NextGen Hosts Yappy Hour

On Tuesday, April 28, more than 50 Jewish young adults along with their canine friends gathered at DogHouse Bar and Grill in Hillcrest for another great NextGen Happy Hour event.

Once per month, NextGen hosts happy hours to bring Jewish young adults from all throughout San Diego together to mingle, nosh, and meet new people. This happy hour was certainly unique, as it was the first time that the invitation was extended to the four-legged friends of NextGen members. In addition to the 50 schmoozing humans, more than 25 dogs showed up to meet new Jewish friends! Laughter, L’chaims, and barks radiated throughout the venue.

According to attendee feedback, the event was a great way to build, unite, and bring together the NextGen community.

“Yappy Hour was an absolute blast, I had no idea how many NextGeners had dogs,” said Danny Fleischer, NextGen Manager. “Unfortunately, 828 Events – next week’s gala venue – doesn’t permit dogs, but I still can’t wait to see everyone at World of Good on May 9th.”

Click here to view the Yappy Hour photo album.

Click here to purchase your World of Good ticket – an event not to be missed!

Click here to learn about upcoming NextGen events.

NextGen | World Of Good | Wine & Dessert Gala | May 9

CLICK HERE to RSVP.

CLICK HERE to RSVP.

2015 Yom HaShoah Commemoration Ceremony

On Sunday, April 19, hundreds of San Diegans filled the auditorium of the Lawrence Family JCC for the Jewish Federation of San Diego County’s annual Yom HaShoah commemoration ceremony, which was a collaborative effort on behalf of several local Jewish community partners.

The 2015 Yom HaShoah Commemoration Ceremony was a combined effort on behalf of the Anti-Defamation League, San Diego Center for Jewish Culture, Jewish Community Foundation, Jewish Family Service, New Life Club, Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, JACOBS FAMILY CAMPUS, San Diego Rabbinical Association, and the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County.

The theme of this year’s ceremony was From Auschwitz to Activism – 70 Years on From the Holocaust. The ceremony honored two local survivors, Lou Dunst – and his liberator, Bob Persinger – and Rose Schindler, who recently attended the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz in Poland.

The touching ceremony commenced with a moving introductory speech from Yom HaShoah committee Chair, Barbara Ostroff. The program included captivating video footage and images, a color guard performance reminiscent of the concentration camps liberation, a musical presentation, and a candle lighting ceremony, where candles were lit by survivors and their families in memory of the 6 million Jews who were killed.

Several local Rabbis, including Rabbi Rosenthal, Lawson, Greenstein, and Kopikas conducted a meaningful prayer service, where eight candles were lit to embrace survivors through the fourth generation. The ceremony concluded with Lou Dunst leading a community-wide recitation of the Kaddish – the mourner’s prayer and local Jewish youth groups singing the Hatikvah – Israel’s national anthem, with heart warmth radiating throughout the entire auditorium.

Each year, a local ‘righteous gentile’ is selected by the committee to honor the many gentiles who helped to save countless Jewish lives during the Holocaust. This year, Bishop Sarhad Jammo, of the Iraqi Christian community lit the eighth candle.

The keynote speaker, Dr. Steven Windmueller, discussed what it means when we say ‘never again’ and spoke about global anti-Semitism. He encouraged world leaders not to stand by during times when evil-doers are promoting present day genocide or planning future holocaust scenarios.

In the words of the Chairman of the American Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Their Descendants, “it is not enough to remember, we must take action; we are obligated to teach our children tolerance and to understand others,” said Chairman, Roman Kent at the 70th anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz in Poland. “Hate is never right and love is never a mistake. We don’t want our past to be our children’s future.

Click here, to view more photos from the 2015 Yom HaShoah photo album.

Toda Raba to all who attended and helped to make this year’s Yom HaShoah Commemoration such a remarkable and memorable ceremony.

Hundreds of San Diegans Remember Israel's Fallen Soldiers

On Tuesday, April 21, the San Diego Jewish community came together in solidarity to honor loved ones and close friends who lost their lives fighting for Israel’s independence and its continued existence for Yom HaZikaron—Israel’s Day of Remembrance. The national day of remembrance – observed by Jewish communities around the world – is dedicated to honoring soldiers who fell in Israel’s wars and as victims of terror.

Approximately 500 San Diegans attended the moving ceremony that took place at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center on the eve of Yom HaZikaron. This year’s memorial service hit close to home for many, as it gave special recognition to the soldiers who fell this past summer during Operation Protective Edge and the lone soldiers who died serving in Israel.

The Yom HaZikaron program commenced with the special recognition of soldiers who recently lost their lives, which pulled on the heartstrings of those in attendance. After the emotional commencement, the Israeli flag was lowered as a siren blared throughout the auditorium. The service included a special candle lighting ceremony, where members of our local community were invited to light candles in honor of family members that they’ve lost. During the candle lighting ceremony a candle was lit for victims of terror in Sha’ar HaNegev – San Diego’s sister region in Southern Israel, which is located just miles from the Gaza border and is constantly plagued by terror attacks, violence, and rocket fire.

The ceremony included a community-wide recitation of the Yizkor – a special remembrance prayer (read only on certain Jewish holidays) and the El Maleh Rachamim – a prayer for the souls of those who have departed; the reading of poems; remarkable video footage; and songs relating to Yom Hazikaron. The program concluded with the Hatikvah – Israel’s national anthem.

The aim of the annual memorial ceremony, which was a collaboration on behalf of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County, Chabad, San Diego Jewish Men’s Choir, Tzofim of Shevet Galim, and the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, was to bring the entire San Diego Jewish community together to not only honor all soldiers who died while protecting our Jewish homeland, but also to connect as a one, unified Jewish community.

Toda Raba to all those who attended and helped to make this year’s Yom HaZikaron ceremony so extraordinarily memorable and remarkable.

Federation Connects with North County for Memorable Yom HaShoah

On Saturday, April 18, Federation joined San Diego’s North County Jewish community for their joint Yom HaShoah Ceremony. The North County Holocaust Commemoration Ceremony, in its fourth year, is an annual collaboration between Temple Adat Shalom and Congregation Ner Tamid. This year, Federation was delighted to have the opportunity to sponsor and partake in the moving community-wide ceremony.

The North County Commemoration was more than just a Yom HaShoah ceremony. This unique, collaborative effort came about more than four years ago when Rabbi David Castiglione and Cantor Lori Frank of Temple Adat Shalom and Rabbi Nadav Caine of Congregation Ner Tamid met to discuss the limitations they were experiencing in regards to serving the needs of the large Jewish population residing in North County San Diego.

“We realized that there was no one ‘center’ to the San Diego Jewish community, and that by having multiple centers as anchors to Jewish life and community in San Diego makes us stronger,” said Rabbi Caine. “After all, North County Inland has a large Jewish community with three major synagogues that are within walking distance from each other, and that was what led us to establish our first joint Yom HaShoah Ceremony almost five years ago.”

Since its inception, each year, the North County Yom HaShoah Commemoration Ceremony features a narrative of a local Holocaust survivor that is read by the rabbis; a sermon that applies the message of Yom HaShoah to today; and the lighting of ‘the seventh memorial candle’ – a candle lit to remember survivors who have since passed and joined their relatives in the next life. Every year, the service begins with North County Holocaust survivors being escorted to the front of the congregation by children to symbolize l’dor vador – from generation to generation, which is a major highlight of the ceremony.

This year, more than 200 San Diegans were in attendance for the annual ceremony. Dr. Steven Windmueller, PH.D., Rabbi Alfred Gottschalk Emeritus Professor of Jewish Communal Service at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles, delivered the sermon. Dr. Windmueller discussed what it means when we say ‘never again’ and spoke about global anti-Semitism.

This year’s narrative featured the memoir of Ner Tamid Congregant, Walter Steinweg z”ll.

Walter survived a grueling ordeal of labor for many years while working as a juvenile for the SS, mostly in the Riga Ghetto, where he watched both of his parents and family members die. After he was liberated, Walter came to the U.S., but was only granted citizenship upon agreeing to enlist in the armed forces to serve in the frontlines of the Korean War. Walter Steinweg passed away this past year, and his beloved wife Marilyn lit "the seventh memorial candle."

“The collaboration that is currently happening between North County Jewish communal organizations is incredible to witness, and I look forward to seeing such collaborations throughout the entire Jewish community of San Diego,” said Michael Sonduck, CEO of Federation.

Collaborative efforts and events between North County temples and synagogues have yielded impressive results. This year, both organizations teamed up for an annual “Global Day of Jewish Learning” event, where both religious schools and adult education programs are combined into a special curriculum for a Sunday morning celebration of Jewish education.

“This is the first year the Jewish Federation of San Diego County has sponsored this Saturday night service as the North County Inland Yom HaShoah service,” said Rabbi Nadav Caine. “ We hope to continue [such] collaboration by reaching out to other Jewish groups in Inland [and beyond] to join us.”

The North County Yom HaShoah Ceremony illustrates how Federation is actively building community partnerships to create a stronger, more inclusive, vibrant, and sustainable Jewish community.

Federation & JFS Prepare Community for Annual Advocacy Day

Ashley Harrington, Manager of Public Affairs and Young Adults Initiatives at Jewish Family Service San Diego contributed to this article.

In preparation for the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California’s (JPAC) upcoming annual Advocacy Day, San Diego Jewish community professionals hosted two community-wide training sessions.

JPAC is the largest single-state coalition of Jewish organizations in the nation, comprised of local Jewish Federations, Jewish Community Relations Committees and Councils, and other Jewish community advocacy groups from throughout California. JPAC advocates on behalf of Jewish social service agencies, traditional community concerns, and broadly shared values that affect the citizens of our State. Each May, during Annual Advocacy Day, Jewish community leaders, and professionals from throughout the state gather in Sacramento to network with legislators and administration officials and lobby their representatives on public policies that are of importance to the wider Jewish community.

This April, Jewish Family Service and the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County hosted two impactful Community Advocacy Trainings. The first community training was at Congregation Beth El and the second training was at Temple Emanu-El, which was aimed towards Jewish community members residing in East County, in particular congregants of Tifereth Israel, Beth Jacob, Ohr Shalom, and Temple Emanu-El. The trainings were part of a Community Connections series – a JFS and Federation partnership focusing on community-wide education and fostering a greater connection to other communities – Jewish and non-Jewish – throughout San Diego.

For the first time, the series partnered with synagogues to offer advocacy trainings to their Social Action Committees and congregants. The trainings provided congregants, Rabbis, and administrative staff with best practices on how to advocate and inform participants about the many Jewish values and traditions that are behind advocacy work.

During the trainings Rabbi Gerson of Congregation Beth Israel and Rabbi Marcus of Temple Emanu-El discussed various Torah portions and traditions that require us to advocate on behalf of those in need. Rooted in the concept of inherent human dignity, much of the Rabbis’ impassioned support called on attendees to care for the well being of all vulnerable members of our community – locally and globally.

The trainings featured two local lobbyists—Kristen Byrne (Vice President of MJE Marketing) and Rachel Laing (Principal at Laing Strategic Communications)—who shared their decades of experience in messaging, communications, and advocacy work in San Diego. They de-mystified advocacy and boiled down lobbying to the essential elements—getting your message in front of a decision maker, sharing facts, figures, & personal stories, following up, and activating the media and community around your cause. 

Click here to view 2015 Legislative priorities. Click here to view the 2015 agenda. 

Are you looking to make a difference and put your advocacy skills to work? Join the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California on May 11 & 12 in Sacramento for Advocacy Day.

Click here to register now.  

Amsterdam Pastor Leads Jewish Solidarity Campaign

On April 21, The Jerusalem Post published an article titled “Israeli Flags Fly High in Amsterdam as part of Solidarity Campaign,” written by Michelle Malka Grossman. The article discusses the European Jewish Association’s (EJA) new solidarity campaign to fight anti-Semitism in Europe and highlights one Pastor’s journey as he leads the charge in the streets of Amsterdam.

EJA’s solidarity campaign calls on non-Jewish Europeans to wear Jewish symbols and film themselves walking down the street to show their opposition to rising Anti-Semitism, and that is exactly what Pastor Stan Kamps set out to do.

“The idea is to get an many non-Jews as possible to wear Jewish symbols and show solidarity and that they are a part of the silent majority that is not anti-Semitic,” said Pastor Stan Kamps. “ The idea is to do like the ice bucket challenge and get thousands to publish the videos on Facebook and Twitter.”

Kamps has a deep-rooted family history when it comes to standing up for Jews in Europe. In the article, Kamps recalls his uncle and father being arrested by the Nazis for hiding Jews in their country farm. Kamp was inspired to join the campaign after reading a Jerusalem Post article about anti-Semitism faced by Holland’s Chief Rabbi, where he learned that in the past few years it has become commonplace for people on the street to yell anti-Semitic terms at the Rabbi and other Jewish community members.

“I hope this will encourage others to stand up for our Jewish neighbors and for Israel,” said Kamps. “ It has to start somewhere and I know that with God’s help we can make a difference. I say let it start with me. So many people believe the lies and the propaganda they are being fed about Israel. This is why I go out with my Israeli flag, to encourage Jewish and Israeli people, and to speak with others [who] will listen about the truth in regards to Israel.”

Click here to read the full article.