February 2022 by San Diego Jewish Journal

FEBRUARY 2022 | SHEVAT • ADAR 5782

A PROGRAM OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SAN DIEGO

You’re Invited

Community-wide Book of Life Signing Ceremony

Sunday, March 27, 2022 11:00 am with Kosher Brunch

Congregation Beth Am 5050 Del Mar Heights Road, San Diego, CA 92130 Individuals and families who have committed to include a Jewish organization in their after-lifetime plans, or who have contributed to a current endowment fund, are invited to include a personal statement in the San Diego Jewish Community’s Book of Life. This archival collection of statements by members of our community is prominently displayed, along with photos of the donor or family, at the offices of the Jewish Community Foundation San Diego. If you have previously signed the Book of Life, it will be our honor to recognize you at the ceremony.

To Register, Please Contact:

Mara at (858) 279-2740 x107 or legacy@jcfsandiego.org Participants are welcome to invite their family to accompany them at the celebration. This event is complimentary to all Book of Life signers and their guests. The Book of Life program symbolizes the true concept of L’Dor V’Dor, passing on traditions from one generation to the next. The inscriptions in the Book of Life detail the personal thoughts, life experiences and philanthropic vision that inspired the gift. These statements inspire others to include Jewish organizations in their charitable estate plans.

(858) 279-2740 / legacy@jcfsandiego.org / jcfsandiego.org/bol

Move from “Can I retire?” to “How can I make the most of my retirement?” While most people understand the importance of saving for retirement, the concept of retirement income planning may be less familiar. Retirement income planning is a holistic process to help address key retirement decisions, effectively manage risks, and efficiently provide ongoing income to meet both the clients’ current and long‑term retirement needs. We can support you by providing the guidance needed to make better, more informed choices to help provide a retirement as flexible as you are. As experienced advisors, we take the time to understand your unique goals to help create a plan tailored for you – one that will modify and change over time.

Don Lincoln, CFP®, CIMA® Senior Vice President – Investments CA Insurance Lic #0821851 Don.Lincoln@wfadvisors.com

Jeffrey R Liber, CFP® Managing Director – Investments CA Insurance Lic #0C28496 Jeffrey.Liber@wfadvisors.com

Joe Benedict Client Associate 858-523-7904 Joe.Benedict@wfadvisors.com

Patty Dutra Senior Client Associate 858-523-7904 Patty.Dutra@wfadvisors.com

12531 High Bluff Dr., Suite 400, San Diego, CA 92130 858-523-7904 | LiberLincolnWMG.com Investment and Insurance Products: NOT FDIC Insured / NO Bank Guarantee / MAY Lose Value Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. CAR-0921-03105

B"H

Chabad Centers of San Diego

"WE PUT THE 'JEW ' IN

ED-JEW-CATION" Your local Chabad Center offers classes for all ages, stages and levels. No previous knowledge needed. Membership is NEVER needed to attend. It's never too late to start!

Babies/Kids

Teens

Adults

Mommy and Me. Hebrew School. C-Kids. Shabbat Programs. Winter Camp.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah Lessons, C-Teen. JLI Teens. Community Service.

Torah Portion. Chassidic Philosophy. Kabbalah. Hebrew Reading. JLI. Talmud.

We're ALWAYS here for you!

We have locations all over San Diego! Scripps Ranch (Chabad S. Diego HQ), Bonita, Carlsbad North, Carmel Valley, Chula Vista, Coronado, Downtown, East County, Encinitas, Escondido, La Costa, La Jolla, Oceanside/Vista, Pacific Beach, Penasquitos, Poway, Rancho S. Fe, S. Marcos, SDSU, University City Find your Local Chabad Center and more information online at Chabad.org

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

Contents

PUBLISHERS

FEBRUARY 2022 | SHEVAT • ADAR 5782 | FILM FESTIVAL ISSUE

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

Jacqueline Bull

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Nathalie Feingold

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Eileen Sondak

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Donna D’Angelo

SENIOR CONSULTANT

Ronnie Weisberg

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.

Film Festival 26

Screenings Schedule

28 "Song Searcher" Film Review 31

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES

"The Auschwitz Report" Film Review

33 "Sin la Habana" Film Review

EDITORIAL

36 "Kenny Scharf: When Worlds Collide" Film Review 38 "Greener Pastures" Film Review 41

Jonathan Ableson | Senior Account Executive Alan Moss | Palm Springs editor@sdjewishjournal.com ADVERTISING

marke@sdjewishjournal.com CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS

ronniew@sdjewishjournal.com

"The New Jew" Film Review

ART DEPARTMENT

art@sdjewishjournal.com

42 "200 Meters" Film Review

LISTINGS & CALENDAR

assistant@sdjewishjournal.com

Departments 10

What’s Up Online

44 Local Offerings

Our Town

Food

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 ©2022 by San Diego Jewish Journal. The San Diego Jewish Journal is a member of the American Jewish Press Association and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

San Diego Jewish Journal

(858) 638-9818 | fax: (858) 263-4310

#SDJewishJournal

COVER Still from "Tiger Within."

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

SanDiegoJewishJournal

sdjewishjournal.com

! SS E C JOIN US C A D N 22 A 0 2 S , E 5 M T A S G UGU ABI A C – C 1 3 A Y M L C JC | JU O G E I D SAN ®

ATHLETES Ages 12-16

Baseball · Basketball · Dance · Esports · Flag Football · Golf Ice Hockey · Swim · Table Tennis · Tennis · Soccer · Volleyball

Sunday, February 6 | 1:00–3:00 pm Lawrence Family JCC | JACOBS FAMILY CAMPUS 4126 Executive Drive, La Jolla REGISTER AT: JCCMaccabiSD.org/skills Questions? Contact Jason Lobenstein: jasonl@lfjcc.org | 858.362.1331

ARE YOU IN? JCCMaccabiSD.org

CONNECT. DISCOVER. EXPERIENCE. The CommUNITY Trip to Israel | May 4 –11, 2023 Join with hundreds of people from across the San Diego Jewish community for a dynamic, meaningful Israel travel experience with local clergy, staff from congregations and Jewish agencies, leaders of all ages, Jewish professionals and passionate volunteers. • 5-star accommodations in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem

SPECIAL TOURING TRACK DAYS

• Best of Israeli dining — from exquisite to casual

• • • • •

• Meet the people and see the places Federation supports, and celebrate 25 years of our partnership with our sister region Sha’ar HaNegev • View high school student artwork at Viterbi Art Festival

(track options pending demand)

Food and Wine • Art and Culture Social Innovation and Hi-Tech Celebrating Women’s Achievements Hunger, Aging & Poverty • Immigration History and Archeology • Security and Politics • Disenfranchised Communities • Understanding the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict and Areas of Mutual Co-Existence • Jerusalem 101 • Tel Aviv 101

• Mega events at venues throughout Israel • Meetings with dignitaries and interactions with everyday Israelis

$3,999 per person double occupancy (Land Only) 7 nights/ 8 days. Limited subsidies available for 25–45 year-olds. Most meals included. Local San Diego Rabbis on all buses.

BE THERE FOR ISRAEL@75! REGISTER AT JEWISHSANDIEGO.ORG All participants will have the opportunity to make a meaningful gift to Jewish Federation of San Diego County on the trip. The trip will have a powerful impact on our community for years to come.

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

From the Editor JACQUELINE BULL

Films and Family While my family would not call themselves “movie buffs,” I can now see the role films played in the family tapestry. We rarely went out to watch films at the movie theater together, but when we did, my siblings and I would recite every single funny line from it on the car ride back. We would become parrots and repeat the lines endlessly and some would become permanently ensconced in the family inside joke pantheon. Car trips to see the extended family twice a year (summer and winter) meant breaking out the portable VHS and DVD players and selecting a few treasures to rent for the eight-hour journey each way. I rented “Aristocats” so many times in a row that finally my dad bought it for me. In my mom and stepdad’s house, we owned only about a dozen movies that we watched over and over. My mom could never remember if we owned “Shrek” or not and that was a joke that we often returned to before actually buying it years later. On my dad and stepmom’s side, we would watch the Harry Potter films whenever ABC Family would have it playing–even though we owned all the DVDs and didn’t need to sit through the commercials. My dad was fond of the “James Bond” canon and “Pink Panther,” both old and new. These movies that we grew up with became part of the family lexicon and helped us bond and communicate. Jokes were a way of showing camaraderie and affection and quoting a familiar line was a safe bet for a laugh. As time passes and my family is now even more spread out, opportunities to get together in person to watch something are not easy to come by, but they are still one of the biggest topics of conversations on family group calls (food being first, of course). A film that really resonates with you is a gift and a film that becomes meaningful to your family is a treasure. I always look to new releases with interest of what types of stories we are drawn to as a culture, and who we are interested in learning about and of course what we find funny. Jewish film fests are more specific in their target audiences, so they show a slice of what we as a community are talking about at that moment in time. Happy watching.

Shevat–Adar 5782

SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM |

WHAT’S UP

Online

After fires raged in Boulder, Jewish Coloradoans turned out to help — and received it in turn In Alan Halpern’s Louisville, Colorado, neighborhood of 140 houses, only three homes remain intact following the Marshall fire, which surged across 6,219 acres starting Dec. 30 and burned more than 1,000 homes in a fastmoving, unusual suburban conflagration. Boulder’s Jewish community’s response to the fire was immediate and substantial. JEWISHColorado, the state’s largest Jewish group, launched an emergency fund the morning following the fire, raising $500,000 from over 2,700 donors across the world. The Boulder JCC opened its doors to those in need of a shower or workspace and set up a cooking program with local food organizations.

The true ‘Tragedy’ of Joel Coen’s ‘Macbeth’ is the breakup of a great Jewish filmmaking duo

After US pushback, Israel is reportedly reviewing its close ties with China Israel has pledged to keep the Biden administration in the loop on major deals with China and would reconsider those deals if the United States raises opposition. Both the Biden administration and the Trump administration have raised concerns about growing ties between Israel and China as the latter’s relationships with the United States and European countries have soured.

There is a Jewish interpretation of the story of Adam and Eve that situates the two back-to-back. Instead of G-d creating woman from the stolen rib of Adam, the two walk away and split — crack — into separate beings. This is where we now find the Coen brothers, the Jewish filmmaking duo who have captivated audiences with their wacky, zany, beautiful, grandiose work for over thirty years: once a single unit, each indistinguishable from the other to the eyes of the

average moviegoer, now improbably split — crack — into separate beings. Joel Coen’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” (Apple TV+) is the first truly solo Coen film — that is, the first to be helmed by only one brother in either of their careers.

Continue reading these articles at sdjewishjournal.com

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

Come Change Lives With Us

Welcome the Stranger

Join Us In Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World)

Jewish Family Service is a home for people in search of a better life and for those seeking to make better lives possible. As our community continues to be impacted by the pandemic and increasing inflation, more people are turning to JFS every day. Be a part of our compassionate and vital response by delivering hot meals, preparing groceries for distribution, mentoring youth, and providing safe rides. Find the volunteer opportunity that speaks to you!

www.jfssd.org/volunteer • (858) 637-3050

Our Town by Linda Bennett and Emily Bartell

Chula Vista’s Heritage Museum is hosting an incredible exhibit with stories of Holocaust Survivor, Ruth Goldschmiedova Sax, who along with others, set roots in South County after the war. The exhibit, “RUTH: Remember Us The Holocaust,” is a must-see event! With a book written by Ruth’s daughter, Sandra Scheller, “Try To Remember, Never Forget,” the exhibit shows the horrors of the concentration camps, but also shows the resilience of the Survivor’s spirit. This free exhibit runs through August 2022. Personal tours are available.

Yom Huledets Sameach to...

Having served on the Board of Directors for Del Mar Fairgrounds since 2011, Frederick Schenk, will continue his service as Vice President. We wish Frederick a hearty Mazel Tov on his new position, having previously served as its President.

with infinite love & happiness, Mazel Tov to…

Mazel Tov to Rhonda Amber & Jonathan Licht on the birth of granddaughter Marguerite Sylvia DiCarlo. Marguerite’s parents are Rosalie & David DiCarlo, of Long Beach. Mazel Tov to Madelynn Micon and Ron Micon on the birth of their newest grandson Julian David. Older sibling, Hannah (2 yrs) is incredibly excited to welcome him into the family. Mazel Tov to Ellery Pearl Robinson on becoming a Bat Mitzvah at Congregation Beth Am. The event was officiated by Rabbi Kornberg. Happy parents are Shelley & Andrew Robinson. Grandparents Sharon & Nat Korn and Miriam & Irwin Robinson along with brother Zachery were beaming with pride.

Michael Bennett celebrating his 80th birthday. Alan Spector celebrating his 80th birthday. Ilene Silvers celebrating her 85th birthday. Marian Greenberg celebrating her 90th birthday. Rose Schindler celebrating her 92nd birthday.

CELEBRATING

Wedding Anniversaries Ellen & Herb Hafter, 50 years. Allison & Robert Price, 50 years.

Vivian Resnik & Andrew Ries, 50 years. Michaele & Sanford Shapiro, 51 years. Karen & Warren Kessler, 52 years. Sheryl & David Baron, 52 years. Berdele & Richard Katz, 52 years Sarah & Thomas Karp, 52 years. Barbara & Mark Guss, 52 years. Dale & Gerald Spector, 53 years. Susan & Jonathan Stein, 53 years. Nancy & Alan Spector, 55 yrs. Bobbie & Jon Gilbert, 55 years. Anne & Rodney Shapiro, 56 years. Marcia & Don Wolochow, 58 years. Joan & Arnold Gass, 59 years. Florence & Anthony Riesner, 59 years. Susan & George Kaplan, 60 years. Anne & Herbert Arnold, 65 years. Frances & Joel Heffler, 66 years. Iris & Matthew Strauss, 67 years.

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

JEWISH NATIONAL FUND–USA INVITES YOU TO ATTEND THE

GOULD LEGACY SOCIETY APPRECIATION LUNCHEON

PRESERVING THE PAST, ENSURING THE PRESENT, AND SECURING OUR FUTURE

Tuesday, March 15, 2022 ∙ 11:30 am – 1:30 pm Hilton San Diego Bayfront ∙ 1 Park Blvd San Diego, CA 92101 FEATURING

Ambassador Dennis Ross,

Cynthia Hizami, Esq.,

American Diplomat & Author

Director of Planned Giving, West Coast

EVENT CHAIRS

Myra Chack Fleischer & Robert Ganz Planned Giving Co-Chairs, Board of Directors

Please RSVP by March 1, 2022 at jnf.org/SDPGluncheon More Information Tara Rosen, Senior Administrative Assistant trosen@jnf.org ∙ 858.824.9178 x808 REGISTRATION REQUIRED

NO COST TO ATTEND

DIETARY LAWS OBSERVED

IN-PERSON EVENT

JNF-USA requires all event attendees to provide proof of vaccination. Please visit jnf.org/SDPGluncheon for full list of COVID-19 entry protocols.

VIRTUAL TOURS AVAILABLE

Inspiring One Type of Child...

Yours! www.hebrewday.org

admissions@ssdhds.org

858-279-3300 Shevat–Adar 5782

SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM |

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND JUDAISM

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

Tante Temi I come from something of a mixed marriage. My mom became more observant in Mitzvot over the years while my dad stayed traditional. Despite their different levels of religiosity, Judaism drew me in and I sensed my parents were philosophically unified. My dad always encouraged my mom and felt that the Torah is a wonderful thing to live by “if you can get with it.” When my parents immigrated from South Africa and Rhodesia, they spent a few years in Philadelphia where my mother was introduced to a powerhouse of a woman named (Rebbetzin) Temi Kamenetsky. It was through their relationship that my mom felt inspired to connect more spiritually and take on more Mitzvot. In fact, I was born following a blessing from Rebbetzin Temi’s father-in-law, Reb Yaakov Kamenetsky, zt’l, (leading rabbi in the post-World War II American Jewish community) following my mother’s bout with infertility. My eldest child is named after him for that reason. I hated being the one to share such awful news about the passing of Rebbetzin Temi with my mom just yesterday (at time of writing). As long as I can remember, my mom loved her dearly. In fact, she would scream “I love you, Temi!” from our car window each time we left their house. Rebbetzin Temi became my mother’s second mother.

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

I called Rebbetzin Temi, “Tante” Temi, which means “Auntie,” as did many people because she was familial, strong and took you under her wing. I spent holidays with her when I was living in Manhattan and I adored my time with her. I loved picking her brain for the breadth and depth of her wisdom. When I shared my own opinions about Judaism, she would give me a funny look — something between amused and baffled — and say, “I prefer what the more classical sources say on this.” She had an unwavering devotion to doing the right thing because it was the right thing. She literally ran to do a good deed like a storybook character. Have you ever tried chasing down a petite elderly woman three blocks so she can say the blessing over a rainbow? I have. While Tante Temi was devoted to pursuing good, she reminded me never to judge someone else. I asked her once if it bothered her when my mother would come to the Kamenetsky house dressed relatively immodestly. She earnestly said, “I really didn’t notice.” Tante Temi regularly drove for hours to congratulate a bride she barely knew or bring comfort to someone struggling. She loved classical music but “who had the time to listen?” and in a culture of black skirts, she advocated wearing color. She prepared for Passover immediately following Hanukkah, in the dead of

winter. She could clearly see the blooms of spring in the darkness of winter. She kept it real about her own flaws and was quick to judge others favorably. She was far more interested in truth than currying favor or sugarcoating. I have called her to get me out of trouble and I have called her to elevate meaningful moments in my life. She was a no-nonsense, bottom line, take no prisoners, authentically righteous woman who was a huge influence throughout my life and will continue to have made an imprint on me for eternity. I’m still reeling from hearing the news that she passed. I find the finality of death and the fact that people can simply cease to exist in this world shocking. Death often precedes a zoomed-out perspective: a snapshot of life in highlights and lowlights reel form. Tante Temi’s legacy is so clear to me and all the small ways she developed that legacy each day are congruent. Tante Temi stood for doing the right thing because it was the right thing, acknowledging truth (even when inconvenient or painful) and taking care of others. She is sorely missed and the world is dimmer because she departed. A

SAN DIEGO

OPEN DOOR

2022-2023

Jewish Academy

omedy C l a c i s A Mu ne Wild! Go >>

Open Door program provides at least $10K in tuition assistance for all Kindergarten and 9th students for 4 years

Personalized academic pathways and student support services

Nurturing pre-school environment

Student-centered college counseling in high school

Meaningful Jewish community experiences

NOW– FEB 12 To learn and arrange your virtual tour: admissions@sdja.com, 858-704-3717 or visit sdja.com

“Harold Pinter’s masterpiece is first-rate.” — THE NEW YORK TIMES CRITIC’S PICK

Nona’s Home Care Personalized Care For Enhancing Quality Of Life

Specializing in: • Companionship • In Home Support Services & Maintenance • Meal Preparation • Assistance with Activities of Daily Living

• Transportation Assistance • Medication Administration Assistance • After Surgery Care • Respite and Relief for Caregivers

We pride ourselves in pairing the highest quality caregivers with our clients. Our care team will work with you to develop a client-specﬁc care plan, tailored to meet your needs.

MARCH 2 – 27 Directed by David Ellenstein

Ben Barth Owner/Director of Operations CA State Certiﬁed HCO & RCFE Administrator

(619) 788-4459 | ben

nonashomecare.com

(858) 481-1055 | NorthCoastRep.org Group Sales: (858) 481-2155, ext. 202

Shevat–Adar 5782

SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM |

ISRAELI LIFESTYLE

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

Light The alarm wasn’t set because in Year Three of nowhere to go, this overcast morning promised another day of forced smiles, artificial optimism and half hearted preparation for calendar events that may or may not happen. Last night’s dishes sat on the kitchen table; pools of gravy had congealed and were speckled with cabbage bits. Wearing an old flannel robe and summer flipflops, I looked around and noted that the plants needed watering and my husband’s walker stood, forlorn, in the middle of the living room. Indeed, signs of sloth were slowly emerging and without a plan of action, decrepitude could easily sprout tentacles and take root. Realizing that plans of action need sustenance, I poured the remainder of yesterday’s coffee down the drain, rinsed the French press and prepared a fresh pot. With a caffeine jolt, autonomy might kick in, enabling me to tackle a rapidly deteriorating domain. The cell phone rang and I felt a twinge of hope; someone remembered we were still among the living! I didn’t recognize the number but answered anyway, anxious to make contact with someone other than my recuperating husband or the vegetable delivery guy. It was difficult to distinguish the caller’s words because she was speaking through a mask and she insisted on using Hebrew.

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

It took a few moments for me to get the gist of the query but soon I thanked her for reaching out and told her I’d call next week to schedule that overdue bone-density scan. It had been a week since my husband’s hip-replacement and we were both discovering that Covid-mandated quarantine was a walk-in-the-park when juxtaposed with the Covid/postsurgery combo platter. The government lockdown had, for us, elicited a bit of romantic making-do-with-what-wehave, we’re-all-in-this-together sense of adventure. There were moments in both 2020 and 2021 when we transformed into Middle Eastern versions of the Swiss Family Robinson and I spouted chipper platitudes about lemons, lemonade and other barfy-triteisms.

Not so much this time around. The hospitals were bursting at the seams and Ronney was unceremoniously pushed out on a Sunday morning with pain killers, anti-clotting injections, instructions about not getting his bandage wet and me, Nurse Ratched, in charge. He screamed in agony as I attempted to press his post-surgery leg into my 2005 Japanese roadster. Ultimately, I folded the seat back and he awkwardly extended his pajama- clad body among bags of used-clothing that were slated for donation. During the entire 19-minute ride home, he alerted me to road bumps I’d never before noticed. I really was compassionate for the first few days. I slept in the living room so he could moan and turn without waking me with piteous groans. I awakened nonetheless when he stirred to use the bathroom and helped him maneuver the pitted floors and narrow spaces of our aged apartment. Our visiting physical therapist, Musa, swore that my husband would be better than new in due course; I opened my prayer book when no one was looking and beseeched the Heavens for merely someone who didn’t need to be fed so frequently. I mean, who in their right mind eats three meals a day and likes their fruit peeled and cut? continues on page 19 >>

Come home to Seacrest,

or have Seacrest come to your home.

Independent Living | Assisted Living | Memory Care Skilled Nursing & Rehab | Homecare Over 75 Years of Service to San Diego’s Jewish Seniors.

AL/MC Lic# 374600619

SNF Lic # - 080000367

Seacrest Village Retirement Communities (760) 632-0081 | seacrestvillage.org Seacrest at Home (760) 942-2695 | seacrestathome.org

HCO Lic# 374700096

Shevat–Adar 5782

SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM |

EXAMINED LIFE

OUR EMOTIONAL FOOTPRINT by Saul Levine, M.D., Professor Emeritus in Psychiatry at UCSD

| slevine@ucsd.edu

Religious and/or Spiritual: Existential Allies You’ve probably heard someone say with some degree of confidence, “I am not religious, but I am spiritual.” If so, were you in any way enlightened by those assertive words? Can a person be spiritual and not religious? How about religious and not spiritual? Can someone be both, or neither? How do you define yourself in this dichotomy? Many believers revere “pure” beliefs in their deity and to the sacred words of their religious text, like the Torah, the Old Testament of the Bible, the scripture of the New Testament, the Qur’an, the Bhagavad Gita, the Theravada, the I Ching and many others. Fundamentalists in each religion believe those words are factual and absolute truths. Some contemporary religions try to incorporate contemporary social values and norms in their liturgy and rituals, some embrace members who are equivocal in their beliefs, like agnostics and atheists, while others proselytize non-believers. Spirituality is different from religion. While it can involve the worship of G-d, it has more to do with sensory states involving mysticism and awe, beyond the physical self, society or world. Spirituality is said to encompass the ineffable (words can’t describe), the noetic (psychic enlightenment) and the metaphysical.

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

Many believers in G-d see religion as the source of their spirituality and question whether non-believers have the capacity to experience real spiritual enlightenment. Likewise, many nonbelievers feel their spiritual revelations are more authentic and meaningful. But this is obviously not a contest! From archaeological, anthropological and historical records, we’ve learned that human beings have always wondered about our origins and the purpose in our lives. We look for meaning beyond the material in life, something uplifting, transcendent, even transformative. Over the centuries millions have found solace in a Supreme Being, especially in times of crisis. They found inner peace and security in their worship and personal relationship with G-d. But others have turned away from religion. Perhaps they recognize only the physical world, or they’ve heard of prelates who sinned, or of brutalities perpetrated in the names of religions. If people cannot find spiritual answers in religion, they look elsewhere for fulfillment or meaning. Spiritual enlightenment and feeling “at one with the universe,” can be achieved through contemplation and serenity and/or via intense experiences on the other. Searching for our place in the cosmos has a special impetus now

because of the remarkable photographs from the Hubble telescope and other astronomical photographs. Aside from being beautiful and awe-inspiring, they show how we humans on “spaceship” Earth are infinitesimal particles in an incomprehensible vastness of countless galaxies and universes. In these circumstances, if there is no all-powerful G-d overseeing our existence, then what is there, if anything? Even if there was the “Big Bang,” we wonder “What preceded that?” “How?” “Why?’ What preceded the building blocks of atomic particles, dark matter and microbes, or that intense pack of energy which preceded that seminal explosion? There are, as yet, no definitive answers to the existential questions from the sages of physics, mathematics, astronomy, philosophy or other spheres of wisdom. The newly aloft James Watt Space Telescope, much more powerful than the Hubble, is now seeking answers to these questions of our origins. Ironically, both religious and irreligious people are allies in pursuing these answers. Spiritual experiences of wonder and awe open our minds to other possibilities which might exist within ourselves or in outer space. This wonderment enables new ideas, perceptions and rationales in our existence. continues on next page >>

Examined Life

Israeli Lifestyle

continued

A sense of believing is an important determinant in evaluating the worth of our lives. Beliefs might be in a G-d or in religious tenets, or codes of ethics, humanistic values, or benevolent interpersonal principles. The unending human need to understand the meaning of life may be beyond our comprehension at present and may ultimately prove unachievable. But the fact that we study these elusive mysteries of our origins, purpose and worth defines us as human beings. This inherent need propels us into space, the laboratory, new inventions and discoveries, creativity in all the arts, and yes, into both religion and spirituality. We seek new ways of thinking about our spaceship Earth, about each other and the cosmos. The search for meaning to our existence is a primal human need which should be cherished and nurtured. Our unique species is on a quest into the realms of the secular, the religious and the spiritual. These enhance each other and are equally fundamental, profound and exciting. A

To be fair, I had the time to devote to my husband’s healing. The sad truth was that, like many others, my business had dwindled to nearly nothing. This doesn’t mean I wasn’t surrounded by lofty, giddily religious individuals who regularly spewed feel-good mantras about the silver lining in having “more time with loved ones.” My inner Pollyanna must have taken the month off because I didn’t feel it. This past Shabbat morning, my increasingly-mobile husband shared a gemara about a blind man who carried a brightly-lit lantern when it was dark outside. When asked why he would need a lantern when he cannot see the light, he answered, “I may not see, but I need to be seen.” I like this. We can remain invisible in a world of mounting numbers of those stricken, dying or dead; we can lose our voices amidst the cacophony of protestors for and against whatever medical advice is being peddled; we can cower in sadness as friends disconnect from our previously vibrant orbits. Or we can light our individual torches and defy the darkness, all the while, singing in unison. The choices are plentiful. And ours to make. A

JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE SIGNATURE LUNCHEON

“

continued

NEW DATE Thursday, May 26, 2022 12:00–1:30pm Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines Event will be held outdoors VIP & Virtual Tickets Available

Tickets

www.jfssd.org/luncheon DWIGHT “DOC” GOODEN

DARRYL STRAWBERRY

Gooden and Strawberry, two of MLB’s most legendary players, had illustrious baseball careers that were also marked by highly public battles with addiction. They now help others struggling with addiction while spreading a message of hope, recovery, and healing.

Thank You To Our Generous Underwriters (Complete Listing Online)

Shevat–Adar 5782

SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM |

RELIGION

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

Reflection What if you had a key to change everything? We often find ourselves “dealing with things.” Dealing with things implies that we are juggling, responding, reacting to circumstances. After you deal with something long enough, you might be thinking to yourself, “If only...” “If only this didn’t happen.” “If only it was different.” “If only I didn’t happen.” It becomes a difficult cycle of stimulus and response that leads a person to wishing that somewhere somehow it might be different. If living that way works for you, great. But recognize it is a choice. Living in a state of reaction is a choice. Doing things because that’s how they are supposed to be done is a choice. The other alternative is design. Design requires beginning with the end in mind — to see your life, your year and your day as something that is within your control, instead of a cosmic pinball of forces. Granted, religious people might protest, “But everything is decreed by G-d...” And indeed, it is — but you don’t know what His decrees are until the end. Until you’ve endeavored and not given up.

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

The greatest gift we can give ourselves, should we want, is permission. Permission to do, permission to achieve, permission to have what we want.

We have to begin the process of designing our life by working for clarity — clarity of our true desires. We have to own those desires unapologetically, because they are ours. We then have to endeavor to make those desires reality, even if the how is unknown. We “waste” years of our lives waiting for the chance, or the choice, or the right opportunity; when in reality, we get what we make.

The concept of Shabbat is that for six days we work and on the seventh day we rest. That means that for six days we are in charge of creation — creating ourselves, creating our environment, creating our outcomes. There is no settling for the few people who are unwilling to settle. For the few people who push against the norm, against convention, against limits and rules will oftentimes find that the rules, the convention, the norms were there only because no one else challenged them and sometimes the roadblock we envisioned did not even exist. The greatest gift we can give ourselves, should we want, is permission. Permission to do, permission to achieve, permission to have what we want. Permission is a scary thing. It means that suddenly we don’t need someone to say “go,” someone to say “you’re ready.” Billions of people wait on other peoples’ permission. But it’s not really permission they are waiting for, it’s a sense of safety in not owning their lives. You can be safe or you can give yourself permission to own your life. A

MIDWEST FINANCIAL PARTNERS HAS LAUNCHED OCTAVIA WEALTH ADVISORS

CREATE A BRIGHTER FINANCIAL FUTURE

We help you grow wealth and achieve the results you want by offering: • A fully customized investment portfolio

Please get in touch. Let’s explore how we can work together.

• Advanced financial tools and technologies

619.557.8241 | octaviawa.com

• Fiduciary advice that serves your best interests

7676 Hazard Center Drive, Suite 1550, San Diego, CA 92108

Octavia Wealth Advisors, LLC (“Octavia”) is a Registered Investment Advisor. Securities offered through Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments Inc. (“PKS”), Member FINRA/SIPC. Headquartered at 80 State Street, Albany, NY 12207. PKS and Octavia are not affiliated companies.

Shevat–Adar 5782

SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM |

Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month at Ohr Shalom Synagogue This year’s Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month (JDAIM) shines a light on disability and the arts. All of these presentations--a discussion and interview with an internationally recognized author who identifies as Jewish, gay and disabled; a performance by an Emmy-winning playwright, actor and singer; and a virtual screening of a new documentary that looks at the fullness of the life of Helen Keller—are artistic representations of how people with disabilities deal with questions of identity and how identity is rarely, if ever, defined by any one aspect, whether it be Jewishness, disability, sexual orientation or gender.

Sunday, February 13, 9:00am Film (9:00am) followed by Expert Panel (11:00am): Becoming Helen Keller

*Note that the film will also be streamed on: Sunday February 6 at 7:00pm & Saturday, February 12 at 8:00pm Sponsored by: SDSU-Institue for Ethics & Public Affairs and Lights! Camera! Access!

Sunday, February 27, 10:30am Life Worthy of Life: A Jewish, Disabled, Gay Poet and Holocaust Writer Reflects on His Life by Kenny Fries *Adult Content Sponsored by: Kol Ami and Adas Israel Congregation

Sunday, March 6, 10:30am Seeing Stars, written and performed by Ellen Gould Community Partners: JCC and J*Company

All events will be held on ZOOM. ASL interpreters and captioning will be provided. For a full description of events and to RSVP for ZOOM link contact Gillian at office@ohrshalom.org or (619) 231-1456

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

Find love now! Personalized Jewish Matchmaking

Buy Judith’s new books, ‘The Lost Art of Dating’ & ‘Your Soul Mate Awaits’!

Judith Gottesman, MSW No one cares more about helping people than Judith. GIL H. IN LA JOLLA

If I wouldn’t have contacted Judith, my life would be very different. I wanted to thank Judith for the time and persistence to find me the right person. GIDEON S. IN SAN DIEGO

I would recommend using Judith’s services in a heartbeat!

All ages and backgrounds

NEAL L. IN SAN DIEGO

Read testimonials & buy her books at

SoulMatesUnlimited.com

32nd Annual San Diego International

Jewish Film Festival

SCHEDULE REVIEWS STILLS

Feb 9-20

In-Person and On-Demand Screenings

32nd Annual San Diego International

Jewish Film Festival On-Site Screenings

Wed

Sun

02.09

02.13

Mon

02.14

10:30 a.m. WHO WILL REMAIN? (VER VET BLAYBN?) ●

1:30 p.m. ASK DR. RUTH ● Free public screening On-site screening only, not available on demand

10:30 a.m. A COMMON GOAL ● Screens with short films SHABBAT and EMPTY SPACES

4:30 p.m. MIGHTY IRA ● Free public screening

1:30 p.m. KENNY SCHARF: WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE ●

1:30 p.m. OUTREMONT and THE HASIDIM ● Screening with the short film SPACE TORAH

7:30 p.m. THE CONDUCTOR ● Exclusive underwriter preview film screening

4:30 p.m. THE AUSCHWITZ REPORT ●

4:30 p.m. A LULLABY FOR THE VALLEY ●

7:30 p.m. WET DOG ●

7:30 p.m. IF YOU SEE MY MOTHER ●

Thu

02.10

10:30 a.m. WHO WILL REMAIN? (VER VET BLAYBN?) ● 1:30 p.m. SIN LA HABANA ● 4:30 p.m. RONNIE’S ● 7:30 p.m. GREENER PASTURES ● Opening Night Film

Fri

02.11

10:30 a.m. OUTREMONT AND THE HASIDIM ● Screens with the short film: “SPACE TORAH” 1:30 p.m. IF YOU SEE MY MOTHER ●

Sat

02.12

7 p.m. THE DINNER ●

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

ON-SITE FEB 9-20 David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre ON-DEMAND FEB 10-20 https://watch.eventive.org/2022sdijff ● Documentary

Tue

● Narrative

● TV or mini-series

● Joyce Forum Jewish Short FF Award Winner

Sun

02.15

10:30 a.m. THE CONDUCTOR ● A recorded discussion with Marin Alsop and film director Bernadetter Wegenstein follows screening. 1:30 p.m. PLAN A ● 6:30 p.m. THE RAFT ● The on-site screening is for teens only.

Wed

02.16

10:30 a.m. THE NEW JEW ● Episodes 1-2 1:30 p.m. 200 METERS ●

02.20

10:30 a.m. SONG SEARCHER ● 1:30 p.m. PLAN A ●

Thu

02.17

10:30 a.m. THE NEW JEW ● Episodes 3-4 1:30 p.m. WET DOG ● 4:30 p.m. SIN LA HABANA ● 7:30 p.m. BETRAYED ●

Sat

02.19

7:30 p.m. 200 METERS ●

4:30 p.m. KISS ME KOSHER ● 7:30 p.m. TIGER WITHIN ● Closing Night Film

ON-DEMAND SCREENINGS 40 CHESS BOARDS ● EDDY’S WORLD ● LABYRINTH OF PEACE ●

Fri

02.18

LONG DISTANCE ● REMAINDER ●

4:30 p.m. SOROS ●

10:30 a.m. FOUR MOTHERS ●

SOUNDS OF THE SIDEWALK ●

7:30 p.m. PERSIAN LESSONS ●

1:30 p.m. KISS ME KOSHER ●

THE CHEF ●

SPACE TORAH ●

Shevat–Adar 5782

SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM |

‘Song Searcher’ Unearths 20th Century Archivist of Yiddish Culture by Michael Fox It is no exaggeration to describe Moisei (or Moses) Beregovsky as the Soviet Alan Lomax. A driven musicologist and folklorist, Beregovsky recorded and documented Jewish singers and musicians in Eastern Europe from the late 1920s through the late 1940s. He may not have seen the Holocaust coming — at least not to the Soviet Union, and specifically to Ukraine — but his work preserving Yiddish culture through some 2,000 field recordings proved prescient and invaluable. A committed man whose writings and catalogues comprise a remarkable body of work, Beregovsky is altogether worthy of a documentary. Russian filmmaker Elena Yakovich’s “Song Searcher: The Times and Toils of Moyshe Beregovsky,” screening in

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

Beregovsky’s writings and catalogues comprise a remarkable body of work. the San Diego Jewish Film Festival, is a dense, earnest work that successfully conveys Bergovsky’s commitment and the scope of his endeavors. It is both overly ambitious and deeply frustrating, especially for viewers expecting to revel in the Yiddish music that he saved. The main drawback is that Yiddish and Russian interviewees are submerged under English-speaking narrators, so

we are treated to the annoying sound of one person talking over another. On one occasion, even the pleasure of hearing Yiddish lyrics is erased by the English translation. Subtitles, of course, would have been preferable. Born in 1892, Beregovsky was an aspiring cellist who studied in Kiev and Petrograd in the 1920s. We can assume he wasn’t a prodigy, because he gravitated to teaching and scholarship at Jewish-oriented institutions. In the late ‘20s, Beregovsky began traveling around Ukraine amassing a singular collection of secular Jewish music —initially recording ad hoc performances on wax phonograph cylinders. It’s hard to conceive that Beregovsky’s irreplaceable archive, including his

Song Searcher

continued

cylinders and those recorded by his predecessors, could have survived both the chaos and carnage of World War II and Stalin’s postwar purges. “Song Searcher” sacrifices a good deal of dramatic suspense by revealing early on that, in fact, these artifacts were accidentally discovered in a Kiev library in the 1990s. The advantage of that editorial decision is it allows the veteran Russian filmmaker to use the recordings, but Yakovich includes only a couple brief song passages. It’s a great shame because nothing else in “Song Searcher” matches the poignancy of hearing those voices, snuffed by the Nazis in the cruelest possible ways, singing to us. Instead, Yakovich retraces Beregovsky’s steps, interviewing elderly survivors in the villages he visited. I suppose one shouldn’t complain about taking the opportunity to describe the heinous details of the mass murder of Jewish civilians — forced marches, starvation, mass shootings, deportations — to new generations. But the result is that Beregovsky is out of the picture (literally) at several points. The filmmaker’s strategy has another consequence, which is that there isn’t enough time to satisfactorily illustrate how contemporary Jewish singers and musicians revived, recorded and performed songs that would have been lost if not for the musicologist’s work. This is the great joy we take in Beregovsky’s endeavors: Yiddish culture survived and outlived the would-be Thousand Year Reich. During Beregovsky’s travels in the 1940s, he found that new songs commemorated the Jewish experience of the war and conveyed news of the Jewish suffering. Several of those tunes — unearthed in his archive in the 1990s — were recorded anew for the Grammy-nominated 2017 album “Yiddish Glory: The Lost Songs of World War II.” One of that project’s catalysts, Toronto professor Anna Shternshtis, is a featured interviewee in “Song Searcher.” Her exposition and staged short performances of a song or two are fine, but they don’t deliver the requisite emotional punch. That falls to Beregovsky himself, who continued to diligently catalogue his archive in the years immediately after the war. But the founding of the State of Israel, in Stalin’s mind, called into question the loyalty of Soviet Jews. Beregovsky was arrested in 1950 and sentenced to 10 years of hard labor in Siberia. Freed after five years, Beregovsky picked up where he left off in Kiev. He died in 1961 with no doubts about a life well-lived but with an uncertain legacy, marginally enhanced by the small publication of a book of his essays the following year. When American musicologist Allan Slobin published “Old Jewish Folk Music: The Collections and Writings of Moshe Beregovski” in 2000, he didn’t just revive and amplify the great Ukrainian scholar’s work. He preserved a preservationist. A

WHEN YOU NEED A RABBI Unaffiliated In your time of need I’m your Rabbi

COUNSELING & CEREMONIES FOR: • Weddings (for all couples) • Baby’s Naming and Funerals

CALL RABBI BEN LEINOW “A Rabbi Who Cares”

Ben Leinow, Rabbi, PhD MFT Lic #11820

CELL: 619.992.2367 | 760.727.5333 EMAIL: MYRABBIBEN@GMAIL.COM

Fresh secular voice of Judaism We create personalized ceremonies with you • Weddings/Commitment • Celebration of life/Memorial • Bar/Bat Mitzvahs & Education • Baby-namings

Shevat–Adar 5782

SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM |

Let us help you move forward. Making critically important family decisions in the aftermath of emotional life changes can be extremely difficult. Our dedicated family law attorneys can help you navigate the complex divorce process with clarity. Divorce, high conflict child custody, alternative dispute resolution, Founder Myra Chack Fleischer

and more.

Call 858-720-8250 or visit frfamilylaw.com for more information. Legal Experts with Humanity

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

‘The Auschwitz Report’ Comes at a Critical Time by Nathalie Feingold “The Auschwitz Report” opens with the epigraph: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Director Peter Bebjak confronts the audience with this well-known quote before revealing the untold true story of two Slovak Jews who escaped from the Auschwitz concentration camp. The film begins by thrusting the viewer directly into the story with a dimly lit, choppy scene where hundreds of prisoners push their way through the crowd in desperation. The S.S. guards are seen in flashes, attacking the prisoners, with one saying, “this is what happens to those who try to escape from my camp.” The majority of the film is gloomy and shaky, emphasizing feelings of fear and disorientation. The chaos is palpable, the emotions are raw, but that’s the point.

The reality of the story is disturbing, and Bebjak wants to confront the viewer with the truth. “The Auschwitz Report” is different from other Holocaust films in that it portrays and critiques the allies’ bureaucratic inability to accept the true horrors occurring in the concentration camps. The film centers on Freddy and Valér, two Slovak prisoners who plan to escape Auschwitz concentration camp with evidence of crimes against humanity to seek help from those with resources. The viewer sees them hide underground, shielded by heavy wooden slabs. During a night-time inspection, S.S. officers discover that two prisoners are missing. One guard psychologically and physically tortures the other prisoners in an attempt to get information.

The remaining prisoners in the barrack secretly pass around a piece of bread that one of them snagged from the kitchens. Several small, heroic acts of compassion shine bright through the darkness and cruelty in this film. After days of hiding, Freddy and Valér finally lift the heavy wooden slabs and crawl through the mud towards a barbed wire fence and into the forest. They trek through the Slovakian mountains, starving and injured. As Freddy finally approaches the border his health is rapidly declining. The camera begins to shake and there is an audible ringing noise, as if it’s coming from inside Freddy’s own head. The shaking and ringing intensifies as they approach the border. The effect is continues on next page >>

Shevat–Adar 5782

SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM |

Larry M. Katz Certified Public Accountant

• Income Tax Preparation • IRS and State Audit Representation • Litigation Support Services • Forensic Accounting Services • Business Consulting Services Since 1983

3070 Racetrack View Drive Del Mar, CA 92014 858.461.0115 lkatz@lkatzcpa.com www.lkatzcpa.com

Auschwitz Report

continued

increasingly unsettling. Freddy collapses just feet away from the train tracks. Freddy recovers in front of the warm glow of a fire aided by resistance members who nursed him back to health. As he awaits his meeting with the Red Cross, Freddy looks directly into the camera. The look in his eyes is hard to read, but sitting there with half his face lit by the fire and the other half in the dark, he appears hopeless for the first time in the film. The most frustrating part of the film is watching Freddy try to convince the Red Cross to take him seriously. The horrors he details are so wretched that their bureaucracy deems it unbelievable and fabricated. The representative from the Red Cross is late. To this, Freddy says, “Two days, six hours, 15 minutes. Can you imagine how many lives that cost in Auschwitz? 27,125. I counted it for you.” To this, the man nonchalantly orders a coffee with cream and three sugars. At the end of the film, the viewer learns that it took seven months for Freddy's report to be published by the American media. When it was finally published, it was heavily redacted because the editors worried that nobody would believe the horrors it detailed. German propaganda and misinformation prevented the Red Cross and the American media from believing the realities of the camps. Peter Bebjak wants the viewer to realize that misinformation kills. This is critical, especially in the our divisive climate with rising antisemitism and outright Holocaust deniers. In this context, the opening quote: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” feels like a warning. If we don’t keep the information detailing the horrific reality of the Holocaust alive, we’re in grave danger of allowing this tragedy to happen again. A

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

GET YOUR KID INTO COLLEGE! Prep4CollegeNow works with high school and community college students to: • Generate a list of “BEST FIT” colleges • Oversee the application process • Edit essays • Ensure timeline adherence • Conduct scholarship and grant searches • Advise Student Athletes

Andrea (Andi) K. Frimmer, M. Ed. the “Get Your Kid into College” Lady andi@Prep4CollegeNow.com 760.877.7200 www.Prep4CollegeNow.com

Sin la Habana: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Dreams and Desires by Nathalie Feingold “Sin la Habana” may seem like simply another movie about dreaming desperately for a better life. However, Director Kaveh Nabatian’s debut film is chock-full of symbolism, vibrant music and complex universal human emotions. In the opening scene of the film, Leonardo visits a shaman who tells him he must improve his character and be more “equanimous” to achieve his dreams. He sacrifices a chicken over Leo’s head as the sound of bongo drums swells. The shaman then hands Leo a clear orb-like marble. Leo is a very talented Afro-Cuban ballet dancer whose hubris and he suspects, his skin color, prevent him from booking any lead roles in Havana. Earlier when he confronted the dance company director about this, he is fired.

They hatch a plan for him to seduce a wealthy tourist and convince her to fly him out of their situation. And thus, the deception begins.

Leo holds the clear marble over the Carribean sea, gazing at it pensively. The camera angle makes it appear like he’s holding the entire world in his fingers. The camera zooms in on the marble and shows the reflection of an upside-down

blue sky speckled with clouds, above it stretches a vast glimmering ocean. Leo and his girlfriend Sara dream about leaving Cuba in search of more opportunities. After an intense thunderstorm that cuts the power off in Leo’s home, Sara has had enough. As Leo illuminates the damp, concrete walls with flickers of candlelight, they hatch a plan for him to seduce a wealthy tourist and convince her to fly him out of their situation. And thus, the deception begins. His target is Nassim, an Iranian-Canadian in one of his dancing classes. In the first half of the film, we see Nassim as a tourist in sunny Havana. She takes photos of all the rundown buildings as if the people inhabiting them aren’t real continues on next page >>

Shevat–Adar 5782

SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM |

Sin la Habana

continued

as much as an aesthetic — she almost seems like a voyeur of poverty. Leo successfully seduces Nassim and flies to Canada, all expenses paid. He promises Sara that he will figure out a way for her to join him. The hue of the film shifts to cold and white as Leo enters the endless winter of Montreal, juxtaposed with the hue of Havana, which was warm and suffocating. This is where the viewer is forced to compare two entirely different-looking worlds. At first, it seems like the two lovers have very little in common. However, you soon learn that they are both desperate for a second chance at happiness and security. Leo wants to escape his adverse circumstances, while Nassim wants to feel romance for the first time since leaving her abusive ex-husband. They both are desperately dreaming of something that isn’t real. Leo believes that all of his problems will be solved by leaving his home country, while Nassim believes that Leo’s heart belongs to her only. Once in Canada, reality seems to set in for both of them. They stay in Nassim’s friend’s house where Nassim is charged with caring for her pet parrot. The bright-red parrot looks out of place as it sits in front of a frosty window. It mirrors Leo, shivering in an oversized red coat as he treks through the Canadian winter. The parrot also symbolizes Nassim’s desire to capture the exotic. Birds, in general, are a very significant symbol in the film. The imagery of chickens reappears throughout, representing the sacrifice that Leo made for his new life. Their cultural differences also set in. Leo is very superstitious and he brings his rituals from Havana to Montreal. However, Nassim is dismissive of this. Nassim is a first-generation Canadian immigrant. Her family is Iranian and Jewish. She invites Leo to her nephew’s bris — this is the first time Leo gets a glimpse of Nassim’s cultural traditions. Leo auditions for several ballet companies, each one telling him they like his “look,” but his movements aren’t “exotic” enough for them. Everyone seems to put him in a box. In the meantime, he gets a job for $5/hr at a meat factory. There’s a moving scene where he dances in the factory, his lithe and graceful movements reflected in a puddle on the concrete floor. After a few months, he finally manages to arrange for his girlfriend Sara to come to Montreal. However, when she arrives she feels like she no longer recognizes him. In her eyes, Leo’s new home has changed him irrevocably. Nassim finds out about Leo’s deception, however, by then things have grown more complicated as real feelings develop and the consequences deepen. At first, they both only viewed each other as pawns in the grander plan for their lives, now they truly care for each other.

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

In the end, Leo gets a call for a private audition for the Grands Ballets de Montreal. During the audition, the camera blurs slightly. The shaman from the beginning of the film chants in the background. Throughout the audition, it cuts back and forth to a black-and-white scene of Leo dancing under a spotlight with black paint streaked across his eyes. He looks like an ancient warrior. This is the first moment in the film that Leo seems most in tune with his true self. What starts as a straight-forward plan of deception turns into a deep, cross-cultural analysis of the meaning of home, love and dreams. It’s through the intertwining of their lives that we can most glaringly see that, despite our differences, we are bound by the same core, universal emotions and desires. A

Children ages 9 months to 6 years Proven Montessori Method and Philosophy Bilingual Program: English & Spanish Learning through hands-on experience Integrated secular and Judaic curriculum Skilled teachers, trained in early childhood development Secured, state-of-the-art facilities

13–

Aug

ust 26 | 18 M

n io

di t

ps family ost Cam * 1 per Pre & P to s e d lu c ** Ex pplied not be a *** May her promotion any ot

S • l

–

a Gr

The • s t

2022

t 15 Fam s r i F e h For t USE CODE: JJ

ter

hs t n o

$50 OFFilies!

en unity C m m o wish C mily Je ILY CAMPUS a F e c lla Lawren ACOBS FAM e, La Jo iv J r D e xecutiv 4126 E

Tr a

2022

P M CA YCEE

atre • Teens

•M

! r u o Y Find p! Camm | 858.362.1132

r po

Gary & Jerri-Ann Jacobs Youth Endowment Fund Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Endowment Fund

cee y a j p cam

.co

ore

KENNY SCHARF: WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE

A Tender Portrait of a Colorful and Fantastical Artist by Jacqueline Bull Documentaries about artists tend to air on the moody side. They go through their often tragic upbringing, their rise to fame and their interpersonal dramas. Then they follow either all the way until their death or land on the artist in the present–dour, introspective. There is often a tone of melancholy about the artist not maintaining their superstar moment. And while this recipe, though predictable, can make compelling narratives, “Kenny Scharf: When Worlds Collide” joyously breaks the mold. Kenny Scharf was a prominent figure in the East Village art scene in the 1980s. He rose to recognition for his graffiti art and performance art in places like Club 57. His fame was tied to his association with contemporaries Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Scharf’s childhood in the “plastic, pop and bright” valleys of 1960s Los Angeles informs his style. He cites the movies and television (specifically cartoons) of his formative years to be inspirations and even mentions dreaming in cartoons sometimes. The film has endless footage of how he surrounds himself with his aesthetic; everything from his phone,

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

his car, his television, he has painted or modified in some way. He has a particular fascination with plastic. He collects trash from beaches not because it is an environmentally-conscious thing to do, but because he finds it beautiful and uses the pieces in his sculptures. Scharf is an interesting enough subject for a documentary that if you don’t find his aesthetic particularly compelling, it is still an enjoyable watch. He is at times unintentionally inscrutable or opaque (his most stereotypical artist trait), but is overall very warm and gentle. He recalls moments from his life with buoyancy and affection. The film is co-directed by his daughter Malia Scharf; you hear her prompting him with questions at points. Their dynamic adds a touch of tenderness to the film and puts Scharf at ease as a subject. The thesis of the film is the philosophy that Scharf lives: there are no boundaries between work and family and friendship and art. This is present in the title of the documentary and the title of his piece in the Whitney Museum of

American Art, “When Worlds Collide.” For him, all elements of his life are all existing at the same time and he makes no silos for separate things. He says simply in a 1980s interview, “I don’t like to make any distinction between my art and my life.” And as a viewer, you absolutely believe him. There is no melancholy with the idea that Scharf maybe is not as prominent of a figure as he once was. The film and Scharf are joyous. He doesn’t take himself incredibly seriously or treat his work as very precious. At one point in the film a man sees the mural he is painting from a distance and is so enamored by the style that he is compelled to meet the artist. Scharf spray paints a face on the man’s denim jacket, so he can have something to take home. Scharf’s “for the people” ethic is on display here and he embodies it with ease. Documentaries about artists are compelling in part because their subjects are interesting people with compelling perspectives and this film delivers on that idea with joy and warmth. A

Shevat–Adar 5782

SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM |

Golden Agers Light up in Slow-Burn Pot Comedy ‘Greener Pastures’ by Michael Fox If you’ve been waiting for the right occasion to partake in California’s legalized marijuana, here it is: The San Diego premiere of the Israeli comedy “Greener Pastures” in the San Diego Jewish Film Festival. A genial, easygoing effort populated by generally likable characters, Assaf Abiri and Matan Guggenheim’s debut feature provides mildly diverting entertainment. OK, let me be blunt: You’ve got to be high to find it funny. The good news is that “Greener Pastures” delivers none of what passes for humor in some circles: bodily function jokes, embarrassing sexual situations, gratuitous swearing, viciously insulting banter. But the absence of anything remotely edgy gives the movie an odd vibe, as if it’s taking place in the comparatively innocent 1970s or ‘80s rather than the present day. The plot revolves around Dov (TV veteran Shlomo Bar-Aba), a sad-sack widower and retired postal worker who’s just moved into new digs in an upscale retirement community. It’s a nice place, but it’s not home — or rather, the house he lived in for decades before his estranged daughter and grandson made him relocate. Presumably Dov was compelled to leave because he lost his pension as

a consequence of the privatization of the postal service and the devious strategies of some well-placed gonifs. If he has a purpose in life, it is to somehow score the shekels to get back into his house. Dov’s friends encourage him to lighten up by lighting up — that is, by taking advantage of the cannabis reform laws that offer free, governmentsupplied weed to people over 75. This straight arrow refuses to touch the stuff, although he unknowingly enjoys the effects when someone slips him a THC‑packed cookie. Eventually, a light bulb goes on and the grumpy old man figures out a way to turn free medical marijuana for seniors into market-price pot for everyone else. The end goal, of course, is to repurchase his old house with his profits. The premise is both simplistic and implausible but it does offer fertile ground for comedy. Alas, the filmmakers don’t exploit it. Does Dov reinvent himself as an entrepreneur, with a line of tie-dyed clothes and Bibi rolling papers? No. Does his inner rebel emerge and manifest itself in a caustic Israeli disdain for authority and rules? No. Do his aged co-conspirators adopt “Scarface” bling and slang? No. The underlying problem with “Greener Pastures,” aside from its

prosaic execution, is that Dov’s plan is fueled by a desire to go back — to his house, to the past — rather than into a new future rife with possibilities. The promise of the title, curiously, doesn’t pertain to its protagonist. Even the emergence of a potential love interest is undercut by Dov taking her to visit the house. Sure, we root for Dov’s short-term criminal venture, but we’re not inspired by either him or his crusade. Dov’s scheme, it’s worth noting, requires the participation of his grandson’s girlfriend, an attorney who hates her day job. (Her housewarming gift when Dov moved into the retirement community was a plant she pilfered from her office.) It turns out her key role, emotionally, is to be the link through which Dov might find a way to reconnect with his family. “Greener Pastures” ultimately plays out as a parable of reconciliation rather than a Golden Years farce or stoned crime caper. In fact, perhaps you’re better off not thinking of it as a comedy at all. What’s that? I’m too late and you’re halfway through a joint? Now that’s funny. A

Shevat–Adar 5782

SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM |

AM ISRAEL MORTUARY We Are San Diego’s ONLY All-Jewish Mortuary Serving the community for over 38 years.

✡

Proudly Serving Jewish Families For Over 38 Years.

✡

Family Owned and Operated for Three Generations.

✡

Serving all Jewish Families, Orthodox, Conservative, Reform.

✡

Affiliated or Unaffiliated with a Synagogue.

✡

We can assist with At-need or Pre-need funeral planning. Purchasing cemetery plots or burial arrangements anywhere.

✡

We are here to help, call or email with any questions.

JWV POST 385 — NORTH COUNTY

“Boldest Post in the West”

Fight anti-semitism Support our military overseas • Comradeship Support Naval Hospital San Diego & Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton • and much more... •

•

CDR Marc Poland, USN Ret 858-232-1645

(619) 583-8850

6316 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego

Meet 2nd Sunday of the month 11:00 AM Veterans Association North County (VANC) 1617 Mission Ave, Oceanside, CA 92058

For a list of currents services and additional info:

www.amisraelmortuary.com Members of the JFDA- Jewish funeral directors of America, KAVOD - (Independent/Family owned Jewish funeral directors) Consumer Affairs Funeral and Cemetery division

JWV is the oldest congresssionally commissioned veterans organization in America

CA, Lic. #FD-1320

Irwin Walder - San Diego Joyce Ehrlich - La Mesa Ronald Feiler - San Diego Lyudmila Levina - San Diego Steven Gould - San Diego June Zeiner - San Diego George Schonwald - San Diego Louise Green - Escondido Irwin Zahn - San Diego Ardith Harris - La Jolla Esther Midler - San Diego Malcolm Lewis - San Diego

Dorothy Goldbaum - El Cajon Javive Betech - Chula Vista Arthur Budman - Reedley, CA Christopher Wagner - Dallas, TX Martin Dresser - Palm Desert Ingrid Davis - Del Mar Theodore Gross - La Jolla Irving Plasken - San Diego Joshua Rothstein - San Diego James Kalman - Pembroke Pines, FL

May their memory be a blessing. AM ISRAEL MORTUARY We Are San Diego’s ONLY All-Jewish 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. Members of the JFDA- Jewish funeral directors of America, KAVOD - (Independent/ Family owned Jewish funeral directors) Consumer Affairs Funeral and Cemetery division

Serving the community for over 40 years.

(619) 583-8850

6316 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego For a list of currents services and additional info:

www.amisraelmortuary.com CA, Lic. #FD-1320

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

Curiousity and Humor are at the Heart of “The New Jew” by Jacqueline Bull “The New Jew” hosted by Israeli comedian Guri Alfi explores the diaspora and American Judaism. This four-episode documentary series has Guri journey around the U.S. meeting a diverse swath of Jewish Americans. The series is firstly a comedy. Guri is a goofy and charming personality that jokes with his subjects. In the second episode, Rabbi Angela Buchdahl asks him “What’s your motivation? Why are you putting this together?” “I guess I’m curious about the evolution of Judaism,” Guri says. And this is the jumping off point for the series — the curiosity. The show is from the perspective of an Israeli comedian making a show for other Israelis, which adds a helpful contrast in comparing the "old" and the "new" Jew. Quickly the show delves into the more philosophical questions of being a Jew

in America. How do you actively choose to participate in your Jewish identity? How do you define your religiosity? How does being Jewish affect your day-to-day life? And the diverse group of people participating in these conversations with Guri have many different takes and the show doesn’t attempt to award points or keep score. The show is much more interested in asking these big questions than it is in answering them. This is one of its biggest strengths because it leaves room for the viewer to fill in the blank with their opinions and it stops it from being too pedantic or overly serious. Guri doesn’t overly identify with or overly critique any of his subjects in these conversations. His positions on these questions are not clear. His default understanding is how things are done in Israel and his most obvious bias is towards finding the comedy, but he still has the intellectual rigor to hold these

conversations with his subjects and add to the dialogue beyond just asking good questions. The big cast of characters are featured in interviews spread across multiple episodes to pertain to the topic of the particular episode. This cuts down on time spent introducing new people constantly and also makes the show feel rich. The 45-minute episodes actually feel longer than a typical TV episode because there is no filler and each episode leaves the viewer with a lot to think about. The show doesn’t endeavor to solve these numerous big questions, but it does endeavor to be funny and thought-provoking to which it succeeds. Furthermore, it manages to be charming and optimistic and incredibly watchable. A

Shevat–Adar 5782

SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM |

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

Palestinian father takes the long way home in ‘200 Meters’ by Michael Fox Ameen Nayfeh’s heartfelt debut feature is the neo-realist tale of a dedicated West Bank father and husband determined to circumvent the labyrinth of checkpoints and permits to visit his son in a Jerusalem hospital; “200 Meters” devotes more attention to Palestinian family life than to the Occupation. Of course, by virtue of its setting, “200 Meters” is inevitably a political film. But its core concerns are personal, not polemical. “200 Meters” was Jordan’s official entry for the Academy Award for Best International Film and received the Human Rights Jury Prize at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. Mustafa (Ali Suliman) and Salwa (Lana Zreik) are happily married with three children, but have separate homes in their respective West Bank villages. Salwa was born and lives on the Israeli side of the wall, but Mustafa — a go-along-to-get-along kind of guy who never evinces a political identity otherwise — won’t apply for Israeli citizenship. He sees his family in-person after each day’s labor at an Israeli construction site and every night from his roof. In an absurdist bedtime ritual, they all flick their respective lights on

and off while saying good night on the cellphone. The first half-hour of “200 Meters” presents Salwa and Mustafa’s warmhearted domestic drama as a love story that’s complicated, like many marriages, by long working hours, child-raising concerns and scarce opportunities for intimacy. Mustafa is a preternaturally patient man, even when he’s denied entry at a checkpoint because his ID is expired and stands to lose a day’s work and pay. His conformist adherence to rules goes out the window when he learns that his son has been hit by a car. Desperate to reach the hospital, he decides to pay a smuggler to get him into Israel. While this situation lends itself to an indictment of Israeli policies and practices and the demonization of uncaring, unfeeling soldiers, Nayfeh is refreshingly disinterested in clichés and villains. He keeps his editorializing to a minimum: a blink-and-you-miss-it declaration of antipathy for settlers, the petty and foolish theft of an Israeli flag, a glimpse of a roadside billboard of Trump and Netanyahu shaking hands. The filmmaker devotes much more time to the opportunism and greed of the gouging smuggler and his unhurried indifference to Mustafa’s urgency. If you

relish movie shorthand, just the way the smuggler slips off his sunglasses tells us he isn’t a card-carrying member of a human rights NGO. It’s harder to discern the motivations of the couple who show up, and ante up, for a van ride to the other side. The woman speaks English and says she’s a German filmmaker; her Palestinian escort defends her continual filming with a caustic “Let her show the world our ‘happy life.’” The movie does contain a brief, blunt critique of Israelis, specifically those well-intentioned people — guilt-ridden bleeding hearts, to apply an American pejorative — whose opposition to the Occupation is more cosmetic than confrontational. “200 Meters” is at its best when it relegates politics to the backseat and lets Ali Suliman’s unwaveringly decent Mustafa carry the film. In addition to being the rock-solid moral center, he anchors this unexpectedly generous film in the everyday, problem-solving dilemmas of everyday people. Mustafa is the furthest thing from a sandwich board for idealistic slogans, yet he emerges at the end of his ordeal as an archetype of coexistence. Tip your cap to Ameen Nayfeh, for keeping hope alive. A

Shevat–Adar 5782

SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM |

Local Offerings All events are now in-person unless specified otherwise.

Lawrence Family JCC All content is available at lfjcc.org Patrons must be fully vaccinated and wear a mask while indoors. FEB. 9-20: The 32nd Annual San Diego International Jewish Film Festival | On-Site and Virtual Screenings Patrons are invited to enjoy the screenings for many new, critically-acclaimed films either on-site at LFJCC or on demand. Tickets for the festival are $15 for non-members and $12 for JCC members. See page 25 for more coverage.

▲ L-R: Samantha Duval & Jo Garcia-Reger in “Desperate Measures.” PHOTO BY AARON RUMLEY

North Coast Repertory Theatre All content is available on northcoastrep.org. Patrons must be fully vaccinated or show a negative PCR test result within 72 hours of the performance. THRU FEB. 12: Desperate Measures A critically-acclaimed musical comedy of Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure” set in the Wild West. ▲

Playwright of “Trouble in Mind” Alice Childress.

The Old Globe All content is available at theoldglobe.org Patrons must be fully vaccinated or show a negative PCR test result within 72 hours of the performance. FEB. 5–MARCH 13: Trouble in Mind A new production of the American classic that The New York Times recently called a “rich, unsettling play that lingers in one’s memory long after its conclusion.”

San Diego Repertory Theatre All content is available on sdrep.org. THRU FEB. 6: A Weekend with Pablo Picasso | Online Herbert Siguenza portrays Pablo Picasso; the actor draws and paints in real time during his performance.

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

Coronado Playhouse All content is on coronadoplayhouse.org THRU FEB. 20.: The SpongeBob Musical This musical version of Nickelodeon’s hit SpongeBob takes the audience on a journey through Bikini Bottom featuring an eclectic musical score with original tunes by John Legend, Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles and more.

San Diego Symphony All content is available on sandiegosymphony.org. FEB. 3-6, 7:30 p.m.: Four Seasons by Vivaldi and Piazzola | The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center Featuring Antonio Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” and composer Astor Piazzolla’s version. Led by conductor Christopher Dragon with violin by Elena Urioste.

NOV 9, 7 P.M.: Hybrid Gallery Talk with Wang Qingsong Join artist Wang Qingsong in a hybrid gallery talk occurring over Zoom and in-person. The artist will speak about the photographs in his upcoming SDMA exhibition titled “Wang Qingsong: Social Mobility.” Audiences are encouraged to engage in a Q+A session with the artist after the gallery talk.

FEB. 12, 15, 18, 20, 2 P.M., 7:30 p.m.: San Diego Opera Presents Cosí Fan Tutte | The Civic Theatre This fun-filled opera features Mozart’s music sung in Italian with English translations.

The Reuben Fleet Science Center

▲

Reginald Smith as Don Alfonso in “Cosi Fan Tutte.”

All content is on rhfleet.org and requires registration.

La Jolla Music Society All content is available on ljms.org. Patrons must provide proof of vaccination or wear a mask at all times. FEB. 10, 7 P.M.: Nat Geo Live: Spinosaurus — Lost Giant of the Cretaceous | The Baker-Baum Concert Hall As part of La Jolla Music Society’s “Speaker Series.” Join paleontologist Nizar Ibrahim, the man who discovered the prehistoric spinosaurus as he speaks about his remarkable discovery. FEB. 25, 6:30 & 8:30 P.M.: Goitse | The JAI This award-winning Irish quintet will perform a mix of classic Irish jigs with their own original compositions.

San Diego Museum of Art

FEB. 1-MAY 3, 11 A.M.: StudioX Going Places The Center’s makerspace features weekly hands-on activities and projects aimed at exploring transportation concepts. Projects include derby tracks, wind-powered cars and hovercrafts. FEB. 7, 10:30 A.M.: Sharp Minds This discussion is titled: “What NASA’s new JWS Telescope means to local physicists and astronomers.” Learn fun facts about NASA’s new telescope (JWST). FEB. 2, 7 P.M.: LIVE Sky Tonight This discussion centers on the constellations that are only visible from the southern hemisphere of Earth. FEB. 3, 5, 11 A.M.: Young Scientists | Online and in-person A preschool science program for hands-on science and learning experiences.

All content is available on sdmart.org FEB. 13, 1 P.M.: SDMA+ Romantic ArtStops with the San Diego Shakespeare Society The Museum’s upper and lower rotunda will transform into a stage for the San Diego Shakespeare Society to perform the balcony scene from Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.”

San Diego Natural History Museum All content is on sdnhm.org. FEB. 5, 6, 12, 15, 19, 20, 26: Nature Hike This month’s hikes are at El Monte Park, San Dieguito River Park, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Tecolote Canyon Natural Park, Rancho Jamul Ecological Reserve and Tijuana Estuary.

▲ San Diego Shakespeare Society at the SDMA.

FEB. 25, 10 A.M.: Virtual Live Lesson: Animal Architects | Online This Zoom webinar explores how animals in the San Diego region build their homes and the structures they create. Shevat–Adar 5782

SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM |

nges with kindness le al ch s ’ fe li ng ti ee M munity. in our Jewish Com

We believe no Jewish household should face life’s challenges alone.

Adopt-A-Kindness Family When you “Adopt-A-Kindness Family” you can make a substantial difference in the life of a specific, local Jewish individual or household. Our Adopt-A-Kindness Family program is a one-year commitment to giving and helps a family through whatever hardship they are facing. One hundred percent of your gift goes directly to the family each month, and your contribution is tax deductible.

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

Ready to make a difference in the life of a family?

visit kindnessSD.org

Food

by Micah Siva

noshwithmicah.com

Carrot Muhammara Muhammara is a rich dip, traditionally made using roasted red peppers, walnuts and pomegranate molasses. Make this carrot-based, date-sweetened version of the Middle Eastern dip and switch up your dip game! Sumac is a deep purple seasoning that is a little tart, tangy and full of delicious flavor, don’t skip it! SERVES 8 INGREDIENTS:

PREPARATION:

• 7 medium carrots, roughly chopped into 1-inch pieces

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Add carrots to a baking dish, drizzle with 2 tbsp. olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for 25 minutes.

• 1 cup walnuts, raw

• 2 tbsp. date syrup (or use pomegranate molasses and omit the lemon juice)

Remove from oven and add the walnuts to the dish, baking for an additional 3 minutes, or until walnuts are toasted.

Combine carrots, walnuts, remaining olive oil, date syrup, lemon juice, garlic and sumac in a food processor, blending until smooth.

• 1 clove garlic

Top with additional olive oil, syrup and sumac.

• 2 tsp. sumac

Enjoy!

• 1/3 cup olive oil, divided

• 1 tsp. lemon juice or champagne vinegar

• Sea salt, to taste Shevat–Adar 5782

SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM |

A DV ERTORIA L

11th Annual San Diego Love of Israel Brunch to Feature Award‑Winning Author, Matti Friedman One of Israel’s most outspoken advocates is set to headline Jewish National Fund-USA’s (JNF-USA) 11th Annual San Diego Love of Israel Brunch, taking place on Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022, at 10 a.m. at the Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier in Downtown San Diego. Keynote speaker, Matti Friedman — a renowned IsraeliCanadian journalist, award-winning author, and leading expert on Israel’s modern history — will share his perspective on how the media unfairly portrays Israel and what supporters of Israel can do to set the story straight. As a global media thought leader, Friedman regularly calls out derogatory media bias against Israel and is well-known for reframing the narrative in a factual, historically informed way that is missing from the mainstream narrative. “During his keynote address, Friedman will provide insight into some of the false and negative biases that stem from Western media reports and what has changed over the last two years,” said event co-chairs, Leslie and Shlomo Caspi. “Biased reporting creates the misconception that Israel is a center of major global conflict and division, so we must learn how to tackle these falsities head-on and understand how to speak about Israel in a new and compelling way.” Several of Friedman’s written works have received numerous awards and international praise. His 2016 book, “Pumpkinflowers: A Soldier’s Story of a Forgotten War,” was selected as a New York Times Notable Book and was included in Amazon’s 10 Best Books of the Year, while “Spies of No Country: Secret Lives at The Birth of Israel” was selected as the Editor’s Choice of The New York Times Book Review and won the 2018 Natan Book Award. Friedman also

contributes to The New York Times Op-Ed section and has written for other esteemed publications including Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. In addition to hearing from Friedman and joining local supporters of Israel for a delicious, festive brunch in celebration of the Jewish Homeland, guests will learn about the impact JNF-USA and the San Diego community have had on the land and people of Israel. Speaking to her beloved San Diego Jewish and Zionist community, JNF-USA San Diego Board President Debbie Kornberg adds, “The San Diego Jewish community has played a significant role in helping JNFUSA make the impossible possible for Israelis living in the remote northern and southern regions of Israel. What was once a vast, unpopulated desert is now becoming a rapidly developing hub for innovation and tech in Israel’s southern Negev region and what was once a sleepy agricultural region up north in the Galilee is quickly becoming a vibrant destination for tourism. Your attendance at our Love of Israel Brunch shows your support for Israel and will truly have an impact that is felt on the other side of the world...join us!” “While we can’t always rely on the media to support Israel and portray the situation in a balanced and fair way, support for Israel among regular people like you and me is at an all-time high,” said JNF-USA National President and local San Diegan, Dr. Sol Lizerbram. “On a national scale, JNF-USA recently closed out another record-breaking campaign year, once again raising well over $100 million that will directly support critical environmental, economic and quality of life initiatives that promote prosperity for all Israelis regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender, or ability.” An exclusive major donor reception with Matti Friedman and an afterparty for young professionals (ages 22-40) will be held directly following the brunch.

For additional information and to register, visit jnf.org/SDBrunch or contact Monica Suissa, JNF-USA Director, San Diego at 858-824-9178 x 858 or msuissa@jnf.org.

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

ADVICE

ASK MARNIE by Marnie Macauley

| marniemacauley@gmail.com

“It’s Mine!” When Siblings Argue: Strategies That Work Part 2 Shalom my dear San Diegans: In our last issue we looked at the ignoble relationship between sibs — and why — despite sharing delightful DNA, at times they might treat a terrorist better. Today we look at the strategies themselves. STRATEGY #1: Equality vs. Fairness

Children need to be loved and provided for uniquely, as they are unique with different needs. How much better to lose the measuring tape, assure each they are special and will get what’s required. Example: When Mark starts arguing “Not Fair” that his brother got a larger hamburger, simply say : “Are you still hungry? Would you like another half or can you handle two?” STRATEGY #2: Get off the Bench and Refuse to Play Judge Judy in Small Disputes.

As the “boss” of the home, our children look to us to be judge and jury. This, of course, is a lose-lose situation, as one child will “lose” — as will we. First, prioritize. Not every little squabble is our “business.” Whenever possible, let them create strategic solutions over the small stuff.

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

The “bigger stuff” does require our attention but, rather than playing cop or judge, the goal is to teach them how to settle things themselves. Example: Shayna, seven, and Michael, six, are arguing furiously over a Sing-AMa-Jig techie-thingy. Each is screaming and holding onto it with the strength of Sumo wrestlers. Our natural inclination is to yell and “investigate.” Strategy: a) Identify the feelings: “I see two children who are angry at each other.” b) Identify the conflict: “Hmmm. Shayna, you were playing with it, then Michael wanted to play too. Wow. This is tough. Both of you want to play with the same toy now.” c) Throw it back: “If you think hard together, I know you can find a fair solution.” Then, get “outta” there. I hear you groaning, “Right.” But believe it or not, most children, when you show them you have confidence in their ability to work things out will figure it out! And you’ve managed to avoid the fall-out and charges of favoritism that comes with being the mommy-in-the-middle.

STRATEGY #3: Stopping the Bully/Victim Cycle

In many sibling relationships, a “bully” vs. “victim” cycle develops. How often have we heard these words between them: “If you don’t get out, I’ll ...!” as the “bully” threatens or grabs, while the “victim” withers, whines, tattle-tales and looks to us to punish the offender? This is a tough one, as our sympathies are often with the victim. Example: David, 10, is hitting his eight-year-old sister’s doll and threatening, “If you don’t get out of here, Anna, I’ll smash it!!” while Anna is hysterical. Rather than saying: “David! You’re bullying again! Knock it off!” it’s more helpful to say, “No teasing or smashing! You know how to ask for what you want nicely and I expect you to do it right now!” As for the “victim,” instead of going the “poor baby” route, the task here is to help her learn to stand up for herself. Comments such as: “You can tell your brother ‘I got it for my birthday. It’s my toy’” or, “If he teases you with a mean face, tell him ‘You don’t scare me!’” In a perfect world, the above will work, but as we know, at times things continues on next page >>

Advice

continued

may spiral out of control and of course we must step in to avoid a potentially dangerous situation! STRATEGY #4: The “Meeting Hall”

Among sibs, there are persistent triggers in specific situations. Your Eli, 14, baby-sits when you go out for short hops, but becomes a mega-macher, ordering his 12-year-old sister Becca around, and calling the shots over everything from TV viewing to choosing iPad apps. If she disobeys, he pinches her. Call a family meeting to discuss the situation. Invite each child to express their feelings simply, without anger, using a “When you..., I feel...” template. Ask the kids to write fair solutions and establish a final judgement as parent. Then follow up a week later to see how the new strategy is working. The push-pull between siblings is a powerful microcosm of the world to come. Just imagine brothers and sisters growing up in homes where hurting isn’t tolerated; where children learn to negotiate fairly; and where cooperation is encouraged over competition. From such a home, they will have the tools and the confidence to grow together, rather than apart. A

Direct Diamond Importers specializing in custom design & manufacture and repairs while you watch Fine Jewelry

Serving You Since 1975

73 -375 E L PA S EO, S U I T E K • PALM DESERT, CA 92260 • (760) 773-5522

Shevat–Adar 5782

SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM |

Shalom Baby WELCOMING BABIES & FAMILIES TO SAN DIEGO’S JEWISH COMMUNITY To receive a FREE

Welcome Gift Basket

delivered to your door, contact shalombaby@lfjcc.org Learn about Shalom Baby Programs & Events lfjcc.org/shalombaby Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center | JACOBS FAMILY CAMPUS

JESSICA FINK JUDY NEMZER VIVIEN DEAN

Design Decor Production

Mitzvah Event Productions

Direct Line: (858) 362-1352 E-mail: littlemensches@gmail.com www.lfjcc.org/shalombaby/littlemensches l

LYDIA KRASNER 619.548.3485 www.MitzvahEvent.com lydia@mitzvahevent.com

RICK’S DE S E R T G R I LL Est. 1985

SERVING CUBAN-AMERICAN FOOD OPEN DAILY 3–10PM | LUNCH & DINNER 1596 N. Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 | (760) 325-2127

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

member of

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

Cantor Deborah Davis

ROTISSERIE AFFAIR CATERING WE CATER ANY EVENT!

Custom Wedding Ceremonies

Let us work together to create a wedding ceremony that reflects the joy of your special day. As Humanistic Jewish clergy I focus on each couple’s uniqueness and their love for each other. I welcome Jewish, interfaith and same-sex couples. I also perform all life-cycle ceremonies.

Celebrating 30 years

• Bar/Bat Mitzvah Parties • Weddings • Graduation Parties • Corporate Events • 30-5,000 People • Kosher Platters • Barucha Luncheons

ALWAYS COOKED FRESH ON-SITE!

• Rotisserie Free Range Chicken • Kosher Slow-Cooked Brisket • Whole Rotisserie Lamb • Grilled Salmon & Mahi Mahi • Choice cut Roast Beef • Rotisserie Marinated Turkey • Shabbat Luncheons • Vegan and vegetarian options available

For further information please contact

Deborah Davis • 619.275.1539 www.deborahjdavis.com

KORNFELD AND ASSOCIATES,, CPA ASSOCIATES CPAss

858-578-8891

7313 Carroll Road • 92121 www.rotisserieaffair.com

2067 First Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 Bankers Hill p: 619.563.8000 | f: 619.704.0206 gkornfeld@kornfeldandlevy.com

Gary Kornfeld Certified Public Accountant

TODD S. FRANK, CLU 4660 La Jolla Village Dr. Suite 300 San Diego, CA 92122 Cell: 858.922.1415 tfrank@financialguide.com

L I F E I N S U R A N C E . D I S A B I L T Y I N C O M E I N S U R A N C E . L O N G T E R M C A R E I N S U R A N C E .

Insurance Representative of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), Springfield, MA 01111-0001, and its affiliated US insurance companies. Registered Representative of and securities offered through MML Investors Services, LLC, Member SIPC and MassMutual subsidiary.10960 Wilshire Blvd Suite 2100 Los Angeles, CA 90024 (310) 689-3300. CA Insurance License #0515950. CRN202411 -1217636

Shevat–Adar 5782

SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM |

| SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM February 2022

Shevat–Adar 5782

SDJEWISHJOURNAL.COM |

Così fan tutte WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART February 12, 15, 18, 20m, 2022 San Diego Civic Theatre

Così fan tutte returns to the San Diego Opera stage after a 17 year absence in a new production! Featuring an international cast of award-winning young stars.

FOR TICKETS, VISIT SDOPERA.ORG OR CALL (619) 533-7000 Buy with confidence: SDOPERA.org/Safety

EXPERIENCE THE EXPRESSIVE POWER OF THE HUMAN VOICE Scan this QR code with the camera app on your smartphone for a sneak preview of Così fan tutte.