San Diego County

Jewish Political Briefing: Friday, Nov. 21, 2025

The U.S. Coast Guard appeared to be making a quick turnaround on its previously reported decision to no longer classify swastikas, nooses, and Confederate flags as “hate symbols” but instead to label them as “potentially divisive.” {Donald H. Harrison]

Jewish Political Briefing: Friday, Nov. 21, 2025 Read More »

California, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Shanda File, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Emphasis of Thanksgiving Should be Giving

When we look closely at the word Thanksgiving, we see that gratitude in America is not only about inviting family and friends to share a meal, but also about giving to those in need and counting our blessings. [Cailin Acosta]

Emphasis of Thanksgiving Should be Giving Read More »

Cailin Acosta, Israel, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Obituaries & memorials, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

Theater Review: All Deities Are Not Created Equal

Two Classics professors, Ralph (Kevin O’Connor, Jr.) and Daphne (Katelyn Slater), discover a long-lost copy of Euripides’ play, Andromeda. This discovery could well launch them into academic fame from their present relative obscurity. Well, it would have if it hadn’t gone missing! [Eva Trieger]

Theater Review: All Deities Are Not Created Equal Read More »

Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

SDSO Showcases Mendelssohn’s Career as Composer and Conductor

Mendelssohn’s overture, The Hebrides, otherwise known as Fingal’s Cave, opened the Nov. 15 concert of the San Diego Symphony in its beautifully renovated hall at the Jacobs Music Center. The overture was inspired by the 20-year old Felix Mendelssohn’s visit to Scotland’s Hebrides Islands. [Eileen Wingard]

SDSO Showcases Mendelssohn’s Career as Composer and Conductor Read More »

Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Jewish Political Briefing: November 18, 2025

In an anticlimax, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a measure by a vote of 427-1 to force the Justice Department to release all materials related to the investigation of the late convicted child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and his partner Ghislaine Maxwell.  [Donald H. Harrison]

Jewish Political Briefing: November 18, 2025 Read More »

California, Donald H. Harrison, Israel, Middle East, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Sunflower Tribute to Vincent Van Gogh

A special display in the Fireside Room honored van Gogh’s enduring connection to sunflowers. At the artist’s funeral, his coffin was draped with a simple white cloth and adorned with sunflowers and other yellow blossoms—a poignant tribute to the joy and vitality he saw in these flowers. [Cailin Acosta]

Sunflower Tribute to Vincent Van Gogh Read More »

Cailin Acosta, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Press Release, San Diego County, The World We Share

Survey: American Jews Feel Financially Vulnerable

Hebrew Free Loans of San Diego’s Executive Director, Mindi Frankel, attended the International Association of Jewish Free Loans conference. She connected with 29 other free loan agencies. [Cailin Acosta]

Survey: American Jews Feel Financially Vulnerable Read More »

Antisemitism, Business & Finance, Cailin Acosta, California, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Staff and Bylined Contributors

U.S. Navy Veteran Charlotte Freifeld Awarded a Quilt of Honor

A Quilt of Valor is a generous “nap-size” quilt, pieced and quilted with patriotic fabrics carefully chosen to reflect honor and gratitude. Volunteers say that as they sew, their love and appreciation flow from their hearts into their work. After the quilt is bound, washed, and labeled, it is ready to be awarded—connecting each recipient to the broader quilting family. [Cailin Acosta]

U.S. Navy Veteran Charlotte Freifeld Awarded a Quilt of Honor Read More »

Cailin Acosta, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

JFS Releases Video about Its Efforts to Ease Local Pain of Government Shutdown

I’ve been truly moved by how our community came together to support one another. This short video shares just a small portion of that shared effort. Thank you for being a part of a community that lifts each other up. [Dana Toppel]

JFS Releases Video about Its Efforts to Ease Local Pain of Government Shutdown Read More »

Lifestyles, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors

Jewish Political Briefing: November 15, 2025

U.S. Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-San Diego) shares a fundraising letter with fellow Democratic Congresswoman LaMonica McIver of New Jersey, boosting the latter’s defense in a federal case charging her with “forcibly impeding and interfering with federal officers” in an immigration policy protest at Delaney Hall detention center in Newark.  [Donald H. Harrison]

Jewish Political Briefing: November 15, 2025 Read More »

Donald H. Harrison, International, Israel, News Media, San Diego County, Shanda File, Staff and Bylined Contributors, USA

Jewish Federation Launched 4 Simultaneous International Trips

For the past four years, we have leaned into travel as one of the most effective ways to build our own Jewish community, strengthen San Diego’s sense of “Am Yisrael,” and connect people to the essential, often lifesaving work Federation supports around the world. [Heidi Gantwerk]

Jewish Federation Launched 4 Simultaneous International Trips Read More »

Heidi Gantwerk, International, Israel, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Travel and Food

San Diego Jewish Men’s Choir Repertoire Delightfully Varied

Taking their fedoras in hand, they sang their lively opening number, the Yiddish Ale Brider (All Brothers),” dancing joyously, as they sang and watched the precise motions of their music director, Ruth Weber. [Eileen Wingard]

San Diego Jewish Men’s Choir Repertoire Delightfully Varied Read More »

Eileen Wingard, International, Jewish Religion, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors