By Liz Nederlander Coden
LA JOLLA, California –Wow! We really started off our new San Diego Center for Jewish Culture season with a Blockbuster! Jeffrey Seller, Producer of the most iconic Broadway show, the legendary Hamilton, and Producer of other groundbreaking shows such as Rent, Avenue Q, and In the Heights, really swept our audience off their feet! Winner of 22 Tony Awards, Producer of two Pulitzer Prize winning shows and drawing audiences exceeding 43 million around the globe, Jeffrey shared his personal stories with laughter, candor and humility in a one-on-one conversation with the talented and insightful Barry Edelstein, artistic Director of the Old Globe. It was an unforgettable evening and the perfect opening act of our incredible lineup of entertainment for our CJC, Center for Jewish Culture! I couldn’t be more excited about our opening night and the incredible programming on our schedule for the year ahead!
We are very excited to host the brilliant Gen-Z journalist and author Gabe Fleisher, founder of Wake Up To Politics, on September 17th, another event not to be missed! Fresh out of college, Gabe has been publishing non-partisan, political analysis for nearly a decade and will present key political insights, followed by a dynamic discussion on today’s political climate, from the perspective of a new generation. I hope you will join us for this and many other exciting events we have in store for you.
As we step into the Jewish New Year, I feel the same excitement I feel with any new beginning. For our JCC, this new chapter is especially sweet because it comes during our 80th anniversary year, a milestone that celebrates not only our history, but the friendships, memories, and traditions that make our community so vibrant.
This year, we are leaning into what makes the JCC so special: Connection. Our mission has always been to bring people together across ages, backgrounds, and even continents. In this new year, we’ll be doing just that with programs that link generations such as the cherished Roots and Recipes project, where family food traditions become treasured community history. Once again, we will be turning up the fun factor with Camp Cool Age because you’re never too grown-up for summer camp when laughter, learning, and a little friendly competition are involved.
We’re also thrilled to welcome back some beloved community favorites. The Festival of Lights Fun Run is lacing up once again, inviting runners, walkers, strollers, and even the occasional tutu-wearer to light up our streets with energy and joy. And this year, our Shalom Baby program turns 25! We’ll mark the milestone with a celebratory brunch that’s sure to be part reunion, part toddler dance party, and all heart.
These gatherings, whether around a lecture table, a holiday celebration, or a shared meal, are where connections deepen and community comes alive. As we welcome the Jewish New Year, I invite you to join us in writing the next chapter of our story. Whether you’ve been part of the JCC for decades, just joined last month, or are thinking about stopping by for the first time, there’s a place for you here. Come for a class, a concert, a run, or even just a cup of coffee. Bring your kids, your parents, your neighbors, or simply yourself.
I want to wish you all a New Year filled with light, laughter, and the kind of moments that turn strangers into friends and friends into family. Our doors remain wide open to people of all faiths and no faith, because we believe the beauty of Jewish culture is something everyone can share in and celebrate.
May this year be one of joy, health, and connection for us all, right here at our JCC.
Happy New Year and Shanah Tovah!
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Liz Nederlander Coden is board chair of the Lawrence Family JCC