L'Chaim August 2018 by L'Chaim San Diego Magazine

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AUGUST 2018

STAND WITH US SAN DIEGO

Meeting the Challenge of a New School Year

PLUS: EDUCATION TEMPLE ETZ RIMON'S 'CHAI'

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2018

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contents

August 2018 • www.lchaimmagazine.com

COVER STORY

StandWithUS San Diego : Meeting the Challenge of the New School Year................

1000 WORDS Rabbi Menachem Bombach, viral video star is an Orthodox education pioneer.....

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RABBI'S VIRAL VIDEO

FOOD KOSHEROLOGY: 'Just Peachy' Coca-Cola Chicken and Maple & Bourbon Glazed Banana Bread.........................................................................................

EDUCATION Wings of Eagles: Aviator Elgen M. Long and the rescue of 1,800 Yemenite Jews................................................................................................................................. It's a Game: Jewish Interactive Education.......................................................................................

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Customizing Holocaust education, and applicable lessons.................................................

JCC Educator Accepted into Leadership Institute..................................................................... FEATURES Temple Etz Rimon's “Chai”......................................................................................................................... Leading tech figures declare Israel the epicenter of magic................................................ Book Review: Come Back For Me.......................................................................................................... COLUMNS My Comic Relief................................................................................................................................................ Torah: Of the Book..........................................................................................................................................

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Jewishmom.com................................................................................................................................................ Mazel and Mishagoss....................................................................................................................................

PUBLISHERS Diane Benaroya & Laurie Miller

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2018

ART DEPARTMENT lauriem@lchaimmagazine.com LISTINGS & CALENDAR: calendar@lchaimmagazine.com

EDITORIAL editor@lchaimmagazine.com ADVERTISING dianeb@lchaimmagazine.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Diane Benaroya (dianeb@lchaimmagazine.com), Sharon Buchsbaum (sharonbux@gmail.com)

ETZ RIMON'S 'CHAI'

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO, LLC (858) 776-0550 San Diego, CA 92127

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CORRECTIONS: In the June/July issue of L’CHAIM magazine, the cover story on Dr. Gary Weitzman was inaccurately credited to Eva Trieger. The author of the piece was Mimi Pollack. We regret the error.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alanna Maya

Daniel Bortz, Donald H. Harrison, Stephanie Lewis, Salomon Maya, Mimi Pollack, Sharon Rapoport, Eva Trieger, Deborah Vietor, Chana Jenny Weisberg

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RANDOM RANTS l BY SALOMON MAYA

comic relief Comic Confusion

omic-con is San Diego’s version of hurricane season, just instead of rain and wind our beautiful city is inundated with skin tight spandex cosplay and more than likely a couple of grown men still living in their parents’ basements. As part of my normal gig, being the Creative Director for a local TV station, I was granted full press access to this convention for the first time. I had to record segments for our morning show and felt we could get some interesting content. Interesting quickly turned to unique which then morphed into annoying which then metamorphisized into “give an alcoholic beverage STAT!” Let me at first be very clear: I love the “idea” of Comic Con. For four days, my beautiful city sits atop the news cycle. From the U.S. to China, hundreds of thousands of people descend upon the event; rising from the depths of their lairs. Founded as the Golden State Comic Book Convention in 1970 by a group of San Diegans, ComicCon International: San Diego (as its officially known now) is a living breathing entity with economic opportunities abound. Long past are the days of actual comic book fans descending with other comic book fans and just mingling about the Gaslamp. Today’s Con is more about capitalism to be honest. 6

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2018

What gets me a little salty about the Con now are the endless lines. The Con is now Nerd Disneyland. If you’re cool with that, well then beam on down Scotty and enjoy your convention. But if you’re (from what I believe is the majority of you sane earthlings) annoyed by standing aimlessly in lines, well then maybe you should spend your money elsewhere. And when I say lines I mean lines for everything. The other thing I noticed about the Con, well that it is a legit convention. Yes, you’ll hear about the movie trailers and celebrities held in Hall H but a large contingency of collectors teleport into the Con to obtain SDCC exclusive merchandise. Now, not everything is bad. I worked/ visited the Con every day this year and noticed that people are incredibly polite. I maneuvered with a large backpack and camera crew and every time we wanted a picture, the Cosplayers aptly struck their characters pose, smiled and thanked us. Nowhere did I hear “fake news” or even felt threatened. People at the Con are just genuinely happy and glad to be there. So, here’s my advice for future Con visitors: 1. Be ready to wait in lines. And not even my press badge allowed me to cut. They are

very fair. 2. If you’re thinking of buying ANYTHING, buy it on Preview Night or 1st SDCC day. Do not under any circumstance wait; everything sells out. 3. Parking is impossible and/or expensive. $40 to $50 a day. Either trolley it or park far and walk. 4. Do not think you can rent a bike or scooter and just roll down there. Police were blocking those services during this year’s event. 5. Do not eat the food in the Convention Center. It is heinous. 6. If you don’t have a SDCC badge, don’t fret. Still go down to the Gaslamp. To be honest I had more fun outside of the Con than inside it. 7. And finally, be nice to the nerds, dweebs and Trekkies from out of town. They come here, spend their hard-earned cash in our town and go back to a life filled with unopened expensive bobble head toys, and imaginary heroes. I envy them. 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

the book The Core of the High Holy Days "ON THE JEWISH NEW YEAR’S EVE, WHEN THE CLOCK STRIKES A NEW YEAR, WE CELEBRATE WITH A DIVINE KISS — A REALIZATION THAT YOU WERE LOVINGLY BROUGHT TO THIS WORLD FOR A PURPOSE."

fter the special Hebrew month of Elul, we celebrate the High Holy Days, beginning with Rosh Hashanah, continuing through the Ten Days of Repentance, and reaching its apex on Yom Kippur. Between the prayer services and shofar blasts, rituals focused on starting fresh and having a sweet new year, fasting (including secret day dreams of break-fast meals), what is at the core of this unique time of the year? What do you see when you look at a mirror? I imagine you might answer, “my face.” Or perhaps you’ll describe what surrounds you. You may be more specific and highlight your cheeks or your eyes. This is all true, on a certain level. But as the saying goes, “eyes are the windows to the soul.” When looking at ourselves and at others, we can choose to only see the outer physical features. But with extra effort and mindfulness, we can look beneath the surface, into the soul within. We are not bodies that contain souls; we are souls that inhabit bodies. The Jewish mystics teach that during these 8

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2018

holy days, we have a special ability to feel our souls, the essential energy within — our true selves. We generally identify ourselves with what we do, what we feel, and what we think. But none of these things define your core. Behind every experience is an “I” experiencing it. This is why we have the ability to change and right the ship, for our essence remains unscathed by any mud we’ve accumulated. A dusty diamond just needs to shake off the dirt. Teshuva is usually translated as “repentance,” but the true translation is “return.” The Jewish view of Teshuva is revolutionary in religious belief systems; the idea that we are essentially pure and all we need to do is return to who we really are beneath it all. Your inner light can never be extinguished, no matter what you’ve done or gone through. The shofar blast symbolizes the deep cry of the soul, simple like a child. On these days we look to return to our core, our inner child, the way we were before we became jaded and anxious. When we had hopes and dreams for a better world and an

inspiring, purposeful life. On Yom Kippur we have this special ability to tap into our souls and connect to our Source, looking past the usual reflection we see in the mirror and into the depth of our character, the pure good. Rosh Hashanah paves the way for this experience, the day Adam and Eve were formed. On the Jewish New Year’s Eve, when the clock strikes a new year, we celebrate with a Divine kiss — a realization that you were lovingly brought to this world for a purpose. We remember that the same G-d who Created massive mountains and endless seas and galaxies beyond, looked at the universe and saw that it desperately needed one of you too. Let’s take some moments during this time to focus inward and beyond, looking at ourselves and others beyond the superficial, at the pristine being behind the body.

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Rabbi Menachem Bombach. 10

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2018

L’CHAIM

A THOUSAND

WORDS

VIRAL VIDEO STAR IS AN ORTHODOX EDUCATION PIONEER MEET RABBI MENACHEM BOMBACH, 41, THE FOUNDER OF TORAH ACADEMY-MIDRASHA CHASIDIT, A NEW YESHIVAH SYSTEM IN ISRAEL FOCUSED ON REDUCING POVERTY IN THE HAREDI COMMUNITY THROUGH EDUCATION.

Did you see a viral video on Yom Hazikaron of a yeshivah teacher leading an inspirational discussion about modern Israel with haredi high school students? So did everyone else in the Jewish Facebook world. But who is the instructor in the video, you might have asked? How does he know so much about secular Israeli culture, and why is he teaching about military service and the sacrifice of Israeli military families at a haredi high school? Isn’t what he is doing bucking the trend of that community’s selfacknowledged insularity? Meet Rabbi Menachem Bombach, 41, the founder of Torah Academy-Midrasha Chasidit, a new yeshivah system in Israel focused on reducing poverty in the ultraOrthodox community through education, preparing them to attend college and enter the workforce. Bombach was recently in the United States, meeting with Jewish organizations and sharing his story in synagogues throughout the tri-state area. He met with the UJA-Federation of New York; a large public event in Woodmere, N.Y.; and a Shabbat in Teaneck, N.J. Future

trips, based on his newfound fame, are in the works, and will involve visits to other communities in Maryland and elsewhere. He has also visited and met with parents and educators in Satmar communities in Williamsburg, Monsey and Monroe, and other enclaves in New York and elsewhere. Bombach said the inspiration to create his school’s network came from his own life experience. “I did not speak a word of Hebrew until the age of 20,” he said. The rabbi noted that as a member of the Vizhnitzer haredi community; he “goes with the shtriemel,” in his words (referring to the fur hat worn on Shabbat and Jewish holidays). He comes from a home in the Mea Shearim neighborhood of Jerusalem where Yiddish was his first language, and even attended “an anti-Zionist cheder,” he said. He noted “there is no general education in the haredi community. After the Holocaust, the world of haredi was destroyed, and the Chazon Ish [Rabbi Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz, a founding leader of the haredi community in Israel who died in 1953], said that the post-Holocaust focus of everyone’s efforts should be to rebuild the Torah world.”

The world is "full of new challenges,” Rabbi Bombach said, and “if we don’t give students the tools to understand it, then when they are exposed to the world outside they will drop out.” WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

L'CHAIM

Rabbi Menachem Bombach meets with children in New York City.

school called Beitar Ilit, which was founded four years ago; a girls’ high school called Bnot Chayil, which opened two years ago; and a vocational school that is to open soon in Jerusalem. Plans to open cheder (elementary-schools) network are also planned. And he launched a program at Hebrew University for haredi college students. “We are also trying to find people who want to open schools like us to combine secular education with religious education,” he said. Rabbi Meir Goldwicht, a rosh yeshiva at Yeshiva University, recently visited Beitar Ilit and gave a shiur (“lesson”) in Hebrew. In his words, he was “wowed” by the experience, noting that anyone who spends even an hour in the presence of these students and instructors “comes away a different person,” noting that Bombach and his team of unique educators are so committed to their mission that they don’t feel they have come to work at the yeshivah; rather, they come with a deep passion to serve their students. “They give the students the bigger picture about life — how to go in Torah and yirat shamayim and how to integrate this later, everyone in his field, whatever he will pick,” Goldwicht said. “Everyone who meets Rabbi Bombach will feel immediately what special work he does with the students and what a unique person he is,” added Goldwicht. ‘NO ANSWERS TO THE BIG QUESTIONS’

The kollel lifestyle — meaning that the man’s job is to study in a beit midrash all day — however, does not work for everyone and places incredible financial pressure on families because the primary breadwinner is usually not part of the workforce, he explained. While the majority of the world knows that “not every person is designed to sit and learn,” Bombach repeated, somehow this knowledge has not sunk into the haredi community, and it has led to a cycle of poverty and insularity, where they are taught to fear or not show proper respect for all that is “other.” The world is also “full of new challenges,” he added, and “if we don’t give students the tools to understand it, then when they are exposed to the world outside they will drop out.” The rabbi shared that he began learning both Hebrew and English after he got married and started working as a counselor for Russian immigrants in 1997. His realization that he lacked sufficient knowledge to help his students effectively compelled him to pursue secular schooling — first with an education degree from Moreshet Yaakov, and then with a master’s in public policy from Hebrew University. In 2001, he took over a school that was in bad shape and rebuilt it anew, opening a school for Russian immigrants where he worked for many years. He prided himself most on “hiring good people” and was inspired by the school’s success to turn his educational focus to his own community where he grew up. “There needs to be a haredi workforce,” he insisted. “It is the most important issue facing Israel today, more dangerous from Iranian threat. Israel knows how to defend itself, but cannot defend itself from poverty and no educated people.” Bombach’s educational network now comprises a boys’ high 12

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Bombach, who said he has had considerable private rabbinic support and others who are quietly watching his work, and have reserved judgement on his methods, said the parents of students have the most clarity on why the schools should exist. And there are two types: “Some parents want to stop the circle of poverty, and other parents take responsibility because they know the kids are not going to sit and learn all day.” The effect of haredim joining the workforce will not only allow members to support themselves financially, but will also ensure the health of the Israeli economy. “The schools are not just about matriculation. The students should be citizens and part of Israel. We are educating them to have solidarity for Israel. If they don’t, by 2028 haredim will comprise 40 percent of first-graders, and those students, if they grow up with no secular knowledge, will bring down all of Israel by the time they are adults. There will be no one to work.” Bombach noted that he is not trying to “change the haredi” or rock the boat in terms of belief systems. “But people need to finance themselves, and have respect for others and gratitude. If you meet a mainstream haredi now, he is confused with all the language and technology barriers he has. He has no answers to the big questions.” The rabbi noted that he has been catapulted to fame since his video went viral, and a number of moving experiences have resulted from it. One example: “A guy came to me from the Chabad community. He said, “My grandmother is a Holocaust survivor who lives on a kibbutz; she doesn’t want anything to do with us because she hates the haredim and how they are anti-Zionist. After the viral video, she called and said she saw another kind of haredim. She said, ‘I want to renew the relationship.’

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COVER STORY | BY JENNIFER KUTNER

STAND WITH US SAN DIEGO MEETING THE CHALLENGE OF THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2018

COVER STORY

tandWithUs San Diego (SWU) is thrilled to continue its mission of educating students and the community about Israel and welcomes a new class of Southwest Campus and High School professionals, the 2018-19 Emerson Fellows and High School Interns. Additionally, Yael Steinberg has joined the organization as the new Associate Director. She just completed a Master’s in non-profit organizational management from Hebrew University. The San Diego community is invited to join the 7th Annual “Leaders of Tomorrow” Gala on October 14 at the Marriott Marquis in downtown. Husband and wife dynamic duo, Jaime and Dan Feder, are the dinner cochairs. Keynote speaker Hussein Aboubakr will share his harrowing story of survival — imprisoned and tortured in Egypt for attempting to learn about Israel — until he escaped to the U.S. At the gala, guests will also get to meet Rachael, whose family moved from Poland to escape anti-Semitism only to find it at her public school in San Diego. Find out how she is confronting it and how much a ten-year-old (yes, she’s that young) is able to accomplish. Rachael is the youngest table captain, busy filling 2 tables for the gala! You’ll hear from former StandWithUs high school Interns, Trevor Lyons and Justin Feldman, whose courageous actions are setting a precedent for how confident and well-equipped young Israel educators can make a difference at their schools. Craig Dershowitz, founder of Artists4Israel will demonstrate how his graffiti team is sharing the beauty and diversity of Israel on campuses through art. Special artwork will be created during the reception to be auctioned off during the program. “We are lucky to have had Emerson Fellows and high school Interns in our own community for so many years,” said Sara Miller, Director of StandWithUs San Diego. “Together with our Board and other lay leaders, we are seeing a strategic mobilization and cohesiveness in fighting antiSemitism and in spreading a contagious passion for Israel.” MEET SWU SOUTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL AND CAMPUS COORDINATORS

Dekel Galor

Nathan Pupko Ginsberg

Raphael Shpitalnik

Kate Chavez was raised in Los Angeles and just completed a BA from Sonoma State University in Political Science. She is the new Southwest High School Coordinator, replacing the incredible Liz Brough, who was promoted to the national Associate Director of High School Affairs Last year, Kate taught English to children in Bat Yam. She recalled, “I fell in love with Israel — the people, culture, religion — and am very excited to return to the Southwest to share and promote Israel education.” Liz Brough explained that the main goal for our high school department in San Diego, “is to offer public school students an opportunity to build relationships with both students and teachers, to provide their peers and local teachers with inspiring, accurate information.” Started in 2012, the year-long StandWithUs High School Internship prepares students for the challenges they may face regarding Israel in college and in their communities. Liz described it as an, “individualized opportunity for students who want to enhance their Israel knowledge, while also developing their leadership and professional skills, all with the goal of being empowered to educate their peers about Israel and face possible challenges ahead.” The 2018-19 SWU High School Interns are: Dekel Galor, Canyon Crest Academy; Nathan Pupko Ginsberg, Torrey Pines High School; and Raphael Shpitalnik, Southern California Yeshiva. SWU’s new Southwest Campus Coordinator is Charline Delkhah, former president of “Aggies for Israel” at UC Davis. “It’s important for people to know the facts — to know what is really happening — so they can sort through all the conflicting information and make their own decisions. SWU’s educational materials and programs helped me change the narrative at UC Davis about Israel,” she said. One requirement of the Emerson and High School programs is to attend two conferences — one in August to prepare students for the year and SWU’s International Conference in March, where they will continue to hone their skills, share best practices and hear from speakers such as Hussein Aboubakr. THE 2018-19 EMERSON FELLOWS Founded in 2007 by philanthropists Rita and Steve Emerson, the one-year program selects and trains 100 student leaders from 100 campuses across North America to present Israel on WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

COVER STORY

their campuses through dynamic, inspiring programming, as well as to combat anti-Israel, anti-Semitic campaigns and rhetoric. ADAM TARYLE, UC SAN DIEGO

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19TH ANNUAL GALA IN THE GARDEN

INSPIRING THE NATURE WITHIN US Honoring Julian Duval, president/CEO for his 24-year tenure at San Diego Botanic Garden Saturday, September 8 The annual Gala provides the necessary funding to support this beautiful Encinitas public garden, helping to fulfill its mission of inspiring people of all ages to connect with plants and nature. Not only do guests enjoy a lovely evening in nature but they also raise significant funds to help meet operational needs and provide funding for a chosen project through their fund-aneed project. In addition, an Honorary Host Committee is being formed in honor of Duval, chaired by Jim and Judy Farley, Martin and Carol Dickinson, Mo Ecke, Tony and Sue Godfrey, Frances Hamilton White, Ron Moss, and Joyce Wilder. Open 364 days per year and set on 37 acres in north coastal San Diego, the mission of San Diego Botanic Garden is to inspire people of all ages to connect with plants and nature. The Garden has more than 4,000 plant species and varieties, gardens representing 15 different regions of the world, 12 demonstration gardens, and the largest bamboo collection in a public garden in North America. In addition, the Garden features two children’s gardens: Seeds of Wonder and Hamilton Children’s Garden, the largest interactive children’s garden on the West Coast. The Garden also regularly offers classes covering many topics including water conservation, fire-safe landscaping, hands-on flower and plant arranging, art in various media, and cooking. For more information, visit SDBGarden.org. San Diego Botanic Garden is a 501 (c) 3 charitable organization 16

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Entering his Sophomore year, Adam Taryle, will be Vice President of Israeli Culture for Tritons for Israel (TFI). Adam said he is “excited to take part in shaping how Israel is represented at UCSD, in order to instill truth, and create new bridges between our TFI and other university groups. I know I am working with amazing people in TFl and StandWithUs, and that we can use our resourcefulness to achieve this goal. Together we can inch closer to understanding the necessary ingredients of peace.” DANA ELAZAR, SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY

Dana is a Junior who will be the Emerson Fellow and Vice President of Students Supporting Israel (SSI) as well as President of Mishelanu at SDSU next fall. She became an Emerson because she said “Since leaving Israel at age 8, I felt a void — a piece of me was missing. Israel education has helped me fill that void by surrounding me with people of all backgrounds who still come together to support Israel. I am so excited to team up with StandWithUs to bring the beauty of Israel that I know to be true, to my campus! LINK – DISCOVERING YOUR ISRAEL CONNECTION

For the second year, the San Diego Jewish Academy featured LINK during their Israel Week program. The school joins the more than 100 schools nationwide that are utilizing this 6-lesson, digitally-interactive, experiential, online middle school program to inspire students to make their own personal connection to Israel. A major Foundation is subsidizing the entire cost of the program to 20 new Jewish day and supplementary schools in California. Apply at: IsraelLink.org/KORET. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/ STANDWITHUSSANDIEGO/. TO REGISTER FOR THE OCTOBER 14 GALA, VISIT STANDWITHUS.COM/SDLEADERS18. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GETTING INVOLVED WITH SWU SAN DIEGO, CONTACT SARA MILLER, SARAM@STANDWITHUS.COM OR YAEL STEINBERG, YAELS@STANDWITHUS.COM.

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EDUCATION | BY DONALD H. HARRISON | San Diego Jewish World

WINGS OF

EAGLES

Aviator Elgen M. Long rescued 1,800 Yemenite Jews and brought them to Israel in 1949 “On Eagle’s Wings” — a precursor operation to Operation Magic Carpet.

L-R: StandWithUs San Diego Director Sara Miller with Caption Elgen M. Long, StandWithUs co-founder and CEO Roz Rothstien, and StandWithUs Executive Director Shahar Azani.

o fellow aviators, perhaps, Elgen M. Long is best known as the man who in 1971 first flew around the world over both the North and South Poles. Additionally, he is admired for his research into the disappearance of aviators Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan in 1937 somewhere near Howland Island in the Pacific Ocean. But to Yemenite Jews, he forever will be known as one of the men who helped to 18

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transport 1,800 of them to Israel in 1949 “On Eagle’s Wings” — a precursor operation to Operation Magic Carpet which rescued another 48,000 Jews in 1950. Long recounted on May night to a StandWithUs gathering the dramatic events involved in bringing Yemenite Jews to the Jewish State even as Israel still was fighting its War of Independence against the local Arab population and the armies of Jordan,

Egypt, Syria, and Iraq. At the time, Long was serving as a navigator for Alaska Airlines, assigned to flights in the Far East. One day, he was ordered to fly from Tokyo to Hong Kong, and to await further orders. Next, the airplane crew in which he was serving was told to go to Shanghai, and to pick up stateless Jewish refugees, who had been living in the ghetto there. The plane made its way from Shanghai to Bombay to

EDUCATION

Aden and then to Lydda (Lod), which years later became the Ben-Gurion International Airport. “The war was still going on when we arrived and they were expecting an attack,” Long told attendees of a StandWithUs dinner for members of its Herzl and Guardians Clubs, consisting of supporters who contribute $5,000 or $2,500 annually to the pro-Israel group that supports Israel causes on college, high school, and middle school campuses. “The lights were turned off. We were running low on fuel, and our captain spotted the airport and managed to land on the runway,” Long recounted. A vehicle approached, which at first the crew thought was a jeep to guide the plane to a terminal. However, “it was an armored car with machine guns. They didn’t know who we were.” The soldier’s commanding officer boarded the plane, and when he learned that the passengers were Jewish refugees, he told the crew, emotionally, “It is a good thing that you have done.” Following the flight, the crew went to a hotel, where their captain received a message that they should return to Aden immediately where “someone will meet you.” “So,” said Long, “we fired the airplane up, and headed back to Aden. There was an officer there, waiting at a gate for us.” The official told them that there were Yemenite Jewish refugees in a life or death situation who needed to be flown to Israel. At the time Aden was a British Crown Colony, separate from Yemen. Not until 1967 was Aden merged into Yemen. The converted cargo plane had seats for only 48 people, but it was urgent to take as many as possible, so the airplane’s mechanic suggested taking the seats out and allowing people to sit on the floor. Figuring that the Yemenites, including children, averaged about 80 pounds each, the crew calculated 150 people could be fitted into the plane safely, assuming that they took off in the cooler morning temperatures of 6 a.m.

“So, they had 150 there the next morning, and they didn’t want to get on the airplane,” Long related. “They didn’t know what an airplane was, never had seen an airplane, and they were afraid. I didn’t blame them. But their rabbi quoted from Exodus 19:4 in which God says to Moses, “You have seen what I did to Egypt, and that I have borne you on the wings of eagles and brought you to Me.” The rabbi then told his people, “This is your eagle!” Even though it was a Saturday morning, March 12, 1949, the rabbi said they could fly on the Sabbath, because it was a matter of life and death. Long related that getting all 150 in required some pushing. “The flight took 9 ½ hours, and they were all scared to death — especially when you climb up, and then you bank the airplane, they were afraid they were going to die, or fall off.” En route, some passengers decided that they wanted some tea, so lit their small kerosene stove and started to brew the tea, not realizing they were sitting right over the fuel tank. However, even though the Yemenites didn’t speak English, they understood when crew members told them with alarm, “NOOOO!” From Aden, the plane flew over the Red Sea, and then over Aqaba, Beer-Sheva, and on to Lydda. When at last that first flight landed in Israel, and when the passengers knew that they were in Israel, they kissed the ground. “This was their returning; this is what their religion had told them for thousands of years was going to happen –— they were going to return on the wings of an eagle.” The crew felt very good when they off loaded the passengers. Then, after gassing up, they turned around and flew right back to Aden where more refugees were waiting. “We made a trip a day, about 20 hours of flying,” said Long. “We flew for seven days straight without ever getting off the airplane.” After seven days, they were groggy with fatigue, “so we took a day off, and then we

flew five more flights after that.” At that point, the crew in which Long was serving was returned to home base, while other pilots and crew continued Operation Magic Carpet, ultimately transporting nearly 50,000 Yemenite Jews to Israel. Among those passengers were the maternal and paternal grandparents of Shahar Azani, a former Israeli consular official who now serves as the Northeast executive director of StandWithUs. He told the StandWithUs dinner guests at the Map and Atlas Museum of La Jolla that he first heard about Long when he received a phone call from an Israeli consular official of San Francisco, who was attending a museum exhibition in Alaska recalling Alaska Airlines’ role in the exodus of the Yemenites. After learning that Captain Long, today a nonagenarian, was the last surviving crew member from those flights, Azani invited him to tell his story to a StandWithUs gathering in New York, and then to return to Israel to see what had become of the country in the interim. Azani said that Long was offered the opportunity to meet Israel’s top political figures, but that he expressed a desire to simply meet some of the people, or their descendants, whom he had helped to transport so long ago. It was an emotional moment for the Yemenites whom he had met, Azani said. They crowded around him and hugged him, thanking him for helping to fly the eagle whose wings had borne them, their parents, and grandparents to their Promised Land. At the StandWithUs dinner too, another descendant of those original refugees thanked Long, saying were it not for Long and the other brave aviators, he might not have had the privilege of being where he was today. DON HARRISON IS EDITOR OF SAN DIEGO JEWISH WORLD (SDJEWISHWORLD.COM). DONALD.HARRISON@SDJEWISHWORLD.COM

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EDUCATION | BY CARINA ROCK

IT'S A

GAME

Jewish Interactive Education

ewish Interactive is a global, cutting edge, nonprofit organization that is bringing “EdTech” to the world of Jewish Education. With offices in London, Israel, Johannesburg, and now San Diego County, Ji (Jewish Interactive), has been educating families, synagogues and schools with its leading apps, and educational content gamification platform called Ji Tap. The Ji Tap app is equipped with a free creation tool, where anyone can create games/ interactive presentations/ebooks and add their knowledge creativity and expertise to the global Ji Tap platform. Jewish Education has never been so accessible and engaging! Now that Ji is based in San Diego, the 20

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2018

organization will be running workshops and events using the concepts of technology and gamification, Ji global, runs Hackathons, Intergenerational Events, Mommy and Me’s and JSTEM (Jewish STEM) programming, and Jewish Interactive San Diego is looking forward to organizing tailor-made events for its new home. Ji’s first local initiative is to have two schools participating in Ji’s national Interdisciplinary Game Design Project and Study funded by the Avi Chai Foundation. San Diego Jewish Academy and Soille Hebrew Day School are working with Ji to measure the impact of JSTEM Project Based Learning on Jewish Studies by creating interdisciplinary Ji Tap games. The two cohorts of teachers

lead by Shira Schaffer and Shirley Primosher at San Diego Jewish Academy and Danielle Arya and Sarah Shumate at Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School have been training and familiarizing themselves with Ji Tap over the summer. As Ji Ambassadors for their schools, these formidable teachers will be introducing gamification and game creation to their students empowering them to create quality games to share with the world. The Ji Tap games made by SDJA and Soille will be ready to share in December, 2018. Parents are choosing Ji because it makes Hebrew and Jewish Education available to as many people as possible by giving any child anywhere free access to the Ji collection of apps. Ji has transformed the way the Jewish people pass on the wisdom of our tradition by re-thinking the way we learn and share information. Ji breaks down complex ideas into teachable and shareable games which has leveled the playing field of global Jewish informational sharing, teaching and learning. We are a dynamic people that have always used the latest modes of communication to share our knowledge with our community. We are the people of the book, media, social media, blog and now with Ji Tap, the interactive educational game. CARINA ROCK OF OROT HACARMEL IS HEADING THE WEST COAST OFFICE FOR JI AT THE LEICHTAG COMMONS HIVE. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JI AND ITS PROJECTS HERE IN SAN DIEGO OR CONTACT, C A R I N A @ J E W I S H I N T E R AC T I V E . N E T OR AT JEWISHINTERACTIVE.ORG, AND CHECK OUT JI TAP AT JITAP.NET.

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EDUCATION | BY ELIANA RUDEE | JNS.ORG

CUSTOMIZING HOLOCAUST

EDUCATION

Applicable Lessons in America and Europe

The Olga Lengyel Institute for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights (TOLI), was established to educate students about human rights and social justice through the lens of the Holocaust and other genocides so that such atrocities may never take place again. 22

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EDUCATION

THE FIRST SEMINAR, WHICH CONCLUDED ON JUNE 7 IN JACKSON, MISS., COMPARED THE EXCLUSIONARY POLICIES OF NAZI GERMANY WITH THE JIM CROW LAWS OPERATING DURING THE SAME TIME PERIOD IN THE UNITED STATES.

n the context of a rising tide of extremism and anti-Semitism in Europe and the United States, more than 500 teachers on both continents will attend 20 TOLI Holocaust seminars this summer, bringing its lessons to their classrooms and communities to confront rising intolerance and extremism. According to its website, The Olga Lengyel Institute for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights (TOLI), was established to educate students about human rights and social justice through the lens of the Holocaust and other genocides so that such atrocities may never take place again. The seminars “link the lessons of the Holocaust and other genocides to current world events, thereby working with teachers to promote a human-rights and social-justice agenda in their classrooms.” The U.S. seminars occur in the context of a recent survey by Claims Conference, which found a significant lack of Holocaust knowledge in the United States, especially among millennials. According to the survey, 70 percent of Americans say fewer people seem to care about the Holocaust than they used to, and 58 percent of Americans believe that something like the Holocaust could happen again. Some 41 percent of millennials believe that substantially fewer than 6 million (2 million or fewer) Jews were killed, and 22 percent haven’t heard of or are not sure if they have heard of the Holocaust. “Our goal is to provide educators with the resources to teach the Holocaust and become advocates for social change in their classrooms and communities,” said TOLI President Mark Berez. Likewise, added Sondra Perl, Ph.D., U.S. director of the Olga Lengyel Institute, “It is important for students to know that histories of oppression and discrimination did not only happen overseas or a long time ago, but that human suffering continues take place, and that the United States also has a complicated history.

“Taking on these other subjects in the context of the Holocaust helps to open up questions about history and social justice, and can raise students’ awareness of their ability to take action in the present day,” she said. The first seminar, which concluded on June 7 in Jackson, Miss., compared the exclusionary policies of Nazi Germany with the Jim Crow laws operating during the same time period in the United States. That seminar is followed by a seminar in Billings, Mont., with the participation of Native American educators, drawing from the past to consider roles today — perpetuator, ally, bystander — in the face of prejudice and discrimination in and outside schools. “TOLI’s programs are built on the idea that teachers’ identities and perspectives shape how they approach classroom material,” creating a “model of democratic principles at work where every voice in the room counts,” maintained Perl. “Based on writing and inquiry, we encourage teachers to think hard not only about the difficult topic of genocide, but also about ways to engage students so that their study of the Holocaust is neither trivialized nor overly traumatic,” she added. Towards that end, the seminars focus not only on Jewish suffering and death, but also on Jewish life. “We offer opportunities for teachers to learn about Jewish history, traditions and practices, both before and after the Holocaust, so that a rich understanding of Judaism can enlarge their teaching of the Holocaust, focusing on what was lost, and also on what has been reborn and reshaped in the 21st century,” related Perl. “Finding a middle ground where questions can be asked and honored allows students to think critically,” she continued. “When students recognize that they can play a role in creating a more just society, they often become advocates for action that supports

human rights.” Other seminars, each with its own theme, will be conducted in cities across the United States, with a flagship seminar taking place in New York City, bringing educators from around the country for an intensive 12-day program. ‘SEMINAR IN POLAND ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT PROGRAMS’

Internationally, TOLI will hold its first seminar in Warsaw, Poland, in cooperation with the Museum of Polish Jewish History. The program, in the country where the Nazi death camps massacred millions of Jews, will be conducted in frank and free discussion about Nazi genocide, notwithstanding the recent controversy over Poland’s “Holocaust law.” “Having a seminar in Poland, where over 3 million Jews perished is one of our most important programs,” Harry D. Wall, a member of the board of TOLI, said. “TOLI has expanded its programs to Europe in response to requests from local Jewish communities and NGOs for resources to confront rising anti-Semitism, intolerance and extremism,” said Wall. “Teaching the Holocaust in the countries where Jewish genocide took place is both a moral imperative to remember the victims and to help prevent further tragedy.” Wall, a former senior staff director with ADL, noted that TOLI seminars in 2018 will take place in seven countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Poland, Portugal and Romania. He said “each European program will enable teachers, often for the first time, to delve into how the Holocaust impacted their own countries and to help address the disturbing rise of anti-Semitism, racism and ultra-nationalism.”

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EDUCATION

JCC EDUCATOR ACCEPTED INTO LEADERSHIP

INSTITUTE

Jennifer Meltzer is one of only 31 early childhood educators nationwide who was awarded a fellowship into JCCA's Sheva Center Leadership Institute

he JCC Association of North America has announced the inaugural Sheva Center Leadership Institute for Early Childhood Professionals with the acceptance of 31 educators, including Jennifer Meltzer, Preschool Program Coordinator at the Lawrence Family JCC’s Neirman Preschool. While participating in the three-year Sheva Center for Leadership Institute (SCLI) initiative, participants will take part in six, week-long retreats and two international study tours through Israel and Reggio Emilia, Italy; each of which will incorporate aspects of the Sheva Framework — a toolbox for creating excellence in early childhood Jewish education — and the new “Growing Jewish ECE” platform, developed to nurture the entire JCC community along with the fellow. There will be monthly virtual learning seminars between the retreats. The institute, funded with a $1.9 million grant from the Jim Joseph Foundation (JJF), builds on earlier investment by the Covenant Foundation, which founded the Sheva Covenant Directors Institute in 2014. That work showed the importance of advancing the professional development of educators in the field of Jewish early childhood education, paving the way for the expanded program funded by JJF. One goal of this institute is to build advocacy skills within the group — along with those in the Covenant-funded cohort — for continuing work in the field, focused on teacher recruitment and retention, salaries and benefits, and more. “I have loved my experiences here at the LFJCC, both working on programming for the preschool at large, and refining my skills teaching my parent/child classes,” Meltzer said after the announcement. “But I am always open to learning more. It is a central part of Judaism, to continue learning throughout one’s life. It is my hope that the Sheva Leadership Institute will not only provide me with more tools to enhance the work I do at our JCC, but also expand the way we infuse our school with Jewish concepts and ethics.” Fellows will also focus on exemplary education practices in such areas a marketing, enrollment conversion and family satisfaction and retention. A personal mentor will work with each fellow and with the fellow’s JCC. The fellows, in turn, will complete a National Director Credential from the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership at National Louis University. “I am very excited to connect with colleagues from other JCCs across the country,” Meltzer said. “I am so honored to have been selected as part of this incredible group, and I’m thrilled to begin this journey.”

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2018

Sunday, August 19, 2018 1:30pm-3:30pm

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FOOD

KOSHEROLOGY LATE SUMMER DISHES FROM BEGINNING TO END STORY & PHOTOS BY ALEX THE KOSHEROLOGIST KOSHEROLOGY.COM

Who doesn’t like banana bread? Especially if you top it off with a maple and bourbon glaze?!

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2018

FOOD

cream the eggs. 4. Add the sugar to the eggs and beat until pale yellow and fluffy. 5. While continuing to beat the mixture, add the oil, vanilla, and mashed banana. 6. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until well incorporated. 7. Bake in a well-greased (and lightly floured) bundt pan for 45 minutes, or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool and flip over onto a serving plate.

'JUST PEACHY' COCA-COLA CHICKEN

An oldie, but goodie crazy easy and crazy awesome chicken recipe. Southern-inspired. Serves 8. Meat. Ingredients 1, 5-6 lb. chicken, cut into eighths (or your pieces of choice) 1/2 cup Coca-Cola 1/2 cup tomato ketchup 1/2 cup peach preserves 1 tbs. soy sauce 1 tsp. onion powder 1 tsp. garlic powder Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350° F. 2. Arrange chicken in a 9x13 roasting pan 3. Combine the Coca-Cola, ketchup, preserves, soy sauce, and onion and garlic powders. 4. Pour over chicken and bake for 1 hour, or until tender. 5. Serve hot with gravy, or at room temperature, removed from the gravy.

MAPLE & BOURBON GLAZED BANANA BREAD

Who doesn’t like banana bread? Especially if you top it off with a maple and bourbon glaze?! I know that many people already have a favorite banana bread recipe (which they claim to be the best), but I know you won’t be sorry making this recipe. After all, it’s from my father’s (Bernie the Baker) recipe file. Enough said. Parve. Makes 1 bundt or 2 large loaf cakes. Cake 4 large eggs 2 cups granulated white sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 tsp. salt 2 tsp. baking soda 2 tsp. vanilla 2 cups mashed, overripe bananas (about 5-6) Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350° F. 2. Combine the sifted flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside. 3. In a mixer with a paddle attachment,

Maple- Bourbon Glaze 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1 1/2 tbs. bourbon 2 tbs. maple syrup Mix together all ingredients in small bowl and pour over the bread (cake.) Enjoy. 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), BLACK-EYED-PEAS, AND BRUNSWICK STEW. HE BOASTS BEING A 4TH GENERATION JEWISH SOUTHERNER, WITH ONE OF HIS GREATGRANDMOTHER’S BORN IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA IN 1888. HIS OTHER GREATGRANDPARENTS HAILED FROM RUSSIA, POLAND, AND FRANCE-INSPIRING 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.

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FEATURE STORY | BY DEBORAH VIETOR

Temple Etz Rimon's

'CHAI'

CELEBRATING 18 YEARS WITH AN ELEGANT EVENING OF ART “Chai” means life and represents the number 18. “Chai” is for good luck and gifts are often given in multiples of 18, symbolic of offering the recipient with the gift of “life” or luck. This year marks 18 years for Temple Etz Rimon. Rabbi Karen Sherman has been serving the congregation for nine years and shared how meaningful it has been, “I get excited about the whole spectrum of rabbinic service,” she said. “As the Rabbi of a small congregation, I know each and every congregant and I am aware of what is going on in their lives, that I have had the honor of officiating at b’nai mitzvah for kids I have known since they started religious school, and that I love working with a small, dedicated group of lay leaders who truly care about their congregation.” “I love our Rosh Hashanah service and kiddush luncheon celebration. Everyone is welcome, including local military and college students. For Taschlich, the congregation comes together at Tamarack Beach in Carlsbad. Summer services on the patio are popular with a potluck oneg shabbat held monthly. One of our favorite holiday celebrations is Sukkot, when we enjoy “Pizza in the Hut.” Another popular event is Simchat Torah, when the congregation unrolls the entire Torah scroll around the sanctuary.” The congregation celebrates Selichot with an ice cream social before the service. Tu B’shevat provides an opportunity to sing songs and hold activities as reminders of conservation and 28

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ecology. For Hanukkah, each family brings its own menorah and everyone lights the candles together. The entire sanctuary is ablaze with hundreds of kindled lights. Shabbat services may include baby naming ceremonies, anniversary and birthday celebrations, and other life-cycle celebrations. An annual open house is held in August to showcase what the temple offers our community. Cantorial Soloist Mark Britowich provides a mix of traditional and contemporary Jewish music during services and holidays. Rabbi Sherman and the religious school staff guide our religious school students in their Bar and Bat Mitzvah studies. In addition, just this year, six adults became B’nai Mitzvah. Rabbi Sherman stressed the importance of inclusivity in the congregation, “Our community is open to people who were born Jewish and people who have chosen Judaism; partners and family members of people who are Jewish; people who are LGBTQ and straight; people of all gender identities and gender expressions; multi-racial families; and all people who enjoy the beauty of our tradition and want to participate and learn more.” Rabbi Sherman has two daughters and lives in Irvine with her husband Harvey, who is a Public Defender. She teaches the URJ’s Introduction to Judiasm class and is involved with additional Jewish organizations in Orange and San Diego counties.

FEATURE STORY

Rabbi Sherman and Cantor Mark Britowich

Julie Schwartz, Temple President, and Jen Arellano, Co-Chair of the November Chai Elegant Evening of Art event shared with L’CHAIM: “Temple Etz Rimon is more than just a synagogue. It’s a close-knit community where members come together in good times and in hard times, to celebrate and to support each other. The congregation embraced my family and me from the moment we joined, as they do for everyone. In the nine years since, it’s become like a second family to us.” Arellano added, “I found Etz Rimon because I was looking for a Reform Temple to provide a religious foundation for my son, but I realize now how meaningful the friendships and how valuable the opportunities to contribute and learn have been for me. Etz Rimon is about the people; we are a diverse and fun group. It is a good feeling to be at Etz Rimon, it feels like family.” Etz Rimon means Pomegranate Tree in Hebrew. One could almost think of the Pomegranate symbolic of the synagogue as a round circle of members, with the many seeds inside representing the diversity Etz Rimon encompasses. The Temple Sisterhood is a vital part of Temple Etz Rimon, planning many events and holidays. Temple Etz Rimon shares a building with Pilgrim Church. Each year, both congregations participate in the countywide interfaith shelter program. Commemorating 18 years of “Chai,” Temple Etz Rimon is holding “An Elegant Evening of Art,” Saturday November 3, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM at the synagogue. The event will feature music, light hors d’oevres, and a silent auction. It will conclude with a community Havdalah service. The event aims to raise funds for community

outreach and congregational programing. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT TEMPLEETZRIMON.ORG OR CALL (760) 929-9503. FOR INFORMATION REGARDING “AN ELEGANT EVENING OF ART”, ART4ETZRIMON@GMAIL.COM.

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FEATURE STORY | BY ISRAEL KASNETT | JNS.ORG

LEADING TECH FIGURES DECLARE ISRAEL THE

'EPICENTER OF MAGIC' The REALITY experience brings it home for leaders in the fields of augmented reality, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, robotics, computer vision, blockchain and immersive media creation

hy sit behind a desk all day when you can explore Israel and meet experts in your field at the same time? That’s where REALITY Experience, an initiative by the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, comes in. The program, which offers 12 distinct journeys, each with its own unique focus, “brings inspiring influencers from around the globe on a transformative journey through Israel to reignite their passion and potential for repairing the world.” JNS was invited to meet with some of the participants of Emerging REALITY, a program described on its website as “a transformative leadership experience in Israel specifically designed for leaders in the areas of augmented reality, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, robotics, computer vision, 30

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2018

blockchain and immersive media creation who appreciate the value of collaboration, camaraderie and imagination.” Ted Schilowitz, a futurist at Paramount Pictures, was full of energy and enthusiasm when he sat down with JNS. “This is quite a week. It’s like a summer camp,” he said. “It’s not just to see Israel, but to learn Israel, to really understand what makes it tick. And to see, from the particular bent of this group, why Israel is such a hotbed of innovation, startup culture, startup mentality and why the output of success is so high. I thought I had good insight on that, but now, after the first couple of days [on this trip], I have a much better insight on this.” Schilowitz related a story from years ago when he was interviewed by a magazine in Silicon Valley. When asked where he thinks

the best innovation in the world comes from, he replied, “I know you want me to say Silicon Valley, but I’m telling you it’s not Silicon Valley. It’s this little strip of desert in the Middle East that really has made the most relevant tech of our generation. And what is ironic is that the countries that surround that little strip of desert are often trying to eradicate it from the planet using all the technology that was developed by that little strip of desert. ... And it’s troubling to me that those [countries] don’t realize that this is a jewel. It has to be treasured, regardless of your political dynamics, because you can’t execute anything without this little strip of desert. It’s fascinating, and it’s probably only getting started.” Schilowitz expressed amazement that “most of the 8 billion humans on Earth are touching multiple things that came out of Israeli innovation every single day, multiple times a day, for many hours a day, every single day of their lives—and they have no idea that it came from Israel. ... It’s just so extraordinarily relevant, and it’s almost impossible to imagine that it all comes from this [tiny country].” ‘IT BLEW MY MIND’

Amanda Goldfine, head of marketing partnerships at Oculus, was equally enthusiastic, telling JNS that this was her first time in Israel. “I’ve been wanting to come for a long time, so it’s exciting to be here ... I’m learning a ton.” Asked what appealed to her about joining the program, she mentioned a few reasons.

FEATURE STORY

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“Obviously, it’s great networking to meet people who are in similar industries with similar interests. We are learning a ton about each other and about ourselves in the process,” she said. “On the other hand, getting a chance to learn about leadership, the industry in Israel, such a huge tech scene ... being able to learn about all the different aspects of life and culture here ... learning about different types of leadership and how [people here] have been able to thrive despite everything.” Goldfine also expressed her appreciation for the program. “Everyone on the itinerary looks really impressive, and it’s sometimes the people you don’t expect that you end up learning the most from.” Her best praise she saved for Israel: “It’s really impressive that such a small country is such a big tech powerhouse.” Toshi Hoo, director of the Emerging Media Lab, Institute for the Future, told JNS, “I’ve been to Israel before, and it blew my mind.” “What really drew me,” he said, “was that I wanted to get out of Silicon Valley. I need to understand more about AI, and I’ve got incredible experts on the tour with me.” Hoo said he is looking forward to all of the presentations the program set up. “It’s so well-curated. It’s not just interesting, enriching, tantalizing and delicious. You really feel the sense of curation of the relationships, and I feel the encouragement to self-actualize on this trip. They’re bringing all this outside stimulation and incredible new relationships, so it’s transformative.”

Carol is one of those incredible, unique, gifted consultants who helps you see and shift your limiting beliefs so you can live a more fulfilled and balanced life. - Sharon, Workshop Facilitator

‘THERE’S A LOT HAPPENING’

Tyler Wunsch, head of sustainability at Tesla, actually found out about the REALITY program while he was in Morocco at a fish market when an Israeli couple asked to join him at his table. When he admitted that he hadn’t yet been to Israel, they told him about REALITY tour. When he returned home, he Googled it and became interested. “I’m here to learn about the companies and the technology and the overall culture that is Israel,” he told JNS. “There’s a lot happening.” Like Goldfine, Wunsch expressed his delight at being in Israel for the first time. “If I were Jewish, I would have gone on Birthright. I’m not, so I wasn’t able to. “This is a unique opportunity to come to a country and experience the culture, the food, but yet be on this curated journey that allows you to meet with the locals, allows you to meet with people hustling in business, who are really making things happen,” he explained. “It’s probably one of the most unique experiences that I’ve had.” Schilowitz summed it up best when he said: “If you think technology is magic, this is the epicenter of magic.” WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

FAMILY | BY CHANA JENNY WEISBERG

jewish

mom.com The Viral Story about Rabbi Steinman's Toffee

his story with its surprising punchline has taken Israeli whatsapp groups by storm. I understand why! I’ve translated it here to English: A young man in Bnei Brak, unfortunately, left Judaism and got engaged to a nonJewish woman. The young man’s secular cousin, with whom he was living, got angry and very upset, but he could not persuade him to cancel the engagement. Nevertheless, the cousin managed to convince the young man that, at the very leas,t he should go with his fiance, and tell his parents in a face-to-face conversation what his plans were. The young man was convinced and invited himself for Shabbat with his parents according to his “conditions.” He spent Friday night smoking on the porch, and Shabbat day on the porch absorbed in his iPhone. On Shabbat afternoon, his father approached his son and invited him to go with him to a class given by Rabbi Aharon Leib Steinman zt”l. Surprisingly, the son agreed. After the class, his father brought the son to the Rabbi to say, “Good Shabbos” and told the great Rabbi that unfortunately his son did not observe Shabbat. Rabbi Steinman looked at the son and 32

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2018

asked, “For how long have you not been observing Shabbat?” He answered, “For two years.” “And during that time did you ever regret that you weren’t keeping Shabbat?” “Yes, about four times.” “And for how long did you regret not keeping Shabbat every time?” “For about 10 minutes.” “Oh, then it turns out that for 40 minutes over the last two years you were a true baal teshuva, a Master of Repentance: “In the place where baalei teshuva stand, even completely righteous people cannot stand!’ For that reason I envy you. Shabbat Shalom.” The son went home and returned to his cousin’s apartment. But Rabbi Steinman’s words continued to haunt him. He canceled the engagement, and one thing led to another, until the young man once again became Torah observant. Later on, when the young man was asked why he made the surprising decision to join his father at Rabbi Steinman’s class, the young man replied that when he was in fourth grade, his class went to be tested by Rabbi Aharon Leib Steinman. Rabbi Steinman asked the children easy questions, and every child knew the answer, and received a toffee from the Rabbi. But when the Rabbi reached the boy from our story, he did not know the answer. So Rabbi Steinman asked him an easier

question. And the boy again didn’t know the answer. Then Rabbi Steinman asked the boy an even easier question, but still he didn’t know the answer. At the end of the test, every boy had a toffee except for this one boy. When the children respectfully left the room, Rabbi Steinman signaled for the boy to approach him. He told him, “In the Torah and in Judaism we receive rewards according to our effort, not according to the results. All your classmates tried to answer one question, so they received one toffee. “But you, my dear son, tried to answer 3 questions.” And with a smile, the great Rabbi Steinman handed the boy three toffees. Translated by JewishMOM.com. 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.

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book review

COME BACK

TO ME

A story of survivor's guilt by Sharon Hart-Green BY EVA TRIEGER

urvivor’s guilt is a verified phenomenon, and in this 2017 novel by Sharon HartGreen, we are invited into the world of a young man tortured by the promise he made to his sister while attempting to escape the Nazis in 1944 Hungary. Artur Mandelkorn has spent the majority of his life trying to find his beloved little sister, Manya. The novel traces his movements and efforts towards this goal, and explores his emotional turmoil and pain as many of his quests result in dead ends. This effort, a first novel by Hart-Green, is cleverly written from two vantage points. Chapters alternate between the story of 34

L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2018

Artur, experiencing the camps, the attendant horrors and eventually, liberation and life afterwards, with Suzy Kohn, a young woman, coming of age in late 1960s Canada. The link between the two is not made evident until later in the book, but that is of little import. The tale is fairly graphic and this, most likely lends to its credibility. The discussion about the abuse at the hands of the Nazi guards, and through the descriptions of the olfactory offenses we get the picture. The author does a fabulous job of sharing the thoughts, fears, and ethos of a young man who has dedicated his life to finding and saving his little sister. She also does an admirable job of showing us a rebellious teenager on the brink of adulthood just prior to the Free Love generation. These facets of the novel work and enable the reader to experience the angst, pressure and dreams of both Artur and Suzy. As much as this reader enjoyed the shifting between generations, I did struggle with the geography and pacing. Artur, in his search for Manya moved around quite a bit. At times I found this distracting and confusing. I do not doubt the impetus for his mobility, but I found myself having to return to previous pages to follow the story. Perhaps this was intentional, as I’m sure it felt to the Jews who were moved from camp to camp; the journey was equally precarious. The full circle moment comes towards the end of the novel, when the generations both find a home and purpose in Eretz Yisroel. Artur has arrived in Israel and learned that his sister, whom he promised to save, is

Sharon Hart-Green

deceased. Yet a friend tells him, “Look at this country. It’s filled with people like you and me. The weak. The forlorn. The broken. We all live with loss. That’s why we’re such good builders. We have no choice but to start from the bare foundations” (Hart-Green 238). Despite this devastating loss, we are given hope that Artur’s older brother, Karl, survived. With too little explanation, Suzy has discovered an internal compass with the connection to her Jewish neshama while she attends the marriage of her aunt and newlyfound uncle. Hart-Green has wrested some positivity out of the darkest days of our existence. COME BACK FOR ME BY SHARON HARTGREEN IS PUBLISHED BY NEW JEWISH PRESS.

USA INSPIRES JEWISH HIGH SCHOOLERS

erched atop one of the most famous mountains in Jewish history, the ancient fortress of Masada overlooks the Judean Desert and crystal waters of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth. The story of Masada has become ingrained in our collective Jewish history. It is a symbol of Jewish heroism, resilience, and faith in God. Its lessons and values have been an integral part of Jewish education, a staple educational component for Israeli students, IDF ceremonies, and hundreds of thousands of Jewish visitors for decades. The message of Masada, that it shall never fall again, is a reminder of our national pride, connecting generations to the Jewish tradition and faith. In early July, students of the Alexander Muss High School in Israel (AMHSI), a Jewish and pluralistic educational institution in Israel affiliated with Jewish National Fund-USA (JNF), made an arduous but incredibly impactful trek up Mount Masada, bringing the message of Masada back to their campus. The trip created a sound foundation for them and their descendants to stay fully committed to the state of Israel. “We want them to understand what happened here and not just about how good the sunrise was,” explained Aubri Isaacs, a veteran teacher at AMHSI, “The deeper goal is to throw them into the story and let some of the dilemmas of the people who lived here at various times be real for them. They came up here in a desperate attempt to survive and made a conscious choice to embrace Jewish values.” Isaacs spoke of a certain point where the students went through

an emotional experience that connected them to the 997 Jews who, according to the ancient Jewish historian Josephus Flavius, are said to have chosen death over being sold into slavery by the Romans. “The students screamed out in Hebrew, ‘Am Yisrael Chai’ (‘the nation of Israel lives’) and ‘Masada shall not fall again,’” Isaacs related. “They then heard the most amazing phenomenal echoes from the mountains screaming back at them. We then asked them to imagine that it’s not just an echo but the defenders of Masada shouting back at them.” That same day, the completion of the first Torah scroll written on top of Masada and sponsored by Jewish National Fund, as part of the organization’s Be Inscribed program was dedicated by Andy Klein of Forest Hill, Maryland and handed to the Alexander Muss High School as a testament to the program’s agenda to keep the bonds everlasting, between Israel and future generations of Jews. “We’re building a safe and vibrant land of Israel by scribing Torah scrolls on top of Masada that once symbolized our destruction but now symbolizes our life,” explained Ron Werner, former alumnus and current president of the board of director at Alexander Muss High School. Werner shared that now Jews across the globe have the opportunity to stay connected with Israel by purchasing parts of a Torah scroll written on top of Masada. “Torah is the soul of the Jewish people and our moral compass,” he continued. “By connecting people to Torah, we elevate the whole equation and will build better bonds between Jewry and Israel, which helps Jewish National Fund accomplish its mission.” Each of the students played a role in completing the Torah scroll as the quill was passed among them one by one and then handed back to the scribe. The Torah scroll was officially completed at Masada’s ancient synagogue, a house of worship used by the Jews who sought refuge on top of the mountain close to 2,000 years ago. The students who were seemingly unaffected by the sweltering heat of late morning on Masada proudly showed their commitment towards the continuity of the Jewish people as they energetically danced around the newly inaugurated Torah scroll. For more information about Be Inscribed or how to spend a semester at AMHSI, contact James Kimmey at jkimmey@jnf.org or 858.824.9178 x988. WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM

THE ELIJAH MINYAN

uvhkt ihbn THE ELIJAH MINYAN our 27th year

uvhkt ihbn

our 27th year

HIGH HOLIDAY SERVICES

HIGH HOLIDAY conducted by SERVICES RABBI WAYNE DOSICK & conducted by CANTOR KATHY ROBBINS

RABBI WAYNE DOSICK & in the auditorium of CANTOR KATHY ROBBINS The Redeemer Presbyterian Church

(formerly The North Coast Presbyterian Church) El Camino just north of in Real, the auditorium ofManchester, The RedeemerEncinitas Presbyterian Church

(formerly The North Coast Presbyterian Church) El Camino Real, just north of Manchester, combining traditional davening, with powerful English prayer, Encinitas

joyous singing and chanting, authentic kabbalistic meditation, Rabbi Dosick’s inspiring teachings and sermons, and the magnificent voice and music of Cantor Robbins, combining traditional davening, with powerful English prayer, with Kol Eli’ahu, The Elijah Minyan Choir, joyous in singing and chanting, authentic kabbalistic meditation, a warm, heimesh atmosphere of festive celebration.

Rabbi Dosick’s inspiring teachings and sermons, and the magnificent and music Cantor Robbins, not thatvoice “same old” rote,of boring service; not that “same old” rote, boringThe service; with Elijahfor Minyan aKol newEli’ahu, inspirited Judaism a new Choir, age a new inspirited Judaism a new age of festive celebration. in a warm, heimeshfor atmosphere

Nominal ticket prices notinformation, that “same old” rote, boring Nominal prices service; For ticket callticket a new inspirited for acall new age For ticketJudaism information,

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2018

BY STEPHANIE LEWIS | HUMOR

mazel

& mishagoss The High Holidays: Coming to a Theater Near You!

ost of us put a lot of thought into the High Holidays as they approach. We must preorder our tickets, right? It’s a major event every year and you can’t just show up to synagogue unannounced on a drop-in basis. And most of us consider food (or lack thereof!) as part of our concerns. Plus numerous other little details that boggle the mind and rattle the soul. But what if there were apps to simplify all of these issues? Come along and peruse my ideas. SEATS R’ US

Purchase your seating location as quickly as possible because there’s something about life, death, and judgment that makes everyone find religion! Log in to this handy app (and by handy, we mean there will not only be a place for your hands, but you’ll also get a comfy reclining chair with an actual arm rest!) You can reserve your seat in the Rabbi, Cantor, or Choir section. Additionally, there will be a Whispering section where you can feel safe to murmur to your neighbor with raised eyebrows, “So and So isn’t dressed modestly,” without getting dirty looks from other congregants. There will be a child-friendly section with built-in pockets containing hot wheel cars with shofars on them and Apples & Honey Barbie. And last but not least, you can avoid sitting in the “I Didn’t Pay My Dues” part of the temple because this app will make sure you are current with what you owe before June.

KIDDY KONTROL

This app lets you take charge of even the most disobedient children during the high holidays. Forgot to sign up for youth services or childcare and didn’t know about the abovementioned Kid-Friendly seating section? Never fear! Your worries are over when you hand your son or daughter an app that has their very own “Afflict a Pet” on it. Your kids will stay busy for hours as they deprive their cyber critter of food, water, intimate contact, balls and Frisbees, leather collars/leashes, and washing or bathing at the groomers. It won’t even let them brush their teeth! Seeing how long their animal can survive such a brutal day will keep them engaged and prevent the numerous times they ask you, “How much longer?” or complain they can’t see anything — to which of course you should reply, “There’s nothing to see!” BREAK-THE-FAST FASHION

This app lets you know what’s in style for Starvation Season and includes adjustable belt options for before and after the huge meal. Bonus category boasts all sorts of canvas shoe options that don’t look geeky, plus how to wear all white from head to toe and still look like a designer Angel without breaking your clothing budget. BREAD & WATER

Now here’s a simple but highly useful app! This one will tell you which supermarket has the best day-old bread on sale in their bakery and where the ducks are hanging out at the

nearest lake or stream if you can’t get to the ocean to feed the seagulls on Tashlich. Note: If you’re a big enough sinner, you’ll need footlong subway sandwich style rolls to cast away. SCINTILLATIN SERMON SUBSTITUTE

This SSS app will give you a heads-up notification if your Rabbi’s talk is going to be especially monotonous, political, or selfserving and provide you with an alternate prerecorded humorous (though appropriately applicable to the holiday) story delivered by Jerry Seinfeld. Comes with camouflaged earbuds which look like Star of David earrings and a “Low-Talker” option for those afraid that their seat-mate may still hear what they’re listening to! THE BOOK OF LIFE

Now you can alleviate all your mortality fears by inscribing your own name and those of your numerous loved ones with a single all-inclusive price. Self-publishing is revolutionizing the G-d industry and His name will still be printed in large gold font as the official Author on the binding and the back-cover, so this is very legit and will totally count for the year of 5779! STEPHANIE LEWIS WRITES FOR THE HUFFINGTON POST COMEDY SECTION AND HER HUMOR BLOG AT ONCEUPONYOURPRIME.COM.

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Avalon Hospice Avalon Hospice &&Palliative Care Care Palliative Comfort & Care In The Last Phase & of Life Comfort Care In The

Each patient’s care Phase plan is individually Last of Life tailored to meet his or her needs and the needs of the family. Each patient’s care plan is individually tailored to meet his or her needs and the needs • Dedicated Medical Directors of the family. • Registered Nurses • Social Work Services • Dedicated Medical Directors • Home Health Aide Services • Registered Nurses • Transitional CareWork Services • Social Services • Home Health Aide Services • Transitional Care Services For more information please call:

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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • AUGUST 2018