LA MESA, California – 2025 is here and some of us have those New Year’s resolutions of losing a few pounds, or more than a few. That involves being more active and getting off the couch and adding more healthy recipes or more vegetables and fruit to our diets.
My family and I have a tradition of staying in on New Year’s Eve and I do a Thanksgiving repeat of the Tofurkey surrounded by veggies and my mushroom gravy, salad, macaroni and cheese and Julian apple pie for dessert.
This is all while watching the Twilight Zone marathon. Rod Serling z”l, creator and writer of the Twilight Zone. would have been 100 years old on December 25. All of us have our favorite episodes. My 12-year-old twins used to call it the “black and white” show. My husband and I always giggle at all the smoking and drinking that was just normal to have in films in that timeframe.
I recently mentioned Serling in the Today’s Jewish Birthdays and was astonished he would smoke between three to four packs of cigarettes a day and died at age 50 from a third heart attack while on the operating table.
Another tradition is on New Year’s Day, I make a vegan version of “Hoppin’ John” and cornbread. The thought is that black-eyed peas, collard greens and all the veggies will bring you good luck in the New Year. Every year I make this dish. I will take all the good luck I can get for the new year. Plus, I set aside a few servings for friends who enjoy how I make it and stay clear of the traditional bacon that is used.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Tifereth Israel Synagogue invites the community to attend its “Kol Tefillah” group at 6:15 p.m., Friday, Jan. 3. This program includes songs, prayer and niggunim incorporated into the Kabbalat Shabbat service.
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Congregation Beth Am invites the community to attend its “January Campfire Shabbat Service” at 7 p.m., Friday, Jan. 3. The event will include a musical service led by Rabbi David Kornberg and congregant Ephron Rosenzweig with guitar and camp-style songs while around the campfire in the main courtyard.
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RUTH: Remember Us The Holocaust will host its opening reception at 2 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 12 at the La Jolla Library. The opening reception, sponsored by Jewish Federation of San Diego, offers an exclusive first look at a collection of original World War II and Holocaust artifacts from the exhibit creator and curator Sandra Sheller and artist David Beck Brown. Click here to register.
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San Diego Center for Jewish Culture announces its East County Lecture Series featuring speaker Rabbi Joshua Sherwin, Naval Chaplin and Lieutenant Commander for the U.S. Navy, discussing the Unique Challenges of Being Jewish in the US Military at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 14 at Tifereth Israel Synagogue. Sherwin will discuss the challenges of being isolated from community, creative thinking and solutions necessary for maintaining Jewish identity far from home. Click here to register.
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Congregation Beth Israel’s Men’s Club Speaker Forum presents “Social Class and Mental Illness in California with Professor Neil Gong” at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 15. Gong will address how people and families of different means experience mental illness and its treatment. Click here to register for the Zoom link, click here to register online and click here to pay at-the-door.
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Congregation Beth Israel, Temple Emanu-El, and Tifereth Israel Synagogue announce they will participate in the 17th Annual Interfaith Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service at 9 a.m., Monday, Jan. 20 at Balboa Park. This event will bring together people of different faiths and cultural backgrounds to participate in a hands-on community service day for all ages. Following the event, there will be complimentary hot dogs (Kosher, vegetarian Halal and turkey options), water and music. Click here to register.
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Congregation Beth El announces its “Winter Shabbaton” at 5:45 p.m., Friday, Jan. 31. This event includes a Pre-Shabbat service celebrating its new and “newish” members followed by a community Shabbat dinner. Click here to register. Rabbi Ron Shulman will lead a Shabbat Morning Service followed by Torah Study Lunch will start at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 1. Click here to register. Next will come an evening concert featuring Ba’al Tefillah David Lipsitz at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb 1. Lipsitz will share a wide array of his favorite music concluding with Havdalah and a wine and cheese reception. Click here to register.
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American Jewish Committee and Jewish Federation of San Diego co-sponsor their “Standing Together: A Community Response to Antisemitism” at 12:30 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 2, at the Hilton Bayfront Hotel. The organizers announced that Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter John Ondrasik will perform at the conference. The event is designed as a day for community learning and action. Click here to register.
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AROUND THE COUNTY
Kindness Initiative G’Mach reports its closure until Monday, Jan. 6. It will re-open on Thursday, Jan. 9 at its new distribution center at 9372 Cabot Drive, San Diego 92126.
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Congregation B’nai Tikvah reports its congregant Naomi Fisher won first place in its annual “Latke Contest 2024” which was held Friday, Dec. 27 at the Escondido Masonic Lodge. Congrats!
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Tifereth Israel Synagogue reports its modified office hours: 9a.m. – 4p.m., Thursday and Friday, Jan. 2 and Jan. 3. The office will not be physically open but is accessible by phone and email.
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Dr. Gary Weitzman, President and CEO of the San Diego Humane Society, reports that its shelters are filled with pets and wildlife that desperately need a second chance in 2025. Click here to donate.
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OBITUARY NOTICES
Helen Calef died Sunday, Dec. 29. The funeral and interment will be at 10 a.m., Jan. 3 at El Camino Memorial Park with Cantor Kathy Robbins of Temple Solel officiating, Am Israel Mortuary reports.
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Albert Klein, husband of Diana Lipowski, brother of Jeanette Klein, Raquel Sacal and Bernardo Klein died. The funeral was held Dec. 31 at El Camino Memorial Park, Ohr Shalom Synagogue reports.
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Tzvi Rosen, husband of Pessie Rosen, father of Rebbetzin Leah Bogopulsky, Devorah Brim, Elisheva Kovacs and Yaffi Dyckman died. The funeral took place at 3:30 p.m., Monday, Dec. 30 at Eretz HaChaim Cementary in Beit Shemesh, Israel, Beth Jacob Congregation reports.
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Lee Shulman, father of Daniel Shulman died. The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 2 at Hills of Eternity in Columa, CA, Congregation Beth Am reports.
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George Wise, husband of Gayle Wise, father of Laurence Wise, Andrea Wise, Donna Binns (z”l), and Lisa Brounstein-Gaffney, died. A private service was held, and a memorial is being planned, Congregation Beth Israel reports.
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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of the San Diego Jewish World.