By Cailin Acosta
SAN DIEGO – The House of Israel in Balboa Park always holds a special place in my heart. My twins (now 12 years old), enjoy going on Sundays and telling the volunteers “Shavua Tov.” During Chanukah, we would make a bee-line to the “House” for latkes and sufganiyot and they enjoyed saying “Chag Chanukah Sameach.” On May 22 at 6:30 pm, Yiddishland and the House of Israel will be presenting the silent film Die Stadt Ohne Juden (The City without Jews), a 1924 Viennese masterpiece, directed and produced by H.K. Breslauer. Live music accompaniments by Alicia Svigals (violinist/composer) and Donald Sosin (Pianist/composer). Click here to make your reservation.
JEWISH SPORTS
Have you ever been told you can’t do a sport the other gender can do better? Sports are always an interesting topic with the impact the human body can endure in injuries and special protection needed. Patrick Henry freshman Sivan Benami won a spot on the boy’s baseball team, proving that baseball is not just for boys. Benami has been playing with “the boys” since she was six years old. She is proof that a woman can play in the big leagues. Click here to watch/ and or read the interview with 10 News.
LOCAL NEWS LINKS
Two Jewish judges were the subject of Saturday’s San Diego Union-Tribune stories. One by reporter Teri Figueroa dealt with defense attorney Blair Soper being appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to the Superior Court bench in San Diego. A swearing-in ceremony is planned for May 22. Click here to read the article.
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The other story by reporter Alex Riggins told of Judge Howard Shore, who had been censured by the California Commission on Judicial Performance for skipping 155 days of work without permission and who also had been disqualified from hearing certain cases in which race was a factor because of perceived racial bias. Now, administrators of the Superior Court have discontinued the pretrial motions department, over which Shore had presided, and reassigned the controversial judge to hearing civil cases. Click here to read the article.
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Deborah Sullivan Brennan, Sacramento correspondent for the Voice of San Diego, focused on the anti-Israel demonstrations at UC San Diego earlier this week. Click here to read her column.
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Rabbi Laurie Coskey tells of the time the Baldwin Dam broke in Los Angeles and flooded their family’s home and how her mother pulled the family through in a Mother’s Day remembrance in The San Diego Union-Tribune. Click here to read the story.
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JEWISH EDUCATIONAL NEWS
Protesters on Friday marched from the UCSD campus to the home of Chancellor Predeep Khosla and demanded that no action be taken against demonstrators who were arrested earlier in the week when law enforcement officials cleared an anti-Israel encampment, Debbie Sklar of City News Service reported.
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American Jewish Committee of San Diego has been very busy with the events happening at our community campuses. A joint statement from the AJC and Jewish Community Leaders said: “We are extraordinarily proud of the Jewish students who have been strong, resilient, articulate, supportive of one another and who have represented the Jewish people with remarkable care and courage. They have asked that community members not engage or antagonize the protestors.”
To protect Jewish students, ACJ has partnered with Hillel International in advocating for safe and welcoming campuses for Jewish students. Please sign this petition to show your support and urge university administrators to act.
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UC San Diego Holocaust Living History Workshop Series featuring Laura Jockusch’s “Gray Zones: Jews Collaborating with Nazis” has been postponed. More information will be shared once new arrangements are confirmed.
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5th graders at San Diego Hebrew Day participated in an escape room mimicking the Exodus from Egypt. The beginning of “the escape” began with the persecution of our people in slavery and culminated with the splitting of the sea. The classroom was transformed into an actual escape full of clues, riddles, locks, keys, boxes, and decor. The students guided their parents via Zoom and had a one-hour limit. The parents were able to escape in 34 minutes!
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JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS
Celebrate Israeli Independence and Pride on Yom Ha’atzmaut on May 14 at UCSD Geisel Library “Standing Together With Israel.” “Never Again is Now” as we need to come together as a united front and community.
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OBITUARY NOTICES
Judy Glenn – Passed May 10. Funeral services will be held May 13 at El Camino Memorial Park with Rabbi Jason Nevarez of Congregation Beth Israel as officiant.
Sam Rubin – San Diego native turned KTLA Los Angeles Hollywood reporter passed on May 10. Click here to read about him.
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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of San Diego Jewish World. Acosta can be reached via cailin.acosta@sdjewishworld.com