By Cailin Acosta in La Mesa, California
The seven weeks of counting the Omer are coming to an end soon, and we celebrate with receiving the Torah on Shavuot.
Many celebrations include dairy products. The Israelites didn’t have time that night to kasher their non-dairy foods.
Since we receive the Torah on this day, many all-night learning sessions take place that go through the night or end close to midnight, so congregants get home safely.
Listed below are many upcoming events to choose from.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Temple Emanu-El announces its “Annual Gala: Simcha Soiree: An Evening Celebrating Rabbi Devorah Marcus” at 5:30 p.m., Saturday, May 16. The event includes a cocktail reception, Havdalah, dinner, program, and dancing. Proceeds will benefit the Price Family Preschool. Click here to register.
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Ner Tamid Synagogue’s JAM presents “Arts and Culture: Watercolor” at 1 p.m., Sunday, May 17. The session will be led by artist Diana Finkelstein, who will teach simple contemplative art techniques to create your own art pieces. This event is for ages 10 and up; no experience is needed. Click here to rsvp.
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Coastal Roots Farm and JFest announce its “Regenerate: An Eco-Performance Fest” at 3:30 p.m., Sunday, May 17. This outdoor festival will feature theatre, music, dance, and ritual across the landscape. Performances by Jewish Climate Artists for California Incubator and during intermission, enjoy bites, drinks, music, and a chance to meet the artists and connect with the community. Click here to register.
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San Diego Hebrew Day School announces its “Annual Gala: Reaching for the Stars Featuring Shabbos Kestenbaum” at 6 p.m., Sunday, May 17. The event includes a cocktail reception, dinner, and program. Kestenbaum is an advocate against antisemitism who took on Harvard University. Organizers say to wear formal attire, and dietary laws will be observed. Click here to register.
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SD Kollel’s Women’s Class presents “Rebbetzin Nechama Eilfort: Two Tablets: One Torah, Wisdom from Moshe Rabbeinu, Dovid Hamelech, and the Baal Shem Tov” at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 19. This women’s event includes a lecture and desserts. For more information, call 619-287-9890.
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Congregation Beth Israel’s Speaker Forum and Dinner announces its “The Jew Who Would Be King: The True Story of a Jewish Zulu Chieftain in the 19th Century” at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 20. This event is led by Professor Rovner’s archival research and travels to the site of Nathaniel Issacs’ island in Guinea by telling of the harsh realities and moral ambiguities of colonial power, and exposes the entangled forces of Jewish emancipation and antisemitism. Click here to register.
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Tifereth Israel Synagogue presents “Tikun Leil Shavuot: Everyone Has a Story” at 7 p.m., Thursday, May 21. This event will be led by Jew by Choice speaker Furkan Safak, and speakers Sharon Wilson and Phil Johnson, who support Jewish homes and families with profound commitment and care. Click here to rsvp.
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Ohr Shalom Synagogue announces its “Tikkun Leil Shavuot” at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 21. This event includes a night of study and receiving the Torah.
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Congregation Beth El announces its “Erev Shavuot” at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 21. The event includes an evening of study through text study and discussion, celebrating receiving the Torah with refreshments of dairy foods and desserts. Click here to register.
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Young Israel of San Diego announces its “Shavuot Dairy Dinner and Learning” at 8:30 p.m., Thursday, May 21. This event includes dinner followed by Torah classes with community speakers. Click here to register.
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Beth Jacob Congregation presents “Shavuos in Tuscany” at 8:45 p.m., Thursday, May 21. This event includes an Italian-inspired dairy dinner with cheesecake, all-night classes for all backgrounds and ages, and kids’ programs and activities. Click here to register.
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Beth Jacob Congregation Youth present “Torah Bowl Game Show” at 11:15 p.m., Thursday, May 21. This elementary, middle, and high schoolers event include a game show, a Minute to Win It challenge, candy, tokens, and prizes at 12:15 a.m., and an ice cream party. At 12:45 a.m., “Middle School Learn-A-Thon: With SEED”, this middle school event includes a Minute to Win It challenge, candy tokens, and prizes. At 2:15 a.m., “High School Learn-A-Thon: Fleischfest”, this high school event includes learning until Shacharis with hourly meat delicacies prepared by Beth Jacob’s teen boys.
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San Diego County announces its “18th Annual Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast” at 7:30 a.m., Friday, May 22, at the Town and Country Resort. This event will include bringing together the LGBTQ+ community members and allies from across the region to honor the life and legacy of civil rights icon, Milk. The breakfast will honor activist and author George Johnson, former mayor of Chula Vista and California assemblywoman Mary Salas, West Hollywood mayor John Heilman, and La Mesa Police Department captain Katy Lynch. Click here to purchase tickets.
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Temple Emanu-El announces its “Shavuot Shabbat Experience” at 6 p.m., Friday, May 22. The event will include an interactive kid-free service, dinner program, learning, and music. Children will enjoy pizza and a movie. Click here to register.
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Yiddishland California announces “The Old Rebbe: Yehuda Pen and the Birth of Jewish Fine Art” at 11 a.m., Sunday, May 31, on Zoom. This event is led by Jennifer Stern, who will explore Pen, Marc Chagall’s first art teacher in Vitebsk, and the artist who helped invent Jewish fine art in Russia. Click here to register.
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Ner Tamid Synagogue presents its “Shmooze Night” at 5 p.m., Sunday, May 31. The event includes a social hour, dinner, poker, and games. Click here to rsvp and to receive the address.
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Ner Tamid Synagogue’s Gourmet Group announces “A Taste of Travel” at 4 p.m., Sunday, June 7. The event includes bringing a favorite dish you have had while traveling domestically or abroad and sharing a story behind the dish. Click here to rsvp and to receive the address.
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CHABAD CENTERS’ HAPPENINGS
University City’s Jewish Women’s Circle presents its “Focaccia Garden Event” at 8 p.m., Sunday, May 17. This women’s event includes creating edible art on focaccia bread in honor of celebrating Shavuot. Click here to register and to receive the address.
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Encinitas’ Jewish Women’s Circle announces its “Floral Workshop in Honor of Shavuot” at 7 p.m., Monday, May 18. This women’s event will include creating a bouquet, celebrating Har Sinai, and receiving the Torah. Organizers say that all flowers, materials, and refreshments are included. Click here to register and receive the address.
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University City presents its “Community Dairy Dinner” at 8:30 p.m., Thursday, May 21. The evening will include Torah, community, and conversation. Discussions include “Jewish Life in Iran with Farshid Farajzadeh”, “AI: Extinction or Elevation” panel discussion with Raphael Menko: A healthy Relationship with AI, Rabbi Effy Kahn: What AI can never replace, and Rabbi Yudell Reiz: AI and the path to Moshiach, and “The Trolley Dilemma: Discussion When Self-Driving Cars Meet Moral Dilemmas.” Click here to rsvp.
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East County presents its “Celebrate Shavuot” at 10 a.m., Friday, May 22. This event includes services, the reading of the 10 Commandments, followed by brunch. Or attend the “Family Party” at 5 p.m., Friday, May 22. This event includes the reading of the 10 Commandments followed by a dairy dinner and ice cream. Click here to register.
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AROUND THE COUNTY
Chabad at La Costa’s Channah and Arthur Hale Jewish Learning Center Building reports its library books have been moved downstairs and are almost done being organized. Lots of new books were received. We are creating a system so books may be borrowed. Turf has been installed in the children’s play area downstairs. The upstairs commercial fridge has been removed, making way for the ice machine and mixer. The Phase 3 Demolition is in full swing. The walls of the Rabbi’s old office and the previous library have been torn down. Much of the wiring has been rerouted, and the HVAC system has been updated. The work area is sealed off from the sanctuary and will remain so for the next few/several days. Much of the furniture downstairs has arrived and is being assembled. The Great Room downstairs looks magnificent and is getting better every day. Painting is scheduled to take place around the first week of June. New flooring will be installed after the painting is completed.
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Coastal Gan Preschool reports its sensory experiences this week included lots of water play, beans, and kinetic sand. The children explored scooping, pouring, filling, dumping, hiding, and discovering through their play. They also saw lots of creative building and storytelling with the Manga Tiles and people, as well as cars and blocks. Children also spent time talking about Shavuot and the Torah being a special gift from Hashem. They spoke about mother and Mother’s Day, and the children learned a sweet new song that they are excited to share with their mothers.
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OBITUARY NOTICES
Richard Coleman has died. He was the father of Jason (Rina) Coleman. The funeral will be held in Northern California, Chabad at La Costa reports.
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Julius Katz has died. He is the father of Haviva (Danny) Levenson and Tammy (Douglas) Randall, grandfather of Zachary, Sydney, Gabriella, and Sabrina. The funeral was held on Friday, May 15, at Home of Peace Cemetery, Tifereth Israel Synagogue reports.
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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of the San Diego Jewish World.