Chapman University and USC, and is currently a professional oboist and vocalist in the Los Angeles area, playing with several different orchestras and doing studio oboe and vocal work. My husband, John Weber, runs sound for our performances and designs my props and costumes as well. He is retired from the probations department, where he worked with troubled juveniles. L’CHAIM: DESCRIBE YOUR CLASSICAL MUSIC TRAINING AND WHERE YOU PERFORM. HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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L’CHAIM
YOUR ROLE AS CONDUCTOR WITH THE SAN DIEGO JEWISH MEN’S CHOIR. RUTH WEBER: I began studying piano when
I was 5 and later studied guitar and voice as well. I enjoyed being involved in all aspects of music and had some conducting training while attending San Diego State University and Cal State University Northridge. I was really drawn to conducting. Performing as a solo pianist could be lonely at times, and I enjoyed being a part of an ensemble and making music as a team. It has been a joy directing the San Diego Jewish Men’s Choir for these last 7 years, like having a second family. We toured Nebraska, as guest artists with the Omaha Symphony and Phoenix this past year. It was a wonderful experience we hope to do more of. L’CHAIM: I HAVE LISTENED TO SOME OF YOUR SONGS ABOUT SAFETY FOR CHILDREN. WERE THESE COMPOSED FOR ALL CHILDREN, EVERYWHERE AND ARE THESE SONGS PERFORMED AT LIBRARIES, SCHOOLS AND ADDITIONAL VENUES? RUTH WEBER: Our current album, The
Spaceship That Fell In My Backyard, is about an alien who lands in Emilia’s backyard on her quest to make the universe a better place. 14
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The alien, URR, doesn’t know about safety, or washing your hands, or many things kids are taught growing up. Emilia teaches URR those things through the songs on the album. L’CHAIM: PLEASE SHARE REGARDING THE PRODUCTION AND RELEASE OF THE ONE LITTLE FINGER FILM, TO BE SHOWN AT THE CANNES FILM FESTIVAL AND HOW YOU BECAME INVOLVED IN MUSIC FOR CHILDREN WITH ABILITY IN DISABILITY. RUTH WEBER: My kids and I wanted our
album to benefit children and families, so we decided to donate one dollar from every CD sold to Ronald MacDonald House charities. Our show promotes acceptance of others, and we welcome the opportunity to perform for children with all abilities. We began working with producer/director Rupam Sarmah several years ago, and contributed two tracks to his world peace album benefitting many non-profit world peace organizations. The album, Action Moves People United, reached number 5 on the World Music BILLBOARD charts. It was an honor to create and direct the choral arrangements that backed up actor Dan Aykroyd’s narration on one of the songs.
Rupam mentioned a feature film he was producing, One Little Finger, about ability in disability, and asked if I would create the choral arrangements and direct the choir for the soundtrack. I jumped at the opportunity! I worked on three of the songs on the soundtrack which features Julian Lennon, Quincy Jones, and Ketchi. Emilia does some solo vocal singing on the album as well. The film received the Best Film for Inspiration and Global Impact Award at the recent Riverside international Film Festival, and will be presented at the Cannes Film Festival this May in addition to other film festivals. It will have its official premiere in Los Angeles on Friday, August 16 at the Santa Monica Theatre and is scheduled to premiere in San Diego at the Angelika Cinema in Carmel Mountain Ranch on Thursday, September 5. We hope to have a large attendance, as the producer and some of the actors will be at the event. TO FOLLOW RUTH AND EMILIA'S CALENDAR OF EVENTS, VISIT RUTHANDEMELIA.COM/CALENDAR-OFEVENTS.HTML.
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COVER STORY l BY RACHEL STERN
THE NEXT GENERATION 16
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COVER STORY
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he Israeli-American Council (IAC) for short, builds an engaged coast-to-coast community that strengthens the Israeli and Jewish identities of the next generation, the American Jewish community, and the bond between the people of the United States and the State of Israel. Founded in 2007 in Los Angeles, Calif., the IAC has been rapidly growing in members and supporters. There are more than half a million Israeli-Americans living in the U.S., and the IAC was formed with the vision to create a coast-to-coast community with Israel in heart and Israeliness in spirit.
organization does not allow for it to become a barrier. Many within the IAC families do not speak Hebrew, and the IAC believes it is important to ensure that they are included and able to actively participate. When they can, they blend Hebrew with English to make it easier so that everyone can connect to the IAC community and to the Hebrew language. As it states on its website, the IAC believes that “Israelis will not survive outside of Israel without Jewishness… We must connect the next generation to their Jewish roots.” The IAC brings a voice to the Israeli-American
“I wanted to bring the spirit of Israel and our Jewish roots to the IsraeliAmericans and Jewish Americans living in San Diego," Shenhar said of her decision to work with the IAC. Just what do they consider “Israeliness”? There are five elements of Israeliness at the core of the community that the IAC builds: activism, Jewish heritage, innovation and entrepreneurship, Hebrew and Israeli culture and, of course, love for Israel. With 20 regional offices and 58 active communities worldwide, the IAC continues to expand. As of 2017, the IAC is one of the fastest-growing Jewish organization in the world. The IAC reaches every generation and empowers the Israeli and Jewish American leadership of tomorrow. However, the IAC does not have any official political affiliation. The IAC community is comprised of people from all religious denominations and political leanings. Many of their programs are conducted in English because, while Hebrew is a core value of the IAC, the
community’s concerns within America’s public discourse. Recently, the Israeli-American Council applauded Senators Kevin Cramer, Marco Rubio, and Ted Cruz for their leadership in introducing a resolution to the U.S. Senate that identifies the exceptional heritage and extraordinary accomplishments of Israeli-Americans. The organization is nonprofit and works with partners throughout the country. “The IAC’s work is complimentary to that of other Jewish American organizations,” such as different JCC’s, Jewish coalitions and synagogues internationally, the organization states. The IAC has six staple programs, among other activities, initiatives, festivals, and their annual IAC National Conference in December in Florida. IAC San Diego’s Regional Manager Merav WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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COVER STORY
Shenhar joined the IAC team in 2017, and said: “As an Israeli-American, I have the unique opportunity to serve as a living bridge between Israel and the United States.” After Merav completed her Israeli army service, she received her degree in Business Administration and her MBA from Ben Gurion University. Currently, she resides in Scripps Ranch with her family. “I am an Israeli-American,”Shenhar said. “I moved to the United States 13 years ago, with my husband and daughter, following a job opportunity that my husband accepted. We started our adventure in Pittsburgh, Penn., then moved to Sunnyvale, Calif., and finally to San Diego. “As the years passed, I started to feel that something was missing. I began to wonder about my identity as an Israeli living outside of Israel. Growing up in Israel, the Jewish identity, culture, and tradition is often automatic. It is always present and accessible, you learn about the Jewish holidays in school, you observe the holidays one way or another, and on Fridays you can feel Shabbat approaching. When living outside of Israel, it is up to us to decide how to incorporate the Israeli and Jewish identities into our daily routine.” Shenhar said she wants the next generation to maintain their connection to Judaism and to Israel, which is part of the reason she views her work as so important. “I wanted to bring the spirit of Israel and our Jewish roots to the Israeli-Americans and Jewish Americans living in San Diego. My children participated in the Israeli Scouts (Tzofim), but I always felt that I could do more,” she said. “In 2017 I joined the IAC National Conference with thousands of other passionate Israeli-Americans and American Jews and I was really inspired. I saw that I was not the only one with questions about my hybrid identity and seeking a community. I saw that the IAC already had programs in place throughout its regions for every generation of a family. I was stimulated to play a role in helping to strengthen my community, which is why I joined the IAC. 18
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I am proud to be part of an organization that connects Israeli-Americans and Jewish Americans because we are stronger when we are united as a Jewish family.” Shenhar joined IAC San Diego in 2017 as a Program Manager and took on the position of Regional Manager in September 2018. Through various programs (listed below),
"When living outside of Israel, it is up to [Israelis] to decide how to incorporate the Israeli and Jewish identities into our daily routine,” Shenhar said. the IAC hopes to engage the San Diego community in Israeli culture. IAC SHISHI ISRAELI
“Shishi” means Friday in Hebrew. IAC Shishi Israeli brings together families for communal experiences that combine Jewish traditions and Israeli culture. Programs are held on Shabbat and Jewish holidays, including Shavuot, Sukkot, Purim, and Passover. In 2018, more than 16,000 participants were
part of IAC Shishi Israeli across the country. One of the IAC Shishi Israeli programs that we held in San Diego this year was with Congregation Beth El. We had beautiful Israeli Shabbat dinner and celebrated Shabbat as a united community. IAC EITANIM
IAC Eitanim brings together the next generation’s Jewish-American and IsraeliAmerican middle and high school students for an immersive, innovative, project-based learning experience. With the help of volunteer mentors, the program strengthens the participants’ Jewish identity, builds their connection to Israel and ignites their “Israeliness”. Teens in San Diego participate in a yearround IAC Eitanim program, where they meet regularly and work on cutting-edge projects. IAC Eitanim teens are connected throughout the country when they participate in two IAC Eitanim Hackathons throughout the year — one at the IAC National Conference, and the other over the summer in Los Angeles. The IAC Eitanim program in San Diego is going on its fourth year in October 2019. “I have taken part in IAC Eitanim for the past three years, and it has been a huge part of my high school experience and shaping me into the person I am,” 17-year-old Cayla Surovsky, said. “IAC Eitanim introduced me to the world of entrepreneurship in an understandable and interesting way, making me passionate about something I had never heard of before stepping through the doors of IAC Eitanim. Because of this program, I am pursuing a degree in business and entrepreneurship and couldn’t be more excited. IAC Eitanim has given me so many fantastic tools for my future education and life, and I’m grateful to have been able to take part in it and become a member of such a fantastic community.” Another participant, 17-year-old Karen Ptashek said: “IAC Eitanim taught me how to be a contributor and a collaborator. I had the opportunity to be a part of Hackathons and Demo Days, which are immersive project-based programs that promote the
COVER STORY
The 2018 Celebrate Israel Festival was attended by over 3,200 participants.
mindset of entrepreneurship, innovation and critical thinking. The help and feedback from our amazing mentors opened my eyes to what it takes to conceptualize a product, with both market needs and the core team being equally as important. This program has boosted my confidence, my outlook on a business has completely changed due to the insights I gathered throughout my time in the IAC Eitanim program.” CELEBRATE ISRAEL FESTIVAL
This past year, IAC San Diego partnered with the Jewish Federation of San Diego County for a festival that brings together all lovers of Israel to celebrate the Jewish state and its independence in a community-wide, cultural event. The 2018 Celebrate Israel Festival was part of a national network of festivals in 15
cities. In San Diego over 3,200 participants attended the event. “This year, we’re looking forward to Celebrate Israel on June 2, 2019,” Shenhar said. “Our featured performance will be local Israeli rock band CaliBear. Attendees can register at jewishinsandiego.org/israelfest.” IAC GVANIM
IAC Gvanim is a program that empowers Israeli-Americans to become the next generation of leaders in the Israeli and Jewish American communities. The program focuses on questions of identity, understanding the Jewish American landscape, and cuttingedge leadership and community-building tools. “We just concluded our second year of IAC Gvanim programming in San Diego,”
Shenhar said, “and IAC Gvanim alumni in San Diego plan events for the community, including the upcoming ZiKaron BaSalon program, dedicated to commemorating Holocaust Remembrance Day. “IAC San Diego has been privileged to work with incredible partner organizations throughout the year. We will continue to build strong partnerships with Jewish American organizations. This is a core part of our vision. We also plan to continue to expand our community building activities and local leadership initiatives.” FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IAC, VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT ISRAELIAMERICAN.ORG/SAN-DIEGO, OR FOLLOW THEM ON FACEBOOK.
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Artist’s rendering of the Jewish National Fund International Institute of Culinary Arts.
TOP CHEFS IN NORTHERN ISRAEL
The Culinary Arts Institute Sets its Eyes on Region 20
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MAY 2019
PHOTOS COURTESY JNF
FOOD
FOOD
Olive Oil Cake
By Lior Lev Sercarz, JNF Partner
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etting up shop in Israel’s north is the Beit Asher Food-Tech Quarter, a food startup and innovation center; and the Jewish National Fund International Institute of Culinary Arts. Two game-changing projects will work to help transform the economy of the Greater Kiryat Shmona Region, while developing the area with a strong economic future and population growth. And they have some rather tasty components to them. Setting up shop in Israel’s north is the Beit Asher Food-Tech Quarter, led by Erel Margalit with the support of the Greenbaum Family, a food startup and innovation center; and the Jewish National Fund International Institute of Culinary Arts. The new concoctions are credited to Jewish National Fund-USA (JNF) and ii2020, led by Erel Margalit, announced with Galil Elyon Mayor Giora Saltz, Kiryat Shmona Mayor Avichai Stern, Tel-Hai College President Professor Yossi Mekori and master spiceblender Lior Lev Sercarz, who will serve as director of the institute. Israel has emerged as one of the leading countries for food and agricultural technologies, and coupled with the opening of the International Institute of Culinary Arts, a four-year accredited diploma program college, the region is primed to become a center for culinary arts. The Beit Asher FoodTech Quarter will serve as the central hub for companies to study and develop food security, Agri-Tech and other technologies to revolutionize the food industry. “The Galilee is going through a tremendous transformation. For the past five years, we’ve been working with our partners to develop the region as a food-tech epicenter, and now we are starting to see results,” says Margalit. “The initiative we are leading in the Galilee attracts multinational companies, creates new jobs and leverages the entire region. Our goal is to create a new story and new opportunities. No longer will the region be referred to as Israel’s ‘periphery,’ but as one of the country’s most desirable locations for families and professionals.” Margalit, a world-renowned business and
social entrepreneur, developed a privatepublic partnership model to create techdriven ecosystems throughout Israel. “Israel has become a destination for food, adventure and culture,” affirms Sercarz. “The Institute of Culinary Arts will not only showcase the vibrant and fresh cuisine of Israel, but will also bring master chefs from across the globe to the school as visiting professors.” Born in Israel, Sercarz is the chef and owner of La Boîte, a biscuits and spice shop in New York City. He studied at the Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon, France, before moving to New York in 2002 and working as a sous chef at Daniel under Chef Daniel Boulud. Students of the school will have the chance to see the produce they use from seed to plate; ingredients will be sourced from local kibbutzim and farms. Part of the training includes the business, accounting, customerservice and hospitality sides of running a restaurant, which students will experience firsthand at the campus’s eatery. The project falls under JNF’s “Go North” initiative, which aims double the population of the region. Areas of focus include infrastructure development, housing, career training and employment services, parks and recreation sites, education and leadership building programs, tourism and more. “Together with our partners, we are creating a new story and narrative for the city and the region — a story that connects a city of entrepreneurship and a whole area of innovation,” says Kiryat Shmona Mayor Avihai Stern, working directly with Deputy Mayor and Head of Economic Development Ofir Yehezkeli. “The main goal is to create quality jobs for young people who will make young families choose to live in the area.” THE JEWISH NATIONAL FUND INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CULINARY ARTS IS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS IN THE COMING MONTHS FOR THE FIRST COHORT. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT JNF.ORG.
INGREDIENTS Nonstick pan spray, oil, or butter, for pan 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (240 grams) 1 cup sugar (210 grams) 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (8 grams) 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda (7 grams) 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (3 grams) 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (155 grams) 2/3 cup whole milk (150 grams) 2 large eggs (120 grams) 2 tablespoons dark rum (30 grams) 1 orange 1 tbs baharat spice
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. 2. Coat an 8×4-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray, line the bottom with parchment paper, and grease again. Set the pan in a roasting pan in case any batter spills (it shouldn’t) and to prevent the cake bottom from browning too much. 3. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spice blend until well mixed. In another bowl, combine the oil, milk, eggs, and rum. Zest the orange directly into the bowl. Halve the orange and squeeze 2 tablespoons juice (30 grams) from the orange and add to the bowl with the liquids. Whisk until smooth. 4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Start whisking slowly from the center of the bowl, gradually drawing in the dry ingredients to prevent them from clumping. Once all of the dry ingredients are incorporated, whisk just until smooth. The thick batter should drip off the whisk. Pour into the prepared loaf pan. 5. Bake, rotating the loaf pan once halfway through , until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. 6. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Unmold and cool completely on the rack. WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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ISRAEL
A Moment of Silence
Chabad of Poway's Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein speaks about the shooting that left a congregant dead, and 3 injured, including himself, as Passover came to an end By Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein
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y wife and I came [to Chabad of Poway] 33 years ago; this was an empty piece of land. I was 24 years old; she was 20 years old. We dedicated our life to do good for humanity. We built this community center with the help of all of our members, our supporters, and our philanthropists. It was no easy task. We built it with one goal in mind: that this should be a warm home, a welcoming home, a safe home that people from all walks of life can come and partake in all of our programming — our preschool, our synagogue, our wonderful Friendship Circle serving children with special needs. This is what we are all about. After 33 years, we did not expect what happened here yesterday. I was preparing for my sermon. I walked out of the sanctuary and I walked into the lobby that I met my dear friend Lori Kaye, of blessed memory. For those of us who know Lori, know that she is a person of unconditional love. I have known her for close to 25 years. She was a 22
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MAY 2019
pioneer member from our congregation. She used to work for Wells Fargo. She helped secure for us the loan for this building, which was a very difficult task in the early ‘90s. She was one that went out of her way to always be there for those in need. When one of our members’ wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, she took it upon herself to drive her for every single doctor’s appointment, to be there for the children. Lori had unconditional love for all, she was the kindest, most generous philanthropist, and a great loyal friend — which you don’t find much these days. Yesterday, this horrific terrible event that occurred here, in my own interpretation, Lori took the bullet for all of us. She died to protect all of us. She didn’t deserve to die. She is a kind, sweet hearted, just a good human being. She didn’t deserve to die right in front of my eyes. I was the last one to see her and to be with her, but I do know that this is Lori. This is her legacy. And her legacy will continue.
ISRAEL
It could have been so much worse. If the sequence of events didn’t happen the way they happened, it could have been a much worse massacre. I grew up in Brooklyn, New York. The Chabad Rebbe, the grand Lubavitcher Rebbe, was my teacher. I grew up with him, and he taught me that we need to battle darkness with light. No matter how dark the world is, we need to think that a little bit of light pushes away a lot of darkness, a lot of light pushes away much more. And the Rebbe would say, ‘we all need to teach everyone — no matter what religion you are from — we need to do random acts of kindness. We need to tilt the scale. There is so much darkness in the world, but you and I have the ability to change. I will never forget yesterday; my missing finger will forever scar me physically, but it is going to remind me how vulnerable we are and also how heroic each one of us can be. We are all created in God’s image; we are all partners in creation. No matter what faith or religion you’re from, we all have to make this world a better place, to prevent this from ever happening again. And to this, I want to thank our dear mayor (Steve Vaus). I have been living in Poway here my whole life since I got married. My children grew up here. Now my grandchildren are growing up here. This is literally, I felt, my safest place. Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, was not a very safe place. I came to Poway because I knew it was a very safe place and it still is the safest place. No matter what happened, we are going to keep our freedom tight and close to us. We are going to stand tall, and we are going to grow from it. And I also want to thank our sheriff’s department, who have been absolutely incredible from the very first call and their response. I have enjoyed being the chaplain for the sheriff’s department for close to 20 years, sworn in by the former sheriff, Bill Kolender {z’l} and he right away told me what my mission was going to be. It was to be there for the deputies and give them the optimism, give them the positive feeling, that
the world is going yet to be a better place. And I want to take note for other victims who suffered yesterday, physically, emotionally, spiritually. The best we can do to combat is to grow, build, and be stronger, stronger and stronger. And yes, every single one of us can do that. I look around at the
“Lori took the bullet for all of us. She died to protect all of us.”
myriad of cameras that are here. The message needs to be brought out to the public ‘How does a 19-year-old, a teenager, have the audacity, the sickness, the hatred to publicize such anti-Semitism in his manifesto? How does he come here to a house of worship to do what he did?’ Perhaps we have to go back a little earlier and think about what are we teaching our children? What are we educating our children? We need to perhaps consider re-introducing in our public-school system a moment of silence when children can start the day with pausing and thinking, ‘Why am I created? Why am I here? And what am I going to do?’ I certainly hope that we can grow from this, and we can become stronger from this. Chabad of Poway will survive this. I want to thank all of our community members. I want to thank all of our neighboring churches from all over San Diego. To see all the religions
come together in support is absolutely the warmest hug we could have ever gotten. And to be able to be together, show unity, solidarity. I want to personally thank all my fellow priests, ministers who have been here with me, who have called with me, who have shared with me your condolences. I am so grateful for that. The community has set up a Go Fund Me account to help us through this very difficult time and we’re certain that San Diego will participate and do your part in helping us rebuild and get back on our feet. I want to take this opportunity to bless everyone here with blessings of long life, great health, and let’s look for peace. And yesterday, I was going to read the prophecy of Isaiah. I didn’t get to do it because my hand was blown out. The prophecy of Isaiah was that the world is going to see better days. It is not a prophecy of an idea, it’s reality. One good deed at a time can make that happen. I am appealing to all fellow Jewish members of our faith, and others, this Friday night, this Saturday, go to your synagogue. We need to fill up those rooms! We need to show them that terrorism, evil, will never prevail. Let’s fill up the synagogues, let’s stand tall, let’s dance together. And for our Jewish people who haven’t been to synagogue in a long time, this is the time to do it. This is a personal request for myself as a rabbi. I’m asking you, come to synagogue this weekend just to show solidarity, and God will inspire you and bless you, that we should all be blessed with greater and better times. We should no longer have to have such press conferences but only greater and better times for all mankind; it should happen speedily in our days! Amen. RABBI GOLDSTEIN IS THE SPIRITUAL LEADER OF CHABAD OF POWAY. THESE COMMENTS WERE MADE DURING A PRESS CONFERENCE IN SAN DIEGO FOLLOWING A SHOOTING AT THE SYNAGOGUE DURING SATURDAY MORNING PRAYERS. THE TEXT ORIGINALLY APPEARED ONLINE AT SDJEWISHWORLD.COM.
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ISRAEL
What's
Water Worth?
USD program brings students to Israel to study water management By Elisa Lurkis
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ISRAEL
B
enjamin Franklin once said, “When the well is dry, we will know the worth of water.” That well is not likely to be in Israel, as students from the University of San Diego (USD) recently learned. Some 17 engineering students from USD’s Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering spent their spring break in Israel, as part of a semester-long course, taught by the Chair of Mechanical Engineering, Professor Frank Jacobitz. The course, entitled “Water in California and Israel: Challenges and Solutions,” required students who signed up for this course to participate in the spring break trip. Donations received from the Murray Galinson San Diego Israel Initiative, along with an anonymous matching donor, funded most of the travel costs. Only 1 of the 17 students had ever been to Israel previously. The reason that the proverbial well is not likely to run dry in Israel is because of Israel’s cultural focus on the importance of water conservation. One needs only to look at children’s nursery rhymes in Israel to notice a real difference from the U.S. American children grow up with the proverbial nursery rhyme “Rain, rain, go away; come again some other day!” By contrast, Israeli children have a nursery rhyme that, when translated, is equivalent to “Rain, rain, from the skies; all day long, drops of water; drip, drop, drip, drop; clap your hands!” A total of 80 percent of Israel’s drinking water comes from one of Israel’s five desalination plants, while 95 percent of the water used in Israel’s agriculture and industry comes from recycling wastewater. Motivated by years of drought and the shrinking of the Sea of Galilee in the early 2000s, lowflow toilets and shower heads were installed nationwide, along with water restrictions
[and real-cost pricing], all of which helped. Due to its extensive use of desalination, Israel is currently the only country in the Middle East that is not facing a water crisis. Contrast this information with California, which has similar weather patterns, droughtprone conditions, and proximity to ocean water, where there is currently only one desalination plant. The Carlsbad Desalination Plant, in north San Diego County, took 15 years to be approved, built and placed in full operation. The Carlsbad Plant, built by IDE Technologies (the same company that built some of Israel’s desalination plants), provides 8-10 percent of the drinking water in San Diego County. Clearly, California can learn a lot from Israel on the subject of water. In addition to learning about Israel’s desalination efforts, USD’s students also visited some of Israel’s historic water sites, such as the City of David water tunnels, created by King Hezekiah in the 8th Century BCE to protect the water source from the encroaching Assyrian army, Caesarea, an ancient port city built by Herod the Great in about 25 BCE, an ancient aquaduct, also built by Herod in the 1st Century BC. And they visited Hatzerim, one of Israel’s oldest kibbutzim, which founded the drip-irrigation technology company, Netafim. They also spent time touring Jerusalem’s Old City and visited the Yad Vashem museum (The World Holocaust Remembrance Center). The course is part of an ongoing partnership between USD and the Azrieli College of Engineering in Jerusalem. USD’s students spent time on the Azrieli campus, hearing from water experts and partnering with Azrieli students on joint water projects. Dr. Yaal Lester, Azrieli’s faculty expert on water research, co-leads this partnership.
USD and Azrieli students were placed into project teams together, to address water contamination challenges from water sources in Israel. Together, they analyzed and treated water from the Sea of Galilee, Israel’s coastal aquifers, aquifers in the Negev, water from the Jordan River, and wastewater. Students then identified a similar water issue at a specific location in California. After spending nearly a week together in Israel, the USD/Azrieli students met up again, this time in San Diego, for a week of joint classes and connection-building. Of course, part of the excitement for USD’s students was connected to the history of the three Abrahamic faiths – Judaism, Islam and Christianity, which are all rooted in Israel. “The history that fills every crack of the cobble stone in this city [Jerusalem] breathes life into you as you splash through the puddles of these streets in search for the root stories of so many religious traditions,” Elise Riccio, one of the student participants, said. USD hopes to bring another cohort of students to Israel during the 2019-2020 academic year. Dr. Jacobitz, when asked about the importance of this course, said, “This course started with two visions: The academic goal was to learn about water technology developed in Israel to sustainably address our challenges in California. A more personal aim is to build bridges between students from Israel and California. I hope that the first offering of our course made small steps towards both goals.”
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ISRAEL
At UCSD
Changing Campus Climate on Israel By Tritons for Israel Executive Board
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niversity of California, San Diego (UCSD) is a campus known for its picturesque scenery, world-renowned professors, incredible research, and a student life often described as “socially dead.” At a school where students aren’t usually known for their activism, but rather for their late-night hours at Geisel Library, advocating for Israel is a unique challenge. Sadly, for most of the nearly 40,000 students at UCSD, the bulk of their interactions around issues relating to Israel occur during the anti-Israel showcase of “Justice in Palestine Week” — which is taking place from May 6-10 this year. This is when the so-called “Israeli apartheid wall” comes to campus every year, without fail. It’s also when the anti-Zionist week’s organizer, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), and our pro-Israel student group Tritons for Israel sit on opposite sides of the campus’s “Library Walk” presenting our divergent narratives and views. Our pro-Israel response is two-fold and is implemented over the course of two weeks: Israel Fest and Israel Solidarity Week. For Israel Fest, we celebrate Israel’s existence and vibrant culture with a variety of cultural events, culminating with an Israeli Independence Day party. For Israel Solidarity Week, we organize displays on the Jewish people’s history of strife and liberation, Israel’s efforts to negotiate peace agreements, and the diversity and coexistence within Israel. In the evenings, we bring in speakers that discuss current events. We end the week with a Shabbat dinner that’s open to the whole campus and embodies our unity in standing up for Israel’s right to exist. During both programs, our goal is not only to humanize Israel in the face of demonization, but also to celebrate Israel and provide essential moral support for our pro-Israel community on campus. But Israel advocacy, responding to BDS, and changing the campus climate around Israel isn’t limited to a few weeks a year. Engaging students both within and outside the pro-Israel community at UCSD in a year-round endeavor. Tritons for Israel takes a multi-pronged approach to Israel advocacy. We believe that education and relationships make up the foundation which builds support for the Jewish state. In that regard, we work closely with the Jewish Agency Israel Fellow on our campus, Shir Azaria. Shir is one of the hundreds of Israeli emissaries who serve for 1-3 years on university campuses worldwide, with the goal of empowering student leadership and creating Israel-engaged campuses. Shir has done more than bring her knowledge about Israel to UCSD. She carries with her the Israeli culture that adds flavor to
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every meeting and event we hold. She makes an effort to connect with as many students as possible and meets with students one-on-one every week. During these meetings, she helps brainstorm ideas for events and ensures students stay involved with Israeli-related activities despite their busy schedules. She has brought unique approaches that have widened the scope of Israel advocacy on campus, such as bringing in speakers to discuss alternate activism. In a nutshell, Shir’s presence is what relationship-building and high-quality Israel education are all about. One of Tritons for Israel’s newly launched initiatives is the Ambassador Program. In an effort to increase Israel engagement in our community, we’ve chosen seven ambassadors who reach out to new and existing communities in a pro-Israel context. The Tritons for Israel Board members are paired with ambassadors to assist them with integrating Israel into the dialogue within various other communities or organizations on campus, expanding the community of students who want to learn more about Israel and become more involved with pro-Israel efforts. Our education program focuses on equipping pro-Israel student leaders with the knowledge to become reliable sources of information for our community, in order to discuss Israeli and Mideast issues with people who have opposing views. We’ve also found it helpful to discuss our point of view with students who are critical of Israel in more private settings, rather than through public displays that polarize the campus. This allows students to feel more comfortable speaking about difficult topics. Engaging critics of Israel alongside pro-Israel students as well as those who are apathetic on the issue has helped us effectively illustrative our pro-Israel narrative and defend Israel on campus. We especially focus on bringing to light the diversity in Israel as well as the economic relations between Israelis and Palestinians to counter the “Israeli apartheid” accusation. Tritons for Israel’s vice president of advocacy has delivered a presentation on the different ethnic groups and major voting factions within Israel and how they coexist. Our work is far from over. But we are continuously learning how we can improve our events and change the discourse surrounding Israel on our campus. TRITONS FOR ISRAEL (TFI) IS THE PRO-ISRAEL STUDENT ORGANIZATION AT UCSD. LEARN MORE AT TRITONSFORISRAEL.COM.
SENIORS | BY SHERYL ROWLING CPA/PFS
RETHINKING RETIREMENT
COMMUNITIES
be the best option as you won’t be required to move as your needs change. You should also consider the fees for each level of care, and how much you are willing to pay as your needs change. SERVICES, AMENITIES, & ATMOSPHERE
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here is an outdated stereotype that retirement communities are meant for the old and sick. Today, however, retirement communities are full of independent, healthy and active retirees. CAREFUL CONSIDERATIONS
Many seniors find themselves faced with the difficult decision of whether they can continue to live in their homes. The transition to a retirement community is a crucial decision that requires time and the careful consideration of many factors. Such factors often include the affordability of a current home compared with a new community, health considerations and how needs will be met long term, and the strength of one’s social circle. Ultimately, seniors along with their families should make sense of their options to make the best decisions for their continued care and happiness. Here are the areas you should consider in a retirement community. PAYMENT STRUCTURES
The fees vary from location to location, but the two main structure types are buyin or rental. As the name suggests, a buyin structure is one that requires you to
make a significant down payment for the independent living facility in addition to a monthly rental fee. Month-to-month rentals only have a monthly fee, but these are often higher than a facility with the buy-in fee structure. Both types of monthly fees tend to rise with inflation, but typically only month-to-month rental fees tend to increase with levels of care. We suggest you first select the structure that will work best for your financial situation, then look for facilities that offer that specific fee structure. One additional financial feature to look for is the deductibility of expenses. Several facilities, but not all, allow for either a portion of your monthly rental payments or a portion of the down payment to be deducted on your tax returns as a medical expense. LEVELS OF CARE
Retirement communities typically offer several levels of care: independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, and memory care. Look into which levels of care are offered at the communities you are considering. If you are planning to be there for a long time, we recommend looking at Continuing Care Retirement Communities which offer all four levels of care. This might
Those interested in retirement communities should consider that they may be searching for the place they will live for the rest of their life. It is important to look carefully at what these facilities offer and if you can truly see yourself or loved one living there. Don’t be afraid to visit as many times as makes you feel comfortable. What is the food like? Be sure to eat in the restaurant, maybe on more than one occasion. What type of opportunities are available for your body and mind? Attend an exercise class and the next field trip to a cultural event. What is the social atmosphere like? Interview and speak with the current residents to see if it seems like the right fit. You should also consider if any religious affiliation of the community will mesh with your beliefs and traditions. OTHER FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS
Nursing facilities may be Medicareapproved. This is important because it means the facility is pre-approved by Medicare as a licensed nursing care provider and if you are eligible, you could potentially receive Medicare funds to pay for nursing care costs. Most facilities accept long-term care insurance as a form of payment, but it is always advisable to confirm this before you make your final decision. We also found that not-for-profit facilities tended to have a lower rent. Additionally, many of these facilities include a foundation, which offers financial assistance to residents who outlive their money. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ROWLING & ASSOCIATES VISIT ROWLING.COM. WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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Arts
SAN DIEGO'S REPERTORY THEATRE
26th Annual Lipinsky Family Jewish Arts Festival
THE 2019 LINEUP INCLUDES ISRAEL’S 3 TENORS, SOULFARM CELEBRATING BOB DYLAN, JEWS AND BLUES, PERLA BATALLA’S SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN, AND THE 10TH ANNUAL WOMEN OF VALOR.
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his month, the San Diego Repertory Theatre will host the 26th Annual Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival (JFEST), which brings another fantastic year of Jewish music, theatre and art to the community. From May 26 to July 11, 13 performances across multiple San Diego and North County venues will celebrateSan Diego’s diverse performing arts community. “The Festival is 26 and still growing! The music of this year’s festival will delight across cultures,” Festival Artistic Director Todd Salovey said. “I think audiences will love our many original programs of theatre, dance and music exploring the Jewish experience in art.” Opening night will feature a world premiere performance of the San Diego Ballet’s Song of Songs. Bringing to life King Solomon’s timeless mystical love song, 22 28
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MAY 2019
dancers ignite the stage with rousing jazz and klezmer music to celebrate a poem beloved by people from all walks of life and beliefs. Other highlights of this year’s festival include Kol Esperanza: The Israeli 3 Tenors, an exciting young operatic pop-trio who perform a mix of Broadway hits, classical arias and inspirational Hebrew favorites. Soulfarm, led by Grammy Award-winner C Lanzbom and guitarist/lead singer Noah Solomon, salute the legendary Bob Dylan with covers of his most transcendent music with a Jewish twist of faith in Knockin’ On Dylan’s Door. Perla Batalla returns to The REP following last spring’s soldout standing ovation triumph with a new selection of Leonard Cohen’s greatest songs in Perla Batalla Sings the Songs of Leonard Cohen. Plus, festival favorites Yale Strom & Hot Pstromi present an all-star concert celebration of the intersection of Jews and Blues with The Klezmer Summit: Blueish: Jews and the Blues, which includes special guests Tomcat Courtney (guitar), Sue Palmer (piano) and Robin Henkel (dobro guitar). This year also marks the 10th Annual
Women of Valor with music, stories and images of six women who have made a significant impact in San Diego. “Each of the 64 strong, committed, fearless and compassionate women we have featured over the years have inspired me to pursue a life of service and meaning,” said Festival Associate Producer Ali Viterbi. “Like the Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts festival itself, Women of Valor celebrates the diverse and vibrant Jewish community here in San Diego, and we’ve been honored to tell ten years of these inspiring women’s stories.” The festival will also feature two staged readings: In Every Generation directed and written by Ali Viterbi, a mystical journey through continents, languages and generations of an Italian Jewish family and a nation’s stories; and Asimov’s Last Chapter, a science fiction docu-comedy by San Diego REP Playwright-in-Residence and Culture Clash co-founder, Herbert Siguenza. Rounding out the festival is Russian klezmer virtuoso Alexander Gourevich joined by Latin, Flamenco and Romany guitarist Sasha Kolpakov performing moving and joyous klezmer gems. To celebrate the upcoming Festival of First Fruits, Soulfarm leads a sunset concert over-looking the Pacific Ocean at Leichtag Commons with worldbeat original and popular Jewish songs; and local teens unite to perform In the Room Where It Happens, a San Diego Jewish Teen Performance Showcase. Finally, to close the festival, Yale Strom and Hot Pstromi return with a concert of music ranging from classical to folk to unique improvisations by accordion maestro Peter Stan, with the world premiere of The Klezmer Accordion. TICKETS FOR THE 26TH ANNUAL LIPINSKY FAMILY SAN DIEGO JEWISH ARTS FESTIVAL CAN BE PURCHASED IN-PERSON AT THE SAN DIEGO REP BOX OFFICE, BY CALLING (619) 544-1000, OR ONLINE AT SDREP.ORG.
Music. Prayer. Community.
858-280-6331 Cantor@sdo-synagogue.org www.sdo-synagogue.org
CANTOR CHERI WEISS Spiritual Leader Independent Life Cycle Events
blackmoonimages.com • luxeendlessbeauty.com #yourtravelingphotographer
L’Chaim would like to thank our wonderful advertisers, without whose support we could not exist. Please consider supporting them whenever possible as a way to thank them for supporting the Jewish community in San Diego. As we pray for peace, we ask that you visit the L’CHAIM booth at Israel Fest, June 2 at Liberty Station.
Dear Neighbor, We stand with Israel. We hope for peace for our community, our nation and the world. Representative Scott Peters
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Arts
THE ROCKIN' RABBI by Sandy Eller | jns.org
Atlanta Musician 'Rabbi Jake' Takes the Country by Storm
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tlanta might be well-known for Coca-Cola and Hartsfield-Jackson International, the busiest airport in the world, but for music lovers both large and small, the city’s true claim to fame may very well be hometown-born “Rabbi Jake” — a singer, songwriter and entertainer whose cheerful tunes and exciting concerts have been delighting Jewish listeners for years. Growing up in Atlanta, Jake Czuper began 30
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composing songs when he was in fourth grade. His talent for combining Judaic concepts with upbeat music had him throwing tunes together, and after being invited to entertain his wife Chani’s preschool class, he found that they resonated with young children. Czuper began performing in Atlanta’s synagogues, summer camps and day schools in 2014 as Rabbi Jake, stressing themes like gratitude, simcha (“joy”) and emunah (“faith”) in a
fun, fresh way. Much like his brightly colored signature orange shirts, he stands out from the crowd, offering even the youngest of listeners high-energy entertainment. “My shows have LED lighting, bubble machines, glow sticks, candy and a professional sound setup — a real concert experience with plenty of audience participation,” said Czuper. “I never wanted to just be a guy with a guitar. I enjoy the
Arts
interaction with kids and being able to give them a multi-sensory experience.” Czuper finds Jewish children’s music to be a niche market — one that mainstream Jewish singers typically aren’t focusing on. He prides himself on writing music that appeals to kids of all ages, and loves watching teachers and counselors enjoying his performances just as much as their young charges. “It’s not that bingy-boingy annoying kind of kids’ music,” explained Czuper. “This is regular music with lyrics for kids. Parents even tell me that they put it on in their cars even when their kids aren’t with them.” Rabbi Jake upped the ante in July 2015, releasing his first official music video featuring his popular Aleph Bais song. Just several months later, his first album, Rabbi Jake, Vol. 1, debuted, followed in 2017 by Rabbi Jake 2, Vol. 2: Thank Hashem. Czuper’s music runs the gamut, with song titles including Thank You, Hashem, Jolly Jelly Bean and The Kipa Song, addressing a variety of themes that help children build a personal relationship with God and a love of Torah and mitzvot — concepts that, as an educator, he had seen lacking in his own students. Audiences nationwide have enjoyed his music, with Rabbi Jake entertaining youngsters at hotels during Passover and in Minnesota, Florida, Texas, New York and Canada. He performed most recently in honor of Rosh Chodesh Adar in the New Jersey region at Chabad of Tenafly and Fair Lawn’s Anshei Lubavitch. He often finds himself facing questions from TSA agents who want him to explain his large supply of jelly beans, as well as the hollow plastic pipes that he uses to build a stand for his concert banner. With a level of sophistication that is above most of what is currently available for children, Rabbi Jake has also found an audience with older listeners. As a former high school teacher who currently works as NCSY’s city director in Atlanta, Rabbi Jake is
“It’s not that bingy-boingy annoying kind of kids’ music,” explained Czuper. “This is regular music with lyrics for kids." closely involved with teens, and he produces music for them as well. Rebranding himself under his Hebrew name, Tzidkiyahu, Czuper released his third album, Tzidkiyahu, Vol. 1 in 2018, covering a full range of musical styles, including the very entertaining 4 Chords, a mashup of more than 20 songs from various artists, including Gad Elbaz, Yaakov Shwekey, Shalsheles, Shalsheles Junior, The Chevra, Yeshiva Boys Choir, Mordechai Shapiro and Simcha Leiner, all of which are constructed using the identical four chords. Some of Czuper’s most memorable moments performing as Tzidkiyahu include a Purim concert for Holocaust survivors in a nursing home that had one resident getting up and dancing for the first time in years, and playing two concerts for Floridians ravaged by Hurricane Irma in 2017. Another particularly poignant experience came when he took a group of NCSY teens on their firstever trip to Israel. Setting the words “Am Yisrael Chai” to music, along with lyrics covering 3,000 years of history, Czuper and his students saw the song come alive as they toured the country. Head of the Atlanta Boys Choir, Czuper plays weddings, bar mitzvahs and other private events. Ironically, he often finds himself fielding requests for some of his children’s songs at those affairs.
‘SEE LIGHT IN DARKNESS’
Recalling how he would start school each year with rabbis calling him by his full name, Tzidkiyahu Yaakov, inevitably opting for the more concise “Jake” within days, the 34-yearold father of five identifies with his biblical namesake, drawing on his unique ability to inspire others through song. “Just like Shimshon [‘Sampson’] was gifted with super power, Tzidkiyahu had eyes that were able to see light in darkness, which is what I try to do in my music and in the Torah that I teach,” he said. The message seems to be resonating. One father told Czuper that he had been on a road trip with his family, and as Rabbi Jake’s Gam Zu L’Tova song was playing in the car, he experienced a blowout. While the man and his wife were concerned that their children might have been frightened, their fears proved to be unfounded. “The children told their parents that gam zu l’tova, and everything that Hashem does is for the best, which led to a meaningful discussion about emunah and [God],” recalled Czuper who was grateful that the song turned a potentially traumatic experience into a positive moment. “Teaching children essential hashkafa [“outlook”] at an early age literally transforms a child’s world and gives them the ability to have a true relationship with Hashem for eternity.” WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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Arts
MAINLY MOZART Don't miss this festival
Concertmaster of the Israel Philharmonic Comes to San Diego's Mainly Mozart Festival
T
he San Diego Mainly Mozart Festival is unrivaled in terms of artistic viability. The “orchestra of champions”, which has been assembled during the June festival for the past 31 years, is both unique and extraordinary. The orchestra is full of concertmasters and principal players from across North America. For example, the violin section is composed of 12 concertmasters from orchestras such as The LA Philharmonic, The Dallas Symphony, and The San Diego Symphony. The principal oboist is principal at The Metropolitan Opera and teaches at Juilliard. The principal flute is principal at The Philadelphia Orchestra and teaches at Juilliard and Curtis. The principal horn is principal at The LA Philharmonic and played all the horn solos in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The list goes on and on and includes The Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, and now The Israel Philharmonic. 32
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MAY 2019
Who has the credentials to lead a group of leaders? Enter David Radzynski, concertmaster of the Israel Philharmonic. “I contacted David hoping that he was not just available but also willing to journey to San Diego from Tel Aviv. As it turns out, David’s sister and brother-in-law live in San Diego and he was delighted to become a member of the festival orchestra,” Mainly Mozart Artistic and Production Director Robert Tannenbaum explained. “I was so impressed with his decision to play in the section for two concerts in order to get a feel for the group before concert mastering our final concert on June 22. We’re also looking forward to David’s concert at Congregation Beth El, in La Jolla, on June 19.” Radzynski was appointed concertmaster of the Israel Philharmonic in March of 2015. He works hand in hand with the orchestra’s artistic director, the legendary Zubin Mehta . At the time, Radzynski was a mere 28
years-old and he remains one of the youngest violinists to lead a major world orchestra. The Israel Philharmonic makes its home in Tel Aviv but David has led the orchestra as it has toured Europe, China, Singapore, and The United States. For Zubin Mehta’s 80th birthday celebration, the orchestra traveled to his hometown of Mumbai, India. As the occasion has arisen, Radzynski has been invited to be a guest concertmaster at orchestras such as The Houston Symphony and The Pittsburgh Symphony. His next guest concertmaster appearance will be with the august Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. RADZYNSKI WILL BE PERFORMING WITH THE MAINLY MOZART FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA ON JUNE 15, 16, 20, AND 22. DETAILS CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.MAINLYMOZART.ORG
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SENIORS | BY SEAN SAVAGE | jns.ORG
CAPTIVATING STORIES
MAGICAL MOMENTS
AN EVENING AT JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE'S HEART & SOUL GALA
J
ewish Family Service of San Diego experienced a truly magical moment at its 2019 Heart & Soul Gala on April 6 when a record-setting $1.5 million were raised in support of the 100-year-old nonprofit. More than more than 600 guests, community leaders and partners gathered at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine to celebrate JFS’s ongoing efforts to provide resources and support to more than 32,000 San Diegans of all ages, faiths and backgrounds. All proceeds from the event benefit JFS’s ongoing efforts to help people in crisis move forward, while developing innovative strategies to break cycles of poverty and strengthen the San Diego community. “The support received at this year’s Heart & Soul Gala will help fund life-changing 34
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • MAY 2019
services for children, families and older adults across our community,” said JFS CEO Michael Hopkins. “We are deeply touched by the outpouring of generosity from the community.” The evening also shared the “captivating stories” of JFS’s 2019 Mitzvah Honorees: Ilene Mittman, a volunteer at JFS’s Balboa Avenue Older Adult Center who, for the last 10 years, has been the heart of the center and a true champion of JFS. She has also encouraged countless friends, family members and acquaintances to get involved. Aviva Saad, program coordinator at the Balboa Avenue Older Adult Center whose remarkable energy and drive has helped lead the center’s efforts to implement a schedule specifically designed to meet the unique needs of older adults struggling with dementia, and create a culture of care for
participants, family members and caregivers alike. ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties, a prominent force for the protection and expansion of fundamental rights in California’s second largest county and southern borderlands. In December 2017, ACLU joined with JFS and other core partners to launch the San Diego Rapid Response Network (SDRRN), a coalition of human rights, service and faithbased organizations, attorneys and others determined to help immigrant individuals and families – including refugees and asylum-seekers. In late October 2018, when federal immigration authorities began releasing dozens of asylum-seeking families onto San Diego streets without food, clothing, transportation or shelter, SDRRN mobilized to provide emergency shelter and humanitarian aid to more than 12,000 asylum-seeking migrants to date released by the federal government into this region. Together, ACLU, JFS and the rest of the SDRRN has worked to ensure that “no one stands alone in our community.” Organized by Gala Chairs Jamie Carr, Erin Combs Pearl and Scott Schindler, the evening included dinner, dancing and a silent auction to encourage awareness and philanthropy throughout the year. Evelyn and Ernest Rady served as Honorary Chairs for the event and provided a generous matching donation to all funds raised during the evening’s Fund-a-Mitzvah. MORE THAN 90 UNDERWRITERS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED THE EVENT. TO VIEW THE FULL LIST, VISIT JFSSD. ORG/GALA. TO LEARN MORE OR GET INVOLVED, VISIT JFSSD.ORG.
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BREAKING THE NONPROFIT GLASS CEILING
I
am the proud daughter of a woman who, in many ways, went against the traditional conventions of her times. It was 1943 when she enrolled in pharmacy school at the age of 16. After marrying my father, who was employed by the same pharmaceutical company, she continued working, stopping only when she had children. There was no such thing as daycare and my father earned significantly more, so it made sense for her to be the stay-at-home parent. It was a decision that many parents made—and still make. Today, women are the backbone of the U.S. economy in a way they couldn’t be when my mother gave up her career to raise her family. Women are educated, we work or own businesses—more than nine million U.S. companies are women-owned, employing nearly eight million people and generating $1.5 trillion in sales—and we raise our families. On top of that, we find time to give back and are engaged in various philanthropic activities. However, there still remains a gap in leadership roles even in the philanthropies that women champion. The philanthropic glass ceiling is ready and waiting to be broken— it’s time. If we women are 50.8% of the population, we should be 50% of the leadership too. Join me and the thousands of other women, and make your mark with Jewish National Fund’s Women for Israel. Zionism and love of Israel have always been part of my family legacy, and I first got involved with Jewish National Fund in 2010 when I joined my local board. Joining the JNF family has provided me with the privilege of working in many capacities for the benefit of the land and people of Israel. One of my proudest roles is serving as National President of JNF’s Women for Israel. I am thrilled to be able
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to continue the rich history and legacy of the group of women who came together in 1997 to form the Sapphire Society and Women for Israel. Of significant note: In 2013, women contributed a little more than $11 million to our annual campaign. In just five short years, that number has ballooned to more than $24 million…an incredible 118% increase! We have worked hard to play a more active role in leadership positions on both the local and national levels. And we are making headway. Many women have stepped up to the plate and become more involved on their local JNF boards. Where many philanthropic organizations are inherently led by men, change is taking place at Jewish National Fund. Positions that have historically been held by men are now being led by women. This year, 13 women were named to JNF’s National Board and many took on the role of area Board President across the country. The women at JNF are changing the status quo, but true change must come from us women philanthropists banding together. I am proud of these changes, but there is more to do. I’m sure when my 16-year-old mother walked into her first pharmacy school class, people wondered: “What’s she doing here?” She, and they, got over it. May is Jewish National Fund’s Women’s Month and all gifts this month to the Women for Israel campaign will be matched, up to $1 million, thanks to two generous women in our organization. To make a gift, contact James Kimmey jkimmey@jnf.org or 858.824.9178 x988. Join us and together we will make history and shatter the philanthropic glass ceiling. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– JOIN JEWISH NATIONAL FUND FOR ITS WOMEN FOR ISRAEL TEA ON MAY 19 AT 3:00 PM. THE EVENT WILL FEATURE CELEBRITY CHEF JAMIE GELLER. AS “THE BRIDE WHO KNEW NOTHING,” GELLER FOUND HER NICHE SPECIALIZING IN FAST, FRESH, FAMILY RECIPES. NOW HAILED AS THE “QUEEN OF KOSHER” BY CBS AND THE “JEWISH RACHAEL RAY” BY THE NEW YORK TIMES, SHE’S THE CREATIVE FORCE BEHIND JAMIEGELLER.COM, WHICH FEATURES OVER 10,000 RECIPES, ARTICLES AND VIDEOS. RSVP IS REQUIRED BY MAY 9, 2019 VIA JNF.ORG/SDWFITEA OR CONTACT NLICHTNER@JNF.ORG OR 858.824.9178 X932. TICKETS ARE $36. THIS EVENT IS OPEN TO ALL WOMEN WHO MAKE A MINIMUM ANNUAL GIFT OF $360 TO JEWISH NATIONAL FUND.
HUMOR | BY STEPHANIE LEWIS
mazel
& mishagoss I'm Sorry, Ma! Please Remove Your Curse?
I
was cruel to my mother as a cocky adolescent in the ‘80s. When we purchased a deluxe VCR, I smugly taped all Family Ties episodes (big Michael J. Fox crush!) leaving Mom helplessly wringing her age-spotted hands because she couldn’t figure out how to record Days of Our Lives for the long awaited soap-opera event of the year — Bo and Hope’s extravagant wedding. Don’t worry, my mother put a terrible hex on me: “One day a crazy gadget will be invented and you’ll have an unkind, impatient teenager (because what goes around comes around!) and I’ll just laugh forever.” That prophetic day arrives … my PC breaks. Before I can buy another, my sadistic friend offers her Mac. Seriously? “Mac” is an expensive brand of cosmetics, a Big McDonalds hamburger, or a cranky NYC cab driver. But now it’s my computer. Luckily, I have three technologically gifted sons who’ll surely assist me, right??
I offer to fry Latkes if he’ll come home for a ninety-minute lesson. I confirm it’s the same recipe from his childhood and he claims a dead battery and suggests his hungry brother. In the time it takes me to find my middle son’s contact into and refresh my memory on how to Skype, Youngest Son issues a “Look out! Mom is on the loose with her usual ‘Chanukah In Summer’ bartering for tech support” warning. Middle Son: Hello Mother. Throw in some jelly donuts and I’ll explain one thing. That “blue half profile thingy with the big nose is called ‘Your Finder.’ It’s the equivalent of ‘Start Up’ on your old PC. Bye!
Youngest Son: Mom, it’s been an hour and I have class. Call professionals. I’m not “The Geek Squad.”
I bravely explore the Mac on my own and am elated to be in someone’s ‘Garage Band.’ (I should dig up my old accordion!) But now I have a reputation for being a ‘Quick Time Player?’ I quit JDate! Also I have a phobia of lions and tigers, so it’s terrifying to find a ‘Safari’ lurking. Back to my offspring for help!
Me: You’re the “The Bleak Squad.” Please just explain one last time — I promise I’ll get it. I’m the woman who helped you use scissors and glue back in preschool and now you can’t teach me how to cut n’ paste?
Me: But what happened to the ‘Insert’ key? Wait! Tell me one thing before you hang up. If I click on the cute little fruit with a bite taken out of it in the upper left corner, will the ‘Sleep’ option cure my menopausal insomnia? Hello? Are you there?
Oldest Son: No! Didn’t you hear me?? You can no longer press, “Control, Alt, Delete!” Me: Then how do I stop that rainbow iridescent disk from spinning around?? Oldest Son: Think of it as your former hourglass. Wait patiently. Me: Well, can I still “Escape?” Oldest Son: Yes. Yes you can, Mom. Unfortunately it’s too late for me to. While this ill-mannered child (who wouldn’t be a nuclear engineer if I hadn’t read bedtime stories to him) continues his witty sarcasm, I receive an uncanny message from my own mother, now 77 years old. One of my sons must’ve showed their grandma how to text and taught her what “LOL” means, because her entire message is that acronym repeating itself as Elton John bellows from my cellphone speaker, mocking me from The Lion King, singing “Circle of Life.” Touché, Ma — and Happy Mother’s Day.
HUFFINGTON POST HUMORIST STEPHANIE D. LEWIS HAS SIX CHILDREN SHE’S HOPING KARMA WILL TAKE CARE OF! FIND MORE FUNNY STUFF AT ONCEUPONYOURPRIME.COM
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