By Cantor Sheldon Foster Merel
ENCINITAS, California — At the last minute on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 1, I received an invitation from Genine, my vivacious friend, to attend a program at the Hive. I had a long day of activities, and was ready to relax after dinner, but since the Leichtag campus is only a block or so away from my apartment at Seacrest Village, I stretched my legs and joined her.
Folks gathered outside for light refreshments on the campus overlooking the beautiful landscape with the setting sun in the background. Ruth Platner’s paintings were on display inside the small adjourning building, so I wandered through the building-studio to view the paintings, and found most represented a mood or theme My personal favorites however were: a beautiful woman (life-like), a man with hat and jacket, a naked male with a very strong body (almost “David “ like”), a woodsman, and a man with a beret.
When the crowd gathered outside, Rabbi Brad Goldstein standing on a low stone wall, shared the story of his parents surviving the Holocaust and how it affected his life. Then a touching poem “A Prayer to the Sh’chinah” was read. Then everyone adjourned to a larger building called “The Hive “ to hear the program .
Jenny Camhi, Director of The Hive, served as Mistress of ceremonies and introduced the seated participants: Ruth Platner, her daughter Mimi Miller, Kelsey Greenstein Young of the ADL, and a pair of high school students identified as Andy and Anglina.
Ruth Platner, now 92, has poor vision so she asked her daughter to read her paper. Platner grew up in Germany during the horrors of tithe Nazi regime. When bombs fell, she and her parents were not allowed into the bomb shelters. Fortunately, they found refuge in the attic of a friendly family’s home, but constantly lived in fear of being discovered. They hid in a closet every time they heard footsteps on the stairs. Luckily they lasted out the war and remained in Berlin.
Always finding solace in art as a child, she eventually attended the prestigious Hamburg Art Institute to study graphics and painting. In 1949 she married Fred Platner, a fellow survivor. They settled in Wausau, Wisconsin. In 1978 she relocated to Carlsbad, California and earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Technology.
Her paintings have been shown at the Oceanside Museum of Art, and she also has taught Meditation and Art (based on her book) ) to incarcerated veterans. Her autobiography War and Pieces is an expression of the essence of life on a spiritual and universal level.
Following Ruth’s talk, Kelsey Greenberg Young, Assistant Education Director of the Anti- Defamation League of San Diego, described ADL’S amazing project, “ No Place for Hate.” It has been introduced in 61 local schools in San Diego and nationally for students from K through 12 grades. “No Place for Hate” is ADL’s national movement to support and educate students and educators who are committed to using the power of positive peer influence to build inclusive and safe schools. Young then introduced two students from Poway: Andy , a Sophomore at Westview High School, and Anglina, a Junior at Poway High School. They each spoke eloquently and both expressed disappointment over the apathy of most of their fellow students following the terrible attack and killing at Chabad synagogue, although it took place in their very own neighborhood.
Andy and Anglina handled questions from the audience with ease and clarity. Kelsey and these two fine young students gave the audience a realistic view of the culture in our schools, and for some they may have been the highlights of the evening. ( As youngsters, their last names are not used to protect their privacy.)
This kind of stimulating and even provocative programming is offered at the Hive throughout the year. I suggest you check out The Hive’s future programs on line to plan your next visit. Their activities in Encinitas are attracting people from all over San Diego County. In fact, I met a couple there who traveled from Mission Valley to see the Art Exhibit and hear the program. To attend programs at The Hive is an experience. It was for me Wednesday night.
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Merel, a nonagenarian, is cantor emeritus of Congregation Beth Israel in San Diego. He may be contacted via sheldon.merel@sdjewishworld.com