A bissel this, a bissel that – San Diego Jewish news and chatter

(column 18, February 14, 2011)

Donald H. Harrison

Compiled by Donald H. Harrison

Jewish Organizations

Beth Jacob Congregation is using YouTube to publicize the Feb. 21 evening appearance of commentator Michael Medved.  The commercial is professionally done, and why not?  The congregation’s president is Rand Levin, one of the most talented video journalists in San Diego.  For many years, he and Ken Kramer teamed on San Diego history segments.
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Chabad at La Costa, led by Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort, offered these tips for dressing for Shabbat in a recent newsletter: “Our sanctuary is meant to be a place where it is conducive to finding inner peace and tranquility. That is why the Rabbis have many laws concerning the decorum of a shul. It is appropriate to dress modestly and to dress somewhat formally in shul. Men should wear button down shirts, slacks (no jeans or shorts), with jackets and even ties when possible. Of course the head is to be kept covered at all times. Women should wear skirts that go past the knees and blouses with high neck lines and sleeves that cover the elbows. Married women should wear hats and the like.”

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Congregation Adat Yeshurun will be selling packaged pizzas (kosher, of course!) on Tuesday, Feb. 15, for people to store at home.  Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School will receive a percentage of the proceeds.

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Hand Up, the student-created, Jewish Family Service sponsored food pantry for the poor, has received a grant from the S. Mark Taper Foundation to fund the salaries of two part-time case managers.   A portion of the grant funds were also allocated to purchase food and hygiene supplies for distributions.
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Photograph 51, a play by Anna Ziegler, will be given a staged reading at 7 p.m., Monday, Feb. 28, at the Lawrence Family JCC.  Publicity describes the work as “the story of a woman and the single image that unlocke the door to the double helix and the secret of life.”

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J.J. Surbeck of the T.E.A.M Israel advocacy group reminds the community that Israel’s goodwill ambassador, former basketball star Tal Brody, will address the San Diego community on his Israel experience on Wednesday, February 16 at 7:30 PM. at the Lawrence Family JCC Garfield Theater. Admission is free.
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In a Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School contest to see who best knew the Hebrew blessings before eating various foods, “3rd and 4th grade  winners were 1st place Rivkah Peikes, 2nd place Lily Arovas, and 3rd place Gedalya Rosenberg,” according to the school’s newsletter. “The 5th and 6th grades also had to study the blessings following the eating of food. The winners were 1st place Joshua Segal, 2nd Place Stephanie Attia, 3rd place Chaim Peikes. The 7th and 8th grades also had to study the laws concerning the order of blessings and mistaken blessings. The winners were 1st place Devorah Peikes, 2nd place Emily Attia, and 3rd place Ariela Freifeld.”

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Members of Tifereth Israel Synagogue who buy tickets for $10 donations in the congregation’s opportunity drawing for a Las Vegas getaway can learn something in advance about the odds always favoring the house.  In this drawing, Tifereth will get a split of the proceeds.  The winner will be issued coupons to be able to pay dues or other monetary costs at the Conservative congregation.
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Architect Taal Safdie has released conceptual drawings of her plans for the Waters of Eden Community Mikvah, which will be located on grounds leased from Tifereth Israel Synagogue.   To see the design, which quotes from that of the neighboring congregation, check out this link.

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Jews in the General Community

District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis has been named to the Board of Directors of Second Chance, the non-profit agency founded by Scott Silverman, to help recovering alcoholics, drug users and others to find housing, jobs and new starts.

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When Candye Kane, a member of the Jewish community, returns to the Belly Up Tavern on April 1, she will go there as a nominee for the “Best Contemporary Blues Female of 2011” at the National Blues Foundation’s awards ceremony in May.  Kane, who fought off cancer, says it has been a good year for her.  Her “Toughest Girl Alive” stageplay won favorable reviews (including from our own Carol Davis).  At the end of May she’ll leave for Europe, with performances booked in France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Holland.

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Funds will be raised for prom dresses for graduating high school girls who could not otherwise afford them at a prom dress design competition from 6 to 9 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 24, at Quality Social, 789 6th Avenue. Jodi Kodesh of NBC San Diego will serve as emcee for the event.  Here’s the website for more information.

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Tomorrow (Tuesday, Feb. 15) will be a big day for Munchkins at the Civic Theatre. That’s when J*Company standouts will have a dress rehearsal for their appearance with the national touring production of The Wizard of Oz. The Munchkin troupe includes Danya Greenberg, Sierra Lieb, Gabriel Mayer, Sebastian Mayer, Jonas McMullen, Nathan Miller, Rebecca Penner, Adira Rosen, Megan Spector and Marissa Wolfsheimer

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Er’ella Talmi, flutist and wife of former San Diego Symphony conductor Yoav Talmi, reports the campaign to raise sufficient money for an Israel Chamber Orchestra concert to aid  the youth of fire-ravaged Mount Carmel in Israel has reached the halfway mark, with many contributions coming in small denominations.  Here is how you can help.

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Ron Tobin will star in the one-man comedy at the Lyceum Theatre downtown from June 15 to Sept. 4 titled, My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish, and I’m in Therapy written by Steve Solomon.
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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World