LA MESA, California – Practicing patience is often seen as a gift. Some people have more of this attribute than others.
Sometimes when I am driving or if I see on the news incidents of road rage, I think if only they had practiced patience getting from point A to point B, this accident might have been avoided.
I used to take a back road on which people would speed to get to work. I would keep my speed at the posted 45 miles an hour and routinely would have drivers behind me who would honk, pass me, and give me the “hand gesture.” I would wave back, smile, and say to myself “Thank you, I know I am number 1,” giggle. Sometimes I would see these drivers getting pulled over by a hidden patrol car just waiting for them.
Practicing patience with children is also a virtue. I always made it a point to never raise my voice or lose my temper with my kids. As much as I might want to snap and ask them “Why did you do this?!” I have always been able to take a deep breath and calmly talk it over with them, problem-solving with what changes they could make, and letting them give answers to learn from this mistake and move on.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Please take time to be more patient with drivers on the road, people at work, and children who will make mistakes but need to learn from them.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Congregation Beth El’s Women’s Connection invites women in the community to attend its “Rosh Chodesh Gathering” at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 28. The event includes Judy Kiguelman sharing her experiences as an Israeli American, moving to Israel at age 18, serving as a Lone Solider in the IDF as an undercover fighter and commander, and bringing that experience back to the United States, integrating it as part of her adult professional life and community service. Click here for more information.
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Congregation Beth Am presents its “Tikkun Leil Shavuot Zimrat Yah Service, Seeking the Face of God: A Night of Divine Encounter” at 8 p.m., Sunday, June 1. The prayer, study, and song session will be led by Rabbi Daniel Kornberg, Steve Kahn, Rachel Selk, and Ephron Rosenzweig.
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Beth Jacob Congregation invites the community to its “Mexican Fiesta Shavuot Dinner” at 9 p.m., Sunday, June 1. The event includes a fish taco bar and many other Mexican side dishes, desserts, and drink stations. After dinner, the congregation will observe Tikkun Leil Shavuot, an all-night learning program. Click here to rsvp.
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Young Israel of San Diego invites the community to attend its “Shavuot Dairy Dinner and Learning” at 9 p.m., Sunday, June 1. The event includes dinner followed by Torah classes with community speakers. Click here to rsvp.
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Hadassah San Diego’s Kehilat Kesharim will meet at 11:30 a.m., Monday, June 2 in the UTC/La Jolla area. The event is for Jewish business owners in the San Diego area to network, have opportunities to learn and grow, and have a “safe space” to discuss being a Jew in the current landscape. Click here to register and to receive the address.
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Tifereth Israel Synagogue’s Sisterhood presents “Left Coast Quintet” at 7 p.m., Wednesday, June 4. The event includes a performance of the musicians who will play klezmer, classic Jewish melodies as well as the works of Jewish composers, followed by a dessert reception with the artists. Click here to register.
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Congregation Beth El invites the community to attend its “Plaza Prayer” at 6:15 p.m., Friday, June 13. The event includes an informal prayer service accompanied on guitar by Craig Parks who joins David Lipsitz and the congregation’s rabbis for an upbeat Kabbalat Shabbat service. After services, a dairy/vegetarian-hosted Shabbat dinner will be served. Click here to register.
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The Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival presents “The House of Cohen: A Tribute to Leonard Cohen” at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 18 at New Village Arts Theatre. Grammy-nominated songstress Perla Batalla was a friend, mentor, and longtime collaborator of Cohen’s. Batalla will share Cohen’s music, poetry, and humor in this performance. Click here for tickets.
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Coastal Roots Farm invites the community to attend its “Farm and Film Music Series: Common Ground Film Screening” at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, June 26. The documentary explores how regenerative agriculture can heal the soil, health, and the planet. Organizers suggest bringing low-back chairs, food, drinks, and warm layers of clothes. Click here to rsvp.
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AROUND THE COUNTY
San Diego Hebrew Day School reports its 5th graders embarked on an unforgettable overnight journey aboard the Star of India. Participating in the Maritime Museum of San Diego’s immersive American Revolution experience. Throughout the night, students imagined themselves as merchant mariners navigating the triangle trade route between New England and the Caribbean.
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Cardiff by the Sea Music and Arts Salon owner Hillel Katzeff reports its inaugural community event sold out in 5 days – the event is scheduled for Sunday, July 13. Although they have reached capacity, the arts in the community are still accepting donations. Click here to donate.
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Israeli American Council San Diego Eitanim chapter earned top national honors at the 2025 National Eitanim Competition, with the Middle School team winning 1st place and the High School team securing 2nd place. Sixty San Diego teens took part in competing against teams across the U.S. Participants gained essential life and career skills – including creative and critical thinking, teamwork, leadership, problem-solving, interpersonal communication, and public speaking tools. The winning Middle School team created a water filter to reduce microplastic intake – part of the “Pay it Forward” challenge. The winning High School team built “Unbiased”, a platform to flag antisemitic bias in college lectures.
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House of Israel San Diego reports its Lawn Program, held on Sunday, May 18 was a huge success. Performances included Jonathan Valverde and Carine Bassili who filled the air with powerful song and spirit as Kosha Dillz was the emcee and lit up the stage with his music and energy. Organizers say it was the best-attended event in HOI history. Yasher Koach!
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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of the San Diego Jewish World.