December 2022

1,400

Create a Jewish Legacy Society Members

We thank and honor the many individuals and families who are part of the Jewish Community Foundation’s innovative Create a Jewish Legacy program. 1,400 Legacy Society Members have committed to supporting Jewish life in perpetuity. These generous community members have provided for over $200 million in future planned gifts, with more than $90 million already being realized.

The Jewish Community Foundation established the Create a Jewish Legacy program in San Diego in 2004 and continues to provide it to our community. We work in partnership with local Jewish Organizations, Day Schools, and Synagogues to plan for a vibrant and sustainable future.

We offer complimentary consultations for legacy planning, in five easy steps, with the utmost confidentiality. Please contact us or your favorite organization to get started today! (858) 279-2740 / legacy@jcfsandiego.org

The San Diego communitywide listing of Create a Jewish Legacy Society Members Contact us to secure your copy. legacy@jcfsandiego.org

• May the light of your legacy be illuminated by the lights of the menorah.

• Make your legacy a part of your Hanukkah tradition.

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• Together we will ensure a Jewish future.

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COVER (from left) Wai Yim, Adeoye, Christiana Clark, and Cruz Gonzales-Cadel in “The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci” at Goodman Theatre. Photo by Liz Lauren.

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

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.

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CELEBRATE CELEBRATE CHANUKA! CHANUKA!

J O

I N Y O U R L O

C A L C H A B A D F

O R C H A N U K A H

O U G H N U T S , L A T K A S , H O L I D A Y M U S I C , P U B L I C

E N O R A H L I G H T I N G S A N D

O M U C H M O R E ! F i r s t L i g h t S u n d a y e v e n i n g D e c e m b e r F i r s t L i g h t S u n d a y e v e n i n g D e c e m b e r 1 8 t h r o u g h M o n d a y , D e c e m b e r 1 8 t h r o u g h M o n d a y , D e c e m b e r 2 6 ! 2 6 !

To find out about a party near you, please reach out to your local Chabad Center. Scripps Ranch (Regional HQ), Bonita, Carlsbad North, Carmel Valley, Chula Vista, Coronado, Downtown, East County, Encinitas, La Costa, La Jolla, Oceanside/Vista, North County Inland, Pacific Beach, Rancho S. Fe, S. Marcos, SDSU, UCSD, University City

During Challenging Times

Year in Review

This year, our December issue is both an arts and a Hanukkah issue. The issue is bursting with celebratory tones for both the holiday and all the arts and culture that will be available in 2023. And as the issue looks to the future, I’m reflecting on the past year.

I hungrily went back out and enjoyed theater, music and art and from talking to many in the ‘scene,’ the citizens of San Diego were there with me. I got a rush of joy seeing all the sold out notices, extended runs of shows and glowing reviews.

I thought I might give a little review of my very San Diego year in hopes that it might spur you to reflect on your favorite arts and culture experiences of the year.

In the art world, I enjoyed the “Monet to Matisse” impressionism show at the San Diego Museum of Art. It was very well curated and contextualized, so as you moved through the exhibit, you could see the evolution of the movement. On the smaller scale, I enjoyed the local artists at the farmers markets, Spanish Village Art Center and a show of a friend’s at VISUAL.

Musically, experiences at the Shell dazzled. The overall ambiance adds to the experience of the talented musicians of the San Diego Symphony.

In the sporting arena, it was fun to revel in the Padres run for the World Series even if they didn’t make it. I also volunteered for the Pride 5K and participated in a triathlon relay. I even went sailing a few times with friends. Overall, I was nourished by the water and sun in the city we call home.

The theater realm was my most returned to this year and I was able to see both an outdoor Shakespeare production and a big musical (indoors) at the Old Globe. I also saw lots of indie improv shows and new plays at small 40-seat theaters. The collaborative spirit continues to be touching and a balm for cynicism. Connecting to the smaller shows can especially help you tie into the character of the city because of how intimate it is.

I’m incredibly grateful to live in this city and have been able to experience so many things it has to offer and of course to share in the community that brings it together. A

The Scene

San Diego Jewish Academy welcomed a ten person delegation from Sha’ar HaNegev — San Diego’s sister region in Southern Israel — to the school in mid-November. The delegation represented a wide range of the region’s community — the municipality CEO, and directors of senior centers, a youth center, Sapir College, the welfare department, a hydrotherapy center and the Director of Education.

As the delegation arrived on campus, they were greeted by students from Judaic Studies classes in the Lower School who waved Israeli flags and sang special songs. Students and division heads then guided the delegation through visits with SDJA’s early childhood center, lower school, high school and the school’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Thinking.

“It was incredibly meaningful for our students, faculty, and teachers to welcome the Sha’ar HaNegev delegation

to campus,” adds Zvi Weiss, Head of School at SDJA. “We want our students to develop personal, meaningful relationships with Israelis. They took great pride in showing off their projects and performing for all of our guests. Thanks to the Jewish Federation’s Gesher program we are building relationships between administrators, educators and students that will encourage a deeper understanding of Israel on a more personal level to create long-lasting ties between our people.”

They ended the visit with butterfly painting in the school’s garden and closing words about SDJA’s relationship to Israel by Rabbi David Frank, Chief Jewish Officer & Director of Advanced Institute for Judaic Studies and Alex Wellman, President of SDJA’s Student Government.

The representatives spent one week in San Diego, touring and learning about their institutional partners as they were hosted by local families.

Our Town

Our San Diego community is truly blessed with the addition of the newly opened Epstein Family Amphitheater, on the UCSD Campus. This new venue further brings our community the opportunity for worldclass performances by globally recognized talent and offers more cultural exchange between students, faculty and our town.

San Diego Jewish Federation welcomed “Sharaka,” a leadership delegation from UAE, Morocco, Sudan, Bahrain and Israel on Oct. 27, at Congregation Beth El Marking the four year anniversary of the “Tree of Life” shooting in Pittsburgh, the deadliest anti-semitic attack in US History, this town hall meeting offered perspectives for strengthening peace, trust and understanding as ways of responding to reality of extremism outlined in the “Abraham Accords.” Mayor Todd Gloria, Counsel General Hillel Newman and Federation President and CEO, Heidi Gantwerk, presented further remarks to a very large audience. Engrossed by this wonderful presentation, some of those we saw were Bruce Abrams, Mindy Gold, Barbara Bry and Neil Senturia, Jeff Schindler, Kira Finkenberg, Steve Persky, Tamar Caspi, Howard Somers, Mitch & Julie Dubick, Allison Leeds, David Bark and UCSD Student Blake Dickman

A Must Read! “The Age-Proof Brain: New Strategies to Improve Memory, Protect Immunity, and Fight Of Dementia” by Dr. Marc Milstein, Ph.D. Released on October 25, this practical, entertaining guide describes actionable easy to use recommendations for better brain health, leading to living a long, fulfilling life. Proud parents are Barbara & Howard Milstein

The fabulous Coasterra Restaurant was the setting of the 50th +2 Anniversary Interactive Gaming Party for Linda & Steve Luttbeg. Ages 2-100 attended from over

17 states! The truly creative “Life Magazine” program for the evening summarized their life union and all of their many adventures. San Diego comedian Vicki Barbolak (who has appeared on “America’s Got Talent”) was hysterical! Enjoying the evening’s festivities, some of those sharing our joy were Marilyn Green, Sandy & Itzak Rief, Margo & Jeff Samuels, Julie & Bob Novak, Punky Chapman, Fran & Steve Greene, Danielle & Joe Wiesman, Diana & Judy Hahn, Jessica & Bruce Koren and loads of family.

How exciting! Congratulations to Barry Lander on his most recent winning appearance on ABC TV’s Season Finale of “Press Your Luck.”

Mazel Tov to Raquel & Maoz Friedman, on the birth of their second son, Milo Elliot, born on Sept. 16. Residing in Redwood City, older brother Jadan was overjoyed to welcome his new little brother to the family! Grandmother is Esther Lange Goya of San Diego.

Yom Huledets Sameach to...

Marty Freedman, celebrating his 92nd birthday. Don Wolochow, celebrating his 90th birthday. Esther Belinsky, celebrating her 90th birthday.

CELEBRATING

Wedding Anniversaries

with infinite love & happiness, Mazel Tov to…

Geri & Donald Shaevel, 70 years.

Marcia & Don Wolochow, 59 years.

Lauren & Robert Resnik, 56 years.

Judith & Henry Krumholz, 55 years.

Marcia & Gerrold Krasny, 51 years.

This Chanukah, give the gift of life.

There are many ways to support Israel and its people this holiday season, but none is more transformative than a gift to Magen David Adom, Israel’s paramedic and Red Cross service. Your gift to MDA isn’t just changing lives — it’s literally saving them.

Donate today at afmda.org/support or call 866.632.2763.

afmda.org/support

This year’s slate of Jewish Grammy nominees offers a little something for everyone.

The nominees for the 2023 Grammy Awards, announced on Tuesday, include prominent Jewish names from pop and rap, but they also recognize Jewish musicians and writers in classical music and other less popular genres.

Here’s the full (and varied) list: Jack Antonoff, a New Jersey Jewish day school grad who has become one of pop’s most in-demand producers and songwriters, thanks to his work

with the likes of Taylor Swift and Lorde, is up for producer of the year — an award he won last year.

Doja Cat, a Jewish rapper and pop star, is up for five: including record of the year, best solo pop performance and best music video, all for her song “Woman.”

Mel Brooks, still going strong at 96, is nominated in the best audiobook category for “All About Me!: My Remarkable Life in Show Business.”

Hans Zimmer, the prolific blockbuster film scorer and winner of four previous Grammys (and two

Oscars), is nominated in the best soundtrack compilation category for his work on “Top Gun: Maverick.”

Tony Kushner, the playwright who through his collaborations with Steven Spielberg has become one of Hollywood’s most prominent Jewish screenwriters, is nominated for best musical theater album, for a revival of the 2003 musical he co-wrote with Jeanine Tesori, “Caroline, or Change.”

The show features a range of music, from spirituals to Motown to klezmer.

The 65th Grammy Awards will take place Feb. 5 in Los Angeles and will be broadcast on CBS.

Since Feb. 24, when Russian troops invaded Ukraine, Jewish groups from around the world have flooded the country with support, from food to medical care to evacuations.

Now, as temperatures fall and Russian attacks on Ukraine’s power grid ramp up, those groups are directing their efforts toward making sure that Ukrainian Jews can remain warm and safe in the coming months.

A Ukraine response group organized by the Orthodox Chabad-Lubavitch movement, whose rabbis are the Jewish leaders in many Ukrainian cities, is raising funds to buy hundreds of generators to equip each its sites and the homes of needy Jews with backup power. Since the war’s start, Chabad houses and synagogues have become places of refuge and distribution sites for aid.

From Jack Antonoff to Doja Cat to Flora Purim, this year’s Jewish Grammy nominees span every genre

With a dark winter looming in Ukraine, Jewish groups send generators and other support

A group of Jews living in San Martín de los Andes have inaugurated the first-ever synagogue in their city. The synagogue is just the second Jewish institution in the 400,000-square-mile Patagonia region.

The small venue, just 1,200 square feet, is located in the center of the city, just a few minutes’ walk from both the bus terminal and Lacar Lake. On Rosh Hashanah, 85 people gathered for a festive dinner, more than twice as many as had taken part in previous years. They included tourists from across Argentina and abroad, as well as people from the local community of about 150 Jews.

“It was very moving, the first Yom Kippur in our own synagogue in our city and we saw the children at the Neilah service with candles,” Eduardo Labaton, president of the city’s fledgling Jewish community, told JTA. “It was a very important start of our synagogue services here.”

Continue reading these articles at sdjewishjournal.com

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ISRAELI LIFESTYLE

LIVING ON THE FRONT PAGE

Democracy, The Divine

Several years ago, a good friend of mine took issue with an opinion piece I’d written regarding American politics. The forgotten subject that I’d penned so passionately did not impact Israel in any way. She fumed, “Stay out of it. You don’t live here and you are meddling.” After the initial sting, I thought about what it felt like to her and, not begrudgingly, agreed. I have not meddled since except in relation to Israel, the dissolution of traditional Jewish values and/or the rising danger to Jews who live outside of Israel in countries that were once considered havens. By logic of my friend’s (accurate) sentiment, I deeply resent veiled threats of support and manipulative backhanded compliments about Israel’s vibrant democracy which, in fact, belittle us while hoping that Israel might become more palatable to Jews who do not live here and wish we were a little more like Sweden.

“Oh, you are so brave!”; “I so admire you, living by your ideals!”; “Am Yisrael Chai!”; “Never Again!”; “We love Israel and pray for you all of the time!”; “My son is coming in December on Birthright!” These are the heartfelt sentiments that bolstered my spirit during shaky, terror-filled, bus-exploding, impromptustabbing days. Except. Except that the result of Israel’s election is not to the liking of many of my friends. Those stateside buddies from summer camp, high school and college who had written to me during terror sprees and four or

five wars in the 27 years I’ve lived here, feel uncomfortable. No one sent a thumbs-up on the election results, a kind-hearted ‘good luck’ or even a note of curiosity of whether or not I thought this was a good/bad outcome. This morning their silence is deafening because there is an awkward confusion as to whether or not I’m still “their kind of Jew.” The kind of Jew that is not so Jew-y that she can eat anything in any place; or find contentment when her children marry out of the faith because the non-Jewish partners are really fine people; not-sofanatic as to skip the theater, film festival or 50th high school reunion because it falls on a Friday night or Saturday; certainly not a Jew who dresses in clothing that calls attention to his/her ‘Jewishness’.

This past week I attended a wedding in a pastoral setting in the Judean Hills. My husband Ronney and his late wife were very good friends with the bride’s family and although I’m the newcomer in the social circle, I’ve been warmly welcomed and felt honored to share in the celebration.

Approximately 400 people attended this simcha. Conspicuously absent were tuxedos, neck-ties, beaded ball gowns and Jimmy Choos. The male attendees wore clean white shirts, sandals, large

knitted kippot (skull-caps) and beards. The women donned colorfully tasseled and elaborately styled headscarves, flowing dresses, hand-made silver and gold earrings and, of course, sandals. There were no fancy waitstaff with trays of crudités or sushi during the cocktail hour. The bride was surrounded by friends who sang and played bongo drums while women chanted earthy, rhythmic songs that have been sung for centuries. A palpable excitement enveloped the hall as the wail of a Klezmer saxophone accompanied a raucous sea of dancing men who accompanied the chattan (groom) to see his bride for the first time in a week! Older, married couples looked at one another and smiled, remembering their own long-ago nuptials. The single

women, friends of the bride, appeared wistful as they dreamed of sitting upon the wicker throne one day soon, beholding their grooms. The mood was joyous, romantic and authentically Jewish.

But it was the chuppah, the wedding canopy that took my breath away. Outdoors on a mild November night, the stars and the moon shone particularly bright in the grassy courtyard. Four massive wooden pillars were raised high into the air and the canopy itself was composed of tallisim (ritual prayer shawls) that had belonged to the grandfathers and great grandfathers of the couple. Just as everything else in the lives of these remarkable families, it made perfect sense to celebrate those who came before them and inspired a continuity of holy Jewish existence. Knowing from whence they came, they feel a little more certain of the path they hope to take, together. The entire ceremony was peppered with music, gales of laughter and loud cheers. (A friend of the groom operated a hand-held, electric bubble machine that delighted the many young children/ grandchildren who were growing bored.) Some non-observant Jews mistakenly believe that stepping on the glass at the end of the ceremony is a signal for the festivities to begin. While it does denote the end of the chuppah prayers, religiously-observant Jews know that the shattered glass is a sign of destruction, a reminder that we are still an exiled people without a Holy Temple. Thus, just before stepping on the wrapped goblet, 400 of us sang through our tears, “Im eshkachech yerushalayim, Tishkach yemini” “If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its cunning; If I do not raise you, Jerusalem, above all my chiefest joy.” The glass is shattered, a couple weds, and Jewish life will, please G-d, flourish via this blessed link in our long and storied chain.

There is a reason that I join this story of a pure and righteous wedding to the

previously mentioned tale of political smarm and conditional friends-of-Israel who attempt to manipulate outcomes. The wedding’s host family are founders of an organization that provides interestfree loans and financial guidance to Israelis in need. Observing the crowd, Ronney and I recognized scores of doctors, nurses, social workers, lawyers, so many teachers, ambulance drivers, medics and other people who dedicate their lives to the service of community and country. The young women had all performed one or two years of National Service and the boys in the room were soldiers. Handsome, holy, patriotic sons and daughters of Israel who secure our borders and allow us to sleep at night. These jovial, wholesome people with whom I had the honor of sharing the dance floor are contemptuously called, “settlers.”

The Hebrew word for ‘settlers’ does not translate to ‘colonists’ or ‘usurpers.’ Mitnachelim comes from the root word nochel , an ‘inheritor’ or ‘heir’. Any other interpretation of the biblical injunction for Bnei Yisroel to ‘inherit’ and work the land constitutes literary - and inaccurate - rewrite. A man-made twist to a Divinely inspired pledge. But if I, too, relied on an antagonistic press to formulate opinion on Israeli policy and define these admirable Israelis, I might also view them with disdain. However, it is these salt-of-the-earth individuals who bravely protect this tiny sliver of land that G-d bequeathed us with little more than unwavering devotion to family, tradition, historical pride, Torah observance and sometimes — too often — their very lives. I’m humbled in their presence.

Two posts which illustrated the unified Israeli heart appeared on Facebook the morning of the elections. Both were written by mothers:

Shira wrote: “Doing my civic duty for the fifth time in four years, my husband and I voted for different parties. Still, we both voted “for” rather than “against,” with our hearts, in support of

candidates whose values resonate with our own. Half of the country is going to be depressed tomorrow; we hope it’s not going to be our half. Like many others, we have people with wildly divergent political views in our family. Whatever the outcome of the election, we need to remember that we are all voting for what we think is in the best interest of our people and of our country. May G-d bless the State of Israel.”

And from Michalli: “I feel an overwhelming sense of pride and privilege. The right to live in Israel, in the country of Israel. The right to vote, where everyone has a voice, that there is a democracy. I was not born here but this is where I belong. A young, developing, amazing and prosperous country. A sense of connection and deep caring for one another. We are furious, we fight, we scream and argue. But at its root, it is all music because this noise creates a ‘voice’ of caring. With G-d’s help, we will be able to fulfill our obligations and vote for what we think is best for all Israel. We mustn’t forget that we are all in the same boat, all of the citizens! Ultimately G-d runs the world with a special, Divine supervision for the people of Israel and for the land of Israel. May we all be successful.”

The miracle of Israel mustn’t get lost in political discourse. The people have voted and the “miracle in the desert” will prosper, make mistakes, thrive and, as always, struggle mightily with issues of cheshbon nefesh/spiritual accounting. Just as the flowing river will not stagnate, Israel/Jacob continuously wrestles with issues of human rights, never shying away from thorny cultural matters that may or may not align with the mindsets of respective members of Knesset.

We don’t need smug lecturing from those who profess to admire us from afar. Because Israel is less about bagels-andlox and more about a fragile existence which relies on identity and values that were explicitly outlined in a 6,000 year old blue-print called ‘Torah’. Anything else, well-meaning or not, is a facade. A

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EXAMINED LIFE

OUR EMOTIONAL FOOTPRINT

Our Identity: “Who Am I (Really)?”

“What’s It All About, Alfie?” That’s the quote of a touching film from the late sixties about a young man trying to “find himself” (played by Michael Caine).

Presumably, when young people “find themselves” they have developed a sense of what they’re all about, or their true “Identity.” “Coming of Age” is a similar theme often represented in film (“American Graffiti”) and novels (“The Catcher in the Rye”).

All these terms refer to the stage of life when a young person has matured, feels good about themselves at work, play, and in relationships and is looking forward to the future. We first become interested in our personal identity during adolescence, when we begin asking ourselves identity-related questions, along the lines of, “Who am I? What do I stand for? What do I want out of life?”

Most colleges offer a freshman course “Introductory Psychology,” which teaches students about the concept of identity (which is largely about them!) The concept was developed by Dr. Erik Erikson, who held that developing a core identity was the major existential challenge to adolescents, and that this “task” had to be successfully resolved before they could ably embark into young adulthood.

Adolescence is a period marked by dramatic transformative developmental

Existential quandaries

help us set goals and make important decisions.

changes over a short span of years, which occur relatively rapidly and involve every cell and sinew of the human body and mind. There may be some turmoil at that time of life and many parents expect adolescents’ lives to be filled with turbulence, as depicted by Shakespeare in “A Winter’s Tale”: “I would there were no age between ten and three and twenty, for there is nothing in the between except getting wenches with child, stealing and fighting.” Anna Freud called this “Sturm und Drang” (emotional storminess) an inevitable rite of passage.

But here are four truisms about Identity:

1) Many adolescents do not experi ence emotional upheaval; 2) “Identity” is not the sole domain of adolescents; 3) Coming to grips with our identity is not “resolved” during the adolescent years; 4) Defining one’s Identity is a recurrent lifelong challenge.

As adults we revisit the same existential questions we asked during

adolescence, but the answers change significantly throughout a person’s life. Who among us hasn’t looked in the mirror (real or metaphoric) from time to time and asked ourselves identityrelated questions, like “Who am I?” “What am I doing with my life?” “What am I all about?”

The answers to those questions are related to that specific moment in time, but they are frequently modified over a lifetime, depending on one’s age, health, relationships, mood and life situation. We wrestle with these questions during milestones or crises, when there are significant changes in our lives, new relationships, career moves, illnesses and losses.

As sentient beings we are constantly reevaluating ourselves and our goals. We think about identity-related issues and they appear in our dreams and unconscious thoughts.

Wrestling with existential quandaries like “Who Am I (really)?” is a necessary part of our lifelong quests for understanding ourselves. They are important bellwethers and beacons to help us set our personal directions and goals, make important choices and evaluate how we are doing on our journeys.

Because ultimately, of course, we are all seeking fulfillment and meaning in our lives. A

(Un)Kosher Reflections on Becoming a Man

We had shrimp at my Bar Mitzvah.

Even though my mom had considered a Kosher kitchen for us, to me it wasn’t even a thought in my mind. It wasn’t part of the culture–in fact, I remember at the luncheon after services at my reform temple, they served beef and cheddar wraps. A guest to the shul was shocked.

“It’s milk and meat!” he protested.

I explained to him that keeping kosher wasn’t one of the things we did here. I was somewhat of a renegade, even among reform Jews.

During my Bar Mitzvah, I killed an ant, on Shabbat, with the Torah pointer. Even though I hadn’t hesitated to kill it, or the inappropriateness of using the pointer, I do remember thinking that perhaps I had done something wrong. But I justified it by telling myself that my behavior was just one of those laws I didn’t keep. The whole bar mitzvah adventure left me with a negative feeling.

Just learning my Torah portion had been really tough. I’d find out later I had various mental states/conditions that made learning and reading Hebrew very difficult and a personality tick where I refused to do tedious and difficult work.

As Joe Rogan, podcaster extraordinaire says, “in the beginning, I thought there was something wrong with me. Eventually I realized I just wouldn’t do things that sucked.”

But tell that to me as a thirteen-yearold, with a mother who wanted me to be my best and learn my Torah portion.

I had memorized the first two paragraphs in Hebrew so I could recite

them without having to read them After that, things went sideways. I really couldn’t read Hebrew at a decent pace, or remember the ‘trup’ (the musical cantillation notes for reading the Torah.

We had recorded the rabbi reciting the Torah portion, but I didn’t like to practice. My mom tried to force me to prepare for the bar mitzvah, so I did what I always do: improvise. I would make guttural sounds and pretend to say words. She didn’t really know the difference, so that was my practice.

The problem was, I realized on that Saturday morning, that the rabbi knew the difference between the words that I was completely botching. He would gently poke my back as I read to indicate when I needed to correct myself.

The first few times, I was good. I had memorized it, so I could easily correct the few sounds I made wrong. After that, though, I had no clue what was flying, so despite his tapping, I gave up trying to correct myself.

It was now just a full-out race to the finish line. I went! He was tapping my back and I was just smiling and humming and making guttural sounds until I finished. My grandmother said I did a beautiful job. For her, I think anything I would have done would have been ‘a beautiful job.’

Over two decades later, that’s pretty much all I remember.

I remember looking at pictures of my friends and family — the awkward first dance (I don’t know when bar mitzvahs became a prom) — but those images

were largely implanted in my mind after the fact.

Suffice to say it seems unlikely perhaps that this kid would go on to raise children in what many would define as an ultra orthodox environment. Or that I would go on to become a rabbi.

But if you look deeper, perhaps there are the initial plantings — the shaping of my identity. The idea that within a system that (to my young mind) didn’t have many “Thou Shall Not”s. And perhaps you might think that makes him “unhalachic!” or unvalid. But to me it represented a formulating identity and it was an identity with the bandwidth to be mine. Strict adherence for me sometimes symbolizes a loss of sense of self. In no way am I advocating for one to break with tradition, but what I am suggesting is do you have clarity on what the right thing is and what you’re willing to do? Do you make the choice?

And for me choice was everything. I chose to be religious. I chose not to follow the traditional path both within my reform world and later my orthodox world. And while the outcome might seem unusual, the seeds were planted.

So often I consider where I want to be: in my life, as a person, financially, or spiritually and I feel far. But then I pull evidence from my past and I consider time. If I plant the seeds now, where will I be in two decades? While staying true to my sense of self, what are the ways I can create space for myself to grow? A

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Bright New Voices & Bold Adaptations

Coming off of a very successful postpandemic 2022 season, the Old Globe is continuing their momentum. (“We’ve had really full houses; it’s been really gratifying,” Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director, Barry Edelstein, remarked.)

The 2023 season offers many of the things we look forward to: Shakespeare, world premiere commissions and vibrant variety.

Barry Edelstein talked us through some selections of the new season.

The

JAN. 21–FEB. 26

This show is from the mind of Mary Zimmerman who is known for her adaptations.

“This is an existing piece that heralded her arrival on the scene when

she was really kind of new in the 90s. I remember seeing it. I saw it when I was living in New York at the time and this young future of American theater director showed up with this piece that I went to see. And it just knocked me out because the material is not dramatic.

It is literally Da Vinci’s notebook and sketches and scientific formulas and what Mary has done is figured out how to make a piece of theater out of it using all kinds of techniques: movement, music, narrative and using flying set design. It is really a total piece of theater. It doesn’t tell a story that goes ‘A’ to ‘B’ to ‘C.’ It is kind of impressionistic and you really sort of feel like you are diving into Leonardo’s mind through these beautiful, beautiful images that Mary makes,” Barry said.

Under a Baseball Sky FEB. 11–MAR. 12

This is a world premiere and Globecommissioned piece that came out

of the collaboration of writer José Cruz González and director James Vásquez who had earlier found a fruitful partnership on “American Mariachi.”

“Typically what happens is a very close collaboration. The writer writes the play and a third figure is Danielle Mages Amato who is the dramaturg here at the Globe. And it was a very deep collaboration among the three of them. José writes a draft of the play and the director and the dramaturg read it and then everybody gets together and talks about it. [It’s] a long period of collaboration, discussion, reading drafts, rewriting, [then] a workshop where you add actors to the mix way before the first day of rehearsal.”

“José discovered that there was a baseball culture here in Logan Heights/ Barrio Logan. And apparently in the earlier part of the 20th century, it was a massive Mexican American baseball culture. Baseball is such a powerful metaphor of being American and

Director, “Under a Baseball Sky”

Director, “Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play”

baseball is a way that new immigrants become American. It is a very rich area and it is a history that is largely forgotten, so José did a bunch of research. He met a bunch of historians who are doing work not only on Logan Heights, but also the baseball culture there and he decided to make a little story. And its about that. It’s about a time in the Mexican American community that baseball was incredibly important and what happens to neighborhoods in cities and how they change over time and how cultures change over time. It is a very rich, beautiful piece, very sweet, quite bright and you know sort of wonderful that it takes place in a neighborhood that is just a few miles from the Old Globe, so it feels very local and particularly poignant as a result.”

Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play

APR. 8–MAY 7

This is also a world premiere play. Barry first discovered it when he heard it read during the Powers New Voices Festival.

“People went crazy over it. It is incredibly funny and very, very clever. And people loved it. We said ‘Wow that really worked in that festival. We should produce it’... I remember going

to Chinese restaurants and seeing the handwritten signs that said ‘No MSG’ and I remember being told don’t put MSG on your food you are going to get sick. But I had no idea the really crazy bonkers history behind MSG, how it was invented, why people thought it made you sick and the play gets into all of that and it’s fascinating. Also this is an Asian American story and part of the Globe’s mission is to reflect as many of the different cultures of San Diego as we can. Obviously there is a huge Asian American population here and we wanted to make sure those stories are being told.”

Twelfth Night JUNE 4–JULY 9

Considering the Old Globe does Shakespeare plays so often and there are only 36 of them, they can’t be repeated too often. But if they were, this is one that Barry would play continuously.

“‘Twelfth Night’ is such a great play and it is such a brilliant, brilliant example of what makes Shakespeare great that one is tempted to produce it every year. I wish ‘Twelfth Night’ was running here all the time...I basically think it is a very hard play not to love whether they are in the theater or not.

It is one of the closest things I can think of to a perfect play. It has everything. It’s moving. The poetry is beautiful. It’s hilarious. It’s got crazy characters. And then it’s got identical twins and crossdressing and a sword fight — all the Shakespeare stuff. And also you got to like any play where the first word is ‘If.’”

Dishwasher Dreams

SEPT. 30–OCT. 29

“‘Dishwasher Dreams’ is a beautiful piece by this guy, Alaudin Ullah, who is a screenwriter and a comic and directed by a man named Chay Yew–who is one of the leading stage directors in this country and has never worked at the Globe. It’s a solo show about immigration, about how American immigrants experience this country and particularly about how the first generation American experience and second generation American experience is different. Alaudin’s family is Bangladeshi and had no money and ended up in New York and his dad took a menial job and his son sort of is becoming American; and there is a lot of stress and strain in between a traditional dad and a son that wants to become westernized. And what struck me as really interesting about this is there are details in this about the kind of job the dad took and baseball comes into play. And I just thought ‘This is my family’s story.’ This is my dad’s exact story: immigrant father working a totally low-end physical labor job, son who is becoming westernized, my father’s brother actually played professional baseball and I thought ‘Wow the Jewish immigrant experience of the 1930s and 40s is the Bangladeshi experience of the 1990s that this writer is telling.’ And I thought that’s so great. This is America. This is how America gets made–different groups come in and they bring their own culture to the melting pot of America and I thought it was a really worthwhile story to tell.” A

This Fried Filipino Delicacy is Perfect for Hanukkah

There’s no question that the most delicious, comforting recipes are the simplest, especially if they come with a bushel of history and soul. My Jewish husband Miki’s grandmother (Grandma Esta) made the best brisket I’ve ever tasted. I know that these might be fighting words, but hear me out. It was complex, sweet and tender — everything that Grandma Esta embodied. I was honored that she passed down her recipe to me, but also surprised that the world’s best brisket could pretty much be made only with carrots and onions.

My own Filipina mother makes the best lumpia. Hands down. World’s best, even. Lumpia is a Filipino spring roll filled with meat (or vegetables) rolled skillfully and fried to golden perfection.

My earliest food memories include platters of lumpia at family parties with relatives raving while inhaling as my mom basked in the compliments. Preparing for parties typically meant that my mom would make the filling ahead of time. Eventually, I would lose many of my weekend mornings to hours of rolling lumpia for her in front of that never-ending bowl of filling. I had no idea what was in the filling. It wasn’t until I was an adult, throwing my own parties, that I was able to pull back the curtain on the mysterious, world’s best lumpia recipe and call my mom to just ask.

After Rosh Hashanah, when I have leftover brisket in my fridge and guests coming over, my first thought is: let’s

turn this into lumpia! Lumpia is always a crowd-pleaser and easy to fry ahead and serve at room temperature. My brisket lumpia was merely a quick Filipinx/Jewish experiment, but it tasted so wonderfully familiar. I had forgotten that my mom’s lumpia’s recipe is really mostly carrots and onions just like Grandma Esta’s brisket. As I look forward to creating my own special Jewish home with my husband, I’m comforted by these unexpected connections between his family and my own. A

Note: You can find spring roll pastry for this recipe in the freezer aisle at Asian food markets. It is similar to phyllo dough, but not the same as egg roll wrappers.

Lumpia for Hanukkah

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound ground beef

• 1 cup raw walnuts

• 2 yellow onions, roughly chopped

• 1 carrot, roughly chopped

• 1 tsp. of salt (plus more to taste)

• 1 packet spring roll pastry

• 2 tbsp. neutral oil plus about ½ cup more for shallow frying

• Store-bought sweet chili sauce for dipping

DIRECTIONS

To make the filling:

1. In a food processor, add walnuts, onions, and carrot. Pulse until finely minced.

2. In a large wok or sauté pan on medium high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add vegetable mixture and saute for 2 minutes.

3. Add ground beef to the pan and combine thoroughly. Cook until beef is just about brown and there is no more red. Add salt to taste. Remove the filling from the pan and set aside to cool.

4. Roll the lumpia. Place a single pastry sheet onto a cutting board or clean counter. Point one corner towards you so that the sheet is positioned like a diamond. Add about two teaspoons of the cooled filling to the lower triangle that is closest to you. Use your fingers to shape the filling into a log. Pull the bottom corner up and over the filling and roll tightly, tucking in the sides like a burrito.

5. Use a dab of water on your finger to seal the final edge. Repeat and roll the rest of the lumpia.

6. To a large wok or pan on medium high heat, add enough oil so that it reaches about ½ inch from the bottom of the pan. Gently heat the oil and fry the lumpia until golden brown.

Serve lumpia with a side of sweet chili sauce for dipping.

Hanukkah: A Cornucopia of Feelings

I first stumbled upon the Genizah (Hebrew for “hiding place,”) the cache of books in a synagogue, in a book by Amitav Ghosh. I was further drawn in by a remarkable novel entitled “The Convert” written by Stefan Hertsman. It is based on a true story: a RomeoJuliet tale of a Christian Norman girl who falls in love with the son of the chief Jewish rabbi in France. The forbidden romance includes a perilous trip from Europe to Egypt during the crusades and pogroms and is based on actual writings discovered in the Cairo Genizah, a trove of Jewish history of 400,000 manuscript scraps collected between the 6th and 9th Century.

And you may be wondering what does this have to do with Hanukkah?

For me, the survival of information of Jewish life from so many years ago resembles the tales we hold dear at Hanukkah: of the defeat by the Maccabean family against the Seleucid Empire, a Greek state in Western Asia during Hellenistic times (312-63 B.C); the little container of oil that endured for eight days in the temple; those are precious recollections, startling feats, unexpected dreams that have survived into our contemporary world. And every Sunday school declares with pride the

triumph of that tiny vial of oil and the brave family of warriors — our humble Davids overcoming the great Goliaths.

And too, our hearts are those storeplaces, our own beating genizahs that connect us to our ancestors, especially at the family meals that mark the holidays. My genizah reimagines Hanukkah of so many years gone by envisaging my father in his orange vest sitting at the head of the table, observing with pride his family (a bit annoyed we have not settled at my mother’s table). There is jockeying to sit next to him, his title corrupted to “Hayda,” not Zaida by my first born. There will be steaming chicken soup with tiny golden eggies, small jewels bobbing in an enchanting broth, a mundane undressed salad and a bronzed turkey, a purchased desert — the scene slightly reminiscent of a Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving illustration. There will be my grandmother’s precious silver and her dishes not placed in front of the children’s careless sweaty searching fingers.

At that juncture in my life, my children are young and squirrely and these heirlooms set upon the pristine white linen tablecloth mean little to me. The dishes adorned with a single gold rose and stem feel overly ornate, not my style

and I do not value the pennies my Bubbi put aside to own something fine and beautiful. Things that recall her home in Poland before peddlers came knocking at her side door and she had to flee.

At the table, I judge her for the extravagant taste. I do not know that years into the future, I will cherish these heirlooms with pride. Eventually I will understand the importance of needing something beautiful, hoping to pass these treasures on so they can also be the repository of memories, gracing the holiday dinners of my own grandchildren who will sit at my Hanukkah table. Too late do I comprehend that “home” is suggested in multiple ways, especially if you have been forced to leave your family and birthplace.

Eventually we will settle down, my father beginning with the usual prayers while the kids are wondering about the Hanukkah gelt, squirming, holding their tiny wooden and plastic dreidels in their warm fingers, waiting impatiently to hurl them upon the table. My sister and I will retreat from our usual squabbles under my father’s eyes, resentfully. We sit like pashas as my mother unobtrusively serves and clears the table. She does not complain, only to murmur quietly her legs are aching. We take little

notice because we are young, arrogant, comfortable in our own strong and upright bodies. Time will teach us greater empathy. We will also learn in the years to come the production of a family dinner includes so many hidden steps to the actual feast that magically appears before us as if conjured by an ebony wand.

Yet, even in those self-serving years, more than anything we express, we experience “in our bones,” as my mother used to say, the importance of being together in spite of the daily demands, familial corruptions and squabbles, work days, regular life. Our ignoble feelings seem to drift away as we sit and eat and chat together. We do not give voice in words to how strong our ties are, especially to our parents, yet we are enveloped in a palpable love expressed in soft looks, quietened and respectful voices and actions that speak beyond cliches repeated in words. We relax in the invisible tapestry of family as daily frustrations fade and we are floating in time without time. These days, postpandemic, we are more grateful than ever to be together.

Years, months, minutes and seconds of deep true feeling bind us silently. In spite of my father’s usual impatience with me, (e.g. trying to teach me

chemistry), I recall, when much later, when our car broke down or the roof leaked, and he, on his crutches, would arrive at my house. And then I would remark in wonder, why he had come, he would state in his matter-of-fact way, “That’s why G-d gave you parents.” In spite of his own father who fanned the flames of rage and anger rather than putting them out.

And likewise, my mother who lavished my sister and me with hugs and lessons, even though her own mother had admonished her constantly, grousing she was ugly and did not need an education, our mother reversed the tirade of abuse to become our bulwark of stability and support. Always. When my father’s sister died, she had murmured to my mother, “Both you and Saul were giants.” And so they were, our treasured legacy. Their values transmitted to my sister and myself — richer bequeaths than the pricey silverware — to our own children. But as I look at the family silver, the heirlooms bespeak so much: the migration from Poland; the antisemitism, the tiring work; the mishpocha and landsmen from Europe taken in; the few pennies set aside for things of beauty: that connected them to a former peaceful life.

So Hanukkah, an essential holiday, is a time to come together and celebrate the simplest of things, especially as the pandemic has faded. Look into the eyes of your loved ones and speak with your heart of how much you have missed this communion of souls. Enjoy the frugal pleasure of resting a hand on an arm, of cocking a weary head into the crook of a neck, of touching the miraculous breathing flesh of your child, mother or cousin. Close your eyes and know, with certainty, that when you open them, right before you, they will still be there savoring you with love.

And you, too, will store these moments in your own genizahs and treasure them forever. And like the story of Judah Maccabee who has fortified your sense of wonder and belief in the impossible, ironically the pandemic has granted you these lessons of belief and perseverance.

So this is Hanukkah 2022, a cornuco pia of feelings: cherishing the past and the present, praying for more Jewish holidays, more dinners, more holiday memories to vouchsafe your precious family from the world beyond your secure dining room. A

We experience “in our bones,” as my mother used to say, the importance of being together.

Music, Murder & Mastery at North Coast Rep

BELOW Jefferson McDonald and Matthew McGloin in “2 Pianos, 4 Hands.”

OPPOSITE Cast of “Into the Breeches!,” the second show of the current season.

In a quiet corner of Solana Beach there sits an unassuming building that has contributed arts and culture to San Diego for 40 years. North Coast Repertory Theatre has been a pillar of the theater community since 1982, and they show no signs of slowing down.

Having only recently begun the theater’s 41st season, Artistic Director David Ellenstein has an array of different

genres for the year. “I do stick to my mantra which is: I like to do seven plays in the season that are all different from one another. So I try to do different genres, different styles and different periods...comedies, tragedies and musicals. I try to mix it up so every time the subscriber, somebody who comes to all our plays, comes they see something different. I like to surprise them as much as I can,” Ellenstein said.

2 Pianos, 4 Hands DEC. 7–JAN. 1 North Coast Rep’s production for December isn’t part of the season, but rather a special engagement. Written by Ted Dykstra & Richard Greenblatt, “2 Pianos, 4 Hands” follows performers Jefferson McDonald and Matthew McGloin as they show us their “would-be careers as concert pianists.” “‘Two Pianos, Four Hands’ is our holiday show that we did at North Coast Rep twelve years ago really successfully — everybody loved it. We’re bringing it back since it’s musical, it’s funny, it’s very engaging and good for families... My kids are now in college but when I took them to see it they loved it. So, kids will love it, too,” Ellenstein said. “I was looking for something that wasn’t necessarily holiday-themed but would work in that slot and give people an option to go to.”

Pippin JULY 19–AUG. 13

“In the summer we’re doing ‘Pippin,’ the musical from the 70s that launched Ben Vereen’s career among other things. It’s got great music from Steven Schwartz, who also wrote ‘Godspell’ and ‘Wicked.’ This was his big giant hit that really launched his career. ‘Pippin’ hasn’t been done for a while in San Diego, so it’ll be really fun to do that,” said Ellenstein. The musical won five Tony Awards and was directed by Bob Fosse during its Broadway run.

Blues In the Night

JAN. 11–FEB. 5

This aptly-titled musical features 26 classic blues numbers. “‘Blues In the Night’ is a revue show of the great blues songs of the 30s and 40s; it’s been done a lot all over the country,” said Ellenstein. The show features no dialogue, only music. “We’ve got a great cast; it’s going to be a swinging musical night at the theater.”

The Cherry Orchard MARCH 1–26

Written in 1903, “The Cherry Orchard” was the last play Anton Chekhov ever wrote. Ellenstein will be directing North Coast Rep’s production. “It’s one of my all-time favorite plays and one of the great plays of literature. It’s, in my opinion, Chekhov’s greatest play. It’s heartfelt, it’s funny, it’s tragic with great characters about a changing world. I love it and I’m really excited about it. I’ve got some amazing actors that are going to be in it,” he said. When asked about his interpretation of the play, Ellenstein was very clear about his desire to stay true to the text. “The way I feel about great plays is that you want to do them great. In other words, I’m not interested in reinterpreting ‘The Cherry Orchard.’ I believe its message is universal, I believe in what it’s about, that the world is constantly changing. As the world changes, people have to figure out how to move on. ‘The Cherry

Orchard’ happened as Russia was changing. It was going from the oligarch system and wealthy people running things to the Russian revolution which was pending. Society was not going to be how it was before. And I think that’s true, always.”

Murder On the Links

APRIL 19–MAY 14

Based on the classic novel, “Murder On the Links” brings some murder and mystery to the season. “...That’s an adaptation of the Agatha Christie story with Hercule Poirot, her detective that’s in so many of her books and this is an earlier book that she wrote. It was adapted by a well-known playwright named Steven Dietz who is also going to direct it,” said Ellenstein. This production is a world premiere. “...It will transfer to Laguna Playhouse, and I believe there are already three other theaters around the country lined up to do it later,” he said.

Eleanor JUNE 7–JULY 2

Starring award-winning actress Kandis Chappell, “Eleanor” is a one-person play about the famous first lady. “This is a west coast premiere of this new play,” said Ellenstein. The show takes place with Eleanor Roosevelt sitting on her favorite bench in Washington, D.C. while telling us stories of her amazing life.

North Coast Rep even has events going on outside of the theater’s season. “We do variety nights at NCR on Mondays and Tuesdays often. We always do a thing called Tuesday Night Comics, that’s about six times a year. Mark Christopher Lawrence gets us four really good comedians, that’s always really popular,” said Ellenstein. The theater also features play readings and special engagements. In May James Sutorius will take to the stage. “He’s doing a show called ‘My Life With Will,’ which is about him being influenced by William Shakespeare and how it’s changed his life,” Ellenstein said.

In addition to yearly seasons and events, North Coast Rep offers a theater school for kids. The school features both classes and summer camps for children as young as four and young adults as old as 19. For the month of February, the theater school’s students will present “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged),” a silly slapstick take on all of Shakespeare’s plays in the span of a couple hours.

Whether it’s mystery, comedy, a musical or one of the greats, North Coast Repertory Theatre offers anything and everything a theater-goer could hope for. Season 42 won’t begin until September 2023, but the San Diego theater community is eagerly awaiting for what North Coast Rep has in store. One thing is for certain: Ellenstein is determined to stick to the heart of what makes a show great. “I am that way because I think it’s more powerful. It actually inspires thought, change and new thinking,” he said.  A

Perfect Imperfections

We recently purchased a beautiful handwoven Persian rug for our bedroom. Soon after buying the rug a close friend came over to the house for tea, and we mentioned the rug to our friend. Our friend showed interest in the rug and asked if she could see it. As our friend looked at the rug she said, “The rug is beautiful. Of course you know that there is a flaw in the rug?” My shocked response was, “I can’t see the flaw. Where is it?” Our friend then said, “Oh you will never find the imperfection. This rug is too good, too beautiful for you to see the imperfection.” My response was, “You mean to say that there is a mistake too beautiful for me to see?” Our friend

answered, “Yes, because the best Persian rug weavers are religious and a religious rug weaver believes that only G-d is perfect, therefore out of respect for G-d they weave an imperfection into the rug.”

The discussion about the rug reminded me of what a wonderful expe rience the eight days of Hanukkah can be. The annual celebration of Hanukkah calls upon us to light the Menorah can dles eight days and find personal value in ourselves and with our family and friends whom we love. My hope is that you will find modern meaning for each of your candles and be strengthened by your experience. Each of the following numbers represents a candle and a night

of Hanukkah. I share with you some of my meaning for this holiday year.

1. Hanukkah is filled with new customs

When I was young ,we had latkes and almonds to eat and dreidels to spin and play with. My three uncles would usually give us each a quarter to spend and we felt rich. Today we have taken on the customs of modern America. We give and send holiday cards, light beautiful menorahs, eat elaborate meals and usually give and receive lovely wrapped gifts. Usually when we light the candles we stop and think and feel something positive.

IN

AND LOVED ONES

“ “ HANUKKAH CALLS US

2. Family coming together is important

In this modern world, it might be an effort to feel the closeness we would like to create. My family is a challenge: I have a daughter in Nova Scotia and her adult son lives in Toronto. I also have a daughter, who is now working in the Middle East, so she, her husband and son will be living too far away to light candles together. One of my closest friends lives in Bakersfield. I have found myself saying Hanukkah blessings, lighting candles and opening boxes at 6 a.m. I thank G-d and brilliant human beings for having developed phones and devices that help me to keep in touch with family and friends.

3. Community

In past years, synagogues were the main gathering place for the Jewish community. Of course there were Jewish Centers which were mainly a place for Jewish athletics, but in our current community structure there are Jewish activities which take place outside of synagogue sponsorship. It would be worthwhile to attend Jewish

activities sponsored by the general Jewish community and community organizations.

4. Relationships

Friends and family support us as we look for new meaning in the connections to the people around us. New friends stimulate new understanding of who we are. Old and new relationships stimulate avenues of who we can become.

5. Good Health

Wonderful doctors, nurses and scientists have strengthened us by providing personal immunization to protect us from diseases past and present. We need to dedicate the proper time and energy that will protect us when utilizing the modern protections available.

6. Rhythm of life

There is a rhythm to life that enhances our joy and well being. When we wake up in the morning, we see and feel the joy of light and warmth of the day. When the sun has set and the moon appears we feel at ease, because all has taken place that we understand.

7. Capacity to rest

This candle reminds us that we must be ourselves and learn to accept who we are. We need to rest when we are tired and to be physically active and alive when we are able.

8. Love of life

Life is exciting and vigorous. Hanukkah has joy and mystery in its midst. The basic story is about a small band of religious warriors who won a war of freedom against one of the strongest armies in its time. What was the strongest weapon the Jews had? A love of life and a belief that they would create freedom for all. As we light this last candle, we pray for an end to the war in the Ukraine and for a rebuilding of the entire Ukrainian country. We further pray for an end of all wars and tyrants who bring harm to the life of any individuals. In this our modern day and age we would add good friendships for all people and all religions.

Happy Hanukkah to you all. A

ready for an interlude of riotous laughter as Jefferson McDonald and Matthew McGloin take us on a musical comedic journey about their would-be careers as concert pianists. The talented duo trade stories about piano lessons, pushy parents, and eccentric teachers while playing everything from Bach to Billy Joel. This wildly popular show not only hits all the right notes, it tickles the ivories and your funny bone too. Tickets will be flying out the door, so reserve yours early to avoid disappointment.

According to the legendary Billie Holiday, “Blues is to jazz what yeast is to bread.” With 26 glorious, hot, torchy songs fueling this revue, a powerful cast of four singers plumb the innermost reaches of their hearts, sharing the heartbreak and humor of life and the indomitable will to do more than survive during the jazz era. You’ll hear such favorites as “Stompin’ at the Savoy,” “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out,”and “Wasted Life Blues.”

Local Arts Preview Picks

San Diegans are spoiled with riches in the arts and culture arena. Sometimes it can be hard to pick what shows and events to see. These are some of the most influential arts groups and one of their most exciting events of the new year.

SAN DIEGO OPERA

Shows One of the Luminary Giacomo Puccini’s Best

San Diego Opera has enjoyed a vibrant couple years with the addition of Yves Abel at the helm as principal conductor and their collaboration with the San Diego Symphony. Their runs of shows are usually a couple days each, so you have to act fast to catch them.

In March, they are bringing Puccini’s “Tosca” to the Civic Theatre (Mar. 25–Apr. 2). “Tosca” is known for its tragic arc and its grand and intense music.

SAN DIEGO

MUSEUM OF ART

Prepares To Be An Early Bloomer this Year

The San Diego Museum of Art is a regal staple of Balboa Park and has delighted patrons with both their permanent collection and their changing exhibitions. They frequently collaborate with Art of Elan which has the museum exhibitions interpreted instrumentally.

Their biggest event of the year is Art Alive which combines the museum’s collection with floral art and culminates in a celebratory botanic kaleidoscope Bloom Bash (Mar. 31).

LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE

Launches World Premiere Musical

La Jolla Playhouse has brought many innovative and thoughtprovoking live theater experiences to San Diego. They are notable for their immersive and community-centered festival Without Walls (WoW) that has seen success both in-person and online.

One of their notable offerings for the new year is “The Outsiders” (Feb. 19TBD) which is a musical reimagining of the Francis Ford Coppola film of the same name.

SAN DIEGO SYMPHONY

Performs Venezualan Epic

The San Diego Symphony is having a boom of popularity with their beloved conductor Rafael Payare and new outdoor venue the Rady Shell. They are known for their impeccable performances of classical music, but have also splash out in other contemporary genres.

“Singing With The Devil: Payare And Cantata Criolla” (May 26 & 27) is part of their masterworks season and showcases “Cantata Criolla,” a lively epic about a singing contest with the devil. This performance will feature two lead singers and the San Diego Master Chorale in addition to the symphony.

BROADWAY SAN DIEGO

Brings Two Cult Movie Adaptations

Broadway San Diego is our local hub for touring shows from the Nederlander Producing Company and has brought the biggest titles in theater to the Civic Theater.

For their 2023 season, they are bringing a live theater adaptation to both “Mean Girls” and “Beetlejuice” (Feb. 28-Mar. 5 and Aug. 15-20, respectively). At time of print, “Mean Girls” is already touring and “Beetlejuice” is in the casting stages. You can comfortably expect Broadway San Diego to bring big scale and flash to these adaptations.

CYGNET THEATER

Premieres New Play From Celebrated Adaption Playwright

Cygnet recently announced they will be making a new home in the Arts District at Liberty Station in 2024. They have a focus on local premieres and put on both classics and musicals.

“The Little Fellow (Or The Queen Of Tarts Tells All)” (Oct. 25-Nov. 19) is a world premiere from in-demand playwright Kate Hamill, known for adapting classic novels into plays.

LAMB’S THEATER

Announces 2023 Season

If you walked through scenic Orange Avenue on Coronado island, you may have walked past the charming Lamb’s Theater. Lamb’s is known for its intimate boutique venue and musical revues.

They’ve announced their 2023 season and it includes music: “R-E-S-P-E-C-T” (Jan 24-Mar.12), “Cotton Patch Gospel” (June 17-Aug. 13) and looks across the Atlantic to Ireland in “Outside Mullingar” (Apr. 22-June 4) and England with “Jane” Eyre (Sept. 30Nov. 12).

DECEMBER

And Don’t Forget

NORTH COAST REP northcoastrep.org

DEC. 7–JAN. 1: 2 Pianos, 4 Hands A musical comedy about two performers and what their lives would have looked like as concert pianists.

CORONADO PLAYHOUSE coronadoplayhouse.org

THRU DEC. 4: Big Fish

A musical about a father’s past and his tall tales. Based on the novel by Daniel Wallace and the beloved film directed by Tim Burton.

LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE lajollaplayhouse.org

THRU DEC. 11: As You Like It

Produced in association with Diversionary Theatre, the show features a cast of trans, non-binary and Queer performers.

Sweet Potato Pecan Latkes

With Hanukkah around the corner, there’s no better time to start experimenting with latkes! These sweet potato pecan latkes marry my two favorite holiday dishes (sweet potato pie and latkes) into a sweet and savory side dish! Unlike classic potato latkes made with white potatoes, sweet potatoes hold less moisture, meaning they will be extra crisp when fried. I like using my food processor fitted with the grating attachment for easy shredding, but a box grater works perfectly as well. My other hack for quick and easy latkes? Keep the peel! You won’t even notice it after cooking - not to mention, it saves an extra step (and food waste!). I like to top my latkes with extra marshmallows and broil right before serving.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 large sweet potatoes, grated

• 3 large eggs

• ½ cup pecans, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp. all purpose flour

• ½ tsp. salt

• 1 tsp. cinnamon

• ½ cup mini marshmallows (kosher, if preferred)

• Oil, for frying

PREPARATION:

1. Line 2 baking trays with paper towels. Preheat the oven to 200F.

2. Combine grated sweet potatoes, eggs, pecans, flour, salt and cinnamon.

3. Heat oil in a large frypan over medium-high heat, about 1 inch deep.

4. To test the temperature, add a small piece of potato, if it bubbles immediately, it’s ready!

5. Scoop ¼ cup of the latke mixture, stuffing with 2-3 mini marshmallows. Add to oil and flatten slightly.

6. Cook for 5-6 minutes per side, or until golden. Transfer to the lined paper towel. Keep warm in the oven until serving. Optional: top with additional marshmallows and broil until melted.

7. Enjoy!

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HBO’s Documentary on The Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting Arrives As The Nation’s Eyes Are Back On Antisemitism

Trish Adlesic was visiting her father in Pittsburgh on the day a gunman walked into the city’s Tree of Life synagogue building and murdered 11 people.

Almost immediately, the director started filming her surroundings with the aim of producing a documentary about the tragedy, bringing on a Tree of Life congregant, Eric Schuman, as an editor and producer. Drawing on her own experiences conducting “traumainformed” interviews, Adlesic reached out to survivors hoping to create “a platform for them to speak out, to speak

about their loved ones, to honor them, to pay tribute, [and] to try to find a way to unite us.”

The resulting documentary, “A Tree of Life,” premieres on HBO Wednesday, four years to the day after the attack — and during a week when attention in the United States has once again turned to antisemitism, following comments by the rapper Kanye West that have been embraced by white supremacists.

Adlesic told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency she hopes the timing of the film “only reinforces the urgency for the

Continue

conversation that needs to be had, and the intervention that needs to be had.”

Working with survivor and Congregation Beth Shalom staffer Audrey Glickman (who blows a shofar in front of the building in the film’s opening sequence), Adlesic allowed subjects to shape the direction of their interviews. They wound up touching on a wide range of topics related to the shooting, from their own Jewish faith to gun legislation to a minute-by-minute recounting of the attack itself — all of these topics, and more, are touched on in the film. A

ADVICE ASK MARNIE

Hanukkah: A Little Bit of This, a Little Bit of That

My dear San Diegans:

Hanukkah, one of our favorite holidays, is upon is. Today I am opening a mouth. Mine. I don’t know about you, but while our holiday was never a biggie, we had to contend with much of the world “doing” CHRISTMAS. The Christian’s World’s Biggest Biggie!

As a boomer, my early years were spent living on Archie Bunker Blvd. On Christmas Day, I’d run over to Carol Ann’s to bask in her tree, their trains (invented by an MOT, Joshua Lionel Cowen), listen to “Winter Wonderland” (written by a Jew, Irving Berlin), play, then run home, rip into the silver and blue wrapping and open my dreidel. (Even at five I knew the shape didn’t contain a Barbie Dream House). Was I Gentile-jealous? Filled with fruitcake envy? Did I go green for red suits and reindeer? No. “It’s not our holiday,” explained my mother. Period. No Jewish woman expected a diamond ring the size of a latke on Hanukkah.

Sometime between then and now became Christmasukkah. Can we mix and mash — correction, match during December, especially when this year they fall close together? “Christmasukkah Sameach?!” To me, it lacks a good ring. The idea of Hanukkah “bushes” and Santa candles, lacks a certain... conviction, authenticity, taste.

In fact none of our holidays involve big ticket items. It’s also no doubt why

our Jewish sages in their wisdom, created holidays that keep us too busy praying, eating, or starving, to wander around Saks or surfing Amazon..

This month I bring you a variety package for your Hanukkah spirits and enjoyment. Enjoy!

Hanukkah Gelt

Ah! What child (OK, parent) doesn’t delight in those gilded wrapped choco late coins, shining through netted little bags? The custom of giving coins on Hanukkah developed in Eastern Europe, probably in the seventeenth century. But real coins were given by children to teachers at cheder and to the poor. The eight presents, one for each night of the holiday, is a recent tradition created by parents in the diaspora, so heaven forbid a Jewish child wouldn’t feel left out during the Christmas holiday and Toyotathon.

Bone of My Bones, and Flesh of My Flesh

“I close my eyes and think of Grandma tasting a bit of her childhood each Hanukkah when she prepared the latkes as her mother had made them before her. My mother, my aunts, my own grandmothers float back to me, young and vibrant once more, making days holy in the sanctuaries of their kitchens, feeding me, cradling me, connecting me to the intricately plaited braid of their

past, and even at this moment, looking down the corridor of what’s to come, I see myself join them as they open their arms wide to enfold my children and grandchildren in their embrace. — Faye Moskowitz, author, “And the Bridge is Love,” 1991

The Greening of Hanukkah

Hanukkah is a time of special sharing and caring. Some MOTs are adding “planet” to the list. Eco-friendly Hanukkahs are not only “kosher,” but more kosher. One “greening” is creating a classic menorah using pure olive oil and cotton wicks, instead of wax candles. My cousin, not one to mess around with oil (unless she’s frying something edible), went kosher-green with pure beeswax candles. And speaking of frying (never mind “fattening”), many Jews are going organic and local for taters and cheeses. For the kinder? As I flunked “arts and crafts”(and don’t even ask about camp), a multi-talented Mom I envy had her four building, cutting, gluing, pasting everything from potatoes to stuff in her recycling bin. The brood turned out enough menorahs to light up San Diego — and keep the Earth lit a little longer.

Hanukkah Humor

As the author of scads of humor books, I’ve become very picky. Here are my very favorite seasonal jokes:

An Audience with Mary

A devout nun dies and goes to heaven on Christmas Day. Saint Peter asks her if she has any wishes he might fulfill.

She humbly replies that she would like an audience with the Holy Mother Mary. Peter agrees and they walk down a corridor together. Sitting in a plain chair, is a middle-aged woman in the garb of the first century, knitting.

The nun sits reverently at Mary’s feet and finally gets up the nerve to ask: “Reverend Mother, you were chosen from all women for such a special honor. Can you give me an inkling of what it felt like when the Lord Jesus was born?”

With a distant look in her eyes, Mary sighs: “Vell....Ich hob takkeh gevolt a maydel.” (“Well, I was really hoping for a girl.”)

Sing mamalas! 10 Legendary Christmas Songs

Written by Jewish Composers

Almost half of the most popular and enduring holiday songs associated with Christmas were written/co-written by Jewish composers. Many, like Irving Berlin, were passionate about America, and saw Christmas as secular. (Note: *signifies Jewish if co-writers.)

1. “Winter Wonderland” — 1934, Richard B. Smith, Felix Bernard*

2. “White Christmas” — 1940, Irving Berlin

3. “l’ll Be Home for Christmas” — 1943, Walter Kent, Buck Ram, Kim Gannon

4. “Let It Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!” — 1945, Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne

5. “The Christmas Song” — 1945, Mel Torme, Robert Wells

6. “Sleigh Ride” — 1948 Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish*

7. “Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer” — 1949, Johnny Marks

8. “Silver Bells” — 1951, Jay Livingston, Ray Evans

9. “There’s No Place Like Home for The Holidays” — 1954, Bob Allen, Al Stillman*

10. “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” — 1958, Johnny Marks

A Little Joy, A Little Oy

A Little Joy

Can you guess, children, which is the best of all holidays?

Hanukkah, of course....Mother is in the kitchen rendering goose fat and frying pancakes....You eat pancakes every day.

— Sholom Aleichem

A

Little Oy

Akrady was the only Jew I ever shared a cell with, in the gulag. We celebrated Hanukkah together in Christopol prison in 1980, lighting pieces of wax paper we had stashed away for months and hoping they would last long enough to say prayers over them.

— Natan (Anatoly) Sharansky, Russian refusenik, author, and Israeli political leader A

Chanukah Celebrations Please

DECEMBER 5, 7:00 - 8:00 PM

Latke Cooking with Caring Community

DECEMBER 15, 7:00 - 9:00 PM

Women of Beth Israel: Latkes & Vodkas

DECEMBER 16, 6:15 PM

Chanukah Shabbat with Artist In Residence Jacob “Spike” Kraus

Join us Beth Israel

DECEMBER 17, 9:30 - 10:30 AM

YoungFamiliesPrayers&Pancakeswith ArtistInResidenceJacob“Spike”Kraus

DECEMBER 17, NOON - 2:00 PM

Kumsitz Jam Session with Artist In Residence Jacob “Spike” Kraus

DECEMBER 23, 6:00 PM

Community Chanukiah lighting prior to Erev Shabbat Services

9001 Towne Centre Drive, San Diego, CA 92122 • www.cbisd.org

“Most Texans think Hanukkah is some sort of duck call.”

— Richard Lewis

Francine Sheinbein - La Jolla

Zane Feldman - San Diego

Arnold Forman - Carlsbad

Paul Flanzer - Pleasanton, CA

Elfriede Schloss - La Jolla

Frances Libin - Encinitas

Myra Lipsey - Northridge, CA

Barbara Jacobs - La Mesa

Manuel Zichlin - San Diego

Estelle Herman - Rancho Santa Fe

Klara Ginzburg - San Diego

Shirley Lazar - San Diego

Bertha Pime - La Jolla

Sondra Rose - Encinitas

Anita Halpern - Coronado

Henry Schulman - San Diego

Milton Weinberg - San Diego

Norma Essakow - San Diego

Nesya Khanis - La Mesa

Robert Mann - La Jolla

Roberta Elfus - Encinitas

Leonid Radomyshelsky - San Diego Michael Moore - Escondido Mikhail Verkhivker - San Diego Elaine Bukantz - Encinitas

Esther Kogus - San Diego

May their memory be a blessing.

AM ISRAEL MORTUARY

On behalf of AM Israel Mortuary, We extend our condolences to the families of all those who have recently passed. The families of those listed above would like to inform the community of their passing.

We Are San Diego’s ONLY All-Jewish Mortuary Serving the community for over 40 years. (619)583-8850 6316 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego

Members of the JFDA- Jewish funeral directors of America, KAVOD - (Independent/ Family owned Jewish funeral directors) Consumer Affairs Funeral and Cemetery division For a list of

CHANUKAH