By Cailin Acosta in La Mesa, California
2025’s chapter is ending, and 2026’s new chapter is about to start. Did anyone have a good year, or are we looking for more positive and less dramatic, healthy vibes?
Looking back, I don’t recall anything personally catastrophic. It seemed like a mellow year for my family. No complaints.
Wishing you all a happy, healthy, and healing 2026.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Other pending events, previously reported in this column, may be found in our Jewish community calendar.
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Bivouac Ciderworks announces its “New Year’s Eve: International Food and Cider Fest” at 8 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 31. The event includes bottomless food and drinks, international food stations, live music, and a midnight cider toast. Click here to register.
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Ner Tamid Synagogue’s Mitzvah Menches announces its “Sack Lunches for Interfaith Services of Escondido” at 11:15 a.m., Sunday, Jan. 4. The event includes making sack lunches for Interfaith Services in Escondido, and the organization will distribute the lunches to those in need. Click here to sign up.
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San Diego Center for Jewish Culture’s North County Lecture Series presents “Who’s Un-American? Antiracist Jews in Hollywood and the Blacklist” at 10:30 a.m., Monday, Jan. 12, at the Carlsbad City Library. The event includes a lecture led by Dr. Alyssa Goldstein Sepinwall, who will explore Jewish Hollywood writers of the 1930s-1950s who opposed racism, faced antisemitism, and were targeted by the House Un-American Activities Committee. Click here to rsvp.
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San Diego Center for Jewish Culture’s East County Lecture Series presents “Understanding and Navigating Spiritual Distress” at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 13, at Tifereth Israel Synagogue. The event will include a lecture led by Rabbi Director of Spiritual Life at Jewish Family Service of San Diego, Susan Freeman, who will explore spiritual distress, how it arises in uncertain times, how to recognize it, and ways Jewish tradition and beyond can foster resilience and healing. Click here to register.
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Tifereth Israel Synagogue’s Men’s Club presents “Richard Lederer” at 2 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 18. Lederer is the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Language Columnist and International Punster of the Year. He will explain what a pun is and will perform some of the funniest puns ever created. Organizers invite Lederer’s audience to contribute their favorite clean puns. Lederer will sign books before and after the event. Click here to register.
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San Diego Center for Jewish Culture’s Mandelbaum Family’s Lecture Series presents “The Closing of the Horseshoe: The Mainstreaming of Antisemitism from Fringe to Feed” at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 21, at the Coronado Public Library. This event includes a lecture led by Adam Masalia, who will explore how far-left and far-right narratives converge, how old myths are repackaged, and how individuals and institutions can resist antisemitism’s normalization. Click here to register.
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Congregation Beth El announces its “Jews in the Media” at 5 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 22. The event includes a Torah scroll dedication, communal dinner at BEIT Café, a program led by Rabbi Ron Shulman, Rabbi Avi Libman, and Jared Aarons, plus “Being a Jew in Hollywood and How The Simpsons Predict the Future” with David Sacks. Click here to register.
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Ner Tamid Synagogue presents its “Musical Shabbat” at 7 p.m., Friday, Jan. 30. The event includes a regular Shabbat service led by Morah Jessie, and Armin will be providing musical accompaniment, Oneg following services.
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June Rubin Studio and Gallery announces a “Save the Date: Valentine Card Collage Workshop” at noon, Saturday, Feb. 7. The event includes making your own Valentine card, which will include art supplies, patterned papers, stickers, and gems.
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San Diego Center for Jewish Culture and Jewish Community Foundation San Diego announce its “Death Over Dinner: Where the Table Meets Sanctuary” at 7 p.m., Thursdays, March 5, 12, and 19. The event includes conversations facilitated by Rabbi Susan Freeman through Jewish wisdom, shared food, and guided discussion. Exploring death, grief, and the soul. More information is coming soon.
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CHABAD CENTERS’ HAPPENINGS
University City presents its “Kids Shabbat” at 5:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 2. The event includes an interactive way for the children to welcome Shabbat, as the children will be at the center. Singing classic and new Shabbat songs, getting involved in the service, and enjoying stories and activities that bring Shabbat to life. After the service, everyone will gather for a special kiddush with foods children love. Click here to rsvp.
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Carmel Valley announces its Torah Life Center will host an Open House Magen Am: Community Team Member Program” at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 6. The event will include learning with Magen Am CTM is and the role CTMs play in protecting Jewish institutions, training pathway, time commitment, and expectations, equipment and preparedness standards, and how CTMs serve in close coordination with synagogue leadership to protect their shuls and community. Click here to register.
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Chula Vista announces its 6-week course “Jewish Learning Institute” Judaism Decoded” starting at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 20. The 6-week course led by Rabbi Mendel Katz will explore the mysteries surrounding biblical interpretation, how Torah law is built, and a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the most intellectually sophisticated religion in existence. Click here to register.
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University City announces its 6-week course “Captivating Cases in Rabbinic Responsa” starting at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 20. The 6-week course, led by Rabbi Effy Kahn, will explore Jewish law and how it is formed, applied, and kept alive. Click here to register.
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OBITUARY NOTICE
Benjamin Cary has died. He was the son of Cherri LeBus and William Cary, brother of Hannah Cary, Eli Aghassi-Cary, Elizabeth, and Matthew Seitman, uncle of Yehuda and Ahava Aghassi-Cary, Ranon, Katriel, and Natanel Seitman. The funeral was held on Monday, Dec. 29, at Greenwood Memorial Park, Temple Emanu-El reports.
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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of the San Diego Jewish World.