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A FRIEND TO ANIMALS
WELL-SEASONED SURPRISES AT NORTH COAST REP BRINGING ISRAEL TO CAMP
SD Humane Society's Dr. Gary Weitzman
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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • JUNE/JULY 2018
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contents
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June/July 2018 • www.lchaimmagazine.com
COVER STORY
A Friend to Animals: SD Humane Society CEO Gary Weitzman..........................................
1000 WORDS American Authors bassist Dave Rublin...............................................................................................
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ISRAEL ROCKS
FOOD KOSHEROLOGY: A Perfect Summer Picnic: Southern Squash Pudding and Cinnamon Molasses Chicken Drumsticks ..............
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ENTERTAINMENT Well-Seasons Surprises at North Coast Rep..................................................................................
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Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Fest opens.................................................................... FEATURES Zionism Meets Feminism: Talking shop over a crisp glass of Chardonnay................ Infusing Israel into Jewish summer camp........................................................................................ Playing and Teaching: Mah Jongg....................................................................................................... Center for Jewish Culture's 5 Minute Play Festival.................................................................... COLUMNS My Comic Relief................................................................................................................................................ Torah: Of the Book..........................................................................................................................................
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Mazel and Mishagoss....................................................................................................................................
Jewishmom.com................................................................................................................................................
SUMMER PICNIC MUST-HAVES
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ZIONISM MEET FEMINISM
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO, LLC (858) 776-0550 San Diego, CA 92127
PUBLISHERS Diane Benaroya & Laurie Miller
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CONTRIBUTORS Daniel Bortz, Donald H. Harrison, Stephanie Lewis, Salomon Maya, Mimi Pollack, Sharon Rapoport, Eva Trieger, Deborah Vietor, Chana Jenny Weisberg
ADVERTISING & SALES Diane Benaroya (dianeb@lchaimmagazine.com), Sharon Buchsbaum (sharonbux@gmail.com) 4
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • JUNE/JULY 2018
Copyright ©2018 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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RANDOM RANTS l BY SALOMON MAYA
my
comic relief Memories
R
ecently, I attended my eldest niece’s graduation from Soille Hebrew Day School, and as I sat listening to some beautifully written speeches by the class of 2018, I couldn’t help but to look around at the teary-eyed proud fathers in the audience and then toward my own father. I began to question, morbidly at that, how many more events like this would be “present at”. I write the last two words in quotes as my father is physically here but with a diagnosis of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease at 74 years old, I know that the odds of him being fully present at many other family events is dwindling. So, for this article to be published in the month where we celebrate fathers, I’d like to apologize to everyone out there reading this who isn’t my dad. I invite you to read along to this letter to my father. Pa, I wish I was a better son. Yup, I said it. I admit it. I remember living life demanding everything from baseball kits to expensive theatre classes. I expected you to pay for my trips to Israel (both of them) and was pissed off when you just couldn’t buy me a car at 16. No matter what obstacle life handed you, you 6
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • JUNE/JULY 2018
persevered. You survived. Recently I realized, maybe a tad tardy, that children are truly selfish egotistical monsters. From birth it’s all about them. From constantly demanding and receiving milk, food, shelter, toys, hugs, kisses, etc. — children demand it and fathers give it. Without question, you did it. I wasn’t the best kid when I was young. Especially with you. We’re just too different. And instead of accepting those differences, I fought them. I pushed them out of my life, proudly proclaiming I wasn’t my father. But oh irony, how she loves to just stick around and jab you in the side from time to time. The more I proclaimed I wasn’t you the more I realized I was. It took some time and again for that I apologize. Unfortunately, it took a disease for me to fully realize how fragile we truly are. But before we all go under the soil and fertilize this beautiful earth of ours. I wanted to say two words: Thank you. Any schmuck can be a dad. But it takes a real man to be a father. And that, sir, you have been. I never needed anything my entire
life. True, I never got that $50 G.I. Joe playset when I was 10. And you never did get me those $100 pair of jeans I wanted when I was 20. Hell, I never even got a drink from you when we celebrated my 30th birthday on a cruise ship. And now, as I move on to my 4th decade of life I worry that all I’ll get on that birthday will be a memory of you. Something painfully not intangible. Your next fight won’t be easy. It’s going to be hard. I know it. But like so many times when I was young, you were there to grab my hand and set me on the correct path. It’s now my turn. We’ll face this new obstacle together and believe me, I can proclaim with certainty, Alzheimer’s has met its match with us. Let’s not allow it to take our future. Let’s relish and honor our past. And let us just simply enjoy our present. You’ve done a great job as a dad, now it’s my turn to do a better job being a son. SALOMON MAYA IS A LOCAL ACTOR AND PLAYWRIGHT. FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTER @SALOMAYA OR EMAIL HIM AT SALOMONM@LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM.
PLAY MAH JONG AND HELP OTHERS!! Women’s Connection of Congregation Beth El
Annual Mah Jong/Game Day Sunday, June 24, 2018, 11:30-3:30pm Women’s Connection has recognized the need of raising awareness about women who are abused in their own homes. A portion of the proceeds of this wonderful fun day will be donated to Project Sarah of Jewish Family Services, which provides counseling, crisis interventions, temporary housing, and legal assistance for victims of domestic abuse. Women’s Connection promises an exciting day of playing Mah Jong, Mexican train, Scrabble, and more…. We'll serve a delicious Chinese lunch, have raffles, prizes and Tarot Card readings. If you haven’t played Mah Jong yet, we're here to teach you how! Join us! Bring your friends, enjoy the day and support a good cause. Please contact Congregation Beth El at 858-452-1734 for more information. Please make your reservation online at www.cbe@org or by phone by June 22, 2018.
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TORAH l BY RABBI DANIEL BORTZ
of
the book The Judaism Relationship
W
hat is Judaism? I’ve heard it described as a religion or a race. More accurately I’ve heard spiritual family. But when I’m asked this question, I answer that Judaism is a relationship. The more I’ve thought about this idea, the more everything we do as Jews comes into focus and radiates with meaning. A mitzvah-commandment is connected to the word tzavta — to connect. Every mitzvah we do; giving charity, making Kiddush, shaking a lulav, hearing the shofar — is an opportunity to deepen our connection and relationship with G-d. Let’s take a look at tefilah prayer for example. Why do we pray and why so often? We even pray through the blessings we make on the food and drink we consume throughout the day. Wouldn’t a Yom Kippur service cover it? Is G-d so insecure that he really needs our constant prayers? Why pray if I don’t need anything at the moment? But once we understand that Judaism is simply a mode of deepening our relationship with the Divine, we begin to understand prayer. Tefilah is connected to the word tofel – to bind. Relationships flourish when there’s a consistent, healthy flow of communication, with an underlying loving intention and care. Sure, we can speak to a loved one 8
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • JUNE/JULY 2018
once a year, but we shouldn’t expect to feel a deep meaningful connection with so little nurturing of the relationship. Prayer is for us even more than it is for G-d. He knows already what we need and doesn’t need praise. The praises we say deepen our awareness of His presence and greatness. L’ hitpallel — to pray is reflexive; it means to effect internal change, elevating our consciousness first thing in the morning so that our daily activities are in line with our highest potential. And if we don’t feel that connection through difficult Hebrew prayers, it’s okay to speak with G-d in your own words. There are Hassidim who enter nature every day and converse all their worries and dreams with their Divine friend. Free therapy and the line is open 24/7! King David really epitomized what a relationship with G-d can be like, what Judaism can be. In one line of his beautiful poetry — the Book of Psalms, he writes: “V’ani Tefilati.” Its literal translation is: “I am Prayer.” King David was describing his mindset. He didn’t pray, learn Torah or perform commandments and then move on to Sports and Netflix. His entire state of being was mindful, yearning upward in growth and devotion to his Divine love.
As lofty as this seems, we can all incorporate a bit of King David’s perspective into our lives. Judaism teaches that G-d isn’t only in the synagogue. In sports and Netflix, nature and travel, relationships and all that life has to offer, we can find purpose and meaning in it. We can elevate every encounter we have with a kind and encouraging word. We can stare out the window of the plane, look up at the stars or at the ocean, and marvel at G-d’s handiwork. The Torah teaches that each detail of life and this world is rooted in Divine creativity and therefore has a lesson to teach us. I’m not into shameless self-promotion, but I’ve dedicated my life to sharing some of these insights, and if you’d like to learn more, visit my website or my Instagram, @millennialrabbi. May we find inspiration through Jewish teachings and practices to enhance our lives and elevate all that we encounter, deepening our relationship with a Divine, Infinite Being who’s deepest wish is that we take a moment each day to say hello. RABBI DANIEL BORTZ IS THE DIRECTOR OF JTEEN SAN DIEGO, JTEENSD.COM. TO WATCH HIS UNIQUE VIDEOS, VISIT RABBIBORTZ.COM.
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L’CHAIM | OREN PELEG | JNS.ORG
American Authors bassist Dave Rublin performing onstage. PHOTO: TWITTER
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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • JUNE/JULY 2018
L’CHAIM
A THOUSAND
WORDS
ISRAEL ROCKS — AMERICAN AUTHORS BASSIST DAVE RUBLIN
I
n 2012, Dave Rublin, 31, was a struggling New York musician with the long hair, tattoos and a restaurant job to prove it. His Jewish mother in New Jersey played her part, worrying about her starving son, “the artist.” Just a year later, Rublin and his bandmates — friends he met at the Berklee College of Music in Boston a few years earlier, penned a catchy rock tune called “Best Day of My Life.” (You and millions of others have heard it on the radio and in major films, television shows and commercials.) The rest is rock-nroll history. Since hitting it big as the bassist with his band American Authors, Rublin has toured the world and recorded two hit albums, “Oh, What a Life” and “What We Live For.” He took time out of his schedule to talk about the band’s upcoming third album, as well as his thoughts on artists touring in Israel … and, well, his cats. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. OREN PELEG: BEFORE I FORGET, I HEAR YOU HAVE TWO ROOMMATES, RIGHT? DAVE RUBLIN: That’s right! I have two cats
named Hamburger and Froggy. They’re downstairs just hanging out.
OP: SO WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT
THE NEW ALBUM? DR: The new album
is coming along great. We’re putting it out starting with one song, then others coming out in batches. We don’t want to overwhelm everyone with two years of intense work. It’s very intriguing right now, getting all the songs back every week. OP: HOW’S YOUR SOUND EVOLVING ON THIS ONE? DR: We’re really departing from the world
people remember us in — that poppy, banjo, fun, positive band. We all hit our 30s, and we want to tap into the reality and struggles of everyday people, things we’ve seen on the road that have resonated with us in our lives. This record is going to be very introspective, and more rock and more serious. Almost like a Kings of Leon meets Imagine Dragons meets Kanye West. OP: YOUR JEWISH BACKGROUND IS PRETTY INTERESTING. CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT IT? DR: I grew up in Maplewood, N.J. Yeah, my
upbringing was really interesting. My brother is Mexican. My sister is Colombian, and I’m Colombian. We were all adopted by this wonderful Jewish family. I did the Sunday school thing, I did the bar mitzvah thing, the Hebrew school thing, and I even went to a Jewish summer camp. Half the reason I’m here is because Jewish people let me into their
"The thing I love the most about my parents is they let me embrace Judaism in my own way. They didn’t pressure me at all. I went to synagogue sometimes. That’s where my love for music really began actually.” WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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L'CHAIM
all the prayers being sung. It was the first time I exercised my muscle memory for remembering melody. To this day, I can recite all the prayers I grew up learning. I remember all the melodies. OP: THAT’S SO COOL. EXCLUDING SINGING IN SYNAGOGUE, WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE YOU HAVE PLAYED? DR: I loved playing Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colo. That
was one of the biggest moments of my life. I know how many people great artists have graced that stage. It felt like a rite of passage.
OP: SPEAKING OF TOURING, PLAYING IN ISRAEL IS A HOT TOPIC THESE DAYS. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON ROGER WATERS AND OTHERS TRYING TO PREVENT ARTISTS FROM PLAYING SHOWS IN ISRAEL? DR: What’s the point of music if it’s not bringing people together? It’s
about saying we love this one thing, and it’s great, so let’s all enjoy this and forget about the hate for a minute. If we can do that, then we’re doing the world a service. Music should be shared. OP: SO, WOULD YOU GUYS PLAY IN ISRAEL? DR: Definitely. We got offered a couple of shows
there, which was awesome. This was in 2014, with our first record out. We were about to confirm in Israel, but then, with all of the missile warnings [related to the Israel’s “Operation Protective Edge” and the conflict with Gaza], we had to cancel. It was devastating because of course we’d like to play there. I had been to Israel on Birthright, so I already knew how special Israel was. OP: BIRTHRIGHT! HOW WAS YOUR TRIP? DR: It was amazing, a life-changing experience.
home. If I wasn’t let into their home and they didn’t nurture me, I wouldn’t have met those guys in college, formed the band and written “Best Day of my Life.” OP: WERE YOU GUYS OBSERVANT? DR: The thing I love the most about my parents is they let me embrace
Judaism in my own way. They didn’t pressure me at all. I went to synagogue sometimes. That’s where my love for music really began actually. OP: OH, YEAH? DR: I remember going to temple, and it was all very music-based, with 12
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • JUNE/JULY 2018
The band wasn’t big yet. We were nothing. I was working at a restaurant in New York called ABC Kitchen. My mother kept pushing me to go on Birthright. I finally got the time off to do it. I was 25 at the time. For me, it was a religious “second coming.” Our tour guide opened my mind to Judaism not only being a traditional path, but a modern path as to how you carry yourself into the future with the ideals of Judaism. OP: WHO ARE SOME ARTISTS OUT THERE THAT YOU’RE PAYING ATTENTION TO RIGHT NOW? DR: Someone I really enjoy a lot is Jack Garratt, a music producer
from the U.K. who writes really incredible music. I really love all the stuff Miguel is putting out. Vince Staples is another one. I’m also really loving Brockhampton, and I’m really into Francis and the Lights, and obviously, Bon Iver. I’m obviously way into him. OP: OBVIOUSLY. DR: Obviously.
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COVER STORY | BY MIMI POLLACK
A FRIEND TO ANIMALS DR. GARY WEITZMAN, SAN DIEGO HUMANE SOCIETY
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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • JUNE/JULY 2018
COVER STORY
T
he Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word, humane, as “being marked by compassion, sympathy, or consideration for humans or animals”. This is a good description of Dr. Gary Weitzman, president and CEO of the San Diego Humane Society (SDHS) and SPCA. Giving back to society and helping animals in need has been Weitzman's stated mission in life. He is also following the Jewish law of treating animals humanely. As stated in Judaism 101, “Judaism places great stress on the proper treatment of animals. There is a link between the way one treats animals and one treats human beings.” Like Noah, who rescued animals in the bible, Weitzman’s mission is to rescue animals in San Diego County and ensure they receive compassionate treatment. Weitzman came to San Diego in May 2012. In the six years he has been here, he has brought his energy and vision to unify and strengthen all of San Diego County’s animal shelters. The SDHS and SPCA merged with the Escondido Humane Society and today SDHS serves the cities of Vista, San Marcos, Oceanside, Poway, and Imperial Beach. As of July 2018, they will provide services to Carlsbad, Del Mar, Encinitas, Solana Beach and Santee. In addition, they work closely with the East County Animal Rescue as well as the Chula Vista Animal Care Facility, which also serves National City and Lemon Grove. Weitzman has spearheaded what he calls “The Treatable Pet Initiative.” The goal is to save the life of every adoptable animal in the San Diego Animal Welfare Coalition (SDAWC). The final goal, “Getting to Zero,” was met in 2015, five years earlier than projected. Since then, no healthy or treatable animal has been euthanized in the areas served by SDHS. Weitzman stated proudly that San Diego County is the largest region in the country to have met that goal. He is also proud that the SDHS merged with PAWS, an organization that provides essential pet services and support to low-income pet families all over San Diego County, including seniors and the disabled. Two of his future goals are to provide services to the homeless people who live in their cars by working with Jewish Family Service and Dreams for Change, which allows for a safe space (in the JFS parking lot) for people living in their cars to park overnight and have access to food, bathrooms, and other services. They also collaborate closely with the new shelter in Tijuana and other animal rescue groups in Baja California. Weitzman, 58, grew up in Boston in an observant, conservative Jewish household. From the time he was a child, he knew he wanted to be a veterinarian and assist others. His family attended a temple led by Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People. Aaron Kushner, the son of Rabbi Kushner, was a friend growing up and it saddened Weitzman to see Aaron’s deterioration and eventual early death from Progeria.
JEWISH THOUGHTS ON THE TREATMENT OF ANIMALS "Herod also got together a great quantity of wild beasts, and of lions in very great abundance, and of such other beasts as were either of uncommon strength or of such a sort as were rarely seen. These were trained either to fight one with another, or men who were condemned to death were to fight with them. And truly foreigners were greatly surprised and delighted at the vast expenses of the shows, and at the great danger of the spectacles, but to the Jews it was a palpable breaking up of those customs for which they had so great a veneration" -- Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews. "A righteous man knows the soul of his animal." -- Proverbs 12:10
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COVER STORY
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Although he loved animals, he could not convince his parents to get a dog until he was 16, but he had many gerbils and hamsters as pets. The dog they adopted, a chow mix, became his mother’s faithful companion, a testament to the bond between dog and man. Weitzman received a B.A. in Biology and English from Colby College, an M.A. in Public Health from Boston University’s School of Public Health, and completed his formal education with a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Tufts University. While in veterinary school, at age 25, he adopted his second dog, a greyhound. Not only did he love the breed, he wanted to give back after having worked on 80 greyhound cadavers while in training. He joined the Air Force in 1993 where he put his Public Health degree to use as he was in charge of food safety, workplace safety, and nuclear safety. He was stationed in both Texas and Washington, D.C. After being relocated to Wyoming for duty, he began to moonlight at an emergency vet clinic in Boulder, Colo., to which he would drive on weekends. This allowed him to combine both of his passions. He then was “loaned” to the army where he managed a breast cancer research program. He served very actively for four years, and spent another five years in the Air Force Reserve. In 1997, he moved to northern California, taking over the practice of a companion animal hospital in Burlingame. He stayed there until 2003 when he was hired as the president and CEO of The Washington Animal Rescue League in Washington, D.C. After selling his practice and before moving to Washington, he briefly considered studying to become a rabbi. However, a discussion with the head rabbi at a rabbinical school convinced him that was not to be his subsequent path in life. The next chapter in his life, as president of the Washington Animal Rescue League, was a successful one. During his tenure there, he guided the organization into becoming a national resource for disaster and puppy mill rescues as well as leading a large, urban, homeless animal rehabilitation and adoption center through a period of unprecedented growth. Weitzman stated that he felt satisfied with all that he accomplished during the years he spent there, but he had a longing to return to California, and in May 2012, he accepted when the position of CEO at the San Diego Humane Society was offered to him. Weitzman enjoys his new life in San Diego. He feels that this is one of the best cities in terms of lifestyle. He lives here with his husband, Randy Loewenstein, and his two beloved rescue dogs, Jake, a three legged, very expressive 13-year-old German shepherd, and Betty, a calm and sweet 10-year-old pit bull mix. On weekends, Weitzman enjoys cooking up his own version of matzo brei. Finally, he believes that as the president of one of the largest shelters in the nation, they have the tools be a role model for others and lead the way in making a difference. He confided that he had never seen a shelter of this caliber and size. There are over 300 employees — most shelters have around 30 — and 150 new positions have opened up. TO LEARN MORE, VISIT SDHUMANE.ORG.
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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2017
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ENTERTAINMENT
CENTER
STAGE
Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Fest surprises, thrills audiences again BY EVA TRIEGER
The Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Fest runs through June 27. See Ancient Law this month.
T
he 25th Annual Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival was recently ushered in with a spectacular and warm welcome; gorgeous from start to finish. The Fishbein estate sat atop a lush, verdant hill, surrounded by beautiful flower gardens and in sweet spectacular arrangements. Tables littered the lawn which featured a pool, a gazebo and two patios. While Yale Strom and his wife, Elizabeth 18
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • JUNE/JULY 2018
Schwartz played gypsy tunes and klezmer, costumed Malashock dancers twirled, glided and leapt. All the while, guests filtered in and chatted, a wait staff circulated with wine, falafel, and hummus crudités. South African, Mexican and Hebrew accents could be heard mingling and interfacing. As the dinner hour came, the music changed to Fred Benedetti’s classical guitar which added to the magic aura of eight hot air balloons floating over us and
drifting out over the glistening Pacific. Some anniversaries are challenging or bittersweet like a yahrzeit, or neutral like the renewal of an insurance policy, while others merit major acknowledgment and demand some momentous fanfare. The 25th anniversary of the Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival is definitely the latter. Break out the schnapps and herring,
ENTERTAINMENT
because it’s time to party! Twenty-five years ago, a one-day event was held at San Diego REP’s Lyceum theatre to explore, share and celebrate San Diego’s Jewish community. Four hundred people participated in the event that spawned many world premieres. And just as with the sweetest marriage, each anniversary has only brought a deeper, richer expression of love and commitment to San Diego’s Jewish community. This year’s month-long festival began in May and runs through June 27. It will occupy six venues around San Diego to better serve the nearly 2,000 attendees. To get the inside track on the 25th, I caught up with San Diego REP’s Associate Artistic Director, Todd Salovey. Though Salovey has been at the helm of the Festival since its inception, his enthusiasm and passion for delivering an unrivaled event is evident. His amazement, delight and personal connection were apparent in our phone interview. The Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival has impacted Salovey just as surely as he has left his imprint upon it. There is nothing about this festival that is static. Each year the “think tank” or “hothouse” creates a generation of new work that is commissioned to nurture and launch a deeper, more inclusive understanding of Jewish art and culture. Through a variety of genres including theater, music, dance, opera, film, visual arts and books we learn about each other’s journeys. Some experiences are common, while others are unique. All are relatable and valuable as they are woven into our rich history. This year’s ever-broadening festival even includes a stand-up comedian! Self-titled “Pro-Semite” Elon Gold, had a video that went viral, wherein he explains why he is relieved that Jews do not share the minhag of Christmas trees. Although he enjoys the sight in a friend’s home, there would be considerable Talmudic issues resulting from a Jew having the festive symbol. I wanted to know the Artistic Director’s favorite aspect of the festival, and with little hesitation, Salovey shared that he loves the mentorship of young artists. He believes that
Festival has “created a platform for emerging Jewish artists.” He is thrilled to see a new generation pick up the baton, and hopes they will run with it for the next 25 years. This year, evincing his words, Ali Viterbi is Associate Producer of the Ninth Annual Women of Valor and Event Producer of the JFEST Gala. Viterbi is co-directing with a script written by Leah Salovey and Rebecca Myers. Clearly, what makes the Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival distinctive is the caliber of the performances and the fact that the multifaceted event is the launch pad for so many world premieres. Once they are seen here, shows often go national, and appear in Jewish festivals all over the country. The festival has featured international works from at least 12 countries, again, making it meaningful and wider in scope than ever before. How has Todd Salovey been impacted by the festival on a personal level, I wanted to know. “This may surprise you.” He came clean and confessed that initially he was not a fan of Klezmer, however, after hearing the talent of Yale Strom, Elizabeth Schwartz, Hot Pstromi, along with other klezmer greats, Salovey shared that his Jewish neshama was touched by the music and it has helped to expand his vision of Jewish art. Hershey Felder is returning to the Festival, and continues to enthrall audiences portraying a repertoire of musical composers while performing well-loved, brilliant piano pieces. Another San Diego favorite, pianist and storyteller Jacquelyn Silver will charm audiences, and vocalist Perla Battala will pay tribute to the late Leonard Cohen. Salovey told me the “work creates empathy,” and in this vein of inclusiveness, Salovey came to know another Festival installation, Pepe Stepensky. Director of Teatro Punto y Coma, Pepe Stepensky first met Salovey when his small troupe, rented space at the SD REP, in order to produce their documentaries. These actors came together twenty years ago to perform plays that speak directly to Jews and Mexicans and the overlapping cultures. This will be the sixth or seventh year that Teatro
Punto y Coma has been a constant in the Lipinsky Family San Diego Arts Festival. Their goal is to educate audiences and to this end the non-profit group gives all proceeds to Ken and other charitable programs. My own grasp of español failed me and so when I asked Stepensky to translate the company name he told me, “It’s philosophical. There is a beginning with no end, an ongoing conversation.” This year’s offering will be a bilingual play, La Mudanza. There will be no subtitles, but Stepensky assures me that audiences will not need to be Spanish speakers to understand and commiserate with the issues of a contemporary couple struggling with a house move and all of the attendant woes that accompany such a transition. The couple will speak in English while their moving men will be speaking in Spanish. Everyone will be speaking in Human. This concept was employed by the Emmy-nominated group two years ago, and worked very well. Stepensky wants to reach larger American audiences and all of the company’s plays deal with issues that impact Latinos and Jews. The actors portray their trials and triumphs unapologetically and with a synergy that comes from working together for twenty plus years to bring their truths to the stage. The proud director has full confidence that his troupe will convey the issues that are common to all people, regardless of race, ethnicity or country of origin. Is every anniversary worthy of marking? Of course! This silver anniversary will be met with unrivaled delight, gratitude and optimism, and appropriately so! San Diego’s Jewish community is so fortunate to benefit from influences from South Africa, Israel and Mexico. Each culture brings with it a unique way to celebrate, and who doesn’t want to be a part of that? So raise your class and say, “L’Chaim!” to the Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival’s 25th anniversary. May we celebrate many, many more. THE 25TH ANNUAL LIPINSKY FAMILY SAN DIEGO JEWISH ARTS FESTIVAL RUNS THROUGH JUNE 27, 2018. SEE CALENDAR ONLINE AT SDREP.ORG OR CALL THE BOX OFFICE AT (619) 544-1000. WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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ENTERTAINMENT
WELL-SEASONED
SURPRISES
North Coast Repertory Theatre has lots in store this season BY DEBORAH VIETOR
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum runs from July 11 through August 18. Music and lyrics were created by Stephen Sondheim and the play adapted from the book written by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart. 22
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ENTERTAINMENT
D
avid Ellenstein, The North Coast Repertory Theater’s (NCR) artistic director for over 15 years, shared with L’CHAIM upcoming and current plays on the calendar for NCR in Solana Beach. Ellenstein stated, “The North Coast Rep’s progress report is better than ever. Attendance and fiscal growth are up and the response from our patrons adds to the overall response we are getting. What we are doing grows, as the notoriety of artists grow as well.” “The word is out, the work is good and we take good care of our artists, treating them well and with respect.” His efforts along with others support the North Coast Rep’s mission “to create a platform where the artist and the audience thrive through the intimacy of live theatre, recognizing the power of theatre to challenge complacency, revitalize the imagination, nurture the unexpected and embrace variety and diversity into our lives.” A veteran of over 250 theatrical productions, some of Ellenstein’s favorite directorial roles have included: Travels With My Aunt, William Faulkner’s Old Men, Freud’s Last Season, Faded Glory, Mandate Memories, My Name is Asher Lev, The Tempest, A Shayna Maidel, Tuesdays With Morrie, amongst many notable works. His father, the well-known actor Robert Ellenstein who starred in notable productions, including North By Northwest, Wild Wild West, and countless others, imparted a powerful message regarding theatre. Ellenstein learned how people are affected greatly by plays, eliciting laughter and tears. Theatre encourages a broader perspective and tolerance of others. Ultimately theatre, he believes is about community and how we treat one another. Ellenstein is currently directing The Father, by Florian Zeller, translated by Christopher Hampton. This West Coast Premiere runs from May 30 through June 24. Originally titled La Pere, it won the 2014 Moliere award for Best Play. Made into the film Floride In 2015, it also achieved an American premiere on Broadway and to the Samuel J Freedman Theatre in 2016.
Receiving widespread acclaim, according to Playbill, the London newspaper The Guardian gave the London production a rare five-star review calling it, “A savagely honest study of dementia and the best play of the year.” Called an “unqualified triumph” and also a “super smart play,” by the London Telegraph, The Father received the Best Play Award in Paris, London and New York and has been honored with a war chest of awards. Andre, the lead character was originally, played by Tony Award winning actor, Frank Langella. Ellenstein directs James Sutorious who has worked on Broadway and also at the Old Globe Theatre, bringing a fresh perspective to the lead. The play possesses many layers with a somewhat complex theme regarding Alzheimers. Andre is an 80-year-old man, who questions whether he was a tap dancer, living with his daughter Anne and her husband Antoine? Or in fact was he an engineer, living with his daughter and her lover Pierre in France? He is in his pajamas and continues to misplace his watch which may be a metaphor for time, as the watch is his most precious possession and he senses he may be losing control. As Andre was quite the raconteur in his younger days, he flashes back on his bon vivant, man about town days, which may be at times amusing and at other times sad. While this may be tough for some audiences, it is a worthwhile and meaningful play. The story plays out theatrically like a mystery, and is a serious topic presented in a unique way. Recently, Dr. Silver, a neurologist from Scripps in La Jolla spoke with the cast of The Father. He discussed Alzheimers and dementia so that they would have a better grasp regarding portrayal of Andre. June 4, Angeline Reaux, an internationally acclaimed actress takes us on a musical voyage through Kurt Weill’s Nine American Broadway shows, highlighting hits such as: September Song, Speak Low, My Ship and Lost in the Stars. Collaboratives with writers Maxwell Anderson, Langston Hughes, Elmer Rice, Ogden Nash, Alan Jay Lerner And Ira Gershwin are included.
“Reaux brings a better voice to Weill than anyone has ever heard and a degree of identification with the material no one has matched sine Lotte Lenya himself,” said Stephen Holden in The New York Times. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, runs from July 11 through August 18. Music and lyrics were created by Stephen Sondheim and the play adapted from the book written by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart. Classic songs include: "Comedy Tonight, Lovely, and Everybody Ought to Have a Maid". This is a bawdy, hilarious comedy revival of a hit Broadway laugh-aminute show, based on the plays of Plautus. The play features an ancient Roman a slave, Pseudolus, scheming his way to freedom who wants to win his freedom, playing matchmaker to his master’s son Hero, helping him to win the beautiful courtesan Philia, betrothed to the egotistical soldier Miles Gloriosus. Things don’t go according to the master plan, ensuing in blackmail, funny disguises and long-lost children. Meanwhile Pseudolus desperately tries to keep up with his end of the bargain. The original movie starred Zero Mostel, Buster Keaton, Jack Gilford and Phil Silver, Annette Andre and others, played in 1966. In addition to theater summer camp for children, many other exciting plays are in the line-up for the upcoming season. Twilight Zone Unscripted opens June 25, and pays homage to Rod Serling’s breakthrough sci-fi series of the same name. Audiences enter the wonderous dimension of imagination, as improvised episodes are created with every performance. Blithe Spirit, a Noel Coward ghostly comedy runs September 5 through September 30. A beloved smash hit of London and Broadway stages it’s way to the NCR. This is a classic story of a socialite novelist, engaging an eccentric medium. Married to his shrewish second wife, he is visited by his unforgiving first wife through a séance. The audience is summoned for an otherworldly evening of theater, overflowing with sophisticated and effervescent fun. Holmes and Watson, a West Coast Premiere, WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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ENTERTAINMENT
David Ellenstein
written by by Jeffrey Hatcher and directed by Ellenstein, follows the Season with an interesting new script. Three years after Holmes and Moriarty are presumed dead, as Holmes was believed to have plunged to his death off Reichenbach falls, Dr. John H. Watson receives a telegram quite to the contrary. Anything but “elementary,” three men appear in an island off the Scottish coast in an asylum claiming to be Sherlock Holmes. Watson is brought in to decide, who is the real Sherlock Holmes? Or can he? As the investigation ensues, Watson is drawn into a web of intrigue, murder and surprise, leaving you on the edge of your seat as the fateful confrontation between Holmes and his nemesis Moriarty is revealed. Holmes and Watson is a suspenseful, fun ride from beginning to end. A mystery with many twists and turns, just when you think you have figured out the plot, another surprise comes along to derail your conclusion. 24
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(Audiences are asked not to reveal the ending!) Instead of the usual holiday fare, a musical treat is presented in the form of Always Patsy Cline, in December. During January through February of 2019, audiences are further entertained with Moon Over Buffalo, by Ken Ludwig, a leading comedy writer. Ludwig also wrote Lend Me a Tenor. The play promises to lead audiences on a wild and wacky voyage. Everyone is wearing the wrong costumes and reading the wrong lines. Expect an evening of mayhem filled with comedy and running gags. Gabriel ends the 2018 calendar season. This is an interesting story about a woman, living on Guernsey, an island during World War II in 1943 who is protecting her Jewish daughter in Law. British playwright Moira Buffini’s award-winning Off Broadway play presents the dramatic tale of the loss and dangers of a family under Nazi
occupation. This is a dynamic and passionate play, directed by Associate Art Director Christophe Williams from Last of the Red Hot Lovers. Gabriel explores the perils of survival through mystical beliefs and loyalty. The World Premiere of Another Roll of the Dice, July 10 through August 4 , 2019. With music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, the book by Mark Salzman, and based on the stories by Damon Runyon, creators of Guys and Dolls which is set in a diner. This includes a bawdy, tough waitress and some funny gamblers, with 3 stories intertwined. Songs include: "Heart and Soul", "Two Sleepy People", and "Let’s Get Lost". Ellenstein brings a dedication and passion with attention to detail to the theatre, creatively directing each production as if for the first time. With an impressive history of acting and directorial credits, he continues to bring a depth of education and entertainment to audiences of all backgrounds. “We have a diverse season, an audience jumping from genre to genre, challenged not in a way to turn anybody off,” shared Ellenstein. “We have chosen to present stories that will appeal not only to our loyal subscribers, but to a broad spectrum of theatre-goers throughout the county.” Ellenstein hopes to find a more ambitious space for the NCR in the future, one with approximately 30,000 square feet to accommodate larger audiences and a larger stage in the North County Coastal area. “I deeply love how we are putting on the best possible productions, however it’s also our lives. Arts are about celebrating what is great about being a human being. The process of creation of work should mirror that idea,” according to Ellenstein. FOR TICKETS, CALL (858) 481-1055 OR EMAIL BOXOFFICE@NORTHCOASTREP.ORG.
BY STEPHANIE LEWIS | HUMOR
mazel
& mishagoss If Computer Hackers Were Jewish!
H
ave you heard? Yahoo recently issued a warning to change our passwords due to compromised email accounts by dangerous hackers. There’s just one problem — to switch your password to something new, you need to remember the old one. Bad news because I recall contemplating making mine a Jewish food combo because I’m always hungry, and nobody would ever guess that. Apparently not even me. I’ve already tried inputting, “BagelsAndLox” and “ApplesNHoney” but neither worked. I also remember thinking too many people knew my childhood dog’s name was Fluffy so I picked a favorite Jewish actor instead for my security question. But “AdamSandler” and “BenStiller” failed to work and typing in the actress who played Tzeitel in Fiddler on the Roof didn’t do a darn thing either — probably because she’s just the poor daughter of a milkman with no dowry. So, because I’m locked out of my own email, the hackers (and as poetic justice would have it, these ARE Jewish hackers!) are certainly having a field day wreaking havoc with my personal correspondence and running amuck through my photos. My only plan is to somehow “counterhack” (If that’s even a word? High-tech people: your consensus?) into my own account (while the hackers either take a Shabbos nap, dance a hora, or argue over who ate the last raspberry rugelach) and then quickly change my password to some random Christian holiday
like Ash Wednesday or Good Friday — something they’d never guess, triumphantly regaining control! I imagine hacking is lonely work so they must do it in pairs. I’d like you to meet “Mr. and Mrs. Hackenburg.” Let’s listen in. MR. HACKENBURG: Will you get out of her Nordstrom’s account and her high school reunion emails already, Ethel? We have a job to do — let’s just get in, get out, and get on with the identity theft. (Rubs hands together) MRS. HACKENBURG: Shame she never lost those last 5 pounds to fit into this halucious gold lamé dress. Look at this thing — ungapatchka much? Totally inappropriate for this occasion. And I don’t think I want to take on her name if I have to use her height and weight on my driver’s license too. MR. HACKENBURG: Focus Ethel, focus. MRS. HACKENBURG: (pouting) We never go out anymore. Day in and day out, it’s just hack, hack, hack. Hacking my life away. I shoulda listened to my mother and married that Virus Creator shlepper. It woulda been more exciting sending “I Love You” attachments that messed up everyone’s hard drive. MR. HACKENBURG: Stop giving me flack over this hack and stay on track. MRS. HACKENBURG: Morris, you know I always have your back, but c’mon it’s time to hit the sack. You’ll have a coughing attack. MR. HACKENBURG: It’s a hacking cough! Now stop being such a yakker, put down that matzo cracker and get to work, you Slacker
Hacker!
MRS. HACKENBURG: Alright already, alright. But you’re taking me on that cruise after this. And getting me this dichroic glass menorah on Etsy that she just ordered. Oh look, her Visa bill also shows weekly therapy and massages. Such a life. MR. HACKENBURG: Wow, Six kids? Not even orthodox. What was she thinking? No wonder she needs therapy and massage. And look at this answer to her security question — who has a childhood dog named Gene Wilder? Nu?? MRS. HACKENBURG: Haha. Looks like she also googled, “Easy Pesach recipes that will fool your guests into thinking you slaved. “I’ve a good mind to email this article to her entire Seder guest list. MR. HACKENBURG: Let’s keep our priorities straight here, Ethel. What’s this? She has the name of a Jewish handyman in her contacts! Wow. There’s such a thing?? MRS. HACKENBURG: (gasps) Oh no, Morris! Look at this. In her Sent folder . . . an exposé about Jewish husband/wife hackers that’s addressed to L’CHAIM magazine. Yikes! What do we do now? MR. HACKENBURG: The only thing we can do Ethel — let’s get the “hack” outa here and start going back to synagogue to pray. STEPHANIE D. LEWIS WRITES FOR HUFFINGTON POST AND PENS A HUMOR COLUMN AT ONCEUPONYOURPRIME.COM.
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FOOD
KOSHEROLOGY SAVORY SUMMER DISHES TWO PERFECT SUMMER PICNIC ADDITIONS STORY & PHOTOS BY ALEX THE KOSHEROLOGIST KOSHEROLOGY.COM
Southern squash pudding and cinnamon molasses chicken drumsticks will elevate any summer picnic you attend.
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FOOD
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 2. Sauté the onion until translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Set aside. 3. In a large pot, cover the squash with water to cover and bring to a boil. Cook the squash for 8-12 minutes, or until tender. Drain. 4. Return the squash to the pot or transfer to a bowl. Add the onions and remaining ingredients and mix together until all ingredients are well incorporated. 5. Transfer the mixture/batter to a 9x13 baking dish and lightly sprinkle smoked paprika on top. Bake for 1 hour, or until the top firm and lightly browned on the edges SOUTHERN SQUASH PUDDING
Ain’t nothin’ like good ol’ Southern squash puddin’ (excuse my spellin’) to put a smile on a Southern boy’s face. Squash Pudding (or casserole, if you will) is an old favorite in Atlanta, where it was a popular side dish in many of the city’s “Dixieland”Antebellum themed restaurants in the early to mid 20th century- most notably Aunt Fanny’s Cabin. Serves 8-10 Parve. Non-Dairy INGREDIENTS
4 lb. yellow summer (crookneck) squash, sliced into rounds ½ cup mayonnaise 4 large eggs, lightly beaten ½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs 1 tbs. granulated white sugar 1 tsp. seasoned salt 1 tsp. chicken consume powder 2 large white onions, sliced into thin rings smoked paprika
CINNAMON MOLASSES CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
drumstick lollipops 2 tsp. salt 2 tsp. ground black pepper 2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/4 cup molasses 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup Dijon mustard DIRECTIONS
1. Mix all ingredients together and pour over chicken. 2. Bake at 400°F for 20-30min or until chicken is tender and internal temperature is 165°F. BORN AND BRED IN THE AMERICAN SOUTH, ALEX ‘THE KOSHEROLOGIST’ IDOV, WAS RAISED ON COLLARD GREENS STEWED WITH SMOKED TURKEY LEG (IN PLACE OF HAM HOCKS), BLACKEYED-PEAS, AND BRUNSWICK STEW. HE BOASTS BEING A 4TH GENERATION JEWISH SOUTHERNER, WITH ONE OF HIS GREAT-GRANDMOTHER’S BORN IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA IN 1888. HIS OTHER GREAT-GRANDPARENTS HAILED FROM RUSSIA, POLAND, AND FRANCEINSPIRING MUCH OF HIS COOKING WITH THE CUISINES OF HIS HERITAGE. ALEX’S CULINARY REPERTOIRE GOES BEYOND TRADITIONAL JEWISH AND SOUTHERN FARE, AS HE REVISITS AND REINVENTS THE CUISINES OF HIS ANCESTORS. ALEX HOLDS A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN CULINARY SUSTAINABILITY AND HOSPITALITY FROM THE KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY MICHAEL A. LEVEN SCHOOL OF CULINARY SUSTAINABILITY AND HOSPITALITY AND WORKS AS A FREELANCE FOOD WRITER. FIND MORE RECIPES AT KOSHEROLOGY.COM.
Seriously, so awesome... and so easy to prepare! INGREDIENTS
10-12 drumsticks (chicken legs) or WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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FEATURE STORY l BY ELIANA RUDEE | JNS.ORG
ZIONISM MEETS FEMINISM
TALKING SHOP OVER A CRISP GLASS OF CHARDONNAY
I
n a quintessential “only in Israel” moment, nearly 60 women (and a few dozen men) gathered on a breezy mid-April evening under the Nachlaot stars, sipping good Israeli wine and talking about the intersection of Zionism and feminism. The “Wonder Women + Wine” event was held by “Wine on the Vine,” a flagship project of The Israel Innovation Fund (TIIF), a nonprofit with a vision to “reignite the Zionist spirit and meet the needs of
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Jewish civilization in the 21st century by connecting people around the world through the vibrancy and creativity of contemporary Israeli culture.” In addition to hosting panel and winetasting evenings in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, “Wine on the Vine” partners with elite wineries and Israeli NGOs, offering a way for Israel lovers and wine lovers alike to support both by planting a grapevine at a leading Israeli winery for $18 (a chai in Hebrew,
representing “life”). “The idea is that you are supporting something physical and planted in the land of Israel through proxy, and doing a mitzvah,” said Deb Houben, sommelier and assistant director of “Wine on the Vine.” Houben’s personal connection to wine, which she says parallels the land of Israel, is through its infiniteness and liveliness. “There’s always something new to taste. No wine, even within the same bottle, is
FEATURE STORY
experienced the same,” she said. “Wine is the eretz of my life, my connection to the land,” maintained Houben, who immigrated to Israel from the United States and has been working in the wine industry since 2007. But as with all things “alive,” she added, there is always work to be done. Houben argued that within the global wine industry, and even in Israel, many women have knowledge of the field, but few actually make wine. She estimates that out of the 300 or so winemakers in Israel, fewer than a dozen are women. So to highlight women’s role in the wine industry, the evening featured a panel of four female Zionist leaders who are making social change in Israel, connecting their ability to do so with the land. As they spoke about their work, guests sipped wines from MAIA and Tulip wineries. Tatiana Hasson, director of outreach and engagement for TIIF, led the panel and maintained that Israel and feminism to her “means reaching potential.” She said “in Israel, anything I want to accomplish I am able to, and everyone around me pushes me to do just that.” GRAPPLING WITH CHANGE IN THEIR LIVES
One of the panelists, Karen Brunwasser, is a Jerusalem civic activist and one of the founders of the Jerusalem Season of Culture, an award-winning independent arts organization created to strengthen the city as a more vibrant, pluralistic and creative urban center. According to Brunwasser, she didn’t start thinking about how being a woman in Israel affected her life until she became a mother. “Our head funder is a woman, the board is headed by other female philanthropists, our director is a woman, and our artistic director is another woman. I am surrounded by girl power,” she exclaimed. However, she acknowledged that it is difficult to maintain her public and social career while also being a mother. “It affects my career and the way I want to affect change,” she said. “It’s a dilemma I haven’t figured out how to reconcile.” According to Brunwasser, while the feminist revolution has taken women
part of the way, “to go the rest of the way, it is necessary to prepare women for the dramatic change that will come in their lives,” especially when they begin to have children. While some women are not leaning in because it comes at a heavy personal cost, if that is their choice, then that is great, she told the guests. Another panelist, attorney Yael Rockman, serves as executive director of Kolech, an Orthodox feminist movement in Israel. She actively defends the rights of Jewish woman who have been denied a get (religious divorce) by recalcitrant husbands or have endured sexual harassment, especially by rabbis. She has found tribulations within Israeli society, which she says is largely male-normative, with much of the culture based on the army and the male worker. Rockman maintained that women in the religious sphere go “back and forth with some gains and some losses,” and although they cannot participate politically in Israel’s religious parties, she maintained that women are “starting to take a strong role in changing haredi society.” Still, she sees no contradiction with the blending of feminism and Zionism — “only challenges” that she said could be reconciled, especially in Israel, where so many complexities duel at once. Through her advocacy for women’s involvement in Judaism, Rockman learned that “if I want to get something, I need to do it myself,” and “if you feel strongly about something, you can create a change.” A third panelist, Lauren Fried, is passionate about using food as a mechanism for social impact, particularly in relation to community-building, vocational development and interfaith dialogue. She currently works in partnership with the Tel Aviv education department to develop a culinary training program for youth at risk, which can be replicated in other vulnerable communities across the country. Similar to the wine industry, Fried found that male chefs also dominate the food industry. She spoke of feeling excited when she thought she found an Israeli female chef named “Sharon,” only to learn that in Israel,
Sharon is also a man’s name. “I have yet to find my favorite female chef,” she said. CONNECTING PEOPLE TO WINE
The final panelist, Lital Roth, is director of customer relations for Tulip Winery, responsible for the Visitors Center. “I have the privilege to combine my two great loves — wine and people,” she said. “Guiding groups, and welcoming both new and regular guests to the winery, along with working with Kfar Tikva residents and excellent wines, is what gets me out of bed every morning with a smile.” Roth maintained that she fell in love with wine at the ripe age of 8 years old (yes, you heard that right), and although she saw that there were more male winemakers in the global wine industry, her passion was “connecting people to wine.” She added that “being a Zionist and feminist means making the choice to be an activist — a person who cares about things and acts on what you care about.” Roth decided to question the patriarchal industry when she was once told that in order to be a better wine marketer, she had to wear makeup to work. Another once told her: “You can work in marketing, but wine-making is very physical, and you won’t be able to do it as a woman.” However, she has found that women’s roles in winemaking are starting to change. And, she added, with a nod to scientific evidence, “women have a better palate.” Of course, many naysayers exist who reject the possibility of feminist Zionists, saying that true feminists cannot politically support Israel. But the panelists waved that away; what they say and what do show pride in being both feminist and Zionist, undermining this mischaracterization. In Israel, affirmed Houben, the two are natural together: “Israel is a land of opportunity for women, and for everyone.” “I discovered wine here in Israel, and my wine career was unexpected,” she continued. “But in this young country; anything is possible. I came here free to be another version of myself. Wine solidified that for me.” WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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feature story
INFUSING ISRAEL INTO
JEWISH CAMP
A year-round process has camp leaders implementing courses of action making Israel more relevant to young people's lives BY SHIRYN SOLNY | JNS.ORG
Campers make pita on their outdoor oven with recipes received through their Israel @ Camp Resource Box. PHOTO COURTESY ICENTER FOR ISRAEL EDUCATION
A
new initiative that’s pushing for more Israel education at Jewish summer camps is the collaborative project of three organizations with a shared goal: to enrich and grow an intention about how camps connect to the Jewish state. Every year, the Israel @ Camp Intensive offers eight camps in 30
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North America the opportunity to participate in a 20-month process aimed at discovering, and ultimately executing, how they want Israel to have a role at their camp. A collaboration between the iCenter for Israel Education, Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) and the Foundation for Jewish Camp (FJC), the intensive has teams from the three
organizations work closely together with camp, young staff members and shlichim (Israeli emissaries) who help create camp programs. Aliza Goodman, director of professional development at the iCenter, said: “The ultimate goal is to help a camp uncover or discover where Israel currently lives in their camp and really ultimately where they want it to be. How they infuse Israel throughout the fabric of camp and how they continue to enhance their program so that their campers are experiencing Israel in an everyday way at camp.” The camps that join the 20-month intensive receive mentors, attend a joint training seminar in Israel with shlichim, and obtain a box filled with interactive material and resources that help integrate Israel in their environment and programs, depending on what area they want to focus on. Goodman said when Israel @ Camp started in the spring of 2017, one of the most popular boxes was designed for a cooking program called “Golda’s Kitchen Cabinet.” It included spices, programs, aprons and recipes that highlighted an array of popular Israeli dishes. The Israel @ Camp Intensive is free, but does require a time commitment and a key point person at the camp who can “own the process” and take on the “role of implementer,” said Goodman. The intensive begins in the winter with an individualized mentorship. Camp leaders and an expert in the field of education and Jewish camping work together to assess the role of Israel at the specific camp and the leadership’s vision for growth. The camp leaders choose from seven focus areas related to camp and together with their mentors develop a plan of action on how to infuse Israel in those areas. During the following summer, camp leaders experiment by trying to implement the course of action, and in the fall, they reconnect with their mentors to reflect on what worked and what didn’t in terms of reaching their goal. The entire pattern is repeated the second year. “Again, winter planning, spring training, and by the second summer, we hope they achieve growth and solidify for themselves their path toward really infusing Israel throughout their camp and achieving their vision in a long-term way,” said Goodman. ‘Refining and renewing’ to stay relevant Each part of the intensive is made to help camp leaders have an easier time accomplish their vision of where Israel falls into place in their environment. “It’s a challenging time to figure out what Israel is, what do you want Israel to be to your camping community and how do you sharpen the message there,” Rabbi Avi Orlow, vice president of program and innovation at FJC, said. “For many camps, Israel education is a bit of a third rail. It’s either going to be left as ‘we’ll do it the same way we’ve always done it and become irrelevant’ or ‘if we do too much change we’ll suffer the consequences of roughing too many feathers.’ So I think there’s a great opportunity for them to get expertise, practice and things that can work for our kids, and be relevant in terms of bringing Israel live in the 21st century to our campers and our staff.” The intensive is extremely individualized and based on the values on which each camp is founded. Orlow noted that “we’re not trying to homogenize camp.” And Goodman explained that Israel @ Camp helps programs identify for themselves where they want to be in the future and how to get there. The mentors are simply there to nudge
them in the right direction. “Sometimes, the outside perspective is super-important for camps because they have their tunnel vision of where they are and where they want to go,” she said. “Our outside voice, with experts in the field of Israel and Jewish education and camp, can say, ‘Well, have you ever considered this idea?’” Are camps lacking in the areas of Israel and Jewish education? Orlow said not necessarily, but he said that camps need to constantly be “refining and renewing if they want to stay relevant.” They also need to realize that “good enough is not good enough.” Goodman added: “Often, camps have Israeli shlichim, and they do an ‘Israel Day,’ and then everything else is happenstance. I don’t think of it as a ‘lack of,’ but I think of it as there’s always opportunity for growth, and I think that’s really what we try to do with this process is to help camps both identify for themselves where they’re doing great work and where there’s opportunity for continued growth. ... If we were doing the same thing every year, then we would all be bored with our jobs. I think everyone wants to continue to improve and enhance their program, and to really make an impact on the relationship campers have with Judaism, Israel, Israelis and their community.” THREE ORGANIZATIONS, ONE VISION
The Israel @ Camp Initiative combines JAFI’s expertise and role in training shlichim, FJC’s leadership and support nationally in the Jewish camping field, and the iCenter’s years of experience and past initiatives related to fostering Israel education at camp. Together, the three organizations are not only helping camps re-evaluate and discover their connection to Israel, but also their relationship with being Jewish. Orlow explained that among the ones they’ve worked with, there are a group of camps where “dealing with their ‘Jewish identity’ was inaccessible until they dealt with their Israel identity.” “There are camps that do not self-understand themselves to be religious camps; they understand themselves as community camps, or secular camps or cultural camps,” he explained. “And the process of thinking about where Israel lived in their camp gave them a place of reflection from which they can ask, ‘Who are we Jewishly?’ So I think the camps we’ve been working with in this process, they’ve really welcomed not only what [it] did for them in terms of bringing Israel more intentionally into camp, it actually helped them think more intentionally about how they do in the larger umbrella of Jewish identity, of which Israel is a huge part of.” The Israel @ Camp Intensive is available for camps that are part of the FJC network of camps and have not participated in past iCenter/FJC Israel education camping initiatives. Any camp that has done an intensive before — or is not necessarily ready to take on the commitment — can participate in various parts of Israel @ Camp and receive interactive materials for a small cost. Applications are currently open for the second round of camps to join the intensive.
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FAMILY | BY CHANA JENNY WEISBERG
jewish
mom.com A Moms-Eye View of Tsfat
W
e spent this past Shabbat in the mystical city of Tsfat. I went on an underground tour of tunnels excavated by Livnot Ulehibanot from Tsfat’s golden era, the 16th century. Walking through those tunnels I imagined that I was transported back 500 years, to the time when great rabbis such as Rabbi Yosef Karo (the Shulchan Aruch), the Arizal, Rabbi Moshe Kordovero and Rabbi Shlomo Halevi Alkabetz (author of Lecha Dodi) transformed this remote, Northern town into a lighthouse of Jewish mysticism and Torah-learning for the entire Jewish world. The tour ended at Livnot’s excavations of Beit HaKahal, which served as Tsfat’s community center for 500 years. The central room of the Beit HaKahal is a large room with vaulted ceilings and benches on either side. Our guide told us that this was where people would meet, spending time together as they waited for their bread to bake. And I imagined all those Jewish moms over the course of half a millennium sitting together — talking about the stuff Jewish moms talk about to this very day, sharing 32
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their personal struggles and hardships. As women and mothers and wives. In this space to share inspiration, encouragement, and abundant blessings. And I dreamed that JewishMOM.com can serve as a kind of modern Beit HaKahal, for today’s moms who, for better and worse, bake and live our lives, with our families — largely alone. Another highlight — the Livnot tour guide, Uriel Bashan, asked us why we think so many walls in Tsfat are painted blue. Maybe you’ve heard explanations, as I have, that walls in Tsfat and other cities are painted blue to pull our souls and hearts upward, by reminding us of the Heavens. Another popular explanation which you might have heard is that blue is thought to ward off the evil eye. But Uriel quoted Rav Asher Saltz, a revered Kabbalist and teacher from Tsfat, who explained the historic source of the blue walls. Hundreds of years ago, Rav Saltz explained, women would paint their own walls with the standard white paint. Few families could afford the high prices of colored paints, but one woman, who was
tired of having only white walls decided to spice up her walls by adding some laundry detergent to the white paint. And back then, the laundry detergent was blue. Other women in the community saw the blue paint, and thought it was pretty, and the idea caught on, and spread and spread. Not because of the evil eye. Not because of Heavens. The blue paint originated with a Jewish mother who wanted to brighten up her home. Brighten up her family. Brighten up her heart? Her life? And maybe that’s how we Jewish mothers bring some Heaven down, from the Heavens to home. CHANA JENNY WEISBERG, THE CREATOR OF JEWISHMOM.COM, IS A STAY-HOME MOTHER OF 8 CHILDREN LIVING IN JERUSALEM WITH HER HUSBAND, RABBI JOSHUA WEISBERG. ORIGINALLY FROM BALTIMORE, CHANA JENNY HAS DEVOTED HER NON-MOM TIME OVER THE PAST DECADE TO PROVIDING INSPIRATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT FOR OTHER JEWISH MOMS THROUGH HER POPULAR BOOKS EXPECTING MIRACLES AND ONE BABY STEP AT A TIME.
BY RITA KAHN | FEATURE STORY
a pleasure to play, a passion to teach:
mahjong
H
istory shows that the game of Mahjongg is played by Chinese men in Peking as a way of male bonding and for gambling. History it’s been played in America by Jewish women in Brooklyn as an excuse to schmooze and nosh bagels, lox, and cream cheese. This ancient pastime of Mahjongg, which is abbreviated by American players to “Mahj”, had its start in China at the time of Confucius: we’re talking about 3000 years here. It remained in the East as a game played by royalty with an almost religious secretive aspect surrounding it. It was also used as their form of a superstitious tradition to instill order into their lives. In the 1920’s, with the overthrow of royalty, the game of Mahjongg began leaking out. An American oil executive, Joseph Babcock, discovered it and smuggled it out of China and brought it to the U.S. It got a modest toe
hold here and soon a group of Jewish women in Brooklyn stumbled upon it. At that time, there were a few common rules. In 1936 there were more than 21 different ways to play it depending on which Jewish group took it up. In 1937, New Yorker Dorothy Meyerson, compiled the definitive book on Mahjongg rules. Later that year, the National Mahjongg league was formed. This became the basis for the American style of Mahjongg, which is mostly commonly played today. Mahjongg is simple to learn. I did this 50 years ago. I began having fun immediately and I’m still improving. Mahjongg is played with tiles that have symbols embedded on them. These symbols are easy to learn. Today the Mahjongg league rules, while being the most popular, are not the only way it is played. Many play the ancient Chinese way and there is a widespread fan base using the rules originated at the Wright Patterson
Airforce base in Ohio. In the 1950’s, the game took a slump, but at this time it’s gaining fantastic momentum. Virtually every city in America has group Meet Ups for “Mahj”. In addition, something unknown to Confucius, the internet has the brought the game to virtually everyone 24/7. From my perspective, as a player and teacher for half a century, I am exposed to the social aspects of “Maj”. I get together with groups, and while we’re playing we exchange invaluable information: medical advice, cooking tips, movie reviews, restaurant experience, and on and on. In a word, everyone can easily learn, find a way to play, and have a source of entertainment for life. RITA KAHN TEACHES GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS. CONTACT HER AT SOWHATDOIT@YAHOO.COM FOR QUESTIONS OR FURTHER INFORMATION. WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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COMMUNITY PAGE
TRIBE
OUR
CENTER FOR JEWISH CULTURE'S
THE COMMUNITY PLACE
5 Minute Play Festival The San Diego Center for Jewish Culture’s (SDCJC), Straight From The Page, a staged reading series, presents the top 3 winners of the 5th annual 5 Minute Play Festival. As media sponsor, L’CHAIM magazine has worked with festival organizers to publish these works in our pages. L’CHAIM will publish one play each month through September 2018. All plays submitted were read blindly by the Straight From The Page committee before the top scripts were chosen to be turned into a staged reading. Winners had their works performed by professional actors at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center last month. The following work, Oy Vey Maria written by Mark Harvey Levine, won Audience Choice at the festival.
MARY
MARY
Mom—
Mom.
ANN
ANN
So where is he? Where is this darling grandson of mine? Sees the baby and screeches with joy.
Me, you throw out. Them, you’re putting out hors d’oeuvres? (to Joachim offstage) Don’t take your coat off, Joachim, we have to leave! I’ll just say hello to little-- What did you name him?
OY VEY MARIA
MARY
ANN (CONT’D)
Oh my God look at him he’s so CUTE! I could eat him up! I will eat him up. MARY
Mother. ANN
I’m going to eat you up! Yes, I am! Come here so I can eat you up! Um num num num. MARY
Where’s Dad? ANN
He’s still circling the block. They’ve got opposite side of the desert parking here.
by Mark Harvey Levine The classic Christmas manger scene. The baby, animals, etc. Mary is there, looking calm and holy. Ann enters. She is Mary’s mother. She wears a babushka and carries a large tin foil pan of food with cellophane on it.
What are you DOING here?
ANN
MARY
Oy gevalt! What is this? A manger? You gave birth to my grandson in a manger?
ANN
MARY
Mom! What are you doing here? ANN
What, you couldn’t find a trench to have the baby in? A manger, yet. MARY
Mom— ANN
What’s wrong with a hospital? Who delivered the baby, a cow? 34
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • JUNE/JULY 2018
ANN
You think I wouldn’t be here when my own baby gives birth? I’m your MOTHER. Of course I’m here. Where else would I be? You’ll understand when you become a mother. Oh wait, you just did. Not that I was invited. Mom... Was there not enough room in the manger for me? Move a few chickens over, I would have been fine. MARY
Mom. This isn’t a good time. We have company. Three wise men have-ANN
COMPANY? Your own mother you don’t want here, but now you’re entertaining?
MARY
Jesus. ANN
Jesus? I thought we agreed on Myron? MARY
Ma, you agreed on Myron. We went with Jesus. ANN
It doesn’t even sound Jewish! Nobody’s going to know he’s a Jew. They’ll have to remind each other when he leaves the room -- “Did you know Jesus was Jewish?” “Oh, that’s right.” MARY
We’re not naming him Myron! ANN
Fine! Call him whatever you want. We’ll leave. We don’t want to be in the way. We just shlepped three hours by camel, that’s all. MARY
Look, Mom, we’re just a little busy right now... ANN
Oh, that’s right, you have GUESTS. Well, if you don’t want us here, you don’t want us here. I understand. Promise me one day you’ll describe me to the boy. MARY
Mom, please. ANN
Say that you turned me away, and I went home and died. MARY
COMMUNITY PAGE
Mom, stay. ANN
“They think it was her heart. It gave out from grief.” MARY
Stop it, Mother! Just stop! You’re embarrassing me! You embarrass me all the time! You embarrass me in front of friends. You embarrass me in front of strangers. You embarrassed me in front of John the Baptist!
MARY
ANN
I’m not going to drag him around all the time.
I swear I just heard a little drummer boy.
ANN
Yes, you will. It happens to all of us. All Jewish mothers. It’s in the blood. MARY
No, no, that’s your mishegus, mom. I’m going to be different! I’ve sworn to myself that I’m not going to turn into you.
ANN
ANN
John The Baptist! I knew him when he was “John, The Kid Who Almost Drowned His Hamsters”.
That’s nice. That’s a nice thing to say to your own mother.
MARY
And now you’re embarrassing me in front of my guests! They’re Wise Men, Mom. They’ve come to adore the child. ANN
Well, I’ve come to adore the child, and I brought a brisket! (To Mary) Pay attention, you have to know this now. This is what Jewish mothers do. We bring food. When someone is born, when someone dies, or gets sick, or gets married. We bring food. I brought a brisket. Mrs. Bergstein is sending over a tray. (looking around) Who sent the loaves and fishes?
ANN
I don’t know why these things are happening! I don’t know why Kings and Shepherds and small boys with snare drums are showing up! I just know that I have a little baby. And we’re going to love him! We’re going to love him like crazy! We’re going to worship him, in fact! We’re going to treat him like he’s God!!! Pause.
MARY
I’m not going to be laying guilt on him all the time! ANN
They’re also Kings. They’re three Kings.
And I’m not going to nag at him all the time. I hear your voice in my head even when you’re not around!
ANN
ANN
One Jewish mother beats three Kings! Believe you me, little missy. You should know, you’re one too, now.
Did you hear it when you got the idea “Hey, let’s have the baby in a stable”?
Oh ho, so smart now.
I know! I just wanted to have a nice night. A silent night. A holy night.
MARY
So this is your company? Three wise guys?
ANN
MARY
And you didn’t? You were no bowl of olives growing up, either. I don’t know how we got you through high school.
MARY
No! I’m not! I’m not going to be like you.
With a baby there? Away in a manger, asleep on the hay?
ANN
ANN
MARY
ANN
You drive me crazy, Mother! You drive me completely insane! You always have!
I don’t know, Mom, they just showed up.
MARY
Yeah, there was one here earlier. He stood there and played on his drum.
When I gave birth to you, we didn’t have animals watching or percussionists dropping in. Everything was nice, quiet, clean. Immaculate, really.
MARY
Guilt is good! Believe me, this world could use a little more guilt. You read the daily scrolls, what do you see? Robbery, murder, gladiator games! If people felt a little more guilty about these things, maybe they wouldn’t DO them. If everyone had a Jewish mother--
MARY
MARY
MARY
There was no room at the Inn, Mother! ANN
Wait a second, wait a second -- do you hear what I hear? MARY
What?
ANN
NOW you’re a Jewish Mother! Was that so hard? BLACKOUT
This page is brought to you by Chai Five Projects. Please submit your lifecycle events to info@lchaimmagazine.com Visit lchaimmagazine.com/ chaifiveprojects for more info.
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THE HEALING POWER OF ISRAEL
HEROES TO HEROES BRINGS VETERANS FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES TO ISRAEL SO THEY CAN EXPERIENCE THE JEWISH STATE'S ABILITY TO CURE THEIR DEEPEST WOUNDS
W
hen Harrison Manyoma got his first call from Heroes to Heroes, he had a gun pointed at his head. “Nobody told me about what happens in the aftermath of injury and war,” Manyoma, who was badly burned during a stint in Iraq while enlisted in the US Army, lamented. “In my mind and heart I felt shame. I started to feel useless. Then I started feeling anxiety and felt irritable,” he said, adding that he’d frequently fight with his wife and children. With third-degree burns on his right hand, a ruptured eardrum, blurred vision, memory loss and severe headaches, Manyoma felt he had hit rock bottom. “It destroyed my family and marriage. It was horrible,” he recalled mournfully. Eventually, Manyoma began to self-medicate by turning to pain medication and excessive drinking. Flickering thoughts contemplating suicide became increasingly frequent. Then, one day six years ago, Manyoma uttered a brief prayer as his fingers grasped the trigger of his gun. “Lord, if you are who you say you are, show me,” he said at the time, moments before his phone rang. It was a phone call that saved his life. On the other end was a 36
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • JUNE/JULY 2018
coach from Heroes to Heroes, who asked if he would be interested in participating in their program. “To expect someone to go to war and come back the same person as when they left, is not realistic. We don’t expect it when our children go to summer camp! We expect them to grow up,” Judy Isaacson Schaffer, Founder and President of Heroes to Heroes. “To send a veteran into battle, where he sees carnage and loses friends and comes back with brain damage and one expects them to be the same is not realistic.” Isaacson Schaffer and the Heroes to Heroes veterans spoke to The Jerusalem Post ahead of Memorial Day, which mourns America’s fallen. However, for those left behind, their emotional and physical scars run deep and are a pain the program hopes to alleviate for all veterans. As such, the aim of Heroes to Heroes, a Jewish National Fund partner, is not only to help these soldiers heal and overcome their post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, but also to find forgiveness in what they’ve done during war and its aftermath. “A big challenge we have with our veterans is forgiveness. All the
things that we don’t talk about: They had to kill and can’t speak about it outside of their war buddies. Everything they had to do to protect us, takes its toll. Part of that is the tremendous guilt that they come home with,” she said. As a component of the healing process, veterans are offered a fully funded trip to the Holy Land. Heroes to Heroes believes in the power of spiritual healing and participants feel a deep, visceral reaction with their Creator during their time here. To date, Heroes to Heroes has brought more than 200 veterans to Israel and in November is slated to bring its first group of police officers to Israel as well. “I saw it as a way to rekindle my faith,” Omar Jana, Heroes to Heroes program director and US Navy veteran, said. “After being to the Persian Gulf four times, I changed. Going to Israel got me excited,” he said. “I don’t care what religion you are, what you believe in, just that when you go to Israel you find spiritual healing.” Jana, who came to Israel in 2016, was overwhelmed by the resilience Israelis exhibit despite the day-to-day threats from their neighbors. The warmth and fortitude of the Israeli people coupled by the unexplained power of visiting several iconic religious landmarks, compelled Jana to start life anew after his trip. “There are people out there who are in far worse situations than us, but we complain and get depressed. [Being in Israel] put everything in perspective for me; it was time to move on. Yes, I did things I did not want to do, but that’s life. I decided after Israel I was going to start a new life and leave all the negative things in the Jordan River when I got baptized,” he said. Upon his return home, Jana joined Heroes to Heroes on a full-time basis so he can pay forward the generosity the organization showed him. During their time in Israel, veterans get to see what makes Israel special – with many sights and sites featuring Jewish National Fund partners. From Ammunition Hill to the 9/11 Memorial to Special in Uniform, veterans are exposed to Israel’s staunch support for its troops. “The moment that we got off the plane, we were thanked by people who didn’t even know us. It was a genuine praising for being in the country. Ninety percent of the country here serves, and that’s impressive,” Manyoma said. “There is a comradeship and brotherhood and sisterhood in Israel. I’ve never seen anything like that.” Manyoma was particularly moved by Jewish National Fund’s Special in Uniform program, which helps people with disabilities serve in the IDF. “Never in my entire life have I been in a place where the country honors every veteran and allows for disabled soldiers who actually want to be part of the military,” he said. “There are so many aspects of the country that really speak to our
Heroes to Heroes veterans Harrison Manyoma (right) and Omar Jana seen after getting baptized in the Jordan River. (PHOTO COURTESY HEROES TO HEROES)
veterans and soldiers. Jewish National Fund is a big part of that. Without the guidance from [JNF CEO] Russell Robinson, our program wouldn’t be nearly as effective,” Isaacson Schaffer said. Those who came during Yom Hashoah and Yom Hazikaron in April were in awe of the custom of making time stand still for two minutes as all activity comes to a halt during a siren mourning victims of the Holocaust and Israeli wars. “It’s amazing to see. People stop on freeways! I’d love for us to do that in the States. You guys do it right,” Jana said. However, their time in Israel is not just spent mourning loss, veterans have also exposed themselves to the joy of Israeli life – with Jana even crashing a wedding during his time here. “I found myself dancing with a bride and groom. It was the most amazing sight I’ve ever seen. Then I understood, these guys are so happy because they are finally home; after thousands of years roaming the world, they are finally home,” Jana said. And for many Heroes to Heroes veterans, they are finally healed. This article was originally published in the Jerusalem Post.
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