SAN DIEGO (SDJW) — Jeremy Pearl, the new president and CEO of the Jewish Community Foundation, reports that “since the October 7th attacks on Israel, our donors have directed $10,606,324 to 99 organizations supporting needs from crisis management to mental health support. Antisemitism is flourishing in our own neighborhoods. Our staff has responded, connecting donors with organizations working to combat hate. Within my first two weeks as CEO I had the opportunity to join Jewish Federation of San Diego’s Solidarity Mission to Israel, to get a firsthand look at the daunting needs for rebuilding shattered lives and places. It was an intense, emotional, and deeply moving experience. You can read more about my trip here.”
In the newsletter, there were these announcements:
–Hayden Crocker, a junior at Canyon Crest Academy, is the recipient of the Peter Chortek Leadership Award. He is the founder of Go Greenish, a youth-led environmental organization and national activism movement.
— Monarch School, the nation’s only K-12 school exclusively for homeless children, is located in Barrio Logan neighborhood of San Diego. It was the subject of a JCF spotlight article.
–The San Diego Community Kollel, initially fiscally sponsored by Beth Jacob Congregation, was the site of a visitation by the Jewish Women’s Foundation for a recent Rosh Chodesh observance.
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HONORABLE MENSCHEN
Jackie Semha Gmach and her “We Are The Tree of Life” has received a 2024 Wilbur Award of Excellence for the documentary We Are the Tree of Life Carry On, which tells the story of lost art, music, and creative writing — now found — of victims of the Holocaust. The documentary includes interviews and performances with Stephen Smith, executive director of the USC Shoah Foundation Institute; folksinger Peter Yarrow; violinist Eileen Wingard, and others.
Yarrow, the “Peter” of the famed folksinging group Peter Paul and Mary, said about the documentary: “The antisemitic drum beat of fascism, which feeds on fear, hatred and division, now threatens the way of life, and the very existence of, Jews and non-Jews alike. In response to this, “We Are the Tree of Life” builds solidarity amongst people of ethical persuasion. It galvanizes our will to confront hatred and fear with love, light and compassion, invoking the ethical Jewish imperative of healing the world, not by the sword, but by the power that comes from standing together, united, in the pursuit of equity, justice and peace.”
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OBITUARY NOTICES
Our publication has received the following notices of recent deaths in our community:
Goldberg, Sandra “Sandy” — Funeral services were held Sunday, April 14, at El Camino Memorial Park, according to Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort of Chabad-La Costa.
Savitzky, Debra Susan (Bell) — Funeral services officiated by Cantor Ben Rosner of Temple Adat Shalom were held April 8 at El Camino Memorial Park, according to Am Israel Mortuary
Weitzman, Laurence — Husband of Myrna, and father of sons Gary, Bruce, and Kenneth, he died on March 30 at age 87, according to Am Israel Mortuary. Here is a link to an obituary provided by his family.
Wynn, Christopher F. — The brother of Rachel Levens and uncle of Kelly Levens, Wynn died April 9 in New York and was buried in Philadelphia, according to Rabbi Mathew Marko of Tifereth Israel Synagogue.
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Preceding collated by SDJW staff from information provided by indicated sources.