By Cailin Acosta in La Mesa, California
Holocaust Remembrance Day was this past Tuesday, Jan. 27. The History Channel had Holocaust educational films, and other outlets showed other Holocaust films.
My 8th-grade twins will be learning about the Holocaust in history class and in their Honors English classes at La Mesa Arts Academy (LMAAC). They both came home on Tuesday, saying they watched a short documentary in History class and said they were literally the only two who knew about it.
My daughter (being outspoken) told the class that the Holocaust did not only affect Jews but anyone who did not follow the Nazi regime or were anything other than Christian or of the “Aryan nation”.
The hostages being held captive by Hamas on Oct. 7 are a stark reminder of being attacked for just being Jewish.
As we hold tight to the stories of those still alive from the Holocaust, we will be holding tight to the stories of the hostages from Oct.7. They will always show resilience and the power of prayer that helped them survive.
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Jewish Federation of San Diego announces its “A Conversation on Life After Captivity: Strength, Resilience, and the Power of Community” at 6 p.m., Monday, Feb. 9, in Carmel Valley. Twin brothers Zvi and Gali Berman survived 738 days in Hamas captivity and will share their experiences. President and CEO, Heidi Gantwerk, will facilitate this conversation, joined by Berman’s family and closest friends, as they share their journey of survival, separation, reunion, and healing. Click here to register and to receive the address.
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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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Camp Gan Izzy announces its “Tu B’Shvat Garden Party” at 4:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 2, at North County Mall. The event is for ages 4 – 10-year-olds and includes tree planting, kids’ crafts, music, games, fruits, and treats. Click here to register.
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Congregation Beth Israel’s Keshet announces its LGBTQIA+ and allies group will meet at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 6. This event is a safe, inclusive space for building connections and supporting one another within the community. A special Oneg will be provided. Click here to rsvp.
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Congregation Beth Israel’s Social Action Network presents “Providing Dinner to the Residents of Rachel’s Women’s Center and Night Shelter” at 4:15 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 8. This event includes preparing dinner for 35 women experiencing homelessness. A volunteer will collect all the prepared food in the Beth Israel parking lot, then deliver it to Rachel Women’s Center. Click here to rsvp.
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Young Israel of San Diego presents “Crash Course in Jewish History Part 5 with Rabbi Eddie Rosenberg” at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 8, at a private residence. Click here to rsvp and receive the address.
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American Technion Society announces its “Innovation Without Borders: The Joan and Irwin Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute Partnership in Uncertain Times” at 9 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 11, on Zoom. This event will include a timely conversation about unique scientific collaboration that is powering economies, transforming industries, and changing lives. Discussion will be led by Lihi Zelnik-Manor of Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and Greg Morrisett of Cornell Tech. Click here to register.
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Bat Shemesh Hadassah announces its “How to Have Effective Conversations About Antisemitism” at 2 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 15. This event includes a conversation led by Rob Hicks of the ADL San Diego and will train leaders in the community to navigate challenging conversations about antisemitism. Click here to register and to receive the address.
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Lawrence Family JCC’s JCompany announces its “Cabaret Night Featuring the On the Town Ambassadors” at 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 19. The event will include a night of music from past productions, stories, performances, and performers that have made JCompany shine. Click here for tickets.
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Stand With Us presents “Purim Shalom Storytime” at 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 25, at the La Jolla Riford Library. The event is for families and children in kindergarten through 5th grade and will include stories, music, and age-appropriate activities. Children will learn about the meaning and traditions of Purim while building connections with one another. Click here to register.
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CHABAD CENTERS’ HAPPENINGS
Downtown announces its “Rabbi and Retirees Luncheon” at noon, Wednesday, Feb. 4. This monthly luncheon will include food, great conversation, and timeless wisdom. Click here to rsvp.
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Chula Vista’s Men’s Monthly Tefillin Club serves breakfast at 9 a.m., Sunday, Feb. 15. Men are invited to enjoy a kosher “BLTT” – bagels, lox, tefillin, and a Torah discussion. Click here to rsvp.
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Poway and Rancho Bernardo announce “Celebrate Purim in the Wild West” at 5:30 p.m., Monday, March 2, at Chabad of Poway. The event includes festive music, Megillah reading, Mishloach Manot, and a Wild West BBQ Feast. Click here to rsvp.
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University City presents its “Purim in the Stadium” at 5:30 p.m., Monday, March 2. The event includes Megillah reading, sports arcades, stadium-style buffet, stadium photo op, beer bar, music, and face painting. Click here to rsvp.
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AROUND THE COUNTY
Congregation Beth Israel reports that teens and adults will be traveling to the Dominican Republic for a service-learning trip. Participants will build a home for a family, engage in meaningful cross-cultural exchange, and gain firsthand insight into the realities of poverty. Donations of much-needed supplies include school supplies, such as notebooks, pencils, markers, and coloring books, clothes, tennis shoes, toys, gauze, bandages, basic antibiotics, prenatal vitamins, creams for treating minor wounds, diclofenac cream, isopropyl alcohol, similar supplies for treating minor emergencies, and medical gloves of all sizes. Donations can be delivered to the Religious School office by Friday, Feb. 6.
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Chabad at Chula Vista reports that Total Wine and More on Eastlake Parkway carries kosher Israeli wines.
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Rabbi Rafi and Rebbetzin Chaya Andrusier of Chabad of East County announce the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Isaac Andrusier. Mazel Tov!
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SCY High School reports as part of the morning davening sponsored by the Board of Directors in honor of the release of all the Oct. 7 hostages, Rabbi Fiederer led the school in reciting Mizmor L’Todah after which Rabbi Adatto spoke to the boys about not only the momentous conclusion of this nearly two and a half year ordeal but also the long term impacts on the nation and the journey we have all gone through since Oct. 7.
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OBITUARY NOTICES
David Caidar has died. He was the father of Allon, Leetal, and Reenat, Chabad at University City reports.
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Stephen Gordon has died. The funeral was held on Friday, Jan. 30, at El Camino Memorial Cemetery, the Chabads of Downtown and University City report.
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Gary Leeds has died. He was the father of Adam Leeds, Jordan Leeds, Marni (Scott) Foote, grandfather of Blake (Nick) Eggemeyer, Shayna Leeds, Avery Foote, Zachary Foote, and great-grandfather of Hunter Eggemeyer and Mason Eggemeyer. The funeral will be held at 11:30 a.m., Sunday, Feb. 1, at El Camino Memorial Park, Congregation Beth Israel reports.
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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of San Diego Jewish World.