MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 Congregation Beth Am picnic


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NOW-SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 Ner Tamid Open House and Barbecue


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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2008 Temple Solel S'more Shabbat


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MON., SEPT. 29-THURS., OCT. 9 Congregation Beth Israel High Holiday Services


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DESTRUCTION—Idan Peysahovich, correspondent for the Jewish Agency for Israel, stands by
building recently destroyed during Russian invasion of Georgia

EYE WITNESS IN GEORGIA

Amid Georgia's ruins, Jews weigh aliyah

By Idan Peysahovich
Correspondent for the Jewish Agency for Israel

TBILISI, Georgia, August 28, 2008— I have just returned to Tbilisi from a full day in Gori. I have so many thoughts it is difficult for me to begin. I keep seeing the destruction, the abject poverty and the trauma of the people I met. 

I was hosted by two incredible leaders, Gregory Brodsky, head of the Jewish Agency's delegation in Georgia, and Dr. Beso Menasherov, the "father" of the Jewish community in Gori and the Jewish Agency's local coordinator. Both men saved many Jews during the war, and continue to tirelessly take care of the community's needs.

The Russian tanks and soldiers have left Gori. But the devastation is everywhere. Beso told me that during the war people hid in their basements in panic and hysteria. No one knew what to do. He went from door to door to get the Jews out and send them to Tbilisi.

We visited a number of families. When I told them that I was from Israel they were overcome with emotion. Some hugged me. Others started crying. I felt the importance of my mission there. I felt that I had the whole Jewish world behind me, because no matter where and when Jews are in need, others Jews come together to help them. And by telling their story I am a part of this incredible phenomenon.

I met the Mensharshvili's (at left), a couple with two teenage children who went to live in Germany for two years and then returned to their hometown, Gori. On that same day, the war broke out. They are still reeling from the fear of the bombs and tanks. They are sending their two teenage children to a camp in Israel in mid-September, set up by the Jewish Agency, and they told me of their plans to make aliyah. 

I met Amalia Gigashvili (right), who cannot move her arm or leg on one side. Her children and grandchildren live in Israel. She could not stop crying, she is still so frightened. "Why don't you come to Israel where your children can take care of you?" I asked her. She did not have an answer. Then she thought hard and said, "Because it is hot." And the absurdity was it was 35 degrees Celsius in Gori. 

Beso told me that many of the older people are afraid to stay and afraid to leave. The community is suffering from trauma. There are people who had no homes to come back to after they fled to Tbilisi. And others, like Moshe Babashvili, the gabbai of Gori's small synagogue, and his wife (left), who live in miserable conditions. My heart lurched when I looked at the blackened walls and walked on the shaky floor of their barely furnished box-sized apartment. 

I kept thinking today about the value of human life, and the Jewish attitude toward this. How much we value one life. How much our people will do, how far we will go to save a life. I saw it here in Georgia. I saw it when I served as a soldier in the Israeli army in places like Jenin and Gaza. And I see it every time that Jews are in danger and the State of Israel, without thinking twice, takes immediate action.  

It never ceases to amaze and humble me.

The author grew up in Bernaul, Siberia, and made aliyah in Israel after being amazed by the visit
to his city in 1991 of two representatives of the Jewish Agency for Israel. He had never seen people who were so openly Jewish, and resolved to persuade his family to move from Russia to Israel. Now, Peysahovich, is himself a JAFI representative on a mission to war-torn Georgia.

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Campaign 2008


VP pick Palin has 'strong working relationship' with Alaska's Jews

{Editor's note: San Diego Jewish World welcomes guest columns and commentary on the presidential election as it concerns issues of direct concern to the Jewish community.}

By Matthew Brooks

WASHINGTON, D.C —By choosing Governor Sarah Palin as the vice-presidential candidate, John McCain once again demonstrates good judgment and a commitment to challenging politics-as-usual. As governor of Alaska, Palin has enjoyed a strong working relationship with Alaska's Jewish community.  She has demonstrated sensitivity to the concerns of the community and has been accessible and responsive.

Palin has a proven track record of experienced and principled leadership.  Palin has been a leader on the critical issue of energy independence and lessening our need to buy oil from nations not sharing America and Israel's foreign policy interests.  

Palin is anything but the typical Washington pick. A former commercial fisherman and mother of five children, Palin is an exciting and vibrant leader.  She will bring a unique perspective to the presidential campaign.  Her frontier spirit and triumph over adversity will benefit John McCain and the entire Republican ticket.  Together, they are a dynamic team.  They will show the American people that on the critical issues facing this country the Republicans have the right solutions. John McCain and Sarah Palin are ready to face the tough challenges ahead.

Matthew Brooks is the executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition.



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Campaign 2008


NJDC rejects RJC critique of Biden

By Ira Forman

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) and their allies have already gone on the attack with their fear and smear campaign against Joe Biden.

Biden's record is clear; he is great friend of the American Jewish Community with extensive foreign policy experience and a strong pro-Israel record.

Even if Democrats had picked David Ben-Gurion to run as Vice President, the RJC would be charging that he was anti-Israel.

This reflexive negativism is symptomatic of the bigger problem the GOP has this year. Their own ideas and candidates are so discredited that the only thing McCain's allies know how to do is attack pro-Israel
Democrats as being anti-Israel.

Don't they ever worry about looking ridiculous and losing all credibility? We guess not.

Forman is executive director of the National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC)

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TORAH ON ONE FOOT


Why so many laws not found in Torah?

By Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal

SAN DIEGO—A couple of weeks ago someone asked during Shabbat morning services: "Why does Judaism have so many laws that are not found in the Torah? After all, the Torah explicitly states in Parashat R'eih:'Be careful to observe only that which I enjoin upon you; neither add to it nor take away from it.'" (Deut. 13:1) This is a good question. Many of Judaism's laws and customs (i.e., not mixing milk and meat, lighting Shabbat and holiday candles) are not found in the Torah.

The answer is that although many mitzvot are not found explicitly in the Torah, they are derived from the Torah. Our tradition teaches that at the same time Moses received the Written Torah (i.e., the Five Books of Moses) from God, he also received an Oral Torah. The Oral Torah contains explanations and interpretations of the Written Torah. Since the Oral Torah is also from God, it is equally as authoritative as the Written Torah. Stories, rules, laws, and interpretations found in the Oral Torah are not considered  "additions or subtractions" because they are "Torah," too.

The Oral Torah's process of interpreting the Written Torah is called Midrash. Midrash has its own rules and logic and often requires its own Midrash to understand!

Rabbi Rosenthal is spiritual leader of Tifereth Israel Synagogue in San Diego. He may be contacted at rabbi@tiferethisrael.com

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AMAZING STORIES OF JUDAISM


Turkish diplomat saved Jews from Nazis

By Rabbi Baruch Lederman

SAN DIEGO—Ismail Necdet Kent was a Turkish diplomat who risked his life to save Jews during World War II. He was posted as Consul General to Marseilles and gave Turkish citizenship to dozens of Turkish Jews living in France who did not have proper identity papers to save them from deportation to the Nazi gas chambers.

On one occasion, Kent boarded a train bound for the Auschwitz concentration camp after Nazi guards refused to let some 70 Jews with Turkish citizenship disembark. After more than an hour on the train, the guards let Kent and the Jews leave.

A Jewish worker at the consulate had alerted him that 80 Turkish Jews living in Marseilles had been loaded into cattle cars for immediate transport to certain death in Germany.

The Jews were crammed one on top of the other in the wagon, which was meant to transport cattle. "To this day, I remember the inscription on the wagon: 'This wagon may be loaded with 20 heads of cattle and 500 kilograms of grass'". Overcome with sorrow and anger at the sight, Kent approached the Gestapo commander at the station, and demanded that the Jews, whom he said were Turkish citizens, be released. The official refused to comply, saying that the people were nothing but Jews.

Undeterred, and in a leap of courage and human benevolence, Kent turned to the Jewish worker from the consulate and said, "Come on, we're getting on this train, too." Pushing aside the soldier who tried to stop him, he jumped into the wagon. The German official asked him to get off, but Kent refused. The train started to move, but at the next station, German officers boarded and apologized to Kent for not letting him off at Marseilles; a car was waiting outside to take him back to his office. But Kent explained that the mistake was not that he was on the train - but that 80 Turkish citizens had been loaded on the train.

"As a representative of a government that rejected such treatment for religious beliefs, I
could not consider leaving them there," he said. Dumbfounded by his uncompromising stance, the Germans ultimately let everyone off the train.

"I cannot forget the embraces, the expression of gratitude in the eyes of the people we rescued and the inner peace that I felt when I got to bed in early morning", he said.

But Kent's heroism was not limited to this one action. In contrast to some of the other foreign consulates stationed in Marseilles, who began imitating the Nazis' disdain toward Jews, Kent issued Turkish identity documents to scores of Turkish Jews living in southern France or who had fled there and did not hold valid Turkish passports.

In 2001, Kent, who became known as the "Turkish Schindler" was honoured with Turkey's Supreme Service Medal as well as a special medal from Israel for rescuing Jews during the Holocaust.

Dedicated by Baruch & Miriam Stehley in honor of their children Aaron, Elie & Talya.

Rabbi Lederman is spiritual leader of Congregation Kehillas Torah in San Diego. He may be contacted at rbl613@nethere.com




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DOING IT BETTER

Instrumental vs. nurturing friendships

By Natasha Josefowitz, Ph.D.

LA JOLLA, California—Most of us have both! Most of us need both! An instrumental friendship is one where the “friend” is used mostly as an instrument, a tool, a way to obtain a desired goal. Being friendly with a superior at work, asking your boss to dinner, making friends with a local politician, socializing with your lawyer, doctor, accountant, architect, or anyone in a professional arena, inviting your neighbor over, all may fall into the category of “you never know...the friendship could be useful someday!”

The friendships at work might give you visibility or establish a rapport with superiors, which may come in handy at promotion time. Knowing politicians or other people with influence in your community may serve you well in supporting your favorite charity or some other undertaking. Getting to be friends with your lawyer might free you to discuss a legal question over dinner. Being friendly with neighbors is equally expedient, “just in case” you may need each other for a cup of sugar or to pick up the newspapers during an absence.

Now, I am not saying that these friendships cannot be “true.” We can be friends with any of the people mentioned without any ulterior motives being involved. What I am saying is that so many of us have only these instrumental friendships and are not even aware of the lack of the other kind: the “nurturing friend.”

Nurturing friends are those whose eyes light up when they see us and who love us as we are, not as we ought to be. Nurturing friends are there to listen to our woes, share our successes, and have fun with. They are the ones we go out of our way to help. There is mutual acceptance and support.

We pay attention to our instrumental friendships because we are aware of needing them. We often neglect our nurturing friendships because our emotional needs are less evident. We say we have no time for them when, in fact, we are not making time for ourselves.

The more successful we are, the less time we have for the kinds of friends who nourished us in our youth. How many of us on the ladder of success still take the time for heart-to-heart talks, for afternoons or evenings of just having fun with an old friend? This becomes increasingly difficult as we make more money, travel more, have a higher status, or more visibility than does the old pal we grew up with.

When professional interests differ, we often assume less commitment to old friendships. This need not be so. There are other things to talk about besides work. Though we may continue to make time to see our instrumental friends, we also need to reassess the time needed for the nourishment of our souls— time to be just ourselves, without agendas. We need “real” friends, the ones we can let our hair down with, be totally ourselves, warts and all.

When we are with real friends, we don’t have to be on guard, watch what we say, worry about not offending. We don’t have to sound intelligent, be entertaining, or agree.

For our own emotional well-being, we need a stress-free environment, and that can only be accomplished when we are with true friends—friends we can trust. Friends we love and who love us back.

At my age, I don’t have any instrumental friendships. There is nothing I need from anyone except the give and take of real friendship. We are there for each other both in times of need and to have fun together. An evening of good conversation, whether it is the political situation, the latest book we read, or bragging about a grandchild’s accomplishment, is a time I cherish. We give each other advice and complain about our aches and pains, and we always look forward to time spent together. I can list several friends I feel I have true intimacy with. We have created a family by seeing each other on a regular basis. Frequency, consistency, and honesty are the ingredients for true friendship. I feel blessed to have such good friends and know that they feel the same about me.

Natasha Josefowitz's column also may be read in La Jolla Village Voice. She may be contacted at josefowitzn@sandiegojewishworld.com

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Jewish Family Service of San Diego's Craig Lambert appointed
to City of San Diego’s Senior Affairs Advisory Board

SAN DIEGO (Press Release)— Craig Lambert, a director of Older Adult Services for the Jewish Family Service of San Diego, has been appointed to the City of San Diego’s Senior Affairs Advisory Board, which consists of 11 members selected from senior service delivery professionals and providers and City-at-large seniors over the age of 60. Members are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council and serve two-year terms.

As a member of the Advisory Board, Lambert will serve in an advisory capacity to the Mayor and City Council on policy and issues relating to transportation, security at home, improved intergenerational interaction, meal delivery, housing, improved City-County cooperation, and other issues as determined by the Chair. In addition, the Board makes recommendations for improving communications between seniors and the City government, reviews City employment policies for seniors, performs studies and surveys as requested by the Mayor and Council advises on relevant issues and formation of laws, policies, or procedures which may affect seniors, and reports annually to the Mayor and Council on the "State of the Seniors" within the City of San Diego.

Lambert is a licensed clinical social worker and for the last 10.5 years has been the Director of Older Adult Services for Jewish Family Service, where he oversees all of the community-based senior programs.



San Diego Jewish World seeks historic newspapers to archive on the web

San Diego Jewish World, in its "Adventures in San Diego Jewish History" column just below, is completing its transcription of stories from its pre-1950 archives, and soon will be posting stories from 1950 on.

However, our pre-1950 archives, unfortunately, are incomplete, so we appeal to anyone who might have copies which we have not already posted of San Diego Jewish newspapers from that period to allow us to copy them, so that we can put the historic stories up on the web for the benefit of the entire Jewish community.

If you have such back issues of the Southwestern Jewish Press, the Southwestern Jewish Review, the San Diego Jewish Community News or any other historicpublication of our San Diego Jewish community, please contact San Diego Jewish World editor Donald H. Harrison to arrange for us to copy it. Harrison may be contacted at editor@sandiegojewishworld.com, or by phoning (619) 265-0808.

Thank you





ADVENTURES IN SAN DIEGO JEWISH HISTORY

Editor's Note: To create a permanent and accessible archive, we are reprinting news articles that appeared in back issues of various San Diego Jewish newspapers. You may access an index of the headlines of those articles by clicking here. You may also use the Google search program on our home page or on the headline index page to search for keywords or names.


Beth Jacob P.T.A.
From Southwestern Jewish Press, December 16, 1949, page 27

Plans are complete for the Annual Latke Party which is given by the Beth Jacob P.T.A. and which will be an event of Saturday evening, December 17th at Beth Jacob Center, 3206 Myrtle Avenue.

The committee in charge have elaborate plans for the evening’s entertainment which will include cards and games.  All the latkes you can eat will be served.  The Party will start a 8:00 p.m. and the admission is only 75 cents.

Mr. Jerry Weissman, president of the Beth Jacob P.T.A. joins the committee in extending a cordial invitation to everyone to spend Saturday evening with the P.T.A. group and enjoy an evening of fun.


Youth Groups to Stage Chanu-Kapers
From Southwestern Jewish Press, December 16, 1949, page 27

The combined Youth Groups of the three religious institutions in San Diego, Temple Beth Israel, Tifereth Israel Synagogue and Congregation Beth Jacob are sponsoring a delightful affair next Wednesday evening, December 21st.

The Temple center at 3rd and Laurel Streets will be the scene of Chanu-Kapers to which all senior high school and college young people are invited.

This party, which will get under way at 8:00 p.m., will feature a fine floor show, dancing and good eats.

The combined Youth Groups extend a cordial invitation to all young people to join them next Wednesday evening for an evening of fun to commemorate the Chanukah Festival


Temple Sisterhood
From Southwestern Jewish Press, December 16, 1949, page 27

On Wednesday, December 21st, there will be a Chanukah-Luncheon Meeting at the Temple Center, at 11:45 a.m..  In keeping with the spirit of Chanukah, Cantor Julian Miller will sing and conduct the children’s choir.  Each member is requested to bring a gift not to exceed 25 cents, which will be placed around the Chanukah Menorah.

Reservations for luncheon are to be made no later than December 19th, through Mrs. Charles Goldfus, Chairman of the luncheon.  Glencover 57055; Mrs. Nate Schiller, Woodcrest 2796 and Mrs. Joseph Alweis, Woodcrest 8-3298. The usual good lunch, at the popular price of 75 cents.


Federation Plans Community Survey
From Southwestern Jewish Press, December 30, 1949, page 1

Many responsibilities face the newly organized Federation of Jewish agencies, according to Carl Esenoff, president.

A “Self Survey” Committee to be chaired by Sol Price is now in the process of being organized by the Federation.

“Recurring self-examination is good business and good sense,” said Esenoff.  “There has been a great and rapid growth of our community and it is only good common sense to determine how available resources can be used to maximize advantage.”

The committee will be asked to organize a campaign for a survey which will cover population, constituent agencies and an analysis of unmet needs.

Esenoff further announced that preliminary work had begun on budgeting problems of constituent agencies with the idea of being able to submit to the United Jewish Fund the budget for local needs to be included in the 1950 campaign.  Agencies that are part of the Federation are: The United Jewish Fund, San Diego Hebrew Home for the Aged, Jewish welfare Society, Jewish Community Center, Jewish Education Commission, Community Relations Council, and the President’s Council. The function of the Federation is to act as a coordinating, planning, public relations and financing agency for local Jewish welfare needs.


Community to Know Allocations Before Campaign Begins
From Southwestern Jewish Press, December 30, 1949, page 1

“Pre-campaign allocating” will be one of the innovations introduced in 1950 by the United Jewish Fund.

Now in the process of organization, the 1950 Allocations Committee I planning to have several meetings before the 1950 campaign.  The Committee will be instructed to bring it its report and recommendations to the community so that the agencies to be included and the amount to be allocated will be known during the campaign, according to an announcement from the Fund office.

With an increase in the national goal of the United Jewish Appeal to $272,000,000.00 in 1950, it is again anticipated, by community leaders, that the bulk of the money raised in San Diego will go to the three constituent agencies of the United Jewish Appeal.

Approximate division of the UJA goal will see $209,000,000.00 going to the United Palestine Appeal for Israel, $49,000,000.00 for the work of the Joint Distribution Committee, and $18,000,000.00 fr United Service for New Americans.

Our indexed "Adventures in San Diego Jewish History" series will be a daily feature until we run out of history.
  
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BULLFIGHTING

A bissel sports trivia with Bruce Lowitt

OLDSMAR, Florida--Q: Who was the first American matador to appear in a Spanish bull ring?

(a) Lesley Gore
(b) Bik Penman
(c) Sidney Franklin
(d) Murray Manolete

Background: He was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1903, he sailed to Mexico in 1921 and set up a printing business. While creating bullfighting posters, he attended a match and eventually tried it and enjoyed it. He later sailed to Spain and became a great bullfighter. Ernest Hemingway wrote about him in Death in the Afternoon.

Please click here for answer

Sports maven Lowitt may be contacted at lowittb@sandiegojewishworld.com

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Sports Trivia Answer: (c) Sidney Franklin (born Sidney Frumkin)



SAN DIEGO JEWISH WORLD THE WEEK IN REVIEW


Friday, August 29, 2008 (Vol. 2, No. 208)
Lifestyles
Tough interview: a jet-lagged grandson, 7 by Donald H. Harrison in San Diego
Arts
Bolshoi Principal Dancer Sulamith Messerer centennial was August 27 by Sheila Orysiek in San Diego
San Diego Jewish History
San Diego Jewish World seeks historic newspapers to archive on the web
Adventures in San Diego Jewish History
—December 16, 1949: Tifereth Israel Men's Club by Henry Bowman
—December 16, 1949: Jewish War Veterans Auxiliary by Binni Brooks
—December 16, 1949: San Diego Birdie Stodel Chapter B'nai B'rith by Bess Boroshek
—December 16, 1949: San Diego Hebrew Home for the Aged


Thursday, August 28, 2008 (Vol. 2, No. 207)

International
Worrying about Obama's Mideast advisors by Ira Sharkansky in Jerusalem
Campaign 2008: Biden wrong on Iran, inconsistent on Israel by Matt Brooks in Washington, D.C.
Judaism
The 'Leviticus Traps' by David Benkof in New York
Education
Choose your student's backpack carefully by Gary Rotto in San Diego
San Diego Jewish History
San Diego Jewish World seeks historic newspapers to archive on the web
Adventures in San Diego Jewish History:
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