By Eric George Tauber
SAN DIEGO — Every year, the Jewish Community of San Diego comes together to celebrate Israel around Yom Ha’Atzma’ut (Israel’s Independence Day) and Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day). Piggy backing on the Festival is the Friendship Walk, the annual fundraiser for the Friendship Circle. I was part of both.
The Friendship Circle is a non-profit organization that serves people with special needs, providing them with programs and outings and, more importantly a sense of belonging.
This year’s walk was named in honor of Lori Gilbert Kaye, z’’tl, the woman who was murdered in the April 27 terrorist attack at Chabad of Poway. In spite of the tragedy, the mood at the walk could not have been more festive. We were greeted by Israeli disco music, bright-eyed Chabadniks with tefillin, the Padres’ mascot Swinging Friar and juggling clowns from the Fern Street Circus.
Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein –with his hands still bandaged and healing- reminded us of Lori Kaye’s kindness and dedication to the Friendship Circle. “Every footstep is another ray bringing light into the world. … Bring the light because that light can push away darkness.”
Some on this walk had mobility issues, but no matter. There were wheelchairs and walkers to push and hands to hold. It’s not a contest of stamina but a walk of faith.
Inside Israel Fest, the children of the Kavod Charter School sang to us the Star Spangled Banner and Hatikvah followed by three Israeli pop songs. During the last song, the sound cut out, but the kids carried right on. Kavod is not a religious school, it’s a public charter school that anyone can join, but some on the staff are Israelis and they teach Hebrew. For the Jewish kids who are enrolled, their bar/bat mitzvahs are sure to be a breeze.
Food selection went beyond the usual kosher hot dogs. There was pizza, falafel burritos, Thai tea and some curries from Mozambique. Always on the lookout for something new, I sampled something called Matapa, a coconut curry with peanuts that was very tasty.
Synagogues ran the gamut from Chabad to the Humanists, though I’ve never understood the concept of the latter. There were Israel advocacy groups like ZOA, FIDF, AIPAC and AJC, plus humanitarian agencies like Jewish Family Services who are always looking for volunteers. Jewish National Fund set up a little beer garden. A Krav Maga studio brought a tackle dummy to promote self-defense.
However, I felt that the number of vendors was lacking by half. There was a great swath of unused space at the Liberty Station venue. Of course we need Jewish vendors at a Jewish event, but do they all have to be Jewish? At street fairs, there are a wide variety of arts and crafts, jewelry, toys and tchotchkes. And more to do would give us more reasons to stick around. And more vendors means more income for the event.
Plus, it wouldn’t hurt our public officials to set up tables either. As a demographic that is generally well-educated, well-informed and politically active, it would be worth their while. As Jim Baker once said, “All politics is local.” So if you want our support, come out to your people. Shake our hands, take our questions and look into our eyes. That is how you earn our trust.
And if you missed this year’s Israel Fest, be sure to come next year. Staying connected as a community is how our people have survived all these years.
Am Yisrael Chai!
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Tauber is a freelance writer who specializes in coverage of the arts. He may be contacted via eric.tauber@sdjewishworld.com