LA MESA, California – “I won the lottery!” …. April Fools! How did this become a pretend holiday?
According to Wikipedia, it has become an annual custom on April 1 which consists of practical jokes and hoaxes. Jokesters often expose their actions by shouting “April Fools” at the recipient.
The origins of April Fools’ Day are not exactly known. Foolishness has been mentioned as far back in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales (1392). However, it is not clear that Chaucer was referencing April 1 since the text mentions the day when the sun is in the sign of Taurus which would not be April 1.
The Hebrew calendar has no specific day which correlates with April 1 in the Julian or Gregorian calendars.
La Mesa Pizzaworks (kosher pizza establishment) made an announcement they had a new menu item: Cheese pizza with Skittles candy …. April Fools!
One year, Easter Sunday landed on April Fool’s Day. In my family, we celebrate Spring and the bunny leaves surprises. Freckles, our angora rabbit played a trick on my then 8-year-old twins by leaving them “chocolate eggs” in the foil, but when they opened the foil, they were grapes! They were so surprised and thought that was a good laugh. They ate them since who doesn’t love grapes?
Sadly, I did have friends in high school and college who would tell their boyfriends they were pregnant, then “April Fools.” I have had many friends who suffered with infertility so hearing this they would say how hurtful the “joke” was.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Hadassah San Diego announces its “Kehilat Kesharim” at 11:30 a.m., Monday, April 7 in the La Jolla/UTC Area. The event is a networking group for Jewish business owners in the San Diego area. Click here to register and to receive address.
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Anti-Defamation League San Diego presents a Webinar: “Session 2: Advocating for Yourself and Your Jewish Peers” at 5 p.m., Monday, April 7. This event will discuss the rise of antisemitism on campuses and how essential to prepare for college life. Click here to register.
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Congregation Beth Israel presents its “Yom Hashoah Commemoration” at 6 p.m., Wednesday, April 23. This event includes speaker, Dr. Leo Roos who was a hidden child and survivor of the Holocaust. Roos was born in 1937 in Amsterdam and immigrated to the United States in 1950. During his years of hiding, he was arrested twice by the SS. Roos’ survival is a story of luck, the help of Righteous Gentiles, and two German soldiers.
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Jewish Federation of San Diego and Lawrence Family JCC will co-sponsor “Yom HaShoah: Community Holocaust Commemoration” at 1 p.m., Sunday, April 27 at Lawrence Family JCC. The event will mark 80 years since the liberation of the concentration camps. With the growth of antisemitism, organizers say, the urgency to carry forward the stories of survivors has never been greater. Click here to register.
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Coastal Roots Farm announces its “Taste of the Farm: Celebrating a Decade in Bloom” at 5 p.m., Sunday, May 18. The event includes a farm-to-fork benefit featuring local chefs, curated bites, craft drinks and live music. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
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PASSOVER PLANNING
Chabad of University City requests members to sell their chametz before Friday, April 11. Click here to sell.
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Chabad of Poway announces it is time to sell your chametz. Click here, To get your Shmura Matzah, Click here.
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Chabad of East County invites the community to attend its Passover Seder at 7 p.m., Saturday, April 12. Organizers predict that it will be a meaningful, interactive, and gourmet Seder experience. Click here to rsvp.
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Congregation Dor Hadash announces its Passover Seder and Potluck at 5:30 p.m., Sunday, April 13. Click here to sign up.
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OBITUARY NOTICES
John Backman, brother of Pat Backman; father of Justin Backman, Ashley and Shelby; grandfather of Jacob, Kailey and Anabelle; has died. Graveside services were held Thursday, April 3 at El Camino Memorial Park with Rabbi David Frank of Temple Solel as officiant, Am Israel Mortuary reports.
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Erlene Smith, grandmother of Kristen Tolson, and great-grandmother of Lewis Tolson, has died. Services will be held in Bakersfield, California, Ner Tamid Synagogue reports.
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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of the San Diego Jewish World.