June 2017 Sivan • Tamuz 5777
THE ARTS ISSUE
Becoming Omri Schein Lipinsky Arts Festival
as catalyst for new Jewish art
HOW TO HAVE AN ARTFUL SUMMER
with events, exhibitions, performances and more
SUPPORTING STUDENT SCHOL ARS and Saluting our Veterans
NOVEMBER 11, 2017 sandiego.edu/foundersgala
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Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 5
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CONTENTS June 2017
Sivan/Tamuz 5777
38
42
COVER STORY: Omri Schein's life has been a wild ride and his theater work – writing, acting – is following the same hilarious and unpredictaable path. Pat Launer helps us get to know him and his latest project in our cover story.
THEATER: The Lipinsky Family Jewish Arts Festival takes to San Diego stages for the 24th time this month. Pat Launer looks into how it has become a breeding ground for new Jewish works.
55
ART EDUCATION: Educator and klezmer musician Merryl Goldberg wants more people to understand how art can equal opportunity for kids coming of age in the 21st century. Here's how she's spreading the message.
33
VISUAL ARTS:
The styles of the three Jewish artists featured at the History Center couldn't be more different, but their surprisingly similar personal histories offer a fascinating glimpse into the early days of San Diego's art scene. Brie Stimson offers a brief biological exploration.
8 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
30
ART EVENTS: Start planning now for an artful summer in all corners of the county.
MONTHLY COLUMNS 12 Editor's Letter 22 Parenting 24 Israeli Lifestyle 26 Examined Life 28 Religion 74 Advice Around Town 18 Our Town 20 The Scene 72 Synagogue Life In Every Issue 14 Mailbag 16 What’s Up Online 68 News 70 Diversions ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: 36 ARTS:
Checking in on the museum exhibitions planned for June and throughout the summer.
66
46 THEATER:
What's in store for local theater companies this month and into the fall including Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, North Coast Rep and Cygnet, plus more.
51 MUSIC:
Inside the musical mind of Avner Dorman as he prepares to debut his commission for Art of Élan.
58 FILM:
Filmmaker Isaac Artenstein is tracing his way through the southwest, chronicling the origin stories of pioneer Jews for a series of documentaries.
61 FEATURE:
Jay Bernstein taught himself how to be a drone photographer and he wants to teach you, too.
66 FOOD:
Peanut hummus and 3,500 years of history.
Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 9
www.sdjewishjournal.com June 2017 • Sivan/Tamuz 5777 PUBLISHERS • Mark Edelstein and Dr. Mark Moss EDITOR-IN-CHIEF • Natalie Jacobs CREATIVE DIRECTOR • Derek Berghaus ASSISTANT EDITOR • Brie Stimson ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR • Eileen Sondak OFFICE MANAGER • Jonathan Ableson CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tori Avey, Betsy Baranov, Linda Bennett, Eva Beim, Judith Fein (Senior Travel Correspondent), Patricia Goldblatt, Pat Launer, Sharon Rosen Leib, Andrea Simantov, Marnie Macauley, Rabbi Jacob Rupp, Saul Levine ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Ronnie Weisberg – Senior Account Executive Jonathan Ableson – 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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Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 11
THE STARTING LINE by Natalie Jacobs
EDITOR’S LETTER editor@sdjewishjournal.com
Transformations
A
n old friend was in town from New York City and we met up for a drink at the Green Flash tasting room in Mira Mesa. I thought I was being so cool and original by taking him to a homegrown craft brewery. Turns out, most of the other old and new friends he met up with on his three-day whirlwind tour had the same idea and he ended up bopping around from nondescript warehouse tasting room to nondescript warehouse tasting room. Why didn’t I think to take him to some cool artsy coffeehouse? I once thought I was hip, but I think all the sunshine has burned it out of me. He and his wife are working their way toward relocating to San Diego – he was in town to shake some hands and pass out business cards. He mentioned his wife initially moved to New York City from Philadelphia to become an actress so I couldn’t resist offering a pitch for San Diego’s theater scene. Maybe I’m still moderately hip? He had no idea that San Diego has such a solid reputation for producing art-house and Broadway-bound productions. It’s not his fault. Theater itself is a niche, probably becoming more quaint as millennials trod toward middle age with preferences for “Netflix and chill” over a night at the theater. And then there’s the fact that people who have never lived in San Diego insist on seeing us only for our beaches, suntans and military crew cuts. Maybe lab coats are starting to penetrate the image but rebranding San Diego as an art destination is probably nev-
12 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
er going to happen. The reasons for that are innately felt by natives – we do exist! – and extremely difficult to explain to outsiders. People here make art, and some even make a living off it. But no matter how hard we try, we’ll probably never be seen as culturally vibrant as Los Angeles or New York City. Maybe that adds to the cool factor of those who are “in the know” about San Diego’s art scene. With that somewhat grim introduction, I want this arts issue to surprise you. In our cover story, theater critic Pat Launer introduces us to Omri Schein, who just may be one of the funniest actors working in San Diego today. He’s also a writer, and his new play “Withering Heights,” co-written with Phil Johnson, in which the two funny-men play all the characters, starts this month. Launer also takes a look at how the Lipinsky Family Jewish Arts Festival has for 24 years been unafraid to offer a stage to new works that portray Jewish stories in surprising new ways. As Todd Salovey puts it to Launer, those stories “rarely end” at the Jewish Arts Fest, and as they evolve and take on new lives in other places, the hope is that they retain their attachment to the city that gestated them. The word “artful” comes up more than a few times in this issue. Rundowns of street fairs, museum exhibitions and theater season openers are offered throughout the issue in the hopes that this summer can be an artful one. Later in the issue, you’ll meet Merryl Goldberg, an arts educator
Theater itself is a niche, probably becoming more quaint as millennials trod toward middle age with preferences for “Netflix and chill” over a night at the theater. and klezmer musician who is spreading the message that non-art school subjects can enhance learning by becoming more artful. Like I said, I hope we offer some surprises with this first arts issue of 2017. And then maybe someday a magazine that contains more than 40 printed pages about art and artists calling San Diego home won’t be surprising at all. A
MAZAL TOV!
SAN DIEGO JEWISH ACADEMY GRADUATES
San Diego Jewish Academy’s 2017 graduates were accepted to the following colleges and universities: Arizona State University Babson College Berklee College of Music Boston College Boston University Brandeis University California Polytechnic State University Chapman University Columbia University Cornell University Duke University Emory University Haverford College Indiana University Jewish Theological Seminary of America Lafayette College Loyola Marymount University New York University Occidental College Pace University, New York City Pennsylvania State University
Pomona College Pratt Institute Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rhode Island School of Design San Diego State University Southern Methodist University Suffolk University Syracuse University The American University of Paris The George Washington University The University of Arizona Tulane University University of California, Berkeley University of California, Davis University of California, Los Angeles University of California, San Diego University of California, Santa Barbara University of Colorado University of Delaware
SDJA Class of 2017 University of Denver University of Kansas University of Kentucky University of Michigan University of Oregon University of Pennsylvania University of San Diego University of Southern California University of Washington University of Wisconsin, Madison Washington University in St. Louis Yale University ... And many more!
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we’re listening let us know what’s on your mind Incivility
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.com. Magazine articles are republished on the website at the beginning of each issue month.
14 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
The May issue of the SDJJ featured articles by Sharon Leib [“Family Politics”] and Saul Levine [“America: Exclusionary Wall or Welcoming Bridge”] that were infused with criticisms directed at the political right by way of using words like “alt-right cronies,” “toxic brew,” “xenophobic,” “white-nationalist,” “callow politicians,” “selfish” and “exclusionary.” Both pieces featured descriptions that questioned the motives and character of those with whom they disagree. They were largely bereft of facts that supported the allegations of bigotry. Political rhetoric is at its lowest ebb in my 65 years of experience. I understand that “progressives” are in a state of shock. Emotionalism has generated progressives like our two authors to name-call rather then debate. The San Diego Jewish Journal was founded as a “magazine that spoke to Jews of all movements and traditions.” I guess that excludes conservatives or relegates them to “letters to the editor.” I wrote a comprehensive 1100 word response to the articles, challenging the invective with facts. Unfortunately equality of response does not apply in this case. I would suggest that the SDJJ move to truth in labeling. Call yourself the San Diego Progressive/Leftist Jewish Journal, stay away from politics or offer a monthly column to a true conservative. As a private publication the SDJJ has no legal obligation to lean in the direction of balance. But if the publishers and editors believe in open reasoned debate based on fair play, facts and decency they will avoid character assassination (claims of bigotry) and return to civility in the future. Opps, I have written more than 200 words. I hope to G-d this letter will still be published. Mike Hayutin San Diego
[Editor’s note: Neither article used the word “bigot” nor made claims that any politician or political observer was practicing bigotry. Both columns are available for re-reading and digital commenting on our website by searching the titles “Family Politics” and “America: Exclusionary Wall or Welcoming Bridge.”] [Publisher’s note: The San Diego Jewish Journal continues to be an independent publicat-ion that takes pride in its mission to speak to Jews of all movements and traditions.]
CORRECTIONS In “Continuity and Change Through the Ages” from our May, 2017 issue, a handful of names were spelled incorrectly. To Jerri-Ann Jacobs, M. Larry Lawrence of the former M. Larry Lawrence Branch of the JCC, Kenneth Polin and Ana Kozlowski, the Jewish Journal regrets the errors. The web story has been updated to reflect the correct spellings. Also in that article, it was incorrectly noted that the original location of the JCC was in the College Area in 1945. According to Jewish Historical Society of San Diego printed ephemera from the time period, the first JCC was founded in 1946 at 3227 El Cajon Blvd., in what is today considered a corridor of North Park and City Heights.
ON THE COVER
This month’s cover is shot by Daren Scott for the Roustabouts Theatre Company production of "Withering Heights." In the photo, playwright and comic actor Omri Schein transforms for his role of Catherine. Artist Alberto Alvarado can be seen applying the makeup. Read Pat Launer’s feature on the multi-hyphenate and learn more about the play receiving its world premiere this month on pg. 38.
what’s up on sdjewishjournal.com ISRAEL SAID TO BE SOURCE OF INTELLIGENCE TRUMP CASUALLY DISCUSSED WITH RUSSIANS In an already unusual move, President Trump met with Russian officials behind closed doors, with only Russian press there to witness. Later, the Washington Post revealed that Trump discussed highly classified intelligence with those Russian officials. That intelligence, it turns out, according to The New York Times, likely came from Israel, potentially compromising the U.S.'s strong relationship of intelligence-sharing with our Middle Eastern ally. Two American officials, one current and one former familiar with the matter, said Israel had previously urged the government to be careful with the information. Brie Stimson outlines the details of what we know and from what sources in a web story.
REDEFINING SUCCESS Shavuot may be over, but if you haven't yet had a chance to read Rachel Eden's essay on what the dairy holiday can teach about judgement and success, then pretend you're turning back the clock and head over to our website.
TRUMP GOES TO ISRAEL
WHO IS ROD ROSENSTEIN? A TRIVIA PREP ROUND.
After a tough week, President Donald Trump embarked on his first foreign trip. After first stopping in Saudi Arabia, receiving a grand welcome and inking a promising deal, Trump, accompanied by his wife Melania and his Jewish daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner landed in Israel. The family took a private stop at the Western Wall, marking the first time a sitting U.S. President visited the holy site. More on this and other details of the jampacked trip are on our website.
A name sure to pop up in a game of trivia soon is Rod Rosenstein. Up until May 9, most outside the Justice Department wouldn't have known this particular U.S. attorney who is said to have a sparkling reputation. On our website is a story about Rosenstein's background, explored in an effort to find some explanation for the flash-firing of FBI Director James Comey. You surely know by now that a brief from Rod Rosenstein was initially cited as the reason for the firing, though the president himself has since walked back that explanation in favor of the more direct, "It was my decision" that he offered to Fox News shortly after the news sent shockwaves across the country.
16 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
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TOP L-R: Rabbi Devorah Marcus, Kerri Aiello, Sebastian Eickholt • Rabbi Martin Lawson, Steve Saltzman, Anita Lawson and, Sherry Saltzman. Photos by Paul Globerson.
our TOWN BY LINDA BENNETT, BETSY BARANOV AND EMILY BARTELL; PHOTOS BY PAUL GLOBERSON AND BY LAUREN NATALIE PHOTOGRAPHY
18 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
Red Carpet Gala at Temple Emanu-El
Temple Emanu-El did it up in style this year at their Red Carpet Gala. Everyone felt like a Hollywood star with a wonderful evening of dinner, dancing, and delicious cuisine provided by The Wild Thyme Company Caterers. Among those enjoying the evening were Barry Fefferman, Marc and Dena Kaplan, Lynn Grady, Don and Marsha Stein Hicks, Abe and Elaine Rosenbaum, Mark and Sally Tukeman, Emily Klein Bartell, The Cohn family, Kerri and Joe Aiello, Jeff and Ann Golumbuk, Tom and Barbara Lincoln, Madeline and Warren Gershwin, Rabbi Devorah Marcus and Sebastian Eicholt, Rabbi Marty and Anita Lawson, Jane Zeer, and Betsy Arnold.
Cygnet Theatre Speakeasy
Everyone came dressed in full flapper regalia for the Cygnet Theatre “Gin & Jazz” themed gala held at El Cortez Hotel in late spring. More than 230 guests enjoyed rousing games of blackjack and signature cocktails, music by Gregory Page Trio and 1920s-themed entertainment from Cygnet artists.
BOTTOM L-R: Joseph Fisch and Joyce Alxelrod • Cygnet artists Kevane Coleman and Siri Hafso with Julie Garb and Paul Miller. Photos by Lauren Natalie Photography.
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TOP L-R: Hannah Step, Michael Step and Lisa Cohen • Larry Luckinbill, Lucie Arnaz, David Ellenstein and Denise Young. Photos by Vincent Andrunas.
the BY EILEEN SONDAK PHOTOS BY VINCENT ANDRUNAS AND COURTESY SDMA
20 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
North Coast Rep Spotlight Gala North Coast Repertory Theatre held its annual Spotlight Gala recently at the Del Mar Country Club. This year’s bash featured entertainment by the effervescent stage and screen star Lucie Arnaz who dazzled the crowd with her singing and stories. This was the theater’s 35th anniversary season, and they celebrated in style, with a cocktail reception, elegant sit-down dinner, and entertainment. Artistic Director David Ellenstein had reason to be proud of the occasion and of the strong showing of support from the theater’s loyal patrons.
Art Alive and Bloom Bash
The San Diego Museum of Art experienced its own super bloom in late April with Art Alive and the signature gala event Bloom Bash. As usual, the annual soirée transformed the museum into a stunning wonderland of floral interpretations of selected paintings and sculpture – and true to form, the results were eye-popping. The Bloom Bash welcomed hundreds of supporters into the sculpture garden which was transformed into a surrealist playground with vibrant colors and good times all around.
BOTTOM L-R: Andrew and Cameron Anderson • Katherine Brozowski, Nicole Shull, Leah Yam, Lauren Sparks Livingston. Photos courtesy SDMA.
Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 21
MUSINGS FROM MAMA by Sharon Rosen Leib
PARENTING srleib@me.com
Coachella and Letting Go
L
ike bees scouting a desert oasis, the neurotic parents (NPs) amongst us flock to the Coachella Valley in spring with our teen daughters. Why? Believe you me, it’s not because these lovely young women want to hang out with us. They’d prefer we buzz off. Rather, it’s because Coachella – the hippest of all three-day music festivals – takes place in Indio mid-April. For teens and young adults, Coachella is THE PLACE to see and be seen. The kids start wardrobe planning in February, frequenting trendy e-commerce sites to purchase their Coachella garb: strategically ripped jean shorts; barely-there bathing suits; funky sunglasses; and lots of glitter, sequins and temporary tattoos to adorn their exposed flesh. We NPs tag along to make sure they drink plenty of water, always wear sunscreen and, most importantly, don’t die of an Ecstasy overdose. We’re not interested in attending the festival with them because we don’t look as good half-naked and glittered up. But we do want to keep them safe. We’re unready to let them wander into a den of hedonistic revelry totally unsupervised. Although, we realize we must concede when they head off to college. Throughout Youngest Daughter’s high school years we’ve been trying, like gently shaken tambourines, to remain background noise. It helps that we inherited a timeshare week at the Palm Desert Marriott (a Coachella scenester hot-spot) from my parents. This relatively luxurious free lodging has enticed our daughters to allow us to enter the Coachella Valley zip code and reside with them during the festival. When Youngest Daughter was a 14-yearold freshman she begged to go to Coachella with friends. I told her nothing doing unless we all came along. Eye rolling ensued but she knew I wasn’t about to let her go
22 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
without a parent onsite. So I booked the timeshare for coveted Weekend 1 (way cooler than Weekend 2). Unfortunately, we got priced out of the ticket market. Even my husband’s ticket-broker cousin couldn’t score admission at a palatable price. We went nonetheless – dubbing the weekend No-chella. Watching the festivalgoers shuttle back and forth to the concert venue pained our daughters. However, they enjoyed lounging poolside with the hipster set. I inhaled the general Coachella vibe (basically a bunch of privileged kids having fun in a controlled environment) and relaxed a tad. The following year, I felt fine allowing Youngest Daughter and a friend, both 15, to attend the festival with Oldest and Middle Daughters. But my husband and I insisted on accompanying them to the timeshare to observe their comings and goings. All went well. No one died of an Ecstasy overdose or puked on the Marriott’s carpet. This April, her senior year Coachella, Youngest Daughter pushed hard to stay at the timeshare with friends, unaccompanied by parents and siblings. Still not ready to let go, my husband and I refused. We endured relentless eye rolling. I promised we’d let her and her friends do their own thing and we did. Again, we all coexisted and had fun. My husband and I hiked in Joshua Tree and dined with a dear friend (another NP whose 17-year-old daughter was at Coachella). Youngest Daughter and her friends attended the concert until the wee hours. Everyone survived unscathed. Next year, Youngest Daughter will be a college freshman. I offered to book the timeshare for her and some friends if they pay the cleaning and maintenance fees and vacuum the glitter off the carpet. The time has come for us to let go and buzz off. A
New Releases “Are You Anybody?” From his childhood years of being a self-described “fat Hungarian Jewish kid with a lisp” to his accomplishments on screen, actor Jeffrey Tambor’s new memoir chronicles a colorful and unapologetically Jewish life. “Are You Anybody?” is a must-read filled with uplifting stories of laughter, life lessons and anecdotes that everyone can relate to. Check back in the San Diego Jewish Journal’s July issue for a full review of the book.
“Bards of the Inland Empire” The last time we wrote about Daniel Rolnik he was a gallery owner in Santa Monica. Now he’s an author living in Portland, Ore., but he’s got the same great, wildly quirky perspective on the world. His first book takes him through the DIY music venues of California’s “Bermuda Triangle” and introduces readers to songwriters who have some of the strangest origin stories you’ve ever heard.
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Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 23
LIVING ON THE FRONT PAGE by Andrea Simantov
ISRAELI LIFESTYLE andreasimantov@gmail.com
Getting Grounded
T
hree of my six children reside in South Africa and it takes fingers and toes to record how frequently I’ve flown between Tel Aviv and Johannesburg. In fact, due to family obligations, I traveled to South Africa three times in the last four months! Considering the “Oy Vey Factor” of international travel, if one can spend twice-theamount of travel dollars, El Al can take you from Ben Gurion to Tambo in approximately nine hours with no jet lag and kosher food automatically provided. I can have dinner with my husband before boarding and subsequently dress the toddlers two continents away before my morning yogurt. For a little less money but more time, one can have a pleasurable experience on Turkish Air, stopping at the exquisite airport in Istanbul. Despite the publicized ugly relationship between Ankara and Jerusalem, I felt comfortable and enjoyed superior coffee while waiting to continue the journey. In the Bargain Basement Department of air travel lies Ethiopian Air. To be fair, there is nothing wrong with the service, the appearance of the planes, the warmth and professionalism of the staff. Their record of ontime departure and arrival is fantastic and they provide frequent flights, allowing plenty of time for Sabbath-observant Jews to arrive at their destinations without compro24 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
mising religious law. The problem is EA’s unavoidable stopover in Addis Ababa, an experience that defies endurance levels, mental awareness and disease prevention. The Bole Airport website boasts photos of cafes and lounges that I’ve never seen in five trips via Ethiopian Air. Girders and other construction equipment litter the terminal alongside signs promising completion in 2015. 2016. Uh, 2017. Flights do not arrive or depart between 10:40 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. which result in closed stores, no air conditioning or overhead electric lighting between those hours. Not so good if you want to drink, breathe or read but excellent if you need the women’s restroom. Because it is only during these hours that the two available public lavatories are not indescribably filthy due to the requirements of thousands of females who need them during active airport hours. Recently, I had two 10-hour stopovers in Addis Ababa. Ten hours without air, kosher food, or more than four other English speaking travelers in the entire facility other than those who were sleeping on the floors awaiting connecting flights to Dar Es Salaam, Entebbe, Khartoum, Mumbai, Beirut and Kuwait. Armed with my Israeli passport, it felt a tad lonely.
Still, because the bathrooms were mercifully usable during these interminable hours, I experimented with hairstyles, applied more makeup than I wore to my wedding, sponge-bathed to the best of my modest-ability and brushed and flossed three times. Once groomed and coiffed, I located a dust-coated kiosk that stocked dried-out peanuts and tepid Diet Cokes and chatted for a few moments with a nice fellow from Mozambique. That killed 10 minutes. Afterwards I strolled past Muslim prayer rooms, admired jewelry in a locked-tight shop, read the menu of a members-only flight lounge and searched for an electric outlet in which to charge my cell phone. Internet? Dream on. And I slept. With computer and travel bag nestled beneath ample thighs, for hoursupon-hours I reclined in a well-worn chaise across from the boarding gate. A hefty novel, thicker than a bullet-proof vest, allowed me to appear unapproachable. Remember the phrase, “Forever and a day”? Pretty much. Israel enjoys beautiful weather and magnificent topography. With the advent of summer, thoughts of sightseeing, sleeping late, lazy-hazy days of swimming, hiking and outdoor grilling could, for some, inspire wanderlust. But for a while, at least, I’m staying home. A
“A thoroughly entertaining musical, overflowing with heart...nuanced and intelligent.” TheatreMania
“Inventive, playful and often downright magical.” New York Post
The Marvelous Magical Musical Hit that the entire family will enjoy! music & lyrics by Andrew Lippa, book by John August di directed by Deborah Gilmour Smyth musical direction by G. Scott Lacy Choreography by Javier Valesco
JUNE 9 - JULY 30
Brandon Maier
Caitie Grady
Kelsey Venter
Michael Cusimano
John Rosen
Bryan Barbarin
Anise Ritchie
Siri Hafso
Jordan Miller
Charles Evans
Megan Carmitchel
Nicole Sollazo
Gavin Reid August
1142 Orange Ave, Coronado / Performances Tues - Sun
LAMBSPLAYERS.ORG • 619.437.6000 Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 25
OUR EMOTIONAL FOOTPRINT by Saul Levine
EXAMINED LIFE slevine@ucsd.edu
Old Friends: The Best Stuff of Life
W
e humans are a social species: We have a strong need for close friends. We feel more grounded when we have a sense of “Belonging,” of being deeply appreciated by people we care for. “People who need people are the luckiest people in the world,” Barbra Streisand sang memorably in 1964, years after Cole Porter wrote the hit song “Friendship” in 1939. Carol King’s “You’ve Got a Friend” and Joe Cocker’s “With a Little Help from My Friends” were major hits in the 1970s. These are all wonderful melodies and voices, but it was the lyrics about “friendship” which touched deep emotional chords in the listeners. Close friends might have similar values and traditions, or can come from different backgrounds, but the bonds they share are meaningful and firm. Intimate friends share experiences, and in some ways inhabit each other’s lives. They participate in the milestones and changes in life, the successes and setbacks, the highs and the lows. Good friends exchange caring, celebration and solace. When people feel blue, they often reach out to old friends for support and counsel. Close friends can be counted on to “be there,” to make time available, changes in their schedules, and meaningful sacrifices for each other. By the same token, people without friends often experience the pain and vulnerability of loneliness. Close friendships enhance our moods and functioning, as well as our emotional and physical health. Those of you who have long-lasting
26 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
friendships are fortunate souls. Some of my closest friends have played an important role throughout my entire life. A major Harvard study has shown that the most salient element determining the quality of one’s life is the presence of close, long-term friends. Social media supposedly enable people to make new friends via myriad sites (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc). But online friendships are more “virtual” than real, and many of these “cyber-bonds” are anything but meaningful. They can ironically be a way of not engaging deeply with others: In the guise of generating friendships, the internet can keep people apart. Social media cannot replace the authenticity and intimacy of face-to-face interactions. Close friendships may seem natural and “organic,” yet they have to be cultivated and nurtured to be meaningful over years. Like long and good marriages, they take special caring, sometimes tolerance, and yes, conscious effort. Good friends are open, genuine and honest with each other. They tolerate each other’s frailties, appreciate their differences, and honestly criticize when necessary. Over many years, friends participate in each other’s celebrations and marriages, and in their children’s and grandchildren’s milestones. They are always “present” in spirit if not in actuality. They might be separated by thousands of miles and yet their voices and words are appreciated during celebrations, and deeply helpful during illnesses and setbacks. After many years of friendship, some are
After many years of friendship, some are invariably left to mourn the losses of their dear old friends, almost as a loss of a part of themselves. invariably left to mourn the losses of their dear old friends, almost as a loss of a part of themselves. While they are grieving and mourning themselves, they give meaningful solace and emotional support to the families of their intimate friends. You realize that many experiences you shared with dear friends during good times and sad, are among your most cherished memories. In Stephen Sondheim’s touching song, “Old Friends,” one old friend says to another, “Here’s to us, who’s like us?” Cherish your close friends…Simply put, good friendships are some of the best stuff of life. A
jfest
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The 24th Annual Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival THROUGH JULY 9, 2017 Featuring both classic material from the “old world” and new original compositions, this one time only evening with Hershey performing works our audiences have not before heard will be sure to delight.
ONE NIGHT ONLY! JUNE 19, 7:30PM ON THE LYCEUM STAGE
Tickets $55-$180 | sdrep.org / 619-544-1000
Hershey Felder and Friends “Original Stories and Compositions and a little Sholem Alechem”
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Todd Salovey
A Klezmer, Roma and Balkan Brass Party. Yale Strom & Hot Pstromi welcome special guests and high energy brass.
JUNE 12, 7:30PM ON THE LYCEUM STAGE
Tickets $18 | sdrep.org / 619-544-1000
The 16th Annual Klezmer Summit Yale Strom & Hot Pstromi Present: Tower of Babel - A Klezmer, Roma, Balkan Brass Party
Minor Fall / Major Lift JUNE 3 AT 8:45PM | ON THE LYCEUM STAGE
Challah Rising in the Desert
Produced by Malashock Dance & Art Of Élan / Choreography by John Malashock / Music Performed by Now Ensemble (New York)
By Director Isaac Artenstein / Produced by Paula Amar Schwartz with Cinewest Productions
A bi-coastal collaboration of live music and dance, featuring all-new choreography.
A new film where braided Challah bread represents five waves of settlement of New Mexico’s Jewish community.
Tickets: $15-$50 | sdrep.org | 619.544.1000
JULY 6 AT 7:30PM | IN THE LYCEUM SPACE
Asimov: The Last Question
Tickets: $25 patron seats, $15 general seating | sdrep.org | 619.544.1000
Written by and Starring Herbert Siguenza
The Wandering Feast
JUNE 5 AT 7PM | IN THE LYCEUM SPACE
A world premiere staged reading about the world and life of celebrated author Isaac Asimov. Tickets: $12 | sdrep.org | 619.544.1000
Imagination Dead Imagine JUNE 7 & 8 AT 7:30PM | IN THE LYCEUM SPACE Text by Samuel Beckett Music and Concept by Michael Roth
A new music theatre piece by celebrated theatre composer Michael Roth featuring the words of Samuel Beckett. Tickets: $18 | sdrep.org | 619.544.1000
Women Together Sing Out JUNE 14 AT 7:30PM | IN THE LYCEUM SPACE
Jewish, Latin and African American music of change, empowerment and belief. Tickets: $12 | sdrep.org | 619.544.1000
619.544.1000 | SDREP.ORG | Lyceum Theatre | Horton Plaza
JUNE 18 AT 2PM | THE ENCINITAS LIBRARY Based on the Memoire by Yale Strom / Adapted by Todd Salovey and Yale Strom / Directed by Todd Salovey / Music Composed and Performed by Yale Strom
With live music, images and vivid stories, a world premiere staged reading of a life-changing musical journey. Tickets: Free! bit.ly/1EqwxGF | 760.753.7376
For Honor JULY 9 AT 7PM | AT LAWRENCE FAMILY JCC, DAVID & DOROTHEA GARFIELD THEATRE
Written and Directed by Lee Sankowich
This staged reading with music is a moving tribute to the young heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Tickets: $36 patron seats, $20 Regular price, $18 for JCC Members sdcjc.org | 858.362.1348
Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 27
POST-POLITICAL by Rabbi Jacob Rupp
RELIGION rabbirupp@gmail.com
The Art and Science of Judaism
I
s Judaism abstract art or hard science? There are rules, laws, expectations, and obligations. After deciding to keep kosher and observe Shabbat, this much I accepted. There has to be structure. But then there I was, amongst the black hat Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem and wondering where I could find the creativity? Diversity? I asked my rabbi, “is there room for fantasy, for passion, within the rigid framework of Torah? The question of finding the spark of creativity within a hard framework isn’t new and certainly isn’t unique to Judaism. Results, and change, are based on discipline and structure. A favorite quote of mine by Jocko Willick, Navy SEAL and author of “Extreme Ownership” is “Discipline equals freedom.” And it’s true; marriage, health, wealth, etc. All are based on creating a manageable, predictable framework governed by rules to achieve a desired outcome. In marriage, the framework could be a commitment to fidelity and honesty. In health, it is a regular workout schedule and healthy eating plan. In wealth, it’s paying yourself first, and spending less than you earn. Without discipline, success is dubious at best. We get tripped up and frustrated where systems don’t exist. In spiritual life there’s a bigger push-back than in, say health life. Perhaps it’s our ego, perhaps it’s our Western, non-spiritual society that has convinced us that spirituality should be an endeavor without rules or obligations. Kosher, set times for prayer, Shabbat and its restrictions, seem to stifle spirituality. We think spirituality is art; it should be a true and honest reflection of us – and something we’re free to express if we so choose. Real art is an expression of the artist. But 28 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
great art is made from science. Consider color, form, layout. Without a framework, without some rules, art can’t properly express anything of value, let alone represent the artist in any kind of honest, interesting way. This is true of Judaism and the structure it requires of our lives. Without the science of Judaism – the laws and our instructions to follow them – we grapple to explain how what we produced is Jewish at all. I cleaned up a beach, I advocated for human rights, I sat down with my family at the Seder; but do I feel like I created something both uniquely me and totally Jewish? So many Jews long to express, and connect, and to feel Jewish. But what they miss is how. The science. Most of the Jewish leaders I know in San Diego are passionate, creative, caring, wonderful Jews who oversee so many important causes, so much important funding, but know painfully little about Judaism. Sure they have MBAs and impressive non-Jewish pedigrees, but when it comes down to it, can they inspire others in an authentically Jewish way? Are they themselves Jewishly inspired? Without the structure, the answer is no. And they shouldn’t. A painter doesn’t get a show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art just because they call themselves an artist. They have to prove themselves, continuously, and often with little reward. On the flipside, religiously observant Jews who do practice the laws need to be concerned that our spirituality is too much science, and not enough art. Where do we come through in our observance? For many, it is their engagement in Torah study or mitzvot. The challenges we overcome, the experiences we bring to the table, make our
On the flipside, religiously observant Jews who do practice the laws need to be concerned that our spirituality is too much science, and not enough art. spirituality real. But more than that, how tuned in are we when it comes to our spiritual life? Are we just doing the same things we’ve always done? Or are we turning it up in one place or another? As my trainer says at the gym, if you keep doing the same things, you’ll never grow. Sure, the structure of a good marriage is honesty and fidelity. In the beginning, perhaps that’s all you need. But over the years, do we stay honest? Are we really open about how we feel or are we scared to push the envelope or rock the boat? Who we are really becoming? Therein lies the real challenge. When you follow the science too closely, you lose the art – the passion, the truth – and it’s no wonder the relationships fall flat. But you’ve got to know the rules before you can work creatively to break them. A
Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 29
ARTS
Artful summer BY NATALIE JACOBS
PHOTO COURTESY LITTLE DAME
EVENT RUNDOWN
ART AROUND ADAMS
JUNE 3, NOON-8 P.M. Adams Avenue has managed to maintain its signature quirkiness across decades. Some of that may be because of its insistence on supporting the small businesses that make it a destination for food and art lovers from all over. The one-day walking festival Art Around Adams highlights those businesses that offer unique and artful wares, like the femmetastic boutique and gallery Little Dame, the vintage vixens at La Loupe and the pottery cooperative Clay Associates. Stores and street vendors prepare special showcases for this day-long adventure. So don’t miss it, and save the date for Adams Avenue Street Fair, a full-blown neighborhood takeover Sept. 30-Oct.1. A handy cactus mural by local artist Celeste Byers decorates the artful Adams Avenue shop Little Dame. The shop will participate in this year's Art Around Adams on June 3 from noon to 8 p.m.
30 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
LIBERTY STATION
PHOTO COURTESY ART WALK LIBERTY STATION
The re-purposed Navy barracks that make up Liberty Station have been expanding their art offerings over the years. The monthly Friday Night Liberty events offer glimpses into the personal studios of local artists and during the summer, the seaside station experiences an art explosion. Here’s a glimpse at what’s on tap this summer.
TASTE OF LIBERTY STATION
JUNE 21, 5-9 P.M. With the continued expansion of Liberty Public Market (which now includes a weekly farmers’ market) there is more to eat in Point Loma than ever before. To show off some of the goods, the Arts District is hosting its inaugural “Taste” this month and it’s not just food on the menu – there will be six live performances in different plazas along with local artists set up around the halls. The art and the music are free, but the food tickets are $30 in advance or $40 at the door. For an extra $15, those who are 21 and older can add access to the “bubbly garden” for samples of sparking wines.
ART WALK LIBERTY STATION
PHOTO COURTESY ART OF PRIDE
AUG. 12-13, STARTS AT 10 A.M. An outgrowth of the Little Italy fine art fair that takes place in the spring, Art Walk Liberty Station offers a slightly more compact showcase of local, national and international artists in booths sprinkled throughout the lawn at 2751 Dewey Road. In addition to the booths, there are live performances and food trucks for all ages to enjoy.
The greens a Liberty Station provide for a more meandering kind of Art Walk, with larger sculpture displays often adorning the walkways.
ART OF PRIDE
July 14-16 Pride weekend seems to get bigger and more diverse every year. There's the parties and the floats and the fabulous wigs and then there's the art. In conjunction with the annual San Diego LGBTQ Pride weekend, which culminates in a parade on Sunday, July 16, a large handful of local artists will be set up for Art of Pride in Balboa Park along the main parade route. Organizers are always enthusiastic about the artistic talent on display, and the plein air art fair adds a nice element to the weekend festivities. They're conveniently located along the parade route so you can't miss the stands.
Artist Devon Browning, whose work is pictured here, is expected to show again. Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 31
BARRIO ART CRAWL SECOND SATURDAY OF THE MONTH, ALL DAY You’ve probably heard whispers that Barrio Logan is the coolest art destination in town. If you haven’t had a chance to cruise down Logan Avenue or Main Street near Chicano Park, then mark your calendar for any second Saturday this summer. A consortium of 31 galleries, artist studios, bars, restaurants, coffee shops and boutiques open their doors to scores of revelers. This neighborhood is changing fast, with energetic entrepreneurs staking claims left and right – it’s exciting to experience the pride and originality oozing out of these creative destinations. The corner of Logan and Sampson is a good place to start. You’ll quickly find a map and some of San Diego’s most sharply dressed art appreciators.
FARMERS’ MARKETS Sure, there’s delicious cooked food and farm-fresh produce at farmers’ markets in every corner of the county, but have you noticed all the art booths popping up lately? Increasingly, visual artists and jewelry makers are mixing their wares with food vendors so much so that it’s safe to say you’re going to need extra reusable bags this summer. Make no mistake, food is still the star at these weekly markets, but this is a little reminder that there are also some art gems to look out for while refilling on hummus and seasonal veggies.
LITTLE ITALY SATURDAYS FROM 8 A.M.-2 P.M. W. CEDAR BETWEEN KETTNER AND FRONT ST. Artists here are aware of the foodie crowd, so many makers offer unique takes on kitchen goods, like hand-painted spice jars, tea towels, hot pads and more.
OCEAN BEACH WEDNESDAYS FROM 4-8 P.M. 4900 BLOCK OF NEWPORT AVE. This 25-year old gathering has recently expanded into an empty parking lot off Newport where the vendors are more flea market than farmers’ market.
HILLCREST
TOP TO BOTTOM: Art print from Hillcrest, heirloom tomatoes in Ocean Beach and handmade pottery by DCollins from the Little Italy Mercado.
32 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
SUNDAYS FROM 9 A.M.-2 P.M. NORMAL ST. FROM UNIVERSITY TO POLK Plants – from succulents to wildflowers – seem to be the art medium of choice for this “fresh and fabulous” outdoor market, which is celebrating its 20th year in operation.
VISUAL ARTS
Kosher Canvasses A look at three local San Diego Jewish artists whose work defined the 20th century BY BRIE STIMSON
O
n exhibit through July, the San Diego History Center’s “Art and Heritage, Three San Diego Jewish Artists” shows a lifetime of works from Belle Baranceanu, Maurice Braun and Harry Sternberg. Beautiful and often familiar, the paintings capture the Jewish experience in the 20th century and life in the bygone West. Still, the stories of the artists themselves and their connections to our fair city are more colorful than any canvas.
PHOTOS COURTESY SAN DIEGO HISTORY CENTER
Belle Baranceanu
"In the Studio" by Belle Baranceanu, c 1931.
Belle Baranceanu was born at the turn of the century in 1902 Chicago. She was a printmaker, muralist and portraitist whose bold work is a clear depiction of the artistic freedom of expression that distinctly characterizes American modernism. The daughter of Romanian immigrants, Baranceanu studied under Anthony Angarola while a graduate student at the Minneapolis School of Art. Angarola, who was a perpetual presence in Baranceanu’s life, strongly influenced her painting style. Both painters have the exaggerated harsh lines and asymmetry of post-impressionism, Fauvism and Cubism in their work. Baranceanu and Angarola’s relationship may not have been that of two people in love, although they were engaged before Angarola’s death in 1929. While in Europe, Angarola was seriously injured in a car accident in Paris and was in the hospital for several weeks. He returned to Chicago, but died of a brain aneurysm in a hotel room. Although Baranceanu was devastated after Angarola’s death, she was known for what were considered “lesbian tendencies,” including a predilection for “mannish” clothes. She almost exclusively painted women when she did portraits and she never married. She was also accused of lesbianism by the female director of the Art Institute of Chicago when she applied for a scholarship. She did not receive the award, but she was one of the youngest artists ever to be accepted into the Art Institute’s prestigious American Paintings Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 33
Exhibition in 1926. She began teaching there to support herself during the Depression. At that time, she became more involved with Chicago’s Jewish community, teaching both at the Hebrew Schools of the Board of Jewish Education and the Jewish People’s Institute. Pressured by the Depression, Baranceanu’s family moved west in 1933. At that time she changed her name from Goldschlager to her mother’s maiden name – Baranceanu. After arriving in San Diego she had two pieces accepted in the annual spring Exhibition of Southern California Art. One of her first commissions at the end of that year was for the Public Works of Art Project of the Civil Works Administration, part of a series of federal government initiatives aimed at keeping artists employed during the Depression. The small mural, entitled “San Diego,” is now on exhibit at the National Museum of American Art in Washington, D.C. Two of her paintings from that time still hang permanently "Landscape, San Diego Backcountry," by Maurice Braun c. 1915. in San Diego. “Scenic View of the Village” can be seen at the La Jolla Post Office and “The Progress of Man” hangs at the Balboa Park Club Building next to the Puppet Theatre in Balboa Park. Both were commissioned through the government’s Work Progress Maurice Braun Administration (WPA). Her last and largest mural, “The Seven Arts,” Maurice Braun, who moved to San Diego in 1909, painted an array of impressionist landscapes, including several portraying Southern California. He was born in Hungary in 1877 and his family immigrated to New York when he was 4. Growing up surrounded by some of the world’s greatest art and artists influenced the young painter’s development. He studied at the National Academy of Fine Arts from 1897 to 1900, and by the time Braun left for California he was already an established portrait painter in New York. Braun became a fixture among San Diego’s landscape painters, joining the ranks of Charles Reiffel, Charles A. Fires, Leon Bonnet and Elliot Torrey. He met likeminded artists at the Theosophical Society in Point Loma, where they discussed science, philosophy and religion. His landscapes became known for their impressionist style, use of light, as well as his depictions of eucalyptus trees. “California has already contributed to the history of art in Amer(1939) in La Jolla High School’s auditorium was destroyed in 1975 ica,” he said in 1928, “but she is destined to add far more brilliant pages, not in individual effort, but in the great number of artists who when the building was leveled for not being up to code. During 1935’s California Pacific International Exposition in Bal- will take part in making her a culture which is not yet imagined.” Braun founded the San Diego Fine Arts Academy in 1912, where boa Park, a visiting Eleanor Roosevelt remarked that “The Progress of Man” mural was “one of the best she’d ever seen.” The mural shows he exhibited his first major painting of San Diego’s landscape: “Bay small depictions of technological, scientific and intellectual advance- and City – San Diego,” part of his first major West Coast exhibition. After three years back on the East Coast, Braun, his wife and daughments throughout history: from medieval soldiers to ships and airter moved into their new home in Point Loma in 1924. In 1929, he planes to the telescope. After World War II Baranceanu began to paint less and focused formed the Contemporary Artists of San Diego with 10 other artists, more on her teaching job at the Francis Parker School, a private col- including Bonnet, Reiffel and Fries. Braun fainted while putting paintings in his car after showing some lege prep school in Mission Hills, as well as taking care of her mother. She also started doing block prints and shipped her linocuts to exhib- of his work at the Chula Vista Women’s Club in 1941. He died just a few hours later of a heart attack. He was 64. its across the country. “Let us remember that method, style, subject and all the rest are Baranceanu first lived in Bankers Hill with her family before moving to Mission Hills where she bought a house in 1962. “Self Por- merely the clothing in which the thing itself, ‘Art’, is enclosed, … It trait,” shown at the San Diego Art Guild in 1944, was the last known is the aroma of the message that is important … We find many artpainting she exhibited. In 1950, Baranceanu became president of the ists searching for new principles, but they only discover, even [in] the Artist’s Guild. Moving away from the Judaism she had connected with most ancient art, the same fundamental rules or laws that every true in Chicago, in the 50s she began to follow the teachings of Eastern work of art submits to are so much nature’s own laws that they may be looked upon as practically changeless … Let the real aim of art and philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti. The History Center anecdotally notes the artist had lied about her purpose of the student who wishes to penetrate the mysteries of art be, birthdate for several years, saying it was 1905 instead of the accurate therefore, the achievement of inner vision,” he wrote in the last year of his life. Many of Braun’s works are owned by the San Diego Unified 1902, a date which was published more than once. School District.
One of her first commissions was for the Public Works Project, a series of federal initiatives aimed at keeping artists employed during the Depression.
34 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
Harry Sternberg
Harry Sternberg moved to Escondido after living in New York City Sternberg married in 1939 and had one daughter, Leslie. His family is for 62 years. Decades of working with toxic paints had damaged his depicted in the mural “The Family, Industry and Agriculture,” which lungs, and his doctor told him he likely had six months to live. He he painted for a Pennsylvania post office. It shows Sternberg sitting on quit his New York teaching job in 1966 and set up a studio in North a blanket with his wife and diapered baby daughter caught between a County. Sternberg first visited the West Coast in 1956 when he paint- farm and a factory. In 1990, he published “Sternberg: A Life in Woodcuts,” a collection ed “Mountains and Birches of Utah”, now at the San Diego Museum of prints. In 2001 a retrospective of his life “No Sun Without Shadow: of Art. The Art of Harry Sternberg” was shown at the California Center for The artist, whose dark, often political, surrealist work shows Jewish the Arts, Escondido. Sternberg continued to work until his death at age life from New York to San Diego, worked in Escondido for the last 97. Shortly before his death in November 2001 he remarked, “As long 35 years of his life. as I have an easel, paints and good light, I’m happy.” A Sternberg was born in Manhattan in 1904, the youngest of eight children. The son of Russian and Hungarian immigrants, his family moved to Brooklyn in 1910 where he began Orthodox Jewish study. In 1933, he started teaching etching, lithography and composition at New York’s Art Students League. “I told him I wanted to be an artist,” Sternberg said of his father to a critic in 1991, “it was the antithesis of everything he believed. Jews simply weren’t supposed to be image-makers. But he let me go my own way; he accepted it. This was about as great a gift as my father could give.” Sternberg’s work showcased anti-Semitism as well as the struggles of workers in coal and steel. During World War II Sternberg also painted anti-fascist works to support the war effort. The U.S. Department of the Treasury Section of Painting and Sculpture commissioned his first mural in 1937. The large, surrealist painting shows mail carriers traveling by plane, train and automobile to get the mail where it needs to go. Soon after that commission he traveled to Chicago where he painted the post office mural, “Chicago: Epoch of a Great City.” Just like Baranceanu’s murals, these were WPA commisDavid Burliuk portrait by Harry Sternberg. sions. Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 35
ARTS PHOTO BY NATALIE JACOBS
Summer Exhibition Preview BY EILEEN SONDAK AND NATALIE JACOBS
ATHENAEUM MUSIC & ARTS LIBRARY JURIED EXHIBITION The prestigious 26th annual Athenaeum Music & Arts Library juried exhibition unveils its winners with the opening reception Aug. 5 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The show will be up in La Jolla until Sept. 2. This year’s jurors are Alessandra Moctezuma, gallery director and professor of fine art at Mesa College, and Kara West, library arts and culture exhibition manager for the San Diego Public Library. For the fine artists among us, there is still a smidgen of time left to submit – deadline to enter is June 9 at 5:30 p.m. Might be worth a couple all-nighters if this is the first you’re hearing about the show. Art appreciators have a month to see the finalists. As a side note, the Athenaeum opened a studio location in Barrio Logan not too long ago, if you’re looking for more reasons to check out that neighborhood. Find them at 1955 Julian Ave., next to Bread & Salt, and be sure to check out the colorful abstract mural by Michael James Armstrong in the alley.
PHOTO COURTESY BIRCH AQUARIUM
A multi-paneled mural by Michael James Armstrong can be found in the alley behind Athenaeum Logan Heights.
BIRCH AQUARIUM “Infinity Cube: Language of Light” is what you get when you pair an Art and science combine in "Infinity Cube" at Birch Aquarium. artist with a marine biologist to work together for three months, filming single-celled organisms as they react to different stimulants. Revelers at the Aquarium walk into the eight-food cube and become ensconced in projections of the real footage that artist Iyvone Khoo and biologist Michael Latz recorded during their time together. The result is a larger-than-single-celled-life bioluminescent experience that is both beautiful and intellectually intriguing. The Aquarium’s newest exhibit, “Expedition at Sea” also offers a blend of art and science, with a 33-foot-long projected triptych exploring the Sally Ride research vessel’s 100-plus years of underwater discoveries. The Birch continues its Green Flash Concert series this summer, too, with Cracker taking the sunset stage on June 21. Steve Poltz headlines July 19 followed by Milo Greene on Aug. 16. Pine Mountain Logs and Venice round out this all-ages series on Sept. 20. 36 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
PHOTO COURTESY THE ARTIST AND L.A. LOUVER, VENICE, CA. VIA SDMA FACEBOOK PAGE
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART The Museum of Contemporary Art’s downtown location continues with three newly unveiled exhibits this summer. First, don’t miss Andrea Chung’s first solo museum exhibition, an exquisite installation of cyanotypes and watercolor sea creatures, along with prints and collages that “conjure a fantastic underwater world while offering a potent allegory for colonization.” The Museum’s collection is also on display, focusing on group works that explore relationships between art and political protest. “Go Tell It” and Andrea Chung are up until Aug. 20. Up only until July 23 is “Prospect,” an annual exhibition of works under consideration for acquisition by the Museum’s International and Contemporary Collectors groups. This year’s show features eight artists and one or more works will be selected by ballot at the annual Selection Dinner later this year.
"Dead Leg" (detail) by Richard Deacon, 2007. Steamed oak, stainless steel, on display at SDMA until July 25.
SAN DIEGO MUSEUM OF ART The San Diego Museum of Art is opening its vaults to show off a treasure trove of work usually kept under lock and key. “Visible Vaults,” a collection of 300 pieces, including works by Andy Warhol, Rodin, Toulouse-Lautrec and other great artists, will be on display through 2019 in the Museum’s first floor. Claude Monet's 1904 Water Lily painting “Le Bassin de Nympheas” will be on view here beginning June 24. Also on display are “Richard Deacon: What You See is What You Get” (through July 25) and “Modern Japan: Prints from the Taisho Era (ensconced through Aug. 13). The Deacon show is the first major survey of the artist’s work, and includes 40 pieces.
FLEET SCIENCE CENTER The Fleet is just closing up its latest interactive exhibitions “Sherlock Holmes and the Clocktower Mystery” and “So Moved” (both end on June 4), but by July 1 they'll unveil a whole new special exhibition. "Game Masters" showcases the work of the world's best video game designers, from the arcade era to today's console and online games. The work of more than 30 designers who have made a significant impact in the field is explored through concept art, new interviews, and interactive digital displays. Up until Jan. 15, 2018.
"Filthy" by Andrea Chung, part of her first solo museum exhibition on now at Museum of Contemporary Art downtown.
THE NAT Dinosaurs continue to take over the Natural History Museum, with life-like replicas of some of history’s most mysterious and majestic creates on display until Sept. 4. Relatively new to the museum is an exhibition on the Cerutti Mastadon discovery that happened right here in San Diego while CalTrans was working on the State Route 54 expansion project in 1992. The exhibition opened in conjunction with a prestigious article published in the science journal Nature, which outlines the research that has been done on the specimens found on that site. The discovery and subsequent research has called into question the timeline of human activity in North America, suggesting that humans were roaming this part of the earth approximately 115,000 years earlier than previously thought. If you’re unfamiliar with this story, the Museum suggests you take a look at some video materials on their website (sdnhm. org) before visiting the specimen exhibition. Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 37
THEATER
Becoming Omri Schein His life has been a wild ride, and now his theater is following the same course
O
BY PAT LAUNER
O
mri Schein is a man of the world and a man of the theater. He grew up in the small Swiss town of Schaffhausen; his mother is from Switzerland, his father from Poland (family legend says his dad’s mother’s father was a musician in Kaiser-Wilhelm’s orchestra). According to his very funny bio: “In the land of cheese, chocolates, and cuckoo clocks, a little Jewish baby was born. But alas, he was not raised to ski, blow on the alphorn, or to eat Fleishchaas once a week.” His father, a physician, worked in many different locales. When Omri was 6 months old, the family moved to Johannesburg, South Africa, where they remained for 11 years, then relocated to Haifa, Israel, where Omri reports he spent time “wearing gas masks, eating falafel, and floating in the Dead 38 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
PHOTO BY HOLLY RONE
Sea.” In 1994, his freshman year of high school, the Scheins immigrated to the U.S., to Brookfield, a suburb of Milwaukee. Two years later, they were living in the New York City borough of Staten Island. As a result of his peripatetic upbringing, Omri speaks German, as well as Swiss German (not the same), Hebrew, and of course, English. He majored in English and theater at the State University of New York at Oneonta, and then pursued a master’s degree in musical theater, which took him to San Diego. He graduated in 2006 and has been here ever since. In the theater program at SDSU he met his wife, Elizabeth; their first child, Pearl, was just born. “I always loved music,” he says. “But I never thought of myself as a musical theater
performer. He proved his musical and comical chops in various places, including touring Europe in the musical, “Grease” (he played Eugene, the nerd); Off Broadway in “The People vs. Mona” (he played multiple roles; “that’s usually my thing”); and Boca Raton, Florida, where Jason Alexander directed a stage version of the beloved 1966 comedy album, “When You’re in Love, the Whole World is Jewish.” Locally, audiences likely remember him in the musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (he was the hilarious William Barfe – “that’s Bar-FAY!”), both at North Coast Repertory Theatre and at Intrepid Theatre. More recently, it’s his comic acting that has been showcased, in “Laughter on the 23rd Floor” at North Coast Rep and “Beau Jest” at
PHOTOS BY DAREN SCOTT
Lamb’s Players Theatre. Both times, he was so side-splitting he nearly walked away with the show. In August, he’ll appear in the comedy “The Explorers Club” at Lamb’s. Yet, he describes himself as “very shy; quiet and reserved; an introvert. I’m only funny onstage.” That he is. But in person, he’s thoughtful and intellectually curious, an avid reader who relishes good writing. Now it’s time for him to engage in that part of theater. Omri had worked onstage with funnyman Phil Johnson (they met doing “Spelling Bee” together at North Coast), and he wanted to collaborate on “something that would showcase our talents. I was thinking: What could be ridiculous for two character actors to do? “Initially, I thought about a family gathering,” he says, “with all different characters at a bris. Then I came up with the idea of ‘Withering Heights.’” Emily Brontë’s 1845 novel, “Wuthering Heights,” is, according to Omri, “one of the biggest romantic stories of our time. It’s gothic; it’s depressing. Everyone dies. It’s perfect for a comedy!” When Phil first heard this concept, he thought, “This is a terrible idea. But after being trapped with the novel on an ocean vacation, I fell in love with it.” He “saw the gloom and doom, and immediately saw the potential,” as Omri puts it. “Two swarthy character men playing one of the most romantic couples in literature,” says Phil. “It was irresistible! “When I worked with Omri in ‘Spelling Bee,’” Phil continues, “I thought he was funny and inventive and fearless in a way that would go right up to the edge of crazy, just before he might fall into some ‘comedy ravine.’ I realized that we had very similar taste and wants – and a brazen love of making an audience laugh. We had great chemistry pret-
ty much right off: he would try to make me laugh and I sat there pretty much in shock. It had begun.” They started meeting at a coffee shop weekly. “We’d sit there laughing hysterically,” says Omri. “People thought we were nuts.” “We began to attack it a piece at a time,” says Phil. “It’s a bear of a story. “And the fun we had visualizing our funny, loving take on this wonderful piece of literature told me: This was meant to be!” Together, they re-conceived the 16 characters. The publicity shots show Omri in full drag (he’d done it only once before onstage, in “When Pigs Fly” at Diversionary Theatre), but the co-writers decided that they’d stick with just “one unit costume. It’s more about our physicality and voices,” says Omri. “I only wear a wig when I’m Catherine.” Many people think that “Wuthering Heights” was a straightforward, if intense, love story — a kind of “Romeo and Juliet” set on the Moors of Yorkshire. But the novel is actually focused on revenge. It follows Heathcliff, a mysterious person, reportedly an orphan, from childhood to his death in his late thirties. Heathcliff rises in his adopted family and then is reduced to the status of a servant, running away when Catherine, the girl he’s loved since childhood, decides to marry another man, Edgar. Heathcliff returns later, rich and educated, and sets about gaining his revenge on the two families that he believes ruined his life. He marries and abuses the young Isabella, but he and Catherine are forever linked, and seek each other out even after death. The book has inspired many adaptations, including multiple films, tv dramas, an opera, even a graphic novel. “I was Catherine from the beginning,”
“It’s gothic; it’s depressing. Everyone dies. It’s perfect for a comedy!” Omri declares. “Phil is a funny Heathcliff. He’s also Nellie, the housekeeper, young Catherine, and her daughter. And a dog. “I’m playing Isabella and Frances, a young wife and mother; and Joseph, a servant. And Emily Brontë, who comes out at the end to scold us for ruining her book. “It’s going to be over the top and funny,” Omri asserts. “But we’re pretty respectful of the novel. When we did a reading at Diversionary a year or so ago, it went really well and was well received.” Now, “Withering Heights” will get a onemonth run at Diversionary, playing in repertory with “The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe,” the one-woman, multi-character show written by Jane Wagner for Lily Tomlin, who won a Tony Award for her performance in 1985. The beloved local actor taking on the challenge is Monique Gaffney. All this is under the banner of The RoustSivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 39
“This is a terrible idea. But after being trapped with the novel on an ocean vacation, I fell in love with it.” abouts, co-founded by Phil Johnson, Ruff Yeager and playwright Will Cooper. San Diego’s newest theater company is dedicated to producing “fresh visions of classics, wellknown contemporary plays, and new works.” As Phil puts it, “We celebrate the artist and honor the creative impulse by drawing from the rich, diverse talents of actors, directors, designers and playwrights who live in our region. The best plays for you, matched up with the best local artists.” While he’s devoted to Ms. Brontë’s work at
the moment, Omri has his fingers in a number of other pies. He’s promoting his musical, “Gary Goldfarb, Master Escapist” (for which he wrote book and lyrics, to a score by composer James Olmstead), which was an Official Selection of the prestigious New York Musical Theatre Festival Next Link Project 2013. Omri and Olmstead were hired to write songs for “Mambo Italiano,” a non-musical Canadian film. And he’s also written a play, “The Grotesque,” for which he’ll do a one-time reading on June 27 at Diversionary Theatre. “It’s a fictional story about a retreat in the Austrian mountains where Jews checked in to get rid of their Jewishness,” he explains. The reading will take place during the run of “Withering Heights,” and is also being presented by The Roustabouts, at Diversionary. It will star, among other local luminaries, Omri, Phil Johnson and Ruff Yeager (who was outstanding in the Roustabouts’ debut production in April, “Margin of Error,” a world premiere by Will Cooper). The reading is free, but donations are accepted, to benefit The Roustabouts. “The characters in ‘The Grotesque’ are eccentric, but it’s a serious play – my first,” says Omri. “It has encouraged me to move forward with my new musical about unappreciated people, which will be a series of vignettes, in an episodic structure.” The musical stories of unsung heroes will include “people like Rosalyn Franklin, the British Jewish scientist who was credited with identifying DNA, but Watson and Crick got all the fame and glory. Or Israel Zangwell,
who first came up with the term ‘melting pot,’ and wrote a play by that name, the first locked-room mystery. Why does no one talk about these people?” Omri plans to be a stay-at-home dad, which may give him time to work on his wide-ranging projects. But for now, he has his eye on “Withering Heights,” which will be directed by North Coast Rep artistic director David Ellenstein (who appeared with Omri in “Laughter on the 23rd Floor” last year). “David will keep us in check,” Omri is certain. “We’ve already taken out about 98 percent of the anachronisms in the script. We took out all the fart jokes. Okay, maybe we left one in,” he quips. The ultimate goal for this show is an Off Broadway production, followed by an extended life around the country. “Every town has two comic actors and a theater that would relish a fun, low-budget show,” Omri says. “With our political climate the way it is, it’s a perfect escape, a carefree 90 minutes. I wonder these days, what theater will be like in the next year or two: political or escapist? You have to have both. “This is a loose interpretation of the novel,” he continues. “We hope people don’t take it too seriously and just come for a few laughs and a good time.” A The Roustabouts production of “Withering Heights” runs at Diversionary Theatre in University Heights, from June 10-July 9. Tickets and information: (619) 220-0097 or theroustabouts.org.
PHOTOS BY HOLLY RONE
40 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
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THEATER
Hershey Felder and the Lipinsky Family Jewish Arts Festival's Legacy of New Work
On stage for their 24th year, the San Diego Rep and Lipinsky Family Jewish Arts Festival solidify their status as a launchpad for new theater
BY PAT LAUNER
42 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
Hershey Felder as George Gershwin.
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fter so many of his heralded performances have been staged in San Diego, you probably know a bit about Hershey Felder. You may have seen some of his unique, one-man musical shows: about George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Leonard Bernstein, as well as other (non-Jewish) composers: Chopin, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky (his most recent addition to his “Composer Sonata” which, in its world premiere earlier this year, became the biggest-selling show in the history of the San Diego Repertory Theatre, doubling the sales of the previous top production. But did you know that Hershey got his start in Yiddish theater? “Where I grew up, in Montreal,” he explains, “there was a huge Jewish community. Immigrants from all over Europe. There were probably 100,000 Jews there then, though I think there are fewer now. “Both my parents were Yiddish-speaking,” he continues. “I knew Yiddish from childhood.” (he also reads, writes and speaks Hebrew and French). In the 1930s, 99 percent of the Jews in Montreal cited Yiddish as their first language. There was a Yiddish language education system, a Yiddish newspaper, and of course, a Yiddish theater. “I’d done some musical theater stuff as a kid,” Hershey reports. “But my first longterm theatrical relationship was in the Yiddish theater. I first acted onstage there at age 15, then I directed musicals. I continued to work there till I left for New York at 21.” The shows were “entirely in Yiddish,” he says. And then he boasts of having “hosted Isaac Bashevis Singer in my house. I did a couple of his plays, including ‘Schlemiel the First.’” At age 22, Hershey directed at a Yiddish theater in New York, and played and directed a musical for them as well. “I’ve been involved in Yiddish things all my life,” he says. “And now, I get a chance to bring that experience to San Diego.” For the 24th annual Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival, Hershey is offering a sneak peek at his latest work-in-progress (that’s how he presented his Berlin piece at the festival three years ago). For “The Stories of Sholem Aleichem and More,” Hershey has invited some virtuoso musical friends to join him onstage. From there, the idea evolved to what
PHOTOS COURTESY HERSHEY FELDER
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will now include Yiddish music that Hershey has composed. He will also play the music, along with, among others, Antonio Lysy, a cellist of international renown, now a Professor at UCLA. Lysy’s Argentina-born father, a violinist, was a protégé of Yehudi Menuhin. Hershey describes Antonio as “a very famous cellist. Very handsome. The ladies will love him!” Some of the pieces they’ll play were written earlier, but a few will be created just for this event. And some will be “old Yiddish theater stuff,” says Hershey coyly. “I’ll be doing Yiddish-related materials that are timely – theatrical, Jewish, immigrant sto-
“I’ll create from the original Yiddish stories, and from several translations. It’s such funny stuff. Everything is infused with humor. But it’s always laughter through tears. Everything Sholem Aleichem wrote is poignant.”
ries – both in Yiddish and in English, and it will relate to my being the child of Holocaust survivors. Consider it an evening with music.” At the time of this writing, Hershey was busily working on one of Sholem Aleichem’s characters, which will be part of the entertainment, but he was reluctant to go into the details. Solomon Naumovich, better known as Sholem Aleichem, had many recurring characters in his stories. Tevye the Milkman (made immortal by “Fiddler on the Roof ”)
was just one of them. Earlier in his career, Hershey played another one, Stempenuyu. The Lipinsky Arts Festival show is a preview performance of a piece that is very much a work in progress, so Hershey won’t reveal what exactly will be happening on stage later this month. Though he is always reluctant to give out details in advance of new work, he did say this about his focus on Sholem Aleichem: “I’ll create from the original Yiddish stories, and from several translations. It’s such funny stuff. Everything is infused with humor. But it’s always laughter through tears. Everything Sholem Aleichem wrote is poignant. “My creations have my own flavor, but very Jewish inspired. I’ve never shied away from that. I’ve always been a proud Jew.” It will only be a one-time presentation (June 19) on a Monday night, because Hershey will be in the middle of his run of the Beethoven show in Palo Alto, performing eight times a week. When that show ends, he’s off to Chicago to become Tchaikovsky and then Bernstein in New York. So he can only spare a night in San Diego. “It’s a good benefit to the theater. How do I say No?” he says of the Lipinsky Arts Festival and the San Diego Rep. It’s not yet clear what the future of this piece will be. “It’s possible that I may turn any part of it into something else. That’s what happened with the Berlin concert. I didn’t know if I was going to go forward with it. But it was such a success, that I did. Because of that night, Berlin became a massive hit. “I thank the Rep for giving me a platform,” Hershey says. “Todd [Salovey, Lipinsky Arts Fest artistic director] and Sam [Woodhouse, Rep artistic director] have always been very welcoming. And Sheila and Jeff Lipinsky have been very supportive. This is a winning combination. I can celebrate Judaism, celebrate the Rep, and make an evening for San Diego’s terrific audience.” As Todd Salovey sees it, “Brilliant is an overused adjective, but Hershey earns it. He’s a master pianist, incredibly funny, does multiple characters, and is an astonishingly eloquent storyteller. It’s a huge honor for the Festival that he’s bringing a second new piece to life just for us. The last one, ‘Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin,’ which had its first performance at the Jewish Arts Festival, Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 43
Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin.
“We might be the only Jewish Festival in the country with such a long-standing emphasis on nurturing and presenting new work.” has gone on to be one of his all-time most successful pieces. I can’t wait to see what he does acting out Sholem Aleichem’s delicious stories. They’re a treasure trove of delightful characters.” Hershey’s won’t be the only premiere at the Festival this year. “Once again,” Salovey, “we’ll premiere an incredible array of theater, music, dance and film. We might be the only Jewish Festival in the country with such a long-standing emphasis on nurturing and presenting new work. And work that starts in the Festival rarely ends in the Festival, since many of our pieces have gone on to be performed in extended runs in San Diego and across the country.” For this year’s Festival, San Diego Rep playwright-in-residence Herbert Siguenza is creating and starring in a staged reading of a new theater work, “Asimov: The Last Question,” exploring the ideas of the celebrated author, science fiction writer, biochemist and humanist. (June 5 at 7 p.m. in the Lyceum Space.) Choreographer John Malashock has created five new works, presented under the title “Minor Fall, Major Lift” (words borrowed from Leonard Cohen’s iconic song, “Hallelujah”). The piece, presented in association with Art of Élan, features five new dance works to music by four different composers, including a commissioned score by New York-based contemporary classical composer Judd Greenstein, composer in residence with the NOW Ensemble, which will perform his work. It’s called “The Jewish Pope,” 44 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
inspired by a folk legend about a medieval Jewish boy, abducted from his family, raised in the church, who ascends to the position of Pope. (June 3 at 8:45 p.m. on the Lyceum Stage.) “Legendary theater composer Michael Roth,” Salovey explains, “is realizing a 30year dream with a new music theater piece based on a short prose text by the late, renowned playwright Samuel Beckett, ‘Imagination Dead Imagine,’ which uses beautiful language, moving imagery and mathematical precision to describe a journey of the mind and soul.” (June 7 and 8 at 7:30 p.m. in the Lyceum Space.) The Festival continues the tradition of honoring six inspirational Jewish women in our community with the 8th annual presentation of “Women of Valor,” written by Rebecca Myers, Sarah Price-Keating, Leah Salovey, Todd Salovey and Ali Viterbi. “A woman of Valor, who shall find” is a famous quote from the Book of Proverbs. This year’s esteemed honorees are: Joyce Axelrod, City Council member Barbara Bry, Rose Schindler, Pauline Sonboleh and Marcia Tatz-Wollner. The women are celebrated through live music, poetry and vivid imagery. (May 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the Lyceum Space; May 28 at 2 p.m. in the Encinitas Library.) Another tribute is “For Honor,” written and directed by Lee Sankowich. The staged reading of this world premiere docudrama with music focuses on the heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising. In 1943, 300 heroic young men and women fought the German
Army, holding them off for 27 days, longer than France or Poland managed to do. This is a tribute to their courage and determination. (July 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Lawrence Family JCC.) Finally, Todd and eminent musicologist Yale Strom have written “The Wandering Feast,” a new play based on Yale’s memoir, about his life-changing, year-long journey through Eastern Europe, collecting music and stories from the remnants of the once-thriving Jewish communities in six countries. Yale began in 1981, when he was a 23-year-old aspiring lawyer, and his discoveries changed the course of his life. This world premiere staged reading is told with through narrative, photographs, video, vivid stories and live music, composed and performed by Yale himself. (June 18 at the Encinitas Library; no charge.) Hershey Felder, Sholem Aleichem, a basketful of world premieres. What’s not to like? The Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival runs from May 21-July 9: 12 performances at four different venues. A ‘Major Lift’ for the local Jewish community. Tickets are available at 619-544-1000; sdrep. org. “Hershey Felder and Frieds – The Stories of Sholem Aleichem and More” will be presented one night only, Monday, June 19, on the Lyceum Stage in Horton Plaza. General tickets are $55; $180 VIP tickets include a post-show reception and a singalong with Hershey. A
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Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 45
ARTS
Season Announcements A look at what’s heating up theaters and concert halls around the county BY BRIE STIMSON
Robert Sean Leonard
Cygnet Theatre “Animal Crackers,” which opens the Cygnet’s 2017-18 season in July, is like the theater version of beach reading. Witty and filled with puns and gags, the play originally ran on Broadway in 1928 and starred four of the Marx Brothers. After a celebrated painting is stolen from a fancy house party, the guests go to absurd (and hilarious) lengths to catch the culprit. The drama “The Effect of Gamma-Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds” runs the month of September and tells the story of a shy young girl who finds her way out of the cloud of her dysfunctional family dynamic. Casey, an Elvis impersonator, loses his job right before finding out his wife is pregnant in “The Legend of Georgia McBride.” When his club brings in a drag act his problem is solved. 46 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
San Diego’s resident Shakespeare theater, the Old Globe, is running a four-play summer season that includes a quartet of old favorites on the Balboa Park outdoor stage. The season opens June 11 with the Bard’s history of “Richard II.” the 14th-century ruler whose reckless actions forced him to abdicate the throne for Henry IV. The play stars Robert Sean Leonard of “House” and “Dead Poet’s Society.” Medieval England gives way to 20th century New York for “Guys and Dolls.” The Broadway gem, written in 1950, follows a bet made between Nathan Detroit, who runs an illegal craps game, and gambler Sky Masterson that Masterson can’t get the devout Sarah Brown to have dinner with him
in Havana, Cuba. The musical includes famous show tunes such as “Luck Be a Lady,” “A Bushel and a Peck” and “I’ve Never Been in Love Before.” “Robin Hood!” takes theatergoers back to medieval England where the heroic figure of legend steals from the rich and gives to the poor. “Alas, poor Yorick, I knew him!” The summer season finishes in medieval Denmark with one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays: “Hamlet.” The young prince seeks vengeance against the man who usurped his father’s crown in the Old English tragedy with a high body count. For the Globe’s full 2017-18 season announcements go to sdjewishjournal.com.
During the holidays, the Cygnet’s musical adaptation of “A Christmas Carol” returns just in time to remind you that a selfish life will lead to a lot of ghosts haunting you – and that it’s never too late to change. “The Last Wife,” opening at the first of the year is a contemporary re-imagining of the last wife of Henry VIII, Katherine Parr, who is sometimes known as “the one to survive.” Devout and radical, nurturing and intellectual, her relationship with the aging and sick tyrant king is as compelling as it is fraught. Sondheim’s “A Little Night Music” is a comedy that shows the tangled web of romance between a Swedish actress, her two lovers and their wives during a weekend in the country. The play features the famous song “Send in the Clowns.” The season closes in May 2018, with “The Wind and the Breeze” about the undisputed emcee king of Rockford, Illinois,
who stakes out an early spot for the 4th of July fireworks in the dead of winter, but is soon challenged by his mentees into a battle he can’t win.
Donny Gersonde and Manny Fernandes as VIP Speakeasy bouncers from the Cygnet "Gin & Jazz" gala.
PHOTO BY NATALIE LAUREN PHOTOGRAPHY
PHOTO COURTESY OLD GLOBE
The Old Globe Theatre
North Coast Rep will open its 36th season September 6 with Neil Simon’s seductively hilarious “Last of the Red Hot Lovers” about a middle aged “loser in love” who attempts to join the sexual revolution before it’s too late. The comedy is followed by an adaptation of John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men.” That story of Depression-era friendship and California’s American Dream will likely still resonate with a 2017 audience. Looking ahead to the winter holiday season, the improvised “Dickens Unscripted” and the “Sister’s Christmas Catechism: The Mys-
tery of the Magi’s Gold,” which is described as “CSI: Bethlehem,” returns to the Solana Beach theater. The theater starts off 2018 with another literary adaptation, this time of “Around the World in 80 Days,” with five actors portraying 42 characters who travel from smoggy London to elephants and runaway trains in India to the Wild West just beyond San Francisco. Drama “This Random World,” a story of missed connections, comedy “How the Other Half Loves” about three different marriages, and the Tony-nominated “The
Father” about the ravages of age round out the season through the end of June, 2018. The last play of the 2017-18 season, “The Soul of Gershwin: The Musical Journey of an American Klezmer,” takes the audience back to turn-of-the-century New York teeming with folk songs, Yiddish theater, cantor chants and opera – all coming together to make up “Our American Songbook.” Music and lyrics are written by George and Ira Gershwin and the show has favorites such as “Embraceable You,” Summertime” and “I Got Rhythm.”
Phil Johnson stars as Barney Cashman in "The Last of the Red Hot Lovers," which opens the North Coast Rep season opener.
La Jolla Playhouse Budget cuts and reconfigurations of the UC San Diego theater program hasn’t stopped the La Jolla Playhouse from putting up a new season with a bevy of independent temptations beginning with the extended “Escape to Margaritaville,” with music and lyrics by Jimmy Buffett.
The story is a about a parttime singer/bartender who gets his too-sure world rocked by a beautiful career-minded tourist. “At the Old Place” tells the story of a 40-something literature professor who returns to her hometown. The black comedy “Kill Local” is about what
can go wrong in the career of an uninspired assassin. “Wild Goose Dreams,” in September, follows the unlikely romance of a North Korean defector and a lonely South Korean father. “The Donna Summer Musical,” on stage in November and December, chronicles the life of
the undisputed queen of disco. The season finishes in February with “The Cake,” which follows a woman who travels back to North Carolina to marry her partner, forcing her small town to confront some of their deeply held beliefs.
Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 47
PHOTO BY NATALIE LAUREN PHOTOGRAPHY
North Coast Repertory Theatre
PHOTO COURTESY SDS
San Diego Symphony
The Symphony will perform the score to "La La Land" while the movie screens for audiences on the lawn. This is a favorite of the Bayside Summer Nights series.
The Symphony starts its 201718 season without their esteemed conductor Jahja Ling, who was with the group for 14 seasons and helmed his last show here in May. A glance at their lineup shows they are doing more than enough to make up for his absence. Before the season officially starts, the Symphony will continue their popular Bayside Summer Nights, formerly dubbed Summer Pops. Bayside Summer Nights opens on June 30 with Star Spangled Pops, then Wynonna Judd helps celebrate Independence Day with “America’s Birthday With Wynonna.” Herb Alpert and Lani Hall, Leslie Odom, Jr. of “Hamilton” fame, Tony Bennett and Air Supply round out July’s celebrity talent. The Symphony will finish off the month with the opening of Thursday night
Jazz, Hooray for Hollywood and live accompaniment to “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.” Singer-Songwriter Boz Scaggs returns at the beginning of August, followed by bossa-nova master Sergio Mendes and Latin Jazz Masters on August 10. On August 11 and 12, the symphony will accompany showings of “E.T.” and “La La Land.” “Africa’s Premier Diva” Angelique Kidjo, a Broadway concert featuring “Fiddler on the Roof,” Bolero on the Bay, John Beasley Presents Monk’Easta for the closing of Thursday Night Jazz, Amos Lee, the Commodores, Ozomatli and the 1812 Tchaikovsky Spectacular on Labor Day Weekend close out the summer season. For the Symphony’s full 2017-2018 visit sdjewishjournal.com.
La Jolla Music Society
San Diego Opera
La Jolla Music Society’s annual SummerFest returns this August with more than a dozen performances. The festival opens with a bang August 4 when fiddlers and pianists have a classic faceoff for “Fiddles vs. Pianos.” The next evening, twin sisters and dual piano sensations Christine and Michelle Naughton play an evening of Chopin, Dvorak and Lutoslawski. Finnish pianist Olli Mustonen entertains on Aug. 6 with Beethoven and his own music. A quartet from Hungary continues the European theme with music from Liszt, Kodaly and Bartok the Aug. 8. Three quintets of Beethoven, Dvorak and the West Coast premiere of Xiaogang Ye’s Gardenia for Pipa and String Quartet; “Celebrating Strings,” which features the music of Spohr, Kodaly and Mendelssohn; and the 40th anniversary of the Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson piano Trio rounds out the second week of performances. The series picks back up on Aug. 15, 16 and 18 with Beethoven’s violin sonatas. The Regina Carter Quartet swings in August 19 with an evening of jazz violin and Aug. 20 “Summer Serenades” will relax even the most tense listeners with strings, piano and winds playing Britten, Elgar and Dvorak. An evening of Mozart, cellist Alisa Weilerstein and the festival’s finale with maestro David Zinman conducting an all-star SummerFest chamber orchestra playing Stravinsky, Haydn and Beethoven will bring the harmonious festival to a close.
San Diego Opera opens their 2017-18 season in October with the “Pirates of Penzance” – Captain Jack Sparrow for the Gilbert and Sullivan set. The comic opera follows young pirate-in-training Frederick who is classically caught between his girlfriend and his job. “As One,” the first in the Opera’s Detour Series, shows the journey of a transgender woman finding herself. The chamber opera will run three times in November at the Kroc Center. At the Lyceum Stage in February, “Maria de Buenos Aires” is about an Argentinian prostitute who returns to haunt the streets after her death. The Opera returns to the Civic Theatre with Puccini’s “Turandot” about an independent Chinese princess of fables who proposes riddles to her potential suitors – with dire consequences for a wrong answer. In “Florencia en el Amazonas,” a famous opera singer returns to her home in the Amazon to perform. She and other travelers board a steamboat and take a magical journey down the river where the line between fantasy and reality blurs. The regular season and the Detour series finish next May with “One Amazing Night” at the Balboa Theatre. International opera stars Lise Lindstrom and Rene Barbera perform famous arias with the San Diego Symphony.
48 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
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MUSIC
From Too Many Ideas to a “Simpler Theme”
PHOTOS COURTESY ART OF ELAN
Art of Élan co-founder Demarre McGill, Julie Smith and Che-Yen Chen make up the Myriad Trio. The three will perform Avner Dorman's new composition "Variations on a Simpler Theme" on June 17.
COMPOSER AVNER DORMAN’S JOURNEY ARRANGING FOR THE ISRAEL ARMY TO SAN DIEGO’S ART OF ÉLAN BY BRIE STIMSON
A
vner Dorman, an American-Israeli composer who lives in Pennsylvania, just wrote an arrangement for Art of Élan which will be played by a harp trio on June 17 at Qualcomm Hall. The professor, conductor, music director and father of a 6-year-old budding musician spoke to the San Diego Jewish Journal about his life, his process and the new composition “Variations on a Simple Theme.” The interview has been edited for length.
San Diego Jewish Journal: Can you start by telling me a bit about the music that you write? What inspires you? Avner Dorman: It’s a variety of things… it usually links to my own life. A lot of times when I write a piece I kind of look for my personal connection with either the group that I’m writing for or the instruments or the medium … I actually try to forget that someone asked for a piece … I will put that aside and be like where would this piece have
been, where would I have come up with the idea of writing this piece? If the question is more what the music sounds like, I think that’s a tough one to explain, but people always comment on my music being quite energetic and also expressive … I believe in being able to take from anywhere – ancient Europe or folk music – a lot of things can go into the piece or in between pieces.
Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 51
SDJJ: Does having grown up in Israel shape your music? AD: Certainly… In Israel the pop culture is very much Middle Eastern. A lot of their pop music sort of has that, but also Russian influences. My teacher back in Israel, he immigrated to Israel from the Republic of Georgia in the ’90s so I ended up learning a lot about Central Asian music … The fact that Israel is such a melting pot I think definitely is a big part of my work and my music. I can say that the main stamp on my music from a national point of view is Israeli because when I left Israel I was 27 and that’s kind of too late to grow up somewhere else, so I certainly think that it’s very influential. Whether every piece, someone could tell that it’s an Israeli composer I don’t know, but I also think the language, having Hebrew as my mother tongue certainly influences the way I think. SDJJ: How did you get started? AD: When I was a kid I started playing the cello and my dad bought me and my brother these mono tape recorders like a radio tape recorder. And I realized that you can play something into one tape recorder and then play that back and play something new over it and record it with the other one. And so when I was about 9 years old I created a bunch of pieces this way. I didn’t have the tools to write anything. I would sit and mess around on the piano, although I didn’t ever write anything, but this way I could sing and play the piano and add some cello and add some noises from the radio and I ended up with this sort of layered approach to composition, and I really got into that. I did start studying piano, and I would always improvise. I would never play basically what the composers wrote. Early on I would say this was the part of music that interested me – was to create. For my Bar Mitzvah I got a computer that had notation software so that was when I actually started writing things down. When I went into the army I became an arranger for the army band and army chamber orchestra. I only started formally studying after the army at the Tel Aviv University. I think nowhere else in the world could this have happened … I think that sort of left a strong stamp on my thinking and the energy I liked … It would have been much harder to learn the craft [without the army.]
52 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
SDJJ: You seem to keep very busy, musically. Do you ever stop? AD: I have a 6-year-old so, you know, I stop for her. I would say they help with one another. It’s common to get stuck in writing, but then if I go and teach the concept the next day and analyze some music with my students that might sort of give me another perspective or give me another direction. And the same goes with the orchestra. Just like it was when I was arranging with the army, here it’s even more immediate. I have to rehearse music with these musicians and they’re fabulous musicians … It makes the whole experience of writing for an orchestra very organic. I don’t perform much on the piano, but I will play and my daughter is learning the violin so I’m learning violin with her. She’s really determined and actually really good. She somehow really likes it and she wants to practice. Again I didn’t know [children] that age can learn [so fast]… It’s extraordinary to see it first hand. So I’m a little behind her on the violin. SDJJ: How did you get involved with Art of Élan and tell me about “Variations on a Simple Theme.” AD: I think the connection came through people at the San Diego Symphony, and I think maybe Julie, the harpist of the ensemble. They had a conversation [about] using one of my pieces, and if I might write something … I started writing this piece and I realized that I wanted to write like 20 pieces with this ensemble. I didn’t want to write one. And so this idea of writing a theme and variation it’s almost like being able to get away with doing everything that I want to do cause it’s a lot of short variations and the variations can change the texture of the color. The technique can change dramatically. It is a very simple theme like a tune that you can whistle. Then the variations aspect is to be able to do everything that I wanted … It’s a flute, harp and viola [ensemble] … They’re called the Myriad Trio. They’re part of Art of Elan and I believe they’re also players in the San Diego Symphony. SDJJ: What is your writing process? AD: In this case, I’ve always wanted to write a piece with this ensemble, the trio of harp, viola, flute … When I started writing this piece I had too many ideas. How am I going to put all this stuff into a 12, 15-minute piece? How’s that going to happen? I felt like it was going to be two hours. [laughs] Cause
Avner Dorman
“I will put that aside and be like where would this piece have been, where would I have come up with the idea of writing this piece?” I thought about this ensemble and the variety of combinations for so long that it was almost like things were already there. And the main challenge for me was how to organize them [for] it to actually make sense as a piece of music and not me just wanting to write all these things, and I found the variations to be a sort of perfect vehicle for that. A Art of Élan will play the world premiere of “Variations on a Simple Theme” as part of their 10th anniversary celebration at Qualcomm Hall on June 17, 7:30 p.m.
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ARTS
Got Opportunity? Merryl Goldberg wants to change the conversation around arts education BY NATALIE JACOBS
Students consistently test higher in reading and math.
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION
F
or Merryl Goldberg, it’s a new art-filled day in San Diego. The veteran art educator and klezmer saxophonist is underway with a campaign she hopes will help people see art as important to developing young minds as drinking milk is to growing strong bones. Here’s the big idea – when art is integrated into classrooms early on in the education process students learn better and with more vigor. This is a tall claim and up until recently, there wasn’t a lot of research to back it up. But people like Goldberg, who has worked in the arts and arts education her whole career, have known this intuitively for a long time. With research now supporting that gut feeling, the doors are flinging open for new opportunities in what Goldberg calls arts integration. First, a definition. Arts integration is when art-making is incorporated into non-art subjects, like history and science. Take a science class that’s learning about the metamorphosis of a butterfly for example. In a class that utilizes art integration to enhance instruction, kids could be asked to act out the transitions from caterpillar to butterfly. Research now shows the learning that happens when a lesson becomes artful enhances the student’s connection to the subject matter. An older study out of Chicago looked at a teaching artist program in 2002 and put it this way: When students received arts-integrated lessons compared to more traditional teaching practices, they improved their ability to assess their learning, and reported that the arts-integrated instruction created greater intrinsic motivation, encouraged learning for understanding, turned what students perceived to be barriers into opportunities to be solved, and motivated students to continue learning. Goldberg is a professor in the school of the arts at Cal State San Marcos (CSUSM). She has also conducted research on arts learning herself while amassing a catalog of research for colleagues throughout the field. A major recent focus for her has been on how art exposure in elementary and secondary schools can better prepare students for college and jobs in the modern American economy. “Twenty-first century jobs require things like cooperation, flexibility, empathy,” Goldberg says, “we realize that the arts are really a place that brings that directly into kids’ education.” Last year, Goldberg and two other CSUSM professors conducted a survey of ViaSat – a global broadband company headquartered in Carlsbad. Goldberg had heard that they were primarily hiring engineers with strong exposure to arts in their backgrounds and she wanted to see if that was actually true. The survey found that nearly half of the company’s 168 engineers had personal experience with the arts, especially music. Goldberg says she has also heard that Qualcomm and Boeing prefer to hire engineers with extensive arts experience. “The arts ain’t fluff,” she says. “There’s research backing that arts are just good for better education, more aligned to what the workforce really needs and also [crucial] for a fulfilling life – [creating] more cooperative and empathetic human beings.” Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 55
PHOTO BY CHRISTINE VAUGHAN
To prove this to the rest of the world, Goldberg has launched an awareness campaign simply called ART=OPPORTUNITY. Funded by a grant from the Stuart Foundation, Goldberg has set out to publicize the broad value of arts integration, starting on campus at CSUSM and spreading out to other arts organizations and school systems throughout San Diego County. “We have data right on our campus that shows students who have had three or more art classes in high school do better in college and are retained at a higher level than students who 56 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
Art professor and klezmer musician Merryl Goldberg is working on a new campaign to make sure everyone knows that art equals opportunity.
don’t,” Goldberg says. “It’s almost like a lifestyle change – eat your veggies, got milk, art equals opportunity. It really matters for your health and wellbeing.” An initial step that has Goldberg encouraged is the expansion of arts education at CSUSM. In the fall, the university will require liberal arts majors to take two semesters of arts integration classes. “I’m thrilled that students at Cal State San Marcos starting in the fall will be having more in their education around the arts,” she says. The biggest challenge will be
to make that shift on a large scale. “Looking at younger folks, at teens, teachers, parents – if they really understand and are bought into what a difference the arts can make for themselves and the kids, then I think we will have made a big difference.” Recognizing that there are plenty of art events around the county, Goldberg and the ART=OPPORTUNITY campaign are focusing on providing resources to individuals and organizations who are looking to bring more arts integration into their existing work. Fresh
from a three-part parent education workshop, later this month Goldberg and her campaign will host a three-day professional development “bootcamp” on literacy and arts integration at the North County Regional Education Center. Starting in the fall, ART=OPPORTUNITY will offer a certificate program for arts education. For more information on these workshops, and to delve into the research on arts integration and its benefits, visit csusm.edu/artopp. A
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FILM
When “Where Are You From” is a Very Loaded Question After years of being met with disbelief at his Mexican Jewish heritage, filmmaker Isaac Artenstein began exploring his own history and that of other Jews in the American Southwest. BY NATALIE JACOBS
N
o matter how you slice it, the Jewish story is an immigration story. Setting aside thousands of years and focusing just on contemporary history, Jews in every corner of the world have answers to the question “Where are you from” that are equal parts very similar and totally different from each other. Filmmaker Isaac Artenstein has been keenly aware of this fact from his childhood crossing between San Diego and Tijuana and for more than 15 years he has been slowly immersing himself in different Jewish communities across the American southwest and the Mexican north. He is telling the stories of Jewish communities, their movement and their identity. Artenstein, whose filmography includes
“A Day Without a Mexican,” started with his own family history for “Tijuana Jews,” a documentary he finished in 2010. “I kind of got tired of explaining to people how Artensteins come from Mexico,” the filmmaker recalls one morning over the phone from Los Angeles where he’s editing a new project. “A lot of people just don’t know the different routes that people took when escaping the Holocaust.” Both of Isaac’s parents were born in Mexico and lived in Vera Cruz until Artenstein senior decided to head north for Tijuana. Their families were from Poland and Turkey, so Yiddish and Spanish were their native languages. In turn, Isaac grew up speaking both of those, plus English (he was born in San
Diego), and some Hebrew. It was like this for Jewish families throughout Tijuana. “There’s a saying – you ask a Jew where they’re from and you get a story,” Isaac says. “I always liked those great stories, how they got to the new world, so to speak, from Europe and the Middle East.” For “Tijuana Jews,” Artenstein interviewed his own father and mother about their time owning a curio shop on Tijuana’s main tourist road Avenida de la Revolución. In the film, Isaac, who narrates, suggests the impetus for the documentary was when his parents decided to close down their shop. Isaac says that’s where he learned English, selling wares to American shoppers in town for an escape from the constrictions of life in
Filmmaker Isaac Artenstein on location in New Mexico, followed by still shots from his film "Challah Rising."
58 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
the United States. One Jewish pioneer in particular, Jack Swed, a Syrian Jew, helped establish Revolution Avenue as Tijuana’s center of commerce. “He was one of the earliest Jewish businessmen along the tourist street.” It was thriving in the 1920s at the height of prohibition and the heyday of the Agua Caliente casino and racetrack. “A lot of Hollywood stars would go there, go to the casino, hang out, get entertained,” Isaac relays. In “Tijuana Jews” Jack’s wife Shirley shares a story of a dancer named Rita Jancino who turned out to be Rita Hayworth who rose to be one of the top Hollywood actresses of the 1940s. It wasn’t all Hollywood glitz and tequi-
Artenstein says it was surprising and “very wonderful” to get those first-hand details of life in his childhood home. Since finishing “Tijuana Jews” and showing it at Jewish film festivals, Artenstein has embarked on a larger Jewish-history-in-film project, this time a four-part series on frontier Jews of the American southwest, exploring El Paso, New Mexico, Arizona and San Diego. The New Mexico chapter, “Challah Rising in the Desert” will show at the Lipinsky Family Jewish Arts Festival in early July. Artesntein is close to completion on “To the Ends of the Earth: The Jews of San Diego,” which he’s producing in association with the San Diego History Center, where the Jewish history of San Diego exhibition is up until next year.
Jews who were pioneers, when you look at Old Town there were people from England, there were Italians, so they were part of the larger immigrant experience but at the same time there was something very unique about Jews. “At the end of the day when I step back,” Isaac continues, “and I’m looking at ‘Tijuana Jews,’ ‘Challah Rising’ and now the new project ‘To the Ends of the Earth,’ it’s so much having to do with identity,” Isaac explains. “In addition to all these great stories, anecdotes and historical facts, what binds them together is a sense of Jewish identity which is always redefining itself.” Across the frontier Jewish communities, the flavors change – literally, in the case of New Mexico, where “Challah Rising” fea-
“I kind of got tired of explaining to people how Artensteins come from Mexico,” the filmmaker recalls. la-soaked glamour in the early days of Jewish life in Tijuana. Through his research for the film, Artenstein found documentation from a Mr. Samuel Greenberg about anti-Semitic demonstrations in the early 50s along Revolution Avenue. “The way he tells it,” Artenstein says of his conversation with Greenberg, “there was a German businessman on the main drag and he got everybody riled up that the Jews were taking over all the businesses in Tijuana. “To the community’s credit,” Artenstein continues, “the authorities stepped in and they really protected the Jewish businessmen and eventually things got better. The people who were demonstrating against the Jews finally got to know the Jewish community and they got to be friends and business partners.”
“The stories that I’ve heard in Arizona, El Paso, New Mexico, they’re very similar to the San Diego Jewish pioneer experience, which of course is centered around Old Town,” the filmmaker says. While there are recurring themes in each of these new Jewish communities – Jews run businesses and help grow the economy; Jews hold office in disproportionate numbers to their population; Jews find unique ways to keep kosher and observe Shabbat without an established temple or formal rabbi; Artenstein realizes that Jews are one piece of the pioneer puzzle. “We tend to think of the old west as cowboys and Indians, which is cliché of course, but it’s mostly about the Anglo westward expansion. There are other immigrant stories that were really key. They were not only
tures mouth-watering footage of a bakery that has perfected green chili challah that’s “so New Mexico” – but the people espouse a rugged curiosity about the future and a dogged connection to the past. It is perhaps that ongoing see-saw that makes these Jews so interesting as documentary subjects. A Isaac Artenstein will preview “To the Ends of the Earth: The Jews of San Diego” at the San Diego History Center gala on June 10. Artenstein will also premiere “Challah Rising in the Desert: The Jews of New Mexico” on July 6 in the Lyceum Space at Horton Plaza. All of the footage for the San Diego and Tijuana films will be archived at the History Center. Artenstein says this will be more than 60 hours of interviews, available to the public once archived.
Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 59
Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego Celebrates 50 Years of Giving Foundation launches new programs with focus on the next generation of philanthropists.
Marking its 50th anniversary, the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego announced the launch of several innovative initiatives that will propel the region’s oldest and second largest community foundation forward. “As we look to the next 50 years, we will continue to offer the high level of personal service that is our hallmark, while also providing new, cutting edge products that will ensure greater impact,” said Beth Sirull, the new CEO of the organization. “One of our goals is to engage with the next generation of philanthropists, who have a fresh perspective about how they want to make a difference in our world.” Beginning this summer, the Foundation will provide donors an opportunity to invest their philanthropic funds in an Impact Investing Pool, which will invest funds to create a social or environmental impact alongside a financial return on the investment. This pool is the first of its kind for any national Jewish-affiliated organization. In addition, the Foundation’s Jewish Teen Foundation, a national model for engaging with youth, will expand its programs this year. The organization encourages teenage students to learn about philanthropic giving, about ways to make an impact in their community, and how to be smart about donating to specific causes. The Jewish Community Foundation will also offer a variety of interesting ways for donors and prospective donors of all ages to engage with each other and with organizations to get educated and be inspired to give. Opportunities for engagement include behind-the-scenes exclusive site visits to interact with local grantees, networking events with like-minded community members, to roundtables with experts and access to giving and investing circles. Sirull, who started at the Foundation in March, brings experience implementing innovative strategies for giving and investing for impact. As CEO of the Bay Area social enterprise Pacific Community Ventures, she pioneered a program of social impact investing that was expanded nationally. The Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego is rated at the highest level as a Four-Star charity (Charity Navigator) and has distributed over $1 billion in grants given to both secular and Jewish causes. More than 4,000 organizations have benefited from grants facilitated by the Foundation to the arts, health and education, to social service and Jewish causes. The organization continues to make an impact in ways that align with Jewish values, consistent with many faith-based traditions, and has effectively helped to sustain the vibrancy of the Jewish and general community in San Diego and around the world. “As the oldest Foundation in San Diego, we have engaged with hundreds of committed donors of incredibly diverse backgrounds and at so many levels,” said Leo Spiegel, incoming chair of the Board of Directors. “With 50 years of history, our story is just beginning, and we look forward to what the future holds.” Jewish Community Foundation San Diego • 858.279.2740 • www.jcfsandiego.org 60 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
FEATURE
High Flying Passion Passion
PHOTOS BY JAY BERNSTEIN
How Jay Bernstein migrated into the world of drone piloting BY NICOLE SOURS LARSON
Sivan â&#x20AC;¢ Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 61
THEATER
M
eet Jay Bernstein, drone pilot, instructor and entrepreneur who turned his fascination with drones – unmanned flying aircraft that come in all shapes and sizes – into a successful business of photography and teaching about drone technology. “My philosophy has always been to find something you enjoy doing and find a way to get paid doing it,” he explains. That philosophy has led him into varied professions, all drawing on his natural ability in sales, marketing and customer care. Bernstein, who lives in La Mesa with his wife Mara McCartney and 7-year-old son Caden, has meshed his diverse background and experience to create a drone services business, launching Clarity Aero, LLC, in July, 2015 in partnership with former television journalist and pilot Gary Buzel and highly-skilled radio-control pilot Jim Bonnardel, credited with decades’ experience in high-risk aerial photography and RC aircraft operation. Bernstein began by experimenting with drones, using them for photography and videography and grew increasingly excited 62 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
with the technology’s potential. “I enjoy tinkering with electronics, finding solutions for clients, solutions that help people or companies do their jobs,” he says. Bernstein, 40, spent his childhood in the Seattle area, racing sailboats on Puget Sound. He caught the sailing and flying bugs from his father, a Jerusalem native who served in the Israeli Air Force before coming to the U.S. for undergraduate studies in Iowa, where he met his wife. The couple settled in Washington State, where they first exposed their son to flying in his father’s small plane, a V-tail Bonanza, later exchanged for a sailboat. Like many drone pilots, Bernstein’s background is in aviation. He began flying at 17 and earned his first pilot’s certification at 18, thrilling his prom date by flying her to dinner in the San Juan Islands in a Cessna. After earning his degree in aviation at Arizona State, he worked as a flight instructor and pilot recruiter for Ameriflite in Burbank before taking a job as a flight dispatcher for Island Air in Honolulu, where he also indulged his love of surfing. Ten years ago he switched his focus from planes to boats, moving to San Diego to
become a yacht broker, specializing in sailboats, while honing his sales and marketing skills. He also earned his 100-ton U.S. Coast Guard captain’s license, which enables him to captain vessels for hire and undertake yacht deliveries as well as teach clients how to operate their boats. While working in yacht sales he discovered his keen eye for photography. Although he’d previously dabbled in “taking pictures,” Bernstein became serious about improving his skill in nautical photography and fell in love with the art of both still photography and cinematography. Entirely self-taught, Bernstein became known around San Diego for his striking images of vessels under sail, which he used as a sales tool. It was another yacht broker’s casual suggestion that he try using drones to photograph boats underway that inspired his current business. After buying his first drone about three years ago and discovering its capabilities, he decided to go all-in, selling his beloved motorcycle to equip himself with professional-quality gear. As with photography, he taught himself how to fly drones, seeking
expert advice from more experienced flyers he met through the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) and its local club affiliate, Silent Electric Flyers of San Diego, which operates a flying field for members on Mission Bay. The best way to learn to fly drones, Bernstein says, is to join the AMA and a local club. “Get familiar with the controls in a safe space without a lot of people around. The great thing about AMA is there are lots of people with great experience they’re willing to share. They offer a safe place to practice,” he explains. Bernstein and Buzel had a leg up over most other would-be commercial drone pilots when they launched Clarity Aero because both had long held commercial pilot’s licenses, with Bernstein holding seven separate certifications. Buzel, while a reporter at CW6, flew the first news drone for a San Diego television station. In August, 2016, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued new rules governing operations of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones. Before, someone wishing to fly a drone commercially had to
possess a manned pilot’s license, whether plane, helicopter or hot air balloon. The new rules under the FAA’s Part 107 regulations allow anyone to become a certified commercial UAS pilot by taking a course and passing an examination. “It’s still the wild, wild west in the world of drones,” Bernstein says. Online, the FAA regulations lay out basic rules for both amateur and professional drone operation. It states hobbyists don’t require a pilot’s license; all drones must be registered with the FAA, which can be done online for a $5 fee. “There’s a public perception that we (drone operators) don’t have rules. But in fact, there are very strict drone rules but people aren’t aware or don’t understand them. When you buy a drone there’s a disclaimer to check but enforcement is lacking. It’s a logistical nightmare for the FAA,” Bernstein says. For hobbyists, before buying a drone, Bernstein recommends downloading the FAA’s free beginner-oriented smartphone app, B4UFLY, from their “Getting Started” webpage. The app uses GPS location to provide real-time information about air-
space restrictions in a particular area and other useful flight information. Or, budding drone pilots can take a course with Bernstein and Buzel. They’ve developed a two-day course in drone operation and certification, offered through their educational arm, Clarity Aero Academy, while Bernstein continues to teach also for the nation-wide Drone Universities. Bonnardel oversees sales of drone-related equipment. While their course is geared toward students planning to fly drones commercially, they draw some hobbyists seeking to improve their skills. The course addresses how to fly drones, shoot and edit professional-quality photographs and video as well as set up and operate a viable drone business. While modern-day drones were developed for the defense industry, their origins date to the 19th century. The Austrian military constructed a primitive version, based on unmanned balloons loaded with explosives, to attack Venice in 1849. The first unmanned planes appeared just after World War I, while hobbyist and Hollywood actor Reginald Denny devised and mass-produced the first real drones in 1940 Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 63
as targets to train anti-aircraft gunners. Common uses for present-day drones, mapmaking and surveying, trace their roots to the first aerial photographs, taken in 1858 by a French photographer and hot air balloonist known as Nadar. The main limitations on drone technology today include the FAA requirement that drones operate within line-of-sight, remain under 400 feet altitude and restrictions on flying above people or near airports and military bases. Another practical limitation is battery life, which is about 18 to 30 minutes for the most popular models. While California was a hub for commercial drone development, the collapse last year of a Berkeley-based consumer drone company, 3D Robotics, which also had offices in San Diego and Tijuana, left doors open to increasing dominance by the Chinese company DJI, which now controls about 80 to 90 percent of the market, according to Bernstein. Prices for high-quality drones have dropped considerably. An entry level drone, such as DJI’s Phantom, sells for $700-1,000, equipped with built-in stabilized camera. The Phantom 4Pro, “with an amazing camera,” runs about $1,500. Other DJI models offer more sophisticated, interchangeable cameras and infrared imaging. The built-in cameras are of such quality that Bernstein uses them for most of his professional shoots. “Drones give you the ability to tell the story from a new angle and can get closer than helicopters for less money. You can be almost anywhere now and get a spectacular view with a drone,” he says. As new uses emerge for drones in the commercial and public sectors, including law enforcement and public safety, expect early adopters to become more creative and innovative in their applications and artistry. And, at the forefront, expect to see Jay Bernstein and his partners in Clarity Aero. A
The photos featured throughout this story are just some of Jay Bernstein’s drone and still photography from Joshua Tree, a remote harbor and Sunset Cliffs. For more information, visit clarity.aero. 64 SDJewishJournal.com l May 2017
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Wanting What’s Best for Your Child Big Pal Howard Schachat and Danny; Matched for nearly 8 years Emily and her husband separated ten years ago, but she remembers that first night on her own with her son Josh like it was yesterday. Through a lengthy divorce and the early days of single parenthood, the support of the Jewish community was Emily’s only constant. She wanted her son to feel the same sense of love and belonging. “Josh’s dad was still involved in some ways,” says Emily, “but being Jewish was never something we shared. I thought about a mentoring program for Josh, but something always held me back. Asking for help felt like admitting I wasn’t enough on my own.” The decision to follow through on finding Josh a mentor came shortly after Emily was diagnosed with breast cancer. “I felt it was important for him to have another Jewish influence in his life—and a friend to lean on during my treatments.” Josh found both in David, a volunteer with Jewish Family Service of San Diego’s Jewish BIGPals program, who started mentoring as a way to give back to the Jewish community. “Between David and Josh, I’m not sure who’s the bigger sports buff,” says Emily, “but I do know that it has meant the world to my son – and me – that David shows up when he promises so he and Josh can go do something fun together. We’ve also developed friendships with other single parent families through the BIGPals program.” Emily’s message to other parents who are struggling to manage it all? “Today’s families have so much going on. When you experience a setback – a divorce, an illness, or in my case, both – things can quickly become overwhelming. Seeking support isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of wanting what’s best for your child.” Study after study points to the benefits of mentoring relationships, including stronger academic outcomes, improved self-esteem, and fewer incidents of risky behavior as children age and develop. While the majority of the children matched through Jewish BIGPals come from single parent families, others who have benefitted from the program include nontraditional families, legal guardians and grandparents who are raising a grandchild in their retirement years. Susan Cohn, who coordinates the program at Jewish Family Service, thinks part of the success comes from the thorough screening process – including a rigorous background check and one-on-one interview – that mentors undergo before being approved for a match. Cohn, who has supervised more than 50 matches over the years, also provides orientation, ongoing training and support, and group activities to foster stronger relationships between mentors and mentees. “A mentor is never a substitute for a parent,” says Cohn, “but what child couldn’t benefit from the presence of an additional role model they can trust and look up to—and who cares about what happens to them and the choices they make?”
If you know of a child who could benefit from the support of a Jewish BIGPal, contact Susan Cohn at (858) 637-3056 to start the conversation, or learn more about the program online at
www.jfssd.org/bigpals. Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 65
FOOD Tori Avey is an award-winning food writer, recipe developer, and the creator of the popular cooking website toriavey.com. She writes about food history for PBS Food and Parade.com. Follow Tori on Facebook by searching for “Tori Avey” and on Twitter: @toriavey.
in the kitchen WITH
TORI AVEY
PHOTOS BY TORI AVEY
IKWTA
Peanut Butter Hummus 66 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
P
eanuts and hummus? It might sound like a strange combination, but it’s actually a match made in flavor heaven. Peanuts and hummus both go way back…they’ve got history, lots and lots of tasty history. Peanuts in particular have a pretty interesting backstory. The peanut plant is believed to have originated in Brazil or Peru, though the only physical evidence we have are pots made in the shape of peanuts and peanut-decorated jars that date back 3,500 years ago. In 1500 BC, Incas from Peru entombed peanuts with mummies to help with their spirit life. Brazilian tribes also drank a beverage made from maize and ground peanuts. By the 1800s, peanuts were being grown commercially in the U.S. and were used for their oil, as a cocoa substitute and to feed livestock. During the Civil War, soldiers looked to peanuts for their high protein value. Peanut butter may have been the result of a St. Louis physician’s need to supply his older patients with a protein-packed food source that didn’t require difficult chewing; it was formally introduced as a health food during the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904. Both peanuts and peanut butter were an important part of army rations during World Wars I and II, with peanut butter and jelly being a favorite during World War II. Peanuts have served as a good luck token for NASA since the
PEANUT HUMMUS INGREDIENTS:
3 ½ cups soaked and cooked chickpeas/garbanzo beans (1 ½ cups dry) OR 2 cans chickpeas/garbanzo beans (15 oz. each), drained and rinsed 1 cup peanuts, roasted & unsalted (shelled) 8 cloves roasted garlic ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste 1/3 cup water, or more if needed 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil ¾ tsp cumin ¾ tsp salt, or more to taste ½ tsp turmeric Pinch of black pepper Pinch of cayenne pepper
launch of the Ranger 7 on July 28, 1964. The goal of the Ranger program was to obtain close-up shots of the moon. Each attempt failed until Ranger 7 came along, armed with a jar of “Good Luck Peanuts” in the control room. The tradition has continued since, with peanuts making an appearance at NASA launches and in control facilities. That brings us to today, and my kitchen, where I recently combined roasted unsalted peanuts and chickpeas to create a new kind of hummus. I had heard of folks replacing tahini with peanut butter before, but had never tried the combination myself. Knowing peanut butter often has added sugar and salt, I decided to use roasted unsalted peanuts so I could control the flavor more. It’s all being ground together anyway, right? I added some ingredients from my Classic Hummus recipe, then threw in some turmeric to warm up the flavor a bit. Turmeric has some pretty terrific health benefits, and it added a lot of oomph to the finished product. Final verdict? Peanuts and hummus really ARE a match made in heaven. Try it yourself and see! Just make sure you don’t serve this to anybody with a peanut allergy…it should be clearly labeled if you’re putting it on a buffet table around people you don’t know very well. Better safe than sorry!
You will also need: Food processor Total Time: 15 min Kosher Key: Pareve
INSTRUCTIONS:
Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse the ingredients for about 60 seconds, then process until smooth. Taste the mixture and add more salt or lemon juice to taste, blend again. If the texture seems too thick, add a little water. Continue to process until desired consistency is reached. Serve with warm pita, crackers or crudites for dipping. For a smoother, fluffier hummus, you can peel the skin from the chickpeas before you begin. I said it above, but it’s worth repeating – take careful note not to serve this to anybody with a peanut allergy; it looks like regular hummus and could easily be mistaken, so label accordingly! A
Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 67
news
Rabbi Alyson Solomon and Rabbi Jeremy Gimbel officially join the CBI clergy. Rendering of the proposed Glickman Hillel Center at UC San Diego. City Council will meet on July 11 to vote on the new building construction plan.
Hillel UC San Diego Receives Unanimous Support from Planning Commission for New Center, Full Council to Vote Soon Hillel of San Diego celebrated a victory in late April when plans for the Glickman Hillel Center at UC San Diego were unanimously approved by the Planning Commission on April 27. Rabbi David Singer, who leads Hillel’s efforts on the La Jolla campus, said the Commission described the project as “a marvelous contribution to the neighborhood.”
Congregation Beth Israel Expands Clergy Team Beth Israel recently announced that Rabbi Alyson Solomon will stay on as Associate Rabbi after she served in the position of Interim Associate Rabbi. In addition, it was announced that rabbinic intern Jeremy Gimbel, who was ordained as a rabbi on May 14, is joining the clergy team as Assistant Rabbi on July 1. With these additions, Beth Israel says it has a unique strategic opportunity to focus on growth and improvement of its schools and to attract and retain younger families. Rabbi Solomon has a degree in International Diplomacy and World Affairs and developed a program to engage young adults in vibrant Jewish life while at the Jewish Federation in LA. As an intern at Beth Israel, Rabbi Gimbel worked with the Bill & Sid Rubin Preschool as well as the Lee & Frank Goldberg Family Religious School. 68 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
The LEED-certified, 6,500 sq. ft. building will provide space for religious programs in three separate, one- and two-story buildings around a central outdoor courtyard near the intersection of La Jolla Village Drive and Torrey Pines Road. The project has been in the works since 2003 and was jump-started again in 2016 with a $5 million contribution from Joseph “Chickie” Glickman. Hillel San Diego opened a similar new center for religious life on the San Diego State University campus in 2013. The full City Council hearing on the project is scheduled for July 11 at 2 p.m. Visit ucsdhillel. org for more information.
LFJCC Reveals New Music Library Collections The Lawrence Family JCC unveiled two new music collections this spring at their Samuel and Rebecca Astor Judaica Library. The more than 1,400 scores in the Special Jewish Music Score Collection include Yiddish, Hebrew, German, Ladino, English and Russian sheet music, some dating back to the 19th century. The Jewish Music Record Collection contains more than 600 albums, including solos by cantors and rabbis as well as secular music with both Jewish music and Jewish musicians. Library volunteers have been amassing, organizing and archiving the collection since 2006. Access to the Special Collections can be arranged by emailing melanier@lfjcc.org or by calling (858) 362-1141. Members and nonmembers are welcome to browse, listen and check-out materials.
Motiv’s Darren Schwartz Recognized for Leadership in Consensus Organizing San Diego Jewish community leader Darren Schwartz was recognized for his teen engagement work from the SDSU Consensus Organizing Center (COC) for his efforts creating innovative partnerships with young people throughout the community. The award for Organizer of the Year comes after Schwartz and his Motiv team worked with the COC to be trained on consensus organizing. “What makes consensus organizing so impactful is the sharing of power,” said Schwartz. “By working as a coalition, not in silos, we will have long-term impact on young people in San Diego dedicated to community service and repairing the world.” Motiv will host it second annual Teen Service Summit at SDSU on Oct. 22. To follow the volunteering start-up’s progress, visit motivsandiego.org.
Joan Rivers’ Seder Plates, Ze’ev Jobotinsky Passport up for Auction J. Greenstein and Company, antique Judaica experts, will auction off a collection of $2-million Seder plates, including ones owned by the late comedianne Joan Rivers. People can also bid on the passport of revisionist Zionism founder Ze’ev Jobotinsky. An early silver Yom Kippur belt from 1865 is estimated to go for $12,000 and an 1837 silver charity container is estimated at $95,000. The auction is live online now, at liveauctioneers.com, search J. Greenstein.
Jewish Nonprofit Merges, Gets New Donors UpStart, a San Francisco-based nonprofit, announced a new phase in their support of Jewish innovation and education after a generous donation from a coordinated group of funders. The new funding will help the organization elevate its place as a national intermediary supporting Jewish innovation across the country. UpStart just completed a merger with Joshua Venture Group and Bikkurim. San Diego’s Tarbuton worked with the Covenant Foundation and UpStart to host a community hackathon on May 7. More than 60 people pitched 24 projects. After the full-day of working groups, five winners were awarded seed grants of $2,500 – Makom Community, Wow in 60, Kesher Kef, End the Fear and The Butterfly Project. “UpStart has a record of success supporting individuals and leaders who have creative, dynamic visions for what Jewish life can be,” said Barry Finestone, President and CEO of the Jim Joseph Foundation, in a release issued by the merged group. “Along with our funding partners, we believe that the newly merged UpStart has even greater potential for impact. We want to provide them the space to engage in thoughtful future planning and to help position the organization to attract multi-year investment.”
Meetings and Events for Jewish Seniors Jewish War Veterans of San Diego, Post-185 Contact Jerome Klein at (858) 521-8694 June 11, 10 a.m. North County Jewish Seniors Club at the Oceanside Senior Center Contact Josephine at (760) 295-2564 June 15, 12:30 p.m. Veterans Association of North County, Post-385 Contact Marsha Schjolberg (760) 4927443 Jewish War Veterans meetings June 11, 11 a.m. Lawrence Family JCC Contact Melanie Rubin (858) 362-1141 June 25, 2 p.m. Annual party and dance “Hawaiian Paradise” theme. JFS Balboa Ave. Older Adult Center Contact Aviva Saad (858) 550-5998 June 15, 10 a.m. Father’s Day celebration. On the Go Excursions Contact Jo Kessler (858) 637-7320 June 18, 1 p.m. “Damn Yankees” at Spreckels Theatre downtown. Cost is $70 due by June 7. JFS No. County Inland Center at Adat Shalom Contact (858) 674-1123 June 26, noon, Music and the Brain Part 2 *JFS just announced it will close this center in August. Programs continue through the month of July. JFS College Avenue Center at Temple Emanu-El Contact Elissa Landsman (858) 637-3273 June 16, 12:30 p.m. Father’s Day luncheon with entertainment by Dana Law, including magic and mind reading. Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 69
T
hink Albert Einstein and certain images or phrases likely come to mind: “genius,” “kooky,” “wild hair,” “theory of relativity,” “E = mc2” — maybe even “Zionist.” But sex and violence? Not so much. Then there’s “Genius,” the National Geographic channel’s first scripted television show, which premiered in late April. Within the first few minutes, viewers witness the bloody murder of a Jewish politician (Einstein’s friend Walter Rathenau) in tense Weimar Germany. The action then shifts dramatically to a 50-something Einstein (played by Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush), without pants, being intimate with his assistant. The goal is immediate and obvious: To delve into the personal life of the larger-than-life scientist. “Albert Einstein is a name and a figure everyone thinks they know, but when I began to dive into his story, I was fascinated by how much was new to me,” Ron Howard, an executive producer of the show and director of the pilot, recently told Vanity Fair. “When you move past his scientific contributions, Albert’s life story – what his youth was like, who his friends were, who his enemies were, his tumultuous love life – is a story people don’t know.” “Genius” alternates between the scientist’s daydreamy teenage years and the early decades of the 20th century when the accomplished scientist deals with rising anti-Semitism in his native Germany. The show’s content is rich and compelling even if the dialogue occasionally lapses into cliché. Here are some non-scientific things that viewers learn about the iconic Jewish physicist from the pilot. He failed his first college entrance exam (badly). When the teenage Einstein (portrayed by Johnny Flynn) opens the booklet for the entrance exam for his dream school, the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zurich, he is shocked. He coasts through the math and physics sections, but hadn’t prepared for any other subjects, such as zoology and French. He fails every non-scientific section of the exam and goes to live in Aarau, Switzerland, where he would complete his secondary studies and prepare for his second try at the test. 70 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
“Genius” BY GABE FRIEDMAN, JTA His high school tutor was his first love. While living in Switzerland, Einstein lived with a teacher, Jost Winteler, and his family. From the second Einstein awkwardly meets Winteler’s daughter, Marie, it’s clear they are headed toward romance. Marie becomes Albert’s tutor and, along with the rest of the Winteler family, expands his mind, introducing him to history, literature and other topics he had previously ignored. Albert and Marie become fast friends and, soon enough, lovers. Alas, the relationship ends with tearful goodbyes when Albert leaves for college. He married two times and had several mistresses. The sex scene near the beginning of the episode was not much of an exaggeration – Einstein apparently got around in his day. The first episode introduces his two wives: Elsa, played by Emily Watson, and Mileva, whom young Albert meets at college in Zurich. But “Genius,” and a trove of his letters discovered in 2006, demonstrates that Einstein had multiple mistresses over the course of his adult life. J. Edgar Hoover had the FBI keep tabs on Einstein. Einstein tried to flee to the United States under the guise of a visit to Princeton University, but the American embassy got suspicious. In a tense scene that feels particularly relevant today, an embassy employee (Vincent Kartheiser of “Mad Men”) interrogates Einstein and wife Elsa about their proposed trip. FBI chief Hoover has been watching him, the agent explains. Hoover and other agencies would continue to watch Einstein for the rest of his life – monitoring his mail, phone calls, even his trash, in part because of his enthusiasm for socialism. “Genius” shows on the National Geographic channel and back episodes are available on their website.
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www.dzakinsdeli.com Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 71
SYNAGOGUE LIFE SHAVUOT Yizkor Memorial Shavout Service in the Hotel Del with Chabad Coronado Thursday, June 1, 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. 1500 Orange Avenue, Coronado, CA 92118 Join family and friends for a five-star Shavuot following services. Register at chabadcoronado.com. Shavuot and Ice Cream at Chabad La Costa Monday, June 12, 12 p.m. 1980 La Costa Ave. Carlsbad, CA 92009 Hear the Ten Commandments and enjoy an ice cream party of mammoth proportions! Call (760) 943-8891.
SUMMER FUN Welcome Summer BBQ at Temple Solel Friday, June 2, 7 p.m. 3575 Manchester Ave, Cardiff, CA 92007 Casual Shabbat service in the courtyard at 6 p.m. with Kosher BBQ with burgers (beef and veggie) and hot dogs with all the fixings. $5 per person. Go to templesolel.net for more information. Summer Social with Temple Isaiah Thursday, June 15, 7 p.m. 360 N. Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262 Food, drinks and music to kick off the summer. Call (760) 325-2281
SPECIAL EVENTS
Learn About Retiree Trips to Israel at Ohr Shalom Thursday, June 15, 6:45 p.m. 2512 Third Ave, San Diego, CA 92103 Light refreshments served. R.S.V.P. to (619) 231-1456 or by email to office@ohrshalom.org. 72 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
Film and Disucssion Meetup with Kahal Am Sunday, June 18, 12:30 p.m. Location TBD; Films under consideration: “My Cousin Rachel;” a true drama about Marine Megan Leavey and her combat dog, starring Kate Mara; “Beatriz at Dinner;” and “Past Life,” an Israeli film about family and forgiveness. Go to kahalam.org for more information and to R.S.V.P. Membership Monday with Temple Beth Shalom Monday, June 19, 7 p.m. 26790 Ynez Ct. Suite B, Temecula, 92591 Meet at the Corner Bakery in the Promenade Mall area (near Souplantation) for an hour or two of socializing, schmoozing. Meet TBS members and visit with Rabbi Rosenstein in a casual setting. Go to tbstemecula.org for more information. At Night at the Theater with Congregation Havurim Friday, June 23, 7 p.m. Old Town Theater, 42051 Main St, Temecula, CA 92590 Come out and support our Havurim members in Mary Poppins! Jen Stuart is the director, Madeline Stuart is starring as Jane Banks, Emma Stuart is a teddy bear, and Emily Nelson is designing the costumes, with help from Peggy Helminiak. Tickets are $10. Go to havirum.org 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.
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Contact us at seacrestvillage.org or seacrestathome.org for information on how we can help enhance your retirement living experience!
Sivan â&#x20AC;˘ Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 73
ASK MARNIE
by Marnie Macauley
ADVICE asksadie@aol.com
The Singular “Art” of Imperfection As I deal in relationships, I’m overwhelmed with a nation of people who have adopted “perfection” as the hallmark of our (Jewish) culture. More, too many Jewish people have been made miserable by this exhausting endeavor, which in turn makes me miserable. This month, I’m here to tell you this has got to stop. “PERFECTION” VS. “GOOD ENOUGH” If you want the perfect, phenomenal...family...marriage...sex life...date – buy the experts’ books and poof! Get it down in three – or 10 easy steps. We’ve all seen or read the plethora of blather mucking up the self-help shelves over the last 25 years. And while there are tips we can certainly glean – usually common-sense simplicity – the real crime here is nonsense expectations. Yet, it sells. It sells because the concept of perfection is seductive. It sounds so...American. Becoming numero uno has always been an American dream. Who doesn’t want to make the perfect landing on the Olympic balance beam? Or make a phenomenal break-through to cure cancer? But now, it’s an American cultural pastime in the extreme. “Imperfect” means you can’t swallow 100 earthworms in under 30 seconds. In relationships, the danger’s even more serious. Surrounded by a culture of phenomenal perfectionism, the normal human can only reach one conclusion: We’re all a bunch of screw-ups. The very titles of these books imply we’re a mess if we’ve failed to reach personal Nirvana. So, like wiggy mad hatters we buy this stuff. Then, by “Step Two,” when despite our best efforts to follow flavor of the month “expert” drills, our mates won’t list their faults, our children are headed to Tijuana, our dog is eating our “Family Rules” chart, and our in-laws are cutting us out of the will – what we’re left with is: We’re miserable failures who don’t deserve even a Cel-Ray. All this despite the fact that phenomenal perfectionism is a bold-faced impossibility! And we’re being duped by a ridiculous and yes, questionable challenge, if taken literally. The “perfect” child? Start saving for shrink bills. The “perfect” mate? Look around for signs to Stepford. The “phenomenal” family? 74 SDJewishJournal.com l June 2017
A nice thought. Check their texts. So let’s make a simple wording switch. Instead of phenomenal perfectionism, how about, “good enough.” “Good enough” doesn’t mean lying in a Barcalounger with a Schnapps in a stupor while the family runs amok, ignored. No. “Good enough” is tough. It demands real work. It requires real commitment, not to an ideal, but to developing the very best in us and to make the very best choices for us, knowing life often deals us tsouris. Good parents sometimes have difficult children. Good wives sometimes can’t get it all done. Good dads sometimes lose their jobs for no comprehensible reason. And only some of that meshugas is within our personal control. “Good enough” lets you do things you can control, your way and in your best interest, without searing your soul to shards. “Perfect” is results driven. “Good enough” is effort driven – a far more realistic and important quality, regardless of outcome. In fact, we learn more from our mistakes and failures than from our successes. The true “success” is in the trying, the determination, the failure, and the chutzpah to get up once again. “Perfect” sets up unrealistic expectations. If we’re not “constantly in love” like young bull frogs, if our child was born with a temperament like Genghis Kahn, if the moron we trained gets our promotion, we feel there’s a party going on and our invite was lost in the mail. “Good enough” lets us set up life in the Real Lane. We understand the difference between rotten circumstances and “rotten” us. We see limits, evaluate them, forge strategies and make solid choices – based on our effort and what we’ve got to work with. “Perfect” suggests a shopping list. A onesize-fits all M.O. and standard. A Harvard
We see limits, evaluate them, forge strategies and make solid choices – based on our effort and what we’ve got to work with. degree. Enough stocks and bonds to blanket Wall Street. A pending escrow on a castle. “Good enough” allows us to make life a custom job. We can author it our own way. “Perfect” suggest absolutes and takes no prisoners. It’s A-list or F. “Good enough” embraces forgiveness and acceptance – of workable situations – even if they’re not “perfect.” It requires understanding that there isn’t one but competing values that have to be assessed and factored in truth. “Good enough” allows us to separate our very human imperfections from our entire self-view. It not only puts other people’s foibles in perspective, it permits us to continue to love ourselves unconditionally. Life is a glorious work in progress. The next time you see some “expert” hawking “Ten Ways to the Perfect Marriage” or “How to Keep Him Phenomenally Happy Forever,” first consider: “What will it take for me to be ‘good enough’ – the best I can be?” That requires not “perfection” but knowing where you want to go, and setting life by your rules and very personal realities. A
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Sivan • Tamuz 5777 | SDJewishJournal.com 75
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