By Cailin Acosta in La Mesa, California
If you see something, say something. This morning, as I was finishing up my column, I heard noise and saw a bunch of teenagers on top of the commercial building’s roof across the street from my house.
This is trespassing, as I watched a few more teens hop the chain-link fence leading to the roof. I watched for a few minutes. This group of teens was smoking cannabis (which I know is legal for 18+ with a prescription and 21+ for recreation) and passing around containers that looked like a couple of “tall boys” or large beers (which is legal for 21+).
I thought to myself, “Don’t be that nosy neighbor calling in teens who are ditching school.” Then, one teenager brandished a rifle-looking item in the air and I thought , “Okay, this is not okay.” Being familiar with firing .22-caliber rifles at the gun range, I knew this was most likely a BB-gun. I called the non-emergency line and described what I saw, and police arrived in minutes to search the teens and confiscate their items and the BB gun they threw over the fence. It seemed that they were all instructed to leave, as no one was arrested.
I know I probably scared the daylights out of those teens, but they know they were supposed to be in class and not trespassing on private property.
Many of us are always on high alert in our community, so even a pretend rifle is nothing to joke about. If you see something, say something, and hopefully these teens learned their lesson.
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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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Young Israel of San Diego presents its “Crash Course in Jewish History Part III with Rabbi Eddie Rosenberg” at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 10. Click here to rsvp and to receive the address.
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Ohr Shalom Synagogue’s Men’s Club announces its “Men’s Discussion Group” at 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 15, at Pure Project. This men’s event will discuss the topic of end-of-life thoughts. Click here to rsvp.
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Temple Emanu-El announces its “MLK Jr. Day Interfaith Service Project” at 9 a.m., Monday, Jan. 19, at Dorothy Petway Neighborhood Park. The event includes park cleanup, minor landscaping, and networking. Click here for more information.
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Ner Tamid Synagogue announces its “Book Club” at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 20. This event includes discussing the book, Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale by Adam Minter. Click here to rsvp and to receive the address.
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Congregation Beth Israel’s Men’s Club Speaker’s Forum and Dinner presents “Keeping Memories Alive with Sandra Scheller” at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 21. Scheller will emphasize the importance of preserving and sharing personal stories, especially those of Holocaust survivors, to ensure that history’s human lessons are not forgotten. Click here to rsvp.
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Lawrence Family JCC announces its “Camp Cool Age” from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 21, until Friday, Jan. 23. The camp has no age limit and includes archery, dance, fencing, art, drumming, AI workshop, meditation, and more. Click here to register.
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Holocaust Living History presents its “Religion as Camouflage? Hidden Children During the Holocaust: Featuring Lauren Rossi” at 5 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 22. Rossi’s presentation will draw on testimonies in the Shoah Foundation’s Visual History Archive as well as separate testimony archives to explore the roles played by religion and spirituality in the daily lives of Jewish children in hiding during the Shoah and the complex motivations of their saviors. Click here to rsvp for in-person or virtual attendance.
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Hillel San Diego presents “Jewish Networking Hub” at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 22, at Glickman Hillel Center. This event includes a night of conversation, storytelling, and connection across generations of Jewish students, professionals, and leaders. Heavy appetizers and parking will be provided. Click here to register.
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San Diego International Jewish Film Festival presents “Keynote Speaker: Leonard Maltin” at 7 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 1, at the Lawrence Family JCC. Maltin will be joined in conversation with his daughter, Jessie Maltin, about film, favorite moments, and the enduring magic of the movies. Click here for tickets.
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Women of Temple Emanu-El invite women to attend the “70s, the Golden Age of the Album” at 2 p.m., Sunday, Mar. 22, at the Old Town Theatre. The play features music of Boomers, American Rhythm Mixtape, and RESPECT. Click here to inquire about tickets.
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CHABAD CENTERS’ HAPPENINGS
Chula Vista’s Men’s Club presents “Bagels, Lox and Tefillin” at 9 a.m., Sunday, Jan. 11. This men’s event includes breakfast, Torah learning, and putting on tefillin. Click here to rsvp.
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Downtown’s Jewish Women’s Circle presents its “Wooden Vase Workshop” at 6 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 22. This women’s event includes a hands-on activity making a wood vase in time for Tu B’Shvat. Noshes included. Click here to rsvp.
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Chula Vista announces its “Italian Shabbat Dinner” at 5 p.m., Friday, Jan. 30. This event includes a community Shabbat dinner with an Italian theme. Click here to rsvp.
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AROUND THE COUNTY
Chabad at La Costa reports that bagels and lox are now being served after services on Sunday mornings. Services begin at 8:30 a.m., and breakfast will follow with Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort sharing Torah thoughts to enhance the gathering.
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Chabad at Chula Vista reports its second session of Judaism Through the Arts 4-week program will start at 10 a.m., Sunday, Feb. 22. This session will explore the holidays of Purim and Passover brought to life through multi-sensory discovery. The goal of JUDA is to provide a positive Jewish experience for children in a warm, welcoming environment, empowering them with Jewish pride and identity. Click here to rsvp.
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Congregation Beth El reports parents Paula and Noah Sonduck, and grandfathers Michael Sonduck and David Zeligson welcome the birth of a baby boy, Theodore Odom Sonduck. Mazel Tov!
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Ohr Shalom Synagogue reports parents Phil and Julia Gleichman Miller welcomed the birth of a baby boy. Mazel Tov!
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OBITUARY NOTICE
Sara Liss-Katz has died. She is the wife of Jeremy Katz, and the mother of Hilary Katz and Julia Katz. The funeral was held in Mill Valley, CA, Tifereth Israel Synagogue reports.
Frida Wapner has died. She is the mother of Aaron and Paul Wapner. The funeral was held on Friday, Jan. 9, at Home of Peace, Ohr Shalom Synagogue reports.
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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of the San Diego Jewish World.
Cailin, GOOD for you!!!