SAN DIEGO – Some American Jewish highlights at the Olympics:
San Diego native, Sara Levy who made her Olympic debut in Paris with the U.S. women’s rugby team, took the bronze on Tuesday, July 30. The team stunned Australia and delivered the first-ever Olympic medal for the team and its Jewish forward, Levy.
According to The Forward, the sport runs deep in the Levy family. Levy’s great-grandfather, Louis Brabow, played professionally and famously weighed whether to play a match in New Zealand on Yom Kippur in 1937. Brabow ultimately played, reasoning that the holiday had not yet begun in South Africa, where he was from.
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17-year-old Claire Weinstein, freestyle–swimmer of White Plains, New York, swam the individual 200m freestyle and made the finals. Today (Wednesday, August 1) Weinstein competes in the 4x200m relay.
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Los Angeles native, Nick Itkin, right-handed foil fencer, defeated Japanese fencer, Kazuki Iimura for the bronze in the individual event, becoming just the fifth-ever American foilist to bring home an individual Olympic medal.
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Young Israel of San Diego presents “Great Women of the Torah”, at 7 p.m., Sunday, August 4. Click here for the Zoom link…. Also, the YISD Men’s Meet up presents “Hummus Hangout with Itiel” at 12 p.m., on Sunday, August 4. Chef Itiel will demonstrate how to make his authentic and delicious hummus.
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Ner Tamid Synagogue announces a call for volunteers to help with its Woodchip Relocation Project as part of its playground upgrade on campus. Project starts at 8 a.m., Sunday, August 11 with donuts and coffee and work begins at 8:30 a.m. Bring wheelbarrows, shovels and gloves to help relocate the old woodchips. Click here to register.
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Ohr Shalom Synagogue announces a CPR Training through the American Red Cross at 12:30 p.m., Sunday, August 11. Click here to register by Friday, August 2.
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Coastal Roots Farm presents an “Outdoor Mandala Making Workshop, Circles of Love” at 3 p.m., Sunday, August 11. Rebecca Joy Fletcher, Director of Jewish Life, will lead this hands-on Jewish take on outdoor mandala-making in commemoration of the upcoming Jewish fast day of Tisha B’Av. Click here to register.
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Kindness Initiative announces its new volunteer program with information sessions for new and current volunteers at 5 p.m., Tuesday, August 20 at the Lawrence Family JCC Library. Volunteers are the backbone of Kindness Initiative and provide unique and substantial opportunities and changing lives for the better. Click here to register by Tuesday, August 13.
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American Jewish Committee presents “La Burra Arisca” at 6:30 p.m., on Monday, August 26 at the Lawrence Family JCC, David and Dorothea Garfield Theatre (this event is in Spanish). La Burra Arisca is doing a live performance filled with observations, reflections, and lots of laughter. Proceeds will go to support women survivors of sexual violence in Sha’ar HaNegev via the AJC Israel Emergency Fund. Click here to register.
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Temple Emanu-El announces its Mitzvah of the month for August – Diaper Collection. Did you know a month’s supply of diapers for one child is almost $80? Diapers are also not covered through CalFresh or WIC benefits. Most needed are sizes 5 and 6. Donations may be placed in the white barrel in the front lobby. Or online orders may be shipped directly to the Jacobs and Cushman Food Bank, Attn: Diaper Bank, 9850 Distribution Ave., San Diego 92121…. Adult Education at TEE will show the film “The Outside Change of Maximilian Glick” as part of the Summer Rerun Film Series at 7 p.m., Saturday, August 10.
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GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
California Legislative Jewish Caucus announces that the State of California would expedite the release of $76 million allocated in the 2024-2025 state budget for the California State Nonprofit Security Grant Program. The NSGP provides critical security enhancements for synagogues, day schools, Jewish community centers, other faith-based institutions, LGBTQ+ community centers, reproductive health facilities, and other nonprofits at risk from violent extremism.
Deadline to apply is Monday, September 23. Click here.
JUST SAYING
August is here whether we are ready or not. It is my least favorite month since it is always the hottest no matter where you live in the world.
Surprisingly, the other night a few friends from Tifereth Israel Synagogue’s Sisterhood met up at La Mesita Park in La Mesa. The weather was not too bad. Under the pavilion, and the shade of the many eucalyptus trees, it made the night pleasant visiting with friends and enjoying a nosh together.
It is good to stop, meet up with friends and enjoy the fresh air. When working and going about the daily tasks of life, it is nice to take a break and spend some time doing something out of the ordinary, that is not on the daily check list of the day.
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OBITUARY NOTICE
Penelope Kassar passed away on Sunday, July 28. Funeral services were held on Wednesday, July 31 in Cincinnati. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Seacrest Village by clicking here.
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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of the San Diego Jewish World.