San Diego County

Lawrence Family JCC slowly resuming fitness activities

The Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center re-opened last Monday, with limitations to its fitness offerings. The staff is still finding its way, under the circumstances. Activities are available Monday through Friday, and Sundays. The equipment from the fitness center has all been moved to the basketball court, which has the space to enable the required separation of participants. [Irv Jacobs, M.D.]

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Irv Jacobs, MD, San Diego County

Juneteenth and Jewish community reflection, action

It is six days shy of a full month between the killing of George Floyd on May 25 by a Minneapolis police officer and today’s ‘Juneteenth’ celebration.  It has been a time of daily marches and national protests for racial justice, and a time for deep reflection throughout America.  Many communities, including our fellow Jews, have been reflecting on such questions as “in what ways can we help to bridge gaps and create understanding and unity in our country?”  “How can Jewish tradition and values guide us in our search for societal harmony?” and “In what manner do we best start?” [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Former SD Padres, JNF boost Israeli baseball

Two former Jewish players for the San Diego Padres are helping Israel build baseball as a popular sport among that nation’s Jewish, Arab, and Bedouin youth, while also preparing Israel’s national baseball team to compete in the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, USA

Two Women of Valor building trust and community

The plague of 2020 still hangs heavily in the air, shuttering our theatres and concert halls. But thanks to the miracle of YouTube, the 27th Annual Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival goes on. Highlighting the lives and contributions of hard-working women, two of this year’s Women of Valor are Heidi Gantwerk, Board Chair of San Diego Jewish Academy, and Sharleen Wollach of the Jewish Community Foundation. [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, Judaism, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

ADL, NAACP, want corporations to pause FB advertising

The Anti-Defamation League, joined by such non-profit organizations as the NAACP, Sleeping Giants, Color of Change, Free Press, and Common Sense, has announced a “Stop Hate for Profit” campaign to encourage advertisers to “pause” their purchases on Facebook during the month of July. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

The Hush sounds of Zina Schiff’s violin

My sister, concert violinist Zina Schiff, has championed many contemporary Jewish composers, including Australian-based David Hush (1956-). She has performed his works on two CDs: King David’s Lyre and the all-Hush recording, Nesia, released by LMA Recordings. On this disc, Zina performs six pieces for solo violin: Lachash (Incantation), Kinah (Elegy), Nesia (Journey), Sinfonia, Lullaby and Melody. She also plays Contrapuntus, a duo for violin and viola, with violist, Victoria Voronyansky. The recording concludes with Hush’s Prelude and Fugue and Sonata for cello, featuring Mirjam Ingofsson, cello and Ursula Ingofsson-Fassbind, piano. [Eileen Wingard]

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Eileen Wingard, International, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA

‘Intentional Jewish communities’ incubator wins award

“Intentional Jewish communities” are groups of Jews who not only want to worship and learn together, but who also want to live in close proximity to each other, fostering a sense of shared destiny similar to that found on the kibbutzim of Israel.  There is at least one such group in San Diego known as the Urban Kibbutz. [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, San Diego County, USA

Zoom! Zoom! You’re the Sisterhood President

The installing officer was at home in Florida.  The incoming president was in Oregon.  And the other members of the outgoing and incoming boards of the Tifereth Israel Synagogue’s Sisterhood were right here in San Diego.  Welcome to what the Sisterhood members called their very first “Zoomstallation.” [Our Shtetl San Diego County column by Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Judaism, Lifestyles, Middle East, San Diego County, USA

Finding Jewish Women of Valor in San Diego

Thursday night’s Woman of Valor was Tammy Gillies, Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League played by Sarah Price-Keating. Gillies is the first woman to hold this post and there were a few members of the board who voted against her for this reason. They just couldn’t picture this soft-spoken woman shouting down a hater with a bullhorn. Yet she still got the job and she has shown them. [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Zoom in to Beachtown

During Passover, 2018, The San Diego REP premiered Beachtown, a fun, interactive town hall-style theatrical experience. Inspired by Pittsburgh’s Beertown, Playwright-in-Residence Herb Siguenza filled Beachtown with a cast of funny, relatable characters like the hip, surfing mayor, Steve Novak (Jason Heil) and an outspoken right-wing “journalist” Damon Haynes (TJ Johnson). Interactive by nature, I can’t think of a better show to transition to today’s Zoom format.  Hungry for some live theatre, over 130 “Beachtonians” zoomed in to participate. [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Finding a stronger desire to live

PEN America Prison and Justice Writing Programs, in conjunction with Haymarket Books, created a podcast featuring the literary and visual arts of prison inmates currently doing time. The virtual presentation included the music of Kenyatta Emmanuel, himself an ex-con, whose work has been heard from Sing Sing to Carnegie Hall. [Eric George Tauber]

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Eric George Tauber, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA