SAN DIEGO — The Israeli American Council (IAC) presents members of four families of Israelis taken hostage on October 7 by Hamas terrorists. The hostages who will be spoken for at 7 p.m., Monday, January 15, at a La Jolla address are Noa Argamanie, Ron Benjamin, Amiram Cooper, and Omer Shem Tov.
“They will share their stories, shedding light on the challenging circumstances they face,” according to an IAC announcement. “Together, let’s raise awareness and advocate for the freedom of our hostages.”
The exact location of the meeting will be provided to those who register via this web address.
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Pulitzer Prize winning historian David Kertzer delivers a lecture on “The Pope at War: The Secret History of Pius XII, Hitler and Mussolini” at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan 18, for UC San Diego’s Holocaust Living History Workshop at the Geisel Library on campus.
According to UC San Diego, “When Pope Pius XII died in 1958, his papers were sealed in the Vatican Secret Archives, leaving unanswered questions about what he knew and did during World War II. In 2020, the archives were finally opened. Based on thousands of never-before-seen documents, David Kertzer’s The Pope at War paints a dramatic portrait of what the Pope did and did not do as war enveloped the continent and as the Nazis began their systematic mass murder of Europe’s Jews.” Click here for in-person registration or here to attend the program virtually.
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U.S. Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-San Diego) issued a statement in support of Joanna Weiss, who is running in the Costa Mesa area seat that Democrat KaTIe Porter is giving up to run for the U.S. Senate. Said Jacobs: “Reproductive rights and climate action are on the ballot this year, and Joanna is a proven champion for both. We need her voice in Congress, we need to hold off Republican extremism, and we can’t afford to lose more women in our ranks. In order to retake the House majority and give our communities the representation they deserve, we need to elect Joanna and defeat the national Republicans eyeing this seat.”
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A poll by Politico of California’s U.S. Senate race, shows U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) in first place with 28 percent of the vote; former San Diego Padre Steve Garvey, a Republican, with 19 percent; and Democratic U.S. Reps Katie Porter of Orange County and Barbara Lee of Oakland with 17 percent and 14 percent respectively. Undecided voters and other candidates make up the remaining 22 percent.
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Members of the Sisterhood of Tifereth Israel Synagogue will celebrate Tu B’shvat, the birthday of the trees, on Thursday evening, January 25, with a workshop on making Vision Boards with goals and aspirations for the rest of 2024 and beyond. The workshop will be led by Jen Lerner and Miriam Ruchman. There also will be a presentation by Amri Flores of 96 Flowers and 13 stems on the “language of flowers” and what each different flower represents.
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Chabad of East County is sponsoring a community Shabbat dinner on Friday, Jan. 19, following a brief 5 p.m. Shabbat service. There is no fee, but donations are sought. Here is a registration form.
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Yoga instructor Jackie Gadd has compiled as a public service a list of venues where free sessions of yoga – perhaps including “asanas,” “chaturangas,” “drishtis,” and “pranayamas” – may be attended in San Diego County. Among them are the Norman Park Senior Fitness Center in Chula Vista; the Rancho San Diego Branch Library; Oceanside Presbyterian Church; El Cajon branch of the Salvation Army; the Mickey Cafagna Community Center in Poway; Bonita-Sunnyside Library (where Gadd is the instructor); Fallbrook Library; San Diego Public Library in Mission Valley; Spring Valley Community Center; George L. Stevens Senior Center; Chula Vista Presbyterian Church; the Southeast Recreation Center; and the Center on Centre Street in San Diego. And that’s just on Mondays! Here is a link to Gadd’s complete list.
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SDJA staff report