SAN DIEGO – Thursday night was the perfect night for cold, poured-from-the-tap ciders and making new friends. The Jewish Federation of San Diego hosted the Young Adult Delegation from Sha’ar HaNegev at Bivouac Ciderworks Adventure Lodge in North Park.
Sha’ar HaNegev, Israel, is a sister city of San Diego’s. The Jewish Federation is committed to deepening Jewish peoplehood in both communities. The Young Adult Delegation was comprised of 20–30-year-olds, 17 of whom are from Sha’ar HaNegev and three others of comparable age are staff. The partnership between Sha’ar Hanegev and the local Jewish Federation started 26 years ago. It has many opportunities for teenagers, social workers, educators, and young adults who travel from San Diego to Sha’ar HaNegev and vice versa.
Hailey Pryce-Shidler, the Events and Programs Coordinator of the Federation, welcomed guests. The night started
with six flights of ciders: Bivouac Albright Pear Cider, Bivouac Savoy English Pub Cider, Storum Ranch Newtown Pippin, Trabanco Cosecha Probia, and Bivouac San Diego Jam. There were many grazing stations around the room offering charcuterie bites, grilled vegetables, hummus and Soyrizo squash tacos.
Owner of Bivouac Ciderworks and Adventure Lodge, Lara Worm welcomed everyone and discussed the many ciders that were featured in the flights and how they are made from apples and or pears. She encouraged everyone to check out the “Speak Easy.” Cider production takes place in the back of the restaurant.
Alon Sela told me his name in Hebrew is “oak rock.” Sela was born and raised on the kibbutz Nahal Oz and his entire family still lives there. Sela told me that in his senior year of high school he and classmates made a documentary spotlighting their kibbutz to promote it as a summer camp. They wanted to show that despite being so close to Gaza that they live in a safe place. The project received funding and the Jewish community liked it. Kibbutzniks traveled to California to show to other Jewish and non-Jewish schools. Sela was a camper at Camp Mountain Chai, which is a San Diego Jewish community-supported institution in the San Bernadino Mountains. So was his friend Nave Avraham. Sela later returned to Camp Mountain Chai as a counselor for two months.
Darren Schwartz, The Federation’s Chief Planning and Strategy Officer, mentioned the trip was mostly about building connections among young adults of San Diego and Sha’ar HaNegev and providing respite to the kibbutzniks still suffering from the after-effects of Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Southern Israel.
Schwartz said they were on an amphibious Seal tour operated by Old Town Trolley Tours and the tour guide greeted the group in Hebrew which made the group feel very welcomed. At the Padres baseball game they attended, a person in the group had a larger bag than ordinarily permissible. A manager said the bag was fine and to let them all in since they are the “chosen people.” As a native San Diegan, I was happy to hear all the welcoming stories from the last couple of days.
Next up was Sharon Vekler, Marketing Coordinator of the Federation. She mentioned that a group of Social Workers (my ears did perk up as I am one as well) will arrive in San Diego in mid-July. Vekler said the Social Worker delegation may teach techniques to locals on how to get through trauma, including Eye Movement Desensitization (EMDR) which is a form of psychotherapy.
I jumped into an intense conversation with Peleg Rappaport and Matan Weitz along with other attendees.
Rappaport said since October 7, a few of her friends’ are reluctant to be outwardly being Jewish since now they are scared for their lives. “Tefo-tefo-tefo” Rappaport and Weitz both said, a Southern African (Sesotho) expression which translates to “blessed,” they continue to stay safe.
Weitz said he can see the Gaza border when he is home. Rappaport said she has had many nights of nightmares when she is at her mother’s house and could not have predicted what happened. Weitz agreed it was a total shock and the worst nightmare. Rappaport and Weitz are still processing since October 7. Weitz said he looks forward to celebrating Shabbat in San Diego and comparing it to Shabbat with his grandparents in Jerusalem.
Moy Arbitman, Israel and Global Peoplehood of the Federation, told me he just started his new position on Tuesday and just moved to San Diego the week before. Moy and his wife Natalie Arbitman are from Mexico City and lived in Boston, Massachusetts for a couple of years. In his new position, he will be building the partnership between San Diego and Sha’ar HaNegev as well as with other Jewish communities around the world. Moy says since they moved here a week ago, the city has been very welcoming and has always felt safe.
I asked Moy about the Jewish population in Mexico City; he said it is predominately Orthodox and about 50,000 Jewish people. He grew up going to a Conversative synagogue. What Moy enjoys about the United States is the many different varieties of Judaism that can be practiced here. Natalie said they have had nothing but great experiences since moving to San Diego a week ago.
The Young Adult Delegation members were all very pleasant and bright young individuals. I was very honored to have met them and exchanged smiles, hugs and contact information with many of them. The atmosphere of Bivouac Ciderworks and Adventure Lodge made for a laid back, calming and inspiring experience.
As I started to make my way out, I asked a few women if they were heading back to their hotel, and they said no way! They were heading Downtown to go dancing and asked if I wanted to join them. I had to stop and ponder for a minute, this could be fun, but I enjoy my sleep and have kids to get home to. Oh, to be young and carefree.
The next few days are jam-packed with the delegation going kayaking, Shabbat dinner, yoga, and the San Diego County Fair.
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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of the San Diego Jewish World.