SAN DIEGO – Every four years the Summer Olympics are scheduled. The Winter Olympics are also every four years but if you watch it like our family does, it is every two years that you can expect to watch exciting history to be made. If you root for the Americans, it always brings tears to my eyes when I see “we won,” hear the Star-Spangled Banner and see those on the podium holding back tears as they are representing the best in the world in that sport. The next two weeks are filled with historical events.
I stopped by to see my dear friend Judith Springer this afternoon and after some schmoozing, she needed to get back to watching the tennis men’s singles featuring Nadal and Djokovic. I was thrilled to hear I was not the only one who is glued to the action.
Here are some Jewish locals (or close by) to root for.
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Sara Levy, a San Diego native, had never played rugby until her first year of college at Northeastern University. Now she’s representing America on the women’s Olympic rugby team. Levy, who was an active member of San Diego’s Jewish community throughout her childhood, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency “To see how excited they were for me, it allowed me to take that step back and really enjoy it and really see the pride that they had for me. And realize, ‘Oh, this was a huge accomplishment. I don’t need to keep looking at it as checkpoints in my career.’”
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Minna Stess, a Petaluma native, started skateboarding as a child and was winning competitions by the age of 8. She joined the USA Skateboarding Women’s Park National Team in 2019 and was an alternate at the 2020 Olympics, when the sport made its Olympic debut. Stess grew up celebrating Hanukkah and Passover with her grandparents, according to JTA. The Jewish News of Northern California [J} stated: “We’re not religious, but Minna very much understands the culture,” her father, Andrew Stess, said. “She understands where she comes from.”
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Keep an eye on 17-year-old Claire Weinstein from New York swimming the 4 x 200m relay and the 200m.
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Chabad of Chula Vista announces Torah class starts at 8 p.m., Wednesday, July 31. Torah and Tea starts at 10 a.m., Sunday, August 11. Rebbetzin Mushka Begun leads the discussion. Click here to receive Zoom link.
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Congregation Beth Israel’s Social Action Network will meet at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, August 6. Click here to rsvp.
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Chabad of East County shares the following joke: “Taking it all with You” — Issy was a rich man who was near death. He was very grieved because he had worked very hard for his money and wanted to be able to take it with him to heaven. So Issy begins to pray. An angel hears his plea and says to him, “I’m sorry, but you can’t take your wealth with you.” Issy implores the angel to speak to God to see if he might bend the rules. He said he would try. In the meantime, Issy continues to pray. When the angel reappears, he informs Issy that God has decided to allow him to take one suitcase with him. Overjoyed, Issy gathers his largest suitcase and fills it with pure gold bars and places it beside his bed. Soon afterward he dies and shows up at the Gates of Heaven. The angel Gabriel, seeing the suitcase, says, “Hold on, you can’t bring that in here.” Issy explains that he has permission and suggests he verify his story with God. Gabriel checks and says, “You’re right. You’re allowed one carry-on bag, but I’m supposed to check its contents before letting it through.” So Gabriel opens the suitcase to inspect the worldly goods that Issy found too precious to leave behind and exclaims, “You brought pavement?”
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GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Councilmember Jennifer Campbell (D-District 2) announces the success of the Short-Term Vacation Rental Ordinance which requires permits for rentals. She said it has reduced neighborhood disruptions and preserved housing availability for long-term residents.
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Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-District 51) announced that she was very active in the San Diego Pride events this month. She attended the Spirit of Stonewall Rally and joined faith leaders at Light Up the Cathedral.
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OBITUARY NOTICES
Jose Aguero passed away on Sunday, July 28 at his home in Ensenada. He was the brother of Tifereth Israel Synagogue’s maintenance team member Jesus Aguero, Tifereth Israel Synagogue reported.
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Nadine Finkel passed away on Sunday, June 28. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, July 31 at El Camino Memorial Park, Congregation Beth Israel reports. Finkel spent over 30 years committed to the Jewish community. She was the first Program Director at Congregation Beth Israel. Among other programing, she created mixed doubles for interfaith married couples, the Chavurah program and resurrected the Sisterhood. Finkel then held several senior positions at the Jewish Federation of San Diego. Her tenure included the development and implementation of the Jewish Continuity Task Force, the Community Chaplaincy program, and she was instrumental in the creation of Camp Mountain Chai.
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Sangle Gootel passed away on Sunday, July 21. Funeral services will be 10 a.m., Tuesday, July 30 at Miramar National Cemetery, Am Israel Mortuary reported.
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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of the San Diego Jewish World.