SEPTEMBER 2017
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SAVING LIVES, CHANGING LIVES
KAABOO DEL MAR Music, Food, Comedy and Art at the Track
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contents
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September 2017 • www.lchaimmagazine.com
in this issue... A THOUSAND WORDS
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Kaaboo Del Mar brings music, food and comedy to the Track this month..............
COVER STORY
Saving lives, changing lives with the IDF and FIDF in Israel............................................
KAABOO DEL MAR
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HIGH HOLIDAYS Ethiopian Rosh Hashanah blends unique customs
16 20 24 28 30 32 36 38 40 05 06 45
with a yearning for Jerusalem............................................................................................................ High Holidays stand alone on the calendar for interfaith families, but still pose challenges..................................................................................................
The Teshuvah of Jewish Life............................................................................................................ FOOD
Beer battered apple rings................................................................................................................... FEATURES Marcia Nasatir's adventures in Hollywood...............................................................................
TESHUVAH OF JEWISH LIFE
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Top Chef forges a new path at SD Jewish Academy......................................................... LFJCC welcomes new CEO, Betzy Lynch.................................................................................. Local Big Band Sounds........................................................................................................................ OUR TRIBE CJC’s Five Minute Play Festival, The Conference ( 1st place) winner....................... COLUMNS JewishMom.com........................................................................................................................................ Torah: Of the Book...................................................................................................................................
BEER BATTERED APPLE RINGS
Humor: Mazel & Mishagoss.................................................................................................................
PUBLISHERS Diane Benaroya & Laurie Miller EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alanna Maya CREATIVE DIRECTOR Laurie Miller
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ADVERTISING & SALES Diane Benaroya (dianeb@lchaimmagazine.com), Sharon Buchsbaum (sharonbux@gmail.com) 4
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2017
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CONTRIBUTORS Daniel Bortz, Donald H. Harrison, Alex Idov, Stephanie Lewis, Salomon Maya, Mimi Pollack, Sharon Rapoport, Nikki Salvo, Emma Sasson, Eva Trieger, Deborah Vietor, Chana Jenny Weisberg
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BY CHANA JENNY WEISBERG l FAMILY
jewish
mom.com Rabbanit Tzippy's Parenting Secret
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s long as I don’t get up from lying position, I can get through Tisha b’Av without feeling overly awful. So I generally spend Tisha b’Av resting and sleeping but mostly reading. And the book that moved me the most deeply this Tisha b’Av, often to tears, was the memorial booklet compiled by the family of Rabbanit Tzippy Kaplan zt”l who passed away at the age of 56 last month. Rabbanit Tzippy, whom I wrote about shortly before her death, was a pillar of chesed in my community. In fact, she was such a central neighborhood figure that the local community center sent out a notice when she passed away, something I don’t remember ever happening over the 2 years I’ve lived here. One anecdote in the booklet that made a deep impression on me was told by Tzippy’s daughter-in-law Brachi. Tzippy had a special sensitivity to children– a true baby whisperer. Which meant that for years, she was a highly sought-after babysitter among neighborhood mothers, and a favorite destination for her many grandchildren. One time, daughter-in-law Brachi recalled in the booklet, she spoke angrily to her son who had been misbehaving. Tzippy told her, “Don’t worry, Brachi, children drink in values. There’s no need to say very much, just smiles and love.” And maybe this was Tzippy’s secret, how she managed to raise children who felt so remarkably accepted, so loved —
absolutely and unconditionally. While all of her children write about how much they loved their mother, it is striking that possibly the most dramatic expressions of love and admiration and longing for Tzippy following her death came from a son who is no longer observant. This son writes, “My mother was the best person I ever met. Truly! My mother was the best person I ever met–not because she died. But because she was truly the best person I ever met, ever. Apparently, she was too good. She wasn’t only good. She had the most love, acceptance, innocence, gentleness, softness. My mother was the most important person in my life.”
How did she do it? “There’s no need to say very much, just smiles and love.” 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. WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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TORAH l BY RABBI DANIEL BORTZ
of
the book A Letter to My 15-Year-Old Self
A
s the school year begins, here are five tips to help teenagers navigate school life.*
FUN VS. HAPPINESS It’s okay to call risk taking and parties “fun” or “exciting,” but don’t expect to achieve happiness through them. Happiness isn’t acquired through one event or person. It isn’t laughing & yelling at a party. It’s what’s left when the party’s over. Happiness is an inner contentment that comes as a byproduct of living a meaningful life, knowing that you’re going in the right direction on the long road to actualizing your potential. FRIENDS & FAMILY When choosing your friends, try and look for those who value you for who you are. My primary ambition in school was making friends with popular people and being liked by everyone. But it’s crazy how we agonize over the opinion of someone who doesn’t really care about you, while we ignore loved ones who (while we may find them annoying) deeply care about our happiness. Those who really worry about our wellbeing are precious, so be good to them and express your love openly. Who knows how long we will be blessed to do so?
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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2017
GIVE BACK School is competitive and consuming. It’s easy to only focus your time on homework, sports or dance, Netflix and Snapchat, but I encourage you to find time to give to those in need. It will put life into perspective. College acceptance is less stressful when you realize many people don’t have the opportunity to enjoy the most basic comforts of life, let alone college. Every day you have endless opportunities in front of you to give: Help someone at school who struggles in class or in making friends. Even a quick smile can be amazingly powerful for someone. We have no idea the power that adding positivity in another’s life can have. LIFE IS FRAGILE & PRECIOUS I’ve watched young friends and acquaintances die suddenly. Life is fragile. All I thought about in high school was the immediate, that my wellbeing was assured and I was untouchable. I would live forever regardless of the risk involved. These impulsive feelings have Scientific backing: The teen brain is different. It thinks primarily with the amygdala — the emotional side of the brain, while adults think with their prefrontal cortex — the part that responds to situations with a focus on the consequences of an action. So, remember that a momentary error in judgement can have a big impact, even if you
don’t see it right now. IT’S GOING TO BE FINE Feelings of sadness will come. But based on what we said about the teen brain seeing only the immediate reality, it’s easier to feel hopeless — that the pain you’re going through now is forever. I’m here to tell you that it will pass! There are so many great life experiences on the other side of this. While school is important, don’t let it or any other skill define your worth. You have intrinsic value so treat yourself with love. Then give that love to others. Why be someone else when you are a unique light that the world has never seen before? This is why you had to be born; humanity was incomplete without you. Trust the process. Every detail of your life is being carefully watched over by a loving Creator who has a special plan in store for you. Remember that there’s always light after the darkness. The darkness is only there to lead you to an even greater light to come. *Taken from longer article at: rabbibortz.com/blog 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 SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2017
L’CHAIM
A THOUSAND
WORDS
KAABOO DEL MAR: MUSIC, FOOD, COMEDY AND ART AT THE TRACK
T
he first music festival according to scholars was in the year 582 BCE. Held in honor of the Greek god Apollo, the Pythian Games sat neatly between the original Olympic Games and featured music, dance and art competitions. Since then, music festivals have gone through numerous metamorphoses from festivals during the Middle Ages to more contemporary festivals seen throughout the world. These more contemporary festivals offer visitors a wide array of entertainment, making todays music festivals “not your grandmothers Woodstock.” From Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas to Coachella in Indio, California, the Southwest part of the U.S. is no stranger to these jubilees. However, if you’ve ever been to either, you’ll notice that you have to have a Liam Neeson certain set of skills to survive them. EDC will ravage your eyeballs as well as your eardrums with house, techno, and electronica while Coachella offers a more range of musical acts however inundating your ever-dermal crevice with sand, dirt, and maybe something that isn’t listed on the periodic table. Now both of these “local” festivals cater to a specific demographic. If you like the type of music offered, I’ll more than likely guarantee your satisfaction with either Coachella or EDC. But when it comes to my particular demographic (mid-thirties married father) I believe I’m done with EDC glow sticks and
Coachella camping. If ever there was a perfect music festival to save me from my despair… cue super hero anthem and scrolling title sequence with baritone male voice over…well there is. Now the people at KAABOO probably wouldn’t want me calling it a festival since it actually says on its own website stating KAABOO is “a new kind of entertainment and arts experience designed around comfort, quality and good times.” Well if that doesn’t hit my demographic's perennial dad bods bulls eye nothing will. According to that same website, KAABOO was created by music lovers for music lovers. An adult escape, uniquely curated to appeal to all five of your senses, with world-class music, hilarious comedy, incredible cuisine, craft libations, inspiring contemporary art, and personal indulgences. Now in its third year inhabiting the Del Mar Fairgrounds, I recently spoke with the Vice President of Marketing for KAABOO, Emily Byer, and asked her about this music/comedy/art/food “non” festival. MAGAZINE: What brought KAABOO to San Diego? EMILY BYER: Our founder and CEO Bryan Gordon had been conjuring up this concept of a music festival that had elevated type of experiences and knew that the space to have it had to have that upscale feel to it L’CHAIM
and really wanted a destination location. And so the Del Mar Fairgrounds were presented to us they were excited about the opportunity and have been a great partner and we were able to really make that dream come to fruition with that location. How did your team come up with the KAABOO concept? EB: It’s really a four-pronged approach with art being that fourth pillar [music, comedy and food being the other three]. It came from Bryan Gordon’s vision of creating this festival experience for adults to enjoy and really wanted the music to be a front-runner but also to have these other experiences that adults really feel like they can enjoy, so when we set up to create KAABOO we had the comedy experience in an indoor seated venue so it really feels like an actual comedy club so that’s a big differentiator compared to some other festivals that have comedy in a tent where it’s not exactly the comedy environment that someone might be accustomed to when they walk into a real comedy club. From the art side, the experience is very different from what you see at a typical festival in that we have a massive amount of public art and live art being created onsite in addition to the indoor contemporary art fair that we call artwork and that experience alone is an experience that people who collect art or enjoy looking at art come for where they may not L’CHAIM:
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be as keyed in on the music side and it’s really the same for the culinary and craft beverage experience where we’re really curating that experience to appeal to somebody who is a foodie who might go to a traditional food and wine festival and then come to KAABOO, having learned about KAABOO through the food channels, and then discovering the music side once they’re onsite. Since comedy is so objective how did your team choose stand-up comedians for the KAABOO lineup? EB: It’s looking at what’s going to appeal to that multi-generational demographic so someone like an Arsenio Hall is going to really appeal a little bit older demographic where as Sebastian Maniscalco has a broad audience, younger demographic. So [Talent Team] just set those pieces into the puzzle of how do we create a lineup that will have a little something for everybody to enjoy and also some new up and comers for people to discover while they’re there. L’CHAIM:
With EDC and Coachella being large regional festivals, where does L’CHAIM:
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KAABOO fit? EB: We have a lot of people who have either said, I’ve outgrown other festivals or never were really into that festival theme but enjoy the idea of live music and are attracted to the KAABOO model because it does have those higher end amenities and have the other experiences that make it not just about the music so we really draw from everybody from the college crowd up to 55 to 60 year old age range then some outliers on either side. We have some people who bring their kids; one of our VIPs is excited to bring her 10-yearold daughter to experience the music with her so we really draw out a multi-generational experience and people feel comfortable bringing, whether it be college kids or a little bit younger aged, into the festival. L’CHAIM: So KAABOO really is for everyone,
regardless of age or past festival experience? EB: The entire event itself is really geared towards the adult audience but it’s not straying away from kids. So what we always tell people if they want to bring their kids, they’re welcome to but it’s not like there are designated areas for kids. One of the great
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2017
things about the Del Mar Fairgrounds is that we aren’t isolated to beer gardens so you can purchase alcohol anywhere in the venue and take it with you so you’re not isolated into one area. 18 and up can be [at Kaaboo] unaccompanied [by adult], anyone under 18 we ask they be accompanied by an adult. Give our readers one hidden gem in your eyes, whether it be music, comedy, art or food, we’ll see at this years KAABOO. EB: From the music side I would say Emily Warren is one of the acts I’m most excited to see. Emily was on our lineup last year as one of our emerging artists, she also writes for The Chainsmokers, so she got up onstage with them last year and then her career has just exploded, so I’m super excited for her and seeing where she has gone since last year… as far as general experiences, I would say Bask is one of the experiences onsite that is really neat and fun. It’s our pool party at the Grandview Stage and you can get weekend passes or even rent a cabana and see the Grandview Stage from there. So you’re getting this Vegas-style pool party while you’re watching the action. L’CHAIM:
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PHOTOS COURTESY IDF
COVER STORY
THE FIDF & IDF
Ignoring borders and conflicts, the IDF supports more than just Israelis, and the FIDF is behind them at nearly every step BY DEBORAH VIETOR
I
t is Jewish tradition to look after Israel, and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) does that and so much more. In support of the wellbeing of the IDF’s brave soldiers, Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) takes care of these young men and women through social and educational programs during their quest to save lives. The mission of the IDF is: “To defend the existence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the state of Israel. To protect the inhabitants of Israel and to combat all forms of terrorism which threaten the daily life.” THE IDF: SAVING LIVES The IDF’s “Operation Good Neighbor” — its effort to provide aid
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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2017
to Syria, Israel’s war-torn neighbor, and also an enemy country — involves treating Syrians, especially sick children or those injured in the six-year-long civil war, at clinics in Israel; while providing hundreds of tons of food, medicine and fuel sent to ravaged border towns. There are many stories of victims in Syria and the Israeli soldiers who treat them. According to Lt. Col. Tomer Koller, the medical officer of the Bashan Division in the Golan Heights, “The treatment of wounded Syrians is continuous, and is carried out on a near-daily basis. It’s our duty as members of the Medical Corps to treat the injured — both the ally and the enemy. To us, they’re injured people who need help.”
“It started with one injured Syrian who came to the border four years ago, asking for medical help,” Koller says. “Back then, there was no policy, just a commander’s on-the-spot decision not to oppose providing care to an injured person. From then on, about 2,800 injured Syrians have entered Israel to receive medical care, and the number continues to rise.” In 2016 alone, 600 Syrians were treated in Israeli hospitals. Currently, the IDF operates a field hospital on the Syrian border to receive wounded. “The numbers tell you how many injured people there were, but at the end of the day, every injured person has their own story,” Koller adds. “The story of the treatment of all those who need it is a story of compassion and the IDF’s ethical code,” Koller says. “Even though we take care not to get involved in the internal fighting in Syria, the treatment of any injured person who needs help — regardless of nationality or which side of the border they come from — stands above all, and this is who we are as a society.” The Islamic State group (ISIS), Syria’s al-Qaida affiliated Nusra Front, Syrian rebels, and the Syrian government itself, are all players in the back-and-forth fighting taking place on Israel’s northern border — with the Syrian population caught in the crossfire. “The army is continually prepared in this sector … we are learning and preparing for the situation on the ground, preparing to fight,” says Sgt. Chatooka, a soldier in the Golani Reconnaissance Company, which guards the border and has witnessed a range of events — from the takeover of the Quneitra Crossing to the bombing of rebel forces by the Syrian regime. There are so many heartwarming stories of how the IDF has helped children. Medic Sgt. Aviya recalls one case when she and her team
were called to treat a 10-year-old Syrian boy who had been badly injured by an explosion. He was in shock when they found him. Aviva and her team administered first aid and prepared the wounded and confused boy for a quick evacuation to a hospital in Israel. “When we finished treating him, the kid looked up at us and gave us this little bashful smile. I understood that we may have just saved the life of this child, but no less important, we had created this bridge between two worlds. That’s the beauty of being part of this team,” Aviva says. A worldwide leader in the field of medicine and disaster relief, the Israeli army’s field hospital, which is regularly sent abroad to provide aid at natural disaster sites, was recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “the number one in the world.” The field hospital was classified as WHO’s first and only Type 3 field hospital, the highest rating the U.N. medical arm can bestow. The IDF field hospital is run by Medical Corps doctors and activeduty and reserves soldiers, and has provided immediate, high quality medical care to patients. In addition to caring for Syrians, the IDF has provided medical care in Turkey, Nepal, Haiti, the Philippines and numerous other countries, following both natural and man-made disasters. When asked what the most difficult part of his job is, Cpl. Yoad, an IDF paramedic treating wounded Syrians, responds: “The hardest thing for me is seeing wounded children. There was a whole family that was hurt, [including] a mother, a son and a little girl. The mother suffered a terrible stomach injury and so did her daughter … The son needed a respirator and was unconscious with a head injury. From the translator, we learned that a missile hit their home. We laid the little girl down next to her mother and brother, treated them, and the mother and daughter were sent to one hospital, and the son to another.” “It was so hard for them to be separated, and for the little girl to see her mother in that condition. It’s not always easy to see these things, and it’s not easy to keep a clear head all the time. When the work gets to me, I talk to the other paramedics, and we lift each other up. It really helps.” One doctor, Lt. Col. Dr. Ofer Merin, who was deployed to Haiti in 2010, recalls a day filled with milestones. Upon admitting the first WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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PHOTOS COURTESY IDF
COVER STORY
patient to the pediatrics section of the field hospital, a baby was born. Admirably, the baby was named Israel. He had the privilege of being in the delivery room minutes after Israel was delivered. “What was felt in that room was the essence of hope - the feeling that after such a horrific experience, life, and especially new life, continues,” he says. The IDF doesn’t just save lives near home. Following destruction from Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, the IDF repaired damaged infrastructure at schools and water facilities. Within two weeks, 2,686 patients — 848 of whom were children — had been treated in the field hospital in Bogo City by IDF doctors. According to Col. Dr. David Dagan, commander of the IDF field hospital: “The experts we brought are on the forefront of their fields in Israel. The doctors, nurses, and medical staff (who came) here left their homes, families and jobs immediately upon hearing there was a need … motivated by compassion and guided by the human values of dignity and friendship.” Further, the IDF is responsible for numerous innovative and life-saving technologies. Recently, a group of officers in training invented smart ID bracelets that identify a soldier’s blood type, body temperature, medications, heart rate, and blood pressure to enable faster medical care. Once soldiers are brought to hospital facilities, they receive more advanced care based on these pre-identified factors. Some 70 percent of IDF soldiers agree to donate bone marrow samples, which contribute exponentially to saving lives from leukemia, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and a variety of diseases. This has resulted in Israel having the highest per-capita bone marrow registry in the world. 14
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2017
As the IDF saves lives with its humanitarian missions, Friends of the IDF changes the lives of those IDF soldiers through its mission: “To offer cultural, recreational and social services programs and facilities that provide hope, purpose, and life changing support for the soldiers who protect Israel and Jews worldwide.” Among its projects, FIDF constructs, refurbishes and maintains buildings for the well-being of IDF soldiers, including sports centers, culture halls, synagogues, memorial rooms, swimming pools, and soldiers’ homes throughout Israel. FIDF’s newest series of projects includes the well-being and education centers at the IDF Training Campus in the Negev, where FIDF funded the construction of 12 facilities at a total cost of $43 million. In 2016, FIDF helped 710 wounded IDF veterans rebuild their lives with financial aid, mentoring, recreational activities, employment assistance, and advanced athletic prostheses through the Strides Program. FIDF supported over 2,800 Lone Soldiers — those who immigrate to Israel from all over the world without immediate family in order to enlist in the IDF — and flew them home to visit their loved ones, and FIDF supporters formed unbreakable bonds with the soldiers of eight brigades and 68 battalions, squadrons and flotillas. FIDF also provided assistance to 1,351 IDF widows, orphans, and siblings of fallen soldiers through life-cycle celebrations, including trips to the U.S. for bar and bat mitzvah children, R&R weeks in Israel, and special family days. Over 8,000 soldiers in-need were given financial aid by FIDF, including critical aid for basic appliances and furniture, food vouchers, special grants, and holiday gift vouchers. But standout among FIDF’s many programs is the IMPACT!
COVER STORY
THE FIDF IMPACT! SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM: CHANGING LIVES For the 2016-17 academic year, FIDF granted 4,025 IMPACT! scholarships to IDF combat veterans who could not afford the cost of higher education, sponsoring students at over 90 institutions throughout Israel. Through this program, FIDF helps to guarantee that Israel’s soldiers continue to grow as educated citizens and leaders. Each IMPACT! student volunteers in the community for a total of 130 hours each year of their studies, ensuring these veterans pay it forward by helping at 20 different nonprofit organizations. Since the inception of the FIDF IMPACT! Scholarship Program in 2002, IMPACT! students have volunteered over 4.5 million hours of community service, making it the top scholarship program providing community service in Israel. More than 7,000 IMPACT! graduates have entered the Israeli workforce to date. Nancie Vann is vice president and director of corporate accounts at Brown and Bigelow Promotional Advertising in San Diego. Mrs. Vann and her husband Rick have supported the IMPACT! Program over the years, sponsoring college educations for combat soldiers who have completed their military service. When a friend invited Vann to the FIDF’s San Diego gala, and she heard firsthand from IMPACT! students and supporters, she says, “I was blown away by what can be done.” Vann was impressed with how FIDF, through the IMPACT! Program, has sponsored soldiers from challenged socioeconomic backgrounds — many of whom are minorities or disadvantaged in some way — and offered them opportunities for growth through education. One of the young women Vann and her family sponsored, Bat-El Maimon, has truly become an extension of their family. She expressed her gratitude to Mrs. Vann: “Thank you for giving me my future!” “I want to start from the end — today, here and now,” says Maimon. “I want to thank all the people in my life who helped me to think and say these words; my American family — Nancie and Rick Vann, the FIDF IMPACT! Program, and the many things I’ve been through in my life. The support from my American family made me believe in the best in this world, you give something to the world and the world gives you back — like magic. “I decided to study economics and political science at Ariel University. My experience with the FIDF IMPACT! Program, and my volunteering at the nonprofit organization Latet, where I helped the community and society, taught me so much about myself and about the social conditions in Israel. I think that without FIDF, I would have been a different type of person than I am today.” Maimon presented Vann with a hand painted canvas and a photo of herself with soldiers in her unit at their first meeting in Israel, after Vann and her husband had sponsored Maimon’s education for two years. The Vanns, in turn, presented Maimon with a family photo. Another of the Vann’s students, Hannah Davidov, is originally from Russia and the daughter of a maid. After completing her service in the IDF, Davidov was able to attend Braude College in Carmiel, Israel, thanks to the Vanns, who have sponsored her for two years
PHOTOS COURTESY FIDF IMPACT! SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Scholarship Program, which grants full, four-year academic scholarships to IDF combat veterans of modest means.
now. “I am the second person to receive a scholarship from the Vann family. I am 26 years old and in my second year of studying for an electrical engineering degree,” says Davidov. “I was a combat-support soldier, installing optical instruments, like binoculars, for soldiers near Gaza, and I was there during Operation Protective Edge. “Rick and Nancie Vann contacted me this year and I met them in May 2017 in Israel while they were on an FIDF delegation to Israel. I was so happy to meet them – and we are still in contact today. They are wonderful and caring people who love Israel and support veterans. I adore them! They deserve only good things in life! “My mother raised me alone with no financial means. And so, the Vann family is like my second family. Without them I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to pursue a higher education. I am very thankful to have them in my life and I will make them very proud of me!” Mrs. Vann believes that meeting her students further enhances the experience of sponsoring them, and she credits FIDF for supporting families and students alike in furthering these relationships: “We can see we are changing someone’s life. These two people have become a part of our life as Jewish people. The joy has transcended anything we have given them.” Through the IMPACT! Program, Mrs. Vann says: “We can do something for soldiers who have done so much for the country. We can give them a future and an opportunity.” There are so many ways that we Americans can support the wellbeing of soldiers and veterans like these through FIDF. The important questions to ask oneself during every time of need for Israel are: “If not now, when?” and “If not us, who?” This November 18, FIDF will proudly honor the heroic efforts of the IDF’s Home Front Command, which responds to emergency situations and saves lives in Israel and around the world at its annual San Diego Gala. The gala event, co-chaired by Tamara and David Klein and Heidi and Russel Silberstein, will be held at the Manchester Grand Hyatt at 6:45 p.m. Don’t miss this opportunity to honor the IDF’s worldwide humanitarian efforts and support the well-being of Israeli soldiers! For tickets or more information, please visit www.fidfsd.org, email sandiego@fidf.org, or call (858) 926-3210. WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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HIGH HOLIDAYS
BY ADAM ABRAMS | JNS.ORG
ETHIOPIAN ROSH HASHANAH
BLENDS UNIQUE CUSTOMS WITH A YEARNING FOR JERUSALEM New immigrants from Ethiopia arrive at the Ibim Absorption Center in Jerusalem in October 2012, as part of aliyah and absorption efforts facilitated and funded by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Credit: Moshe Shai.
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espite relative isolation from their Jewish brethren around the world for millennia, Ethiopian Jews have coveted the same dream of celebrating Rosh Hashanah “next year in Jerusalem.” Though unique, the Jewish New Year festivities in Ethiopia bear many similarities to the holiday’s observance in the broader diaspora. Limor Malessa and five of her siblings were born and raised in a small Ethiopian village near the Jewish community of Gondar. She left the village at age 13 and traveled to Ethiopia’s capital of Addis Ababa, along with her parents and five siblings, in anticipation of emigrating to Israel — the “promised land” that Ethiopian Jews longed to return to for thousands of years, unaware that the holy temple in Jerusalem had long since been destroyed. (Gaps in access to modern technology and their distance from other Jewish communities meant many
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Ethiopian Jews, up until about 20 years ago, lacked some basic knowledge about major episodes in Jewish history.) In 1991, at age 15, the aliyah for Malessa and her family officially began when Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency privately smuggled the family out of Ethiopia’s capital city to the Jewish homeland by way of Italy. The family arrived in Israel just a month before the Mossad conducted a massive clandestine airlift operation, dubbed “Operation Solomon,” which saw some 14,000 Ethiopian Jews secretly airlifted out of Ethiopia aboard 35 non-stop flights to Israel in 36 hours. Malessa has now lived in Israel for more than 30 years, building a family of eight children in the city of Ashdod and becoming thoroughly integrated into Israeli society. Due to the small size of Malessa’s village in comparison to other Jewish Ethiopian townships, not many “kessim” — elder religious leaders with knowledge of oral Jewish law and the equivalent of rabbis — resided in her home village. This “would make my childhood
MENSCHES OF SAN DIEGO memories of Rosh Hashanah less vivid than of those who grew up with many kessim in their villages,” Malessa says in Ethiopian-accented Hebrew. The Ethiopian villagers were entirely dependent on the verbally disseminated wisdom of the elders, who were the only people in the village capable of reading Jewish texts written in the ancient Ge’ez dialect. “The kessim would instruct everyone in the villages on how to prepare for the holiday. Villages that had more of the religious leaders would have a much deeper understanding of the holiday and its laws,” Malessa says. In Amharic, which is rooted in the Ge’ez dialect and is the official language of Ethiopia, Rosh Hashanah is called “Brenha Serkan,” which essentially means “the rising of the dawn,” says Malessa. In keeping with the meaning of holiday’s name, the kessim “would rise before dawn on the holy day, to begin the first prayer service of the day before sunrise,” she says. In Ethiopia, Rosh Hashanah was — and still is — observed during the course of one day, in contrast to the two days observed in the rest of the Jewish diaspora and in Israel. The Ethiopian Rosh Hashanah is comprised of three prayer services: before dawn, in the afternoon and in the evening. There are four prayer services in the broader Jewish world for Rosh Hashanah, and none begin before sunrise. “The holiday also has another name, ‘Zikir,’ which is similar to the Hebrew word for remember, ‘zachor,’” Malessa says. Similar to the custom in other diaspora Jewish communities, “everyone in the village wears new clean white clothes” for Zikir, she says, while it is “also customary for affluent people in the village to have very large feasts and invite others in the village to join in the festivities.” The festivities are meant to remind people of the day’s holiness, and to “make sure that during the holiday not a single Jew is left without food and enjoyment,” according to Malessa. “People serve lamb — the most expensive meat available — and have special meals to observe the mitzvah of feeding their Jewish brothers and sisters,” she says. Malessa’s mother, Esther Lakau, who lives in the Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon, says she “remembers hearing the kessim sound the shofar on the holiday.” “Everyone in the village prepared the food for the holiday a day in advance,” Lakau says. “The kessim would read from the holy scripts in Ge’ez and tell the history of the Jewish people,” she says. “They would speak of Abraham, Yitzhak and Yaakov, our great patriarchs and matriarchs, and the lessons we could learn from them in the present. Most importantly, the kessim would emphasize our long-held aspiration to celebrate Rosh Hashanah ‘next year in Jerusalem.’”
GIL RIEGLER I'm a Canadian-born, Israeli/US citizen who spearheaded the camel milk movement in the United States by founding the first ever, U.S. camel dairy right here in San Diego County (Ramona). I grew up on a farm in Rehovot, Israel, then fell in love with the gentle nature of camels while serving in the Israeli Army at a base charged with intercepting camel caravans used for smuggling and soon found myself caring for these stranded camels until they could be relocated. Eventually I relocating to San Diego County, met my wife, Nancy, and began to build my dream of owning a camel farm. Carrying on the family tradition of chemist & engineering, I formulated a camel milk skincare line called "Rare Milk". I share my love for camels with everyone. I've been on Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe, Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern and in many magazines. You can also see me at the San Diego County Fair as Cowboy Gil", in the very popular "Wild West Turkey Stampede". To learn more visit lchaimmagazine.com/chaifiveprojects and search social media for the hashtag #MENSCHESOFSANDIEGO WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE
“Pray for the love of Jerusalem. Those who love her will find serenity.” May we be counted among those who pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and may serenity embrace Israel and all her people.
L’Shana Tova! Warmest Wishes for a Happy, Healthy & Peaceful New Year. Sandy Roseman, Richard Prager and Families, and the Law Offices of Charles S. Roseman and Associates Providing quality legal representation throughout California for over 46 years
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HIGH HOLIDAYS
BY SEAN SAVAGE | JNS.ORG
HIGH HOLY DAYS STAND ALONE
The cover page of the Interfaith Family organization’s “Guide to the High Holy Days”.
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or many Jews, the High Holiday period is a time of deep observance and self-reflection, but for an increasingly large share of American Jewry, the holidays also bring a new set of challenges that go to the very core of one’s faith. According to the Pew Research Center’s October 2013 “A Portrait of Jewish
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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2017
Americans” survey, 58 percent of Jews marry outside the faith, up from 46 percent in 1990 and 17 percent before 1970. The High Holidays — Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur — fall within a 10-day period known as the “Days of Repentance.” Unlike other Jewish holidays such as Hanukkah and Passover, which sometimes overlap with
major Christian or secular holiday periods, the High Holidays fall in September or October. Given the seriousness of the holidays, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur provide a unique challenge for many interfaith families. Rabbi Jillian Cameron, a Boston-based regional director for Interfaith Family, a
PHOTO COURTESY INTERFAITH FAMILY
FOR INTERFAITH FAMILIES, THE HOLIDAY STILL POSES CHALLENGES
national organization supporting interfaith couples and families exploring Jewish life, says that the High Holidays “are an intense period of time in the Jewish world, full of introspection, difficult and complex theology, and thousands of years of tradition. For many families, interfaith or not, the High Holidays can seem overwhelming and therefore, a family meal, attending a beautiful tashlich (a Jewish atonement ritual) service by a beautiful body of water or a children’s service may be their only formal High Holiday experience.” OBSERVING THE HIGH HOLIDAYS Sam Goodman of Tinton Falls, N.J., says his wife Anne, who is Catholic, gives him wide latitude in observing the High Holidays, and that they often go to synagogue together. “I don’t think my holiday observance would be significantly different if Anne were Jewish, with the exception of having to ‘share’ the holidays with her parents,” he says. Goodman, who is raising his 18-monthold son Jewish, says the family’s High Holiday practice “has been a bit in flux over the past few years, in part due to where we are as a family,” noting that the family will likely spend more time in New Jersey this year with their Jewish community. Cameron says being members of a wider Jewish community, especially for interfaith families, can be very helpful for observing the rigors of the High Holidays. “For those who feel comfortable, safe and part of a loving community, this experience can be incredibly powerful, for interfaith families just as much as families with two Jews,” she says. “However, for those who haven’t found their place yet, who struggle with religion, with theology, with God, or who just don’t have enough information, it can easily be overwhelming, exhausting and
frustrating.” Jessica Boatright, a mother of two from Boston whose husband was raised Episcopal, says observing the High Holidays is actually less of a challenge than other Jewish holidays that may overlap with Christian ones. “The High Holidays feel more singly focused religiously, because there isn’t a Christian holiday at the same time like there is at Hanukkah or Passover,” Boatright says. Nevertheless, Boatright noted that as an interfaith family living in a non-Jewish community, the High Holidays do bring some complexity to managing observance. “In my Jewish household growing up, there was never a question about missing school or work for the High Holidays — no matter what was going on, that’s what you did,” she says. “You checked the Temple calendar over the summer and cleared your calendar for whatever days were the High Holidays. Often, public school was closed in my city. My husband didn’t grow up that way, and our current school system doesn’t close school, so we’ve had to develop a practice for our family to clear the schedule.” Cameron pointed out that the High Holidays take place in a more formal Jewish setting than Hanukkah or Passover, which may prove more difficult for some interfaith families. “If you belong to a synagogue you’re set, but what if you don’t, what if you haven’t found the right place for your family, or you’re not sure a synagogue is the right Jewish community for you and your family?” she says. “Access to the holiday can be physically difficult, and often the intellectual, spiritual and emotional access is even more difficult.” EXTENDED FAMILY While introducing one’s partner to the complexities of observing the High Holidays,
it may be even more challenging to introduce these holidays to extended non-Jewish family members, who may be less invested in learning about the holidays. For Sam Goodman, when it comes understanding Yom Kippur, which requires Jews to fast, it is helpful that his in-laws are observant Catholics. “Though the Catholic concept of fasting doesn’t quite align with the restrictions of a Jewish fast, there are analogous practices of self-denial within the Catholic faith that more easily enabled me to explain certain Yom Kippur rituals,” he says. “I was also able to point to the sections of Leviticus which describe the historical roots of the holidays.” Goodman also explained he has used online resources, such as Interfaith Family’s website, to educate his wife’s family about the High Holidays. Similarly, Jessica Boatright says her extended non-Jewish family has been very supportive regarding the holidays. “They always extend well wishes which are heartfelt and very nice,” she says. “It feels like they support this special time of year for us.” Goodman believes communication is one of the most important factors to helping extended family members understand different religious traditions. “If I had one bit of advice for other interfaith couples and families, it would be to explain the ‘whats’ and ‘whys’ of unfamiliar religious practices to each other and to your in-laws as they pop up,” he says. “In my experience, it’s helped turn situations that would be confusing — for example, why I didn’t drink beer, my preferred beverage, during last year’s Easter gathering, because it fell during Passover — into educational opportunities.”
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HIGH HOLIDAYS
BY RHONDA MASON
T'SHUVAH:
RETURN TO THE LIFE YOU WANT
D
uring the month of Elul, which precedes Rosh Hashanah, traditional Jewish thought gives us an opportunity to enter into a time of self-examination or T’shuvah. We review how we have done in meeting our goals for ourselves and our relationships over the last year. It’s an opportunity to reassess and repair any mistakes from the previous year before moving into the Days of Awe in Tishri, the month in which we celebrate Rosh Hashanah
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and Yom Kippur. T’shuvah is often defined as repentance. However, its actual meaning is to return. To return to our true selves — how we show up with our friends and family, and act in accordance with our core values. Our tradition provides a blueprint for moving our “broken” selves toward a place of wholeness and unity. When we repair our relationships, let go of shame around past actions, we are then more able to move into a place of
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2017
connection and at-one-ment. During these ‘Days of Awe’ between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we have the opportunity to deepen our connection with ourselves and our community. The Hebrew word Nora can mean fear but it can also mean awe (as in the feeling you have with a beautiful sunset). Research shows that having awe in our lives allows us to connect to something greater than ourselves and feel a greater sense of peace.
READY FOR THE DAYS OF AWE? Rosh Hashanah, the head of the year, is an opportunity for experiencing individual and communal awe and connection. The process of t’shuvah prepares us to awaken at the deepest levels when we hear the call of the shofar! HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO JEWISH LIFE COACHING? Life coaching and Jewish values and practice are a natural combination. Both Jewish tradition and life coaching use the process of self-inquiry to help us find answers from within. Jewish practice is designed to be a practical and embodied spirituality. It’s a road map for living a meaningful life empowered by spirit. Our Jewish tradition teaches us to improve ourselves and the world and not to accept an unsatisfactory status quo. Jewish spiritual coaching gives you the tools and guidance to clarify goals and manifest them. You may have friends who have experienced successful change under the guidance of a life coach. People hire a life coach to help them accelerate their ability to move through life’s challenges, such as losing weight, changing careers, planning their retirement, move more easily through a divorce or breakup, or simply in finding greater fulfillment and satisfaction in their work. A new addition to the booming field of life coaching is Jewish life coaching (JLC). It takes life coaching to the next level by helping you to identify your needs by connecting to your Jewish values and spirituality. By accessing your inner wisdom, you are empowered to more easily meet your life challenges. The JLC coaching method integrates Jewish values with proven spiritual life coaching techniques developed by the Life Purpose Institute that help clarify issues, access intuition, and overcome blocks which keep you from achieving your goals. By incorporating Jewish values with the power of life coaching, you can accelerate the positive changes you are looking for in
your everyday life. Many of us struggle with the gap between our everyday life and the vision we have of how we would like our life to be. A powerful way people support themselves to live their heart’s desire is by working with a spiritual life coach. “I was just going through the motions of my very busy life,” a recent client says. “I felt empty and unmotivated. I wanted to feel more joy and less oy as well as getting through the day without feeling exhausted. My coach used a series of powerful questionnaires that helped me to focus on what areas of my life needed improvement. We also identified the ways I felt connected and supported by spirit. After we identified what would bring more joy into my life, I set goals of: making time for Shabbat, meditation, exercise and more relaxing activities for myself and my spouse. I agreed to create a schedule for myself that was realistic and attainable” After just four sessions, the client reported she experienced better sleep, less stress at work and had had progress completing her dissertation, she was working through blocks about taking time for herself, she was more productive and energetic at work, less stress in her relationships, had more time for friends, and was taking time to enjoy Shabbat, Jewish chanting and meditation. The goal of Jewish Life Coaching is to help people connect deeply to their spiritual self and fully actualize their personal and professional goals. JLC principles can be applied to individuals, groups or organizations. The Jewish life coach can lead you or your organization through problem solving, visioning the future and setting attainable goals with this powerful process of integrating your Jewish values to create a more satisfying and fulfilling future. The power of working with a Jewish spiritual coach is having someone walk with you on your path in a way that allows you to create a more satisfying and fulfilling future integrating your Jewish values. L’Shana Tovah! May this year be filled with joy!
Rate yourself from 1-10, where 1 means “I don’t agree” and 10 means “I strongly agree with this statement” for the following: ___ I feel Connected to God on a daily basis. ___ I have a Jewish practice that nurtures my soul. ___ I have a non- Jewish spiritual practice that nurtures my soul. ___ In times of change, crisis or loss I tap into my Jewish spirituality. ___ My relationships are peaceful and harmonious. ___ I am tapping into my true goals and achieving them. ___ I am a caring and compassionate person. ___ I can trust my intuition in everyday life. ___ I am able to forgive myself and others. ___ I am part of a satisfying Jewish spiritual community. ___ My work is satisfying and fulfilling. ___ I am able to stay in a peaceful place when life gets tough. ___ I experience gratitude on a regular basis.
WHAT YOUR SCORE MEANS 1-50: Your Jewish spiritual needs aren’t being met. 51-100: You are doing a good job of meeting your Jewish spiritual needs but could improve. 101 and above: You are connected and having a fulfilled Jewish spiritual connection.
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FOOD
KOSHEROLOGY BEER BATTERED APPLE RINGS STORY & PHOTOS BY ALEX THE KOSHEROLOGIST KOSHEROLOGY.COM
Beer battered apple rings make a cool addition to the Rosh Hashanah holiday meal.
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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2017
FOOD
More apple mania for Rosh Hashanah. These awesome beer battered apple rings (or apple fritters) make a cool addition to the holiday meal.
Parve/Dairy Free Serves 5-8 INGREDIENTS 1 egg white 1 cup lager beer 1 cup all-purpose flour (up to 1 1/3 cup, if necessary) 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg Vegetable oil 4-5 small apples (I recommend Fuji or Red Delicious) 1/3 cup powdered sugar 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1. Using an apple corer or a knife, carefully remove the core of each apple. Peel the skin from the apples and slice the apples
into thin rings, about 1/8 inch thick. Pat the apple slices dry with a paper towel. Set aside. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg white until foamy. Whisk in the beer, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside. (Note: the batter needs to be thick enough to coat the apples well. If the batter seems too thin, add up to 1/3 cup flour to thicken the batter.) 3. Pour approximately 2 inches of vegetable oil into a Dutch oven or deep cast iron skillet or pot and heat to 375°F. You can test to ensure the oil is at frying temperature by placing a small piece of unbattered apple into the oil to see if it sizzles. 4. Coat the apple slices in the batter and fry 3-4 apple rings at a time, cooking 1 1/2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until lightly golden-brown in color. Remove from the oil and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
and sift over apple rings before serving. Serve warm. 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
5. Combine powdered sugar and cinnamon WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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FEATURE STORY
MARCIA NASATIR'S
ADVENTURES IN HOLLYWOOD
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ou may not know her name but you definitely know her films! In 1974 Marcia Nasatir made history by becoming the first female Vice President of Production at United Artists. Marcia championed films that have become American classics — One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Rocky, Carrie, Coming Home, Apocalypse Now and The Big Chill. A Classy Broad – Marcia’s Adventures in Hollywood tells the story of how this Jewish girl from San Antonio, Texas shattered Hollywood’s glass ceiling by trailblazing, fighting and outwitting her detractors all the way to the top. L’CHAIM spoke with Ms. Nasatir by phone the day after the solar eclipse in August and she was still awestruck by the wonder of seeing it from her Brentwood terrace. “We live in a world and don’t think about the sun and the moon traveling around,” she said of the event. 30
L’CHAIM Magazine: What was your favorite thing to do, growing up? Marcia Nasatir: I read books all the time. The only thing I know is how to read. Books are the key to my life.
L’CHAIM: Can you sum up your philosophy about work? MN: What can you offer? What do you know how to do that someone wants to pay you to do?
L’CHAIM: How did you take your love of reading books and turn that into making movies? MN: I went to New York and worked in an ad agency. I wasn’t going to be a copywriter (which is what most women did in those days). I had a friend at Dell [Publishing] and got hired there. I worked for a literary agent and represented very good writers and directors. I became involved with the studios. We did tie-in ads with the movie. My expertise was “read the book, see the movie.”
L’CHAIM: How did your Jewishness play into your career? MN: Actually, my director, who is French, and not Jewish, decided the fact that my Jewishness made the story. I was a brought up in Texas. My parents were from Russia [and were] secular Jews. We were four children. We were taught survival and that as women we could do whatever we wanted. It comes from the house, the family you are in.
L’CHAIM: What was your goal at United Artists? MN: To find the next great book to become a movie!
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2017
THE 28TH ANNUAL SAN DIEGO JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL KICKOFF EVENT (UNDERWRITERS ONLY) WILL TAKE PLACE ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 AT 5 P.M. WITH MARCIA NASATIR AS HONORED GUEST. VISIT WWW.SDCJC.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION.
Happy High Holy Days From the Staff of L’CHAIM MAGAZINE
lchaimmagazine.com
CHAI JEWISH LIFE COACHING Apply Jewish spirituality to your life goals Join us for the next I.C.F. Certified Spiritual Jewish Life Coaching 17 week web-based Class Begins: October 24, 2017 For life or spiritual coaching or how to become a Jewish Life Coach contact: Rhonda Mason LCSW, ACC 619-251-4618 www.chaijewishspirituallifecoaching.com
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FEATURE STORY
TOP CHEF FORGING A NEW PATH
by Mimi Pollack
E
xecutive chef and former Top Chef contestant Giselle Wellman is set to move in a new direction in the cooking world, and some lucky students will benefit. In July 2017, she became the new executive chef at the San Diego Jewish Academy. She has always loved working with children and wanted to do something to give back. Her work at the academy will include not only cooking for the students, but also teaching them about where their food comes from; a new milestone in a successful career. Wellman has done a lot in the world of cooking in her 33 years. She was born in San Diego and grew up in a Mexican Jewish family where food took center stage. Wellman fondly recalls cooking Shabbat dinners for her family from a young age. “[My aunt] was the first person I knew who chose cooking as a career,” she says of her familial influences. Although she grew up in an academic environment, she followed a different path. After graduating from high school, she completed a year of community college and realized her passion was cooking. She then enrolled in the Le Cordon Bleu Academie
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D'Art Culinaire in Mexico City, where she studied for one year. Upon returning to San Diego, she entered the professional cooking world. She started with an entry level position at Anthony's Star of the Sea restaurant at the age of 19 where she was mentored by Jesse Paul [Paul is now owner of the Wooden Spoon in Escondido]. She worked her way up in restaurants in New York City, Los Angeles, and San Diego, including Jack's in La Jolla [now closed] until she became an executive chef. In 2015, she participated in Bravo's Top Chef, and though she did not win, she did well in the competition. While at her last job as executive chef at Pacific Standard Coastal Kitchen in Little Italy, she realized that she wanted to move in a new direction in her life, so she parted ways and took a short break to reflect on life. “My goal to be an executive chef had been achieved, but I did not feel completely fulfilled,” she says of her time at Pacific Standard. She decided to work with kids, cook for them, and teach them about sustainability. In her new position at San Diego Jewish
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2017
Academy, she will get to do just that. Located on a large piece of land in Carmel Valley, the school has an extensive garden with vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees where students can participate and learn by planting and harvesting crops for their hot lunch program. By seeing where their food comes from, Wellman hopes they will be inspired to eat more fruits and vegetables, in addition to becoming more environmentally conscious. There are compost gardens and bins, including one with worms. For her, it is about showing the children a cleaner more sustainable lifestyle. Wellman is excited to use her creativity and come up with recipes that “sneak” more nutrition into the food, like making macaroni and cheese with white bean sauce or chicken nuggets with quinoa. Her goal is to make meals the children will enjoy, but also provide protein, fiber, and nutrients. For her, it would be a mitzvah if the program she envisions becomes an example to other schools.
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uvhkt ihbn our 26th year
HIGH HOLIDAY SERVICES HIGH HOLIDAY SERVICES conducted by RABBI WAYNE conducted byDOSICK, RABBI DAVID BARON & RABBI WAYNE CANTOR KATHYDOSICK, ROBBINS RABBI DAVID BARON & in the auditoriumROBBINS of CANTOR KATHY
The Redeemer Presbyterian Church (formerly The North Coast Presbyterian Church) in the auditorium of El Camino Real, just north of Manchester, The Redeemer Presbyterian Church Encinitas (formerly The North Coast Presbyterian Church) El Camino Real, just north of Manchester, Encinitas combining traditional davening, with powerful English prayer, joyous singing and chanting, authentic kabbalistic meditation, Rabbi Dosick’s and Rabbi Baron’s inspiring teachings and sermons, combining traditional davening, with powerful English prayer, and the magnificent voice and music of Cantor Robbins, joyous singing and chanting, authentic kabbalistic meditation, with Kol Eli’ahu, The Elijah Minyan Choir, Rabbi Dosick’s and Rabbi Baron’s inspiring teachings and sermons, in a warm, heimesh atmosphere of festive celebration. and the magnificent voice and music of Cantor Robbins, with Kol Eli’ahu, The Elijah Minyan Choir, not that “same old” rote, boring service; not that “same old” rote, boring service; in a warm, heimesh atmosphere of festive celebration. new inspirited Judaism a new inspirited aJudaism for a new age for a new age notticket that “same Nominal pricesold” rote, boring service; a new inspirited Judaism for a new age For ticket information, call ticket prices Nominal For ticket information, call
(760) 943-8370 Nominal ticket prices
For ticket information, call
(760) 943-8370
Affiliated with ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal Come meet a community of friends creating joyous Judaism.
(760) 943-8370
Affiliated with ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal Affiliated with ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal
שנה טובה
HAPPY NEW YEAR
I AM BLESSED TO BE PART OF YOUR HISTORY MAKING EVENTS. THANK YOU JEWISH COMMUNITY
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FEATURE STORY | BY ALANNA MAYA
l jfCC welcomes new ceo B e t z y lyn c h b ri n gs he r e xp e rt ise t o la jo l l a
L
ast month, Betzy Lynch became CEO of the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center. Originally from Youngstown, Ohio, Lynch says her upbringing in a small town’s Jewish community is what brought her to serve the Jewish community as a whole; something that has become her life’s work. “I grew up in the local JCC, and my mother was the editor of the Jewish newspaper for 25 years, so we were deeply rooted in the Jewish community [in Youngstown],” she says. After graduating from Gaucher College and working for a few years, Lynch decided she wanted to give back, and began her years of service to the Jewish community at the JCC of West Palm Beach, Fla. as the assistant physical education director. After three years in Florida, Lynch was offered a job at the very same JCC where she grew up, which she describes as “an amazing experience to give back to a community that had given me so much.” While back in Youngstown, she oversaw many of the agencies programs, including the camp, physical recreation, teens, senior adults and youth programs. “It was a lot, but it really helped me prepare for
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my next step, which was becoming the Assistant Executive Director of the JCC in Mephis, Tenn.” Lynch stayed in Tennesee for 10 years before becoming Director of Birmingham, Ala.’s JCC, her last stop before coming to San Diego. After spending almost her entire professional career in JCCs, she says that it is the feeling of home that connects each Jewish community across the country. “The flavor of the people and the community in each place [where a JCC exists] really informs the work, but there is this common thread to all of the JCCs that really makes it feel like, no matter where you go, you are home,” she says. At the JCC in La Jolla, Lynch assumes the role left vacant by Mike Cohen, who retired from his position as Executive Director after 25 years. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LFJCC OR ITS PROGRAMS, VISIT WWW.LFJCC.ORG.
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FEATURE STORY
PHOTO BY BRANT BENDER
local big band sounds
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o you long for the beautiful, soothing sounds of the Big Band era? Look no further than Mission Valley on Sept 24, where The Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine will delight you with sounds of Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman and more Jazz sounds from the ‘40s and ‘50s era at the Handlery Hotel. Liss is known worldwide as the founder and conductor of this 18-piece orchestra with talented and beautiful Janet Hammer as vocalist. We heard them recently at the Bernardo Winery, where for the last 16 years they have performed. Talented winery owner Rossi Rizzo plays a smooth saxophone with the Big Band Jazz Machine as well. Despite a speaking voice sounding like Jimmy Stewart, and his height even higher, 38
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Liss doesn’t seek out the limelight. Music for him has always been his passion, it is what he does. Liss feels blessed to be conducting his band for over 30 years and grateful for the friendships with band members that have been cultivated through amazing music association. Liss describes himself as a spiritual person in a secular world. He credits his Jewish background as the biggest influence on who he is and on everything he does, including his music. He says, “Three-fourths of the music business is made up of Jews — Judaism gave and continues to give people music, freedom, and passion for life — L’chaim! He is a member of Young Israel and davens there regularly. Stayed tuned for the amazing sounds —
on a CD soon to be recorded — of Jewishinspired Big Band tunes composed especially for the Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine. The Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine returns to The Handlery Hotel in Mission Valley on Sunday September 24 at 5 p.m. in the beautiful intimate outdoor Terrace Garden for a program of exciting big band music by San Diego’s favorite and oldest professional big band, since 1979. Tickets are $15, no reserved seating, all ages welcome. Food and beverage available on site. Sorry no lawn chairs or coolers allowed. No refunds. All tickets must be purchased in advance online. No ticket sales at the door (hotel policy).
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OUR TRIBE
Five Minutes of Reflection:
S
elected from over 50 national and international entries, the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture’s (SDCJC), Straight From The Page, a staged reading series, presents a 5 Minute Play Festival each year. This year, the festival showcased a variety of original plays written by 10 talented playwrights. The plays speak to Jewish identity, heritage, cultural experiences and values. CHAI FIVE is sponsoring the publication of the top three winners, beginning in our June/July issue with the Third Place winner, Atar Hadari’s I Begin to Rehearse My Death. In our August issue, we published the second-place winner, Harry Katcher’s Jew-Jew. This month, the first place winner of the festival, Alison Lowenstein’s The Conference is below.
THE CONFERENCE
By Alison Lowenstein
CHARACTERS: Leslie: Leo’s Mother • 30s • Female Greg: Leo’s Father • 30s • Male Mrs. White: Leo’s Teacher • 20s • Female
GREG: I don’t know, Leslie. LESLIE: You know what I assume from Mrs. White’s last name? GREG: That her husband might be related to Betty White? LESLIE: That’s not what I was thinking. (Beat) And I didn’t know people still used Mrs. anymore. I thought this was a progressive school where they compost. What type of example is Mrs. White? A woman who gives up her identity for a man? GREG: Please focus. You haven’t even met this woman and you’re already judging her. LESLIE: I’m judging? I’m not the one who sent an email telling me she has to talk to us about our religious practices. What does that even mean? GREG: I’m more concerned about Leo’s reading ability. Last week I pointed to a sign on a restroom door. I asked him to read it. He couldn’t. I said, “take it slow, sound it out.” He had no idea where to begin. He pointed to the last letter first. Do you think he’s dyslexic?
TRIBE
OUR
Part Three of a Three-Part Series published by ChaiFive Projects
THE COMMUNITY PLACE
seat. I just love Leo. LESLIE and GREG enter the classroom and sit down. He gets along with his peers and they’re all very curious about his faith. LESLIE: His faith? GREG: Mrs. White, I’m worried about Leo’s academics. He seems to be having issues with letter recognition and he reads words backwards. LESLIE: Before you answer that, can I ask you why you seem so focused on Leo’s religion? We aren’t even religious. MRS. WHITE: You aren’t? GREG: Why does that shock you? MRS. WHITE: Because Leo wears a beanie to class. LESLIE: A what? MRS. WHITE: A hat. Like the pope.
LESLIE and GREG stand outside classroom door talking in a loud whisper.
LESLIE: Restroom is a two-syllable word, that’s challenging for a first grader.
LESLIE: A yarmulke? What are you talking about?
LESLIE: Greg, she’s an anti-Semite.
GREG: Leslie, it said men.
MRS. WHITE: Doesn’t he wear it in the morning when you put him on the bus?
MRS. WHITE opens the classroom door.
LESLIE: No, he must put it on when he gets on the bus.
GREG: I think you’re reading into things. LESLIE: How does she even know we’re Jewish? She assumed it from our last name? 40
MRS. WHITE: Please come in and take a
L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2017
OUR TRIBE
GREG: What other secrets could he be keeping from us? MRS. WHITE: Don’t be upset. Leo is such a sweet child. (Beat) He even brought in yarmulkes for other kids, which has become a problem because of the lice outbreak. GREG: He’s proselytizing? LESLIE: Leo doesn’t have lice. MRS. WHITE: Since our school has a policy about religion in school. I am trying to stop this trend of wearing a yarmulke without diminishing the children’s sense of wonder.
MRS. WHITE: I assumed he was having issues reading English because he reads in Hebrew. GREG: He reads in Hebrew? MRS. WHITE He brought in a book in Hebrew and read it to the class in our sharing corner. GREG: Is this some sort of stage kids go through in first grade? Trying to find their religious identity?
GREG: Does that mean he’s advanced? LESLIE: He’s never been to temple. I have no idea how he learned so much on his own.
MRS. WHITE: At the moment, three boys and two girls. I did overhear him saying he’d be very happy when he has nine people wearing them besides him.
MRS. WHITE: He tells us he goes on Saturday mornings.
GREG: How does he know this stuff? He has to be learning this from somewhere. MRS. WHITE: It’s not here. Our school dismisses the idea of intelligent design. We believe in science and commerce. Did you hear that one of our fifth graders created an app for the science fair that was featured on Shark Tank? LESLIE: Then where? He doesn’t even know how to read.
GREG: He’s seven. MRS. WHITE: He knows what he loves. Do you? END OF PLAY
MRS. WHITE: I haven’t seen it before.
GREG: How many kids are wearing yarmulkes?
LESLIE: Oh god, he’s trying to form a Minyan.
LESLIE: It’s not what we believe in. MRS. WHITE: It’s what Leo believes in. Let him make his own choices.
GREG: No, he spends Saturday mornings with my dad. (Beat) Now this all makes sense. LESLIE: Well Saturdays with Grandpa are over. MRS. WHITE: Don’t you think that’s a little extreme? GREG: She’s right, Leslie. Also that’s been keeping my dad alive. (Beat) He’s recently widowed. LESLIE: I feel for your dad, but we can’t let this kind of behavior go on.
Want to know what's happening in your community? Have something you want to share? We at L'CHAIM want to help you strengthen your ties to your community by publishing your lifecycle events in our magazine AT NO CHARGE. As a community, we share in each other's joys and sorrows and are always here to support one another. This service is brought to you by Chai Five Projects. Please submit your lifecycle events to info@lchaimmagazine.com Visit lchaimmagazine.com/ chai5projects for more info.
MRS. WHITE: Why not? WWW.LCHAIMMAGAZINE.COM
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Happy High Holy Days From the Staff of L’CHAIM MAGAZINE
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L’CHAIM SAN DIEGO MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2017
SAVE THE DATE:
Campus SuperStar, Hillel’s one-of-a-kind event,
returns March 18, 2018!
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EDUCATION IS THE KEY TO GETTING PEOPLE INVOLVED Carlsbad, California-based family law attorney Myra Chack Fleischer, CFLS is a life-long Zionist. Her experience and passion make Fleisher perfectly suited for the challenges in her new role as Jewish National Fund’s (JNF) San Diego Board President, starting October 1. The most daunting of those tasks is “the challenge of spreading the word about Jewish National Fund, so that those who are not involved realize that we are so much more than trees,” says Fleischer. “I face the challenge of involving more people in understanding that if we do not support our homeland, who will?” Fleischer believes that the key to getting more people involved is through education. “We will get more people involved and educated about Jewish National Fund by offering events, one-on-one meetings, and by using our amazing social media channels,” she explains. Prior to her new role as president, Fleischer had been involved with Jewish National Fund for seven years in various capacities. She has served as national General Campaign Co-Chair, and is currently the national Vice President of JNF’s Women for Israel Campaign. She sits on JNF’s national Board of Directors, and is an active member of JNF’s Task Force on Disabilities. According to Fleischer, she is most passionate about Jewish National Fund’s women’s campaign. “Statistically,” she notes, “women are more philanthropic than men, and typically make the decisions as to where donor dollars will go. As time goes on, the trend shows more women becoming entrepreneurs, and more wealth in their hands as they take over what have been male-dominated roles.” For Fleischer this translates into an increase in women’s participation and giving to JNF. “I see the evolution of the women’s giving in JNF. Our donor dollars for the women’s campaign have grown as our involvement has grown, because women see this trend and want to be a part of it and benefit Israel. This year alone, gifts from women have made up about one-quarter of all JNF donations.” To involve more members of the San Diego Jewish community involved with JNF, Fleischer plans to also expand the organization’s young professional’s group, JNFuture San Diego (for 22-40-year olds), as well as connect with older community members at various JNF events. “You meet the most dedicated and incredible people with JNF across the U.S. and in Israel,” Fleischer says. “It has expanded my view of Israel, which says a lot for someone who has been there so 44
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much because of family. I now see Israel differently through the work I do with JNF,” she added. She also believes that being an attorney has prepared her for her new role as JNF San Diego Board President “by teaching me not to be afraid to speak to groups or individuals about my beliefs. When you are a litigator, you speak in a courtroom all of the time with passion about your case and client. In my new role, I will speak to people in a group or individual setting about something that goes to my very soul—the survival of the Jewish people. Because without Israel what happens to the Jewish people?” For more information about Jewish National Fund San Diego, or to learn more about the many projects JNF does for the land and people of Israel, please contact JNF’s San Diego Director James Kimmey at 858.824.9178 x988 or jkimmey@jnf.org.
BY STEPHANIE LEWIS l HUMOR
mazel
& mishagoss A Jewish Twilight Zone? “You are traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of (delicious) smells and (boastful) kvells. A journey into a neurotic land whose boundaries are not limited by schlepping/ shmoozing. That’s the signpost up ahead (Can you see it hung in the right-hand side of the doorframe?) Your next stop … The ChaiLight Zone!” Maybe you’ve heard The Twilight Zone was updated with Jewish themes? Actually, you haven’t heard this because I made it up. But here are new episodes that might seem familiar to you. (Cue “Rod Shpieling’s” distinctive voice) THE ONE WHERE RUMORS FLY “Submitted for your approval: The case of one Dr. Jeffrey Greenberg, a big macher surgeon who gossips about patients, until he’s ordered to operate on a pillow, removing its feathers. Scalpel in hand, he watches helplessly as the sterile room fills with thousands of fuzzy plumes swirling everywhere, one quill even managing to land inside a patient’s open chest cavity before getting stitched up from quadruple bypass surgery. Oy vey! In just a moment you’ll meet the Prophet Elijah, who advises the good doctor to take back every single, solitary feather. A grim prognosis and an impossible antidote? Perhaps. But just one of the many Hasidic lessons to be learned in... The ChaiLight Zone.
THE ONE WHERE THEY ALMOST MOVED TO A LARGER HOVEL Meet Mr. Ephraim Ben-Meir and his wife Rivka, an ambitious young couple inhabiting a modest dwelling on a tiny farm. They kvetch to a mystical Rabbi about feeling confined. A word to the wise about simple solutions from Torah scholars – once horses, chickens, goats, cows, (NOT pigs!) ducks, and roosters are carried into an abode, “Home Sweet Home” will never smell that sweet again. But yes, once the animals are returned to their barn, the square footage will seem to increase miraculously. This is a special kabbalah teaching Mr. and Mrs. Ben-Meir will find rampant in The ChaiLight Zone. And of course, some beloved classic Twilight Zone episodes are just too good to change, so they’re modified in ways we endearingly recognize as totally mashuga. THE EYE OF THE (BUBULA) BEHOLDER A young wannabe female singer with a bandaged punim has undergone rhinoplasty to try and make her nose size more appealing. When the plastic surgeon’s handiwork is finally unveiled, everyone gasps in horror! The bridge is still very petite and adorably upturned. But the woman belts out “The Way We Were,” and Barbra goes on to immediate fame anyhow.
NIGHTMARE (NARISHKEIT) AT 20,000 FEET An orthodox airline passenger is convinced there is a golem on the exterior of the plane. He doesn’t fear the golem is trying to wreak havoc on the overbooked aircraft, but rather it’s baking a challah using the fiery wing as an oven. And that’s simply not kosher. TIME ENOUGH AT LAST (FOR SIMCHAS!) Instead of a bookworm in a library who yearns for more time to read, (but then his glasses smash so he can’t see a thing) – we have a Jewish event planner who hankers for Chanukah to continue for a year so she can throw lots of festive parties. Her wish comes true when she finds a batch of oil that miraculously lights the menorah for 365 days. However her glasses also shatter. That’s right, her entire set of Waterford crystal wine glasses! And what kind of freilich shindig can you have without pouring lots of Manischewitz concord grape? Nu? STEPHANIE D. LEWIS PENS HUMOR FOR THE HUFFINGTON POST, HAS A FUNNY BLOG AT ONCEUPONYOURPRIME.COM AND WILL ALSO WRITE FOR YOU! EMAIL THEQUOTEGAL@YAHOO.COM.
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