LA MESA, California – We are a month into 2025, and February is days away. Is everyone keeping up with their resolutions of eating healthy and exercising?
We all breathed a sigh of relief with the little bit of rain that came in over the weekend to help extinguish the fires in Los Angeles and around San Diego County. As I checked my alerts on my phone, these fires are still not 100% contained. They are still active.
With no rain in the forecast, I am hoping the fires get put out and no more destruction.
It is heartwarming reading emails received from many synagogues in the area that have opened their homes to strangers and giving clothes and items to the victims of these fires who have lost everything. It reminds me that there are still good people out there.
UPCOMING EVENTS
San Diego International Jewish Film Festival at the Lawrence Family JCC starts Tuesday, Jan. 27 until Saturday, Feb. 8. Click here for the full schedule.
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Congregation Beth El announces a concert featuring Ba’al Tefillah with David Lipsitz at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 1. Lipsitz will perform selections spanning from U2 and Adele to Israeli pop and Broadway show tunes. The evening will commence with a Havdalah service and end with a wine, cheese and dessert reception following the concert. Click here to register.
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Ohr Shalom Synagogue announces its “Jewish Disability Awareness Acceptance and Inclusion Month with keynote speaker Rabbi Julia Watts Belser on the topic of Radical Rest: Shabbat as Resistance to Ableism” at 10 a.m., Sunday, Feb. 2 on Zoom with ASL Interpreter and Live Captions. Watts-Belser will discuss the insights of disability culture and Jewish wisdom about Shabbat. Click here to rsvp.
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Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra will perform at 4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 2 at First Methodist Church, Chula Vista and at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 4 at Tifereth Israel Synagogue. Under the direction of conductor David Amos, musical selections will include Levy: Death Valley Kangaroo – Tuba Concerto featuring William Nakamura, Kodaly: Hary Janos Suite, Bizet: L’Arlesienne Suite #2, Rodgers: Victory at Sea. Click here for tickets.
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Congregation Beth Israel hosts soldiers of Israel’s Sky Riders Unit” at 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 6. Meet the elite artillery special forces core, with expertise in unmanned aerial vehicles and drone operations to deliver real time intelligence. Every successful operation in Gaza, Lebanon, and Israel this year has been directly related to intelligence gathered from the sky. Click here to register.
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Israeli American Council and Temple Adat Shalom will partner for a “Tu Bishvat Shishi Israeli” at 6 p.m., Friday, Feb. 7. The event includes a Tu Bishvat celebration, Shabbat service and a shared meal. Click here to register.
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Congregation Beth Am invites the community to attend its “Campfire Shabbat Service” at 7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 7. Congregants are encouraged to stay afterwards for a Tu B’Shevat inspired oneg incorporating the seven species.
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Beth Jacob Congregation hosts its third annual “Men’s Steak and Scotch” at 8 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 19. New this year is wine tasting by Liquid Kosher. Click here to register.
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Jewish Family Service’s 2025 Heart and Soul Gala will be at 5 p.m., Saturday, Apr. 26 at the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park. JFS will share its recent success as a community resource for individuals and families in need and celebrate the contributions of Honorees Susanna and Michael Flaster and Karen and Jeff Silberman, with a special tribute to retiring JFS CEO Michael Hopkins. Click here to register.
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CHABAD HAPPENINGS
East County’s Jewish Women’s Circle will meet at noon, Thursday, Feb. 6. Women will discuss if this world is a jungle or a garden and other Torah topics. Click here to rsvp.
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La Costa announces a save the date for its “Tu B’Shvat Bracha Seder” on Wednesday, Feb. 12. More details coming soon.
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AROUND THE COUNTY
San Diego Jewish Academy announces new programs and opportunities to support the students’ academic success and personal growth. These new offerings include, for core middle and upper school classes, Academic Coaching which provides additional academic enrichment and support through a more personalized learning experience. Maimonides Upper School Scholars Program will provide a diploma and transcript designation to highlight the exceptional achievements in Humanities, Innovation and Entrepreneurial, Medical Science, Sports Medicine, and Jewish Studies. Advanced Academic Pathways is available for 2nd-12th graders. That program offers accelerated learning opportunities for math and language arts. Additional New Offerings include support for students and their academic goals, including summer school geometry, chemistry and ACT test prep courses on campus next year.
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Lawrence Family JCC’s Nierman Preschool announces its enrollment for the upcoming school year (2025-2026) for children 18 months and older. Click here to schedule a tour.
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Ohr Shalom Synagogue informed its congregation of antisemitic and hateful graffiti found on Sunday morning. Two instances of hate speech were painted onto the building and were immediately covered up. San Diego Police Department and the Secure Community Network are investigating this case. Click here to view the interview with Fox 5/KUSI news.
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Chabad at La Costa’s Hebrew School students learned Yud for Yom Tov and Holiday and Yad for Hand.
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JEWISH HUMOR
Chabad of East County shares the following joke: “The Ape and the Lion” Dov is a Jewish actor, so down and out he’s ready to settle for any acting gig that he can find. Finally he gets a lead, a classified ad that says: “Actor needed to play ape.”
“I could do that, ” says Dov.
To his surprise, the employer turns out to be the local zoo. Owing to mismanagement, the zoo has spent so much money renovating the grounds and improving the habitat, that they can no longer afford to import the ape they needed to replace their recently deceased one. So, until they can, they’ll put an actor in an ape suit. Out of desperation, Dov accepts the offer.
At first, his conscience keeps nagging him, that he is being dishonest by fooling the zoo-goers. And Dov feels undignified in the ape-suit, stared at by crowds who watch his every move. But after a few days on the job, he begins to be amused by all the attention and starts to put on a show for the zoo- goers: hanging upside-down from the branches by his legs, swinging about on the vines, climbing up the cage walls, and roaring with all his might whilst beating his chest. Soon, he’s drawing a sizable crowd.
One day, when Dov is swinging on the vines to show off to a group of school kids, his hand slips, and he goes flying over the fence into the neighboring cage, the lion’s den. Terrified, Dov backs up as far from the approaching lion as he can, covers his eyes with his paws, and prays at the top of his lungs, “Shma Yisrael Ado-nai Elokeinu Ad-nai echad!” (Hear O Israel, the Lord is our G‑d, the Lord is one!)
The lion opens its powerful jaws and roars, “Baruch shem k’vod malchuto l’olam va’ed!” (Blessed is the name of His glorious kingship forever and ever!)
“Shut up, you idiots,” a panda bear mutters from a third cage. “You’ll get us all fired!”
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OBITUARY NOTICES
Renee Feinswog, mother of Sara Goldman, Ira Feinswog, Vicki White, Beth Steigerwalt, and Sandi Balarsky, died. The funeral was held Monday, January 27 at El Camino Memorial Park, Chabad of Downtown reports.
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Robert Laemmle, father of Jessica Laemmle, died. The funeral was on Monday, Jan. 13 in Los Angeles, Congregation Beth Am reports.
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Susy Lerner’s grave marker will be unveiled at 10 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 30, at El Camino Memorial Park, Tifereth Israel Synagogue reports.
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Rick Reid, son of Rocky Reid, died. The funeral will be at 11 a.m., Sunday, Feb. 2 at Greenwood Cemetery, Ohr Shalom Synagogue reports.
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Bette Ross died Tuesday, Jan. 21. The funeral and internment were held Friday, Jan. 24 at El Camino Memorial Park with Rabbi Alexis Berk of Temple Solel as officiant, Am Israel Mortuary reports.
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Allan Wolf, husband of Rochelle Wolf z”l, father to Ken Wolf and Andrea Wolf, died. The funeral was held Friday, Jan. 24 at Home of Peace, Ohr Shalom Synagogue reports.
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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of the San Diego Jewish World.