ENCINITAS, California — When you think of your bubbe or your zeyde do you envision them in a cozy home, with the aroma of chicken soup wafting in from the kitchen? Photographs of generations of children, grand-children and great-grandkids smiling and exuding nachas into every crevice of the comfortably heated, well-appointed room? Idyllic as this may seem, it is not the experience of a growing number of Jewish seniors in our very own San Diego County community.
Seacrest Foundation is hosting the 2020 Women’s Auxiliary Gala, “Legacy of Light and Love,” to benefit the increasing numbers of community members in the greatest need. The event will take place on Saturday, February 22nd, from 6-11 pm, and all proceeds raised will support Seacrest Village Retirement Community’s Resident Assistance Fund. I was informed that this year alone, Seacrest will provide nearly $2.5 million in charitable care.
The Hyatt Regency of La Jolla is the chosen venue for this spectacular event, replete with entertainment by Los Angeles’ The Dancing Fire, a cocktail reception, followed by a three-course dinner. As if that weren’t enough of an enticement, a Live Auction will award some lucky individuals with the following items: Dinner for 10 with wine pairings at Pamplemousse Grille, a weekend in Los Angeles with two VIP floor seat tickets to the see the Eagles at the Forum, and a getaway in New York with four tickets to the Broadway show of your choice, a 3-night stay in midtown Manhattan and business class flight for four! There will be opportunities to bid and support the “Fund-A-Need” for the Resident Assistance Fund which has been created to provide care for residents who have outlived their resources and have nowhere else to turn.
Perhaps one of the most endearing and enduring parts of this philanthropic event is the fact that it links generations of loving, caring philanthropists. Co-Chairs of this remarkable soiree are a mother and daughter team. Mary Epsten, Women’s Auxiliary President for over 25 years, first visited the residents at Seacrest as a teen. Currently, Mary is the Chair-Elect of the Seacrest Foundation Board. To ensure that this model of tikkun olam didn’t end with her, Mary imbued her children with this same sense of the importance of a legacy. Co-Chair (and daughter), Alana Ziman, has been attending the Women’s Auxiliary meetings since she was a baby! While serving in the Rising Leaders Program, Alana is inducting her own daughter, Sydney, into the world of Seacrest. Ziman stated, “I see why my mother has always been so passionate about Seacrest and making sure that Seacrest is available to anyone who might need to be cared for in some way.”
So many Jewish recipients in our San Diego community are indebted to Sheila and Jeffrey Lipinsky. This event is no exception. This couple, serving as Honorary Chairs, have always been enormous supporters of the arts, Jewish agencies, universities, and causes. They, too, both come from a long line of benefactors and philanthropists and are doing their forebears proud with this event. Their important investment in the Seacrest Foundation ensures that those in need will receive care regardless of their personal hurdles.
This incredible event is just hours away. And just remember, the last time you visited your bubbe or zeyde, did you get the chance to tell them how much they meant to you, and how much you wished they’d always be in your life? We are a people linked by Dor v’dor. Generation to generation. What a great opportunity to remember your roots and pay it forward! For more information or to purchase tickets, visit this website. .
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Eva Trieger is a freelance writer based in Solana Beach, California. She may be contacted via eva.trieger@sdjewishworld.com