sdjj march

2 SDJewishJournal.com l March 2016

S O L A R

We provide homeowners with a custom designed solar system; using only superior components, providing the most affordable pricing and overall value in the industry. Zero out-of-pocket options available.Ecocentrics approach is Total Transparency = Real Numbers = Real Savings = No Gimmicks. Period.

Commercial

Chai Solar Legacy ProgramWe give back to our local Synagogues, Day Schools, other Non-Profits & Businesses in a unique way, which allows organizations and companies to use their money on service, education, public purpose programs, and other operating expenses, rather than putting it in the pockets of the local utility company.SEVERAL local Jewish organizations and businesses have already taken advantage of this opportunity!Dont wait until the State & Federal incentives disappear! Call Ecocentric to see how we can benefit you!

1-855-MyEcoSolarwww.myecocentric.com

ResidentialEcocentric Solar just installed the largest documented residential rooftop solar system in North America!

C-10 Lic # 992147Jonathan Sherr President & CEO

Adar I Adar II 5776 | SDJewishJournal.com 3

/ilovegelsons @gelsonsmarkets /gelsonsmarkets @gelsonsmarkets

From bubbie to hubby our assortment of unparalleled cuts of meat, the freshest produce, our gorgeous selection of quality owers and our high level of service provides the best experience

of any market.

GELSONS, A HOUSEHOLD NAME SERVING THE JEWISH COMMUNITY SINCE 1951 PROUDLY

ANNOUNCES NEW STORES DEL MAR

& CARLSBAD

CARLSBAD

7660 EL CAMINO REALCARLSBAD, CA 92009

760-632-7511

DEL MAR2707 VIA DE LA VALLEDEL MAR, CA 92014

(858)-481-9300


2016 HONOREES

Honorees

Event Co-Chairs: Laurie Black & Michael Breslauer

Tickets, Sponsorship & Tribute Ads Available CampusSuperStarSD.org | 214.727.4921

Hillel of San Diego is proud to honor Joseph Glickman, Elaine Galinson & Laura Galinson

at the second annual Campus SuperStar

Sunday, April 10, 2016 The Irwin M Jacobs Qualcomm Hall

5775 Morehouse Drive, San Diego, CA

DIAMOND ALBUM SPONSORS

Joan & Irwin Jacobs

Additional sponsors listed at CampusSuperStarSD.org


We are pleased to welcome to our firm:

Adam B. Levine, Esq.

Specializing in serious personal injury, aviation litigation and premises liability.

www.caseygerry.com

Dedicated to the Pursuit of Justice since 1947.SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY, MARITIME, AVIATION, PRODUCT LIABILITY, CLASS ACTION, MASS TORTS AND PHARMACEUTICAL LITIGATION

San Diego Office 110 Laurel Street, San Diego, CA 92101 | 619-238-1811 North County Office 120 Birmingham Drive, Suite 120E, Cardiff by the Sea, CA 92007 | 760-743-8448

Larry M. KatzCertified Public Accountant

3070 Racetrack View DriveDel Mar, CA 92014

[email protected]

Income Tax Preparation IRS and State Audit Representation

Litigation Support Services Forensic Accounting Services Business Consulting Services

Since 1983

Looking For Success? You dont have to depend on willpower alone.

Let hypnosis help unlock your power within to create the positive change you desire.

ONE FREE SESSION

with another at regular price. One coupon per person. New clients only. Expires 03/31/2016

Hanna Fox, C.Ht., Certified Hypnotherapist (619) 988-7783 CalHypnoTherapyCenter.com


Expert Tax Attorneys

8910 University Center Lane, Suite 255, San Diego, CA 92122

Tel (858) 450-1040 www.milikowskytaxlaw.com

San Diego Tel Aviv

IRS & CA Audits

Foreign Bank Account Disclosures

Payroll Tax Liability

Trust Fund Penalties

Expert Tax AttorneysIRS & CA Audits Foreign Bank Account Disclosures

Payroll Tax Liability Trust Fund Penalties

Proudly supporting women business owners & entrepreneurs

8910 University Center Lane, Suite 255, San Diego, CA 92122Tel (858) 450-1040 www.caltaxadviser.com

San Diego Tel Aviv

As attorneys and former business owners, we

understand your business. Our team of experienced

business and legal professionals will help minimize the risk of an

audit. If your return is selected for audit, we will defend your legal

rights and protect your business assets. Have the confidence

you need in business with our exceptional lawyers.


CONTENTSAdar I/Adar II 5776

ON THE COVER:Planning a party? Use our annual resource guide to scout vendors and explore trends in decor and entertainment. Plus meet a few creatives who can help you along the way.

38

RESTAURANT REVIEW:The Crack Shack helps make fried chicken and schmaltz fried fries cooler than cool.

THEATER:Jewish playwright examines love, loss and our relationships to our bodies in a world premiere play about tennis and so much more.

SPORTS:One Israeli family has just made San Diego and Poway Ice Arena their home to train for the 2018 Winter Olympics.34

56

61

March 2016


ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

30 FUNNY PAGES: Purim and sports jokes good for a few giggles.

32 SENIORS: Seacrest Village has a new adult day center for people with early stage dementia.

36 SPORTS: How two home town boys turned a lifelong love of sports into a thriving business in a highly competitive industry.

53 TRAVEL: Our parenting columnist writes about her experiences on a recent trip to Argentina. The takeaway: don't cry for this country, go visit.

62 FOOD: Middle Eastern tomato garlic fish.

73 SYNAGOGUE: Temple Emanu-El's gala committee honors Dr. Robert Rubenstein.

Monthly Columns12 The Starting Line22 Parenting24 Israeli Lifestyle26 Aging28 Spirituality76 Advice

Around Town18 Our Town20 The Scene70 Events

In Every Issue14 Mailbag16 Whats Up Online64 Whats Goin On66 Shabbat Sheet67 Diversions 68 News

62


www.sdjewishjournal.comMarch 2016 Adar I/Adar II 5776

PUBLISHERS Mark Edelstein and Dr. Mark Moss

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Natalie JacobsCREATIVE DIRECTOR Derek Berghaus

ASSISTANT EDITOR Tina B. EshelARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Eileen Sondak

ADVERTISING & OFFICE MANAGER Ronnie Weisberg

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tori Avey, Betsy Baranov, Linda Bennett, Abby Walker, David

Ebenbach, Judith Fein (Senior Travel Correspondent), Michael Fox, Amanda Kelly, Brie Stimson, Pat Launer, Sharon Rosen Leib, Andrea

Simantov, Jon Schwartz, Marnie McCauley

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVESAlan Moss (Palm Springs)

SAN DIEGO JEWISH JOURNAL(858) 638-9818 fax: (858) 638-9801

5665 Oberlin Drive, Suite 204 San Diego, CA 92121

EDITORIAL: [email protected]: [email protected]

CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS: [email protected] DEPARTMENT: [email protected]

LISTINGS & CALENDAR: [email protected]

SDJJ is published monthly by San Diego Jewish Journal, LLC. Subscription rate is $24 for one year (12 issues). Send subscription requests to SDJJ, 5665 Oberlin Drive, Suite 204, San Diego, CA

92121. The San Diego Jewish Journal is a free and open forum for the expression of opinions. The opinions expressed herein are solely the opinion of the author and in no way reflect the opinions of the publishers, staff or advertisers. The San Diego Jewish Journal is not responsible for the

accuracy of any and all information within advertisements. The San Diego Jewish Journal reserves the right to edit all submitted materials, including press releases, letters to the editor, articles and calendar listings for brevity and clarity. The Journal is not legally responsible for the accuracy of calendar or directory listings, nor is it responsible for possible postponements, cancellations or changes in venue. Manuscripts, letters, documents and photographs sent to the Journal become the physical property of the publication, which is not responsible for the return or loss of such material. All contents 2016 by San Diego Jewish Journal. The San Diego Jewish Journal is a

member of the American Jewish Press Association and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

#SDJewishJournal SanDiegoJewishJournal

Like us on Facebookfacebook.com/sandiegojewishjournal

and follow us on Twitter @sdjewishjournal

THANK YOU!Facebook f Logo CMYK / .eps Facebook f Logo CMYK / .eps

Investment and Insurance Products: !NOT FDIC Insured !NO Bank Guarantee !MAY Lose Value Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Member SIPC, is a registered broker-dealer and a separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. 2009 Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. All rights reserved. 88580 v1 -0312-2590 (e7460)

12531 High Bluff Drive, STE 400 San Diego, CA 92130

858-523-7904

Jeffrey R Liber, CFP Managing Director- Investments CA Insurance Lic #0C28496 [email protected]

Don Lincoln, CFP, CIMA Senior Vice President- Investments CA Insurance Lic #0821851 [email protected]

Alissa Waddell AVP - Registered Client Associate CA insurance Lic #0I18483 [email protected]

Gina Grimmer Registered Client Associate CA insurance Lic #0178195 [email protected]



858-523-7904




Gina Grimmer Registered Client Associate CA insurance Lic #0178195 [email protected] Investment and Insurance Products: !NOT FDIC Insured !NO Bank Guarantee !MAY Lose Value

Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Member SIPC, is a registered broker-dealer and a separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. 2009 Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. All rights reserved. 88580 v1 -0312-2590 (e7460)


858-523-7904







858-523-7904





858-532-7904



858-523-7904





12531 High Bluff Drive, STE 400San Diego, CA 92130

858-532-7904

Find love now!Personalized Jewish

MatchmakingJudith Gottesman, MSW

Soul Mates UnlimitedAll ages and backgrounds

(510) [email protected]

Read testimonials at SoulMatesUnlimited.com


Change Begins With A Phone Call (858) 637-3210Or Start The Process Online www.jfssd.org /counseling

How are you?Could you use some support?If mental or emotional health concerns are making it harder to put your plans into action, JFS Counseling can help.

Counseling offers an opportunity to reflect on significant people, circumstances, and life events with the purpose of improving your personal wellness.

Whether you are living with depression, anxiety, or relationship challenges, you are not alone. Our counselors can help support you and your well-being.

Individual, couples, and family therapy Licensed clinicians Support groups Day and evening appointments

Affordable fees on a sliding scale Blue Cross, Medicare, and TRICARE accepted People of all faiths and backgrounds welcome

RCFE Lic. 374603279, 374603231 2016 Belmont Village, L.P.

belmontvillage.com

The Community Built for Life.

CARDIFF BY THE SEA | 760-436-8900

SABRE SPRINGS | 858-486-5020

Distinctive Residential Settings | Chef-Prepared Dining and Bistro

Premier Health and Wellness Programs | Award-Winning Memory Care

Professionally Supervised Therapy and Rehabilitation Services

SDJewishJournal_socialqu_2016.indd 1 2/12/16 2:41 PM

CONTEMPORARY OCEAN VIEW HOME5980 La Jolla Mesa Rd, 92037

$ 4,250,000

Magnificent single level 4BR/4.5BA home with gated entry located in the Muirlands area, this breathtaking home has been almost completely rebuilt. It features the highest end finishes, appliances, cabinetry with 14 ft. ceilings and light filled spaces throughout. Situated on an extra-large lot, which offers spectacular ocean, bay and city views. The home has impeccable landscaping, indoor-outdoor living, spacious patios, outdoor kitchen, fire pit, much privacy and a sparkling pool.

5835 Saratoga Corte$1,950,000 3Br/3.5Ba 3064 sqft

Premier location, premier complex! Totally redone to the higheststandards and quality. Magnificent patios with covered loggiafeaturing heating, BBQ. Lovely stone floors and beautiful sunnyquiet outlook over the greenbelt a low maintenance wonderfulplace to entertain! NEW baths, new floors, new sophisticatedwater filtration systems, new hard interior doors, new AC newly

refinished walls and design-er paint, silk drapes, greatroom with high ceilings,spacious floor-plan, walk tostores, spa, restaurants

[email protected] 858-922-3900CalBRE# 00603821 CalBRE# 01204280Arlene Sacks










THE STARTING LINE by Natalie [email protected]

EDITORS LETTER

Words and the People Who Write Them

In the introduction to her book of her articles published during the 1960s, Joan Didion writes My only advantage as a reporter is that I am so physically small, so temperamentally unobtrusive, and so neurotically inarticulate that people tend to forget that my presence runs counter to their best interests. And it always does. That is one last thing to remember: writers are always selling somebody out.

At the American Jewish Press Association conference in Washington D.C. last November, one of the editorial discussion topics touched on how to address the challenge of writing about a community within which the writer is embedded. Jewish publications, the remaining ones, face this challenge every day.

Walking a straight line along the tight rope that stretches 10 stories high between these two facts that writers can be dangerous and Jewish publications are inextricably intertwined in the communities they cover is sometimes nerve-wracking. But as with anything difficult, if we focus on the fear, well fall. If, instead, we accept the perils and trust our ability to move with grace, well make it to the other side and back again.

With each issue of the San Diego Jewish Journal, were stepping off the ledge onto that taut wire to share stories about our Jewish community

here, in Israel, and throughout the world. The hope is that through these stories, we can better understand one another, through finding comfort in the ways that we are the same and learning to embrace the ways in which we differ.

I first understood the true power of the written word after an embarrassing incident involving a yearbook and a fellow seventh grader. When the dust settled, I remember my mom said, You have to be careful what you put in writing. That is permanent.

Of course, I now know (through that and plenty more lexical missteps), nothing is more true. Thats why journalism has such a strict code of ethics; why it was cause for concern when casino mogul and major political donor Sheldon Adelson purchased and subsequently gutted Nevadas largest newspaper; why people worry about what impacts Chevrons local news website The Richmond Standard will have on that California community and their ability to remain informed about the goings-on of the companys oil refinery there; why San Diegans canceled their subscriptions to the Union Tribune when it became the U-T and why there was a brief period of excitement when it was purchased by the Tribune Company and its original masthead was restored.

Words matter, and when we write them down,

their impact is magnified. Though I may be equally small, I am no shark like Joan Didion and no, the San Diego Jewish Journal is not the Los Angeles Times. But we do embrace the challenge of sharing your stories with respect, honesty and pride. It is my sincerest hope that you find something in these pages that moves you. A

The hope is that through

these stories, we can better

understand one another,

through finding comfort

in the ways that we are

the same and learning

to embrace the ways in

which we differ.

Mark Your CalendarOn March 8 and 9, University of San Diego will host the inaugural Cal-Israel Expo, a conference intended to showcase the next generation in Israeli innovations. Local and international companies will exhibit in the fields of energy, drones, biotechnology, business consultancy and activism. Seminars will cover start-ups, venture capital, renewable energy, space exploration and more. View the seminar schedule and exhibitors list on israelinnovationexpo.com.


FOR INFORMATION: www.campjaycee.com

(858) 362-1132

CAMP JAYCEE 20

169 MONTHS -GRADE 1

2

JUNE 14 -AUG

UST 26, 2016

Everyones Invited!

Camp Jaycee Early Bird Special!

Sign up by MARCH 18, 2016 to

RECEIVE 2015 PRICES


were listeninglet us know whats on your mind

Send us your comments: [email protected]

5665 Oberlin Dr., Ste 204,

San Diego, CA 92121

@SDJEWISHJOURNAL

GIVING THANKSDear Editor:My phone wont stop ringing with messages about the Jewish Journal. I would classify the issue has a home run. It is fabulous! Thank you so much. The issue is just great. Its a pleasure to have our association.

Craig Prater, Director SDJFF

ON THIS MONTHS COVERThis months cover is a custom ketubah illustration made by Josh Jacobs, a local graphic designer who has been making modern ketubahs locally since 2007. Read more about Jacobs and his illustrations in the Simchas section on pg. 47.

SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2016

5:30 PMPARADISE POINT RESORT

1404 Vacation RoadSan Diego, California 92109

For Tickets and More Information Visit: www.campmountainchai.com/gala

Creating Lasting Memories Building Lifelong Friendships Enhancing Jewish Identity

[email protected]

Come join the magic at 7,200 feet high in the majestic mountains. Camp Mountain Chai is San Diegos summer destination where Jewish lives are enriched through spirit, community, friendships and self-exploration.

[email protected]@campmountainchai.com858-499-1330858-499-1330www.campmountainchai.comwww.campmountainchai.comwww.campmountainchai.comwww.campmountainchai.com

Come join the magic at 7,200 feet high in the majestic mountains. Camp Come join the magic at 7,200 feet high in the majestic mountains. Camp

REGISTER TODAY @

WWW.CAMPMOUNTAINCHAI.COM

EVERY FIRST TIME CAMPER IS ELIGIBLE FOR A GRANT UP TO $1000


Hear about all our web exclusives first:

Like us on Facebook.com/sandiegojewishjournal

and follow us on Twitter @sdjewishjournal

whats upon sdjewishjournal.com

HOW BERNIE SANDERS IS AND ISN'T JEWISH:Jewish history was made when the Brooklyn-born "democratic socialist" Senator from Vermont won New Hampshire's primary. But is Bernie Sanders Jewish? And does it matter, as far as the Jewish history books are concerned? On our website, we have two perspectives on this question.

BROTHERS IN BAUHAUS:A new location of the specialty SENTA Clinic has opened in Mission Valley. Inside, you'll find a modern take on a Bauhaus classic originally by Oskar Schlemmer, interpreted once by Roy Lichtenstein and now again by Brian O'Leary. Read about how Nazi influence pressed Schlemmer out of Germany, and how this contemporary artist has paid homage to Schlemmer's memory.

ISRAEL, SYRIA, TURKEY, GENEVA AND NATURAL GAS, OH MY:In December, Israel and Turkey began negotiating a full restoration of ties after nearly six years of downgraded relations. Read what happened between the former allies, why things are improving now, and why some Israeli analysts are still skeptical the Turkey-Israel impasse will be resolved.

HOW TO BE INCLUSIVE WITHOUT BEING SELF-CONGRATULATORY:Pamela Rae Schuller has Tourette Syndrome. It made her an outcast growing up, but now it makes her an expert on how Jewish organizations can be inclusive of children with special needs. From her own experience, she explains why she and people like her are "not your mitzvah project."


building your financial future

GE96561 (8/14)(Exp 8/16) G30445

We take a detailed look at your total financial picture, and start by assessing your current assets and both your short- and long-term financial goals. We take the time to truly understand your objectives, risk tolerance, time horizons, challenges and personal schedule to help you build a practical and sustainable financial strategy to address:

Tactical Asset Allocation College Funding

Long-Term Care Insurance Retirement Planning

Cash Management Estate Planning Strategies

Life Insurance

Michael Ingram, CFP Financial Consultant, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professional [email protected] Tel: (619) 557-8241 / Cell: (619) 957-6588 www.Michael-Ingram.com CA Insurance License #0E54363 AXA Advisors, LLC 701 B Street Suite 1500 San Diego, CA 92101

Securities offered through AXA Advisors, LLC (NY, NY 212-554-1234), member FINRA, SIPC. Annuity and insurance products offered through AXA Network, LLC, which does business in CA as AXA Network Insurance Agency of California, LLC, in UT as AXA Network Insurance Agency of Utah, LLC, in TX as AXA Network Insurance Agency of Texas, Inc., and in PR as AXA Network of Puerto Rico, Inc. AXA Advisors and AXA Network do not provide tax or legal advice. Certif ed Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certif cation marks CFP,ii CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and federally registered CFP (with f ame design) in the U.S.l

949 975 0833ext. 328

Divorce Child Custody Mediation Spousal Support Child Support Collabora-tive Practice Domestic Partnership Dis-solution Divorce Child Custody Me-diation Spousal Support Child Support Collaborative Practice Domestic Partnership Dissolution Divorce Child Custody Mediation Spousal Support Child Support

DIVORCE-FAMILY LAW

Compassionate Yet aggresive FamilY law experts

Hire Them Before Your Spouse Does

858.720.1496 or 760.729.09412755 Jefferson Street, Suite 200Carlsbad, CA 92008www.frfamilylaw.com

Divorce Child Custody Mediation Spousal Support

Child Support Collaborative Practice Domestic Partnership Dissolution

Myra Fleischer


Film Fest Draws CrowdsThe 26th annual San Diego Jewish Film Festival was a huge success. Many thanks go to Saundra Saperstein, chair, co-chair Christina Fink, and their hard working committee. Enjoying the shows were Claris and Arturo Levin, Helene and Allan Ziman, Carol and Stephen Baird, Renee Feinswog, Judi Gottschalk, Susan and Eric Weisman, Marcia and Don Wolochow, Lynette Allen and Larry Rothenberg, Julie and Edgar Berner, Leslie and Roy Davis, Devora and Leon Fajerman, Holly and David Hazan, Devorah and Itzhak Gurantz, Fanny Krasner Lebovits, Marsha and Herb Lubick, Paula Park, Sheryl Rowling, Betty Amber, Barry Fisch, Sammy and Sarita Zands, Barbara and Robert Ziering, Cathy and

John Weil, Harris Steinberg, Lynn and Norman Lurie, Patti Cooprider, Nina Lott, Elisha Blatt, Louis and Tammy Vener, Frances Lobman, Shari and Fred Schenk, Stephen Edelstein, and Bobbi Warren and many more.

Mazel TovMazel tov to Zachary Lenett on his Bar Mitzvah at Temple Emanu-El on Jan. 6! Zachary is the son of Harvey and Stefani Lenett and the brother of Sam.

BirthsKevin and Lana Keller welcomed Fredrik Safran Keller on Jan. 6. He joins his almost 8-year-old brother Maxwell. Happy grandparents are Betsy Keller, Michael Keller and Dan Veale, and Lydia and Eugene Jager.

our TOWN

BY LINDA BENNETT AND BETSY BARANOV,

PHOTOS COURTESY FILM FESTIVAL

BOTTOM L-R: Fran and Phil Ginsgerg Joyce Axelrod, Chris Frank and Michele Kipnis.

TOP L-R: Arthur and Sandra Levinson Barbara and Bill Sperling, and Judy Friedel.

SDJA

The Right Choice for Whats Important to You

Academic Excellence. Social Responsibility. Active Jewish Living.

Meet our teachers, speak with our administrators, and learn from current parents and students what makes SDJA so special.

Now enrolling Preschool High School

A school where my child knows everyone and everyone knows my child.

A school with excellent Academics and Judaic Studies.

A school ranked nationally in the top 2% on college selectivity*.

Contact [email protected] or 866-765-7516 sdja.com

SCHEDULE YOUR TOUR TODAY

San Diego Jewish AcademyWhats important to you?

*niche.com

BOTTOM L-R: Fran and Phil Ginsgerg Joyce Axelrod, Chris Frank and Michele Kipnis.

SDJA

The Right Choice for Whats Important to You

Academic Excellence. Social Responsibility. Active Jewish Living.

Meet our teachers, speak with our administrators, and learn from current parents and students what makes SDJA so special.

Now enrolling Preschool High School

A school where my child knows everyone and everyone knows my child.

A school with excellent Academics and Judaic Studies.

A school ranked nationally in the top 2% on college selectivity*.

Contact [email protected] or 866-765-7516 sdja.com

SCHEDULE YOUR TOUR TODAY

San Diego Jewish AcademyWhats important to you?

*niche.com


JFS Dedicates New Joan & Irwin Jacobs CampusOn Jan. 31 Jewish Family Service officially opened its new Joan & Irwin Jacobs campus on Balboa Ave., commemorating the completion of the four-year project. Featuring a client choice pantry and enhanced collaborative workspace, the Campus is client-centered says CEO Michael Hopkins.

We have positioned many of the services a client needs together in a positive, healing environment, he continues in a press release.

The ceremony included Rabbi Yael Ridberg to dedicate the mezuzah, current and past board members, clients and their families, and the Campuss namesake Joan and Irwin Jacobs.

Also recent, JFS unveiled new branding including a new logo and a fresh tagline, ahead of the organizations 100 year anniversary, coming up in 2018.

theSCENE

BY NATALIE JACOBS PHOTOS COURTESY JFS

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: Herb and Marsha Lubick, and Linda and Joe Satz Michael Hopkins, Marcia Hazan, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Shana Hazan, Jennifer Levitt Howard Greenberg and Esther Fischer.


CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: Herb and Marsha Lubick, and Linda and Joe Satz Michael Hopkins, Marcia Hazan, Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Shana Hazan, Jennifer Levitt Howard Greenberg and Esther Fischer.


MUSINGS FROM MAMA by Sharon Rosen [email protected]

PARENTING

One hundred billion dollars strikes me as a lot of money to drop all at once. And yet many bright, powerful minds didnt seem overly troubled by releasing this mass quantum of dollars to Iran. Even if Iran could boast the cleanest of slates on terrorism and human rights, thawing out and turning over that kind of buying power lacks pragmatism in my mother-of-three, trustee-of-many book.

Any hands-on parent of toddlers or teenagers knows that going all carrot while wielding the tiniest of sticks (akin to a toothpick) begs for trouble. And yes, the United States reserved the right to snap-back sanctions if Iran violates provisions of Julys nuclear agreement and maintains other lesser sanctions curtailing direct business dealings with Iran and punishing Iranians accused of sponsoring terrorism. But lets face reality the big money is already so far out of the bag that these remaining sanctions seem naively quaint.

Of course we all want to trust errant nations and children. But hopeful trust often turns out to be indulgent, wishful thinking. Comedian Dana Carveys famous Saturday Night Live mimicry of President George H.W. Bush, from the early 1990s, saying, Now, that wouldnt be prudent keeps coming to mind. I never thought Id be saying this, but where is that senior-Bush-style measured approach when we need it?

Ive earned some hard-won knowledge about the perils of lump sum payments from my experience administering a couple of trusts. When people come into money all at once, they tend to get dollar drunk. Our family financial planner Linda, whos helped people manage their money for decades, told me, Upwards of 80 percent of people who inherit money or win the lottery blow through the cash in an average of 18 months no matter what the amount.

That just doesnt seem prudent! And thats why wise estate planners advise their clients to draft wills and trusts parceling out money to their children over intervals of time so they can pace their spending. Or they alternatively require the children to reach a certain age before they get their hands on the money. When I asked Linda

how she felt about deceased clients controlling family finances from their graves, she replied, I have no problem! Its so hard to see kids blowing through their parents hard-earned money.

Ive taken her advice to heart when administering trusts, by doling out the money over extended periods of time. Ive also been careful to hold money back to pay for unforeseen expenses (like an IRS audit) before making the final payout. Once assets have been distributed, trying to get anything back is unpleasant at best and impossible at worst.

So what does all this have to do with Iran? Lifting $100 billion in sanctions almost instantaneously just wasnt prudent. Even a modestly gradual lifting of sanctions over the course of a year wouldve given Iranian President Hassan Rouhanis government time to phase in measures to shore up the economy. A proceed-with-caution approach wouldve also given Rouhani some political cover (Iranians expectations for a speedy recovery tempered by the reality of gradual monetary access). Most importantly, with that kind of plan, anti-Western and anti-Israeli Iranian hardliners wouldnt have instant access to such big money.

Alas, if only world leaders had tapped into some fundamental parental wisdom and legal estate planning principles we might have had more of a cash roll out and less of a dollar dump. Heres to hoping the Iranian powers that be put the billions to good use reviving their battered economy and enhancing their citizens quality of life. Now that would be prudent! A

Lump Sum Trust

FYIThe South African Jewish

American Community (SAJAC) will host "Memories of Muizenberg," a traveling exhibit at the Cape Town

Grill on Miramar Road March 20-27. The photo exhibit,

which has traveled around the world for the past several years, explores the history of Muizenberg and the South

African Jewish relationship to the beach town. "It is a

memory of life that no longer exists," says SAJAC President

Brian Marks, "but was an incredible rallying point for

the community from the turn of the century until very recently."

Even a modestly gradual lifting of sanctions over the course

of a year wouldve given Iranian President Hassan

Rouhanis government time to phase in measures to

shore up the economy.


Jewish National Fund 5th Annual

LOVE OF ISRAEL BRUNCHSunday, May 1, 2016

9:30 - 11:30 am

Del Mar Marriott 11966 El Camino Real San Diego, CA 92130

Featuring Guest Speaker: Ido Aharoni

Israeli Consulate General in New York

Complimentary Event Dietary Laws Observed

Register at jnf.org/sdloi. For more information, contact AmyHart, SanDiegoDirector, at [email protected] or 858.824.9178 x988.

jnf.org 800.JNF.0099

METRO FLOORINGQ u a L I T y y O u c a N s Ta N d O N

858.549.29007340 Miramar Road, suite 100 san diego, ca 92126

www.metroflooring.com

Metro Flooring has over fifty years of successful experience in the flooring industry! We offer the most complete selection of carpet, natural stone, tile, wood,

vinyl, and window coverings in San Diego.

Together the family at Metro Flooring understands one thing better than anyone else, and that is SerViCe. We believe that customer service is the key to our operation,

and we will do anything to please our customers.

SATURDAY, MAY 14MARRIOTT MISSION VALLEY

A Tribute toDr. Bob RubensteinA Lifetime of Philanthropy

Cocktail Hour Silent & Live Auctions DinnerConcert by Jonathan Valverde

Tribute Book Silent Auction Sponsorships & Underwriting Opportunities

DETAILS AND RSVP INFORMATION AT WWW.TEESD.ORG

SAVEDATE

the

n

n

6299 Capri Drive San Diego, CA 92120 (619) [email protected] www.teesd.org www.facebook.com/teesd

Devorah Marcus, Rabbi Martin S. Lawson, Rabbi EmeritusShiri Haines, Executive Director Jim Lewis & Ron Marx, Co-Presidents

Gala 2016Gala Gala G


LIVING ON THE FRONT PAGE by Andrea [email protected]

ISRAELI LIFESTYLE

There is something to be said about living in a country always a hairs-breadth away from war. Not that hugging a husband who packs a pistol isnt occasionally awkward, or having my purse searched before buying milk doesnt get tedious after a while. But between the spikes in tension and fear lie moments of unbridled mirth. Sometimes you just have to laugh. Dishes break, the dog poops on the Persian carpet, the car wont start; I still choose laughter over disappointment because I live in Israel where chuckling is a rarity on most days.

Until I moved here, the word war evoked images and feelings that are so very different from the technicolor reality of combat. War was far away and bore foreign faces; war was villages without running water and poorly thatched huts with dirt floors. Soldiers were large, generic, and laden with khaki rucksacks, helmets, muddy boots and heavy weaponry. I held other opinions about the military that were so uninformed, Im too ashamed to share.

Israel is under siege. Under siege by virtue of media lies, overt and orchestrated anti-Semitism, and really bad people with bombs, firearms, runaway tractors and knives. The Middle Easts only democracy experiences war unlike my childhood imagination. War is in our parking

lots and hospital cafeterias. Our soldiers are the once-baby boys and girls who watched Barney whom we rocked to sleep with lips pressed to fevered brows. Our homes are not huts; we have marble floors and indoor plumbing.

Still, it seems that every day there is a blood-bath somewhere in our land and, despite the hair-trigger vigilance of our security forces, wily murderers frequently elude the defensive measures. Theyre usually shot dead, resulting in a feeble Facebook round-of-applause, but take it from someone sitting in the front row of the conflict: Dodging inner-city guerrilla attacks takes a toll on ones emotional well-being. It affects marriages, parenting, workplace productivity.

Someone spending only a little time is this holy land could be confused by the near-schizophrenic rhythm of the street. Arabs, Jews and Christians shop, learn and heal alongside one-another but rarely interact outside of these official settings. Within these same walls, however, we are fiercely equal and demanding. Only after Im away for a while can I return to Israel and identify the real culprit of this energy drain: Fear. She resides in cafes, the cinema and at the beach on a glorious summer afternoon, sneakily webbing her odium between schoolgirls giggles and the soft-murmuring of lovers as they whisper their plans for tomorrow. G-d-certainly

knows that we have enough on our communal plate that warrants serious attention. None of my overseas friends or relatives have devoted a special corner of the closet to gas-masks.

Which brings me back to that laughter thing: One day, I couldnt reach my husband and knowing hed been working in dangerous territory, I got a little crazed. When he finally called, it took some time to regain my balance. Eventually calm, I was chopping vegetables for soup when I heard what seemed to be a huge explosion coming from the bathroom. It was merely the dryer falling off its perch from atop the washing machine. Unfortunately, the door was closed and it became jammed. Water was seeping from under the door and the dryer-drum continued its loud cycle, stuffed with damp laundry. Waiting for my handyman husband to return home, I tried in vain to pry the door open when I lost traction and fell. One foot rammed the wall and I broke a toe.

Wet, injured, and concerned about the cost of the still unknown damages, I was still sitting on the sopping floor when my husband came home. He took one look at me, the mess and together we exhibited the most Israeli of responses.

We laughed. A

Guffaw


Stein Center at

SEACREST VILLAGEretirement communities

adult day services l home of person-centered care

Stein Center Adult Day Services provides an enriching and stimulating environment for those with mild cognitive impairment or early stages of dementia. Our programs are developed to motivate and stimulate individuals and encourage connections, conversation, self-esteem and feelings of success.

We offer half and full day programs with flexible days, Monday Friday, from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Our program includes: d Creative art offerings such as watercolors and papier mchd Mind aerobics and brain gamesd Chair Yoga, Tai Chi, and Chair Zumbad Educational discussions and cultural conversationsd Participation in live music and dancingd Pet visitsd Healthy, nutritional Kosher meals (catered to vegetarian or other dietary needs)

As a member of the Stein Center, you and your loved one are part of the Seacrest Village Family.

Call 760.632.0081 or visit seacrestvillage.org

304 SEACREST WAY, ENCINITAS, CA 92024 LICENSE # 374603545

SEACREST VILLAGERETIREMENT COMMUNITIES

Senior living in the Jewish tradition


What keeps us happy and healthy as we go through life? Robert Waldinger took to the TED stage last November to answer this question. Mr. Waldinger, a psychiatrist, is the Director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development. The study is one of the longest and most complete studies of adult life ever conducted. After watching his talk, I found the lessons that make for a happy life are applicable and can benefit people at any age.

The Harvard Study of Adult Development included more than 250 privileged college sophomore men at Harvard and more than 450 poor inner-city Boston teenage schoolboys. Since 1938, year after year, the study asked about these mens work, home-life and health. To get the clearest picture about these mens lives, the study goes beyond just a questionnaire; the researchers also obtain medical records, blood samples, brain scans, speak with children and videotape the participants talking with their wives and other family members. So, what was learned from the thousands of pages of documents from 70 years of study? The clearest message is that good relationships keep us happy and healthier.

Three big takeaways from the study:1. Social relationships are really good for us.

It turns out that people who are more socially connected to family, friends and community, are happier and physically healthier, and ultimately live longer than people who are less well connected. On the flip side, loneliness can be toxic, not only contributing to less happiness, but also health declines earlier, in mid-life.

2. The second lesson is that one can be lonely in a crowd or even in a marriage. It is not about the quantity of relationships but rather about the quality of the relationship. Living in the midst of conflict turns out to be very bad for ones health, while living in the midst of warm relationships is protective, even at the cellular level. The studies even found that satisfaction in ones relationships during mid-life were a better predictor of living into ones 80s than blood pressure and cholesterol numbers. Good, healthy relationships help to buffer us from some

of the more common maladies as we grow old. 3. Good relationships do not just protect our

bodies, they also protect our brains. The study found that people in truly secure relationships, where they feel they can truly count on the other person in times of need, had memories that stayed sharper for longer. However, individuals who did not feel they had close relationships tended to have more rapid decline in brain functioning.

No doubt, maintaining healthy relationships takes effort. Relationships can be messy and complicated. The hard work to sustain a healthy relationship is something that individuals can be hesitant to invest in. However, the people in this study who were happiest worked hard to replace friends when circumstances changed. There is no doubt, the people who lived the longest, healthiest and happiest lives were those who leaned into relationships with friends, family and community.

As I end the piece I cant help but think of my generation. A recent survey of millennials (born 1980-2000) stated that a major life goal for 80 percent was to become rich. Another 50 percent of this same cohort said that a major life goal was to become famous. Society gives the impression that money, fame and investing time into work are the needed ingredients for a good life. However, if I have learned one thing from the seniors I interact with daily, it would be to replace screen time with actual face time, to reach out to an old friend who you havent seen or spoken with for a while. And most importantly, to mend a broken relationship with a family member. Doing so will not only help you live into your 80s and up, but will also help you become happier. A

Relationships for Life

OLDER, WISER, BETTER by Jon [email protected]

AGING

FYIThe SDSU Downtown Gallery continues with Energy: Made

in Form. The new exhibition explores the tangible

concept of energy, and features regional artists as well

as students and faculty from the School of Art + Design.

Pictured above is David Emitt Adams Navajo Refinery,

Artesia, New Mexico, a wet plate collodin tintype on a

55-gallon oil drum lid. Photo courtesy the artist.

Relationships can be messy and complicated. The hard

work to sustain a healthy relationship is something that

individuals can be hesitant to invest in.


Help at Home.Seacrest at Home is the trusted not-for-profit home care agency when you or a loved one requires additional help at home.

Our services include:

Personal Care Meal Preparation

Light Housekeeping Pet Care

Escort to Appointments Errands

Medication Reminders Companionship

Contact us for more information.

760-632-3715 / 760-942-2695 seacrestathome.org We accept most Long-Term Care Insurance Home Care Organization license #374700096

Wealth Preservation, LLC12625 High Bluff Dr., Suite #103

San Diego, CA 92130

800-313-PLAN (7526) www.wealthpreservationllc.com

WIDOWS, DIVORCEES, AND FAMILIES LOSE MILLIONS BECAUSE THEY DONT PLAN AHEAD.Unfortunately, it is happening in every city in America. Women are being left with nothing whether its due to divorce or an unexpected death and as a result, families have to suffer.

WHOSE FAULT IS IT?Life insurance is the gift of love, it is the best form of protection that you can give your family from the unexpected. Whether you are a widow with young family needs or a stay-at-home mom going through a separation from your spouse, life insurance is the single most important product that you should have to ensure that you and your family will be provided for no matter what.

Even if you believe that it wont happen to you, planning for all of lifes what ifs is what will shield you from failure should it ever happen.

NO ONE PLANS TO FAIL, THEY FAIL TO PLAN.Contact Stewart Weissman or Dave Harris at (800) 313-PLAN(7526) today for a complimentary assessment to see how you can protect yourself and your family from the inevitable. You may also email us at [email protected] or [email protected] with any questions or to receive additional information on what we have to offer.

CA LIC # 0505247


THE ARTISTS TORAH by David [email protected]

SPIRITUALITY

The beginning of the Book of Leviticus is something like a sacrificial handbook; in the opening chapters you learn what to sacrifice, when to do it, how to do it, and what results the sacrificer can expect. This is a big topic, worthy of a handbook. In the Biblical Israelite religion, offerings were brought to the Temple for all kinds of occasions: holy days, other celebratory moments, times when a person has unintentionally done some wrong. Interestingly, intentional wrongs dont get covered here; there is no path to forgiveness (through sacrifice, anyway) for instances where people do bad things on purpose. Instead, there are criminal penalties, some of which are quite harsh.

The Torah is suggesting a couple of things. The first is that theres an important distinction between a consciously malicious act and one that happens because of an accident or oversight. Its also suggesting that both are nonetheless wrong. Both require some kind of response to get the world back in proper ethical order. And the response to an unintended failing is, if not as harsh as a criminal penalty, still stringent: the perpetrator, probably dependent on livestock for livelihood, has to sacrifice some in order to make good. In the Torah, a lack of negative intention is a mitigating circumstance, but it doesnt totally absolve you.

Im reminded of a quote by the writer John Gardner, who makes an argument that all writers should write with taste. This means, among other things, that they should think, always, of what harm they might inadvertently do and not do it. He spends plenty of time elsewhere arguing against intentional harm, of course; its obvious enough that we shouldnt be going around hurting others on purpose, including with our words. But Gardner, like the Torah, demands a still higher standard one in which we avoid even bumbling our way into trouble.

Notice that Gardners commandment, if we can call it that, is not a purely negative one. What I mean is that its not entirely a dont do rule. The positive element, the do part of it, commands us

to actively think. In other words, it pushes us to make inadvertency impossible by becoming more conscious of our actions and their possible effects.

Judaism wants the same thing from us. Theres a tradition that requires us to say a hundred blessings per day, and all of that blessing is supposed to ensure that we take notice of whats happening, and what were doing. The mezuzahs on our doorposts are meant to awaken our ethical attention as we move from one space to another. The fringes on the tallit, wearing tefillin during morning prayers, the breaks in our routine that come through Shabbat and other holy days we surround ourselves with reminders to be conscious.

This all begins with the Torah, which uses the word lishmor in telling us to what to do with the commandments. Lishmor is often translated as to observe (apt given our discussion about paying attention) but is also frequently translated as to guard. Whichever one you choose (to preserve is another option), these are active verbs, verbs which require us to go beyond passively obeying injunctions and paying for it when we fail. Like a good guard, we dont just react to bad things that happen; we need to keep our eyes open to try to prevent bad things from happening.

Of course, we fall short. We lose focus, we miss things. Thats why the Torah offers a path to forgiveness for our mistakes (a tradition kept alive in our time most vividly by Yom Kippur). But the ideal is not the apology and restitution that follows an error. The ideal is the person who thinks, always, of what harm might be done, in order not to do it. A

Living with Taste

This months

Torahportions

March 5: Vayakhel(Exodus 35:1-38:20)

March 12: Pekudei(Exodus 38:21_40:38)

March 19: Vayikra(Leviticus 1:1-5:26)

March 26: Tzav(Leviticus 6:1-8:36)

Like a good guard,

we dont just react

to bad things that happen;

we need to keep our eyes

open to try to prevent bad

things from happening.


The language of philanthropy can be difficult to understand at times. All of us at the Jewish Community Foundation would like to define these terms and provide the knowledge needed for meaningful giving. To start that conversation, we will be sharing a series of tips and explanations in the coming months.

501(c)(3): Section of the Internal Revenue Code that designates an organization as charitable and tax-exempt. Organizations qualifying under this section include religious, educational, charitable, amateur athletic, scientific or literary groups, organizations testing for public safety or organizations involved in prevention of cruelty to children or animals.

Donor Advised Fund: An individual charitable account that helps make giving easier and more meaningful. The donor(s) makes a donation to establish the fund and receives an immediate tax deduction to the full extent allowed for gifts to a public charity. Then, the donor(s) retains the privilege of recommending grants at any time in the future to the causes that he or she values most.

Giving Circle: A giving circle is a form of participatory philanthropy where groups of individuals donate their own money or time to a pooled fund, decide together where to give these away to charity or community projects and, in doing so, seek to increase their awareness of and engagement in the issues covered by the charity or community project.

Philanthropy: The desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed especially by the generous donation of money to good causes.

Strategic Philanthropy: Intentional direction of charitable dollars with knowledge of expected results, greatest impact and leverage of dollars with specific goals in mind.

The Language of Philanthropy Part 1Brought to you by

Jewish Community Foundation San Diego 858.279.2740 www.jcfsandiego.org

WE CATER ANY EVENT!

ALWAYS COOKED FRESH ON-SITE!

Rotisserie Free Range Chicken Kosher Slow-Cooked Brisket Whole Rotisserie Lamb Grilled Salmon & Mahi Mahi Choice cut Roast Beef Rotisserie Marinated Turkey Shabbat Luncheons

THROWING A SIMCHA?

BAR/BAT MITZVAH PARTIES WEDDINGS GRADUATION PARTIES CORPORATE EVENTS 30-5,000 PEOPLE KOSHER PLATTERS BARUCHA LUNCHEONS

WE CATER ANY EVENT!

858-578-88917313 Carroll Road 92121

www.rotisserieaffair.com

YOUR ATTENTION IS REQUESTED WITHIN 24 HOURS. Thank you for your business.

Advertiser is responsible for the accuracy of advertising copy. Please proofread carefully and note any corrections.

CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE WITH APPROVAL OR CHANGES. If Approval is not received by the published art deadline, the previous months ad will run.

Exp. 03/31/2016Minimum 50 people. Food only

2012 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company.

Equal Housing Opportunity. Owned & Operated By NRT LLC. CaBRE Lic#01333258

Another Listing by Lisa

(858)[email protected] www.LisaOrlansky.com

Call for details.Lisa represents Buyers and Sellers throughout

San Diego County!

2012 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Bankerlicensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company.

Equal Housing Opportunity. Owned & Operated By NRT LLC. CaBRE Lic#01333258

(858)[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] (858)243-3317

Lisa represents Buyers and Sellers throughout

San Diego County!(858)243-3317


||| FUNNY PAGES |||


Consider us for all of your Life Cycle events! Bar/Bat Mitzvah ShaBBat Dinner KiDDuSh BriS BaBy naMing WeDDing

Our cOMBineD lOve Of fOOD anD unDerStanDing Of JeWiSh cuStOMS, traDitiOnSanD the laWS Of KaShrut allOW uS tO help yOu create the perfect event.

960 Turquoise Street San Diego, CA 92109(858) 488-1725 www.frenchgourmet.com

T H E P A T R I C I A N L A J O L L A . C O M 1 . 8 5 8 . 2 1 7 . 5 5 4 8 4 0 2 5 P u l i t z e r P l a c e , S a n D i e g o , C A 9 2 1 2 2

RETIREMENT IS ALL ABOUT LIVING HAPPIER, FULLER LIVES. At leas t that s th e ph i losophy h ere at Th e Pat r ic ian a communi t y of 13 6 i n d e p e n d e n t - l i v i n g a p a r t m e n t h o m es . We ve c re a te d a u n i q u e , v ib rant , a tmosph ere wh ere res ident s a re a l w a y s l o o k i n g f o r w a rd to what tomorrow br ings . S o jo in us . A nd savor tomorrow.

patr canA M E R R I L L G A R D E N S

C O M M U N I T Y

C A L L T O DAY T O S C H E D U L E YO U R P E R S O N A L V I S I T A N D T O U R O U R U P DAT E D A PA R T M E N T S .

L A S T O N E T O T H E I C E C R E A M S H O P I S A R O T T E N E G G

021216e_Patrician_SD_Jewish_Journal_Rotten_Egg_A.indd 1 2/12/16 4:36 PM


||| SENIORS |||

On a Wednesday afternoon in January, four seniors sit around a white board looking at a print-out of the Mona Lisa. Sylvia, a program assistant for Seacrest Villages Adult Day Center, leads the discussion, sharing details about why the piece was painted and how people have interpreted the figures smile. Its only the third official week for this center for older adults with early stage dementia and attendance fluctuates daily. When I visited, three of the four people there were from Canada. One man, who lives in Oceanside part time and Alberta part time, brought his friends, a married couple, to experience the center. The couple was in San Diego touring facilities like Seacrest because theyre thinking about moving here part time, too. Linda has been diagnosed with early stage dementia and she and her husband, Larry, heard that social programs like day centers are helpful in keeping peoples minds active and engaged, and in some cases have been found to slow the brains decline. As Canadian citizens, the couple has an interesting problem to consider before making the move they can only get U.S. health insurance for one month at a time, so theyll have to make several trips back and forth during the year. After spending the better part of a week touring different senior residences and adult day centers, Larry told me that Seacrests was the best by far.

People with dementia need routine, says Danielle White, Director of Adult Day Services at Seacrest Village. And they need a higher level of care than family members can provide.

The day center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Seniors can come as little or as much as they want to, or can afford. Fees $80/day for anything less than six hours, or $100 for more than six hours are pre-paid monthly and can be refunded in special cases to accommodate for bad days, as White calls them, when people arent able to attend as planned. But the idea is that seniors will come to the center on a set schedule, which helps the person with dementia but also helps White to make sure that shes properly staffed.

As a day center, this facility is heavily regulated by the Department of Social Services Title 22 Community Care licensing requirements. The state requires a one to 15 ratio of caregiver to client, but White is hoping to maintain a one to four ratio to keep in line with Seacrests person-centered approach. On our stroll around the facility, White shows me the zen room created to comply with Title 22s requirement that there be a space for people to rest during the day. They cant install beds because its not a residential facility, so there are two recliners in the small room. The

zen part isnt required, but Seacrest is trying to encourage choice by offering aromatherapy, water features, and soundscapes so people can apply different zen techniques to their mood on any given day.

White moved to the day center from Seacrests Katzin Memory Care Unit, where she was a life enrichment lead, back in April of 2015. She worked almost exclusively on getting the day

center licensed until November. The centers first day of operation was Jan. 11. Specific to the license, Seacrests day center is a social model, not a health model, so seniors have to meet certain requirements in order to attend. For example, White says, a senior cant be incontinent, although she realizes accidents do happen. The senior also needs to be able to feed him or her self and handle natures call independently. The center is also not able to care for people who are at the dementia stage where they are constantly trying to seek exit as often happens later in the diseases development, but some wandering is ok, White says (the facility has a spacious patio in a protected courtyard).

For now, the day center is a quiet place for people with early stage dementia to spend a few hours in the company of their peers, under the patient supervision of someone who is not their relative, keeping their minds active in a variety of ways. As the number of clients expand, so too will the programming. A

Interested parties can contact Danielle White for more information, at (760) 632-3720 or [email protected].

DELAYING DEMENTIA with Social InteractionNew Seacrest Day Center aims to provide an enriching environment for people with early stage dementia, and their families

BY NATALIE JACOBS

The idea is that seniors will come to the center on a set schedule, which helps the person with dementia but also helps White to make sure that shes properly staffed.


DELAYING DEMENTIA with Social InteractionNew Seacrest Day Center aims to provide an enriching environment for people with early stage dementia, and their families

BY NATALIE JACOBS

Generously supported by the Jewish Education Leadership Fund Families: Chortek Family Foundation, Leichtag Foundation, Melvin Garb Foundation, Viterbi Family, Susan Chortek Weisman & Eric Weisman

Media Sponsor

BUY TICKETS NOW! Box Office: (858) 362-1348

www.sdcjc.org/dssTICKET OPTIONS

Ticket Prices Per Lecture: $16.50; JCC Member Price: $13.50 Goldberg Lectures on the Middle East 3-pack: Price $45; JCC Member Price $36

Monday, April 4, 2016 7:00 p.m.In the Aftermath of the Iran Nuclear Agreement: The Middle East Under the Shadow of a Nuclear-threshold Iran

Tuesday, April 5, 2016 7:00 p.m.Civil Wars in Syria, Iraq, Libya, and Yemen: A Microcosm of all Middle East Conflicts and Crises

Wednesday, April 6, 2016 7:00 p.m.Israels Challenges and Opportunities in a Chaotic Middle East: The Palestinian Problem, Irans Threat, and Relations with the U.S.

Professor Jacob Goldberg (Ph.D. from Harvard University in Middle East politics) is a former Senior Adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. He is the author of The Foreign Policy of Saudi Arabia, and has also published numerous articles in newspapers in Israel and the U. S., including The New York Times and The Washington Post.

GOLDBERG LECTURES ON THE MIDDLE EAST

PROFESSOR JACOB GOLDBERGMonday, Tuesday & Wednesday, April 4, 5 & 6, 2016 7:00 p.m.

at the David and Dorothea Garfield Theatre, LFJCC 4126 Executive Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037

34 SDJewishJournal.com | March 2016

||| SPORTS |||

History was made at European Figure skating Championships in late January when 28-year-old Israeli Alexei Bychenko took silver in mens singles, becoming

the first Israeli to claim a medal at the competition. Bychenko was joined in Bratislava, Slovakia, by Tel Aviv born Daniel Samohin, 18, also skating for Israel. Though he placed seventh in mens singles at the event, Samohins global ranking rose after that performance, and he is currently the highest ranking Israeli skater in the world, according to the International Skating Union (ISU).

With that, Israel is leaving its mark on the worlds figure skating sport. Its a family effort. Father and coach, Igor Samohin, a renowned pair skater for Russia who competed from 1984-1986, and eldest Stas, 25, also a ranked skater, join Daniel, along with mother Irina, their choreographer, in pursuit of skating excellence and Olympic dreams.

Both Samohin brothers have the 2018

Olympic Winter Games hosted by South Korea in their sights and they are choosing San Diego to get there.

Why San Diego for this ice skating Israeli family? Theyre moving from Lake Arrowhead, where Daniel and Stas have been training at the Ice Castle, a known training ground for Olympic figure skating champions for the past 30 years and the same facility where Michelle Kwan and Suya Bonaly used to train. But that historic facility is shutting down, leaving the Samohins in need of a new rink.

The family learned about Poway Ice Arena,

a state-of-the-art facility off Scripps Poway Parkway that opened late last year and said yes when co-owner Smita Mehta, invited them to make it their new training ground. They arent the only ones carving their ice tracks in Poway; the San Diego Gulls hockey team also now trains there.

I sat down with the three Samohin men at the rink the week before the European Figure Skating Championships to discuss how they came to be recruited by both the Russian and U.S.A. figure skating teams, and why they remain resolutely focused on skating for Israel, all while training in San Diego.

It became obvious during our interview that skating is a very intense business. Their daily routine consists of four to five hours of training, homeschooling, and coaching other skating progenies who are following them from Arrowhead to train in Poway.

The familys journey began in Russia with father Igors figure skating triumphs. Stas was

Wandering Skating Jews Israeli athletes hit the ice in San Diego to train for the 2018 Winter OlympicsBY TINA B. ESHEL

After five years and six-hour commutes to and from Israels only ice rink, it became clear the family needed to move once more, this time to the United States.


Theres actually no rinks [left] in Israel, Stas says with a laugh. The rink they were using in the south of Israel closed a year before the family moved to the United States, first to Boston, with a stint in Florida and now California. All three Samohins talk over one another for a moment, smiling and describing that year when Stas honed his skills on roller skates instead of ice blades.

Wandering Skating JewsIsraeli athletes hit the ice in San Diego to train for the 2018 Winter OlympicsBY TINA B. ESHEL

born in Moscow but he was barely out of diapers and already into skates when the family emigrated to Israel, where Igor began working with the Israel Olympic figure skating team. After five years and six-hour commutes to and from the countrys only ice rink, it became clear the family needed to move once more, this time to the United States, if Stas was to continue purusing his mens figure skating dreams. This was before Daniel, still a baby, had taken to the ice blades.

Theres actually no rinks [left] in Israel, Stas says with a laugh. The rink they were using in the south of Israel closed a year before the family moved to the United States, first to Boston, with a stint in Florida and now California. All three Samohins talk over one another for a moment, smiling and describing that year when Stas honed his skills on roller skates instead of ice.

Fifteen years later, both brothers Samohin command the ice from Southern California as part of the 13-member Israel Olympic skating team. Daniel Samohin was ranked in the top 20 prior to the European Championships. His seventh-place finish raised his overall three-year rank by two, to 18.

Thats really crazy because it took me two years to get there, you know?

No, his brother interrupts, it took you your whole life to get there.

He just has to ruin the moment, Daniel kids in return. No, hes right, it took me my whole life to get there, but Im saying in terms competing internationally, about two years of those international competitions, it got me there.

Father Igor steps in to clarify that its hard to specify a ranking since were talking in the middle of the figure skating season.

Even so, rankings are discussed amongst the Samohins with pride. Stas, who is currently recovering from two knee surgeries and hasnt competed for two and a half years, has been ranked in the top 200 worldwide for the past three years. As a junior skater for Israel, Stas was the first young athlete to win an international competition in skating for Israel in 2000-2001.

Hes looking forward to competing again, hoping to do so when the new season starts this fall.

Now Im coming back, Im recovering, he says. Im doing a lot of physical therapy right now.

The day I was there, he was on the ice and

looked confident and strong. A highly qualified coach as well, Stas keeps

himself busy on and off the ice working with their growing team of international skaters, some from as far away as Switzerland, who travel to train with the Samohins in Poway.

Smita Mehta, a lifelong hockey fan from Canada, opened Poway Ice Arean with her husband, Nish, and a few local investors in November, 2015.

The biggest reasoning was for kids. ... We were thinking, lets open it up to give these kids a chance to grow and ended up building this rink for the community.

Even though there were five year-round ice rinks in San Diego County before Poway Ice opened, Mehta and her family saw a need for another. They built it to give people more time on the ice during hours that were family-friendly, as opposed to early morning or late evening, she says. That the Gulls and Samohins found out about the new facilities and decided to train there during the day turns out to be an added bonus for the rink, and for San Diego.

Igor Samohin tells me that there are currently

only three skaters in the world who do three quad jumps in a program; Daniel is one of them. A quad or qaudruple jump is a figure skating jump with four or 4 revolutions. Theyve become increasingly popular since being introduced into compettion in the late 1980s, and its now considered a handicap if a competitve skater doesnt do at least one in a single program.

Daniel, the King of Quads (or #kingofquads in social media references),

is a spectacular jumper. Those leaps earned him a gold medal at the 2015 U.S. International Figure Skating Classic in Salt Lake City last year. HaTikvah played as medals were awarded.

Listening to the Israel National Anthem as he accepted his medal was a powerful moment for the whole family, Daniel recalls.

It was nice to hear because you always get to hear these other anthems. When they raised my flag, it was awesome. There were people from the Israel community [in Salt Lake City] who came and were tearing up as well finally, we are getting to show the world that Israel has skaters.

Both say they love skating for Israel and they miss the food of their home country.

The history of the country is [also] amazing, says Stas who remembers living there and going to the Dead Sea and Jerusalem. My grandmother is there and makes a lot of food he says as his dad and younger brother start laughing again.

When they go to Israel, Im scared. They only go for two, three days, but Im scared about their weight, Igor says, smiling. His mother, the boys grandmother, lives in Ashkelon, Israel.

If you dont know their international journey, Stas and Daniel Samohin seem like your typical American kids with Olympic-sized dreams. To catch them on the ice, visit the Poway Ice Arena which is open to public view during professional practice times. Best times are around 1 p.m., when the men are warmed up.

You can follow their progress on the ISU website, isu.org. Daniel is competing in the World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Debrecen, Hungary, March 14-20. When the season is complete and final points are tallied, the Samohins will have a better idea of their standings towards qualifying for the Olympics among the 13 men skating for Israel.

Poway Ice Arena also offers public skate times, lessons, and rental opportunities. Learn more about skating hours and lessons at powayice.com. A

Daniel Samohin, Smita Mehta, Igor Samohin and Stas Samohin take a break from practice to document the occasion

at Poway Ice Arena.

PHO

TOS

COU

RTES

Y SA

MO

HIN

FAM

ILY

36 SDJewishJournal.com | March 201636 SDJewishJournal.com | March 2016

||| SPORTS |||

Cameron Weiss and Joe Barkett started a sports agency four football seasons ago. Both from San Diego, they became fast friends over a deep love of sports when Weiss transferred to USC from University of San Diego during his junior year of college. The two were at USC during the golden years of SC football, Weiss says, when legends like Pete Carroll, Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart were leading the team. After undergrad, Weiss came back to USD to get a law degree while Barkett got a masters in business.

In the 2013 NFL draft season, Weiss and Barketts Empire Athletes took their first players through the draft process, and their roster has been growing ever since. During their second season in business, their now former client, Michael Sam, a defensive end from Missouri, decided to come out as gay while in training camp for the St. Louis Rams. Weiss and Barkett found themselves featured in a New York Times story and interviewed on CNN while their young client was on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Is all publicity good publicity for a fledgling company in a highly competitive industry?

Here, Weiss discusses the impact that big splash had on his business, as well as that one time when sports was ahead of the social curve, and how all those hours of watching baseball games and fighting for the sports section may have finally paid off for him.

San Diego Jewish Journal: Were you always mostly interested in football?Cameron Weiss: Actually baseball was number one for both of us growing up. That was my first love. But football the reason we started doing football was ... for business purposes, starting a business in baseball is not that easy because you sign a guy when hes 18 years old, maybe 20, maybe 23 depending where he is in the process he can be in the minor leagues for four to seven years before he reaches the majors. So thats not really conducive to getting a young business up and running.

Football is a very clear-cut timeline. You sign a player when hes done with college. You prepare him for the draft; its usually a four-month window. And then he gets drafted or signed by a team. At that point, he can become money-making as a professional player.

Chief PragmatistHow two local boys turned a love of sports into business

BY NATALIE JACOBS

PHO

TO C

OU

RTES

Y KE

LLY

WIH

RT A

ND

EM

PIR

E AT

HLE

TES

Joe Barkett, left, and Cameron Weiss, right, just completed their fourth football season with their sports agency Empire Athletes.

Adar I Adar II 5776 | SDJewishJournal.com 37Adar I Adar II 5776 | SDJewishJournal.com 37

Chief Pragmatist

SDJJ: Does the law degree help with writing the contracts?CW: If youre talking about the actual negotiations youre having with the teams and the contracts you have with the player and team, those are all form contracts those are pre-negotiated, pre-written out. ... Really the only things that you fight for are length and price, but with rookies, its kind of all slotted so youre really in there trying to break down the language to incur smaller benefits like service time, how early theyre eligible for their pension, benefits, that kind of stuff.

SDJJ: What do you think players are deciding on when picking an agent?CW: Sometimes its the personality some guys want to spend time with someone that they like, in which case it helps that Joe and I are younger and more relatable to these guys who are 21 to 24 years old. Sometimes they want to see a really established track record of players and what youve done with them. In which case, that puts Joe and me at a disadvantage just inherently because we havent been around. Some guys want a smaller roster of players with their agencies so they can get more attention. Some guys want a bigger roster of players because they feel like its a proving ground.

SDJJ: What happens to the clients who didnt make it?CW: It depends. I keep in touch with some of my clients that have been inactive for almost four years. But thats just the kind of people that Joe and I are. ... We have players in the CFL [Canadian Football League] and the Arena League so they can keep chasing the dream. Some guys just want to stay ready, keep working out, waiting for a team to maybe bring them in for a workout or something like that. It really depends what the guy wants.

A good example of that is our first client ever, a kid named Eric Rogers. He went to a small Division Three school called Cal Lutheran. He was the first rookie we ever signed right out of college, right after we started our company, for the 2013 NFL draft. He was an undrafted free agent that year, signed with the Dallas Cowboys, got cut. He ended up playing in the Arena League, then going up to Canada. He ended up getting cut and signed with another team called the Calgary Stampeders.

[In mid-January] he signed one of the biggest CFL to NFL deals of all time with the San Francisco 49ers. So were obviously really happy about that. Its just really cool because we stuck with him and he stuck with us through a lot of ups and downs over multiple years. Now, three years after we first signed him, hes in a really good spot.

SDJJ: What is a typical day like for you?CW: Thats the great part about this business, there is no typical day. ... Yesterday [late summer, 2015] I got a call at about 3 p.m. that one of my players [Terrance Plummer, who was linebacker for the Washington Redskins when Weiss and I spoke] was going to be promoted from practice squad to active roster. So his old contract had to get ripped up, he had to sign a new one, I had to review that for him. This morning, I wake up, I have calls from media outlets that have heard that maybe hes going to get promoted. They want to know whats going on. [Plummer ended the season with the Minnesota Vikings.]

It just depends. Ive got three active guys. Weve got five guys who just got cut at training camp. Weve got eight minor league baseball players. Weve got another four or five guys whore still, like I said, chasing the dream. So each and every day Ive got to do something for all of them, and each one of their situations is completely different. Ive got guys who are hurt, trying to get healthy. Ive got guys who are on the street trying to get on a team. Ive got guys on the team worrying about where theyre going to live in the city that theyre in now. You wear a lot of hats and thats whats cool about it.

SDJJ: How much do you think all of the attention with Michael Sam helped you as an agent and your business in general? What did you learn from that situation?CW: If nothing else, it really gave Joe and me a big splash early on, especially from a publicity standpoint. Its not every agent out there that has articles written about them in the New York Times, has a client thats on the cover of Sports Illustrated in their second year of business. So I think that gave us an instant bump in the PR department, slash a tiny bit of credibility. Ultimately, though, credibility only lasts as long as your track record. We had to back it up. We had to get him the right deals, had to get him the right team. It obviously hasnt worked out ... the way we wanted it to on the football side, but hes done nicely for himself off the field.

The NFL is a really competitive, highly replaceable game for players. If youre a guy at the back end of the roster, you have to be earning your deal every single day. If theres anything that tips the balance against you, its going to do you a big disservice.

The other part ... when youve got a guy whos one of the most talked about players in that years draft, youre being pushed left and right and having to decide what to do and what not to do. And then the client wants to do certain things and doesnt want to do other things, so you have to navigate all of that in order to come to a product that is satisfactory for the individual and for yourselves as a business.

Thats sort of what you have to do with any high profile player, not just athletes. It is what they want it to be, it is what they make it in terms of their marketing income. So you cant lose sight of what they want. Its like where is the happy medium where you are doing what you want to do, what is smart to do, and also makes financial sense for you.

SDJJ: In your four seasons, have you see any changes with the way that the NFL operates, from your side of things?CW: I think theres been a lot of positive changes that have taken place over the last year and a half, or two years. I think that the league is starting to put the onus on itself to get up to speed on a lot of issues. Its not easy. Its a very interesting microcosm as an industry. Sports at one point were very much ahead of the curve, socially, and I think that at some point they kind of fell behind it. Now thats sort of being righted again.

SDJJ: How much baseball and football do you watch?CW: A lot. Its just so ingrained in me from watching growing up. Its funny, my mom, G-d rest her soul, she used to get on me big time because I would come straight home and turn on baseball because baseball games [on the east coast] start [here] at 4. This is before the MLB premium package, where I would watch WGN and get whoever the Cubs were playing. Id come home from school, Id turn on the tv and by the end of the 4:00 slate, the Padres would come on. So there was some point before 10 where I needed to get my homework done and get a meal in me.

My mom was always on my case about me wasting my time, basically. I like to think that all those aggregate hours built this base of knowledge in me that I still use to this day, so it did go to somewhere.

SDJJ: Its probably not just watching, but reading about all of the stats?CW: Yeah, my brother and I literally used to race in the morning whoever could get up and out the door quickest to run and get the sports section in the Union Tribune. Wed get in physical fights over it so my dad had to make alternating days for who got the sports section first. A

How two local boys turned a love of sports into business

BY NATALIE JACOBS

PHO

TO C

OU

RTES

Y KE

LLY

WIH

RT A

ND

EM

PIR

E AT

HLE

TES

38 SDJewishJournal.com | March 2016

In our family, the question of whether or not to have a Bar Mitzvah has weighed heavy on our minds this past year, as my freshly 13-year-old son is opposed to the idea of a big bash. His father is Catholic, and I am Jewish-by-Choice. He says he doesnt want to feel forced to choose. The story goes deeper than just confusion about

his identity or religion. Hes not one to take the stage, unlike his former 3-year-old self who loved to climb upon the bimah at our synagogue. All that attention now, just the idea of it, makes him very uncomfortable.

What he does find palatable is something modest, such as getting called up to the Torah, saying a few words and celebrating with family and synagogue friends sharing a meal. The reticence he displays isnt uncommon. There are an estimated 1.8 billion youths in the world and many cultures have some rite of passage to acknowledge what it means to become grown up. By and large, our Jewish rite of passage is awesome when you consider the other options. In Ethiopia, for example, some young men have to jump over a castrated bull four times, naked, before they are considered a man and can marry, and in Venuatu, a small island nation in the South Pacific, young boys jump off high towers up to 98 feet tall with only a bungee-like vine tied to their ankles.

Given a choice, leading a synagogue service and having a party seems like a fine alternative to jumping off a bridge or over a large ungulate. Milestones are special because they dont happen every day, and celebrating them is part of our Jewish heritage. Thats why Im not sure Im a fan of the Keep-It-Simple stance sometimes less is more, but sometimes more is called for.

As someone who didnt have a Bat Mitzvah, I read with nostalgic envy an article by Beth Ain of Kveller/JTA, In Defense of the Big Fat Bar/Bat Mitzvah Party. Ain is a childrens book author, creator of the Starring Jules chapter book series. As she explains in the article, she is about to embark on planning her childs Bat Mitzvah, 18 months ahead of the game.

She speaks fondly of her own party. Beyond the tacky 1980s decorations, what mattered most to her were her relatives at the party. All of them, dancing

and smiling and smelling like themselves cologne and maybe hints of cigar on some, [liquor] and red lipstick on others.

So many of them are gone. My grandparents, my great-aunts and uncles and now, even my own maternal uncle, who played his guitar on the bimah after the Havdalah service was over, and whose presence that day and later at my various graduations and my wedding was important and the memories lasting.

I understand my sons hesitation since our family is quite small, and half are not Jewish. Why would he want what Ain refers to as a wedding for a 13-year-old? Then again, your situation may be quite different. Maybe the partys on for you and now youre contemplating just how big you can go without incurring finger wags and tongue clicks.

This is a celebration, and in a world of more bad news, isnt it nice to gather together and honor another child being called to the bimah and to read from the Torah? When else might you be able to gather entire generations, your family from across the country, even from Israel, to be present together in one time and space?

From catering to entertainment, weve done some of the homework to help with the party planning. Regardless if your guest list is 10, 100 or even 500, we hope youll find unique vendors and new ideas to fit into your unique budget.

The coming-of-age ritual is usu

sdjj march

Documents