(Column 17, February 9, 2011)
Compiled by Donald H. Harrison
Spotlight: Sy Brenner
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Veteran Sy Brenner, 88, was to have spoken to the Tifereth Israel Men’s Club about his experiences during World War II as a prisoner-of-war held by German captors who were unaware he was a Jew. But now he is compiling other experiences at the Veterans Administration Hospital where he has been battling an infection and has been entertaining doctors and nurses with his ever present humor, reports his daughter Donna Cohen.
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Jewish Organizations
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Agency for Jewish Education is presenting a lecture at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 23, at the Coronado Public Library by Ghada Osman, director of the Center for Islamic and Arabic Studies at SDSU, on key encounters between Jews and Muslims through history. Osman will deliver a similar lecture at 8 p.m., Monday, Feb. 28, at the Carlsbad Dove Library.
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Alan Friedman, executive director of Camp Mountain Chai, has sent an eye-opening, community-building offer to Jewish organizations in San Diego County. “We are donating a weekend (or midweek two nights/ three days) at camp for up to 20 leaders. This includes housing, five meals and a meeting lodge. This is a great chance to change it up, get out of the boardroom, and bring your leaders (synagogue, agency, yhouth group, pre-school or religious school boards and educators) to camp for a few days of training and development.”. He also reports that in the five years since the camp began in 2006, it has grown from 125 summer campers to 500.
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Congregation B’nai Tikvah will follow a service saluting the music of the late Debbie Friedman with an oneg Shabbat offering chocolate desserts. The service gets underway at 6:30 p.m ., Friday, Feb. 11, at 830 S. Melrose in Vista.
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Nurse Jan Kass , Nursing Prof. Kathy Marsh, and cardiologist Dr. David Marsh will tell Congregation Beth Israel’s Men’s Club what it’s like to go on a medical mission of mercy – specifically their experiences in earthquake-ravaged Haiti – at a deli buffet at 6:30 p.m., Feb. 16. To attend, call 858-535-1111 ext 3800.
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During the San Diego Jewish Film Festival, Friends of the IDF will host two Israeli soldiers whose jobs are to help train new recruits. Lt. Col. Alaa Abu Rukun, the commander of the Havat HaShomer IDF Base, and IDF instructor Lt. Anaelle Heymann will attend the screening of the Israeli documentary Yes, Miss Commander! at the Clairemont Reading 14 Theatre Sun, Feb 13 7:30 p.m.
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Alexa Levine had a secret weapon in mind when she decided to bring the refreshments to the House of Israel on a recent Sunday afternoon: her mother, who prepared the tabooli salad. Alexa meanwhile chipped in with hummus and pita. More wonderful refreshments-lots more—are on tap on Sundayh May, 22, when the House of Israel hosts the lawn program in Balboa Park.
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J*Company will be presenting Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat on weekends Feb. 15- March 13. Director Jason Chase will have some wonderful young talent to work with including Daniel Myers as Joseph and Jacob Davis as Pharoah. Others in the cast include: Daniel Ahmadian (Levi), Alexander Barwin (Benjamin), Talia Berkstein (Apache Dancer), Samuel Brogadir (Zebulin), Cameron Chang (Dan), Jonathan Edzant (Potiphar, Isaachar), Emily Hoolihan (narrator), Mady Maio (Narrator), Michael McDaniel (Judah), Rebecca Myers (Narrator), Scott Peterson (Reuben), Ethan Rappaport (Asher), Ashlen Sepulveda (Mrs. Potiphar, Maid), Darien Sepulveda (Simeon), Joshua Shtein (Napthali), and Megan Spector (Baker, and Benjamin’s Wife)
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Jewish Family Services, which operates more than 50 programs throughout San Diego, holds a Beatles-themed fundraiser, “All You Need Is Love,” featuring the Beatles Tribute Band, “Paperback Writer,” March 12 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in La Jolla. Auction prizes include a week-long trip to Jerusalem; a trip to Cowboys Stadium to watch a game from the 50 yard line with full VIP treatment; a day in an L-39 Albotros jet trainer; a Sunday afternoon dinner for eight prepared by chef Deborah Scott; and six box Hollywood Bowl box seats for the Rod Stewart-Stevie Nicks concert.
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Lawrence Family JCC plays host to the Moshav Band, which is touring direct from Moshav Modi’in at 8:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 12. Proceeds will support various programs including Hand Up Youth Food Pantry, the JCC’s Teen Space, the Jewish Student Union, and NCSY. Rabbi Adam Simon, director of the local NCSY, says of the Moshav Band “their music is rich with fiery rock/folk/reggae songs, spiced with the flavors of the Middle East.” More details from Rabbi Simon at 619-663-8672 or Shoshi Bogoch, the Israeli shlicha at the Jewish Federation offices, 858-571-3444.
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North County Inland Older Adult Center sponsors “Two Grandmas from Brooklyn” — actresses Barbara Haber and Irene Chapman–offering show tunes and lots of nostalgia in a performance at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, April 13, at Temple Adat Shalom, 15905 Pomerado Road, Poway. Ticket price for the Jewish Family Service sponsored event is $18 per person, including dessert buffet.
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Second-grade students at Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School had a sweet lesson in paleontology: With toothpicks, they had to dig the chocolate chips out of cookies, without chipping the chips. … The school is offering to deliver shaloch manot baskets for Purim for people in specified areas who order them on line. … Meanwhile parents and friends of the 8th graders are holding a barbecue this Sunday evening, Feb. 13, at Congregation Adat Yeshurun to help pay for the class trip to Israel.
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When guests at the “Champagne on Ice Gala” supporting Seacrest Village Retirement Communities entered the activities center at the Del Mar Fairgrounds on Feb. 5, they were surprised to see a large ice rink for the evening’s entertainment. “It was truly magical” said Jane Ottenstein, chair of the gala, who kicked off the evening by ice skating into the room to welcome the guests and thank everyone for their support of Seacrest Village Retirement Communities. Robert Haimsohn, chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mary Epsten, president of the Women’s Auxiliary, and the Homes’ Rabbi Patti Haskell offered the traditional Motzi, and Pam Ferris, president/CEO of the organization spoke about the mission of the Homes.
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Tifereth Israel Synagogue is offering for Purim a dozen hamantaschen (of various fillings) for $10. In the words of so many TV commercial, an ad adds: “But wait, there’s more – if you buy three bags, you’ll get a fourth one free.”
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Jews in the General Community
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The cover of the current issue of the Journal of San Diego History is occupied by photos from the life of the late entrepreneur Sol Price. The article inside, written by his son Robert Price, tells of Sol’s career as an attorney, and his evolution into a marketing genius.
Youngsters from the J*Company will serve as Munchkins in the Feb. 15-20 BroadwaySD production of “The Wizard of Oz.” They include Danya Greenberg, Sierra Lieb, Gabriel Mayer, Sebastian Mayer, Jonas McMullen, Nathan Miller, Rebecca Penner, Adira Rosen, Megan Spector, and Marissa Wolfsheimer
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The Museum of Man in Balboa Park is sponsoring a panel discussion on the volatile situation in Egypt at 11 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 12 in its Gill Auditorium. The panel lineup: Willeke Wendrich, professor of Egyptian Archaeology, UCLA; Avi Spiegel, Ph.D., assistant professor of Political Science and International Relations in the College of Arts and Sciences, USD; Ida Rigby, Ph.D., Emeritus Professor, History of Art, SDSU; and Necla Tschirgi, Ph.D., professor of Practice in Human Security and Peacebuilding in the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies. Dr. Micah Parzen, executive Director, SDMoM, will moderate.
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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World
On Feb 1, 2011 my father Sy Brenner ended up in the ICU of the Veteran’s Hospital. He was of sound mind, yet not so much of sound body.
He/We were told by doctors that abiding by his conscious wishes for no invasive medical procedures that he would not likely live through that night.
Knowing the inevitability of this day, our mindsets kicked into what I refer to as “auto-pilot acceptance.”
My sister, brother and I rallied around him. His local grandchildren came to say their “I love you’s.” My sister and I each took a chair beside him and stayed the night.
We talked, he talked. He brought up memories of our childhood, made unnecessary apologies and told jokes. While sad, there was bonding and peace.
He said he was surprised that his life was in this jeopardy as while he didn’t feel good, he also didn’t feel quite this bad. The doctors gave him choices about his level of care.
At 88 years old, this ex-POW from WWll in the European Theater had seen enough pain as a medic.
Living in a senior assisted living facility and attending veteran’s group meetings, many of my father’s friends would have major surgeries to save their lives leaving them in excruciating pain, only to die within a few days or months.
He made it clear that any treatment that would leave him that way is a treatment he prefered to go without.
My father is two things if nothing else. He is a consummate soldier and consummate salesman. From what we were told was his death bed, he wanted to make sure he had enough of his books in his bag in case any doctors or staff wanted one.
A higher power had other plans. Pumping his three toxic organs with antibiotics pulled him through. Sy Brenner is not only still alive, yet also went from ICU to DOU to a regular room and later today will be sent to a rehabilitation floor for a few weeks. As he gets stronger, he’ll likely have his gall bladder removed and go home.
This is a soldier who I’ve witnessed (as have my siblings) has learned new tricks in just the past year. The wisdom of this lesson to me is that old dogs can learn new tricks, and shift lifelong perspectives too.
Today he believes in going for his dreams without age being a detriment. He is our teacher. It feels that in his latter life, he obtained a confidence I did not know in him during my childhood. Writing his book THE NIGHT I GOT KILLED in this same year of his experiences in the war shows us that what he offers the world will go on forever. If interested in seeing book excerpts, you may at: http://www.sybrenner.com/book.html