San Diego Jewish Community Holds Record Breaking Israel Celebration!

If you were anywhere near La Jolla on Sunday, April 21, you must have felt the excitement and buzz emanating from the Nobel Recreational Area, where the Jewish Federation of San Diego held its annual SD Celebrates Israel – Yom Ha’atzmaut Festival. To celebrate Israel’s 65th year of Independence, over 110 local organizations, exhibitors, and Israeli food vendors collaborated to bring the sights, sounds, and tastes of Israel to the record-breaking 5,000 San Diegans that attended.

Photos by JessiPhotography.com

Kicked off by the annual Friendship Circle Walk, which this year generated $83,580 for children with special needs both here and in Israel, the San Diego Celebrates Israel Festival delighted attendees with authentic Israeli entertainment such as Re Vital and the Israeli Defense Force Musical Ensemble. A very special element commemorating the 65th anniversary of Israel’s Independence were the Vintage Israeli Posters for sale. Not to be outdone, the Youth Art Exhibit featuring entries from religious and day schools showcased the Festival’s theme “If You Will it is No Dream” with many student artists also focusing on the dream of peace.

Along with free parking and shuttles to auxiliary lots, the festival left no element of fun unaccounted for and included free face painting, bounce houses, crafts, organized sports games, caricatures and hair art , just to name a few. A Senior Club provided shade and refreshments to our valued population of senior citizens, and there was even an opportunity drawing in which two San Diegans won round trip airfare to Israel.

Photos by Angela Solange - www.PhotosBySolange.com

The Jewish Federation sponsors this annual festival as a community building event and it has become such a vital tradition that Mayor Bob Filner stopped by with an official Proclamation naming San Diego Celebrates Israel an official city holiday!

Photo by Angela Solange - www.PhotosBySolange.com

The Jewish Federation wishes to thank the City of San Diego, and the many Organizations, Community Partners, and Event Underwriters that made San Diego Celebrates Israel as epic as ever! Be sure to save the date for next year, when we celebrate Israel at 66, on Sunday, May 18, 2014!

Three great Facebook albums! Be sure to tag your friends celebrating Israel!

Witless Photography  -   Photos by Solange  -  Del Rio Studios 

JCRC Hosts Susan Davis and Juan Vargas at LJC Breakfast

Rabbi Scott Meltzer, Linda Feldman of the JCRC, Congressman Scott Peters, Congresswoman Susan Davis and Congressman Juan Vargas

Alan Viterbi introduced Congresswoman Susan Davis and Congressman Juan Vargas, keynote speakers at a recent breakfast hosted by the Latino-Jewish Coalition of the JCRC. “Preserving the Past to Protect the Future” was facilitated by Rabbi Scott Meltzer of Ohr Shalom Synagogue. Davis and Vargas each shared their own personal stories of immigration, spoke about the national picture of immigration reform and answered questions from the audience of more than 50. 

Congressman Scott Peters, San Diego City Council President Todd Gloria, National City Council member Alejandra Sotelo-Solis and District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis added their contributions to the dialogue. Breakfast attendees were organized into small, mixed groups where they had an opportunity to share their own stories of identity, cultural heritage and impact on future generations.

The breakfast received rave reviews from all who attended.

See more great pictures of this important day here.

Historic Victory in Court for the Women of the Wall

Photo Credit Michal Fittal - Haaretz

The Jerusalem District Court ruled Thursday that women praying at the Western Wall with prayer shawls and tefillin does not constitute a violation of “local custom” or a provocation, and therefore, no justification exists for detaining and interrogating women who engage in these practices.
The ruling is a major victory for the Women of the Wall organization in its ongoing battle against police and the Orthodox authorities in charge of prayer rules at the holy site.

The district court also ruled that contrary to police interpretations of a previous Supreme Court ruling, there is no prohibition preventing women from holding their own prayer services at the Western Wall nor any requirement that they congregate instead at the nearby Robinson’s Arch.

In his decision, Jerusalem District Court Judge Moshe Sobel upheld a ruling handed down two weeks ago by the Jerusalem Magistrate Court, which rejected a request by police to issue an injunction preventing five women - all activists in Women of the Wall who were detained at the organization’s last service for wearing prayer shawls - from praying at the Kotel for three months.

Over the past six months, police have clamped down on Women of the Wall, detaining worshippers at the organization’s services virtually every month for wearing prayer shawls and praying out loud.

Sobel - an Orthodox Jew himself - wrote in his decision that, contrary to police interpretations, Women of the Wall were not in violation of the law requiring worshippers to abide by “local custom” when praying at the wall.

Citing previous judicial rulings and commentary, Sobel wrote: “There is no reasonable suspicion that the respondents violated a prohibition in the law governing holy sites, an essential component of which is ‘conducting a religious ceremony not according to local custom.’”

Sobel also ruled that women praying at the wall were not a disturbance of the peace, as police maintained, and that, therefore, there was no reason to impose any limitations on their movement at the holy site.

The district court judge noted that police have interpreted a Supreme Court ruling, handed down in 2003, as ordering Women of the Wall to hold their prayers services at Robinson’s Arch. That ruling, wrote Sobel, “is not an order but rather a recommendation.” Moreover, he noted, the Supreme Court ruling had required the state to clean up Robinson’s Arch and turn it into a proper area of prayer within 12 months – a requirement has still not been fulfilled. In light of both these stipulations, Sobel wrote, “the aforementioned [Supreme Court] verdict should not be seen as an absolute order . . . the violation of which entails criminal responsibility.”

In a statement issued in response to Sobel’s decision, David Barhoum and Einat Horovitz, the two lawyers representing Women of the Wall, wrote: “The decision clearly cries out to the authorities to change their approach to prayer by Women of the Wall.”

Horovitz said the most significant element of the ruling was the decision that Women of the Wall prayer practices are not in violation of “local custom.”

“The court has rejected any reasonable cause for a policy of repeated detainment and arrests of Women of the Wall by police,” she said.

Anat Hoffman, chairwoman of the women’s organization, said in response: “Today Women of the Wall liberated the Western Wall for al Jewish people. We did it for the 8-year-old girl who can now dream of having her Bat Mitzvah at the wall and for the grandmother who cannot climb on a chair to see her grandson’s Bar Mitzvah. We did it for the great diversity of Jews in the world, all of whom deserve to pray according to their belief and custom at the Western Wall.

The women detained on April 11 at the Rosh Chodesh prayer service were Lesley Sachs, director of Women of the Wall; Bonnie Ras, assistant director of communications for the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism; Silvie Rosenbaum, Sharona Kramer and Rabbi Valerie Stessin, who was the first Conservative rabbi to be ordained in Israel.

Yizhar Hess, executive director of the Masorti-Conservative movement in Israel, called the decision “a victory for common sense and a wake-up call for the Israeli police, which for years have been a toy in the hands of the Kotel rabbi.”

All Ages Jewish Singles Event Next Week!! Comedy | Cocktails | Connections

Top Women Philanthropy Donors Gather to Hear an Olympian's Story

Karen James

Ninety-five leading donors were recognized for their generous support of Federation’s Women’s Philanthropy Annual Campaign at the Lion of Judah & Pomegranate luncheon on Wednesday at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines. 

The annual event featured an address by Karen James, a member of Canada’s swim team at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, at which 11 Israeli athletes were taken hostage and murdered by Palestine terrorists. James, who was 19 at the time, accidentally encountered two of the terrorists when they all accessed the Olympic village late one night. It was not until the following day, when the hostages were taken, that she realized whom she had seen the night before. James shared the life-changing impact the experience had on her, ultimately inspiring her to move from complete lack of Jewish involvement to her current status as a leader in the Vancouver and Canadian Jewish communities.

The luncheon also featured a special ceremony honoring women who have chosen to endow their annual gifts, thus ensuring that their support for the work of Federation will continue in perpetuity. The ceremony concluded with candles being lit by friends and relatives of those with endowed Lion of Judah gifts who have passed away over the years. 

A highlight of the event was presentation of the prestigious Kipnis-Wilson/Friedland Award to Terri Bignell. The award is given bi-annually to a woman in recognition of her exceptional commitment to tzedakah and tikkun olam. Terri Bignell has been an esteemed volunteer and professional leader in San Diego’s Jewish community for thirty years. She has led and inspired a variety of organizations including the Federation, Women’s Philanthropy, Hillel of San Diego and Congregation Beth Israel.

See more great photos of the event here.

Federation to Host 5k Benefiting Victims of Boston Marathon Bombings

The Jewish Federation of San Diego County Young Adult Division is proud to announce the Superhero 5k and BBQ on June 9th to aid the victims of the Boston Marathon Bombings. The family friendly event will take place at Liberty Station in San Diego. Participants are encouraged to dress up as their favorite hero to honor the everyday heroes who responded in the aftermath of the tragic events on April 15. Local firefighters, police and emergency responders will enjoy free registration, and are encouraged to come be recognized. 

 
The 5k will culminate in a gigantic kosher community BBQ and beer garden in the NTC Waterfront Park featuring local breweries, food trucks and more. There will also be an opportunity drawing featuring great prizes including Padres tickets, gift certificates to local businesses and even a family 4-pack of tickets to Disneyland! 

To register go to www.yadsandiego.org/hero5k.

Facebook Event Here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/625229544173237/

Federation Launches Fund to Aid Victims of Boston Bombings

The Jewish Federation of San Diego County, in partnership with CJP of Boston, is launching a disaster relief fund to provide aid for individuals in response to Boston Marathon Bombing.  These funds will go directly to efforts providing relief to the individuals involved, providing comfort, and supporting critical services in the aftermath of this devastating tragedy.

JFNA and Jewish Federations are committed to care for victims of global tragedies, and have emergency relief plans in place to aid people in need.

Read this message from CJP Boston who have kick started their efforts with a $100,000 contribution.

http://www.jewishfederations.org/page.aspx?id=262276