San Diego Jewish Journal December

December 2017 • Kislev • Tevet 5778

The

Arsutes is

JEWISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

Honors Our Community’s Legacy Donors

Check Out Our Slightly Silly Hanukkah Gifts List

2018 PERFORMANCE PREVIEW: SDMA Exhibits Nearly 100 Pieces of Latin American Art

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a gift for the holidays DECEMBER 8 – 10 @ 7:30PM Starting with an audience suggestion, the troupe creates completely improvised, full‑length plays in the styles of the world’s greatest writers. Join us this holiday season for a hilarious comedy inspired by the works of Charles Dickens. Comic portrayals, cruel melodrama and heartbreaking tenderness explode onto the teeming streets of Victorian London. A fun and festive evening of comedy.

DEC 16 @ 7:30PM AND DEC 17 @ 2PM From Berlin to Brooks: Celebrating Broadway (Holiday Edition!)

An evening of Broadway’s greatest songs by some of America’s most successful Jewish songwriters — songs by Irving Berlin, George & Ira Gershwin, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim and Mel Brooks; including some of the most enduring holiday songs of all time!

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Gershwin for My Soul

DECEMBER 18 @ 7:30PM Elijah Rock is a triple threat Entertainer and the next generation interpreter of the Great American Songbook. His new album, “Gershwin For My Soul” is currently soaring on the jazz airwaves as he pays homage to the songs and lyrics of George and Ira Gershwin with a contemporary twist.

SAN DIEGO PREMIERE

JANUARY 10 – FEBRUARY 1 1, 2018 Adapted by Mark Brown From the novel by Jules Verne Directed by Allison Bibicoff Stampeding elephants! Runaway trains! Unbridled humor!

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March of the Living

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Jewish Teen Foundation

generously supported by:

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Back Into Focus

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www.metroflooring.com Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 7

December 2017

Kislev/Tevet 5778

30

Music: Meet Beekeeper, a thrash metal band that has deep roots in San Diego’s Jewish community.

60

Hanukkah: Having trouble finding the

perfect gift? This slightly absurd guide may or may not help you – but you will definately laugh.

36 Visual Art: The San Diego Museum

of Art is showcasing nearly 300 paintings of Latin American art from the Perez Simon Collection, including works by Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and Jose Clemente Orozco.

8 SDJewishJournal.com December 2017

44

Performance Preview:

We take a look at what offerings six local theaters have coming up after the New Year, including Moxie, Cygnet, La Jolla Music Society, San Diego Rep, North Coast Rep and San Diego Musical Theatre.

TORI AVEY

Rum Raisin Cranberry Kugel

MONTHLY COLUMNS 12 The Starting Line 20 Parenting 22 Israeli Lifestyle 24 Examined Life 26 Religion 28 Politics 86 Advice Around Town 18 Our Town 88 What’s Goin On 93 Synagogue Life In Every Issue 14 Mailbag 16 What’s up Online 90 News 92 Diversions ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: 30 MUSIC

The band Beekeeper stays true to the traditions of metal music

32 HANUKKAH

Finding Hanukkah candles is sometimes easier said than done

84

36 Visual Art

Modern masters from the Perez Simon Collection

38 THEATER

New Village Arts diversifies

41 THEATER

La Jolla Playhouse in the spotlight

55 FEATURE

Changing The Lives of Holocaust Survivors One Step at a Time

57 DANCE

A Jewish teen teaches dance to underprivileged kids

60 HANUKKAH

8 Slightly Absurd Hanukkah Gifts

63 THEATER

San Diego Junior Theatre Turns 70

69 THEATER

Lamb’s Players Theatre celebrates

76 MUSIC

San Diego Symphony plays to the beat

79 ANIMATION

A conversation with Porky Pig

82 FEATURE

A journey through Orthodox Jewish dating Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 9

You some choices, Youare aregoing goingtotohave havetotomake make some choices, but alone. butyou youdon’t don’thave havetotomake makethem them alone.

• Retirement Plans Retirement Plans • Life/Disability Insurance Life/Disability Insurance

• Investment Strategies Investment Strategies

www.sdjewishjournal.com December 2017 • Kislev/Tevet 5778

Changing can bebe difficult butbut wewe areare with youyou every stepstep of the way.way.

Changingjobs jobs can difficult with every of the

PUBLISHERS • Mark Edelstein and Dr. Mark Moss EDITOR-IN-CHIEF • Brie Stimson CREATIVE DIRECTOR • Derek Berghaus ASSISTANT EDITOR • Jacqueline Bull ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR • Eileen Sondak OFFICE MANAGER • Jonathan Ableson

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Ronnie Weisberg – Senior Account Executive Jonathan Ableson – Senior Account Executive Alan Moss – Palm Springs SAN DIEGO JEWISH JOURNAL (858) 638-9818 • fax: (858) 638-9801 5665 Oberlin Drive, Suite 204 • San Diego, CA 92121

EDITORIAL: editor@sdjewishjournal.com ADVERTISING: marke@sdjewishjournal.com CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS: jableson@sdjewishjournal.com ART DEPARTMENT: art@sdjewishjournal.com LISTINGS & CALENDAR: assistant@sdjewishjournal.com SDJJ is published monthly by San Diego Jewish Journal, LLC. Subscription rate is $24 for one year (12 issues). Send subscription requests to SDJJ, 5665 Oberlin Drive, Suite 204, San Diego, CA 92121. The San Diego Jewish Journal is a free and open forum for the expression of opinions. The opinions expressed herein are solely the opinion of the author and in no way reflect the opinions of the publishers, staff or advertisers. The San Diego Jewish Journal is not responsible for the accuracy of any and all information within advertisements. The San Diego Jewish Journal reserves the right to edit all submitted materials, including press releases, letters to the editor, articles and calendar listings for brevity and clarity. The Journal is not legally responsible for the accuracy of calendar or directory listings, nor is it responsible for possible postponements, cancellations or changes in venue. Manuscripts, letters, documents and photographs sent to the Journal become the physical property of the publication, which is not responsible for the return or loss of such material. All contents ©2017 by San Diego Jewish Journal. The San Diego Jewish Journal is a member of the American Jewish Press Association and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

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Glickman♦Galinson Early Childhood Education Complex S Nierman Preschool & Youth Committees Presents…

CRA LOT C A F INF TS • G R RA nual n A L A h t A 34 TAB MES CING LES • • JU PRIZE MP S IES

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A Community-Wide Holiday Extravaganza FOR ALL AGES at the LFJCC WELCOMING OUR SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY

LA TK A EA TI N G CONTEST

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2017 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

ADMISSION: JCC Member $2 per person; Non-member $3 per person

od Dairy Fo Kosher & Sale!

Bake

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Save with presale tickets!

25 tickets for $20 available for purchase online at www.lfjcc.org/hh and in person at the JCC the week of December 4-8.

Tickets also available at the door for N O I crafts, activities, jumpies and food CT

AU NE NT VERYO NG E E L R I O F S I THING DRAW SOME D CHANCE AR GIFT C

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SURPRISE CHARACTER VISIT!

SHALOM BABY & PJ LIBRARY FAMILY CELEBRATION Please join us for our Hanukkah Celebration December 10 from 10:00–11:00 a.m.

Enjoy a fun-filled sing-a-long with Cara Freedman, followed by PJ Library story telling on the big screen in the David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre.

Please join us immediately following for our community wide Hanukkah Happening event for more fun, games, and crafts!

THE STARTING LINE by Brie Stimson

EDITOR’S LETTER editor@sdjewishjournal.com

Rhythm and Music, Drama and Comedy Right at Our Doorstep

I

t’s safe to say in the six years I’ve lived in San Diego I’ve fallen in love with our local theater scene. San Diego is known to outsiders for many things: great weather, beautiful beaches, a world-class zoo, but I would say our world-class theater is a little bit more of a secret.

Every time I have out of town friends or relatives come see a show with me they always inevitably go on about the quality and professionalism of the production. I always remind them of our proximity to LA, but I think San Diego’s theater scene is great in its own right – not just because we’re getting writers, actors and directors straight from Hollywood who are just tired of the traffic.

I think anyone who enjoys theater in San Diego must have noted how lucky we are to live in a moderately sized city (without many big cities hassles) and yet still have productions on par with anything I’ve seen on Broadway or the West End. And it’s not just the quality of the productions but the amount of them. There are so many theaters and acting troupes in San Diego! There are still theaters in San Diego I haven’t been to after six years, and there are still great groups I’m just now hearing about for the first time. Currently I have a lineup of at least three shows I plan to see in the next month – and I’m hoping to add more to the list.

Some tourists, I believe, think that San Diegans are always surfing or running a marathon (what’s wrong with that?), but they don’t realize we have extremely vibrant theater with professional actors who make their living with their craft, museums with priceless art and musicians who are among the best at what they do.

We have institutions like the Old Globe

12 SDJewishJournal.com December 2017

and the La Jolla Playhouse who send shows to Broadway and win Tony awards and exceptional smaller theaters like San Diego Rep, Lamb’s Players and Ocean Beach Playhouse. There’s San Diego Musical Theater at the Spreckels and the Horton Grand and unmatched classical musicians at the San Diego Symphony and the La Jolla Music Society. I know I’m leaving out about a million great companies, but that’s what this issue is for. In the next 100 or so pages we’ve tried to include as much art as is magazinely possible (and we’re still having to leave out people).

In fact, I believe I can actually pinpoint the moment I fell in love with theater in San Diego. During my first year here I felt a little overwhelmed and lost and hadn’t made many friends yet. I had started volunteering as an usher for several of the local theaters, which allowed me to learn more about possibly working for a theater. And I was also able to see shows for free, which was the only way I could have afforded to see one.

I happened to usher for the Cygnet’s last production of “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” one cold (well, coolish) Dec. night. At the end of the show, which was still, in my mind, one of the best shows I’ve ever seen here, after the applause from the standing crowd had died down, Tom Andrew, the actor who played do-gooder George Bailey, asked everyone in the audience to hold hands and sing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

Truthfully, I am given to sentimentality, but in the place I was in my life it was the exact moment I needed. It made me feel part of a community of people and it made me feel like maybe San Diego wasn’t such a big, scary city after all.

I think anyone who enjoys theater in San Diego must have noted how lucky we are to live in a moderately sized city (without many big cities hassles) and yet still have productions on par with anything I’ve seen on Broadway or the West End. A lot has changed in my life since we all sang that song in Old Town, but it’s an important moment I’ll never forget. And maybe that’s the reason I go back to the Cygnet as much as possible.

And now it’s your turn. Go out and find your moment. Find a play that inspires you.

Find a piece of classical music that reminds you of a time gone by. See an art show that takes your breath away.

Many people in this world have to travel to experience world-class cultural institutions, but in San Diego it’s all around us. A

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we’re listening let us know what’s on your mind TO THE EDITOR: Honoring real courage is noble. But must we be subjected to the editor’s assumption that we all agree with her naïve and ignorant political opinions?

Not courage makes a congressman support gun control and ignore facts—like that Chicago has both the strictest gun laws and the most gun violence in the nation—but fear of the leftist press. Real courage in relation to “climate change” is shown by scientists who have expressed skepticism about the evil effects of man-made global warming. Where’s the courage in running off a cliff with the other lemmings? And John McCain exhibited not heroism but mor-

al bankruptcy in his vote to preserve the bait-and-switch of Obamacare, given what Obamacare is actually doing to health care in this country.

I don’t expect Ms. Stimson to advertise the courage of Peter Schweizer for publishing "Clinton Cash" or of Milo Yiannopoulos for publishing "Dangerous" or of Dinesh D’Souza for publishing "The Big Lie." But many JJ readers would appreciate her not assuming that we agree with her knee-jerk political opinions built on a foundation of ignorance carpeted with leftist propaganda.

Sincerely, Gideon Rappaport Clairemont

@SDJEWISHJOURNAL Send us your comments: editor@sdjewishjournal.com 5665 Oberlin Dr., Ste 204, San Diego, CA 92121

Please consider our guidelines for Letters to the Editor prior to submitting your comments: The San Diego Jewish Journal welcomes reader responses to articles. Due to space limitations, responses to articles cannot exceed 200 words and will be edited in coordination with the letter’s author and at the discretion of the editor and publishers.

For readers who wish to submit multiple letters, we require three issue months to pass between published letters so as to make space for more reader responses.

All readers can comment as often as they’d like in the comments section of our website, found at the bottom of every articleon sdjewishjournal.comMagazine articles are republished on the website at the beginning of each issue month.

14 SDJewishJournal.com December 2017

CORRECTIONS In “California Dreamers: How Jewish Family Services is helping DACA recipients navigate the unknown” from our Nov. 2017 issue, Jewish Family Service was incorrectly referred to as Jewish Family Services throughout the article.

In the Our Town section of the Nov. 2017 issue Linda Bennett’s byline was not included.

SDJJ regrets these errors.

At Magen David Adom, we’re often saving lives before our ambulances even arrive.

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Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 15

what’s up on sdjewishjournal.com

Watergate Reporter Carl Bernstein Speaks at JCC Carl Bernstein, the famed reporter who helped take down Nixon’s presidency, made a stop at the JCC in November and SDJJ was there to ask questions and hear what he had to say about abuses of presidential power back then and in our current era.

Trump Administration Continues Tradition of Hanukkah Party The White House will host a Hanukkah Party on Dec. 7. Typically heads of American Jewish organizations, Jewish members of the administration and congress and other prominent American Jews are invited. President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and his daughter, Ivanka, are both Orthodox Jews. President George W. Bush started the tradition his first year in office.

Travel to the Hills of Northern Italy for Stunning Jewish History Looking for Hanukkah all year-round? In Casale Monferrato in the Piedmont region of Italy has one of the country’s most ornate synagogues. The 16th century rococo synagogue is part of a larger Jewish history museum complex with more than 185 menorahs.

Gold Star Father Khizr Kahn Speaks in San Diego

Sharon Rosen Leib with Speaker Khizr Kahn

16 SDJewishJournal.com December 2017

Kahn, whose U.S. Army captain son was killed in Iraq in 2004, spoke to the Anti-Defamation League in La Jolla last month about not being silent in the face of hate. “Silence is death in a democracy,” he told the 400-person crowd. Kahn has been doing speaking engagements since he first challenged Islamophobia at the Democratic National Convention in 2016.

Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 17

our TOWN OUR TOWN BY LINDA BENNETT AND EMILY BARTELL

JCF Celebrates their 50th Anniversary

The Jewish Community Foundation celebrated its 50th Anniversary on November 12th with a lovely brunch at The Hilton, Torrey Pines. Approximately 450 people were in attendance. Kudos to Elaine Galinson, 50th Anniversary Chair and her committee.

The program included Beth Sirull, President and CEO of JCF, Leo Spiegel, Chair, Board of Directors of JCF, and the incredibly hysterical comedian/writer/producer, Carol Leifer.

We saw, Karen and Domenic Tomasello, Naomi Pearl, Howard and Diane Schachat, Marilyn and Leopoldo Kahn, Kevin and Oksana Berner, Liora Green, Celia Levy, Donald and Gayle Slate, Raquel Benguiat, Ellen Whelan, Ann Spira, Sarah Harrison, Arthur and Maxine Geller, Marc Channick, Rabbi David and Danielle Singer, Steve Doster, Steve and Esther Solomon, Joe and Sima Oppenheimer, Ness Tiano, Ellen Beck, Karen Kogut, Esther and Larry Kaplan, and Assembly Member Todd Gloria, Congressmen Scott Peters, and Congresswoman Susan Davis and Steve Davis.

On Saturday, November 18th, we attended FIDF 7th Annual Gala, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt, with over 800 people in attendance! The theme of the evening, “Saving Lives, Changing Lives,” was represented with an enlightened program, including a number of IDF soldiers speaking on the heroic efforts of the Home Front Command.

Some spotted enjoying the evening were, Sidney and Denise Selati, Renee Feinswog, Renee Barnow, Janet and John Perlman, Phyllis Cohn, Ruth and Martin Gilboa, Sammy and Sarita Zands, Dan Grushkevich, Omer Hananya, Len Hirsch and Barbara Hoffer, Basil and Michelle Abramovitz, Andie and Avi Hettena, Steven and Alexis Larky, Robyn & Steve Goldberg, Sharon and Richard Gabriel, Estelle Dunst, Rabbi Arlene Bernstein, Carla and Geoffrey Berg, Sam Simon, Charles Wax and Rachael Dosky, singing our national anthem.

Birthdays ...

Happy 83rd Birthday to Sandra Silverstein….

Happy 87th Birthday to Marty Freedman….

Happy 104th Birthday to Sam Weiss….

Happy Birthday to Saundra Saperstein….

Happy 51st Anniversary to Lauren & Robert Resnik.

Mazel Tov to….

Marilyn & Al Shelden on the birth of their grandson.

Larry & Gail Rice, on the recent Bar Mitzvah of their Grandson, Zach in Washington.

We are excited to announce the engagement of Lauren Coden & Gabriel Avraham. Proud parents are, Wendy & Chaim Avraham.

18 SDJewishJournal.com December 2017

TOP: Lto R: Congressman Scott Peters and Congresswoman Susan Davis with Beth Sirull and Leo Spiegel. MIDDLE: Irwin and Joan Jacobs, Councilmember Barbara Bry, Elaine Galinson, Herb Solomon. BOTTOM: Past Jewish Community Foundation Board Chairs.

CHANUKAH BLOCK PARTY

Sunday, December 17th, 12 noo

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Fun for all ages! Don’t miss our annual Chanukah celebration that will include: • LEGO Chanukah Menorah Building Competition led by Professional Sunday, December 17th, 12 noon LEGO Masters from Play-Well Fun for all ages!

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• And so share much more Together, let’s the light of Chanukah Feel free to bring a chanukiah (Chanukah menorah) from home, along with seven Together, let’s share the light of Chanukah to bring a chanukiah (Chanukah menorah) from home, along with seven candlesFeel forfree lighting during our celebration. candles for lighting during our celebration.

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Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 19

MUSINGS FROM MAMA by Sharon Rosen Leib

PARENTING srleib@me.com

The Tangerine Letter

T

he #MeToo movement began as a way for people who have been sexually assaulted or harassed to demonstrate the magnitude of these evils via social media.

Tales of bad behavior cascaded forth on Facebook and Twitter - an unprecedented avalanche of overturned rocks exposing reptilian creeps of all stripes. As these stories poured out, my worst #MeToo experience arose like Frankenstein from my liminal memory, where it had lain dormant for years.

In 1979, my parents sent naïve, 16-yearold-high-school-girl me to attend a Stanford University summer school session.

A lumbering, seven-foot tall, 21-year-old Stanford athlete befriended me and invited me to his dorm room to “help him with his medical school applications.” Before I finished proofreading, he locked the door and told me I couldn’t leave until I “satisfied” him. I mustered the courage to remind him I was 16 and if he raped me he’d be committing a statutory crime.

Frankenstein considered this and stopped trying to undress me. He did, however, make me do other things. I’ve mentally blocked what I did to “satisfy” him. After about 15 minutes, he unlocked the door and let me out. I managed to escape with my virginity intact. A year later, when he discovered I’d told someone what he’d done, he tracked down my phone number, called and threatened me. (One piece of good news – Frankenstein isn’t Jewish).

When the disgusting Hollywood sex predator stories kept breaking last month, I ruminated about Stanford Frankenstein and pondered what civilized society could do to address rampant predatory behavior.

After a week of angst, a flash of fantastical, feminist genius struck! What if we branded sexual predators with a Tangerine P? In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s classic novel “The Scarlet Letter,” the town council required adulteress Hester Prynne to wear a scarlet letter A on her bosom.

The townspeople shunned her but al-

20 SDJewishJournal.com December 2017

lowed her to work, eke out a living and raise her child. If Hester had to wear a scarlet A for committing the non-violent offense of adultery, why not make people who’ve committed the more heinous crime of sexual assault wear a tangerine P (for predator) on their foreheads? Why tangerine? It reflects the orange-tinted hair and complexion of our predator-in-chief.

The challenge would be identifying predators early on, before they could commit a full-blown assault. By requiring them to wear Tangerine Ps, we could rest assured our inexperienced young daughters and sons would be able to spot and avoid these creepy monsters.

Like Hester, the Tangerine Ps could continue being productive members of society. Harvey Weinstein could still produce Academy Award winning movies and Kevin Spacey could keep acting – but we’d all know their true natures.

Likewise, Stanford Frankenstein could continue practicing medicine.

From what I’ve discovered online, he’s a highly regarded surgeon. I’m plagued with remorse wondering whether he’s ever assaulted another underage teen, vulnerable employee or anesthetized patient. If a Tangerine P system had existed, I could’ve reported him. Unsuspecting women would know to avoid being alone with him.

Unfortunately, until a trusted mechanism for reporting sexual predators actually exists outside of my fantasy world, survivors like me must learn how to live with our memories and pray our monsters never victimize other people. However, if we do learn they’ve perpetrated subsequent assaults, we may step forward, provide corroborating testimony and protect the next generation from being exploited by these creepy, crawly creatures hidden beneath our stones of shame, silence and fear. Beware, you Tangerine Ps, your survivors know who you are – so watch yourselves and please don’t assault anyone ever again.A

New Releases

“Way Too Many Latkes”

by Linda Glaser

In Chelm, it is time for Chanukah and Faigel, the best latke maker in the village, is ready to make latkes—only she has forgotten the recipe! So what does her husband, Shmuel do? He runs to the rabbi for advice. Will Faigel remember her recipe? Will there really be way too many latkes? Is there such a thing as too many latkes? Read the book and find out.

“It Never Ends”

by Sandra Butler and Nan Fink Gefen

As mothers and daughters age, their relationship shifts and changes in complex and often demanding ways. In “It Never Ends”, women speak openly about the satisfactions and sorrows of mothering middle-aged daughters and discuss the issues that continue to surface. In these pages mothers reveal the courage that comes with aging and their engagement in a time of reckoning: acknowledging past mistakes, forgiving themselves and their daughters, and moving toward a greater acceptance of their connection in all its human imperfection.

Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 21

LIVING ON THE FRONT PAGE by Andrea Simantov

ISRAELI LIFESTYLE andreasimantov@gmail.com

‘Tis The Season To be Jewish

A

s hard as the advertising companies in this corner of the world may try, Christmas just doesn’t have the marketing appeal that it does in the West. It isn’t that Christmas doesn’t happen here; Jerusalem is where the entire episode unfolded. For anyone who wants to re-live the birth, life, death and/or tale of Jesus replete with mangers, Magi and lambs, this is the place. But insofar as commercial significance goes, the Yuletide season is Dudsville in Jerusalem. Even when some chubby guy dresses up in the classic red suit and white beard, the assumption is that he is just another nutty rabbi from Meir Shaarim.

(Factoid: The Jerusalem municipality distributes free Christmas trees to on designated days and while a few folk do take advantage of this generous offer, I think the line would be longer if they handed out knishes.)

Hanukkah is a different ball of wax. Every third street corner boasts a ten-foot Chabad menorah that reminds even the most secular yid that ‘A Great Miracle Happened Here: Nes Gadol Ha’ya Po.’ School is recessed and parents return from work early to light candles, give out presents and attend family parties. The most valued ritual of the holiday for many is the serving of foods deep-fried in oil. Jelly-filled and plain donuts (sufganiyot) and latkes (potato pancakes for anyone born in Iowa) are represented at every meal for eight days and nights while cholesterol levels spike alarmingly. Hebrew language Weight Watcher groups enjoy burgeoning membership in the weeks following the Festival of Lights as (mostly) women strive to reconnect with their inner Bar Rafaeli. A 22 SDJewishJournal.com December 2017

The Jerusalem municipality distributes free Christmas trees to on designated days and while a few folk do take advantage of this generous offer, I think the line would be longer if they handed out knishes.

Baruch ata Adonai, Elohenu melech ha-olam asher kideshanu be-mitzvotav, ve-tzivanu le-hadlik ner shel Hanukah.

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Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 23 SW_CGARobotics_SDJJ_3.6x10.indd 1

6/9/17 3:51 PM

OUR EMOTIONAL FOOTPRINT by Saul Levine

EXAMINED LIFE slevine@ucsd.edu

All Artists are Tormented Souls: True or False?

“A

ll Artists are ‘Tortured Souls.’” So goes the common folk wisdom of yore, which still persists among many people. Is this a valid stereotype?

An imagined “Artistic Genius Hall of Fame” could include the likes of Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Liszt; Plath, Hemingway and Tolstoy; Warhol, Pollack and Van Gogh; Garland, Monroe and Holliday; Morrison, Cobain and Joplin.

All these were obviously creative icons who in addition to innate genius also had in common that they endured severe psychological distress over the course of their lives.

According to the “tortured soul” stereotype, this is no surprise: It posits that all painters, musicians, authors, actors, composers and other creative people by definition suffer from disorders of mood and melancholy, angst and anxiety.

They are said to have "artistic temperaments," meaning melodramatic lives, mood swings (sadness, ecstasy, anger), unpredictability and volatility, frequent interpersonal conflicts and substance abuse.

They have also been criticized (even vilified) for flouting social norms in their personal dress, language and behavior, and for their "bohemian" lifestyles and values.

Early researchers studied the ‘tortured soul’ idea "retrospectively," by examining the lives of famous artists who were known to have had emotional challenges. They concluded that these artists owed their talents to deep-seated conflicts within themselves and their families, and their “madness” either caused or enabled their artistic talents.

To better explore this provocative hypothesis, studies looked at large numbers of functioning creative artists. The results were largely inconclusive, but they did refute the notion that artists suffer from more mental disorders than the general population.

24 SDJewishJournal.com December 2017

While some artists do suffer from emotional disorders, the “tortured artist” hypothesis is no more valid than the notion of the “tortured physician” (or tortured politician, teacher, policeman, business person, journalist, gardener, or any other person).

There are wide variations in the personalities of artists, some with psychological disorders, some with behavioral difficulties, and many more without either. Artists are like people in all walks of life in that they don’t produce their finest works when they’re suffering from severe depression or anxiety, or when they have major interpersonal problems.

By the same token, when they do have psychological disorders or characterological defects, they should not be “given a pass.’”

Their talents should never give them license to exploit or hurt others, and they too have to be held accountable for their “crimes and misdemeanors.”

The vast majority of artists, whether famous or less talented, put themselves on the line each day in attempting to express inner perceptions and feelings through their art.

Artists demonstrate a disciplined and tenacious work ethic necessary to create their works. They show dedication and fortitude in the face of demands, criticism and scant financial support.

Artists are usually drawn to their calling early in their lives, spurred by family interests, exciting teachers or mentors and certainly by their own talents.

They are often sensitive to the ambient moods, sounds, people and events in their lives, and they resonate to these at a subconscious or deep emotional level.

When they sense the romance and joy, or conflicts and sadness in life, they are driven to translate these human experiences and perceptions through their works.

While some artists do suffer from emotional disorders, the “tortured artist” hypothesis is no more valid than the notion of the “tortured physician” (or tortured politician, teacher, policeman, business person, journalist, gardener, or any other person).

We non-artists are the beneficiaries of their creative talents, who might transport us from the mundane. We are uplifted by the magic of their paintings, sculpture and music, novels and poetry, their plays and other evocative arts. A

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Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 25

POST-POLITICAL by Rabbi Jacob Rupp

RELIGION rabbirupp@gmail.com

The Clash of Cultures

“H

ow can you measure success in spirituality?” I asked a recent guest on my podcast, Lift Your Legacy.

He replied that I was asking a question that was rooted in the Greek way of seeing the world.

It is ironic how the story of Chanukah, while widely celebrated and recognized as the “Jewish holiday” is misunderstood by most everyone, especially Jews.

It promotes a message that is highly controversial, and unbelievably important.

The epitome of the struggle wasn’t about religious freedom or military conflict. It was a war of worldview. Whose lens on reality was correct?

The Greek world is straight forward; linear, logical, measurable. External. That which we can perceive and measure exists.

That which we cannot either doesn’t or isn’t relevant.

The Jewish world is the opposite; real life, growth, and meaning can’t be measured in the physical world. Spirituality isn’t physical; G-d can’t be discussed within man’s understanding. Moral choices and the soul are real; many of the classic benchmarks of human achievement aren’t (ego, wealth, external appearance).

The Greek world saw the external. The Jewish world was about seeing beyond that which was revealed.

But somehow Chanukah became about latkes and presents, and Jewish bragging rights that we have eight nights of gift giving and our non-Jewish neighbors only have one.

What’s gone in our lives is that which was

26 SDJewishJournal.com December 2017

uniquely Jewish. Can we articulate our spiritual growth? Is it a value? Are we focusing on things that cannot be measured (our kindness, our spiritual development, our emotions, the quality of our relationships) or that which can (our bank account, our weight, our followers on Instagram)?

Do we feel spiritually illiterate, empty and bankrupt? Are we too numb to feel it?

As a coach, I am firmly focused on the practical. How can we measure success? But the truth is what we can measure should only be a jumping off point. Are we building our health and wealth to serve something greater than ourselves? What will our legacy be? Do our spiritual leaders speak well, look good, entertain us, or inspire us to make meaningful changes in our lives?

As we move towards an ever more external world, we have to keep in mind what Chanukah is all about. When the Jews won the military victory, there was a hint. When the oil burned for eight days, the hint became an explicit message. Seven is the number of nature. Seven colors in the rainbow, seven days of the week, seven continents, seven seas.

Eight is to go beyond. Eight is to exist in faith. To operate and build even when you can’t see the results, and aren’t capable of seeing the results in this world, but at the same time to recognize that our Jewish legacy is that those intangible and immeasurable results are our legacy to the world, and every bit as real...even MORE important and real that the external measurements that we can grasp.

So for me, and for anyone else who needs

It is ironic how the story of Chanukah, while widely celebrated and recognized as the “Jewish holiday” is misunderstood by most everyone, especially Jews. to hear the message, there is more to life.

There is spirituality, there is G-d, there is eight. And sometimes we can feel it, and experience it, and sometimes we can’t, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

As the rabbis teach us, Chanukah is the festival of light; The secret of the candle is that a little light can fill a room of darkness.

And the soul of man is the candle of G-d.

So no matter how much distraction is out there, and how the odds are stacked against us as a nation, and as people, and personally, how many challenges we have, we don’t need much to turn the tide in the other direction.

How bright is your candle? What can you do to make it brighter? And when your candle is lit, who else’s candle can you ignite? A

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Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 27

POLITICS

BY GIL SERY

E

very time I see a story on Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos' latest policy change or on anti-Semitism on college campuses, I thank G-d that I came of age in a time before this insanity became prevalent.

Secretary DeVos recently rescinded dozens of guidance documents regarding the rights of disabled students. I graduated high school in Johannesburg, South Africa in the 1990s, and even there and then, the provincial Department of Education had programs for disabled students. Think about that for a minute. This administration's education department is EVEN WORSE than that of a third world country in apartheid-era South Africa!

I know there were such programs because I made use of them. Looking at me you wouldn’t think I have a disability – I’m not in a wheelchair, and I have full control of my body – but I had what was termed a learning disability. The main accommodation I was afforded was extra time to complete my exams. There are probably some exams I likely wouldn’t have passed without it. If a “disabled” student like me needed help, I can’t imagine what the students who have physical disabilities are going through right now thanks to this real-life Dolores Umbridge!

And it’s not just disabled students who have it worse these days. Back in the mid90s, it was still safe for a Jewish student to attend a public, California state-run university. Back then it was still safe to participate in activities organized by the Jewish student club on campus without fear of

28 SDJewishJournal.com December 2017

being protested or even worse, getting attacked by a mob of anti-Israel zealots.

I was able to join my college’s Hillel chapter. We met every Friday night on campus for Shabbat prayers and even occasionally had Shabbat dinners in the main social hub of the campus. Not once did I ever fear for my life. Not once did I ever think twice about my safety because I was Jewish. Heck, I even wore a silver ring with a Star of David on it – something I wouldn’t even think of doing these days, especially on campus!

That was just over 20 years ago. Each generation should strive to make things better for the generations that follow, and comparing my experience to what’s happening today, it’s easy to get despondent about the way Jewish and disabled students are currently being treated on campuses nationwide. That’s the easy choice.

However, we literally have no time to despair.

If we’re going to make things better for our students – the next generation of Jews and our leaders of tomorrow – we have to start now. We have to start by fighting back against this administration’s educational policies. Write to your congressperson to tell them you won’t stand for this. (If you don’t know who that is, go to www.callmycongress.com to find out.) Remember the wise words of cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead, “Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.” A

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MUSIC

BEEKEEPER

Beekeeper: Staying True to The Traditions of Metal Music

BY BRIAN ROY

T

here is a long-standing history of Jewish musicians playing in heavy rock and metal bands. Well known mega bands like Kiss and Death have featured Jews, while Jewish musicians like David Lee Roth, Scott Ian of Anthrax, Miko Portnoy of Dream Theater and Geddy Lee of Rush are considered among the very best in rock and metal music.

But what is a little more unusual is when three Jewish kids from San Diego embrace their love for this music and create a thrash metal band that is already making waves locally and recently returned from a successful tour throughout California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Nevada.

The band, Beekeeper, comprises drummer Dylan Marks, guitarist and front woman Ally Levine and bassist Adam Wollach. They have been playing shows for a few years, but since the release of their highly acclaimed debut album, "Slaves to the Nothing," they have made significant strides forward. Beekeeper has been opening for more and more impressive touring acts at bigger and better music venues while they headlined several concerts on their recent tour.

“We are a local band with strong roots in the San Diego Jewish Community,” said Dylan Marks recently. “We were friends first and this band came out of a shared love of vintage metal music by bands like Slayer, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Sepultura. What started as a project soon turned into a serious examination of our musical roots and a serious exploration of where we want to take this music ourselves,” he said.

Their album, "Slaves To The Nothing" is a very immediate and intense examination of these roots. Using their old school influences as the starting point, the album is a modern update using personal preferences, stories and lyrics to guide their passion. The

30 SDJewishJournal.com December 2017

music is extremely complex, but with a sense of humor. The same can be said of the band.

“It’s quite unusual for a metal band to be fronted by a female vocalist and guitarist,” said Marks, “but Ally is an exceptional talent. Our approach has always been to innovate and expand our interpretation of both the music and the genre. It’s always about breaking barriers and moving forward.”

Though Marks and Wollach both play in several other bands, Beekeeper is a very special and personal experience for all of them.

Marks wrote all the music, most of the lyrics and produced the album, while Wollach, a sound engineer, engineered and mixed the recording but also designed the album cover.

Beekeeper is a labor of love shared by three special friends who truly grasp the harder side of music. A

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San Diego Symphony Orchestra As the heart of the holiday season approaches, musicians of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra will perform music with that special festive sparkle. Popular selections by Handel, Tchaikovsky, Mozart and more will make the concert hall resound with yuletide cheer!

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Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 31

HANUKKAH

Shopping

Hanukkah Insurance The Search for Candles

BY LEORAH GAVIDOR

“H

anukkah shopping” just doesn’t have the same ring to it as its Christmas counterpart. And I really don’t feel left out of the whole tradition—especially when friends and coworkers complain about finding gifts for every extended family member. But when I set out to buy Hanukkah candles for the first time since moving to San Diego in 1998, and my husband and I searched five stores to find them, I must admit I did feel a bit excluded.

The first place we looked, Ralphs in Hillcrest, had a holiday-themed display near the entrance, with poinsettia plants placed merrily on cascading shelves. I inquired of an employee if she knew where to find the Hanukkah candles, assuming I was just overlooking them.

“I don’t think we have any,” she said after a thoughtful pause. “Let me ask.”

We left empty-handed, on to the next place: Sprout’s on Park Boulevard.

Sprout’s, too, had a jolly good tower of Christmas fixings—hot chocolate with marshmallows, peppermint bark, and colorful candy canes. But no festive piles of potatoes for latkes (aside from the usual offerings in the back of the store), and certainly no Hanukkah candles.

The next day we found ourselves in La Jolla. I was fairly certain that the Jewish population in that part of town would demand that Ralphs, which has kosher catering, carry candles. Mistaken again.

Incidentally, we happened to stop at that Ralphs a couple years later to buy Hanukkah gelt to distribute to my coworkers. We combed the extensive holiday candy section for the yellow mesh bags filled with gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins. Again I thought I must be overlooking them. I should have learned. The gelt was far-removed from the Christmas stuff, stashed at the back, at the end of the “Ethnic Foods” aisle.

Back to the candles. Store number four was Bed, Bath and Beyond in Mission Valley. I called Mom in Los Angeles, a transplant from New York like me, for the recommendation. That’s where she had

32 SDJewishJournal.com December 2017

gotten hers for a few years running. At the San Diego location, however, every other type of candle was in stock but the Hanukkah variety.

Which brings us to Whole Foods in Hillcrest. We had another errand there, so I asked a stock clerk about Hanukkah candles.

“Oh yeah, when does that start?”

“In about three hours,” I chortled.

“Well, we have a bunch in the back with a note that says ‘put out for Hanukkah.’ I guess it’s time to put those out,” he laughed as he trotted off.

He came back several minutes later with one box of candles—Streit’s, my preferred brand. They were $2.99.

“I’ll take five boxes, please.”

“Hanukkah insurance,” I said to my husband.

The miracle lasted seven years—extended by an unexpected find of two boxes at Target.

Last year we opened the last box of Streit’s. We were only three candles in, on the morning of December 28, when my husband suffered a sudden brain hemorrhage. He spent two weeks in the hospital.

Luckily, he has since recovered. We missed lighting the menorah for the remainder of the holiday.

When we finally returned home together, the hanukkiah was still on the table.

The next day, when I brought chicken soup out to the table, I saw that my husband had cleaned off the two-week-old wax and added fresh candles.

“We have unfinished Hanukkah,” he smiled. “Hurry up, the sun is setting.”

I lit the three candles with the shamash and hummed the song.

After dinner my husband rested while I opened mail that had accumulated during his convalescence. Among the packages was a big cardboard box from Cost Plus that my mom had sent before my husband fell ill. Inside: three more years of Hanukkah insurance. A

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THEATER

Ben Vereen Award

We Are Here

The Reminiscences of a Young Actor

BY SKY FRANK

T

hese past several weeks have been a literal dream come true. It started off by entering the San Diego Ben Vereen Awards as a male nominee. We met Ben for the first time on May 26, my birthday! Gosh that man is just such a powerful, knowledgeable being, so down to earth. He sat down with us and gave us some very useful advice that I’ll keep in mind the rest of my life.

Ben spoke about a few ideals and mantras to keep in mind, one of them being, "if you are here, this is where the universe wants you to be, and if you are here then the universe is in line." How cool is that! I felt very connected with everything he was saying.

So, we were onstage, holding hands with all the new, amazingly talented friends we'd made. I was rapidly repeating my name in my head "Sky Frank, Sky Frank, Sky Frank." Our bodies were trembling with anticipation. One thing was going through all of our minds. Aside from the competition, we knew that in the week that we had spent together we created friendships and bonds. No matter who won, we would never forget the times we had spent with each other.

Then, out of nowhere, Ben called MY name. Sky Frank! My body was shot with adrenaline and my mind went blank. Everyone was clapping and screaming, confetti was raining down and all. And I hadn't even thought, yet, about the adventures that were still to come in New York.

Aside from the actual competition, rehearsal, and prep that went into ‘The Jimmy Awards,’ we had the chance to experience NYC. Some of us even for the first time. This was my second time in NYC, having been with my Nana Pam, my grandma, for my fifteenth birthday. New York is

34 SDJewishJournal.com December 2017

awesome, aside from the humidity. I love the food, love the vibe, and I love the energy on the streets.

Being recognized like this was something that some people only have dreams of doing. This program was so meaningful not just because of the stage time or recognition you receive for being a part of it. I believe programs like this are essential because of the knowledge that is being passed on to the future ring leaders of this industry.

By doing this, we are creating a path for young minds to lead. The people standing on that stage are the minds that will create the future of musical theatre.

Being on that Broadway stage was an absolute honor and I can hardly wait to get back there.

It was an incredible pleasure and such an amazing time working with choreographers Kiesha Lalama and Leo Lencicki, as well as

Director Van Kaplan, who I believe, were all responsible for awarding me with the "Rising Star Award.” I learned so much from these people and I could never thank them enough for the incredible experience with the Jimmy’s.

How did I get started in theatre? Well, I’ve always been a very theatrical and confident kind of kid. Always looking for attention. I have vague memories that are backed up by my mother’s word of me being in a production of “Peter Pan” as a very small child at my local Jewish community center.

However, my passion for acting was truly ignited in the 7th grade when I moved schools to SCPA. Thinking I was going to be in the jazz band, I eventually moved to the conclusion that musical theatre would be the best fit for me. My inspiration through high school was our MT teacher, Bill Doyle. Having no prior singing or acting coaching, I’d say Bill was responsible for teaching me almost everything I know. For some reason, all I wanted to do was make him proud, I just wanted to hear him say it. I love that man, he's like my second father.

My thoughts for after high school are to go to college for theatre or musical theatre, learn as much as I can, better my craft, and be a sponge, soak up whatever useful information I can, meet like-minded people and form relationships. In the long run, my plan is to do theatre, then move to film and television, and then at some point in my life, feel free to create and release my own original music, which is something I’ve also always felt very passionate about.

However, that'll come around in due time, I'll be sure to let you know!

Thank you - We are here. A

Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 35

Retrato de María Félix by Diego Rivera.

Photo courtesy SDMA

SDMA Photo courtesy SDMA

VISUAL ARTS

Niña tehuacana, Lucha María o Sol y luna by Frida Kahlo.

Modern Masters The Perez Simon Collection Returns

BY BRIE STIMSON

I

n an exhibition of nearly 300 works, the San Diego Museum of Art is presenting a selection of the Perez Simon collection, which is made up of approximately 3,000 works based principally in Mexico City.

Curator of Modern &Contemporary Art, Ariel Plotek, took me on a tour through the exhibit, which spans two expansive galleries and covers art from the 19th century through today.

“Modern Masters From Latin America: The Perez Simon Collection” is a sequel of sorts. The museum last presented works from Simon’s collection in 2011 with “El Greco to Dali: Great Spanish Masters from the Perez Simon Collection.” While the focus of that exhibition was European art, the museum is now returning to the Americas.

The museum’s director, Roxanna Velasquez Martinez del Campo, “was the director of the [Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes] in Mexico City before she came here,” Plotek said. “Twenty-five years ago she first exhibited paintings from [Simon’s] collection.”

Frida Kahlo and her one-time husband Diego Rivera are big name draws to the exhibit as well as Jose Clemente Orozco and

36 SDJewishJournal.com l December November 2017

David Alfaro Siquieros. Indeed, Rivera’s “Portrait of Maria Felix” has been on brochures and billboards across the city advertising the exhibition. The 1948 work complements two paintings found in the first section of the exhibit. “Village Near The Field,” 1919, and “Aqueduct,” 1918, are two long-term loans that have been at the museum for years, which show the European influence in Rivera’s work.

“You’re kind of getting Rivera before the Rivera,” Plokek told me. “We associate him with his political involvement for the period of the Mexican Revolution, but he had first traveled to Europe as a young man as an ambitious artist wanting to be in line with the most vast painting that was being done in France.” Plotek said there are cubist elements in “Aqueduct” and “Village Near The Field” looks very much like Renoir. “What would Rivera have looked like if it weren’t for the Mexican Revolution that calls him back to Mexico? [What if he] had remained in France painting alongside Picasso? He’s not yet painting the kind of imagery that we associate with those murals that make him world famous.”

Rivera’s “Portrait of Maria Felix,” painted 30 years after “Aq-

Photo courtesy SDMA

ueduct” shows his proclivity to accept commissions from wealthy patrons, and as Plotek told me, there was a bit of drama going on as well.

Maria Felix was a leading lady of Mexican cinema in the middle of the last century who was famous throughout the Spanish-speaking world.

“Here [she is] painted in her prime by Rivera who we’re told was madly in love with her,” Plotek explained. “But she does not seem to have appreciated his rendering of her ... She didn’t like the portrait. It wasn’t how she saw herself ... She has the sort of femme fatale vampiness, which was maybe taken to a degree that she wouldn’t have wished ... I think suffice it to say, Rivera was much more of an admirer or hers than she was of his.”

“Portrait of Maria Felix” was painted 10 years before Rivera’s death, but the style of work he is most famous for, murals that reflect his feelings about the Mexican Revolution, are found in the first section near his early European-style works.

Rivera started painting government-sponsored murals in the early 1920s, including “Sketch for the Mural of Life and Industry.”

Murals were used by the communist government at the time as propaganda tools and as a way to employ artists. “We can’t include the murals in the show so we have the sketches for them,” Plotek explained.

Besides Rivera’s works, there are also two Frida Kahlo paintings in the exhibit. “Survivor,” 1938, shows an anthropomorphic clay figure standing in a barren desert landscape. “‘Survivor’ is interesting, because it makes me think on the one hand of this object having survived because it’s a fragile ceramic figure, and at the same time there’s something kind of uncanny and a little bit surreal about this very barren landscape, and the figure, to me at least, feels very animated,” Plotek said. “There’s also the matter that the survival may be a matter of cultural survival, but it also has this feeling of this kind of post apocalyptic landscape.”

The exhibition is broken down into three broad subsections: Landscape, The Avant-Garde Explosion and Breaking Boundaries: Post-1960s Diversity &Dystopia.

The “Landscape” section deals with issues of national identity.

“The representation of the landscape serv[es] a kind of political or nationalist purpose when we think of the notion of manifest destiny and the westward move of colonial settlers and the image of this great expanse of virgin land that seems to be their birthright,” Plotek explained. Jose Maria Velasco’s “The Valley of Mexico From The Hill of Santa Isabel” and Gerardo Murillo (aka Dr. Atl) “Rainy Landscape" are included in this first section.

Off in a corner of the beginning of the second section is an educational space called “Frida &Me.” The space was designed by the Pompidou Centre in Paris, and includes interactive experiences to help children learn about the life and work of Frida Kahlo. The room includes drawing and audio stations and interactive educational screens.

Outside of “Frida &Me” is Kahlo’s second painting in the exhibition, “Girl From Tehuacan.” “The young figure holds in her hands a warplane ... the camouflage looks something like a vine,” Plotek said. “Before the accident that resulted in her being bedbound for many months when she begins to paint she had been undertaking her studies in biology and zoology, and so she has quite a knowledge of the plants and animals that she so often depicts.” Kahlo’s paintings are leaving several weeks before the exhibition closes on March

"Figure on Blue Backgorund" by Ricardo Martinez de Hoyos.

11, so it’s best to see it sooner than later.

The second section includes other avant-garde paintings like Alfredo Ramos Martinez’s “Portrait of Nahui Ollin” and one of the most unusual paintings in the exhibition, Juan O’Gorman’s “Project for the Monument to the Birth of Venus.” The painting was inspired by Ferdinand Cheval, a nineteenth century French mailman who built a structure he called his “ideal palace” in Hauterives, France, akin to the one in the painting. “[Cheval’s structure] has the look of sand castles that you make by wetting sand instead of dripping it, and it has this very biomorphic character, which is a little bit what O’Gorman is capturing here in his own design.”

In the third section there are several contemporary paintings, including Lucio Fontana’s “Spatial Concept, Expectations,” which blurs the line between painting and sculpture, Jesus Rafael Soto’s “Sienna and Ochre Below” and Ricardo Martinez de Hoyos’ “Figure on Blue Background.”

“Hoyos in this show was a revelation to me,” Plotek admitted.

“An artist that I did not know well prior to working on this project, and who I think ... really is one the most surprising and strongest of the artists that are featured in this last postmodern section.”

Perez Simon started collecting works in the 1970s, and “he tells the story of having seen a work by El Greco, which inspired him to start collecting art,” Plotek told me while sitting on a bench surrounded by Hoyos, Fernando Botero and Alfredo Castaneda. “It’s interesting to see how broad his taste is. Early on he was buying Victorian and pre-Raphaelite English paintings ... This is the first time the Latin American work is being shown as a group like this anywhere ... It’s really a museum worthy collection ... I can’t think of too many collections that are so wide in breadth.” A “Modern Masters From Latin America: The Perez Simon Collection” will be up through March 11, 2018.

Kislev• Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 37

New Village Arts

Photo By Izzy McGizzy

THEATER

It takes a community

New Village Arts Pulls Back The Curtain

BY JACQUELINE BULL

N

ew Village Arts Theatre is halfway through their season, but they have a great deal planned for the New Year.

Alex Goodman, managing director, and AJ Knox, Director of Connectivity, spoke to the journal about the philosophies of the theater and their new outreach programs and shows.

They have many different initiatives in play to serve different communities. They take their designation as a nonprofit seriously and are committed to having theater as a service to the community.

“We cast a pretty wide net. We try to address the needs of lots of different audiences whether that is about language in diversity, or needs, or ages, or the casting choices that we make. There is a lot of thought about how are we representing the community at large. And serving the community at large,” said Alex Goodman.

One of the programs starting up in 2018 38 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

is Teatro Nuevo Pueblo. “Nadia [Guevara] who is heading up a new program for us, Teatro Nuevo Pueblo, which is specifically to reach out to our bilinHispanic Heritage Month Kickoff Event, Melba Nova gual and Spanish-speaking community. We did a kickoff event for Hispanic heritage month,” said AJ Knox.

Their first play of the year, “Cloud Tec- – having the work really be for them - aftonics” has both a focus on Spanish speak- fects every choice they make. Another one ers and broad appeal. “‘Cloud Tectonics’ of “the plates they spin” is Monday Night does have a lot of Spanish language in it. It Live. “The success that we have with Monis about Latinx individuals and this play is day Night Live with our teaching artist Sam considered a contemporary classic world- Gin, we have really been able to engage wide. The bilingual initiative is more about these special needs students with improv in reaching out to our broader communities a way that has really impacted the lives of and trying to have a more inclusive audience these kids. There are some kids that have base, and "Cloud Tectonics" is one of those been nonverbal that are communicating in plays that will appeal to that without being different kinds of ways. Kids are really coming out of their shells,” said Alex. exclusively that,” said Alex.

And when their artistic director’s father Throughout our conversation, they used was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s, the word community so frequently, explainthat sparked an inspiration to reach aning that the idea of serving the community

Photo by Shaun Hagen Secret Garden, Sara Mahaffey, Jacob Farry and David S. Humphrey

other community.

“That is what got her thinking about what she might be able to do. In one of the meetings with the doctors, the doctor asked Kristy Ann what she does and she said theater. The doctor lit up and said you need to be doing improv work with people that are dealing with these issues because it has been proven that it is an effective tool of addressing the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and dementia and keeps the brain active in a way that is very, very positive.

We are excited to be launching that new program,” said Alex. They add that Kristy Ann has had numerous consultations with doctors and experts in the field to conduct the program properly and see this program as a “true piece of service.”

This idea of service is an idea they refer-

ence in talking about the theater. “I think in general when you think about being a nonprofit organization there is an expectation that we are providing a service ... We take that service part of things seriously,” said Alex.

“These are the programs that allow us to go in the community to make the community part of the art, part of the programming that is hugely important to us. We are nothing without our community – through their support as patrons, as donors, as art-lovers, as collaborators – everything that they do helps us thrive, helps us give back to the community. So that is very important to us,” said AJ. The community attitude extends into the cast and crew and all the way to Alex and AJ. “Our unofficial slogan is ‘It takes a village.’ We all chip in wherever we can. There is not a whole lot of us on staff here. And we all recognize that we need to come togeth-

er to make these things happen, and we’re all happy to do so. The thing that drew me to theater in the first place is that it takes a community to make it happen. Two, three, four heads are better than one, and a collaboration is integral to making theater happen,” said AJ. The idea of collaboration, service and community emanates from all corners of the theater and they hope to bring that to their audiences. “Every play that we are doing this season, every program that we are doing really revolves around that question of what are those things that bring us together as a community, overcome our differences?” said AJ. Alex added, “And whether that is music or work or adventure or love or neighborhood, in a time when things are a little more divisive than in the past, it is more important than ever to invite everyone to come together and enjoy some art.” A Kislev• Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 39

HANUKKAH

Gifts

THE GIFT OF HANUKKAH

BY RABBI BEN LEINOW, CONGREGATION B’NEI TIKVAH

I

t is Hanukkah time, a time for Jews to think of the events that took place around 162 BCE. The Holy Temple had been defiled. The Jews beat Antiochus IV Epipphanes in battle and gained the opportunity to ‘Redeem’ and ‘Rededicate’ our spiritual symbol. Unfortunately, eventually the Temple was destroyed.

During this past year, I have spoken to many people who feel defiled and frustrated.

The mood that exists could be the result of politics, finances, social events or the general community. There seems to be a sad uninspiring malaise drifting through the spirit of a majority of the population. It is my hope that your personal Temple will not be destroyed.

I would like to suggest that every human being can be a ‘Holy Temple’ and Jews should rededicate their personal holy Temple this time of the year. Just as we celebrate the Maccabean Jews regaining control over Jerusalem and rededicated the Holy Temple we should utilize the Hanukkah Holiday as a time to regain control over our lives. We need to renew the spiritual general goodness that is dormant within us.

In the Hanukkah story there was only enough oil for half an hour of light. The question was should the leaders decide to light the oil now or wait until more oil could be produced. They decided not to wait, but to light the lamp immediately. The result 40 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

was that there was more energy in the vessel than expected. At this moment in time a number of people believe they do not have the energy to redeem the lost goodness of their world. Rather than wait, now is the time for personal redemption! You have more personal strength than you may think.

As the Hanukkah Menorah has one ‘enlightening candle’ that brightens the additional eight candles, I am going to suggest that in addition to lighting the traditional Hanukkah candles that you follow a course of enlightening action and eight additional spiritual ways you can redeem and renew your lives.

The rededication will come from the personal events you introduce into your life, and then after Hanukkah you will have the spiritual renewal that will bring you back to the life you want to live. You, of course, can modify my suggestions into what will work for you, and you can substitute your actions for the ones I suggest.

The first action is the Shamus, the enlightener. The first candle is turning off your TV and disregarding general smart phone calls, computer and electronic communications for one night. Of course, medical needs and trauma should be taken care of. After the Shamus, when you can use your phone again, the first candle is to call a friend that you have not spoken to for at least one year.

Talk about each other’s lives and personal

events – do not talk politics. Hearing someone’s voice is an important connection. The next day, candle two, call a relative you have not spoken to for a long time. Next day, Candle three: read something for pleasure.

Read an article, part of a book – it can be an audiobook. Candle four: Take a scenic walk. It could be by the ocean and see the sunset or some other natural location – even the zoo or a large public park like Balboa Park. Candle five: Speak with someone you like, and tell them something you like about them, and you could ask that person to tell you something they like about you. Candle six: Write a letter that you could choose not to send to anyone. Candle seven: Write a letter to yourself that includes something you like about yourself. For the last candle, candle eight, write another note to yourself answering the questions “Who am I, and what do I want to do in the coming year?”

After you have gone through the lighting of the above candles, you may want to do something helpful for the community.

Many good organizations need your help.

Redemption does come to the giver of help. Your renewed brightened spirit can be shared with children, other families and friends.

Lighting these nine candles can be the redemption of your personal Temple and community Temples. I am interested to know how your personal Temple is doing. A

La Jolla Playhouse

THEATER

Will Power, playwright for La Jolla Playhouse’s world premiere of "Seize the King", directed by Playhouse Associate Artistic Director Jaime Castaneda.

A High Time at La Jolla Playhouse

BY PAT LAUNER

I

t’s a pretty heady time for the La Jolla Playhouse.

In June, artistic director Christopher Ashley won the Tony Award for his stunning direction of the heart-rending new musical, “Come From Away.”

And this season in New York, there will be at least five shows that were birthed at the Playhouse: “Come From Away,” “Escape to Margaritaville,” “Junk,” John Leguizamo’s “Latin History for Morons,” and the ever-popular “Jersey Boys,” which ran for 11 years on Broadway and is re-opening for a presumed extended run Off Broadway.

“And there may be more,” Ashley says, tantalizingly. “The list is not complete yet for the season.”

Chris admits that his phone has been ringing incessantly since his Tony win. (“I wish there were three or four more of me!” he quips). But the most surprising part of the aftermath, he says, is “something I did not expect. I walk around, and people just beam good will at me, wishing me well. That’s amazing.”

He’s getting myriad requests to read new

plays and direct them elsewhere, but his first priority is “always for production at the Playhouse. I love all our staff. Our production staff can do anything. And I love the audience. They’re smart, adventurous and anxious to watch the development of new work. They have incredible pride about the work that comes out of San Diego.”

Chris has been struck by the vitality of the local theater community. And impressed with the vibrancy of local theater educational opportunities, citing SDSU, UCSD, USD, and City College, among others.

“There’s real energy and talent here,” he says, “producing generations of great theater-makers who stay here to make their mark.”

He makes a genuine effort to tap that local talent for Playhouse productions.

“One of the first things we talk about when we look at a play is we look at the acting pool here, which is very strong.”

He also acknowledges the need to spread the word about how strong the theater community is in San Diego. We’re one of the top theater centers in the country, sending more

shows to Broadway than most other cities nationwide. People in New York know about the potency of San Diego theater, but many locals do not.

Still, certain challenges persist. As at most theaters, the audience at the Playhouse remains “largely well-educated and largely, but not wholly, white.”

WoW! This past fall’s third incarnation of the Playhouse’s successful, biennial WoW Festival (Without Walls) was staged at various locations downtown, rather than on the UCSD campus, as the 2013 and 2015 Festivals were.

“The audience this year was really young and really diverse,” Chris reports. “And it wasn’t the hard-core theatergoing audience.

These were folks who wouldn’t go to a play, but would go to an event.”

The site-specific presentations, or events, took place in Horton Plaza, at the arts and culture venue Bread and Salt, at the New Children’s Museum and at the Central Library, among other locales.

“I was really excited to take it downtown,” Kislev• Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 41

Martyna Majok, playwright for La Jolla Playhouse’s west coast premiere of queens.

says Chris. “This Festival has become a center of contemporary performance, site-specific and immersive.”

Immersive theater is participatory theater, in which audience members give up their ‘observer’ status to become active participants in the storytelling process. Some immersive theater involves just one audience member at a time.

“There’s a surge of interest in immersive theater now,” says Chris. “This is a huge growth area. Audiences love it, and it connects to young people, social media and a kind of impulsive community building. For us, it builds a whole new audience, cultivating a young audience, as every theater must.

There’s no question that the WoW Festival brings in our youngest and most diverse audience.”

The WoW Festival also attracts increasing numbers of national and international artists.

Many of them, says Chris, requested an urban location.

“I want to re-discuss the whole 'central-ness' in future festivals. One of my hopes is that WoW sows the seeds for a more citywide Festival.”

Meanwhile, he’s putting the final touches on the 2017/2018 production list, which continues the Playhouse history of presenting world premieres: 85 to date. This will be the fifth Playhouse season composed entirely of new work.

“I’m very proud of that,” Chris says. “This is an exciting slate of emerging writers – two men and two women, including two artists of color. There are strong female characters. It’s a broad tapestry, with different kinds of stories, populations and writing impulses. Real diversity, in the best sense of the word.

“New work is very exciting to me, the thought of helping an artist find a voice and an audience, and take flight. Of course, we will do revivals again in the future. But this new work is exciting in how it reflects diversity and ambition, and a range of styles and stories.

“Last year, we had “At the Old Place,” a quiet, personal character study. And “Kill Local,” which appealed to the “Game of Thrones” and “Kill Bill” crowd; and “Wild Goose Dreams,” which was political. This season will be equally wide-ranging.”

Coming Up at the Playhouse The highly anticipated “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical” (which closes on Decem42 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

ber 17), is, according to Chris, “completely wild. That disco moment represented a time of great release, movement and sexuality.”

The season continues with two more new musicals and four new plays.

First, there’s “The Cake,” (Feb. 6-March 4), by Becca Brunstetter, whose “Be a Good Little Widow” was presented at the Old Globe in 2013. This new play will be produced at four major theaters over a six-month period; it’s timely and topical. “'Cake' was inspired by a real case that’s headed to the Supreme Court,” explains Chris. “Set in North Carolina, it focuses on a baker, a woman of faith, who’s celebrating an amazing career moment. Then, her dearest friend’s daughter announces that she’s coming home to get married – to a woman.

Of course, she wants the baker to make her cake. The play is an exploration of the baker’s struggle to balance her faith, her personal feelings and her business.

“As artistic director, I’m looking for a sense of political balance,” Chris adds, by way of explanation. “So many plays are written from the point of view of Democrats and those further Left. So few really invest in the mindset, the psychology, of the Right wing. This play takes it seriously and doesn’t condescend.

That’s the kind of impulse I want to support.

“I’m not interested in Us/Them, black-orwhite perspectives. I’m interested in exploring where the fault line is, and what it would take to bridge the gap, the divide, in our country.”

The next offering is “The Squirrels,” a world premiere by Rob Askins, whose wildly irreverent “Hand to God” played at the San Diego Repertory Theatre this past fall. Ashley will direct.

“It’s about a community of squirrels as winter approaches. The Grey Squirrels have most of the nuts; the Fox Squirrels are hungry outcasts. The outsider ultimately takes over the community. Every character is a squirrel.

It’s really funny and very demented.”

When asked what the costuming for a play like that might be, he cryptically and humor-

ously responds, “Let’s just say it’s a whole exploration of squirrel-ness.”

Another politically-leaning premiere is “Seize the King,” by Will Power, the son and grandson of civil rights activists, who is an actor, rapper and composer, in addition to being a playwright. In 2008, the Playhouse presented “Seven,” his modernized musical version of the Greek tragedy “Seven Against Thebes.” His new work, says Chris, is “a rewrite of Shakespeare’s ‘Richard III.’ It’s very contemporary, and its impact is very, very political, without naming Trump. The audience makes the leaps.” Playhouse Associate Artistic Director Jaime Castañeda will direct.

Next summer will see the West coast premiere of “Queens” by Martyna Majok, whose searing/funny immigrant story, “Ironbound,” was produced earlier this year by Moxie Theatre.

“Her work is really exploding onto the theater scene now,” says Chris. “Both the Playhouse and Lincoln Center will present this world premiere, which has an all-female cast.

A young immigrant woman in a rundown tenement in Queens, New York, meets her new landlord, who was in the same position 16 years earlier. The play explores their relationship, and the amazing women who have given birth to events in the building, past and present. The writing style is really bold, and it beautifully personalizes the economics of class and paying tribute to the women who came before.”

The next world premiere is “The World to Come,” by Lindsey Ferrentino, “a major writer coming into her own. This play is about a family that gets together every New Year’s Eve. It spans the years 2001-2017, going backward, examining the problems and relationships in the present, and how those developed over time. You might recognize some of the fractures and affections in your own family. The play finds the personal as a mirror to society, in a turbulent, beautifully written, unexpected way.”

The two new musicals for 2018 hadn’t been announced at press time, but Ashley will direct one of them.

His five-year plan? “To build new work into the DNA of the La Jolla Playhouse, to remain on the leading edge of new work in America.” A Information on the season and tickets for La Jolla Playhouse productions are available at 858550-1010 or lajollaplayhouse.org.

Kislev• Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 43

THEATER

PERFORMANCES

A 2018 Performing Arts Preview

BY JACQUELINE BULL

La Jolla Music Society

Cygnet Theatre “The Last Wife” is a “contemporary re-imagining” of the relationship between Henry VIII and his last wife. His wife, Katherine Parr finds herself in battle with the most dangerous man in England. The show deals with sexual politics, women’s rights and fighting for autonomy.

The drama runs from Jan. 17-Feb. 11.

What does a sophisticated lady do when her lovers and their wives show up for a weekend in the country? “A Little Night Music” follows the tangled threads with style and humor. “A Little Night Music” plays from March 7-April 22.

The self-appointed best emcee in town is taken by surprise when his mentees challenge him in “The Wind and the Breeze.” The play runs May 16-June 10 and deals with the idea of place, the expectations of friendship and reckoning with change.

44 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

“Paul Taylor Dance Company” will perform Jan. 20 at 8 p.m. This dance company is considered one of the best in the U.S and the world. They are characterized by high energy, powerful movements and emotional musicality.

The “Rolston String Quartet” will play on Jan. 21 at 3 p.m. As part society’s discovery program, this string quartet features classical works and a contemporary Canadian composer, Sophia di Castri.

Pianist “Daniela Liebman” will tickle the ivories on April 8 at 3p.m. The 15-year-old is an award-winning Mexican musician. Her La Jolla Music society debut will have a program of Beethoven, Chopin, Schubert and Prokofiev.

The “Mark Morris Dance Group: Pepperland” will perform on May 12 at 8 p.m. This show is a tribute to the 50th anniversary of The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Enjoy live chamber music and a colorful performance.

San Diego Rep Experience the music and life of the beloved and prolific songwriter Irving Berlin in “Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin. ” His work includes “There’s No Business Like Show Business” and “White Christmas.” Enjoy the whirlwind on piano until Jan. 7.

“Vietgone” recounts a family’s true history of fleeing Vietnam with ninjas, motorcycles, sex, profanities and lots of love and laughs. The play details this love story with a vibrant comic book and pop culture sensibility. The show plays from Jan. 25-Feb. 18.

As a citizen of Beachtown, you and your neighbors are invited to participate in deciding what will go inside the town’s Time Capsule to best represent the beautiful town. “Beachtown” is an interactive and immersive play that wants the audience to experience democracy in action. No two shows are alike. “Beachtown” runs Mar. 22-Apr. 15.

“Nathan Gunn Flying Solo” features a true story of one of America’s great baritone voices. He sings selections from classic American musicals, a little opera and some contemporary songs as well. Nathan Gunn will be performing from May 23- June 10.

North Coast Rep North Coast Repertory Theatre’s season starts in January and they have a full season for audiences to look forward to in 2018.

They start with “Around the World in Eighty Days” Jan. 10-Feb. 4. This funny and highspeed adventure circles the globe in the original “Great Race.”

“This Random World” is a show that follows intersecting lives. This play investigates the “serendipity of life” Feb. 21-Mar. 18.

Follow three very different British marriages in a modern comedy. “How the Other Half Loves” depicts these couples with clever dialogue and wit. The show will be on Apr. 11-May 6.

“The Father” displays 80-year-old André who is still wearing his pajamas and can’t find his watch. The show sees André wonder if he is still in control. The play runs from May 30-June 24.

“A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum” is a seriously funny musical comedy by Sondheim. The musical is fun, upbeat and with classic Sondheim songwriting.

“Forum” arrives this summer and plays July 11-Aug. 12.

Kislev• Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 45

San Diego Musical Theatre San Diego Musical Theatre kicks off 2018 with the smash hit “The Full Monty.”

The musical will light up the Horton Grand Theatre from Jan. 26-Feb. 25. “The Full Monty” was the inaugural production of SDMT and follows steelworkers coming up with a wild idea to make some quick cash.

“South Pacific” enters the world of WWII and the tension between intercultural love stories and duty and prejudice. The show is based on the anecdotes of a real U.S. Navy commander who was stationed on the island. “South Pacific” runs from April 27-May 27.

Aug. 3-Sept. 2, SDMT is presenting their take on the beloved and classic “Hairspray.” “Hairspray” brings color and life to the ‘60’s with bubbly music, while grappling with the serious themes of racism and belonging.

“Young Frankenstein” hits this coming fall with the musical based on the cult classic film. The strange and silly comedy runs from Sept. 28-Oct. 28. Watch young doctor Frankenstein travel to Transylvania to try to bring a corpse to life.

Moxie Theatre “BLISS (or Emily Post is Dead!)” follows a family in 1960 New Jersey reckoning with whether to stick to etiquette or rebel. The play performs Jan. 28-Feb. 25.

Three generations of women in the “Dirty War” in Argentina 1979 are searching for their missing loved ones in the show “The Madres.” The play is based on the true story “Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo.” The show will be playing at the Moxie Theatre May 13-June 10.

46 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

1,200

WE THANK AN D HO NO R THE O V ER

INDIVIDUAL S A ND FA M I LI ES who have contributed to an endowment campaign or plan to leave legacy gifts to J E W I S H O R G A N I Z AT I O N S

T H RO U G H T H E

PROGRAM.

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*Of Blessed Memory

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Manny & Shirley Ravet* Henry & Barbara Reed* Rocky & Debra Reid Allan & Pearl Reiter* Dr. Stephen & Bobbe Reitman Tabitha Reitman* Rabbi Yudell & Leeba Reiz Andrew Resnick & Liz Levine Jeffrey & Vivien Ressler Vivian J. Rich Joshua Richman Lois Richmond Gloria & Dave Rickerd Art & Jeannie Rivkin Cantor Kathy Robbins Leonard* & Constance Robin Jeremiah & Cassidy Robins Elena Romanowsky Barbara Rose David & Arlene Rose Howard & Laura Roselinsky Charles & Elizabeth* Rosen Judy Rosen

Many of these donors have planned Shearn* & Linda Platt Eli & Anita Plaxe Betsy Polacheck Lorne & Cynthia* Polger Raulf & Sharon Polichar Kenneth & Lori Polin Lawrence & Janet Pollack Rabbi Nathanial & Shirley Pollack* Sarah Pollack Eli J. Posinoff* Howard Potash Hughes & Sheila Potiker* Seth & Susan Pransky Irv Pregozen* Cheryl Rattner Price Robert & Allison Price Morton & Jana Printz Rabbis Deborah Prinz & Mark Hurvitz Seymour Rabin* Michael & Naomi Rabkin Robert Radlow* & Janet Esser Ernest & Evelyn Rady Douglas Rafner & Sandy Siperstein Rafner Barry Raskin & Dr. Linda Olafson Ruth Raskin* Abraham & Anne Ratner* Andrew Ratner & Marcie Sinclair Sandford* & Laurayne Ratner

Bernice Rosenberg Donald & Stacy Rosenberg Frieda Rosenberg Ruben & Fanny Rosental Adam & Jami Rosenthal Ellin & Alan Rosenthal Emily Rosenthal Judy & Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal Ephron Rosenzweig Hannah L. Roskin* Jeff & Shelley Ross Allison Rossett Ivan & Janet Rostovsky Anna Rottenberg* Gary Rotto Bill & Sheryl Rowling Dr. Norman & Barbara Rozansky Zev & Edith Rozenberg Howard & Judith Rubenstein Robert Rubenstein & Marie Raftery Andrew & Lisa Rubin Norman & Toby Rubin* Robin Rubin John Ruden* Steve & Holly Ruderman Alan & Dana Rusonik Nina Madden Sabban Jeremy Sable & Karen Gross

Thomas & Helen Sabo Dr. Bruce & Sheri Sachs Ray & Marcia Sachs Anthony & Ellen Sacks Dr. Peter & Arlene Sacks Devora Safran & Ron Eisenberg Alfred & Teresa Salganick Cecile Salomon* Brett & Nicole Saloner Todd Salovey & Diane Boomer Harriet Salter Eriberto & Stella Salzmann Ed & Rae Samiljan Sanders Family Trust Maurice Sasson Irwin & Gloria Scarf Howard & Diane Schachat Sanford & Marjorie Schane Ruth Schank* Harriet Schapiro* Sheldon* & Lillian Scharlin Mark Schauder Stephen & Linda Schechner Marilyn Scheininger Lynn Schenk & C. Hugh Friedman* Shari & Frederick Schenk Amy & Bret Scher Colin & Jane Scher George & Mary Ann Scher Arthur & Evalyn Schiff* Rose Schiff* Irving* & Gloria Schiffman Robert Schimmelfennig* Arlene Schloss Craig & Julia Schloss Shawn Schlossberg Peter Schmidt Beverly Schmier Ben & Brenda Schneider Margerie Schneider* Elliot & Eileen Schubert Benjamin Schulman Jose & Joanna Schulmann Paul & Joan Schultz Laura Schumacher

Harry* & Leatrice Segel Colin Seid Sonya Seiderman* Charlene Seidle Len & Fran Sekela Sydney & Denise Selati Neil Senturia Rick* & Sydney Serwin Harold* & Shirley Shapiro Melvin Shapiro Philip Shapiro Shirley Shapiro* The Shapiro Family Leah Shapov* Dr. Jacob & Liz Sharp Bette Shatoff Mark & Diana Shatz Hillel & Judy Shear Gary & Jean Shekhter Albert & Marilyn Shelden Tony & Shari Shelton Abe & Belle Sherman* Lawrence & Barbara Sherman Mark & Renee Sherman Blanche Shiller* Robert & Mao Shillman Susan Shmalo

WHAT WILL

YOUR LEGACY BE?

Stephen & Denise Shoemaker Martin & Roberta Shoman Dr. Sydney & Jane Shore Yaakov & Devorah Shore Morris Showell* David & Reina Shteremberg Norman & Anneliesse Shulman* Lee & Fern Siegel Robert Siegel & Roslyn Goldstein Mitchell & Elizabeth Siegler

gifts to multiple organizations.

Joseph Schuman Jack & Sherron Schuster Darren & Dara Schwartz Hyman Schwartz* Janet Sybil Schwartz* Rachel Schwartz* Richard & Jacquelyn Schwartz Robert & Judi Schwartz Sigmond Schwartz* Yearl & Rachel Schwartz* Suzanne Schwartzman Daniel Schwimmer & Lee Fowler Schwimmer Edward & Melynnique Seabrook May L. Sebel Myron* & Cynthia Seeberg

Robert & Debra Skomer Donald & Gayle Slate Phil* & Ruth Slonim Lance & Lynne Small Mildred Small Marilyn & Stanley Smiedt Bonnie Lee Smith Norman & Jill Smith Alex & Evelyn Smotkin* David & Miriam Smotrich Phil & Sheryl Snyder Henry Soille* Elyse Sollender Elene Solomon* Herbert Solomon & Elaine Galinson Howard & Debra Solomon Steven & Esther Solomon Florence Somerman* Howard & Jean Somers Soontup* Family Trust Martin Spar Alan & Nancy Spector Sidney* & Penny Spector Lee & Bobbie Sperling Sherman & Harriet* Sperling Dr. William & Barbara Sperling The Spiegel Family

Jeffrey Silberman & Karen Foster Silberman Russell Silberstein Beverly & Howard Silldorf Patricia Silver Raphael & Kitty Silverman Edward & Zella Silverstein Irwin* & Shirley Silverstein Douglas Simon Leslee Simon Ronald & Anne Simon Dr. Richard & Judith Simons Rabbi David Singer & Danielle Rugoff Neal Singer & Debbie Broida Jerold & Phyllis Siperstein Steven & Anna Siperstein Arnold* & Lucille Sirk

Lilla Spielman* Edward & Victoria Spilkin Mark & Jill Spitzer Faith Stagg Steiman Family Trust Yehudah Leib & Chane Steiman Rabbi Jonathan & Susan Stein Murray & Orah Stein Nate & Lisa Stein Jan Steinert & Richard Bosse Steppat Family Trust Amy & Michael Stern Bill Stern* Greta Stern* Harold Stern* Judy Spaner Stern Marty Stern & Marcia Kern Michael Stern Mickey Stern* Richard E. Stern* Ruth Stern Dorrit Still* David & Jodi Stone Evan* & Jill Stone Rod & Gloria Stone Ryan & Ashley Stone Matthew & Iris Strauss Joseph & Ellen Strum* Max Sturman* Beni & Jackie Surpin

WAYS TO WORK WITH THE FOUNDATION:

WAYS TO LEAVE A LEGACY:

• Confidential conversations to create your legacy plan

• Bequest in will or trust

• Charitable remainder trust

• Coordination with your professional advisors

• Appreciated assets

• Charitable gift annuity

• Documented plan that can be revised at no cost

• Life insurance policy

• Real estate

• Opportunities for tax advantages

• IRA or pension plan

• Call us for other options Page 7

Dr. Tom & Lisa Sweet Michael & Deena Swidler Charles* & Carol Swimmer Michael & Anita Szawielenko Isaac & Anita Szmuilowicz Mel & Bonnie Tabak Charles & Paula Tannen* S. Mark Taper Foundation Rae Tauber* Jeanne Tayler Robert & Mary-Stuart Taylor* Martin & Angelica Teal David & Joan* Tedlow Roman & Nataliya Telerman Sydell Templin* Joshua Lane Tennenbaum Gertrude Thaler* Jack & Frances Thorpe Nessim & Sarah* Tiano Rabbi Yossi & Rochi Tiefenbrun Stanley & Janet Tiger Robert* & Celia Tingley Tradonsky Family Eva Trieger Robert & Nancy Tuggle Jerry & Carole Turk Jan Tuttleman* Richard & Susan Ulevitch Simon & Laura Vainer Rick & Nancie Vann Kim Varey & Dan Shapiro Louis & Tamora Vener Rick & Yvonne Venger Lainy Vinikow Lawrence Vinikow Alan & Caryn Viterbi Alexandra Viterbi Andrew & Erna* Viterbi Audrey Viterbi Smargon Danielle Viterbi Samantha Viterbi Valerie Viterbi Morton Vogelson*

Bennett & Diane Voit Steve & Gerry Voit Babs Walden* Clive Walden Michael & Maureen Wallace* Peggy Ann Wallace Dr. Jeffrey & Barbara Wasserstrom Charles & Randi Wax David & Sharon Wax Stephen Wax* & Laurie Price Kevin & Jamie Wechter James & Ellen Weil John & Cathy Weil Daniel & Sheila Weinberg Harry & Jeanette Weinberg* Sidney M. Weinberg* Rabbi Simcha & Betty Weiser Dr. Robert & Vicki Weisgrau Shana Weisman Herbert Weiss Stephen & Joy Weiss Dr. Stuart & Tisch Weiss Dr. Gary & Nancy Weissberg Jule & Esther Weissbuch* Idelle Weissenberg* Harry & Jo Ann Weissman Clara Weitz* Fred & Arlene Weitzen Lawrence & Mary Weitzen Steven & Ava Weitzen Matthew & Sharon Weitzman Carlos & Fanny Wellman Gerald & Esther Wellman Howard & Dianne Wertheim David & Marty* Wertlieb Eric & Irene Wetsman Alan Wexler* Sydney & Cynthia Wexler Dr. Gidon & Marilyn Williams Teri Wilner Elaine & David Wilson Joseph & Louise Winicki* Martin & Olivia Winkler

Mort Winski* Rachel Winsten* Stanley* & Dorothy Winter George Wise Edith Wiseman* Stephen & Deborah Wismar Rabbi Jeffrey & Shoshie Wohlgelernter Allan & Rochelle* Wolf William & Irma* Wolf Lt Col (ret) Hubert & Geraldine Wolff* Dr. Donald & Marcia Wolochow Gertrude Womark* Linda Woodbury* Gary & Illana Woods Bertram & Jacqueline Woolf Dr. Philip & Miriam Wrotslavsky Allen & Melinda Wynar Yosi Yedid Ann Youngwood* Henry & Helen Zaguli* Dr. Marvin & Judith Zaguli Joan Zak Leonard & Ruth Zanville* Jane Zeer Robert & Karen Zeiger Charles & Leah Zibbell* Manuel Zichlin Lillian Zilbercweig* Alan Zimmelman Brian & Celena Zimmerman Charles* & Eleanor Zion Jeanne Zlotnick Leonard & Lois Zlotoff* Josef Zoldan Gregory & Francine Zweibel Anonymous (94) *Of Blessed Memory

NOT ON THE LIST? Contact the Foundation or your favorite Jewish organization to be on this list next year: info@jcfsandiego.org / 858.279.2740

These names were submitted to the Jewish Community Foundation by 11/15/17. If we have inadvertently omitted your name or if your name is not shown correctly, please contact us at 858.279.2740 or info@jcfsandiego.org.

THANK YOU! We acknowledge and appreciate all of our legacy donors.

THE FOLLOWING 71 JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS

are included in the legacy plans of donors to receive contributions in the future.

American Friends of SHALVA American Israel Education Foundation American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee American Jewish World Service American Red Magen David of Israel American Society for Technion Anti-Defamation League Ben-Gurion University Beth Jacob Congregation B’nai Brith Beber Camp Camp Mountain Chai Center for Jewish Culture Centro Primo Levi Chabad Hebrew Academy of San Diego Chabad Lubavitch of Larchmont, NY Chabad of Rancho Santa Fe Chabad of University City Congregation Adat Yeshurun Congregation Beth Am Congregation Beth El Congregation Beth Israel Congregation Dor Hadash Cottage of Israel Elijah Minyan Forward Association Friends of the Israel Defense Forces

Friends of Yad Sarah Hadassah Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society Hebrew University Hillel of San Diego Israel Air Force Center Foundation Israel Tennis Centers Foundation Jewish Community Foundation Jewish Family Service Jewish Federation of San Diego County Jewish Gift Closet - San Diego G’mach Jewish National Fund Jewish Theological Seminary Jewish War Veterans of the USA Lawrence Family JCC, Jacobs Family Campus Los Angeles Jewish Home Mazon Ner Tamid Synagogue New Israel Fund Ohr Shalom Synagogue ORT America PARDES P.E.F. Israel Endowment Funds Ramapo for Children Reconstructionist Rabbinical College

Religious Action Center of the URJ River Garden Hebrew Home San Diego Jewish Academy Schechter Institutes, Inc. Seacrest Village Retirement Communities Sh’ma Institute Simon Wiesenthal Center Soille Hebrew Day School Tel Aviv University Temple Adat Shalom Temple Emanu-El Temple Solel Tifereth Israel Synagogue U.S. Committee Sports for Israel/Maccabi U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Washington, DC Union for Reform Judaism Camps United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism University Jewish Studies Programs US/Israel Woman to Woman Weizmann Institute of Science Currently participating in the Jewish Community Foundation’s Endowment Leadership Institute in San Diego to build Jewish legacies

Holocaust survivor marathon

FEATURE

Changing the Lives of Holocaust Survivors One Step at a Time How JFS, The Blue Card and a Woman Named Justine Goldberg Are Doing Their Part

T

hough generations apart, the lives of Justine Goldberg and S.T., a Holocaust survivor, intersect at a time of true altruism and solidarity. Justine was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and at the age of seven, immigrated to San Diego, California with her family. She was raised in a traditional Jewish household where her parents instilled in her core values of family unity and a strong sense of identity with the state of Israel and the Jewish people.

Over the years, Justine has traveled numerous times to Israel, her most notable trip taking place in 2005 when she embarked on the March of the Living – a week-long trip to Poland visiting the Auschwitz and Madanek concentration camps. Walking in the footsteps of those who perished in the infamous concentration and death camps forever transformed her life. The day she visited Auschwitz is a day she will never forget. At Auschwitz, Justine was faced with the haunting image of the unfathomable stories of survivors like S.T. Upon returning from her incredibly profound trip, Justine felt a deep sense of responsibility to make a difference in the lives of Holocaust survivors. Justine understood that life after Auschwitz would mean a new set of hardships as survivors were forced to navigate life following an incredibly crippling

and inexplicable time of torment. At minimum, Justine set out to ensure that Survivors without any family or loved ones would be comforted by a sense of belonging and care where their lives were otherwise lacking.

Fortunately, Justine managed to couple her love of marathon running with her mission to provide assistance to Holocaust survivors.

A few years ago, at the New York City Marathon, Justine had the privilege of meeting a number of Holocaust survivors and learned of The Blue Card’s affiliation as one of the official charities of the event. The Blue Card has been an instrumental force in providing resources to Holocaust survivors and therefore a natural choice for Justine in her efforts to give back to the community. Recognizing her position as a privileged and observant Jewish woman, Justine is adamant about finding time in her busy schedule as a resident physician to train for marathons, running proudly with The Blue Card and continuing to raise funds for Holocaust survivors like S.T. The growing needs of S.T. has propelled Jewish Family Service to advocate for her receipt of maximum hours of assistance from the Conference of Material Claims Against Germany (the Claims Conference) and from In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) of San Diego County, a county program available

to the lowest income residents. If S.T. has any chance of remaining in her home, she will need the advocacy of Jewish women like Justine to secure ongoing care. S.T., and the countless other Holocaust Survivors, deserve to live out their lives in peace and find comfort in knowing that we, as a community, are uniting to bridge the gap and leave a lasting impression of what it means to be part the Jewish community.

You can support the cause by making a tax-deductible donation to the ongoing efforts of The Blue Card and Jewish women like Justine who have undertaken a responsibility to provide for those that have suffered for our freedom. Any contributions, no matter the size, are truly and sincerely appreciated. 100 percent of the donations will go toward meeting the needs of elderly survivors who depend on The Blue Card for their most fundamental necessities of food, shelter and adequate healthcare.

Despite the horrors of the Holocaust, because of heroes like S.T., Am Israel Chi – The Jewish Nation Lives. A To donate go to crowdrise.com/the-blue-cardnyc2017/fundraiser/justinegoldberg.

Kislev• Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 55

Jewish Family Service and Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center are teaming up to offer exclusive tickets to HAMILTON on Saturday, January 13 at the San Diego Civic Theater! All tickets include orchestra seating, with a dessert reception and cast meet-and-greet after the show. Support your two favorite organizations—all proceeds will be shared equally to support the vital community programs of both.

Saturday, January 13, 2018 San Diego Civic Theater

Chairs: Liz Nederlander Coden & Daniel Coden, M.D.

Looking for the perfect holiday gift for someone special?

DON’T MISS YOUR SHOT to see the hit musical HAMILTON and support your two favorite organizations at the same time!

This opportunity will go fast!

Reserve your tickets at www.yourshotinjanuary.org or call Dana Levin at (858) 637-3013 to purchase tickets over the phone.

Packages include incredible benefits like: • Ultra-premium front-orchestra tickets • Exclusive VIP dinner as the US Grant hotel prior to the show • Q&A with a Cast Member at the dinner • Post-show Dessert Reception with Cast Meet-and-Greet • Valet parking at the US Grant Hotel • Majority of ticket price is a tax deductible donation • Access to win backstage passes + tour after the show!

Do you need Hamilton tickets? We have them!

Questions?

Dana Levin: (858) 637-3013 | danal@jfssd.org Paige Pick: (858) 362-1355 | paigep@lfjcc.org

56 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

Jacob Soble

DANCE

Love2dance

A Jewish teen finds his philanthropy through movement

BY JACQUELINE BULL

J

acob Soble is a Jewish 17-year-old who let his love of dance and helping others blossom into something special. He runs a nonprofit Love2dance and teaches dance to underprivileged elementary students in San Diego.

Jacob comments on how he started getting involved. “I didn’t really say that I want to teach. I just started to choreograph once I was 15. And that just led me to teaching because I was like ‘I want to choreograph not only myself, but other dancers.’ Then I just started to apply for jobs and then built my way up from there. I teach weekly at OhLaLa Dance Academy and Metro Dance. And I also teach over at Culture Shock and do a bunch of master classes at Pacific Motion Dance Center. Basically a bunch of studios around San Diego.”

He has been dancing since he was six years old and started competing at 13. He explains that he soon realized not everyone has had the same opportunities as him.

“A lot of times at school I would talk to other kids and I would be like ‘you should come take a class with me’ and they would say ‘oh I can’t afford that.’ I had heard of

people not going on vacations or stuff like that, but back then it was when I started dance that wasn’t really in my reality. That kind of impacted me from the start. I also knew there were no studios in Lakeside or in La Mesa - there is no dance over there.

Over here in Del Mar and Sorrento Valley area, there are so many dance studios here… but I know that down in La Mesa and the rural areas, they don’t have any opportunities to be introduced to dance. It is like not even heard of. It’s not considered a hobby or sport. I wanted to bring it into the school.”

Jacob wanted to bring dance classes to those that couldn’t afford it or have access to dance studios, so he created his nonprofit. “It is over at Lindo Park Elementary and Lakeside. It’s my nonprofit called Love2dance, and I go there every other Friday and I teach [for] two hours. I do hip hop and contemporary modern with their fifth graders. It’s a class of 25. It is really cool. Most of them haven’t been exposed to dance at all. So seeing first time dancers, you know, it starts rough obviously, but once they start getting the moves and

getting more comfortable being in the class and dancing and moving it is really awesome to see who is progressing the fastest ... It is cool to see them develop throughout the weeks that I go. In the future, I hope to expand it to other schools, but right now I’m out of time [laughs]. I always tell my mom I’m living two lives. I’m teaching as if I just got out of college and got my degree and I’m also going to college and have to do all that.”

He credits his experience with dance as a big influence in his life. “There are so many values of dance because dance is a discipline - it’s self discipline. You need to be able to work on your own. [And] it’s a community.

You always treat your partners with respect and your dancers with respect. It is one big community. It teaches a lot of values to help other people around you and discipline and studying. It teaches the discipline of committing to something and following through. A The classes will culminate in a showcase recital next summer for the parents and teachers.

Videos of his choreography and from his classes can be found at sobledancemovement.com.

Kislev• Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 57

UAL

ANN 2ND

A Community Celebration of Jewish Learning Under One Roof SATURDAY, JANUARY 6, 2018 • 7:00 p.m.

JOIN US AT TAPESTRY AT THE LAWRENCE FAMILY JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER • Community Havdalah • 24 Presentations (from Abraham to Zionism) • Delicious Dessert Reception • 3 Enriching Hours!

• $45 Tapestry pre-registration • $40 JCC Member • $18 Teacher Pre-Registration closes Thursday, January, 4, 2018 at noon.

Registration at the door will be $55 per person.

All classes will be filled on a first-come basis.

6:15 p.m. – Registration 7:00 p.m. – Community Havdalah 7:35–8:25 p.m. – Session #1 Select one class to attend 8:35–9:25 p.m. – Session #2 Select one class to attend 9:30 p.m. – Dessert Reception and Celebration 7:35–8:25 p.m. SESSION #1 SELECT ONE CLASS TO ATTEND 1A. Cooking Like an Israeli • Debbie Kornberg (up to 20 people, $10 extra per person to pay for ingredients) 1B. The Wonder Years? Jewish Values for Parenting Teens • Craig Parks 1C. Abraham Joshua Heschel and Radical Amazement • Rabbi Wayne Dosick 1D. Mindfulness and Magic: Jewish Mysticism and Saving the Universe One Day at a Time • Rabbi George Wielechowski

1G. Reclaiming Personal Prayer • Rabbi Ron Shulman 1H. Creation in the Bible: Hurricanes, Climate Change and the Return of Water as a Force of Chaos and Destruction • Rabbi Scott Meltzer 1I. The Inner Lives of Hebrew Letters • Nancy Handwerger 1J. YOGA: From Darkness to Light • Rabbi Alyson Solomon

1E. The New American Zionism • Rabbi Phil Graubart

1K. Our Garden of Eden: Jewish Environmentalism • Jennifer Meltzer

1F. Generation Z and Tomorrow’s Jewish Leaders • Rabbi David Singer

1L. Raul Hilberg’s Triad and Way Beyond • Rabbi Jonathan Stein

58 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017 TapestryJJAdSpread17.indd 2-3

Become a Tapestry Gold/Silver/Bronze Thread supporter; call Rabbi Lenore Bohm (858) 362-1327 Go to sdcjc.org/tap to register or call (858) 362-1348

Bec

8:35–9:25 p.m. SESSION #2 SELECT ONE CLASS TO ATTEND 2A. Gratitude: Waking Up to Life Part 2 • Rabbi Baruch Shalom Ezagui

2G. Torah’s Perception of a Mensch • Rabbi Jonah Fradkin

2B. Super Jews – From the X-Men to the Fantastic Four: How Judaism, Jewish Values and Jewish Texts have Influenced the Comic Book Industry • Rabbi Joshua Dorsch

2H. Sephardic Philosophy and Its Impact in Today’s Jewish Thought • Rabbi Nisso Palti

2C. Cooking Like an Israeli • Debbie Kornberg (up to 20 people, $10 extra per person to pay for ingredients) 2D. Jewish Music and Jewish Values in Popular Music • Craig Parks 2E. The New American Jewish Identity • Rabbi Phil Graubart 2F. Language is Power: Metaphors, Pronouns and Names in 21st Century Judaism • Rabbi Scott Meltzer

2 I. Three Stories of the Brave, the Righteous, and the Audacious – Little Known Events from the Shoah • Lili Feingold 2J. Trans-Parent: A Jewish Understanding of Sexuality in the 21st Century • Rabbi Yael Ridberg 2K. Building Your Epic Spiritual Fitness Plan • Rachel Eden 2L. Maimonides’ Hidden Torah Commentary • Rabbi Michael Samuel

9:30 p.m. DESSERT RECEPTION AND CELEBRATION CATERED BY THE PLACE (dietary laws observed)

San Diego Center for Jewish Culture Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, JACOBS FAMILY CAMPUS 4126 Executive Drive • La Jolla, CA 92037-1348

Kislev• Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 59 11/21/17 2:26 PM

HANUKKAH

Gifts

8 Slightly Absurd

Hanukkah Gifts

BY JACQUELINE BULL

For those looking for unexpected Hanukkah gifts that are silly, irreverent, or even absurd, look no further. They may not become anyone’s most prized possession, but they’re at least good for a laugh.

Cards Against Humanity: Jew Pack

If the main game is getting a little stale, this item is sure to liven up any Hanukkah gathering. A fun fact written on the pack states “100 percent of the Cards Against Humanity writers are Jewish. Can you believe it? A Jewish comedy writer!” If you are unfamiliar with the main game, look into its irreverent qualities before scaring your bubbe.

Happy Llamakkah Onesie

Hanukkah Mad Libs

Mad Libs, the silly fill-in-theblank game, has a Hanukkah-themed edition. This game appeals to pretty much all ages and the results are usually hilarious.

60 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

For the littlest members of the celebration, consider this Hanukkah Llama sure to look even cuter on a real baby.

‘Let’s Get Lit’ Hanukkah Sweater

Ugly holiday sweaters aren’t just for those celebrating Christmas – Jews have some options as well. Buy it for yourself to appear hip and cheeky or for a young relative.

Dreidel Fidget Spinner

Bring the dreidel into the 21st century or just confuse everyone with this preteen’s toy.

Jewish Holiday Coloring Book

Coloring for adults persists as a trend to enjoy and relax coloring in intricate designs. This book (suitable for all coloring mediums) features interesting patterns, folk art drawings and designs for all the Jewish holidays.

“Fifty Shades of Oy Vey: A Parody”

Jewish-themed Earrings

Check out Bagel and Lox stud earrings or these brass “Oy Vey” earrings. The studs are goofy, but small and subtle enough to get some good wear.

A Jewish take on the notorious book series, a college senior meets a bagel tycoon. This book is intended for adult but immature audiences.

Kislev• Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 61

Seven ings I’ve Learned: AN AFTERNOON WITH

LIVE STAGE IRAON GLASS Host of

is American Life

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Wednesday, February 7 – 8:00P Thursday, February 8 – 8:00P

Promoting an Independent Lifestyle for Older Adults

Assistance, Companionship and Socialization for Older Adults

Ronnie Diamond Concierge Services

Call Ronnie for a FREE Consultation and one FREE hour of service

858.531.7694

lorrondi@san.rr.com

The TEN Tenors Wish You Were Here Tour Saturday, March 10 – 7:30P

Holiday Gift Certificate Special!

For every $50 Gift Certificate purchase get a $10 Food & Beverage Voucher FREE.

Call us at 570-1100 or visit SanDiegoTheatres.org for info.

(619/760/858) 570-1100 | SDBalboa.org | Ticketmaster 868 4th Aveue @ E Street in the Gaslamp, San Diego

62 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

70th Anniversary

THEATER

The Little Tyke Grows Up San Diego Junior Theatre turns 70

BY PAT LAUNER Wizard of Oz, June 2010.

D

o you think your budding little performer is too young to get onstage?

Think again.

San Diego Junior Theatre happily accepts children as young as three years of age.

JT, the oldest continuously producing youth theater program in the U.S., is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year.

In 1948, a children’s theater wing of the Old Globe was the brainchild of its beloved artistic director, Craig Noel. He called it the Junior Theatre Wing.

Now, San Diego Junior Theatre is an independent, nonprofit organization that has affected well over a million young people – as participants and audience members.

Many alumni of JT have gone on to ac-

claim: Dennis Hopper, Raquel Welch, Tony Award-winning actors Brian Stokes Mitchell (“Kiss Me, Kate”) and Christian Hoff (“Jersey Boys”), two-time Tony winning director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw (“Book of Mormon,” “Aladdin”) and Jewish playwright Karen Hartman, whose “Roz and Ray” was recently produced by the San Diego Repertory Theatre.

Get ‘em while they’re young Junior Theatre provides a comprehensive, developmentally appropriate educational/ performance curriculum for students age three to 18, with diverse class offerings, including acting, dance, playwriting, improvisation and directing.

Last season, 2,500 students were enrolled in 93 classes and 21 weeks of all-day theater camps. More than 600 participated as cast or crew in the eight mainstage productions presented in the Casa del Prado Theatre in Balboa Park.

But the kids don’t just stay in the park, performing for a general audience and presenting 10,000 school-day matinees. There are also 37 outreach programs throughout the county.

James (“Jimmy”) Saba, JT’s executive director since 2013, started with the company when he was 10 years old. He went on to become a teacher and later, the JT artistic director. Extending the continuity (a cornerstone of Junior Theatre), he even assisted Kislev• Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 63

Craig Noel on four Old Globe productions.

“I love the Junior Theatre community, and I love the San Diego theater community,” Jimmy says. “What continues to make us unique is that we have such a wide reach; we have students from all over the county.

We acknowledge differences; we’ve always cast non-traditionally.

“Youth theaters,” he continues, “were, I think, the first to not care about race, or if the mother and father are the same age, or if brothers and sisters look the same. It was a matter of practicality.”

Since Jimmy returned to JT, he has expanded student opportunities through partnerships with a number of adult producing companies, including Cygnet Theatre, Diversionary Theatre, the Coronado Playhouse, San Diego City College TheatreT and the San Diego Symphony.

He’s proud of that, and proud of his staff, two of whom, both Jewish, have a long history with Junior Theatre.

The JT/Jewish Connection Carla Corder, who started out as a JT student in 1990, is now Communications Director.

She took a different path from most JT kids. She, too, joined at age 10 (“and I kind of never left!” she quips). But she soon realized “I’m not a stage person. I was always interested in costumes, makeup, lighting, sound. I took many technical classes, and crewed almost from the beginning.”

The stage crew, like all aspects of every JT production, is staffed by students. It didn’t take long for Carla to be ‘running crew,’ that is, running the show backstage. She went on to be a stagehand and head electrician at many local theaters, including the Old Globe, Starlight, The Civic Theatre and Poway Performing Arts Center.

Carla’s daughter, Hannah, who also start64 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

All Shook Up, 2015.

ed young at Junior Theatre, followed in her mother’s footsteps, and is now a professional stage manager.

A San Diego native, Carla grew up in East County, where there were few Jews. (“I was definitely a minority there!”)

When they moved to San Diego from Winnipeg, Canada, her family joined Congregation Beth Israel, which Carla attended from preschool to confirmation. At age 16, she became a counselor at CBI’s residential summer camp in Julian, running the photography and arts-and-crafts program for four years. She also taught at the Sid Rubin Preschool at CBI. These positions confirmed her love of working with children.

In college, she studied interior design and art history, but her life was influenced by her childhood experiences at Junior Theatre.

In 2011, Carla joined the all-volunteer JT Auxiliary, serving as Vice President for four years. Then, she was hired by JT as an educational assistant/office assistant, quickly rising to office manager, and now, Communications Director.

“I really believe in the program,” she says,

“and I really love what we do at Junior Theatre. It’s so inclusive and nurturing. There’s so much positivity. Theater is as much a team activity as any sport. We encourage self-sufficiency. We give the kids the tools so they can succeed on their own. Being part of a team project, and reaping the rewards, develops a sense of accomplishment, self-esteem, self-respect, and a ‘family’ of friends.

These are people you’ll know for the rest of your life.

“At Junior Theatre, production and education go hand-in-hand,” Carla explains.

“Students have to be involved in classes if they want to be on the mainstage. If they’re performing in two shows, they have to crew one show, whether it’s running the lightboard or sound or the box office.”

Carla, who helms a “very Jewish traditional household,” says her Jewish values and traditions apply directly to Junior Theatre.

“Continuity is so important in Judaism, just as it is in Junior Theatre. And the sense of family, which is central to Judaism, is also a major part of Junior Theatre.”

Photos by Ken Jacques, Mike Shontz Mary Poppins, Christian Hoff, 1978.

Judaism and Education JT Education Director Mitzi Smith, who grew up in an observant family in San Francisco, has also been influenced both by Judaism and youth theater.

“My dad came from an Orthodox lifestyle,” she says. “It’s a very important part of our lives.”

She and her husband, and their two-yearold daughter, Molly, belong to Tifereth Israel. To Mitzi, the tenet of Judaism that’s most relevant to JT is the importance of education.

“Every holiday, you’re supposed to ask questions, struggle to understand, and not to give up. Judaism promotes education; it’s ingrained in the religion.”

Mitzi started her theatrical experiences as a performer, in a San Francisco youth theater similar to JT. She attended a performing arts high school, and majored in musical theater at the prestigious Boston Conservatory. She even performed as a soloist with the Boston Pops.

After graduation, she moved to New York, and adopted the stage-name of Mitzi Mi-

chaels. She became assistant casting director to Jay Binder of Binder Casting, working on such Broadway hits as “The Lion King” and “A Chorus Line.” From that “intense, intimidating” work experience, she learned about “commitment, self-assertion and being detail-oriented.”

But one day, she says, “I realized that there was something different meant for me.

I wanted to take the educational route.”

In 2010, she moved to San Diego to obtain an MFA in Musical Theatre at SDSU, so she could work in higher education. She has since taught at SDSU, USD and Grossmont College, while still managing to perform at many local, professional theaters.

She started at Junior Theatre in 2011, initially as a dance teacher, then an assistant choreographer, then a teaching artist, and in 2014, camp director. This year, she stepped into the role of education director.

“It’s important to me that our artists have a strong background in education, and are invested in it,” says Mitzi. “I think teaching is a specific artform.

“Primarily, I want to maintain a nurturing

environment at Junior Theatre. We’re not an elitist training ground. We’re not trying to create theater professionals, or to focus solely on getting onstage. Not everyone in theater is a performer. I like to offer a wide variety of options. We’re more interested in having the students make friends and feel more comfortable communicating.

“My goal,” she says, “is for us to be inundated with students and full to the brim all the time. And to provide new and exciting experiences – all with a focus on education.”

Junior Theatre’s anniversary season, called “70 Years of Storytelling,” began with “Tuck Everlasting” and continues with “Magic Tree House: Pirates Past Noon KIDS” (Jan. 5-21), an adaptation of Mary Pope Osborne’s best-selling adventure book series.

Then comes “Akeelah and the Bee” (3/221), the story of a spunky 11-year-old whose sharp mind helps her out of the Chicago projects and into the National Spelling Bee. Also on the spelling theme, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (3/15-18) is a funny musical journey to a spelling championship by a group of eccentric, competitive teens.

JT is partnering with Music Theatre International and Disney Theatrical Group on a special pilot production of the dance-happy musical, “Newsies JR.!” (4/20-5/13), based on the 1992 movie and hit Broadway musical.

The summer musicals will be “Mr. Popper’s Penguins,” (6/29-7/15) and Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods” (7/27-8/12).

Continuity, education, nurturing, storytelling: the bedrock of San Diego Junior Theatre -- and the secret to its 70-year success. A For tickets and information: 619-239-1311, juniortheatre.com.

Kislev• Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 65

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Lambs Players

THEATER

Christmas, Smoke on a Mountain and English Farce Lamb’s Players Theatre is Ready to Celebrate

BY BRIE STIMSON

The Lamb’s Players Theatre in Coronado is having a year of anniversaries. It’s been 25 years since they moved into their space on Orange Ave., 46 years since they started their tour company and 100 years since the theater itself was built.

“We’ve been around since 1971,” Robert Smyth, Lamb’s producing artistic director told me over coffee and hot chocolate at the theater’s Encore! Café on a Wednesday afternoon. “We were first a touring company and then we established our first theater over at a little theater in the round over in National City and we were there 17 years.

[We] built a countywide audience who’d come down to see us and we knew we had to find somewhere else, so when we found this facility, which was just an old warehouse at the time. It had been built by John Spreckels as a performance space, when we first broke in through there and go to peer back in there I realized you couldn’t find a place like this anywhere else. So we raised $3 million, we totally remodeled it. So it’s very different than it was in its look, but it’s back to its original purpose which is good.”

Also in its 40th year is their Festival of Christmas – all original works written by the inimitable Kerry Meads, who serves a Lamb’s associate artistic director. “This is [Kerry’s] 40th Christmas show,” Smyth told me. “She’s written 15 scripts, but we rotate through them. This year’s a brand new one called “North of Normal: A Fargo Christmas.”

The play follows a small community in North Dakota, trying to figure out what to do with an abandoned church building.

“We’re always looking for something that celebrates the season, and it deals with family. It always has a lot of music in it, but it’s not a musical; it’s a play with music. So she’s always working a way that there’s music logically in the piece and that’s been creatively done in a variety of ways over the years.

We have people who’ve been coming for 40 years. They started out as young people and now they’re bringing their kids.”

The theatre will also produce the annual “An American Christmas” at the U.S. Grant Hotel downtown. “Everybody does Victorian England Christmas,” Smyth ex-

plained. ““A Christmas Carol” is the most produced theater piece in the world, and so we thought what could we do? We thought well, what would an American Christmas be? And so we thought we’ll go back 100 years, and so it has a sense of nostalgia, but it also has a sense of history … It’s always fascinating to parallel where we are now with where we were then. And what makes an American Christmas are a lot of different immigrant voices.”

On Dec. 2, they plan to have an informal community celebration of the building’s 100th anniversary. “This place was built in 1917,” he said. “A few people will talk about [the theater] and explain what the impetus [was]behind building the building by John Spreckels. Somebody might show up as John Spreckels, we don’t know. There will be some music from the time period. Madam Schumann-Heink opened the theater.

She was a famous soprano of her day, and she lived in Coronado … We’ll have some champagne and cake and hopefully the city council will be here and some of the [local historians].”

Kislev• Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 69

After the New Year, the theater is renewing their hit “Smoke on The Mountain,” about a troupe of family singers at the end of the Great Depression. “I think it just strikes a chord with people, gives them hope,” Smyth said about the show’s popularity. “It’s not hokey. It’s true to these people in that community.”

Following “Smoke on The Mountain” the 2018 season begins with “Camping With Henry and Tom” about a real camping trip that Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and President Warren G. Harding took in 1921. “It’s a really fascinating piece, especially considering our current environment,” Smyth explained, “because a lot of the conversation is about what is the American experiment really about and how should it be run and who should run it? Henry Ford actually wanted to be president, and he thought a businessman should run the country. It’s a fascinating conversation between the three guys. It’s very funny, but it’s timely too.”

I asked him if there were any other parallels between then and now. “Well, I don’t want to give it away, but some people thought that Warren G. Harding was a little insane. So here we are,” he laughed.

Next up is “Noises Off,” Michael Frayn’s classic, which the Lamb’s has never performed before. “A classic, classic English comedy farce, which is actually a satire about English comedy,” Smyth explained. “A lot of people don’t realize it … [It’s] just ... one of the funniest comedies … so it’s about time to come to that.”

After “Noises Off,” the theater will showcase “Once,” a musical based on an Irish movie about a vacuum cleaner repairman and a woman who plays the piano. “[The] young woman … wants her vacuum cleaner fixed, but doesn’t have any money, but she’ll play something for him. And she’s a beautiful pianist. And so they develop this relationship that in a Hollywood movie would go romantic and doesn’t because she’s married to a guy back in Prague. It’s a fascinating thing about love and about music and about art and a commitment to it and how much you give and what kind of support where you get that,” Smyth said. “Once” had a run on Broadway from 2012-2015.

At the end of the summer the theater will 70 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

“The fact that we’ve been here for [more than] 40 years, I’m grateful and amazed because we’ve had some rough years so I think we’ve grown as artists.” produce “A Jewel in the Crown,” “which is this retrospective of over 25 years in Coronado that we’re doing,” Smyth told me.

“So it’s a big variety show … It’s got a lot of music and a lot of old time people who are coming back to be with us for that.” In 1971, a friend who had helped Smyth find the location for the theater turned to Smyth and said, “I hope you realize you’ve got one of the best theater locations in the country.

We hadn’t even really thought about that,” Smyth said.

The season will end with the Southern California premiere of a musical adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Persuasion.”

Smyth and his wife, Deborah, have lived

above the theater for 25 years now. “I turned to Deb and I said ‘what if we were to rent here for a year and just oversee the project and get to know the community and we’ll stay for a year? And we thought well we’ll stay for two years and that was 25 years ago,” he laughed.

It hasn’t all been champagne and cake though – the theater has had its share of difficult times. “It’s a tough business,” he admitted. “You know if you’re not an institution like the Globe or the Playhouse or you’re not run by a city … or if you’re not independently wealthy … then it’s a real challenge to keep the doors open. So the fact that we’ve been here for [more than] 40 years, I’m grateful and amazed because we’ve had some rough years so I think we’ve grown as artists.”

Five of the artists have been together since the beginning. Smyth and his wife, Deborah, Kerry Meads, art director Chris Turner and production director Nate Pierson.

Smyth said they noticed a heavy drop in their season tickets holders, which they rely heavily on, about five years ago mostly because the people who had discovered the theater in middle age are now getting older.

The theater went through a difficult time, but they survived and are now finding ways to reach younger generations.

“We do a variety of things,” Smyth told me. “We have an under 35 club, in which we offer half priced tickets to people under 35, and we do a thing that we call ‘It’s Live...

Live,’ which is bringing in middle school and high school kids in a group to experience theater. We’re especially looking for people who don’t get access to the theater very often … People go ‘why can’t we get the 20-year-olds? And I go ‘you’re not going to get the 20-year-olds. 20-year-olds have a different thing, and 30-year-olds are raising a family, but if you’ve gotten them young and you’ve gotten them to come on occasion so they feel comfortable with it … when they start to get into their 40s that’s when you get them back. So that’s kind of the hard work we’re doing.”

And the hard work seems to be paying off as Lamb’s heads into its 25th season kittycorner from the Del. A

HAPPY HANUKKAH

WWW.SUNROADAUTO.COM Kislev• Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 71

THEATER

J Company

An interview with JCompany JCompany Youth Theatre on their 25th season and their philosophy as a performing arts institution

BY JACQUELINE BULL

J

Company Youth Theatre is celebrating their 25th season this year. They had a big anniversary celebration in the fall and have blockbuster shows for the new year. Joey Landwehr, the artistic director, and Krystle Hart, the managing director, spoke with us about what it is like to do what they do and what they are looking forward to this season. They kick off 2018 with “Les Miserables” Jan. 12-28. The interview has been edited for space.

San Diego Jewish Journal: What do you like about working with kids?

Joey Landwehr: When it clicks. And it’s different for every child.

Sometimes you’re seven, sometimes you’re 18. But when it clicks, you watch it and go ‘Oh, they just got that. It just happened’. It’s so fulfilling. And I remember talking to some of my alumni from the

72 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

past and I think I said … [talking about Mara Jacobs] she was playing Gypsie Rosalie when we did Gypsy here. And I watched her switch from this sort of boyish mousy (because that is the character in the play) and then she becomes this gorgeous woman. And I watched it happen. I had known her since she was eight. And I watched that switch happen during one of the performances something clicked in her. I swear I saw her head turn and she just became a woman instantly in that moment. I was crying in the back of the house. She just touched my heart in such a way in a way that I’ll never forget. You don’t always get that with adults. I think that the thing with theater is that you get little clicks, but there is always that one giant one that can change their life, can change their life forever.

SDJJ: How is JCompany different or special from other youth theater?

Krystle Hart: I get to work with an incredible core of parent volunteers who do everything from selling concessions to sewing costumes. There is a crazy amount of things that our parents do and we would not be able to do what we do without our parents. And the joy of that is I kind of get to see the whole family get involved.

I get to see the younger kids helping to organize the prop tables and things like that. And then we also do have a core crew production that are students that are savvy and learn a lot and learn a lot quickly [laughs] because we throw a lot at them. They just get it and they take such a responsibility and pride in the jobs that they are doing.

JL: I think the thing that is exciting about JCompany is that all of those young people are guided by professionals. We have a professional technical director, professional sound designer, professional lighting designer, costume designer, stage manager that come in and help us to mold them in the direction that they should be going. It’s wonderful. Not a lot of youth theater has that.

What I always say is here at JCompany is that we are creating young artists, but we are also creating young humans. We teach them to also teach the younger ones how to have focus, how to be willing to try anything, and how to appreciate what is in front of you, to be a professional, to be an example to others around you, to respect the art, to respect the young people that are with you, support them through all of it. Without those tools, you are really just throwing kids up on stage and saying, ‘Don’t bump into the furniture. Remember your lines.’ And that is not teaching them how to live. And what I’m hoping they will be able to take what they’ve learned in theater and apply it to whatever they do outside of JCompany. That’s the hope. We’re very transparent. We tell them all the time ‘We’re here to make you a better person’. You’re not here for my artistic vision or make sure Krystle makes her numbers, ‘We’re here to make you awesome.’

SDJJ: What did you take away from the anniversary celebration?

KH: It was a beautiful time of like reflection on how far we’ve come.

And also kind of to set goals. ‘This is 25, where are we going to be at with 50?’ And being new to the company, too, I have kind of made it a personal mission to make sure people know how inclusive we are here. I never knew that I would be invited here or be accepted here. That was my own perception. It is up to us to let people know that we are here for them. And that whether they are on the [autism] spectrum, any denomination-just anyone who has an interest in learning an aspect of theater, theater business. Come see a showthis is such an open and inviting environment for them. It is really

important to us to make sure the community knows that.

SDJJ: What are you excited about for this season?

JL: Every show is a blockbuster. Usually we have one show that is a little smaller to do a little Zen moment and just breathe a little bitno Zen. We are not going to be able to sleep for a year [laughs]. The show that I’m most excited about is “Hairspray.” Just because it is a show that I never thought that we would ever get to do here. I’m proud to say that finally thank goodness for Krystle and I preaching this diversity that we do have young kids from other walks of life and different hues and different understandings. I think we are going to be able to do it well and do it right which is very exciting.

KH: As a person of mixed background and ethnicity and growing up in San Diego and not seeing a place for myself here, doing these shows it is sort of a ‘if you build it, they will come.’ You have to be able to see yourself represented on stage. It’s up to us to program that way and to be able to invite everybody to come to our shows.

SDJJ: How do you think what you do in the theatre relates to being Jewish?

JL: The subheading for the JCC is the JCC is open to everyone.

And it truly truly is... Betzy [Lynch] she–I’m going to start crying. I gotta stop crying–she told us in a staff meeting even though we do do Jewish programing (we did a whole 18th season of high season of Jewish programming and “Ragtime” had a lot of Jewish content in it), but not all of our stuff is Jewish-centric. It is Jew-ish. What she said and what I loved hearing is what we are doing as a theater company, teaching young people, ‘That is Judaism.’ That is what our goal is-is to give a safe space for young people, let them know they can be here and to support them through anything they do. And it doesn’t matter what kid. They are all here. It is just beautiful. A

Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 73

THEATER

Old Globe

In Earnest

The Old Globe Showcases Jewish, Chicano and Muslim Plays and Shakespeare for Prisoners

BY BRIE STIMSON

R

ight now creative director for the Old Globe, Barry Edelstein, is fully immersed in preparations for the 20th anniversary of “Dr. Seuss’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas,” which is a San Diego institution, according to probably anyone who lives in our fair town. The holiday classic features a new actor, Edward Watts, in the role of the Grinch. Watts hails from Broadway and has also been on shows such as “The Sopranos” and “Quantico.” “[He’s] really spectacular,” Edelstein says, “with maybe the best voice who has sung the role certainly in the five years I’ve been here.

And a wonderful actor, a wonderful charismatic big guy.”

As well as the community tree lighting, the Globe will also offer a special needs “sensory friendly” version of “The Grinch” for children and adults on the autism spectrum or who have other special needs.

“We expect something on the order of 30,000 plus people to come through and see [The Grinch],” Edelstein says. “It’s just such a San Diego institution and we’re thrilled to be a part of it.” The Grinch runs through Dec. 24.

I had the chance to speak to Edelstein in a rare quiet moment for the artistic director, director and sometimes actor in his pleasantly sunny second floor office looking out at the greenery of Balboa Park. His shelves are filled with the paraphernalia of an accomplished 74 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

theater man: books with obscure titles, a congratulations note saying “you did it again!’ from pal Steve Martin and even a photo of Edelstein with President Jimmy Carter.

After the New Year, the season kicks off “in earnest” as Edelstein says with no pun intended. On the main stage, Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest,” “arguably the funniest play ever written in the English language,” as far as Edelstein’s is concerned, will open in January with director Maria Aitken at the helm. Aitken is possibly best known as Wendy in “A Fish Called Wanda.” “But later in her career she has became a very noted director of high comedy,” Edelstein explains.

It’s a niche market and she’s incredibly good

at it, so plays by Oscar Wilde, plays by Shaw,

by Noel Coward, plays by Moliere and people like that she’s uncommonly good at.”

Just after “The Importance of Being Earnest,” “Uncle Vanya” will open in February on the White Stage. One of Chekov’s four giant achievements, as Edelstein puts it, the eminent Russian work about a man and his niece struggling to care for a relative’s estate, will premiere a new English translation by two of the most celebrated Russian literature translators in the industry: Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky.

Their collaborations have won them the PEN/Book-of-the-Month Club Translation Prize for Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina” and

Dostoevsky’s “The Brothers Karamazov.”

Their translation of Dostoevsky’s “The Idiot” also won the first Efim Etkind Translation Prize.

“To have the Pevears premiere their latest English language translation of a Russian classic here in San Diego, it’s a pretty big deal.

Plus it’s just such a great play, so we’ll have Oscar Wilde in the Globe and Chekov in the White, which I think is just such a wonderful thing. The kind of thing only a great regional theatre can do at the same time,” Edelstein says.

After “The Importance of Being Earnest” closes on the Globe stage March 4, the world premiere of “American Mariachi” will open on March 23. “It’s the first time in a while that Latino culture and specifically Chicano culture has been center stage at the Old Globe and we’re really looking forward to that,” Edelstein says. The story takes place in a nameless southwestern town in the 1970s where a young girl dreams of entering the exclusively male world of Mariachi music. “And so it’s a story of a ragtag group of girls that get a band together against all obstacles and end up performing mariachi music,” he explains.

Edelstein will direct “The Wanderers” at the beginning of April on the White stage.

Commissioned by the Globe, Anna Ziegler’s (“The Last Match”) play focuses on two couples, a famous noveliest and an actress who share an intimate email correspondence (loosely based on the correspondence between Natalie Portman and Jonathan Safran) and an Orthodox Jewish couple in an arranged marriage. “This is a play that is very concerned with Jewish issues in a broad sense and very concerned with how we learn to be satisfied with the life that we have,” Edelstein

explains. “That’s really what it’s about, how all of us are burned by the sense that we want something more or we want something new.

Whether it’s in our marriage or in our professional life or anything – that we want to be better than we are. And that’s [Ziegler’s] big subject. It’s the subject of “The Last Match” as well, which is why can’t we ever just live in the life that we have and find happiness within it?”

“A Thousand Splendid Suns” will follow on May 12. “It’s a story about Afghan women under the terrible rule of the Taliban, ... but what’s beautiful about it is [writer Khaled] Hosseini (“The Kite Runner”) gives these women such dignity and such a sense of the preciousness of life and finds a way to end the story on a note of optimism and hope ...

It’s this wonderfully humanistic story about women and their dignity and their lives,” Edelstein says.

Diversity in programming is a goal the Globe is reaching more and more, Edelstein says. “We’re doing a Chicano story, we’re doing a Muslim story, we’re doing two classics of the sort of European male cannon,” he says. “Sometimes we achieve [diversity] through playwrights, so this is just a case where we’ve got a wide range of ethnicities and cultural backgrounds among the writers that we’ve hired. Sometimes the writers are more homogenous and more typically white male, but the interpretive artists are more diverse ... We did “Hamlet.” You don’t get more white male writer than William Shakespeare, and the company was more than 50 percent artists of color. Same as when we did Steve Martin’s “Picasso at the Lapin Agile,” half of the company were artists of color ... It’s a public institution. We receive public fund-

ing, and we’re in the middle of a park that is patronized by the wide range of San Diego culture and so it’s important that the Globe work hard to reflect that city that we live in.”

The Globe also ventures out of the park to make sure all San Diegans can enjoy their cultural offerings. Their annual “Globe for All” initiative, held in October, brought a production of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” to underrepresented places like homeless shelters, libraries in urban neighborhoods, senior centers and veterans groups. They also run writing and acting workshops to help young people learn about a career in the theater, and even do a program called “Reflecting Shakespeare,” which brings Shakespearean workshops to incarcerated populations. “Next year we’re going to host the national conference of Shakespeare in Prisons. Believe it or not there are enough people doing this in the United States that you can actually have a national conference, and so the Globe is going to be the host of that big conference next year, which we’re thrilled about,” Edelstein says.

“We recognize that there are communities around San Diego who don’t necessarily, for a series of reasons, regularly enjoy what the Globe does, whether it’s because our tickets are expensive, whether it’s because you’ve got to have a car to get to Balboa Park, whether it’s because culturally some communities feel like maybe the theater or an elite arts institution really isn’t for them, but for whatever reason people don’t come. So we take it on ourselves to say well, you’re part of San Diego too. This is a San Diego institution that’s owned by everybody. We need to come and do our work for you so that’s what we try and do.” A

Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 75

MUSIC

San Diego Symphony

Harmony and Rhythm: San Diego Symphony Plays to The Beat BRIE STIMSON

S

an Diego Symphony is starting off the year with a bang... and a beat and wind chimes. “It’s About Time: A Festival of Rhythm. Sound. And Place” starts on January 11, 2018, and will continue into February with more than 25 events in 30 days.

Percussionist, conductor, author and University of California San Diego professor, Steven Schick, will curate the third annual festival.

“It’s who we are as human beings, it’s our heartbeat,” San Diego Symphony CEO Martha Gilmer explains to me over the phone while waiting for a flight. “This is an opportunity to look at music from all over the globe ... Steve Schick is the curator and he has just put together a fantastic sampling of rhythm literally from all over the world and representing so many different constituents from communities in San Diego.”

Opening the festival on January 13, “Con Madera, Metal, y Cuero,” a percussion concerto by a Puerto Rican-born American, Robert Sierra, is a Caribbean mash up of rhythm and energy. Steven Schick will perform on a variety of percussion instruments that will span the stage. The concert will also showcase the symphony’s percussion section playing Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Capriccio espagnol.” The festival will also include a performance by the San Diego Opera, “Inuksuit – a Cross Border Presentation,” that will include 76 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

percussionists from Mexico and a performance by the Paul Taylor Dance Company, among many more. Several of the concerts will be located at venues other than Copley Symphony Hall.

Israeli violinist Pinchas Zukerman will return to the symphony as part of the festival on Feb. 2 and 3 for “Zukerman Plays Tchaikovsky.” Born in Tel Aviv in 1948, Zukerman is a world-renowned musician and sometimes guest conductor of the symphony. “I know that in the second half of the program is a Mendelssohn symphony and in the first half ... he’s doing two pieces by Tchaikovsky, kind of lesser known pieces for violin and orchestra, for instance the violin concerto and ‘A Serenade for Strings,’ Gilmer explains.

“We have the debut in January of Raphael Payare. He’s a Venezuelan conductor [who] spent a lot of time in Europe and he’s making his debut as well as an Italian conductor [Jader Bignamini], making his debut in the Respighi’s ‘The Pines of Rome.’ That’s part of the festival. So I would really highlight those conductors as something I’m really looking forward to seeing.”

Gilmer tells me she’s most excited about the festival, but it’s a difficult choice because the symphony has so many events coming up in the next year.

Starting on December 3, the Symphony will accompany the

movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” with a live score. “Our film scores are really popular,” Gilmer says. “We just finished ‘Ratatouille,’ which was great and charming, and then of course ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is such an end of the year favorite with the orchestra playing the original score. And we have a new screen this year, which makes the whole presentation even that much more dramatic. Of course we’re doing the whole series of Harry Potter films [next year] and then we always add a second of third film during the summers, so films are very much part of the vocabulary of the San Diego Symphony.”

Holiday concerts “Winter Daydreams,” conducted by Johannes DeBus; “Fanfares and Celebrations” with selections by Mozart, Handel and Tchaikovsky; and “Noel Noel,” which features the San Diego Master Chorale and San Diego Children’s Choir will round out the end of the year. “[In ‘Fanfares and Celebrations’] we’re featuring Ruth Reinhardt, a young emerging conductor, and she’s doing selections from Swan Lake as well as Johann Strauss waltzes and that’s kind of in anticipation of the New Year,” Gilmer says.

On January 31, John Williams will conduct the symphony to an already sold out audience. “The first half will be conducted by Sameer Patel and the second half by John Williams with some of his favorite film scores,” including “Star Wars” and “Harry Potter,” according to Gilmer.

Other concerts include “Bach and Mahler,” a Jacobs Masterworks concert, ‘Tchaikovsky Deconstructed,” and “Beyond the Score: Isle of The Dead,” a Jacobs Masterworks concert conducted by Sameer Patel.

Israeli-born pianist Orli Shaham will return in May. “She’s coming in our chamber series. She’s the sister of Gil Shaham, the violinist.”

Gilmer says the program hasn’t been completely finalized yet.

She says one of the symphony’s goals is to became a part of the community, a place for everyone in San Diego, not just those who buy tickets for Symphony Hall in downtown.

“We just gave at the Rady Children’s Hospital ... one of our sensory friendly concerts for their preschool, which is part of their preschool’s mission. There are children on the [autism] spectrum. And that’s just an example of the way that we’re committed to making sure our orchestra ... is appearing throughout the city, not just in the formal concert setting, but as part of the enhancement of life in the city for the parents of children as well as the children themselves.”

She says the symphony wants to connect more deeply to people who are already attending their concerts and bring in new listeners “who’ve discovered classical music can have meaning in their lives.”

“I think more and more arts really speak to our humanity and because we experience the arts together with others, this shared humanity, I think ... we’re hungry for that as human beings today,” she says.

“So the San Diego Symphony is really committed to being there for people as a place to go and share that wordless connection through music with each other.”

“San Diego Symphony’s made up of 82 musicians. They’re part of our community. They live here. They’re raising their kids here.

They’re teaching in our schools. They play in our hospitals, and that’s an important message about who we are.”

Gilmer says the musicians come from different schools in different places and have different beliefs, “but they come together as one to create this music for us to be lifted up by ... And I think that’s just a great symbol of what we would hope the world to be. Working together you can do more than you can do as an individual.” A Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 77

CANTOR KATHY ROBBINS, M.Ed. Bar Mitzvah • Bat Mitzvah Officiation and/or Training –Inclusive and accommodating – Traditional or creative

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The musical story of an immigrant boy who gave a country its voice.

“A B S OL U T E LY DA Z Z L ING!” THE HUFFINGTON POST

“F E L DE R A ND BE R L IN, A M AT CH M A DE IN HE AV E N!” TIMES OF SAN DIEGO

DECEMBER 20, 2017 - JANUARY 7, 2018 ON THE LYCEUM STAGE 619.544.1000 | SDREP.ORG | Lyceum Theatre | Horton Plaza s42_berlin_jewishjournal_halfpage.indd 1

78 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

10/25/17 10:27 AM

Porky Pig

ANIMATION

That’s All Folks: A Conversation With Porky Pig

BY BRIE STIMSON

B

ob Bergen has been voicing Looney Tunes’ Porky Pig for the last 27 years, and luckily for SDJJ, the acclaimed Jewish voiceover actor took time from his adorable stuttering to sp- sp- sp- talk to us. The interview has been edited for space.

SDJJ: Can you tell me how you got started doing Porky Pig and all the other voices you do?

Bob Bergen: Porky Pig was a goal of mine since I was a five-year-old kid. I remember my mom was doing the dishes and I walked in on a Saturday morning watching cartoons and I said I want to be Porky Pig and my mom, she didn’t even look at me, she said you can’t be Porky Pig, you’re Jewish. I didn’t know what that had to do with it ... But, some kids want to be a baseball player, some kids want to be a fireman, I wanted to be a cartoon pig. We lived in the Midwest at the time ... but I was fortunate that my dad moved the family to LA when I was 14 when he took a job out here and I just picked up the phone and I called anything that said animation or cartoons in the phonebook to see how do I go about doing this and I eventually ... tracked down Mel Blanc in the phone

book and I crashed a recording session.

SDJJ: He was in the phonebook?

Bergen: I was from the Midwest; everybody’s in the phonebook. In LA, the concept of unlisted phone number didn’t enter my mind ... I couldn’t find him. And then I tried under his wife’s name, which was Estelle and I found Estelle Blanc in the Pacific Palisades and that was his house ... And during the course of the conversation with him he mentioned the studio he was working at that day of the week, he didn’t say the time, but he mentioned the name. So when I finished my conversation with him I called the studio and I pretended to be his assistant and I said ‘hi I’m calling to confirm Mr. Blanc’s appointment for Thursday at 9’ – I was just completely making it up – and the receptionist said ‘no, we’ve got him on the books for Wednesday at 11,’ and I said ‘that’s right, I’m sorry, I’m looking at the wrong calendar.’ So I told my mom, ‘I’m going to skip school on Wednesday, and you’re going to take me to see Mel Blanc work,’ and she said ‘okay.’ So when we got to the studio I told the receptionist that we were guests of Mel Blanc and she directed us into this recording booth ... I told the producer that we were good Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 79

friends of the receptionist and she said we could watch. And so I watched him work.

SDJJ: How do you find Porky’s voice?

Bergen: I figured out at a young age that there’s a formula to the way that he talked. The stutter had a formula.

SDJJ: Can you explain the formula?

Bergen: I’ll teach you how to do it. ... Say the word boy. Now I’m going to teach you how to stutter and Porky Pig the word boy ...

So there are four sounds in the stutter before you say the word if you’re going to make the word boy the way Porky Pig says boy. We’re going to break it down syllable by syllable, but it helps if you count out with your fingers. So go ‘eh’ – ‘eh ba’ – ‘eh ba bih’ – ‘eh ba bih ih’ - ‘eh ba bih ih boy.’ Now wiggle your nose like you’re smelling something bad so it makes the sound go into your nose. Now say boy. Now say ‘eh ba bih ih boy.’ ... On the third sound push it a little bit more. ‘Eh ba BIH ih boy.’ ‘eh da dih ih dog.’ ‘eh ka kih ih cat.’ Now make a full sentence ...Yeah, that’s usually about where I lose them.

SDJJ: That’s cool.

Bergen: Two years ago the Hollywood Bowl did an evening with Bugs Bunny cartoons where they played the music live with the symphony, and they had me come out and teach 18,000 people how to do that, which was kind of surreal. It was kind of a moment. They were very good. It kind of surprised me. It made me nervous. My mom was in the audience. She said you just told 18,000 people how to do your job.

SDJJ: What has it been like doing Porky for all these years?

Bergen: The bottom line is Mel Blanc was the main voice of this character. I’ve been doing it since he passed away, but nobody can take what he brought to that character away. Because he was the genius that perfected the character, so I’m nowhere close to what he did, but my goal is to keep the integrity of the character as much as possible.

But I mean he was a genius.

SDJJ: What are the other Looney Tunes characters that you do?

Bergen: Tweety. I’m doing Tweety right now for our new series “The New Loony Tunes.” In the past I’ve done Marvin the Martian, I’ve done Speedy Gonzales ... Porky’s my main character. That’s the one I’ve done most often. Porky and Tweety.

SDJJ: Was/is Judaism a big part of your life?

Bergen: Traditionally, yeah. Our Passovers over the years – my 80 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

mom was always really hesitant to invite observant Jews to our Passover because everybody there, at least since we moved to Los Angeles, are voice actors reading the Haggadah doing funny voices ... They were more festive, they were traditional but very festive. Our family’s traditions, as far as Judaism is concerned, was important. We’re not the most religious, but we’re very traditionally passionate about our Jewish rituals.

SDJJ: Since you’re a voiceover actor can you walk down the street without people bothering you?

Bergen: Exactly, you can be a working actor and not worry about people coming up to you at restaurants. I don’t usually lead by my career unless people ask and I don’t have the kind of voice that people recognize if I’m just talking like myself, but a couple of days after 9/11 a bunch of friends and I were in the car. It was late at night and we just decided let’s go to Crispy Crème and get some donuts. So I pulled up to the drive through and this lady said ‘may I take your order?’ And I said ‘give us a second. We haven’t figured out what we want yet.’ And this male voice popped up and said ‘let me know when you’re ready.’ And I said ‘ooh you changed your voice,’ and she came back and she said ‘now you change yours.’ And I looked at my friends and I said ‘well she asked’ so I ordered a dozen glazed donuts like Porky Pig. And there’s this long pause and she says ‘please pull forward to the second window.’ I pulled forward and she gave me three-dozen donuts, and I said ‘I think you misunderstood what I said’ and she said ‘nope, I heard exactly what you said. It’s the first laugh we’ve had in two days. They’re on the house, thank you.’

SDJJ: Can you tell me a little bit more about some of the other voice work you’ve done?

Bergen: A lot of animated features. A lot of Pixar, Disney films.

“A Bug’s Life,” “Hercules,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “Toy Story 2.” I’ve done a lot of work for the Henson company. I did the cartoon “Fraggle Rock” and the Second Season of “Muppet Babies” ... “Emperor’s New Groove” and the voice of Luke Skywalker for the “Star Wars properties.” ... I was the voice of Disney Channel for five years. The nice thing about what I get to do is it’s unpredictable, but it’s interesting.

It’s always creative. I’ve been teaching animation and voiceover for 30 years, which is really, really fun ... If I had to put on a tie every day and do a nine to five I think I’d go crazy. The life of an actor is not stable, but it’s interesting.A

Hanukkah cheer, right here Relax with your guests and share in the fun of the holiday season when Gelson’s is part of your plan.

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Order your holiday dinners early in-store or at www.gelsons.com and you’ll be all set for a day to remember!

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Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 81

FEATURE

Dating

Finding Mr. Right:

A Journey through Orthodox Jewish Dating

BY RACHEL EDEN

Part 3 of 3: & they lived happily ever after

I

heard the knock at 8:04 p.m., a cold evening in December 2006, and I gave myself one final glance in the hallway mirror before flipping my head and tousling my hair. I opened the front door with what I hoped was a smile that impossibly crossed angelic with mischievous. He stood in the doorway in a dark coat and black hat looking very much the part of a polished yeshiva bachur (fellow in Talmudic seminary). We had spoken on the phone for 20 minutes a few days earlier and I instantly liked his laid back tone and silly jokes. I giggled and flirted (yes, orthodox Jews can flirt!) through most of the conversation until he cut it short so we’d “still have stuff to talk about” once we actually met in person.

Full disclosure: that first date contained objectively awkward moments. We walked into a Brooklyn cafe on a particularly freezing winter night and my date, Daniel, chose a table in a dim corner. I remarked that it was a telling choice for someone to choose a corner table (I was being insightful and witty!) and he responded that he wasn’t a fan of psychoanalysis (one of the few times I was rendered speechless). There was also the incident when he couldn’t find his car keys at the end of that first date and was practically running in and around the cafe in desperate search. Still, the date went okay and while I didn’t have high hopes for our relationship 82 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

to work out, I agreed to a second date.

That same weekend, our second date easily outperformed our first. Daniel was more relaxed, confident and even goofy. I actually had fun! He made me laugh! Sense of humor tops many wish lists but was never on mine. I just didn’t understand why it was a big deal. Almost 11 years after that date I am very grateful to still be laughing as we navigate through the twists and turns of life.

Note to my younger self: Do marry the one who makes you laugh loudly.

For our third date, I took a train to Baltimore where he was studying. He picked me up along with a stranger who needed a ride. We ate out at the local kosher Chinese restaurant where I traded him my orange chicken for his kung pao after deciding I had made a poor choice. He still reminds me of the kung pao sacrifice he made that night!

The date went well enough for another.

We had a great time on a few more dates and then, just like that, Daniel brought up marriage. We had dated three and a half weeks total. Seven dates. I’ve had longer relationships with a king size Cadbury’s bar.

Let’s face it, choosing a marriage partner is arguably the single most important decision a person can face. On dates with other guys, I had always analyzed whether or not they were Mr. Right but with this guy, with Daniel, I just lived in the moment and took pleasure in being around him. But was I ready to marry him?

During our short time together (once we had done the extensive research that a first shidduch (set up) date is predicated on), we had two goals: first, to establish chemistry and second, to clarify what our visions for the future were. Shidduch dates like ours are focused on these two aspects because dating is very much a means to an end. We want to commit our lives to another person and the question is just... who?

I watch less religious friends who date the same person for years, but still live in doubt about their future together or one party’s commitment for the other. It is an enormous gift to have the opportunity to intellectually explore sharing a life together and only then choose to invest in one another emotionally and connect physically.

I didn’t love my husband when he asked me to marry him and he didn’t love me. But, we were committed to loving one another for the rest of our lives. We shared two core Jewish values fundamental to a stable marriage. One, to continuously work on having a healthy marriage and peaceful home and two, to understand that our role in marriage is to give. We don’t look for a 50-50 marriage of give and take but rather a marriage of 100 percent giving. While these principles are not the stuff of fairytales, we do live happily ever after thanks to them. They have supported us with stability over the years and, I pray, for many years to come.A

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Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 83

FOOD

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup from Tori Avey

in the kitchen WITH TORI AVEY Tori Avey is an award-winning food writer, recipe developer, and the creator of the popular cooking website toriavey.com.

IKWTA

PHOTOS BY TORI AVEY

She writes about food history for PBS Food and Parade.com. Follow Tori on Facebook by searching for “Tori Avey” and on Twitter: @toriavey.

RUM & RAISIN

CRANBERRY

KUGEL “L

okshen” is the Yiddish word for noodle; a “lokshen kugel” is a kugel made from noodles. The three main components of a kugel are eggs, fat and starch. Lokshen kugel always includes some type of noodle, usually egg noodles. Beyond that, there seem to be endless variations on the lokshen kugel theme. They can be made savory or sweet, topped or untopped, dairy or parve, and mixed with dried fruit, nuts or seasonings. Sweet dairy lokshen kugels tend to be the most popular in the U.S.— and for good reason!

They are easy and affordable to throw together with just a few ingredients. Kugels are filling and comforting, and they go with a variety of entrée dishes. They can easily be transported, making kugel a good choice for parties and family get-togethers. Most importantly, a well-made kugel is very, very tasty.

Last year, when the holidays came around, I wanted to create a grown-up kugel with seasonal flavors. This Rum Raisin Cranberry version fits the bill perfectly. A

84 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

blog reader named Nancy is responsible for the rum idea. She wrote that she often plumps her raisins in rum before adding them to her kugel, and I was instantly inspired. Nancy soaks her raisin in rum overnight, but I am a bit too impatient for that, so I simmered both raisins and dried cranberries in hot rum on the stovetop. The alcohol cooks out and leaves behind a lovely rum essence, giving this kugel a rich flavor and a wonderful seasonal quality. I added brown sugar, autumn spices and chopped walnuts to “warm up” the flavor. It turned out scrumptious, perfect for a holiday celebration!

This kugel would be great for Hanukkah or as an addition to a holiday potluck. It’s definitely got an autumn/winter holiday vibe. I love kugels for holiday celebrations because they are so easy to make, easy to transport, and always a big crowd pleaser. Of course, you can always treat yourself and make this kugel just because!

RUM & RAISIN CRANBERRY KUGEL INGREDIENTS 3/4 cup raisins 3/4 cup dried sweetened cranberries 1 1/4 cup dark rum 12 oz. wide egg noodles 6 large eggs 2 cups sour cream 1 cup ricotta 1 cup cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon1/4 tsp. cloves 1/4 tsp. allspice 1/4 tsp. salt 3/4 cups chopped walnuts (optional- leave out for nut allergies) Nonstick cooking oil spray Cinnamon and sugar for dusting, or the topping of your choice You will also need: Food processor or blender, 9x13 baking dish Total Time: 90 minutes Servings: 15 Kosher Key: Dairy

INSTRUCTIONS Place a rack in the middle of your oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. On the stovetop, place the raisins and cranberries in a small pot and cover with rum. Simmer the mixture over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes until the fruit has plumped and all of the liquid is absorbed. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn. Remove from heat and reserve.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the noodles to the pot, bring back to a boil, and let the noodles cook till tender (not overly soft) for about 5 minutes. Drain, rinse briefly with cold water, and return to pot.

In a food processor or blender mix together the eggs, sour cream, ricotta, cream cheese, sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, spices and salt.

Pour the blended egg mixture over the cooked noodles in the pot and stir. Add the rum raisins, cranberries, and walnuts, and stir into the noodles until well combined.

Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Pour the noodle mixture into the dish. Top the kugel by sprinkling generously with sugar and lightly with cinnamon. Alternatively, use your favorite kugel topping (streusel, crushed graham crackers, cornflakes, etc.). I like this kugel with a graham cracker topping, but many prefer the crunchy texture that forms when the noodles bake and brown on top. Either way works!

Bake about 60 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the center is set and the tips of the noodles turn golden brown. Remove from the oven. Let rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing. For a cleaner slice, let the kugel cool to room temperature before cutting.

Serve warm or cold. If not serving the same day, keep refrigerated. Note: to reduce fat you can use low-fat dairy, but do not sub nonfat dairy. The flavor will suffer. I prefer full fat ingredients, which have less fillers in them-- plus they taste better!

Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 85

ASK MARNIE

by Marnie Macauley

ADVICE asksadie@aol.com

Gift of The Majorly Guilted

S

halom, San Diegans: Today we deal with culture and yes, Hanukkah.

Well, a gift. How can a Hanukkah gift be a problem? What? A dreidel refuses to spin? Ah, but since political correctness has “solved” the alleged “HvC” (Hanukkah v.

Christmas) kinder-envy many a Jewish family today spends real gelt on gifts so heaven forbid our loved ones don’t develop a strange aversion to melting wax. But first, we start with culture: parents at war with their teens over what each considers an offense to music.

Let’s look.

HELP, MR. HOLLAND! Dear MARNIE: How do we deal with teens that think any music before 2000 is ancient, geeky, and should be burned? On the other hand we feel the same about their idea of music. It sounds like hell screaming back at us! – Family Fugue MARNIE SAYS: No doubt while Mom and Pop Ug were roasting a Tyrannosaurus leg, their teen Ug was doing the popular “Rockaroundtherock,” which created the very first instance of “family dysfunction.” I still remember my parents building a bomb shelter after seeing Elvis gyrate on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” They were sure this was the start of an Apocalypse. You see, my “fuguing” family, that’s the deal. It’s the job of the young to experiment. Then it’s the job of the parents to declare culture dead.

It’s not. You see it’s from some of this cacophony that new art and soul is born, tweaked, matured, and yes, made legendary.

Once a week, agree to hear all their blasts from Nas (rap) to Mika (pop), to Radiohead, to Lady Gaga. (A little Manischewitz wouldn’t hurt.)

Then, it’s your turn. Don’t yell, show and tell! Ask your teens to listen to your faves for an hour – each week. Then explain the 86 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

whats, hows and wherefores of this music.

THE FACTS. (Trust me, mamalas, you’ll love this.) Teach them the following through listening: • Mika – “Grace Kelly” echoes Rossini – “Largo Al Factotum” from The Barber of Seville.

• Radiohead – “Exit Music For A Film” - Chopin from Prelude No. 4 in E Minor • Lady Gaga – “Bad Romance”—Bach from The Well Tempered Clavier • Elvis Presley – “I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” – Martini from Plaisir D’Amour (a personal fave I was taught at three.) UB40 would end up borrowing the tune • Procul Harum – “A Whiter Shade of Pale” – Bach from Air on a G String • Barry Manilow – “Could It Be Magic” – Chopin from Prelude in C Minor • Nas – “I Can” – Beethoven from Für Elise (who among us who had a piano lesson didn’t play this … over and over?)

Are we happy? Oh yes. Then run to rent Mr. Holland’s Opus and watch it together.

And once again you shall see that “everything old is new again.” And if all else fails, confine your listening pleasure to padded walls and invest in a good set of head phones.

GIFT GUILTS DEAR MARNIE: For Hanukkah, my mother-in-law bought us something truly ugly. A painting I hate. It’s modern, and our (first) house is trendy but traditional. Marnie, I have spent a great deal of effort making it exactly perfect. Each piece has been selected with exquisite care. Since my mother-in-law carried on about how much she paid for it, my husband thinks it would be rude not to hang it, although he doesn’t like it either. I’d love to return it and get a credit. Am I awful?

What do you say? — Picture Imperfect MARNIE SAYS: Alevai! And now we know

why Jewish holidays don’t involve big giftees?

A dreidel collection, trust me, it’s much safer.

Or a check. That said, onto “business” — that painting. A word to all my readers. For this I went to Columbia Graduate School.

Ready? DON’T BUY PAINTINGS FOR OTHER PEOPLE. Phew. Now you.

Agree with your husband to lose the picture. (Happy angel?) Here’s why. If you don’t, you’ll be forced to shlep it to and from the garage every time you see the lady through your candle-stained peephole. (Horrors!)

Also, you sound a trifle ... persnickety. Rightshmight. Hang the painting and it will pummel your pupils. So, it goes.

Agree not to sneak back to store and get a credit. It’s cruel, it’s tacky, and besides, she’ll notice. Think Motive: Hers. Psssst. Are we alone? Good. She, knowing you, may be testing and even waiting to be insulted – to prove your pickiness to her immediate public. (Signs, posters, letters, yes, but who buys a painting for Hanukkah?) Therefore, your M.O. must be faultless. Say, “Wow! Ma. You noticed we needed a painting over the china closet. How thoughtful and generous!” Once you reward her sensitivity, the matter of “taste” becomes a bit easier to whack. Tell her you loved her idea so much that to honor her intention the painting should be absolutely perfect for the china closet! Which it is — almost — if two white dots went with your custom ebony Annie Sloan. Suggest that the three of you (husband rides gunshot) choose The Most Perfect Painting together that you will cherish almost as much as you do her splendid gesture.

Then do something for her to make the last sentence come true, admirably. A lunch (think buffet) ... a rose – apricot. Done.

You’ve gotten rid of the painting, made your MIL (and her son) feel like a million, and did it all like a true mensch! A

SDFAS Appointed Mr. Mark Rosenblum as Head of School

S

an Diego French-American School (“SDFAS”) has appointed Mr. Mark Rosenblum to serve as its new Head of School. Trilingual English-French-Spanish, Mr. Rosenblum has over twenty years of experience as a teacher and administrator in independent and international schools in New York, France and California.

Succeeding Christian Jarlov, Mr. Rosenblum joined SDFAS on August 1, 2017, after completing his sixth year at the French-American School of New York (“FASNY”), where he was recruited to oversee the bilingual education of students in grades 6-12 and to implement the school’s International Baccalaureate program. Mr. Rosenblum joined FASNY after serving for five years as World Language Department Head for grades N-12 at La Jolla Country Day School (“LJCDS”). At LJCDS, Mr. Rosenblum led the redesign of the world language curriculum, implemented new language programs, and expanded the number and quality of interna-

Mark Rosenblum, SDFAS Head of School

tional travel and exchange opportunities for students. Mr. Rosenblum also served as the founding French Language Academy Director for Middlebury-Monterey Language Academies and spent numerous years in the classroom teaching various subjects in multiple languages.

Mr. Rosenblum is thrilled to have returned to San Diego to join SDFAS where he now leads a team of French, International and American educators in a vibrant international environment that encourages the highest of academic achievement. SDFAS is likewise excited about its future with Mr. Rosenblum at the helm. “SDFAS launched a highly consultative search process that identified the ideal qualities and experience of our next head of school, and Mark Rosenblum possesses every one of the personal, academic and leadership qualities identified,” says Jennifer Silver, Board Chair. “He understands the value of an education rooted in the rigor and creativity of the French and American traditions and is well-versed in the culture of French-American and International school life.”

Mr. Rosenblum holds a Master of Education in Private School Leadership from Columbia University in New York, where he completed the prestigious Klingenstein Fellowship. He earned a Master of Arts in French from Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont and Paris, where he received the Frieda Derdeyn Bambas Prize for Highest Scholarship, and a Bachelor of Arts in History Magna Cum Laude from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine.

SDFAS is a PreK-8 independent, co-educational, and non-denominational school providing a global education to American and international students in San Diego. The school’s curriculum features an innovative dual language immersion program in French and English. Rigorous and challenging, the aim is that students attain their full academic potential, develop as global citizens, and achieve dual language fluency by the time they graduate. It integrates a French-American curriculum with an international vision, ensuring that students can progress to top schools and universities in the US and anywhere in the world.

The school is currently accepting applications for Preschool, Lower School and Middle School. Knowledge of French is not required in order to gain admission. Parents need not speak French either. To learn more about the San Diego French-American School or to apply online, visit www.sdfrenchschool.org.

Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 87

? GOIN '?ON ??

WHAT'S

BY EILEEN SONDAK

Broadway-San Diego will present the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, “Cinderella,” based on the beloved fairytale. The show will enjoy a brief run at the Civic Theater Dec. 1 – 3. The organization will deliver “Motown the Musical” Dec. 25 – 31 at the Civic.

California Ballet

California Ballet will present its “Nutcracker” at the Civic Theater Dec. 9 – 23. As usual, this incarnation of the holiday bonbon features a large cast and live musical accompaniment.

La Jolla Playhouse

The La Jolla Playhouse’s world premiere production of “The Donna Summer Musical,” directed by former artistic director Des McAnuff, will continue through Dec. 17. This moving tribute chronicles the life of the Queen of Disco, from her Boston roots to international stardom.

Abigail Estrella appears as Cindy-Lou Who (center) with the cast of “Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”

City Ballet

`Tis the season of “The Nutcracker” and City Ballet will unveil its version of the Yuletide classic on Dec. 8 at the Spreckels Theater. The company will dance 12 performances of “Nutcracker” through Dec. 24, accompanied by a live orchestra. Elizabeth Wistrich choreographed the full-length dance piece along the musical lines of Tchaikovsky’s delightful score.

Coronado Playhouse

Photo by Ken Jacques

Coronado Playhouse is performing the San Diego premiere of “Fly by Night,” a show described as a “metaphysical musical,” through Dec. 10.

Lamb’s Players Theatre

The Lamb’s Players are offering two holiday shows this season. “An American Christmas” – featuring a four-course feast and entertainment – will be held at the US Grant Hotel Dec. 14 – 24. The Lamb’s Coronado home will be the scene of a new “Festival of Christmas” Dec. 1 – 30. The play is about three different people vying for the same property for their dream house – and it promises a lot of laughs as they struggle with misunderstandings. The Yuletide show abounds with music of the season.

North Coast Repertory Theatre

Melinda Gilb, Tom Stephenson, Maggie Carney in “A Christmas Carol.”

Cygnet Theatre

Cygnet Theatre is featuring “A Christmas Carol” through Dec. 24.

This music-laden Victorian staging of Dickens’ holiday classic was adapted and directed by Sean Murray, and is propelled by Billy Thompson’s original music. The creative production includes puppetry and live sound effects.

La Jolla Music Society

La Jolla Music Society will present “Some of a Thousand Words: Wendy Whelan/ Brian Brooks/Brooklyn Rider” Dec. 2 at the Balboa Theater as part of its Dance Series. Also on tap this month is “Dianne Reeves: Christmas Time is Here” – a special event coming to the Balboa on Dec. 17.

88 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

North Coast Repertory Theatre will feature Elijah Rock “Gershwin for My Soul” on Dec. 4. NCR is also hosting Impro Theater’s “Dickens Unscripted” Dec. 8 – 10, followed by “Sister’s Christmas Catechism: The Mystery of the Magi’s Gold” Dec. 20 – 24.

The Old Globe

The Globe’s Main Stage continues to welcome the Grinch and his Who friends through Dec. 24. “Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas” has been a family favorite for 20 years, and this production upholds that wonderful holiday tradition – providing perfect family entertainment. The enchanting experience includes music by Mel Marvin and a snow-covered setting that brings Whoville to life with gusto.

San Diego Ballet

San Diego Ballet has a “Nutcracker” of its own to entice holiday entertainment seekers. This production will be performed at UCSD’s Mandeville Auditorium Dec. 21 – 23.

Photo by Jim Cox

Broadway-San Diego

San Diego Musical Theatre is staging “Miracle on 34th Street,” a live musical play, through Dec. 24 at the Horton Grand Theater. This holiday tale (based on the classic movie) is about a department store Santa and the little girl who believes in him.

San Diego Repertory Theatre

San Diego Repertory Theatre’s Lyceum Space continues to showcase “Black Pearl Sings,” a soulful play with music. It boasts a collection of rare folk songs and a storyline about two women linked by their personal search for love and respect. This little gem will stay on through Dec. 17. Opening on Dec. 20 on the Lyceum Stage is “Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin.” Felder has been a local favorite on San Diego stages for years, performing unforgettable one-man shows about famous composers. This time, Felder sets his sights on the iconic American songwriter of “God Bless America,” White Christmas,” and a litany of other enduring hits. This limited holiday engagement will end on Jan. 7.

San Diego Symphony

The San Diego Symphony will play on this month, starting on Dec. 1 – 2, when conductor David Danzmayr leads the orchestra in a performance that includes works by Bacewicz, Chopin, and Dvorak. Pianist George Li will handle the keyboard for Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1. On Dec. 3, the musicians will accompany the classic film, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” “Winter Daydreams,” a concert featuring works

by Mozart and Tchaikovsky, will be performed Dec. 9 – 10. Johannes Debus will be on the podium.

Scripps Ranch Theatre

Scripps Ranch Theatre continues with “The Season of Love,” a series of four stories about love and its power to transform. The show will run through Dec. 10.

Welk Theatre

Welk Theatre is staging its version of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” through Dec. 31. The musical adaptation of the popular holiday tale features music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Lunn Ahrens, so it should be something special – and who can resist mean old Scrooge?

Birch Aquarium

Birch Aquarium is featuring “Hall of Fishes,” which is unlike any other exhibition in the history of the aquarium. It also serves as a working laboratory. Birch also has an installation on light by scientist Michael Latz, and an exhibition that helps you understand Scripps’ expeditions to discover and protect the planet. “Expedition at Sea” immerses you in the experience of life and work aboard the Sally Ride research vessel. It includes a 33-foot long projected triptych and hands-on learning opportunities. The newest exhibition at the Birch is “Research in Action: 100 Island Challenge,” an exhibit that explores the way reefs are adapting to our rapidly changing planet.

Mingei International Museum

Mingei International Museum is showcasing “Kantha – Recycled and Embroidered Textiles of Bengal,” through March 25, 2018. “Arline Fisch: One of a Kind,” a retrospective view of jewelry and other artforms designed by this San Diego resident, will be on display through Jan. 7. Also on exhibit is “Art of the Americas – Meso-American, Pre-Columbian Art from Mingei’s Permanent Collection.”

That show will stick around through Feb. 18, 2018. “Weaving a Path – Navajo Women and the Feminine Ethos” will open on Dec. 9 and be on view through May 28 of next year. The exhibition includes rugs and blankets.

Museum of Contemporary Art

The Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla is closed for renovation and expansion, but the downtown facility is featuring “Dimensions of Black: A Collaboration with the San Diego African American Museum of Art.” The show is ensconced through January.

Natural History Museum Copley Symphony Hall, courtesy San Diego Symphony

Copley Symphony Hall

“Noel Noel” – a program of holiday music -- is slated for Dec. 16 at Symphony Hall. On Dec. 17, you can take the small fry set to see a short family concert that features pre-concert activities and holiday music. The musicians will return on Dec. 20 with another holiday concert, titled “Fanfares and Celebrations,” On Dec. 22 – 23, the symphony will reprise the “Noel Noel” concert.

The Natural History Museum is featuring “Extraordinary Ideas from Ordinary people: A History of Citizen Science.” Among the items on view in this exhibition are rare books, art, and historical documents.

Also on view is “Coast to Cactus in California,” (a permanent exhibition.) The newest exhibit is “Unshelved: Cool Stuff from Storage” – a display of specimens from around the world. It will be on display for the next two years. Check out the Nat’s films: “Ocean Oasis” and the 3-D films “Incredible Predators” and “Galapagos.” The Nat also offers “Fossil Mysteries,” “Water: A California Story” and “Skulls.”

Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 89

PHOTO COURTESY OF SDMA

San Diego Musical Theatre

news Anne Frank Center Announces New Director The Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect has announced a new Executive Director.

Lisa S. Hoffstein has a background in education, social justice and community development. The New York City center aims to empower young people to preserve the legacy of Anne Frank.

Leading Innovators Unite in New York City for the Technion World Tour More than 350 innovators and influencers came together in New York City the last week of October to share ideas and insights as part of the Technion World Tour (TWT). The fourday event celebrated the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology’s leadership in innovation and entrepreneurship worldwide, and was hosted by the American Technion Society.

The TWT followed the September dedication of Cornell Tech’s new campus on Roosevelt Island, which serves as the home of the Joan & Irwin Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute, an academic partnership between the Technion and Cornell University.

In Good Company Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), in Israel, awarded their prestigious Ladislaus Laszt Ecumenical and Social Concern Award this past November. This award is for internationally recognized religious personalities.

This year they awarded Vatican Cardinal Kurt Koch. The cardinal is now in the company of the 14th Dalai Lama and Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, former chief rabbi of the United Kingdom. The cardinal has promoted Jewish-Catholic dialogue and connecting and unifying Christians across denominations and strengthening ties with Jews and Judaism.

90 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

Nominations for 2018 Sylvan Adams Nefesh B’Nefesh Bonei Zion Prize Now Open The nominations for the 2018 Sylvan Adams Nefesh B’Nefesh Bonei Zion Prize are now open. The awards will be given to seven extraordinary English-speaking Olim (immigrants) who have made a major impact on developing the State of Israel. In the prizes’ fifth year, Nefesh B’Nefesh is continuing to recognize extraordinary Olim in several categories who represent the future of the State of Israel and have dedicated their lives to strengthening the country. A prestigious panel of committee members will select the winners from the following categories: Science and Medicine, Community & Non-Profit, Education, Israel Advocacy, Arts, Culture & Sports and Young Leadership. In addition, a lifetime achievement award will be bestowed upon a deserving Oleh. The Prize recipients will be announced on May 1, 2018.

Pioneer Oceanographer Awarded With Honorary Name of La Jolla Shores Boardwalk The city of San Diego named the La Jolla Shores Boardwalk after prestigious Jewish oceanographer, Walter Munk. Walter Munk studied at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in 1939. The recognition of “Walter Munk Way” corresponds with his 100th birthday. Munk is known for inventing the science of wave forecasting and studying tide prediction, ocean acoustics and deep sea tides. His science was used in amphibious invasions during World War II. His work on ocean acoustics are used today in studying climate change. Munk continues to conduct research from his La Jolla home.

FDA Approves Groundbreaking Lymphoma Treatment The FDA has approved gene therapy from an Israeli-founded company. This treatment is only the second-ever approval for a gene therapy procedure. The drug is for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma who have already gone through two regimens of unsuccessful chemotherapy. This type of treatment is called immunotherapy, which uses the body’s own immune system to fight disease.

MEETINGS AND EVENTS FOR JEWISH SENIORS Jewish War Veterans of San Diego, Post-185 Contact Jerome Klein at (858) 521-8694 Dec. 9, 10 a.m.

Veterans Association of North County, Post385 Contact Marsha Schjolberg (760) 492-7443 Jewish War Veterans meetings Dec. 9, 11 a.m.

Hamilton Ultimate Experience Tickets Raise Money for JCC and JFS Join the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center and Jewish Family Service for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the world-famous “Hamilton” musical at the Civic Theatre. The exclusive experience raises money for both JCC and JFS, and is possible only through the generosity of event chairs Liz Nederlander Coden and Daniel Coden, MD. Cast meet-and-greet packages start at $1,500 for the Jan. 13 performance. Go to yourshotinjanuary.org for more information.

JFS Balboa Ave. Older Adult Center Contact Aviva Saad (858) 550-5998 Dec. 12, 10 a.m. Light the first Hanukkah candle, dance and sing with Musicstation.

Lawrence Family JCC Contact Melanie Rubin (858) 362-1141 Dec. 14, 1:30 p.m. Using your iPhone/IPad Camera. Cost is $16.

JFS College Avenue Center at Temple Emanu-El Contact Elissa Landsman (858) 637-3273 Dec. 15, 12 p.m. The JFS is hosting a Hanukkah Party. They will be serving latkes and jelly donuts for the festivities. There will also be a menorah lighting and live entertainment.

Shmaltz Brewing Releases Hanukkah-Themed Beers Shmaltz Brewing has a variety of holiday offerings with Hanukkah-themed beers and gifts. Their first offering is a seasonal brew. “Chanukah, Hanukkah...Pass the Beer” is a strong golden ale with notes of honey, chocolate to evoke gelt coins. The flavor is rounded out with a light and smooth peach flavor. They have also released Shtick in a Box, which is a holiday variety 12-pack. All beers are World Beer Championship Gold Medal winners. And to celebrate their 21st anniversary, Shmaltz has brought out “Jewbelation 21,” a dark American strong ale with notes of dark fruits like currants and figs.

North County Jewish Seniors Club at the Oceanside Senior Center Contact Josephine at (760) 295-2564 Dec. 16, 12:30 p.m.

On the Go Excursions Contact Jo Kessler (858) 637-7320 Jan. 5, 11 a.m. Immerse yourself in the soul music of Motown with a performance by the Tony Davis Trio. A kosher lunch is provided. Bus returns at 1:50 p.m. Cost is $20 and the registration date is Dec. 27.

Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 91

The Meshuga Nutcracker!

M

ove over Sugar Plum Fairy, there’s a new Nutcracker in town. “The MeshugaNutcracker!” a Hanukkah comedy musical, is coming to theaters nationwide on Dec. 19.

The story takes place in the fictional town of Chelm, legendarily made up of fools, and features a klezmer-ized orchestration of Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite.”

Full of colorful costumes and singing and dancing to adaptations of Tchaikovsky pieces from the ballet, the musical also manages to relate moving Jewish stories.

“It’s a show that’s really never been done before,” said Susan Gundunas, one of the stars of the ensemble cast. “Not just because there’s finally a big, beautiful show about Hanukkah in the same way there are big, beautiful shows celebrating Christmas, but also because the cast is singing an amazing, challenging score that was originally intended for musical instruments! We get to sing the piccolo line and clarinet line of melodies you’ve had in your head forever but that have been wordless for hundreds of years. It’s a real treat to sing such melodious, grand music.”

The musical features the Chelmniks regaling the audience with eight stories that tell the history of Judah Maccabee, the first celebration of Hanukkah when Israel was a new state and tales of survival during the Holocaust.

Those who see the Nutcracker every year will appreciate the familiarity to the ballet and the effort taken to adapt it seamlessly into a Jewish story, but it is just as entertaining for those who have never been.

Fathom Events, which often brings movies into theaters for special releases, will distribute the film. “We are always thrilled to embrace the holiday spirit with audiences and celebrate such a special time of year, and this year there’s no better way than watching a fun twist on a beloved classic,” Fathom Events VP of Programming, 92 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

‘,

Kymberli Frueh, said. This performance is a fun way for audiences to learn more about the history and traditions of Hanukkah in a kitchy spin, using the Nutcracker’s classic music in a way they’ve never experienced it before.”

“No matter what religion you are, no matter what you celebrate this time of year - it’s about finding the light in people, finding light in yourself, letting the holidays truly illuminate everything around you,” Shannon Guggenheim, lyricist and one of the co-producers, said. “And yes, it does sound schmaltzy but that’s why we balance it with a lot of schmaltz in our show! That really is what we’re trying to do: give families something bright and fun but also poignant and meaningful to celebrate this time of year.”

The musical was written and directed by Scott Evan Guggenheim, Shannon Guggenheim and Stephen Guggenheim in association with the San Francisco-based theatrical production company Guggenheim Entertainment. The film was produced by Scott Evan Guggenheim and the music and lyrics were adapted and choreographed by Shannon Guggenheim. Musical direction and arrangements were by Stephen Guggenheim and Thoams Tomasello with costumes and set designs by Juie Engelbrecht. The cast includes Jackson Davis as Yacob, Lynda DiVito as Rivka, Susan Gundunas as Esther, Jeremy Kreamer as Velvel, Benjamin Pither as Motke and Krista Wigle as Yetta.

With dancing dreidels and singing sufganiot and a special appearance by Emmy winner Bruce Vilanch, even the grumpiest among us will find themselves in the holiday spirit with this soon-to-be Hanukkah classic.

In San Diego, “The MeshugaNutcracker” will play at Mission Valley 20, Plaza Bonita 14 and Mira Mesa Stadium 18 on Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. A

SYNAGOGUE LIFE HANUKKAH EVENTS Hanukkah Happening at Lawrence Family JCC Dec. 10, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., 4126 Executive Dr. La Jolla, CA 92037 Enjoy a community-wide holiday extravaganza with games, crafts, kosher food and prizes.

Visit lfjcc.org for more information.

Community Chanukah on Ice with Chabad of Coronado Dec. 13, 5 p.m. - 7 p.m., 1500 Orange Ave. Coronado, CA 92118 The party will include ice skating by the sea, donuts, latkes, hot chocolate and lighting an ice-sculpted menorah!

Go to chabadcoronado.com for more information.

Hanukkah and Special Shabbat Service with Temple Etz Rimon Dec. 15, 2020 Chestnut Ave, Carlsbad, CA 92008 For the fourth night of Hanukkah, their congregation will bring their favorite Hannukiot and candles to share as a community. There will also be a Shabbat service. Go to templeetzrimon.org for more information.

Public Menorah Lighting with Chabad of East County Dec. 17, 12 p.m., 7624 Rowena St, San Diego, CA, 92119 In addition to the Menorah Lighting, there will be special Chanukah treats.

Visit jewishrec.com or call 619-387-8770.

Chanukah Brunch & Chill on the Roof with Beth Israel Dec. 17, 2 p.m. Trilogy Sanctuary, 7650 Girard Ave, La Jolla, CA, 92037 This event will be held on the roof of Trilogy Sanctuary. Enjoy the beautiful views and check out the fares from local makers. Visit cbishd.org for more information.

Chanukah Party & Celebration at Temple Beth Shalom Dec. 17, 4 p.m. 208 Madrona St, Chula Vista, CA 91910 Enjoy latkes, Menorah lighting and pottery from Andrew J Roth.

Visit bethshalomtemple.com for more information.

EVENTS Beth Am Homecoming Dance Dec. 9, 6 p.m., 5050 Del Mar Heights Rd. Don’t be a drag, Daddy-O! Wear peachy keen 50’s threads and the night will be fab! You dig? Go to betham.com for more information.

Groundbreaking for the new Infant-Toddler Center at Ganon Gil Early Childhood Center at Temple Adat Shalom Dec. 14, 10:00 a.m.15905 Pomerado Road, Poway, CA 92064 “The Nest” will accommodate children from ages six weeks to two years and will open in early 2018. For more information contact Marilyn Milne, school director at (858) 451-6558 or mmilne@adatshalom.com Chinese and a Movie at Tifereth Israel Dec. 24, 5:30 p.m., 6660 Cowles Mtn. Blvd. San Diego, CA 92119 Join us for an age-old tradition. Following a vegetarian Chinese dinner, we’ll enjoy the award-winning Israeli film, “A Matter of Size.” Please R.S.V.P. by Dec. 18.

Go to Tiferethisrael.com for more information. *Interested in having your event featured?

Contact assistant@sdjewishjournal.com. Submissions are due by 15th of the month for the next issue.

Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 93

Cantor Deborah Davis

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ARE YOU EXPECTING A BABY OR DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS? Shalom Baby is an innovative program designed for San Diego families to celebrate the arrival of their Jewish newborns to affiliated, non-affiliated and inter-married families as a welcome to the San Diego Jewish Community.

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Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 95

Local company offers stress free moves

T

he term silver lining emphasizes the hopeful side of a situation that might seem gloomy on the surface. A cancer diagnosis 10 years prior was the dark cloud from which Jami Shapiro started her move management company, Silver Linings Transitions.

Silver Linings Transitions manages a complete move from one home to the next, including clearing the home, packing, unpacking, organizing and decorating. Many times in as few as TWO DAYS!!

Affiliated with NASMM (National Association of Senior Move Managers), Silver Linings Transitions first began helping seniors. The company began helping divorcing couples when Shapiro went through her own divorce and realized divorcing couples also face the task of moving during challenging times.

Silver Linings Transitions partners with the Bryan Devore Realty Group, Realtor at Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty to provide a complete concierge move experience including help with the purchase and/or sale of a home The services Silver Linings Transitions and the Devore Realty Group provide are for anyone making a move.“ Our clients have included busy professionals, downsizing couples, and families with young children.

Different than movers, when they leave on move-in day, clients sleep in freshly made beds and feel settled rather than cluttered with boxes. When they leave, so do all the boxes and packing paper. Shapiro says she tells people that not only will they be able to find their coffee pot the day after a move, they’ll have a “coffee station”. Lisa Gerardo, Silver Linings Transitions Team Manager, says her favorite part of the job is seeing the relief on clients’ faces when they come in for their ‘BIG REVEAL’. “Typically, there’s not a dry eye in the house.”

Any client using Bryan to sell or buy a home will receive most of Silver Linings Transitions’ services FREE. Devore says, “I found my purpose when I joined forces with Silver Linings Transitions. It feels so fulfilling to be able help people when they really need it.”

Incorporating Tikkun Olam, Silver Linings Transitions also strives to help the community by providing career opportunities for women transitioning back into the work force. They also are mindful of the environment by recycling and donating whenever possible.

The company has been awarded a “People Love Us Award on Yelp”, a Circle of Service Award and Bryan Devore has earned a Five Star Customer Satisfaction rating and consistently places as one of San Diego’s top Realtors.

To learn more visit PackedForFree.com.

96 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

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5/24/17 8:53 A

Kenneth Schad - National City, CA 06/16/1940 - 09/18/2017 Survivors: Daughter - Melissa Schad Pinkhus Sandler - San Diego, CA 01/16/1939 - 09/21/2017 Survivors: Great Nephew - Julian Kapchinsky Bernard Gomberg - San Diego, CA 07/21/1934 - 09/21/2017 Survivors: Sons - Richard & Bradley Gomberg Christopher Saunders - Encinitas, CA 11/12/1949 - 09/21/2017Survivors: Wife - Marsha Herman Vladimir Krayzman - San Diego, CA 10/17/1930 - 09/23/2017 Survivors: Wife - Lucy Fogel, Daughter - All Lyulkin, 2 Grandchildren & 2 GreatGrandchildren Nahum Raz - San DTiego, CA 03/05/1953 - 09/25/2017 Survivors: Wife - Anat Raz & Sons Tamur & Moer Raz Felix Kelbert - La Mesa, CA 04/05/1937- 09/22/2017 Survivors: Daughter - Elizabeth Belinsky

Anita Raymon - San Diego, CA 06/27/1931 - 09/25/2017 Survivors: Daughter - Heather Raymon Francy Starr - La Jolla, CA 08/29/1928 - 09/25/2017 Survivors: Daughters- Pam Ferris, Marcy Fry, Amy Scharch & Peg Melnik Mindy Kaplan - La Jolla, CA 04/22/1951- 09/27/2017 Survivors: Husband - Marc Poland Florence Sontag - San Diego, CA 02/04/1921 - 09/27/2017 Survivors: Daughter - Stephanie Sontag & Son - Richard Sontag Muriel Warren - Encinitas, CA 08/09/1930 - 09/28/2017 Survivors: Daughter - Melissa Abromowitz & Sons - Elliot & Jonathan Handrus Susan Hayman - San Diego, CA 09/05/1941- 09/29/2017 Survivors: Husband - Charles Hayman, Daughters - Alissa Weiss, Amy & Andrea Hayman & 1 Grandchild

Kislev • Tevet 5778 | SDJewishJournal.com 97

The story of Katherine Parr...

The Queen-maker

by KATE HENNIG

A SAN DIEGO PREMIERE JANUARY 17 - FEBRUARY 11

CYGNETTHEATRE.ORG • 619.337.1525 98 SDJewishJournal.com l December 2017

GIVE THE GIFT OF THEATRE

GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE IN ANY AMOUNT Meredith Garretson, Daniel Reece, Andy Grotelueschen, and Paul Whitty, Ken Ludwig’s Robin Hood!; Grantham Coleman, Hamlet; The cast of October Sky. Photos by Jim Cox.

Gift certificates can be purchased online, by phone, or in person at our ticket office.

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