June 2021 by San Diego Jewish Journal

JUNE 2021 | SIVAN • TAMMUZ 5781

Tovah Feldshuh as Dr. Ruth

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Is there a Doctor in the house? Don’t miss the last two exceptional online plays of North Coast Rep’s current season. Starring Tovah Feldshuh and Daniel Gerroll.

Directed by David Ellenstein

Streaming June 9 – July 4, 2021 Here in America, she is known simply as Dr. Ruth. Her background includes living in five countries, marrying three times and identifying under four names. In a striking solo performance, six-time Tony and Emmy nominee Tovah Feldshuh (Broadway’s Golda’s Balcony), (TV’s “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” & “The Walking Dead”), deftly inhabits the warm, wise, witty persona of the beloved media figure. Reserve your tickets now for this breezy, thoroughly engaging evening of theatre, even as it explores some of the darkest chapters of the past century.

Directed by David Ellenstein Starring Daniel Gerroll

Streaming July 14 – August 8, 2021 This psychological thriller slowly unravels a life-and-death moral dilemma of passion and desire with humor and intrigue. Based on the Swedish masterpiece novel and penned by Jeffrey Hatcher (Holmes and Watson), and starring Obie winner Daniel Gerroll (TV’s “The Blacklist”) and (film “Chariots of Fire”), this World Premiere of the streamed production of DR. GLAS is a gripping finale to North Coast Rep’s streaming season. Reserve your tickets now.

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Contents JUNE 2021 | SIVAN • TAMMUZ 5781 | ARTS ISSUE

PUBLISHERS

Mark Edelstein and Dr. Mark Moss EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Jacqueline Bull

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Nathalie Feingold

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Eileen Sondak

FEATURES

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Donna D’Angelo

22 Tovah & Ruth

OFFICE MANAGER

26 Advertorial: 18 Teens Doing Outstanding Things in our

Community

Ronnie Weisberg

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

he Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, San Diego Symphony’s T Gift to San Diego

32 Spotlight: La Jolla Playhouse Elaborates its Education

Jonathan Ableson SENIOR CONSULTANT

and Outreach Programming

33 Art Alive Continues to Evolve and Grow 37 Spotlight: JFest in June

Emily Bartell, Linda Bennett, Leorah Gavidor, Emily Gould, Judith Fein (Senior Travel Correspondent), Paul Ross (Senior Travel Photographer), Patricia Goldblatt, Pat Launer, Sharon Rosen Leib, Andrea Simantov, Marnie Macauley, Rabbi Jacob Rupp, Saul Levine, Rachael Eden, Sybil Kaplan. ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES

Jonathan Ableson | Senior Account Executive Alan Moss | Palm Springs EDITORIAL

editor@sdjewishjournal.com ADVERTISING

marke@sdjewishjournal.com

COLUMNS

CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS

jableson@sdjewishjournal.com

8 From the Editor | The Art that We Understand and the Magic We Do Not 12 Personal Development and Judaism | Control Freak 14 Religion | Mindset Incentives 16 Israeli Lifestyle | Sababa by Design 18 Examined Life | A Sense of Awe and Peak Experiences 42 Advice | Jewkbox: Jewish Musicians who Changed Rock Music

IN EVERY ISSUE 10 Our Town

38 Online Offerings

35 Food

40 News

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, 7742 Herschel Ave., Suite H, La Jolla, CA 92037. 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 ©2021 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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COVER Photo by Aaron Rumley

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From the Editor JACQUELINE BULL

The Art that We Understand and the Magic We Do Not In many ways, the art that we like, the art that inspires us, defines us. With the exception of the most cultured, the most voracious among us, we tend to gravitate to a couple different genres of a couple different mediums. I know someone who has an incredibly sophisticated and varied musical appetite, who has a keen eye for classic films, but only reads cookbooks or exercise books and finds little pleasure in a play or a museum. “We can’t all like everything” is not the most profound of takes, but what I really mean is that we connect and resonate deeply with some genres and mediums over others. By some trick of genetics, the men in my family are all incredibly musical. My brother was able to come back from his first middle school band practice and play back what the band teacher had shown them that morning — all by ear. I’ve been able to struggle through recorder lessons and my music credit of guitar and even learn some tab for ukulele; I enjoy certain genres of music and find great pleasure in it, but I have a sense that I’m not connecting on the same cellular level that he is. I can fathom how many mediums work, how one could become a better painter, how one could cultivate a keener eye for photography, how someone could have a natural knack for three-dimensional thinking for sewing, but I cannot fathom how someone can write music. And probably because of this, because I know there is a depth I cannot understand, I find it to be among the most impressive artistic endeavors. Comedy writing is another that I can’t wrap my head around. I can understand how someone can crack a joke in a conversation or even relay an anecdote in a heightened and humorous way, but how someone could create a fictional comedy out of thin air astounds me. And then of course writing music that rhymes, makes logical

8 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM June 2021

musical sense and is funny is the pinnacle of magical sorcery to me. If you thought Wayne Brady from “Whose Line is it Anyway,” you read my mind. I saw a video of him where he improvises music with another improvisational producer and all I could do was shake my head at how impossible that looks. I had a conversation with my chiropractor once about how we both have a tendency to stare at people’s forms when they walk or run. I imagine that he is hyper-fixated on it and that when he is in a crowd, all he sees is moving skeletons. In the same sense, I imagine dentists can’t help but notice your teeth when you talk. I imagine that whatever perspective of seeing things you latched onto stays with you. There is that level of joy that I have reserved for the childlike delight I get from the magic that I don’t understand and then there is the level of joy from the art that I do understand. As a former theatre kid and writing major turned writer and then editor, anything with a narrative structure is the teeth and I’m the dentist. The art that I understand structurally or analytically impresses me in a different way because I have the palate to appreciate it. This is not to say that I feel any sense of equality between me and these artistic masters. Understanding a fine wine very intimately likely makes you even more aware of how impossible it would be to achieve. Whether it is art or magic, it is all worth it. A

Our Town

BY LINDA BENNETT AND EMILY BARTELL

Recently, clinical psychologist and lecturer Dr. Edith Eva Eger gave a virtual presentation at Temple EmanuEl on her book, “The Choice: Embrace the Possible,” detailing her experiences in the Holocaust and her path to healing. We thoroughly enjoyed her lecture as she is a truly inspirational speaker! The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank celebrated its 9th Annual Chefs Cork & Craft Gala with a live streamed event that featured highlights of the Food Bank’s front line COVID-19 Response Programs, a silent auction and a live musical performance by Chris Norton. The theme of the evening “A Return to Old Hollywood” celebrated the glamour and grandeur of Hollywood’s Golden Age and was co-chaired by Ellen Gruer & Cindy Hickman.

Yom Huledets Sameach to... Bob Silverman celebrating his 80th birthday. Nancy Geist celebrating her 88th birthday. Larry Vigdor celebrating his 88th birthday. Sam Krasner celebrating his 90th birthday. Diana Hahn celebrating her 97th birthday. Deborah Szekely celebrating her 99th birthday. (She still lectures at Rancho La Puerta every week.)

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Mazel Tov! Mazel Tov to Beth Sirull of the Jewish Community Foundation for receiving a philanthropy award in honor of her achievements at the 33rd Annual National Conflict Resolution Center Peacemaker Awards. Mazel Tov to Kelila & Brian Schonhoff on their daughter Jaiden becoming a Bat Mitzvah at Temple EmanuEl on Apr. 10. Younger sibling Rebecca looked on with pride. Mazel Tov to Loren & Robyn Casuto on their marriage! Rabbi Scott Meltzer of Temple Adat Shalom officiated the ceremony on May 13 at Cuvier Park in La Jolla. Proud parents, Morris & Doreen Casuto and Ellen Statman were glowing with delight!

CELEBRATING

Wedding Anniversaries with infinite love & happiness, Mazel Tov to… Lani & Herbert McCoy, 51 years. Roann & Samuel Krasner, 68 years.

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PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND JUDAISM

THIS WAY TO EDEN by Rachel Eden | rachel.s.eden@gmail.com

Control Freak I might know your type. High achiever, ambitious, constantly ensuring that what you say and do will check the boxes of success. If this is you, rest assured, you’re in good and a fair amount of bad, company. Our tribe is often found, scratching our heads, wondering how we’ve done everything right and yet something feels wrong. We don’t have the results that we want in an area that matters to us. Here’s the bad news: There is no part of reality that you get to control. This might feel particularly frustrating when you deeply want to meet your soulmate, or build a marriage of intimacy and harmony, or nurture a baby, or see your children thrive, or get fit, or start that new career, or end that bad relationship. But it’s the truth. We do not control reality. But, there is good news: We do control our experience with reality. How we experience reality is never true. Only reality is true. Our experience of reality is one lens: ours. It is partial and therefore inherently false. Here’s an example. Imagine you’re rushing to an appointment. Someone cuts you off in traffic. There are two options. The person might be aggressive and arrogant, thinking his time is more important than yours. Alternatively, he might be rushing his child to the emergency room for a life-threatening injury and isn’t thinking straight. The truth of the reality is out there. But it is also irrelevant. You won’t be hiring an investigator to discover what the intentions of said driver are. Rather, you will simply choose how you experience the reality. What I am inviting you to consider is that

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instead of asking: What is truth? Instead, ask: What experience will best serve me? If it makes you feel alive, fulfilled and all lit up to feel resentful about this driver, do it! But if creating a space for compassion toward your fellow man serves you better, well then, do that. This principle and example was shared by Srikumar Rao, a master coach. Our ability to perceive reality in a way that expands us is the underlying principle behind his teaching. Now, let’s kick this party up a notch, shall we? While it’s true, sadly for control freaks, we cannot control reality or truth. We can only control our experience. A remarkable phenomenon occurs by engaging in this level of personal leadership. We end up shaping ourselves into people who experience more compassion, patience, gratitude, happiness, calm, love and abundance. Now for the best part. By shaping ourselves as people through controlling our experiences with reality, our access to reality shifts. For example, a person who uses a woven basket to gather water will be far less successful than someone who uses a strong metal bucket. When we shape ourselves as people and change our mental wiring in service of our expansion, our capacity to hold joy, wealth and love expands exponentially. So many of us go through life attempting to check boxes of success for all sorts of lofty reasons. The belief is that if I am a “good girl” and do everything “right,” I’ll be happy and have everything I want. This might work at five years old when stakes are low and all you want

for happiness is a lollipop. But with age and maturity come different rules of engagement. As it turns out, we need to consistently make decisions in service of our own expansion. Even Moshe himself, humble prophet and leader of the Jewish people, only served others in service of his own expansion. By navigating the Jewish nation’s complaints and criticism, his identity shifted from individual to leader. He cultivated courage and patience in stepping into leadership– they were not his birthright. In fact, when Moshe felt a sense of exhaustion and burnout from fielding so many small conflicts from the Jewish people, his father-in-law, Yitro, assisted him to set up a judicial system. Moshe was only going to serve the people so long as it expanded him. This is not selfish. This is self-first and how we must make all of our decisions. It’s also the secret to controlling our experience of reality and ultimately our ability to receive abundance. So, if your wish list in life includes areas of reality you cannot control (read: all reality), consider beginning by shaping your experience of those realities. Experiment with the art of receiving, become a practitioner of curiosity and creativity, master courage, delight and adventure. You will be amazed by how relaxing into what you can control will expand your identity and ultimately precipitate the results an unenlightened control freak so desires. A

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Sivan –Tammuz 5781 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 13

RELIGION

POST-POLITICAL by Rabbi Jacob Rupp | myrabbiben@gmail.com

Mindset Incentives Is making more money as simple as “changing your mindset” and “believing in yourself?” I had a conversation with a prospective client recently about why she chronically undercharged. It is a very familiar conversation. “My clients don’t have any money.” “I know I am under charging.” “I’m so good at what I do, but I am not making it financially.” What wasn’t familiar was this prospect told me what I was going to say. Now, I’m used to my close friends and family finishing my sentences. But someone I just met? Am I really that predictable? The next words out of her mouth were, “Change your mindset. Believe in yourself.” For a moment I had to stop to see if I’d heard an echo of something I was about to say, but then she followed up with the magic words that revealed the real problem, “It can’t be that simple.” She’s partially right on that one. In a lot of ways, it is that simple, but it’s not easy. It’s not easy because you’re really addicted to familiarity. You get comfortable getting people the results you can at the price point that doesn’t feel too scary for you. And then you begin to believe that if you raise your prices, everyone would leave you. You’d be destitute. You’d have to admit this whole ‘coaching thing’ is a big

14 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM June 2021

sham that you’ve been “getting away with” for way too long. And then you’d have to go crawling back to your old boss admitting defeat, begging for your old job back —assuming she’d take you back! And all of your friends and family would come to comfort you, knowing that it was nice that you tried, but hey, everyone fails — so now it’s time to be responsible and get a job that takes your time, doesn’t pay you enough and slowly but surely erodes your soul. So what’s the alternative? Three simple (not easy) steps to believing in yourself and making more money (or anything else for that matter) 1. Truth. Admitting that you’re scared to raise your rate. Admit everything else you’re scared of. Actually, write it down. Look at it. Realize that’s what you’re telling yourself subconsciously. 2. Inquiry. Why would you be worthy of raising your rates? This part can in theory be tricky, especially if you’re one of those coaches who struggles with self-esteem and client co-dependence (don’t worry, me too!). But, seriously, ask yourself. Are you getting better? Because we’re used to paying more for higher quality. For example, would you pay the same for an iPhone 12 as you did the original iPhone? It’s the same product, right?

Wrong. The iPhone 12 is way more advanced. You wouldn’t even think of paying the same. So why would you expect your clients to pay the wiser, more experienced you the same price they did when you were unsure of what to do? Also, ask yourself in the past, was my price reflected by my sense of self (I am only worth a few dollars a minute or a few hundred an hour) or is your price reflecting the benefit of what your client receives? What is the cost of the problem for your client? How much would a solution be worth to them? Take yourself out of the equation. It’s about your client, not you. 3. Resolve. Resolve to take action or make the decision to get the support, framework and/or community you need to take action. As someone who has run his own business, I’ve always felt that working with a team, in the context of a team, is always more effective and more helpful than going at it alone. As King Solomon says, “There is nothing new under the sun.” If there is something you want, someone has done it already. And they weren’t any more special than you are — they just had the clarity and belief to get there. A

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ISRAELI LIFESTYLE

LIVING ON THE FRONT PAGE by Andrea Simantov | andreasimantov@gmail.com

Sababa by Design Being a naturally negative person (born into a spectacularly negative family), I looked for anything that might have disappointed us in our old/new-to-us caravan. Fearful that wild animals and scary insects might attack us in our sleep, we awakened each morning surprisingly unscathed. Every time I chased away ravens at the trash bin or vinegar-sprayed the relentless parade of black ants on plates, pillows and books, the husband reminded me frequently that there was a price to enjoying nature. While the aforementioned was distressing but not dangerous, a more concerning episode of the remarkably unstressful holiday occurred upon confronting the portable toilet and accompanying instruction manual for contents disposal. A memorable moment in modern camping that I had hastily glossed over while perusing related websites. I had planned to work on my novel and write a few articles because it seemed logical that my creative muse would soar in such pristine surroundings. Consequently, I’d schlepped the laptop to watch movies at night, stay in touch with Facebook friends and events, Skype and Zoom with Mom and grandchildren and, of course, stay current with news stories that bore following. In turn, my husband brought his bicycle, reluctantly leaving mine behind. I had made it clear that I did not intend to cram more

16 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM June 2021

activities into a vacation that was, for me, only about curative relaxation. My plans for physical activity were limited to building nightly bonfires and walking to the beach across the road once or twice a day. Finito. The trailer park was quite packed when we arrived. I spent Friday afternoon assembling a simple Shabbat meal on the grill and hoped the secular vacationers wouldn’t prove to be too distracting. We were happily surprised when a few men came to my husband just before candle lighting, asking if he would lead a quorum for prayer. While most of the participants were not Torah observant, they were respectful and allowed us a holier Sabbath than we’d expected. 45 minutes after completing the Havdalah prayer that ushers out the Sabbath, the entire caravan park was empty! We were suddenly alone among now-cavernous spaces, feeling oddly exposed, vulnerable and adventurous. The beach was sparsely populated on Sunday, with only a few locals reading the paper and basking in the sun. The municipal lifeguard was on duty. Arabic conversations swirled about with a sentence or two of Russian wafting

through the air. I became aware that in five days, I hadn’t heard English. Settling on Hebrew, my husband struck up a lively conversation with Abdullah, a 70-year-old Bedouin who lived 10 minutes away. His seven sons had all served in the Israeli army and were now married and living around the northern region. Both men discussed the current strife unfolding between Jew and Arab in Jerusalem. Neither became heated or loud while making their points. Abdullah made a statement that could be construed by some as anti-semitic but, while standing in crystal water, under a hot sun, felt more like misinformation than maliciousness. My husband took the time to explain. I asked Abdullah continues on page 20 >>

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EXAMINED LIFE

OUR EMOTIONAL FOOTPRINT

by Saul Levine, M.D., Professor Emeritus in Psychiatry at UCSD |

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A Sense of Awe and Peak Experiences Have you ever been transfixed by wonderment and awe during an overwhelmingly inspiring experience? In the course of our lifetimes, we have all been moved by many positive personal and cultural events. Heart-warming or wondrous experiences enhance and enrich our lives by bringing us joy and fulfillment–especially helpful in difficult times. They also renew our faith in the creativity, resilience and benevolence of humanity. In addition to enjoying these relatively common pleasures, I ask again whether you have ever felt “beyond pleasure”? People sometimes report feeling so deeply emotionally moved and joyful that they feel swept away into a veritable ‘state of awe’. Many people have described being so moved and awed by evocative circumstances that they had a “peak experience” (a term introduced decades ago by psychologist Abraham Maslow in his book, “Epiphanies, Values and Peak Experiences”). During these peak events, people experience pleasure that is beyond ‘mere’ satisfaction and happiness. They report a heightened sense of awareness of themselves and their surroundings and of personal enlightenment. Many relate to shedding tears of joy, feelings of ecstasy and elation, even exaltation or reverence. They might describe being “at one with the universe” and finding some new “meaning” in their lives, sometimes with out-of-body sensations and altered states of consciousness.

18 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM June 2021

Pretty heavy stuff, right? Are any readers dubious about personal reports of peak experiences? Well, peak experiences (feelings, thoughts, perceptions) are indeed real and while they are not extremely common events, they are also not rare. Most people have had at least one such singular experience in their lifetimes which they remember vividly. If you have experienced this type of event, do you recall the specific circumstances, when and where it occurred and if you were alone or with others? Over my lifetime, I personally had a few such awe-inspiring experiences which occurred in different decades and situations in Jerusalem, Mumbai, Nepal and California and which are indelible memories. When I was studying religions and cults years ago, I witnessed individuals going through deeply personal ecstatic events–sometimes shared with others in the same state. All these experiences vary in specific circumstances and manifestations, but they share common descriptive features, such as being “other-worldly,” awe-inspiring and intense, energizing and exciting, yet strangely calming and serene. They can last a few precious moments, hours or even a few days and they feel profoundly moving and meaningful during the experience and shortly thereafter. All of these situations can provide joy and pleasure in the active participants or beholders, but only occasionally do

full-blown peak-experiences occur. In these situations, there is a magical/mystical interaction between the activity or scene witnessed and the mood-state and susceptibility of the beholder. These intense feelings have ushered in new or repurposed words to try to capture the other-worldly nature of the personal sensations. For example, the word “ineffable” refers to qualities of intense feelings that are “too profound” to explain or describe in mere words. They are by definition, “not definable” (an interesting paradox!). Similarly, the word “noetic” refers to intellectual pursuits used in relation to mysticism and spirituality. Some among you may harbor doubts that these “peak” experiences are authentic, perhaps even feel that these are products of scammers or disturbed minds. You might think that these cognitive, sensory and visceral events are related to auditory or visual hallucinations or delusional beliefs which occur in some psychotic disorders, like schizophrenia. I assure you, I am not referring to individuals who have serious psychiatric disorders. Rather, I am discussing the propensity which we all have to be swept away by awe-inspiring circumstances and transported into pleasurable altered states of consciousness for transitory periods of time. For this to occur, however, there have to be serendipitous simultaneous continues on page 20 >>

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We are thankful to the San Diego community for their perseverance, hope, and support, and to the San Diego Jewish Journal for their leadership, continued support, and encouragement that we all stay strong together. For now, see our online exhibits and tours at SOHOsandiego.org. We look forward to welcoming all of you back soon. Stay safe and be well.

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Israeli Lifestyle continued

Examined Life continued

something about Bedouin women and marriage which could easily be construed as racist and, just as my husband had done moments before, he explained something that I hadn’t known. Neither man climbed upon a soapbox or spewed ideologies. The two 70-year-old doppelgangers — one an Arab and one a Jew — concurred that the things that were most important now included peace at home, satisfaction from children, good coffee and tranquility. Due to the pandemic, we’d lost a year of communing with nature and people. But out of this loss has, perhaps, arisen the gift of planning and awaiting the unexpected. A

combinations of profoundly moving events in our sensory awareness and our cognitive and emotional states must be open and receptive to “letting go” of constraints and “going with the flow” of thoughts, perceptions and stimulated moods. Peak experiences are not simply planned on demand. That is, one cannot simply “order up” an afternoon or evening of indulging in a profound peak experience. One can certainly try, for example, by immersing oneself in magical settings or vistas like a mountaintop or lake, or participating in intense group rituals. But without the magical (mystical, spiritual, ineffable,

20 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM June 2021

noetic) interactions between the specific setting/activity and the personal open mood and sensory status of the individual, no such experience will occur, or it might be disappointingly weak or even unpleasant, like a bad chemical trip. We do not choose when and where we have peak experiences; they are not preprogrammed. Rather, they descend (ascend?) upon us unpredictably and serendipitously, some would say synchronistically and spiritually, which adds to the wonderment, awe and exaltation. I wish you good fortune in having a benevolent, meaningful Peak Experience in some unexpected future time or place. A

FEATURE

In a beautiful Jewish cosmic alignment, brilliant actress Tovah Feldshuh is portraying the acclaimed Dr. Ruth Westheimer in “Becoming Dr. Ruth” (streaming June 9 – July 4), produced by our very own North Coast Repertory Theater.

Tovah & Ruth 22 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM June 2021

by Jacqueline Bull

had the distinct pleasure of having some time to talk to Tovah and Dr. Ruth. I feel very honored and very lucky to have been in that position. I’m going to let them do the talking in this article, but first I wanted to acknowledge that both of these women were incredibly generous with their attention and they both made a point to address me by name and connected with me as a person and not just another interviewer. I thought I would start out like this because I wanted to preserve the human touches of these conversations that, to me, further highlights the pathos of the play and the friendship between Tovah and Dr. Ruth that enriches it.

Left: Tovah Feldshuh in hair and makeup to transform into Dr. Ruth.

SET PHOTOS BY AARON RUMLEY

I talked to Tovah on the phone the day before rehearsals started. Our conversation was post-swim, pre-walk along the beach practicing lines. She described the birth of this run of this play, “David Ellenstein gave me a call and said ‘I will do this play if you will come and do it.’” This was, however, not the first time her path had crossed with Dr. Ruth. They had met many years ago at a few different Jewish philanthropic events (“she is a committed Jew and I was doing all these Jewish heroines.”) “You know we went to some Purim festival thing together. She dressed as Charlie Chaplin and I dressed as a cowboy,” Tovah said. Tovah’s children were young at the time of the Purim festival, so she could say that they’ve known each other for at least 25 years. And they’ve been good friends for about seven years and Dr. Ruth attended both of Tovah’s children’s weddings. Before flying out to San Diego, she had spent some time with her in New York

PHOTO BY OLIVER SHOOULSON

Right: Longtime friend Tovah visits Dr. Ruth at her NYC home.

Tovah as Dr. Ruth telling the story of the steh auf Mann toy.

and recorded her speech pattern to help master the one-of-a-kind voice. “I never go to Ruth’s house without flowers and food. I brought her all these fresh berries last time and a tulip because they’re naming a tulip after her in Fort Tryon park where she lives,” she said. “Tovah and I know each other for many years. Every time she sees me in the past, she used to lift me up. I don’t let her lift me up anymore [laughs]. I’m now going to be 93, but I still will let her hug me. Jacqueline, you have to tell them that I’m very honored that this brilliant actress Tovah is playing me and the play ‘Becoming Dr. Ruth’ has another life....I have seen her. She works very hard. She read the whole play here in my living room and she has me down to a point — wonderful,” Dr. Ruth said. Tovah comes alive talking about Dr. Ruth and her story. You could call Tovah in as an expert witness. She continues on next page >>

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Tovah & Ruth continued remembers some of the most minute details like the name of the surgeon that worked on Dr. Ruth’s foot after the “top of it was blown off” when she was a sharpshooter. This is partly because she is a committed actress and partly because she has a deep appreciation and respect for Dr. Ruth. “She’s a force of nature. She is not afraid to be out there and say, ‘This who I am and I stand for the good and I want your support.’ She has moved mountains. The woman has moved mountains. Look at the mountains she’s moved in sexuality in a country with a puritan streak up the middle of it,” Tovah said. Dr. Ruth’s journey is quite remarkable and made perhaps more fascinating by the fact that she doesn’t really talk about it much. “She originated her own script and the arc of her life is remarkable. And it is remarkable to this day that she is fully active. She just had 2000 screens watch her get an honorary doctorate from Ben-Gurion University which she loves. And she talks about a certain toy that was given to her later in her life by her beloved husband Manfried Westheimer which is called a steh auf Mann which is the German word for stand up man. It is one of those little clowns that you push down and then pop right back up and you push them down and they pop right back up and that was a metaphor for how she’s dealt with life. She got down and she stood right back up including taking shrapnel all over her body during the war of independence,” Tovah said. Tovah notes Dr. Ruth’s insatiable optimism and calls her “a big uptune.” She told me that Dr. Ruth adored Shirley Temple as a child and that her grandmother told her to always study hard, be good and always smile. “I’m very excited about the project because it’s not just great fun to play Ruth Westheimer, it’s completely inspirational. So you wake up in the morning like a chirping bird... She grabs the golden ring of life like it could disappear in a minute,” she said. Tovah sees Dr. Ruth becoming a sex therapist as a way of completing her life and restoring a sense of family and intimacy after losing her parents so young. “So she dedicated her life to making sure other people stayed connected in very deep intimate ways... That is all she is saying. She is trying to communicate sexual expression — equate it more to part of the richness of daily life,” Tovah said. Dr. Ruth touches on this too when I ask her what she wants people to take away from the show, “How courageous I was to talk about sex when very few other people did so and how I can use humor, not jokes, but humor because in the Jewish tradition it says, ‘A lesson taught with humor is a lesson retained.’” Both women said on many occasions how honored they were by the association of the other. Tovah expressed it was an honor to play the courageous Dr. Ruth and Dr. Ruth remarked that she was honored to be in the company of such luminaries that Tovah has played before. “And when we have it in New York, if things stay well and we will have an audience, I will be there in the front row. Maybe

not in the front row, not to confuse her, more in the middle, but I will be the first one to get up to applaud her. And how she portrays me and how she looks and how she mimics my accent. I hope that she will get all the Emmy awards that she deserves. Theater people get Emmy’s right? All of the Tony’s. I will jump for joy if she gets a Tony award,” Dr. Ruth said. Can’t you picture it? Dr. Ruth, 4'7", sitting in a darkened theater with her childlike smile, looking up at her friend giving life to her story. A

Enter “Lilyville: Mother, Daughter and Other Roles I’ve Played” After hearing her speak on a podcast, a literary agent contacted her telling her she should write a book about her life. Tovah had recently had her mom die and she knew that it was her and her mother’s story that she wanted to tell. “I said what could be deep and profound and hit on the universal, I said I know I will write about my life through the eyes of my mother and my mother’s life through my eyes, that’s how I’ll will do it, span a 110 years of American women’s history and in this case Jewish women’s history.” The book explores the mother-daughter relationship and looks to unite people with this universal experience. Her first draft looked like a series of vignettes like “pearls unstrung on a coffee table.” A close friend got her talking about theater and it gave her the idea to write it like a theater piece. “It was like I was struck by lightning the minute I could structure it with three acts, two intermissions instead of chapters you get scenes, instead of a prologue you get an overture, instead of an afterward you get exit music, instead of acknowledgement — you know these dry acknowledgements — you get a cast party where I celebrate everyone in the book. I said that’s how I’m going to do this.” “It’s a wonderful book. Tell everybody I’m not plugging any of my books. I’m right now plugging Tovah’s book [laughs]. Tell everybody I enjoyed reading the book with pleasure,” Dr. Ruth said. (She reminded me that she is a very honest person and truthfully did really like it.) Tovah’s mother’s long life allowed the two of them to become really close and truly appreciate each other. “The last thing my mother did for me was taught me how to die. She showed me what it looked like and what it could be like and for that I will always be indebted. It was like the last great act of parenting.”

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18 Teens Doing Outstanding Things in our Community Over the past six years, the San Diego Jewish Teen Initiative (the Initiative) has stood by the belief that exposing teens to a diversity of Jewish experiences and opportunities will help them more deeply connect with their Jewish community, culture, and identity. The Initiative’s work has been generously funded by the Jim Joseph Foundation, Jewish Federation of San Diego, and Lawrence Family JCC. However, we could not have accomplished all that we have without them or the thoughtful partnership of the Initiative’s Task Force members. On behalf of myself and my predecessors, Rebecka Handler-Feinsilber and Darren Schwartz, I’d like to thank Heather Wolfson, Larry Katz, Susan Chortek-Weisman, Caryn Viterbi, and Jerri-Ann Jacobs Kayla Globerson, and Guy Sela for their continuous support and dedication to the work of the Initiative. Our ability to make this impact on San Diego’s Jewish teens would not have been possible without them.

“The outstanding talents of these 18 teens are living proof that there are dedicated leaders in the San Diego Jewish community that are quite literally changing the game of what Jewish teen engagement looks like.” - Guy Sela & Kayla Globerson, Project Managers, SDJTI The Initiative has always worked with educators, teens, and their parents to explore and implement ways to help our community’s teens navigate Jewish experiences. With our day-to-day still not looking like it once did, we continue to find ourselves in a new world of possibilities for Jewish teens. The San Diego Jewish Teen Initiative is generously supported by:

In 2019, thinking about how to present the multitude of ways to be involved Jewishly in our community, the concept of 18 Under 18 emerged. 18 Under 18 is a community-wide awareness campaign that recognizes 18 teens doing outstanding things in our community, with the hope that it inspires other teens and pre-teens to find a deeper connection to Jewish life that is authentic to who they are. The COVID-19 pandemic made me think that this year’s 18 Under 18 recipients should showcase the teens in our community that are not only enthusiastically dedicated leaders or volunteer-oriented, but that have shown the community their resilience in a time where no one would have faulted them. It’s been a true honor getting to know more about these 18 resilient teens in our community, and I applaud the Jewish professionals that have guided and supported them throughout their journeys: Mazal Tov and Lech Lecha to this year’s 18 Under 18 recipients. Allie Donahoo Executive Director, San Diego Jewish Teen Initiative Allie Donahoo has worked in Jewish non-profit for 10+ years and has proudly served the San Diego Jewish community since moving here in 2017. Allie is excited to be joining the Lawrence Family JCC professional staff as their Director of Strategic Outreach and Partnerships beginning July 1, 2021. allied@lfjcc.org

This year, the Initiative allocated $360 to each 18 Under 18 recipient to donate to a 501-c3 of their choosing. Below you will ﬁnd their chosen charity and learn more about their leadership and resilience.

Olive Benito Friendship Circle Class of 2022 Chosen Charity Doctors Without Borders

Jordan Bially Levy Congregation B’Nai Tikvah

This past year has brought countless challenges to everyone, but Olive was determined to stay connected to the people in her life in meaningful ways. Whether scheduling virtual or socially distanced hangouts with friends, volunteering with Friendship Circle’s online programs, or staying engaged with her teachers and classmates during online courses, Olive is dedicated to creating an inviting environment for everyone. For Olive, it was witnessing the Jewish community band together in the aftermath of the devastating Poway Chabad shooting that connected her to her Jewish roots and made her realize that to be Jewish is to be resilient. In addition to being more active in Jewish communal events, Olive is also a member of two Clubs at her high school, Student Wellness Education & Resources (SWEAR) and Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA). After high school, Olive hopes to pursue a career in Sociology.

Jordan is the epitome of a growing Jewish leader. She is a dedicated volunteer at Congregation B’nai Tikvah, helping mold the Jewish youth of today to become the Jewish leaders of tomorrow. Jordan is in her first year as an SDJTI Peer Leadership Fellow, where she connects her peers and local teens to various Jewish community offerings that align with their passions. When she isn’t volunteering at B’nai Tikvah or connecting local Jewish teens to Jewish opportunities, Jordan performs with her high school’s concert band as First Chair for the clarinet. Combining her dedication to academics with her love of Judaism, Jordan plans to attend JNF-USA’s Alexander Muss High School in Israel for the Fall 2021 semester.

Jaeden Clark Temple Adat Shalom Class of 2025 Chosen Charity Bridge to the Future Foundation

Shai Davis Congregation Beth Am

Class of 2023

Chosen Charity The Humane Society

Chosen Charity Camp Ramah in C.A.

Kate Chasin Congregation Beth Israel Class of 2022 Chosen Charity Jewish Family Service

Kate is a mental health & wellness activist. At school, she is vice-chair of the Student Wellness Education & Resources (SWEAR) club, a program that advocates for improving student mental health and wellness practices, and president of the Anti-Defamation League’s No Place for Hate program. Kate is the only representative under the age of 18 on San Diego County’s Human Relations Commission, an advisory board for the San Diego County Board of Supervisors that promotes justice and equality for all San Diego citizens. Dedicated to her Jewish identity and community, Kate volunteers as a madricha (counselor) and plays cello with her congregation’s band at Shabbat services. Kate’s resilience to overcome personal anxieties during these difficult times has made her an exemplary activist by instilling and advocating for meaningful and long-lasting wellness practices among her peers and the greater San Diego Jewish and secular communities.

Jaeden is one of those rare personalities that makes others realize he is the anchor to everyone around them. Coming from an interfaith and interracial family that is rooted in strong Jewish values, Jaedan knows what it means to treat the world around him with love and respect. For Jaeden’s Bar Mitzvah project, he wanted to share his passion for soccer by collecting once-loved soccer cleats from the community and refurbishing them to donate to families struggling financially. Jaeden is a dedicated member of BBYO’s Gal Chadash and attends Mosad Shalom Religious School at Temple Adat Shalom.

Liora Krantz Congregation Beth Israel Class of 2022 Chosen Charity Pawsitive Teams

Whether acting as Beth Am’s USY Membership Vice President, performing on stage, playing lacrosse, or engaging the public with her mental health podcast, Shai is always on the go. With a passion for all things Jewish, Shai enjoys being a madricha (counselor) for Beth Am’s Jewish Learning Center, participating as a Ramah Fellow, and attending Camp Ramah. Like many peers who thrive on social interaction, Shai struggled with the emotional toll the pandemic was taking on her life. So she started a teen mental health podcast, Lemon-Aid (find it on Spotify), to provide an outlet for herself and her peers to speak out on issues that she and her friends knew existed but that no one was speaking openly about. By creating this podcast, Shai has given a platform and space for teens to share their stories while also gaining confidence in herself to speak publicly and vulnerably about these important and often misunderstood topics.

As the President of Congregation Beth Israel’s (CBI) NFTY Chapter, Liora has learned to be an empathetic listener to her fellow board members and spent time building an inclusive environment. Liora spends her free time volunteering with Pawsitive Teams Service and Therapy Dogs, Make-a-Wish Foundation, and McCormick Coaching Co. She’s found a renewed sense of belonging within the Jewish community, especially since becoming a Racial Justice Fellow for the Religion Action Center. In March 2020, coinciding with the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Liora’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Throughout her mom’s battle, which she has now won, Liora managed to excel in her leadership roles, carry a rigorous course schedule, and be with her family when they all needed each other most. Liora is resilient in more ways than one and is looking forward to strengthening her Jewish engagement and identity.

Maytal Lefkowitz

Maytal is one of those bright lights that a person is immediately drawn to. She has unshakeable and optimistic energy and an awareness to know when to step up and when to step back. Maytal is the Parliamentarian on Beth Am’s USY chapter board, an SDJTI Peer Leadership Fellow, and volunteers at Jewish Family Service and the San Diego Food Bank. Maytal is the 10th grade Secretary of her high school’s ASB and is an actress in Scripps Ranch High School’s theater program, Falcon Playhouse.

Jewish Federation

Congregation Ner Tamid

Class of 2023

Class of 2024

Chosen Charity San Diego Food Bank

Zoe Levin Jewish Federation Class of 2023 Chosen Charity Heifer Intl.

David Lutz Congregation Beth Israel Class of 2022 Chosen Charity JFS Safe Parking Program

Elijah Mandel

Chosen Charity Anti-Defamation League Zoe is an outstanding young Jewish leader. Over the past year, as a Peer Leadership Fellow, Zoe has managed and led a network of 15 peers to become more engaged in our local Jewish teen community. Her ability to grow teen engagement allowed her to promote and participate in One2One, a program comprised of Israeli and San Diego teens that creates cultural learning opportunities. Zoe is a member of the Jewish Community Foundation’s teen program, serves as the Social Action Tikkun Olam VP for Congregation Beth El’s USY chapter, and sits as Parliamentarian on Far West USY’s Regional Board. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Zoe has helped her peers connect and reinforce their relationships with Judaism on both a cultural and social justice level. Zoe looks forward to reuniting with her friends in person so that together they can continue learning to better themselves and the world around them.

As Congregation Beth Israel’s (CBI) NFTY Chapter Social Action Vice President, David has proven time and again that he can face new challenges head-on, create a safe space in our community, and prioritize social justice in an ever-changing world. Whether bringing care packages to CBI members struggling with familial loss or volunteering with Build a Miracle to provide safe housing for San Diego’s most vulnerable populations, David truly puts his words into action to help build a better world. In addition to being an active CBI member, David has attended Camp Mountain Chai for the past seven years and hopes to be a counselor there soon. David enjoys spending time outdoors, where he can be found skiing, surfing, or playing soccer with friends and family.

Lauren Mathios Temple Solel Class of 2023 Chosen Charity Jacobs & Cushman Food Bank

Anna Maya Stand With Us Class of 2022 Chosen Charity Ken Jewish Community

Elijah is the definition of what it means to be a leader “on and off the field.” A die-hard soccer fan, Elijah is a team player, whether playing his heart out on the soccer pitch, working as a Torah School Madrich (counselor) or in his role of Vice President on Ner Tamid’s USY Chapter Board. Elijah takes all of his commitments seriously with a positive attitude and maturity beyond his years. Though the pandemic side-lined his plans to play in the San Diego hosted JCC Maccabi Games & Artsfest, Elijah took this in stride. He stayed committed to his participation in SDJTI’s Global Partnership Program. This program was a cohort of 40 teens from San Diego, USA; Shaar Ha’Negev, Israel, Sofia, Bulgaria, and St. Petersburg, Russia, all athletes and artists who intended to be here in person for the JCC Maccabi Game & Artsfest Experience in the Summer of 2020. Proud of his Jewish heritage, Elijah looks forward to leading and creating meaningful change in the local community and beyond. Whether she is spending her summers at a Jewish camp or leading Temple Solel’s Climate Solvers Teen Kibbutzim Program, Lauren takes great pride in educating her peers about environmental and climate issues. Lauren’s passion for access to literacy led her to create Books to Go, for which she received a Girl Scout Gold Award. Struggling with the emotional strain of the pandemic, Lauren felt compelled to help the community in tangible ways. With a newfound interest in filmmaking, Lauren created a PSA about the importance of mask-wearing and social distancing. Lauren’s PSA went on to win the San Diego Union Tribune’s Stop the Spread contest, amplifying her message through social media, radio, and television. Lauren’s kind heart and soul to better the world around her are rooted in strong Jewish principles, which she enthusiastically credits to her involvement in Temple Solel’s Teen Journey program.

From creating her high school’s first Israel Club to writing articles and speaking to elected officials on Ethnic Studies, Anna’s leadership and passion for Israel and Jewish advocacy in the community are unmatched. Anna is dedicated to her roles as a Stand With Us intern, Ken Jewish Community madricha (counselor), and SDJTI Peer Leadership Fellow. She is a role model for younger students to look up to and a student that the world should look out for as she continuously pushes the bar of service to her community. Even in the face of antisemitism or bigotry, Anna continues the fight against hate. There is no doubt that Anna has and will continue to grow into one of this community’s most influential leaders.

Ya’ara Oren Ohr Shalom Synagogue

As a Teen Aide, Ya’ara has dedicated her time this past year assisting and supporting Ohr Shalom’s young learners during their weekly virtual Religious School lessons. As a fluent Hebrew speaker herself and someone that is well versed in Jewish liturgy, Ya’ara also assists her Ohr Shalom peers in learning Hebrew. With the pandemic putting a stop to all in-person gatherings, Ya’ara stepped up in helping Ohr Shalom’s USY Chapter create unique and out-of-the-box virtual gathering ideas to keep USY members in touch with their Jewish identity. Ya’ara has attended Camp Ramah in California for nine summers and Camp Alonim for two. Her hobbies are musical theater and all things Far West USY.

Netanel Schwartz SCY High & San Diego NCSY

Class of 2022

Class of 2021

Chosen Charity Make-a-wish Foundation

Chosen Charity Kehillat Shaar HaShamayim

Kim Peretz IAC-Eitanim Class of 2022 Chosen Charity Interns 4-Good

Fania Pupko Ken Jewish Community Class of 2021 Chosen Charity Stand With Us

A natural-born advocate and leader, Kim’s passion for BBYO’s Gal Chadash, as well as Israel American Council’s Eitanim, has kept her engaged in the Jewish community for the past four years. The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t pause Kim’s desire to engage her classmates in meaningful community service and advocacy projects. During the pandemic, Kim co-founded Rise Up, one of the largest clubs on her high school campus, with an active student-led board. Whether rallying classmates to volunteer in food and clothing drives, attending environmental webinars, or writing letters to teachers, Kim was determined to make a difference on campus. Kim is also a passionate writer and sits on the writing staff of several publications, including “Girl’s Life Magazine.” Additionally, Kim became a published author in 2019 for “Dani’s Diary.” Through her projects and passions, Kim hopes to empower others to make the world a better place.

For the past two years, Fania has been a Ken Community youth leader, both as a Rosh (logistics leader) and Madricha (counselor). Her dedication and commitment to her community are true examples of a role model and leader. Though in-person activities came to a halt this past year, Fania chose this as an opportunity to motivate her peers to continue to engage in Ken Community offerings. Fania also started The Good Neighbor, an organization that asks for once-loved clothes to be donated to emergency and temporary housing shelters across San Diego County. Fania is also the captain of the San Diego Jewish Academy (SDJA) Tennis Team, President of the SDJA Israel Club, and an SDJA Lion Student Ambassador. Following her graduation from SDJA this June, Fania will take a gap year in Israel with Maccabi, where she will experience Kibbutz life, volunteer with Magen David Adom in Tel Aviv, and undergo IDF Basic Training.

Ben “Talp” Talpalatsky Camp Mountain Chai Class of 2021 Chosen Charity The Dream Project

Hannah Velazquez Friendship Circle Class of 2023

Netanel serves as the Gabbai at his synagogue, Kehillat Shaar HaShamayim, and is Editor-in-Chief of his High School’s Torah publication, Lishkat HaDarom. He is the Regional Vice President of West Coast NCSY and an active participant and board member of San Diego’s NCSY chapter. Netanel embraces and embodies core Jewish values, is committed to his peers and community and thrives at making everyone feel welcome. On February 19th, 2021, Netanel lost his father (z’’l) to COVID-19. Most teens would remove themselves from their day-to-day commitments. Still, Netanel turned his tragedy into a learning experience for his school and youth group peers by hosting an evening of learning and reflection in which Netanel shared meaningful messages he had learned from his father about bettering the world around us. Netanel’s resilience in such a trying time is an inspiration to all those around him. Following his graduation from SCY High, Netanel will be attending Yale University. There is an unparalleled air of respect associated with those known by a single name. Benjamin “Talp” Talpalatsky fits that bill, continually proving a nuanced understanding of the interconnectivity of kehilla (community), tikkun olam (repairing the world), and dugma ishit (leading by example). The grandson of four Holocaust survivors, Talp represented his faith with pride during the 2019 joint CMC and DREAM Project service-learning trip to the Dominican Republic, the only nation to offer visas to Jews fleeing Europe during WWII. Talp instantly connected with the kids in the remote community of La Libertad, teaching English lessons and giving neverending piggyback rides. When the pandemic hit, Talp created a website, organized events, and solicited donations, ultimately collecting thousands of dollars for Dominican Pandemic Relief. In addition to his many years as an outstanding member of the Camp Mountain Chai community, Talp is the VP of Membership for the Lawrence Family JCC’s Teen Leadership Council and local BBYO chapter.

Hannah is a leader who embodies passion, professionalism, and dedication. A stand-out culinary volunteer for Friendship Circle, Hannah is adored by every participant who attends her online educational classes. Whether preparing delicious meals for her family or easy-to-follow recipes for the Jewish holidays, Hannah knows how to adapt any program to be inclusive for all. Though the pandemic should have made starting the Eco-Club at her high school nearly impossible, Hannah made it happen by finding COVID-19 safe and friendly ways for her peers to collaborate and volunteer in person. Hannah hopes to continue her passion for the environment by pursuing a career in environmental engineering.

Chosen Charity Friendship Circle SD | 29

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30 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM June 2021

FEATURE

The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, San Diego Symphony’s Gift to San Diego by Nathalie Feingold This summer, San Diego residents and visitors will have the opportunity to experience the highly anticipated outdoor venue The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park. The CEO of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra Martha Gilmer believes that a beautiful, outdoor destination where San Diegans and visitors alike can feel welcomed and at home- away from their homes, is much needed. “I think this is a venue that San Diego deserves. It’s a world-class venue that’s inspiring, and we’re excited to have this be a gift to this city,” Martha said. The development of this venue also makes history as the only permanent

outdoor waterfront performance space on the West Coast. Martha and the San Diego Symphony wanted to provide San Diego residents with a place where they can feel honored and embraced. That’s why the park will be free and open to the public 85% of the year; they also plan on partnering with community institutions to provide activities for families and their programming will be filled with performances that are worldly and varied. “San Diego has such an incredibly rich and diverse population. So, music of all styles belongs at the Shell. It is also a venue that has no history, so it’s our history to make,” Martha explained.

The new season opens on Aug. 6. The program features over 40 acts of assorted genres, such as classical, Latin, jazz, pop and Broadway. Notable performers include Smokey Robinson, Yo-Yo Ma, Jason Mraz and the Indigo Girls. Martha has taken several groups on tours through the venue so far, and the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. “It fills people with awe, and I don’t think we have enough of that in our life. People come and see it and gasp. It also exudes a welcome; you walk in and feel that you belong there,” Martha continued, “Many people, when they’re there, continues on next page >>

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SPOTLIGHT

La Jolla Playhouse Elaborates its Education and Outreach Programming The La Jolla Playhouse revamped its Education and Outreach Department by merging the education and community engagement programming and has two new directors to take up the mantle. Bridget Cavaiola has been added as the Director of Learning and Jacole Kitchen has been added as Director of Arts Engagement and In-House Casting. Cavaiola will oversee the Playhouse’s learning initiatives of theatre classes, teacher training workshops, summer youth programs and in-school residences. Kitchen will head up the arts engagement programs like the Veterans Playwrighting Workshop, the Playhouse

LEFT Jacole Kitchen, Director of Arts Engagement and In-House Casting FAR LEFT Bridget Cavaiola, Director of Learning

Leadership Council and communitybased projects. Both new directors will plan the audience engagement activities and produce the Playhouse Performance Outreach Program (POP) Tour. “The shift to Learning and Engagement better represents the

reciprocal, ongoing relationships we have with both our students and community groups, in which they are actively engaged and providing continuous feedback,” said Playhouse Managing Director Debby Buchholz. A

Rady Shell continued they experience joy, and there weren’t a lot of places to find that in the last year.” The unique design of the building, shaped like a giant, pearly oyster shell, is artfully intended to emphasize that feeling of belonging. “The name of the Shell came to us because, if you think of a shell, there’s this hard, protective layer on the outside for whatever organic being is inside; the shell is its home, its protection, it makes it possible for it to live and thrive. For me, that’s a metaphor,” Martha continued, “I think of our Shell as a protective layer for this organic music, produced by our incredible musicians, that comes out. It creates this living, breathing art form that gives a real, life force to The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park.” The stretched, shell-like shape was primarily designed to act as a megaphone, enhancing the natural acoustics of the stage; because Martha highlights

32 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM June 2021

The unique design of the building, shaped like a giant, pearly oyster shell, is artfully intended to emphasize that feeling of belonging.

that the core of the Shell is sound. The natural acoustics are paired with two other sound systems, creating an immersive, sonic experience for the audience. Martha has high hopes that the venue will go on to serve the San Diego region for generations to come.

“It’s the essence of San Diego, and we’re excited that it will have a presence. It’s intended to belong to everyone and for everyone to want to gather together and appreciate live music more than ever. That’s really what our contribution to the city is,” Martha said. A

FEATURE

Art Alive Continues to Evolve and Grow by Jacqueline Bull Art Alive, the San Diego Museum of Art’s annual floral art celebration, is back for its 40th year (June 18-20). “I think we’ve been revisiting — staff wise — revisiting a lot from the past. Speaking about what happened before, thinking about how to celebrate, how to culminate ... So we really wanted to make it a full celebration, a full look back,” Sarah Grossman, events manager at SDMA said. Looking back to last year’s event, they were of course disappointed to have to cancel the regular event (“It was super sad to go through the whole process and start selling tickets and planning this big celebration and having to cancel it,”) but they were intrigued by the virtual programming they pivoted to this year and decided to carry that forward. The museum started doing 360 scans of the permanent collection where you could ‘walk’ through the collection like Google Street View. Due to the popularity of that, they decided to scan the Art Alive exhibit as well. “If you went and you were like ‘Oh my gosh I should’ve taken you, cousin, look at what they’re doing’ So we can have

that in perpetuity also, to look back on and compare year to year, so I’m really excited that we’re doing a bit of both,” Sarah said. In lieu of the big crowded Bloom Bash, the in-person programming is split into the daytime Open Floral Affair and the seated, intimate Color Feast. Color Feast is a dinner in the garden space of the museum where each course is color themed (including the Cutwater cocktail pairing). The dinner is complete with music, wandering entertainment and photo activities. Open Floral Affair takes full advantage of the museum plaza and sculpture grounds. “I’ve always wanted to test out what more we could do during the day on the weekends, because it is a lot of real estate ... We’re able to test some new things,” Sarah said. In the “Garden of Activity” guests can participate in a collaborative floral art mural or decorate a mini plant pot and pick out a succulent to take home. “We’re going to also have a marketplace booth where you can do some special shopping — jewelry, bags, artisan

ceramics, all sorts of really fun things you can come and do. And we’ll also have our expanded flower market where we will have fresh floral bouquets, gifts and you can buy fresh flower crowns to wear around to get into the spirit. You can still dress up and still have fun. People love to come in floral, in theme and they can add some fresh flowers on their head.” Two new exhibits open Art Alive weekend: the photorealistic drawings of Ana de Alvear and European icons from the Bemberg collection. The museum will also be debuting Beth O’Reilly as the rotunda designer who will be returning after being postponed last year. In the interim, she’s been on the competition show “Full Bloom” where audiences have been able to see her in action. Rounding out the weekend is an auction including some original art works. All in, the expanded offerings will make the floral exhibition a full, lush and vibrant event. “We have so much fun putting it on. It’s such a fun celebration for the community,” Sarah said. A

Sivan –Tammuz 5781 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 33

REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS MAY 14TH

Experience arts and crafts, water activities, science, and more!

JUNE 21 - JULY 30, 2021 For children ages 1-5 years old

34 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM June 2021

Food

by Micah Siva

nutritionxkitchen.com

Turmeric Sesame Crusted Halloumi with Hot Ginger Honey Halloumi is a Cypriot cheese that is typically made with sheep or goat’s milk. It is perfect for grilling, as unlike other cheeses, it holds its shape when cooked! Paired with nutty sesame seeds and hot honey, halloumi is the perfect low-effort appetizer or protein addition to your favorite salad. SERVES 4-6 HOT GINGER HONEY • ½ cup honey

PREPARATION: 1.

Combine honey, chili flakes and ginger in a small saucepan and simmer over low heat for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 30 minutes or overnight.

• ½ tsp chili flakes

2. Combine sesame seeds, turmeric and paprika on a plate.

• 1, 1-inch slice fresh ginger

3. Press seeds onto both sides of halloumi.

SESAME HALLOUMI

4. Add olive oil to a pan over medium heat. Add halloumi, cooking for 4-5 minutes, or until golden, per side.

• ¼ cup sesame seeds • ¼ tsp turmeric • ¼ tsp smoked paprika

5. Drizzle with honey. 6. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

• 1 block Halloumi cheese, sliced into ¼ inch slices • 1 tsp olive oil Sivan –Tammuz 5781 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 35

SPOTLIGHT

JFEST in June The San Diego Repertory Theatre is presenting JFEST (the 28th annual Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival). The festival will feature performances celebrating Jewish theatre, music, dance and fine arts. Festival Artistic Director Todd Salovey is calling this event their “most accomplished and most accessible festival,” as the performances will be both online and live this year. Most shows are available for “suggested donation only,” lowering costs and widening access for interested attendees. Every year, JFEST features new programs and collaborations that premiere in the festival and are then performed in venues throughout San Diego and the U.S. A

JFEST JUNE PERFORMANCES Perla Batalla: Songs of Love & Protest

June 1 @ 7:30 p.m., Online | Suggested Donation: $25 Vocalist Perla Batalla reveals a new program highlighting the music of Pete Seeger and Leonard Cohen. Former, long-term background singer for Leonard Cohen, Perla is described as an “ultimate interpreter of his music and carrier of his legacy.”

12th Annual Women of Valor

June 3, 6, 8 & 10 @ 7:30 p.m. Free Stream on SD Rep’s YouTube page This program will feature the video profiles of four courageous women “of valor” in San Diego’s Jewish community. Elizabeth Schwartz (June 3), Dr. Sonia Ancoli-Israel (June 6), Jodie Graber (June 8) and Francheska Gelbart (June 10) will share their stories.

The Klezmer Summit: Sweet Home Anatevka

June 7 @ 7 p.m., Online | Suggested Donation: $18 The Klezmer Summit features a performance of traditional klezmer and Yiddish folk songs by fiddler Yale Strom and his band Hot Pstromi. There will also be performances by special guests including jazz musician Gilbert Castellanos, Yiddish vocalist Sasha Lurje and several acclaimed members of Art of Elan.

Isaac Asimov: Grand Master Funk

the “father of science fiction,” is dying. In this imaginative play, set to a 70’s funk music soundtrack, two otherworldly visitors inspire Asimov to write one final science fiction story.

In Every Generation

June 13 @ 5 p.m., Online | Suggested Donation: $15 Viewers are invited to observe the Levi‑Katz family over four millennia as they partake in the tradition of Passover — over and over again. Over meals, the family discusses several thought-provoking topics such as; race, religion and intergenerational trauma.

Elon Gold: I DO Mean to Complain June 17 @ 8 p.m., Online Special Donors Only Event: $180+

Jewish stand-up comedian Elon Gold returns to the Festival to share jokes with the audience. In order to attend this event, guests must donate a minimum of $180.

Soulfarm Performs Music of the Grateful Dead June 23 @ 7 p.m., Live | Suggested Donation: $18

The Festival will pay tribute to the Grateful Dead’s Jewish following with a performance by Jewish jam band Soulfarm. The concert will be live and in-person at The Hive at Leichtag Commons, Encinitas, with a view of the ocean.

June 9 @ 7:30 p.m., Online | Suggested Donation: $12 This intergalactic comedy, written by the REP’s esteemed playwright Herbert Siguenza, takes place in 1992 when Isaac Asimov,

Tickets are available on sdrep.org. Sivan –Tammuz 5781 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 37

The Old Globe All content is available at theoldglobe.org ONGOING: Shakespeare in San Diego: The Virtual Experience This is a digital remounting of an exhibit originally shown at the San Diego Central Library. This virtual exhibit showcases props, costumes, photographs from the Globe’s 86 years of doing Shakespeare. JUNE 12, 10:30 A.M.: Making Theatre in a Hybrid World This hands-on virtual practicum has director James Vásquez and facilitator Catherine Hanna Schrock exploring the transitional phase of online theatre. This workshop will discuss utilizing virtual spaces for the entire theatre process of audition, through rehearsal and performances. The event is free, but ▲ Catherine Hanna Schrock at The Old Globe. requires registration.

San Diego Symphony All content is available on sandiegosymphony.org. JUNE 16-JUNE 25: To the Earth A week-long festival dedicated to celebrating the beauty of Earth through music, poetry and conversation. All “To the Earth” programs are free and available for streaming on the Symphony’s Facebook and Youtube. SUNDAYS: San Diego Symphony Orchestra on KPBS 89.5 FM Tune in to KPBS radio live stream every Sunday at 8 p.m. to hear recordings of San Diego Symphony concerts.

▲ “The Catastrophist” at San Diego Rep.

San Diego Repertory Theatre All content is available on sdrep.org. JUNE 15-JULY 11: The Catastrophist This play tells the story of esteemed virologist Nathan Wolfe, one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in the World, as told by his wife, playwright Laura Gunderson. The world premiere of this digital theatrical experience is available with a suggested donation of $35. ONGOING: VAMOS! Playwright-in-Residence Herbert Siguenza hosts this 1520 minute show highlighting a different Latin American country’s culture, food, geography and history. Episodes are released on the 2nd Monday of each month on the Rep’s Youtube and Facebook pages.

North Coast Repertory Theatre All content is available on northcoastrep.org.

ONGOING: Symphony Stream Listen to past audio broadcasts, podcasts discussing classical works and videos with interviews and performances. ▲ Tovah Feldshuh as Dr. Ruth at North Coast Rep.

38 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM June 2021

JUNE 9-JULY 4: Becoming Dr. Ruth Watch six-time Tony and Emmy nominee Tovah Feldshuh tackle the persona of media icon Dr. Ruth in a solo theatrical performance, available for streaming.

JUNE 18-20, 10 A.M.: Art Alive Floral Exhibition SDMA’s annual fundraiser and exhibition that showcases nearly 100 floral installations inspired by works of art on display throughout the Museum. Guests will also get the opportunity for first looks at two new exhibitions from contemporary Spanish artist Ana de Alvear and from the renowned Bemberg Foundation.

The Reuben Fleet Science Center All content is on rhfleet.org and requires registration. ▲ The Hot Sardines streaming live from The Conrad.

La Jolla Music Society All content is available on ljms.org. JUNE 4: Zlatomir Fung & Richard Fu Cellist Zlatomir Fung and pianist Richard Fung team up for a live streamed, educational performance geared towards students in grades 6-12. JUNE 11, 5 & 8 P.M. : Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio Watch this eclectic jazz band perform at the Wu Tsai QRT. yrd. Limited availability and each ticket includes a $10 beverage voucher. JUNE 29, 7 P.M.: The Hot Sardines A New York-based jazz ensemble, highly acclaimed by The New York Times, combines horn, piano and vocals in a performance streamed live from The Conrad.

San Diego Museum of Art All content is available on sdmart.org JUNE 1, 8 & 15, 6 P.M.: Virtual SDMA+ Black Xpression Virtually join Ashley Nicole, Lew Salem and Haki Saliim of Black Xpression as they individually combine original spoken word poetry with stunning works of art. Available for streaming on the SDMA Youtube page.

JUNE 2, 5:30 P.M.: Exploring Ethics The Fleet Science Center is encouraging guests to look at science from an ethical viewpoint through forums, projects and resources. This Zoom discussion will be led by Jessie Nodora, PhD. JUNE 5, 7 P.M.: Mystery at the Museum The Fleet’s virtual gala invites participants to solve an online mystery with friends and family, paired with an exclusive auction. JUNE 14, 6:30 P.M.: Suds & Science This edition of “spirited” ▲ One of the clues for the “Mystery at discussion will take place the Museum” gala. over Zoom and is titled: “What are Nano Materials and Why Should We Care.”

San Diego Natural History Museum All content is on sdnhm.org. JUNE 23, 6 P.M.: Nat Talk Climate Series: Trees are Hot. Too Hot. Dr. Lluvia Flores-Renteria of SDSU will lead a presentation on the effects of climate change on plants. ONGOING: At-Home Activities Check out diy crafts, nature bingo, scavenger hunts and printable coloring pages for family-friendly activities.

▲ Ashley Nicole at the SDMA.

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News UC San Diego Receives $12 Million Donation Two years ago, Hanna Gleiberman was diagnosed with a life-threatening form of tongue cancer. At UC San Diego Health’s head and neck cancer center, she underwent a 13-hour surgery to remove part of her tongue and jaw, followed by reconstruction, radiation and chemotherapy. Afterward, she learned that she would likely have speech difficulties for the rest of her life.

San Diego City Council Approves Extension of Temporary Outdoor Dining Spaces The San Diego City Council unanimously approved a year-long extension of the Temporary Outdoor Business Operation (TOBO) permit. “While this program was launched as a temporary solution to a devastating situation, we have seen the benefits of allowing expanded outdoor dining and shopping in our communities,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. Each permit outlines the locations where canopies, umbrellas or furniture can be placed in the street or sidewalk. City staff will be liaising with the businesses with TOBO permits to make sure they are complying with fire and building code and businesses will have until July 13 to correct any violations. The City’s Planning Department is developing a program called Spaces as Places to expand outdoor dining and transition from temporary spaces to permanent spaces to enrich the city.

40 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM June 2021

“What she was facing was daunting. We were so lucky to have one of the world’s top head and neck cancer centers right here in our own backyard to help Hannah make an amazing recovery,” said Mark Gleiberman, Hanna’s husband and the founder and CEO of San Diego real estate firm MG Properties Group. Hanna’s healing and recovery, facilitated by the Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health, is what motivated the Gleiberman’s to make a donation of $12 million. With a team of more than 90 staff dedicated to head and neck cancer treatment and research, the Gleiberman Head and Neck Cancer Center provided care to more than 13,000 patients in 2020, almost double the number of patients treated five years ago. “If I had this diagnosis 15 years ago, the prognosis would have been very different. We have learned that research offers a chance for cures and funding can help make great strides towards new, less invasive and less toxic therapies,” said Hanna Gleiberman. The Gleiberman’s $12 million gift will support innovative clinical trials for head and neck cancer treatment and cutting-edge research projects, as well as provide training to the next generation of medical experts through a fellowship program. Furthermore, it will help provide services not covered by health insurance to those who cannot afford them.

The City of San Diego Hires Local Nonprofit in Attempt to Close the Digital Divide The City of San Diego recently partnered with Pillars of the Community, a local community outreach organization, to help low-income households utilize the $3.2 billion in new federal funding for discounts for at-home internet service and computer equipment. The federal program was created to lower the cost of broadband internet service and increase accessibility during the pandemic. “This is a tremendous opportunity to bolster our efforts to close the digital divide that leaves far too many

service and up to $100 per household toward the purchase of a computer, laptop or tablet. There are an estimated 53,000 households in San Diego with no internet access. Pillars of the Community intends to assist these households by breaking down language barriers and providing technical assistance. Their goal is to enroll 10,000 residents in two months.

San Diegans behind,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. The Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program, under the Federal Communications Commission, provides a credit of up to $50 per month toward broadband

The San Diego Automotive Museum’s restored mural.

Historical Preservation Awards Highlight San Diego History Save Our Heritage Organisation, San Diego’s architectural and historical preservation group celebrated its People in Preservation awards to honor people and projects. The awards range from residential homes, commercial properties, preservation advocacy to adapting historical buildings for new purposes. Four Balboa Park groups were recognized. The San Diego Automotive Museum was awarded for its restoration of its 1935-era mural. The WorldBeat Cultural Center and Centro Cultural de la Raz (the cultural community center) were awarded for creative adaptation and preservation.

And the Alcazar Garden was awarded for cultural landscape restoration. Author Beatrice Zamora and illustrator Maira Meza were honored for preservation advocacy for their bi-lingual children’s book “The Spirit of Chicano Park’’ which tells the story and history of this National Historic Landmark. The Munk Laboratory at UCSD’s Scripps Institute of Oceanography

was restored from wear and tear from sitting on the coast and was given the Modern Legacy award. Also in La Jolla, writer and La Jolla Historical Society historian Carol Olten was honored. Michael Haslett was awarded for the restoration of the Victorian structure of the Laundry Building in the Hotel Del Coronado. And on the residential side, a 1925 Spanish Revival style home in Mission Hills which had its original entryway restored was honored.

Sivan –Tammuz 5781 SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM | 41

ADVICE

ASK MARNIE

by Marnie Macauley |

marniemacauley@gmail.com

Jewkbox: Jewish Musicians who Changed Rock Music Shalom my dear San Diegans. We Jews are a creative bunch. We entered the arts in part because, even after WWll, we were outcasts in the Brahmin culture. Few U.S. bank presidents (excluding the Rothschilds), shipping magnates, ranchers, or automobile manufacturers had businesses named Myron Minksy Motors. Fortunately, both in culture and our DNA, every Jew thinks he can play Tevye. Even us maidels. But it is a fact that we Jews love language, talking, singing, dancing and even 3000 years ago, the average Jewish child could write and read in three languages when much of the world was illiterate. In just the world of music, our contribution to Broadway alone created the landscape of enduring and legendary new sounds in America. Jews also wrote some of the most popular Christmas and patriotic songs, the master being Irving Berlin. In rock music, Jews are lesser known, so the following may be surprising. Let’s look at a sampling of six. Gene Simmons, KISS: The singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur, actor and television personality, also known by his stage persona “The Demon” is the bass guitarist and co-lead singer of KISS, the rock band he co-founded with rhythm

42 | SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM June 2021

guitarist Paul Stanley in the early 1970s. Simmons was born Chaim Witz at Rambam Hospital in Haifa. In 1949, he immigrated to the U.S. with his mother, Florence, a Survivor. In 2011, Simmons visited his home country, Israel. He described the trip as a “life changing experience . . .I’m Israeli. I’m a stranger in America. I’m an outsider.” Simmons also accepted a ‘successful native son’ award from the city of Haifa. Paul Stanley, KISS: The musician, singer, and co-founder of KISS, was born Stanley Bert Eisen (1952) in upper Manhattan. Stanley’s mother’s family fled Nazi Germany to Amsterdam, and then to New York City. His father’s parents were from Poland. In a 1979 interview with Tom Snyder, he described himself as the only Jewish kid in an all Irish neighborhood while growing up. Early on, despite an ear deformity that affected his hearing, he loved music, from Beethoven to Jerry Lee Lewis. At 13, he received his first adult guitar. Ultimately, he was inspired by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Bob Dylan: A Nobel Prize winner in Literature, Dylan has become the standard-bearer in both folk and rock music. After the 1963 release of “The Freewheelin,” he burst onto the scene.

His work has included the legendary songs/albums: “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall.” With his next album, “The Times They Are A-Changin’” he soared as the sound of the 1960s protest movement. Born Robert Allen Zimmerman (Hebrew name: Shabtai Zisl ben Avraham) in Duluth, he had a strong Jewish upbringing in the tight Jewish community of Hibbing, Minnesota. His parents were both presidents of Jewish service organizations and his grandparents spoke Yiddish. His family observed kashrut and he attended the Zionist summer camp, Camp Hertzl. While his stance on religion has been, much like him, complex , contradictory, and self-mythologizing, his Jewishness shines through his work where his strong knowledge of Judaism is clear, for example, his “Talkin’ Hava Negeilah Blues” and the inclusion of a section of the Tanach in “All Along the Watchtower.” Donald Fagen, Steely Dan: Born Donald Jay Fagen in January, 1948 to Jewish parents, the Grammy winner was raised in New Jersey. He is best known as co-founder (with Walter Becker), singer and keyboardist of Steely Dan. While Fagen has classified himself as both a self-taught pianist and vocalist, he did study formally at Berklee College of

Music and took some private lessons in the mid-1970s. Steely Dan’s best selling album was 1977’s “Aja,” which was certified platinum. The jazz-rock legend, whose work includes “Morph the Cat,” “Brite Nightgown” (and after Steely Dan’s breakup in 1981), “The Nightfly,” was influenced by the heavily Jewish Tin Pan Alley and Jewish songwriters such as Burt Bacharach. David Lee Roth, Van Halen: The multi-talented vocalist, musician, actor, writer and songwriter, best known as lead singer of the hard rock band Van Halen, was born on Oct. 10, 1954 in Bloomington, Indiana. His dad, and other relatives were affluent and renowned surgeons. Interestingly, David says that he found his voice while studying for his Bar Mitzvah. His stage presence comes from the showmanship of performers like Al Jolson. Medicine wasn’t the only “medium” around Roth. His uncle, Manny Roth, spearheaded the famed Café Wha? In Greenwich Village. (The place to be for New York boomers.) At age seven, he was inspired by the club’s performers such as Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan. As a solo artist, he’s been highly rewarded with gold and platinum albums. Joey Ramone, The Ramones: One of a number of Jews who founded punk rock, could there be a less Jewish name? (Actually, the “Ramone” was the name Paul McCartney used when he wanted to check into places incognito.) Ramone was born Jeffrey Ross Hyman on May 19, 1951 in Queens, New York to Charlotte (née Mandell) and Noel Hyman. Joey

Ramone’s parents met at the Borscht Belt, where Jewish families vacationed, performed — and looked to make shidduchs. Joey co-founded the Ramones in 1974, bringing a new counter-culture sound to rock. His music was loud, fast and in part represented the outside status of Jews. The icon died just shy of his 50th birthday after a long battle with lymphoma in 2001. In 2005, Ramone was honored posthumously at the first Jewish Music Awards, receiving the Heeb Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award. After his death, the city of New York, named a corner for him (2nd Street and the Bowery), calling it “Joey Ramone Place.” In 2010 the Associated Press reported his tribute was the most stolen sign and later placed it 20 feet above the sidewalk! Of course there are many other great Jewish rock musicians, too many to name, but if you have a favorite, let us know! A

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BEEMERANDBENZ.COM

5354 Banks St. Ste A & B San Diego, CA., 92110

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Thank You

We are grateful to the many individuals who generously donate their time to help us fulfill our mission. Whether serving on a committee, calling seniors, or delivering a Shabbat meal to a local Survivor, there are countless individuals dedicated to uplifting our community. Each and every volunteer makes an impact, but today we ask that you join us in publicly recognizing three outstanding individuals:

Susan Levin

Senior Support Line Volunteer

Lori Pivo

Kibitz Call Line Volunteer Co-Founder

Rachel Herman

Women’s Philanthropy Social Action Committee Chair

Jewish tradition teaches us that humanity must play an active role in the world. The concept of tikun olam — repair the world — expresses the value of volunteering in Judaism. The world may be imperfect, but we have not only the opportunity, but the obligation to help make it better.

(858) 571-3444 www.jewishinsandiego.org

28th Annual Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival Exciting Events in June!

Perla Batalla: Songs of Love & Protest Tuesday, June 1

Songstress Perla Batalla follows 2 years’ sold-out performances at the Lyceum with a new program celebrating the music of Pete Seeger and Leonard Cohen.

The Klezmer Summit: Sweet Home Anatevka Monday, June 7

Our 20th Klezmer Summit features virtuoso fiddler Yale Strom and his band Hot Pstromi performing traditional klezmer and Yiddish folk songs honoring the past with an eye towards the post-pandemic future.

In Every Generation By Ali Viterbi Sunday, June 13

One family. One holiday. Four millennia. The Levi-Katz family celebrates Passover again and again (and again and again) and while times, location, and languages change, traditions stay the same.

Soulfarm performs music of the Grateful Dead Wednesday June 23rd @ 7:00pm Live at The Hive at Leichtag Commons, Encinitas

Welcome back to in person performance! The Grateful Dead’s 6 decades of soulful and psychedelic American roots music have created their own international community. The Festival pays tribute to The Dead’s passionate Jewish following with C. Lanzbom and Noah Solomon of the Jewish jam band, Soulfarm.

REGISTRATION FOR ALL EVENTS IS NOW OPEN! VISIT SDREP.ORG/JFEST OR CALL 619.544.1000