SAN DIEGO – Rabbi Simcha Weiser, who has served as head of school for 43 years during San Diego Hebrew Day School’s 61-year history, quoted from William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night at a gala banquet Sunday evening, June 2, that marked the beginning of Weiser’s retirement.
“Some are born great. Some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” Weiser then turned to the man who will succeed him: “Dear Rabbi Geiger: we are thrusting greatness upon you tonight!”
Thereupon Weiser presented a symbolic baton to Rabbi Ben Geiger, who previously served in various teaching and pulpit posts in Irvine, Venice Beach, and Los Angeles, California, as well as in Forest Hills, New York, where he had been principal of Mesivta Torah Ve’Emuna, an outreach high school.
Geiger accepted the baton, which was created by art teacher Vanessa Carrillo, with a design representing all the generations of students served by the Orthodox day school. Her inspiration was a verse in Psalm 145: “One generation shall laud Thy works to another, And shall declare Thy mighty acts.”
Reflecting on the Shakespeare quote and the responsibility that was now thrust upon him, he gulped, “No pressure!” then quickly turned the attention back to Weiser, whom he said really had achieved greatness.
Agreeing, the 250 patrons who attended the gala dinner spontaneously rose to their feet and gave Weiser a rousing and sustained ovation. They all knew that this had been an emotional year for their school’s retiring leader, whose wife Betty had died April 30 at age 68. She had been by Weiser’s side not only at home, where they had parented seven children, but also at the school, where she developed and taught a curriculum for girls to provide them with “an understanding of Jewish philosophy, the purpose of mitzvah fulfillment, the value of family, and respect for the Divine plan in creating Man and Woman.”
It was noted that the transition from Weiser to Geiger occurred in a week of Torah- reading transition, with congregations around the world having completed the Book of Vaikra (Leviticus) and commencing with the Book of Bamidbar (Numbers) this coming Shabbat. Jewish tradition and folklore is filled with such coincidences that are perhaps part of the Divine plan. Another one to consider was that Hebrew Day School was 18 years in existence, the number equating to chai (life) when Rabbi Weiser was asked to assume its mantle.
In a brief address, Geiger said a lesson in the upcoming Torah portion was that as the Israelites moved from camp to camp following the Exodus, they arranged themselves after each move in the same order. “Everyone lived where God told them to live,” he noted. “Every Jew has a specific place,” he extrapolated.
No one has ever been, nor is now, nor ever will be exactly like any other Jew, the new head of school said. A unique prize, “a unique neshama (soul) is entrusted to you.”
Prior to the passing of the baton, much of the program at the Julep Venue near the border of the Mission Hills and Old Town neighborhoods reflected upon the legacies of the Weisers—both Simcha’s and Betty’s – that Geiger would inherit.
Yigal Adato, a business and leadership coach, emceed the event that incorporated a fleishig (meat) kosher dinner catered by Chumie Vann of North Hollywood’s Culinary Creations by Chumie. There was also a Chinese auction of more than 40 items ranging from family sightseeing tours to one-on-one lunch meetings with school staff members to baskets of goodies put together by students. Other auction items included jewelry and a Star Trek poster autographed by actor William Shatner (Captain Kirk).
Attendees heard via video from SDHDS alumna Charlene Seidle who, as chief executive officer of the Leichtag Foundation, divides her time between the Leichtag campus in Encinitas and offices in Jerusalem, where Leichtag-supported nonprofits representing the spectrum of Israeli demographics share a common workspace.
Seidle said her experience as an SDHDS student between 1988 and 1991 was pivotal to her decision to make Judaism and Israel central to her life.
Another video focused on science teacher Julie Rivard, whose students every year win accolades at the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair. Rivard was instrumental in SDHDS being honored as a National Blue Ribbon School.
One of the themes of the evening was “gathering strength during a difficult time.” School volunteers and professional members of PS 121 Private Security were applauded and cheered for the work they all had done to keep San Diego Hebrew Day School safe throughout the school term for preschool through eighth-grade students One PS 121 guard told me that the team had expected to be providing security at the event, but grateful school administrators responded that instead PS 121 personnel would be honored guests at the dinner and that, for this night only, another security company would work the event.
Miriam Belsky, SDHDS board vice president, said that before Oct. 7 security had been an issue, but after the horrific attack on southern Israel and the subsequent increase in global antisemitism, “the effort skyrocketed, turning into a force of volunteers – all with their own children and many with full time day jobs – working around the clock to make sure our children, faculty and staff are safe every single day. In a display of peoplehood, parents from Mexico, South Africa, Israel and other parts of the United States drew on their experiences, finding creative ways to keep eyes on every corner of the school. They applied for grants, reached into their networks for donations, and consulted with state-of-the-art experts. They took this on, so that our community could focus on their teaching, learning and fostering the next generation of proud Jews.”
In addition to recognizing PS 121, Belsky also praised the cooperation the school receives from the Eastern Division of the San Diego Police Department.
From local security the program bridged to the security of Israel, spending considerable time highlighting SDHDS alumni who have served or are serving in the IDF. I counted 18 posters — more “chai” symbolism — of individuals who had stepped up to defend Israel. Yellow dinner napkins at the tables had been folded into the design of yellow ribbons, symbolizing the prayer that Israeli hostages held in Gaza will soon be brought home.
Moises Ellemberg, the SDHDS board president, reflected on the question, “what right do I have to sit here comfortably in San Diego, while friends, husbands, fathers, headed into Gaza, rising to the occasion to defend the Jewish people?”
He added that he struggles with that question every day, “but while I fail to find justification for any such right, what I find very clearly is an obligation. An obligation to secure a next generation of Jewish leaders, builders, defenders of our Israel, who can be successful in the world, who understand in their heart what it means to be a Jew, and are proud without apology.”
Asking the dinner guests for monetary donations, he explained, “The San Diego Hebrew Day School provides financial assistance to 70 percent of our students, who otherwise cannot afford a day school education. Your support of the school directly impacts the future of 200 Jewish children who would otherwise end up in the public school system. Statistically, once that happens, we lose them and their children forever.”
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Donald H. Harrison is publisher and editor of San Diego Jewish World.