Honoring Rabbi Avi Libman

From Cinema to Seder: Why Exodus Lives On German Style Matzo Balls And More

Congregation Beth El Spring 2015 Vol. 3

ContentsADMINISTRATION

Philip Graubart, Senior Rabbi Avi Libman, Rabbi & Education Director

Judith Persky, Executive Director Jessie Blank-Birnbaum,

Associate Director of Education Jason Lobenstein, Youth Director

Doreen Prager, Director of Community Engagement

Aliza Shalit, Communications Coordinator Elana Kobernick, Chai Prog. Coordinator

Dvora Vinick, Community & Israel Affairs Coordinator

Maria Alvarez, Executive Assistant Eva Blank,

Rabbinical Assistant /Simcha Coordinator Yochanan Winston, Musical Director

Cheri Weiss, Cantorial Intern Tina Marchiano,

Accounting Operations Assistant Antonio Carmona, Facilities Supervisor

Daniel Garcia, Facilities

BOARD OFFICERSLaurie Greenberg, President

Don Rosenberg, Vice President Mike Dolinka, Secretary

Jeannie Posner, Treasurer Sonia Israel, Immediate Past President

BOARD OF DIRECTORSPam Amundson, Raquel Benguiat,

Bernardo Bicas, Hollie Bierman, Cliff Boro, Sam Jacobs, Dan Kaplan, Rick Nerad,

Gene Newman, Rebecca O’Neill, Laura Roselinsky, Larry Sherman,

and Edna Wallace

BETH EL ENDOWMENT FOUNDATION BOARD

Lawrence Sherman, President Jeffrey Elden, Vice President Alan Viterbi, Vice President

Marjory Kaplan, CFO Richard Gabriel, Director Rodney Stone, Director

Laurie Greenberg, Beth El President

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEEJanet Clancy, Chair

Karen Bohrer Dana Greene Judith Persky

Aliza Shalit

ART DIRECTION /DESIGN /PRODUCTIONAliza Shalit

CONTRIBUTING EDITORJoseph Schuman

Karen Gross

COPY EDITORKaren Bohrer

COVER PHOTOGRAPHYAliza Shalit

Treasured Moments at Beth El, 3Honoring Rabbi Libman, 4Beth El Moves to the Cloud, 5My Personal Thank You, 7Feature Story: From Cinema to Seder, 8 Member Spotlight: Ellen and Hal Lefkowitz, 10Calendar, 11Ask Jessie, 14Teen Spotlight: Elijah Gross-Sable, 15Legacy Spolight: Andrew and Erna Viterbi, 16Donations, 18 B’not Mitzvah, 20A Taste of Beth El: Matzo Balls, 22Life@Beth El, 23

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The spring issue of Zmanim celebrates change and renewal. We examine how and why we retell the story of the Exodus in new ways for new generations, preview the Synagogue’s new software system for members, celebrate Rabbi Libman’s 10th anniversary at Beth El, and plan for the rejuvenation of the Education and Youth Wing.

We are all a part of the Beth El story. If you have something to share or would like to contribute to a future issue of Zmanim, contact publisher@cbe.org.

We wish you a joyous and meaningful Passover and hope the spring brings many blessings to our entire Beth El family.

Judith Persky, Executive Director

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Mission StatementCongregation Beth El is a Conservative synagogue whose mission is to create a home for every soul by offering a variety of Jewish experiences to nourish the mind, heart, and spirit, while being a caring Jewish community.

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Spring 2015 | 3

{ A Few Words }{ From the Rabbi }

I am grateful for having been entrusted with the various educational offerings here at Beth El. I am proud of the continued growth of our program and the breadth of

courses and topics offered. I also appreciate the continual support from our community. We strive to offer programs that not only engage us and deepen our own convictions, but force us to broaden our horizons to the possibility of new understandings and perspectives.

I am reminded of the following quote by a respected Israeli Educator, Pinchas Shifman, who said, “Education without a vision is like a present without a future.” For the past 10 years, I have been preaching that a Jewish education is one of the greatest gifts we as a community can give our children. I stand by that statement and work every day, with some of the most dedicated professionals, to make that statement become a reality. Teaching and working with our future has been at the core of some of my most treasured moments here at Beth El. As such, Shifman’s words can be found hanging on the wall above my computer and serve both to inspire and anchor me each and every day.

We hope to instill in our children the notion that Judaism will add depth and meaning to their lives and help

root their actions in values.

I am particularly proud of the advances we continue to make at the Viterbi Torah School (VTS). The core of our Judaic curriculum at VTS is built around the following three principles of Jewish life—Torah, Avodah (prayer), and G’milut Hasadim (deeds of loving kindness). Torah is the central text of Judaism, a place to learn about our ancestors and guide our actions. Avodah is the heart of Jewish life, making up the rhythms and cycles of daily, weekly, holiday, and life-cycle observance. G’milut Hasadim is the actualization of Jewish values, the way we interact with the world and leave it a better place.

It is with this lens in mind, that our children gain a faith to sustain them in times of trouble and help them find a community in which to celebrate life’s successes. During their time at VTS, we hope to instill in our children the notion that Judaism will add depth and meaning to their

lives and help root their actions in values. I am committed to helping you give this wonderful gift to your child.

Children in the Viterbi Torah School and our Youth Program build close relationships with talented teachers, who act as mentors and role models. We are constantly working to improve our curriculum and are searching for creative ways to ensure that our classroom time is filled with meaningful and relevant discussions as well as experiential learning. Our Hebrew program not only prepares students for B’nai Mitzvah, but also provides the foundation for a lifetime of Jewish practice. Students learn to connect with prayers and seek meaning in Jewish practice. Students pray regularly in services that allow them both to have spiritual experiences and to practice their Hebrew fluency.

The success of these programs would not be possible without dedicated parents and the members of our Beth El community. Throughout my tenure, I’ve had the privi-lege to work with so many caring and dedicated individ-uals and I am grateful for their guidance, patience, and resolve. With your continued support, I feel confident that we can continue to provide our children with the extraor-dinary educational opportunities they deserve.

B’Shalom,

Rabbi Avi Libman

Treasured Moments at Beth El

Dana Greene Photography

Thank you to Dana Greene Photography

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{ Synagogue }

Honoring Rabbi Libman

What continues to surprise and delight me about education is not only the information learned, but the treasures discovered in the process, the

unexpected lessons, new ideas and interests, the connec-tions made, and the exponential desire to pursue further learning. I feel this way when I read a medical journal or a book, when I attend a conference or symposium, and with Jewish learning and Torah study. I have also noticed this in my daughters as they pursue their educational paths, both secular and Jewish.

Our daughters had attended Beth El preschool and had a strong foundation of Hebrew and Jewish learning. They began at the Viterbi Torah School and continued to learn voraciously. After several years, Mark and I wanted to offer them private Hebrew and religious instruction so that they could continue to learn at a pace not readily available in the classroom. We remained members of Beth El while, for two years, the girls experienced the tailored, intensive learning environment of small group study, but as Elisa’s Bat Mitzvah crept closer we struggled over what to do. I remember discussions with Rabbi Libman, who concurred that though VTS could not replicate the tai-lored learning of private tutoring, what it would offer were broader educational exposures and experiences and the presence of community, a key ingredient for developing a Jewish life. We re-enrolled in VTS, and Rabbi Libman had hit it right on. The girls celebrated Bat Mitzvahs with the Beth El community, and they now volunteer as Madrichot at VTS and participate in USY. The 7th grade Holocaust curriculum piqued Danya’s interest and spurred her to take an elective on the Holocaust in high school, and Elisa has sought Jewish social and teaching experiences during her first year of college. Jewish family values and practices are important and are most effectively nurtured as part of a community.

It gives me tremendous pride that Rabbi Libman is boundless in his passion for enhancing VTS and provid-ing meaningful and stimulating Jewish education and experiences for children, teens, and adults. He has spent the past two years working with Associate Director of Education Jessie Birnbaum to revise and update the cur-riculum. His view is that the process is never complete. He continues to look at each aspect of VTS as an opportunity to make a positive impact for our children. Alternative

educational models, Jewish values, community, experien-tial learning, independent thought and creativity, options in Hebrew education, teen engagement, and humor and fun are all part of his vision.

As we prepare to celebrate Rabbi Libman’s 10 years at Beth El, it is fitting to look at all he has contributed to our congregation:

Spiritual leadership: Shabbat, holidays, Minyan

Support with life cycle events: baby namings, B’nai Mitzvah, weddings, shivas

Rabbinic involvement with Chai program

Support of Youth programming and teaching for the Beth El Teen High program

Director of Education and teacher of Tefillah

Adult Education

Love, compassion, and humor

Even more appropriate, however, is that as a communi-ty we celebrate together and invest in his vision, which is our future. We are undertaking a congregation-wide fundraising effort to raise money to update the Education and Youth Wing. Together we can provide our children and families with a comfortable environment, classrooms that are flexible and can be utilized for varied education-al experiences, and materials and technology that foster individual ownership and delight in the learning process.

Please join us as we celebrate Rabbi Libman at Megillat Avi on Sunday, March 8, from 4 to 8 pm. I encourage you to give joyfully and generously to support VTS in his honor.

L’Shalom,

Dr. Laurie Greenberg is the current president and a 16-year devoted member of Congregation Beth El. She is a practicing obstetrician/gynecologist at IGO Medical Group in La Jolla, a board mem-ber of the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture, and is active with J*Company Youth Theatre. Most importantly, Laurie is the grateful mother

of two inspiring daughters.

“Without understanding, there is no knowledge; Without knowledge, there is no understanding.” Pirkei Avot 3:21

Spring 2015 | 5

{ CBE Update }

Beth El Moves to the Cloudby Judith Persky, Executive Director

Accessing information about Beth El programming, membership accounts, and ritual information is about to get a lot easier.

This spring we are transitioning from a 1980s-era software to ShulCloud, our new synagogue management system. As its name implies, ShulCloud is a cloud-based program, with information securely stored and accessed over the Internet instead of on a hard drive at Beth El. The selection process of choosing ShulCloud was led by CBE Treasurer Jeannie Posner, Finance Committee member Ramesh Kabbai, and me. The process involved months of researching our needs, studying various software systems, and talking with other synagogue executives. Finally, CBE staff, Jeannie, and Ramesh held multiple demonstrations with the final can-didates. ShulCloud was by far the best choice for Beth El, and the Finance Committee quickly approved the decision.

The software Beth El has been using until now posed a number of problems over the years. The old system wasn’t able to provide the financial reporting that was necessary to run our synagogue effectively. Our old system was also extremely labor intensive; staff had to manually enter in payments and information coming from a receivables program, a calendaring program, and others, as well as our database program’s software. There were multiple steps for both congregants and Beth El personnel, which was not only time-consuming but caused uncertainty for congregants and left room for human error.

ShulCloud is fully integrated, including our database, accounts receivable, calendar, Web hosting, and group email systems, saving us a lot of time and money. And it’s mobile friendly.

You might be wondering: How will this change affect me as a congregant? You will be able to log-in, view your entire account and make payments, make donations with tributes, change your address, set up your own payment plan (within designated Beth El parameters), sign up for events, and see immediately if your payment goes through. You will also be able to review and add personal information like Yahrtzeits, birthdays, and Hebrew names that go into your own person-al Hebrew calendar. For the Viterbi Torah School, you can register kids online and update information Beth El already has—so no more filling out the same paperwork year after year! And, ShulCloud enables us finally to have an online Beth El directory—but you will decide what, if any, informa-tion should be included.

ShulCloud puts you in control and displays the immediate impact of your actions on your account.

You may also be wondering: Is my data secure with ShulCloud? ShulCloud is provided by RustyBrick, a two-decade-old company that works with 277 synagogues around the world. All accounts are password protected. Credit card and bank information is NOT stored on ShulCloud's servers; instead, the company uses a payment gateway such as PayPal or Stripe, and all the information is encrypted when it passes the payment gateway. ShulCloud firewalls and other protections are updated throughout the year; and, because credit card information is not stored the sys-tem is less attractive to hackers. I encourage you to visit http://www.shulcloud.com/security to see more details about the security provided by ShulCloud.

The transition to our new software is underway. When you receive an email inviting you to sign in with ShulCloud, please do so immediately. Set up your log-in and check all your information to make sure it is up-to-date and com-plete. If you have any problems, call us or send an email to Tina Marchiano, Accounting Operations Assistant at assistant@cbe.org.

It is hard to imagine a group more excited about new software than the CBE staff and Treasurer, and we believe that you, too, will appreciate all that ShulCloud has to offer.

ShulCloudTM

@CBE

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MegillatAVI

Honoring Rabbi Avi Libman for 10 years of devotion to Congregation Beth El

Please support the Education & Youth Wing renovation.

FOUNDER - $36,000BENEFACTOR - $25,000

PILLAR - $10,000CREATOR - $5,000

VISIONARY - $3,600BUILDER - $1,800

ESTABLISHER - $1,000ADVOCATE - $613

SUPPORTER - $360CONTRIBUTOR - $180

Donations of any amount are welcome!

To donate, please go to CBE.org or call Tina Marchiano at (858)452-1734 ext. 226

Spring 2015 | 7

{ 10 Years of Service }

It’s hard to believe that I’ve known Rabbi Avi for 10 years, almost as long as I’ve been at Congregation Beth El. He arrived shortly after I did. Rabbi Avi is definitely

one of a kind. And he has a unique impact on everything he touches. Some of the things in which he is involved are obvious and easy to observe. Some, not so much so.

For instance, in 2004 I chaired the Education Committee as the Board VP of Education at Congregation Beth El, and we were grappling with how to make the Torah School more meaningful and appealing both to our congregants, as well as to potential members. Enrollment had been de-creasing, the facilities were starting to show wear, and the atmosphere needed enlivening. We began assessing staff, improving the site, and reviewing the curriculum. But by far, the smartest and most effective step we took was the appointment of our new Assistant Rabbi, Avi Libman, as head of the Viterbi Torah School. Rabbi Avi had and continues to have the gift of being able to understand how children think and how they are motivated, relating to them so beautifully. The kids trust and speak with him in a way they speak with no other adults. I know this from experience with my own children. Subsequently, under Rabbi Avi’s leadership (aided aptly by Jessie Birnbaum) the Torah School was totally transformed.

Despite all of the noise in our daily lives, Rabbi Avi is that person who truly

listens and understands.

The “Avi factor” has results that speak for themselves: First the numbers: In 2004 we had about 30 students enrolled in the Torah School. This year the enrollment is 138, a 360% increase. But as importantly the energy, ex-citement, and learning have increased just as dramatically, more than words can really describe. If you haven’t walked around there on a Sunday morning, do yourself a favor and do so. You’ll experience it firsthand. It never felt this way before Rabbi Avi.

Over the past 10 years Rabbi Avi has also helped with countless situations where personal or spiritual help has been needed. I can relate one personal instance for which I am very grateful for this help. When our daughter

Lindsey was considering a tattoo of my mother’s name in Hebrew on her body, it was Rabbi Avi she spoke with in an effort to better understand our concern and dis-approval of her going through with it. Rabbi Avi asked her why she wanted the tattoo, to which she responded “So I can always have my Nana with me.” Without hesita-tion, Rabbi Avi said, “Well, if that’s really the reason, then why don’t you change your middle name to her Hebrew name?” Suffice it to say, the tattoo was never brought up again, and the legal process of changing her middle name began. Rabbi Avi didn’t pick a side or tell my daughter she shouldn’t get it because it’s against the Jewish religion. He simply helped her identify what was motivating her decision, empowering her to realize that a tattoo was not in alignment with that reason. This is what I mean when I say that Rabbi Avi connects with the kids of Beth El in a unique and meaningful way.

My late grandmother used to quote an old Yiddish prov-erb—“A kluger farshteyt fun eyn vort tsvey.” Loosely translated it means “A wise man hears one word and understands two.” I know from my business and life ex-perience that the most difficult skill to find in a person is someone who listens. Not just hears and responds, but truly listens and understands. Despite all of the noise in our daily lives, Rabbi Avi is that person who truly listens and understands. We are lucky to have him, and I know my grandmother would agree.

My Personal Thank You to Rabbi Avi Libman by Jan Steinert

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From Cinema to Seder: Why Exodus Lives Onby Joseph Schuman

Humanity’s truest stories evolve from generation to generation, century to century, passed

down not for the accuracy of their facts but for the genuine meaning we know they hold.

Many of the myths, the fables, the romances of each era are rooted in tales from previous times—Shakespeare borrowed from Chaucer who stole from Boccaccio who rehashed the Romans and Greeks. It isn’t difficult to find modern echoes of Gilgamesh or the trickster legends of Coyote and Raven. The medium doesn’t matter— oral narrative, books, radio or pod-casts, TV, and movies, and even the new conventions of social media. People love the old stories that endure, however and wherever they are told, however and whenever they are recy-cled to fit the zeitgeist of a new era.

So it was, back in November, when I first offered to write about Moses and pop culture for Zmanim, that I quickly jotted down the following paragraph, a germ of an idea I’d return to when I’d have more time to write:

“It is only a matter of time in this cin-ematic, comic book age before Moses the lawgiver is repurposed into a superhero dispensing justice not with tablets and God’s commandments but through the end of his air-split-ting staff, a Judge Dredd of Biblical Times bringing order to a period of post-Exodus chaos.”

I was less than half serious. And I didn’t expect that two weeks later my mouth would drop open when I saw a trailer for “Exodus: Gods and Kings,” with Christian “Batman” Bale starring as the holy prophet of the Sinai.

I had to laugh: An old-fashioned sword-and-sandal epic, more “Sparticus” or “Ben Hur” than “Ten Commandments,” only with better special effects and a bow-and-ar-row-wielding Moses who was slow of neither speech nor tongue when he rallied Jewish warriors to his side à la Henry V at Agincourt. What’s more, it was directed by Ridley Scott of “Alien” and “Bladerunner” fame. (To be fair, Scott also directed “Thelma and Louise,” one of the best liberation stories on film despite the nihilistic tragedy of its ending.)

People love the old stories that endure, however and

wherever they are told.

As I write this article, I haven’t yet seen the new “Exodus.” But I can tell you it vied for box-office supremacy on opening weekend with another story of people liberated by a “cho-sen one” wielding a bow to take on the prevailing power: “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay—Part 1.” Perhaps the “Exodus” filmmakers gave Moses a bow to bolster this theme of an underdog guerilla commander. You can almost hear the story pitch in

Hollywood: “Think Moses meets ‘Gladiator’ meets Robin Hood!”

We shouldn’t be that surprised.

Variations on the Moses story abound in pop culture. Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Ten Commandments,” with Charlton Heston leading a “cast of thousands,” may be the most famous. But you’d be hard pressed to count, let alone name, all the Moses stories made for the big screen and television. And the spectrum of those variations is considerably broad.

Take two more examples. The epical-ly silly 1980 comedy “Wholly Moses” starred Dudley Moore as the man who was almost Moses, included Richard Pryor as Pharaoh and John Ritter as Satan, and plumbed a wealth of other Biblical tales and cameos worthy of a Friar’s Club Celebrity Roast. Eighteen years later came “Prince of Egypt,” Dreamworks Animation’s version of the tale with Val Kilmer voicing Moses and God, Sandra Bullock as Miriam, Jeff Goldblum as Aaron, and Ralph Fiennes as the spoiled and stubborn Pharaoh. Before the inevitable de-nouement of plagues and parting seas, audiences got to watch teen-aged Moses and Rameses get away with pranks that cost the Sphynx its nose and the hammy tricks of court magicians voiced by Steve Martin and Martin Short.

Three tellings of the same story, and each in its way exemplified the cine-matic conventions of the times, most

{ Feature Story }

Joseph Schuman currently writes and thinks about in-tellectual property protec-tion for Qualcomm. He was a journalist for 20 years, including a decade at The

Wall Street Journal, where he was a news columnist covering economics and global politics. Joe has been a member of Beth El for five years and currently serves the community as “Rebbetzin” to Executive Director Judy Persky.

pointedly in episodes about the hu-man drama between divine actions.

Much of the original Moses story in the Torah, including his early life and the crisis that drives Moses from the opulence of Pharaoh’s house-hold into exile, lacks description, an internal narrative for the protagonist, and details of his conversion back to being an Israelite. That left the later authors of the Midrashim to sow the seeds of what would become some of the most memorable scenes in Hollywood, and the screenwriters to fill in the blanks.

And yet, popular culture has mostly ignored some of the incredibly com-pelling Biblical moments that come after Egypt when Moses plays dip-lomat between his anxious followers and the jealous God who freed them. This includes thunderous dialogue and supernatural retribution on a grand scale, much of it taking place well after the Red Sea was parted.

The conflict with Pharaoh and Exodus from Egypt were just the first act of a spectacle that must have made Moses wonder why he bothered. Some retellings do hit highlights of the wandering, including the Golden Calf and desert kvetching on an epic scale from refugees who seem incapable of keeping faith in God or Moses. But in general, if Genesis and Exodus produce cinema block-busters, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy rarely merit more than a miniseries on basic cable.

Filmmakers interested in a sequel so action-packed it rivals “Exodus: Gods and Kings” should take a look at the rebellion of Korah and Dathan against Moses in Numbers 16. (The brief reference to the episode in “The Ten Commandments” was an anti-climactic throw-away, due in part to the poorly cast Edward G. Robinson, who played Dathan as a lecherous opportunist with none of the color-ful villainy or self-righteous pathos Robinson brought to other roles.)

But I doubt they ever will.

It’s the Exodus story everyone cares most about. And that’s what the au-thors of the Torah explicitly wanted.

The perennial Hollywood ques-tion applied to the latest “Exodus” —whether another Moses remake was really needed—is beside the point. (Or as my stepfather put it, why is this movie different from all other movies?) This “Exodus” is no more a remake of DeMille’s “Ten Commandments” than “West Side Story” was a remake of the first “Romeo and Juliet” movies.

We are tasked with the responsibility of retelling this story again and again, and in ways that reach each new generation.

“Remember this day, on which you went free from Egypt, the house of bondage, how the Lord freed you from it with a mighty hand,” says Moses in Exodus 13. “And you shall explain to your son on that day, ‘It is

because of what the Lord did for me when I went free from Egypt.’”

I’ve been telling the Exodus story to my children and then my stepchil-dren since I became a father, and as they’ve grown I’ve had to become more creative and more willing to adapt to their taste in stories. “Let My Babies Go,” the Rugrats’ version, was by far the most popular at a certain age, and it happened to be awfully funny. Through the years I’ve written the story as a CNN special report, as a version of the pop hit “Call Me, Maybe,” and a reworking of the an-them from Disney’s “Frozen,” “Let It Go.” (That last one was too easy.)

Any effort it takes to retell Exodus and keep the Passover audience’s attention is worth it. The great stories teach and stay with our children more capably than the lessons we try to preach. And let’s face it: the Passover battle that counts for contemporary American Jews is less against slavery than against assimilation.

So however the story evolves, once Passover ends, what matters is whether our latest retelling of the story helps our children understand that their people were once strangers in a foreign land, and that it makes them and all of us more likely to share the adventures of Moses with each new generation.

Spring 2015 | 9

Courtesy of 20th Century FoxCourtesy of DreamWorks PicturesCourtesy of Paramount PicturesCourtesy of Nickelodeon

Let My Babies Go! A Passover Story (1998), The Ten Commandments (1956), The Prince of Egypt (1998), Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014).

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{ Member Spotlight }

There’s an air of warmth about Ellen and Hal Lefkowitz that has little to do with their bright sit-ting room or their welcoming, open kitchen. It ema-

nates from their souls as palpably as the splash of sun-shine that seeps through their back window and drenches our visit on a sparkly December morning. You wouldn’t know that with Hal’s support, Ellen was right in the midst of co-chairing Beth El’s third Annual Interfaith Homeless Shelter, that she’d been spending most of her time at the synagogue, and that she, along with Barbara Mendell, was responsible for making sure more than a dozen adults and children would be housed, fed, and made to feel welcome for a two-week period over Christmas. You wouldn’t know it because Ellen and Hal seem so calm and relaxed. Doing for others seems to sustain and fulfill both of them. And with typical humility, Ellen and Hal would rather not be singled out for it. “I feel humbled that you’re interview-ing us,” Ellen says. “There are other people who spend as much time as I do on this. It’s a huge organizational undertaking.”

That may be true, but when Rabbi Graubart asked for vol-unteers to help involve the congregation in the Interfaith Shelter Network several years ago, Ellen was one of only two people to step up. She’s been committed to it ever since, devoting countless hours to planning, logistics, volunteer recruitment, and food supply. “This year, we had an unbelievable response,” she says with great satis-faction. “The volunteer spots filled up very quickly. And we got an anonymous donation of a thousand dollars to buy clothes for the kids.”

Longtime residents of Solana Beach, Ellen and Hal joined the Beth El community seven years ago. They’d been members of another synagogue, but both say they never quite connected with the congregation. One Erev Shabbat experience was all they needed to convince them that the right place was actually just up the road. “For us to join a Conservative temple was a pretty giant leap,” Ellen says. “But the moment we walked in, Stuart Goldstone welcomed us, and Rabbi Graubart came over to us, and it was just wonderful.”

Their loyalty was solidified four years ago when, while visiting San Diego, Ellen’s sister suddenly became very ill. Within a matter of weeks, she passed away at their home. “We had at least 20 people here every day for two weeks,” Ellen remembers. “And every day somebody

brought us food for all those people. Not even knowing us. And that was it. I said, this is our home.”

She saw the Homeless Shelter as one way to give back. Ellen and Hal also help out at Ronald McDonald House and serve dinners at Rachel’s Women’s Center several times a year. Both are animal lovers and Ellen volun-teers regularly at Baja Animal Rescue in Mexico. They’ve also managed demanding careers. Hal earned an MBA, owned several businesses, worked as a radio announcer, and most recently taught management and marketing at National University. Ellen, who holds a Master’s degree in Public Health, works independently for pharmaceutical companies, monitoring clinical trials mainly in and around San Diego.

The two are also parents to a couple of grown daughters. Tasha is a horse veterinarian and competitive show rider. Fia, who trained in theater and education, now runs her own business as an executive speech coach. She and her husband have a son and daughter, ages five and three. When Fia and Tasha were young, Ellen took them to Brazil and showed them where she’d worked as a Peace Corps volunteer in the 1960s. That opened their eyes to the plight of others, she says, and left both of them the same sense of commitment to help people and animals in need.

Having Beth El as their second home clearly isn’t enough for Ellen and Hal Lefkowitz. They’re determined to make others feel welcome and wanted as well. “I think there’s a culture of caring at Beth El,” Ellen says. “It’s important for each one of us to do what we can to make the world a better place.”

A Place to Call Home by Karen Gross

Ellen and Hal Lefkowitz

Spring 2015 | 11

{ Calendar }

ADULT EDUCATION See Jewish Journeys: Adult Learning at Beth El for full course descriptions and details. Also available online at cbe.org.

Daily Morning MinyanMonday – Friday7:30am – 8:00amSunday Morning Service9:00am – 9:30am(9:00am – 9:30am on Federal Holidays) Beit Midrash

Torah Study8:00am – 8:30am(9:30am – 10:00am on Federal Holidays)Beit MidrashMondays & Tuesdays – Jewish LawWednesdays – TalmudThursdays – Torah StudyFridays – Pirkei AvotShabbat Morning – Torah Study(9:00 - 9:30am in the Jacobs Family Community Hall)

Sunday – Torah Study Discussion*9:30am – 10:15am*On days when VTS is in session

Class: Intro to Judaism II Mondays, 7:00pm – 8:30pmMar. 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30; Apr 6Beit MidrashRegistration required

Class: Tribes of IsraelA Shalom Hartman ClassTuesday, Mar. 3 6:30pm – 8:30pmJacobs Family Community HallRegistration required

A Cinematic Tapestry of Israeli Ethnicities Movie SeriesSunday, Mar. 227:00pm – 9:00pmJacobs Family Community HallRegistration required

Shirenu Chorus Wednesdays, 6:30pm – 8:30pmMar. 11, 25; Apr. 8, 22; May 13, 27; Jun. 10, 24Stone Family SanctuaryRegistration required

Short Stories led by Mo GoldSundays, 10:30am – 12:00pmMar. 15, Apr. 19, May 17, Jun. 14Beit MidrashRegistration required

ADULT EDUCATION, cont’d Rabbi Graubart’s Class: Big IdeasWednesdays, 6:30pm – 8:30pmMar. 18, Apr. 22, May 13Jacobs Family Communty HallRegistration required

Shabbat Schmooze: Lunch & LearnSaturdays, following Shabbat ServicesMar. 21, Apr. 18Jacobs Family Community Hall Registration required

3 Hassidic Masters in 3 Meals: A Beth El Havdalah ProgramSaturdays, 6:30pmMar. 21, Apr. 18, May 16Jacobs Family Community Hall Registration required

Shabbat Shirenu Service/Fourth Friday Fridays, 6:15pm – 7:15pmMar. 27*, Apr. 24, May 22*Stone Family Sanctuary *Potluck after services

Katzin Memorial LectureSunday, Apr. 263:00pm – 10:00pmJacobs Family Community Hall

CHAI GROUP 20s & 30sCULTURALJudaism Inside Out Wednesday, Mar. 256:00pm – 9:00pm Offsite

SHABBATChai Second Saturday Saturdays, 12:00pm-2:00pmMar. 14, Apr. 11, May 9*, Jun. 13Youth Lounge / *Offsite

Chai Shabbat (Service & Dinner) Fridays, 7:00pm – 10:30pmMar. 27, Apr. 24, May 22, Jun. 26Children's Shul, Youth Lounge, and Jacobs Family Community Hall

Chai Shabbat B’BayitFriday, May 15 7:30pm – 10:00pmOffsite

HOLIDAYChai Purim DinnerWednesday, Mar. 45:30pm – 6:30pmBeit Midrash

How to Lead a Pesach SedarTuesday, Mar. 176:00pm – 8:00pmBeit Midrash

CHAI GROUP 20s & 30s, cont’dHOLIDAYChai Group Second Night SedarSaturday, Apr. 46:30pm – 9:00pmOffsite

Chai Yom HaShoah ObservanceThursday, Apr. 166:00pm – 9:00pmOffsite

Chai Lag B’Omer CelebrationWednesday, May 67:30pm – 10:00pmOffsite

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTSHABBAT PROGRAMMINGShabbat B’Bayit (Families and Adults)FridaysFamilies, 6:30pmAdults, 7:45pm Mar. 6, May 1Offsite

Shabbat Mishpachah & LunchSaturdays, 10:30am – 12:00pmMar. 14, Apr. 11, May 9 Children’s Shul

Congregational BBQ Shabbat DinnerFriday, April 247:00pmJacobs Family Community Hall

Tot Shabbat & Potluck DinnerFriday, 6:00pm – 7:00pmMar. 13, Apr. 10*, May 8 Children’s Shul *Service only, no potluck

Pajama Shabbat & Potluck DinnerFriday, 6:30pm – 7:15pmMar. 20, Apr. 17, May 15Children’s Shul & Youth Lounge

COMMUNITY PROGRAMMINGMegilat Avi: A Purim CelebrationSunday, March 84:00pm - 8:00pmJacobs Family Community Hall

FAMILY CONNECTIONSTide Pools at CabrilloSunday, Mar. 1512:30pm – 1:30pmOffsite

Spring FlingSunday, May 1712:00pm – 2:00pmJacobs Family Community Hall & Turk Family Plaza

Classes, Events, and ActivitiesThis calendar lists Beth El classes, events, and activities from March through June 2015. Pull out this calendar and keep it for reference, but don’t forget to check your email for the weekly eblast and visit www.cbe.org for updates and additions.

12 | zmanim

{ Calendar }

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, cont’dStrawberry Picking in CarlsbadSunday, June 1412:30pm – 2:30pmOffsite

CLUB 1318 Family Day Bowling Sunday, Apr. 1212:00pm – 5:00pmKearny Mesa Bowl

ISRAEL COMMITTEEBeth El Reads Book Together/LunchSaturday, Mar. 711:00am – 1:30pmBeit Midrash

Israel Family ProgramSunday, Apr. 12 6:00pm - 9:00pmJacobs Family Community Hall

Guest Speaker & LunchSaturday, May 3012:00pm – 2:00pmJacobs Family Community Hall

Israel ProgramSunday, Jun. 146:00pm - 9:00pmJacobs Family Community Hall

SENIORSSenior ProgramTuesdays, 11:30am – 1:30pmMar. 10, Apr. 14, May 12Jacobs Family Community Hall

MEN’S CLUBMen Talking with MenTuesdays, 6:30pm – 8:00pmMar. 17*, Apr. 21, May 19, Jun. 16 Beit Midrash/*Children’s Shul

TEENS/YOUTHUSY USY Board MeetingTuesdays, 5:00pm – 6:00pmMar. 3, Apr. 21, May 19Youth Lounge

USY Lounge Tuesdays, 6:00pm - 7:30pmMar. 3, 17; Apr. 21; May 5, 19; Jun. 2Youth Lounge

USY Purim EventSaturday, Mar. 76:00pm - 9:00pm Offsite

Banot / Banim Lounge Thursday, Mar. 126:00pm – 7:30pmChildren’s Shul / Youth Lounge

TEENS/YOUTH, cont’d USY, cont’d Sr. USY KinnusFriday – Sunday, Mar. 13, 14 & 15Offsite

B.E.T.H LoungeTuesdays, 6:00pm – 7:30pm Mar. 24, Apr. 28Youth Lounge

USY ShabbatFriday, April 176:15pm – 9:30pmOffsite

Banot & Banim LuncheonSunday, Apr. 1912:00pm – 3:00pmJacobs Family Community Hall

USY EventSaturday, May 96:00pm – 9:00pmOffsite

USY Regional ConventionThursday – Sunday, May 14-17 9:00am – 5:00pmOffsite

USY End of the Year PartySaturday, June 67:30pm – 10:00pmOffsite

USY & Kadima Buddy EventSaturday, Apr. 257:00pm – 10:00pmYouth Lounge

MACHAR Machar EventSundays, 12:00pm-3:00pm Mar. 22, Apr. 25Youth Lounge

Machar & Kadima End of the Year PartySunday, May 312:00pm – 3:00pmYouth Lounge

KADIMA Kadima Lounge Thursdays, 6:00 – 7:00pmMar. 26, Apr. 23Youth Lounge

Kadima Goes to Belmont Park w/Beth AmSunday, Mar. 2912:00pm – TBDYouth Lounge

USY & Kadima Buddy EventSaturday, Apr. 257:00pm – 10:00pmYouth Lounge

Machar & Kadima End of the Year PartySunday, May 312:00pm – 3:00pmYouth Lounge

TIKKUN COMMITTEEJWW Walk to End GenocideSunday, Mar. 229:00am – 1:00pmOffsite

VTS VTS for Tots (pre-k/ages 3 & 4)Sunday, Mar. 229:30am – 11:30amChildren’s Shul

Model Seder (Parents Invited!)Sunday, Mar. 2910:30am – 12:00pmJacobs Family Community Hall

7th Grade Museum of Tolerance TiyyulSunday, Apr. 19 (Offsite)

7th Grade Graduation & Education Shabbat (during Services)Friday, Apr. 246:15pm – 7:15pmStone Family Sanctuary

WOMEN’S CONNECTIONRosh Chodesh Monthly Gatherings6:00pm – 8:30pmMar. 19, Apr. 19, May 19, Jun, 16Jacobs Family Community Hall

Festival Art Series II – Creating Miriam’s and Elijah’s Cups for PesachSunday, March 22 10:00am – 1:00pmJacobs Family Community Hall

Festival Art Series III Painting on Silk for ShavuotSunday, May 3 10:30am – 1:30pmJacobs Family Community Hall

Women’s Connection Board MeetingsTuesdays, 7:00pm – 9:00pmMar. 3, Apr. 7, May 5, Jun. 2Children’s Shul

Mah JonggEvery Monday (except holidays)12:00pm – 3:00pmBeit Midrash

Knit ‘n’ NoshSecond Thursday of month1:00pm – 3:00pm Mar. 12, Apr. 9, May 14, Jun. 11 Beit Midrash

Women’s Connection Book ClubThird Tuesday of month 1:30pm – 3:30pm Mar. 17, Apr. 21, May 19, Jun. 16 Youth Lounge

Some classes, events, and activities may require registration and/or fee. Check www.cbe.org for more information.

Spring 2015 | 13

HOLIDAYS & OFFICE CLOSURESBeth El's main office will be open on the following days unless otherwise specified.

PURIMMegillah Reading & Purim ShpielWednesday, March 4 at 6:00pmJacobs Family Community Hall

PESACHErev Pesach/Kabbalat Shabbat ServiceFriday, April 3 at 6:15pmStone Family Sanctuary Office Closes at 1:00pm

Pesach Festival/Shabbat Morning ServiceSaturday, April 4 at 9:30amStone Family Sanctuary

Second Night Community Pesach SederSaturday, April 4 at 6:30pm Jacobs Family Community Hall

Pesach Festival Morning ServiceSunday, April 5 at 9:30amStone Family Sanctuary

Chol Hamoed PesachSunday, April 5-Thursday, April 9

Pesach Festival Morning ServiceFriday, April 10 at 9:30amStone Family Sanctuary Office Closed

Kabbalat Shabbat ServiceFriday, April 10 at 6:15pmStone Family Sanctuary

Shabbat/Pesach & Yizkor ServiceSaturday, April 11 at 9:30amStone Family Sanctuary

Yom HaShoahThursday, April 16

Yom HaZikaronWednesday, April 22

Yom Ha’AtzmautThursday, April 23

San Diego Israel Fest Sunday, April 26 Nobel Park Athletic Fields

SHAVUOTTikkun Leil Shavuot ProgramSaturday, May 23 at 6:30pm San Diego Jewish Academy

Shavuot Festival Morning ServiceSunday, May 24 at 9:30amStone Family Sanctuary

Shavuot Festival Morning ServiceMonday, May 25 at 9:30amStone Family Sanctuary Office Closed

Memorial DayMonday, May 25 Office Closed

SederPassover2nd night Community

April 4, 2015 6:30pm at Congregation Beth El

Interactive and Creative • Multi-Media PresentationLed by Rav Shai Cherry, with Rabbi Philip Graubart

Seder means “order.” Ma Nishtana means “what’s different?” The Ma Nishtana Seder is a different order of seder.

Rav Shai Cherry will lead a family-friendly second seder—Sephardic style. Flamenco music, kitniyot, and our Spanish sages will all be prominently featured. Join us for a fun evening of traditional

themes, modern songs, contemporary implications, and outrageous activities all in a new order. By the end of The Ma Nishtana Seder,

we will be free…to be slaves, all over again!

BETH EL & BETH AM MEMBER PRICING$30/Adults, $15/Kids (5-12) Children 4 and under: Free

NON MEMBER PRICING$50/Adults, $30/Kids (5-12)Children 4 and under: Free

RSVP ONLINE AT CBE.ORG BY MARCH 25 Reservations after March 25 may not be available

Jacobs Family Community Hall

Chai 20-30s is hosting a separate and simultaneous seder. For more information go to www.cbe.org.

14 | zmanim

Fran Shimp

Susan Levin

Edna Wallace

A: Since I’ve worked with other people’s children most of my life (and for the past 17 years, here at Beth El), I began this “par-enting thing” with a strong idea of what

it would mean to be Jewish in my family. I am so thankful that this is where I am able to

raise my children. I love going to Tot Shabbat, PJ Shabbat, and Shabbat Mishpachah with my

A: For me, a successful Jewish education is when students put the lessons and values of their Jewish heritage together with the pieces of their lives outside of the walls of Beth El and realize that being Jewish is something they are proud to share and to explain to others. When I talk to a student who questions the impor-

A: I was lucky to have had a pretty in-tense, ongoing Jewish education, both from parental orientation and my own choices. My dad is a Rabbi. When I was entering kindergarten, I was given the choice between a Jewish school and a public secular school. I chose Hillel

Jessie

Tell us about your Jewish education.

How has becoming a parent enhanced your insights on educating

and inspiring VTS children?

What is your definition of a successful Jewish education? How do you help a

child who would rather be anywhere else?

School in Rochester, NY, and then Shalom School when we moved to Sacramento, CA. In 7th grade I went to public school and after my Bat Mitzvah, I worked as a Hebrew tutor at my synagogue. I went to Camp Arazim, an overnight Jewish camp in Northern California, first as a camper and then as a counselor. I attended my synagogue’s Hebrew High, was on the board of my Kadima and USY chapters, and I went on a USY Poland/Israel Pilgrimage. After high school, I lived in Israel as part of the Nativ program, a lead-ership year through USY consisting of a semester at Hebrew University followed by work on Kibbutz Sa’ad, an Orthodox kibbutz next to Gaza. When I returned, I moved to San Diego and began working at Beth El, at VTS, the preschool, and with the Youth Department. I graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in Judaic Studies and am close to finishing my MA in Jewish Education through Hebrew College in Newton, Mass.

Jessie Blank-Birnbaum is the Associate Director of the Viterbi Torah School and has been involved with Beth El for the past 17 years.

children. Both here and at their Jewish preschool they learn songs, stories, and traditions that help us develop a stronger bond as a family.

In helping VTS grow, I have been seeking opportunities to learn about language acquisition. This study, combined with seeing Lillian (age 5) and Louis (age 3) learn to speak English and a little bit of Hebrew, has helped me develop my theory on how best to teach Hebrew in a supplementary school. I am currently working on how to utilize second language learning research to define and reach our goals for Hebrew learning.

VTS for Tots is another program that came out of my becoming a parent. As a mother of a 3-year-old, I recognized the value of introducing a Sunday morning Jewish learning experience ear-ly. I recruited an amazing teacher and we wrote a curriculum. This is the second year of the program. Attendance has dou-bled in this short time. The majority of the children who attend will not only be VTS students next year, but will be extremely excited to begin.

tance of Torah School, I ask about his or her interests and look for a way to connect those interests to Jewish learning. For me, it’s music. Certain types of music speak to my soul and finding artists within Jewish music helps me connect to my Judaism on a deeper level. For a student, it may be comics or comput-ers or acting. I look to find a way to provide an outlet for that connection of interest.

Each child I encounter has his or her own personal challenges to work through, his or her interests, passions, sensibilities, quirks, and questions. I have confidence that our tradition has something important to contribute to the world; something that is worthy of being studied and preserved.

Continued on page 19

Continuing our Q and A series “Ask…” featuring ques-tions from Beth El children to key staff members, this month we asked VTS Room Parents to ask the ques-tions. Here they are with the answers from Jessie Blank-Birnbaum, Associate Director of Education.

{ Teen Spotlight }

Spring 2015 | 15

For those who attend Sunday morning Minyan at Congregation Beth El, you may see a young man leading the prayers. That young man is Elijah Gross-

Sable, and he’s been a regular at the Bimah since becom-ing a Bar Mitzvah on Oct. 7, 2012. “It makes me feel more involved in the Jewish community,” Elijah says. “It has boosted my self-confidence and given me great experi-ence as a public speaker.”

A sophomore at Francis Parker School, Elijah is a strong math student, though he’s interested in lots of other subjects, too. He plays sports at school including volley-ball—where he is the Libero player. “That’s the person who ‘digs’ all the balls,” says Elijah. “It’s the member of the team who specializes in defense and has good ball han-dling skills, quickness, and consistency.” These skills also serve Elijah on the soccer field and as part of the San Diego Maccabi delegation.

Elijah doesn’t just participate in team sports as a player, he’s also a “buddy” in the very special Miracle League of San Diego. Through the Miracle League, volunteers like Elijah, his brother Gabriel, and sister Eve, assist mentally and physical challenged youth during Fall and Spring sea-sons by playing baseball.

He and current buddy Jake have been together for the past two years and have formed a strong bond. Elijah says, “I really enjoy being able to talk with him as he runs around the bases. One of Jake’s favorite activities is head-ing into the outfield, hiding behind the posters that hang on the fence, and waiting for me to come find him.” Elijah reflects, “Volunteering with the Miracle League has been a really valuable experience for me and has taught me how grateful I am not to have to deal with some of the prob-lems that others have to face. It has also taught me that I can have a positive impact on someone else.”

Something else that has played a key role in Elijah’s life is Camp Alonim in Simi Valley. When he was younger, Elijah’s dad was the camp doctor there. The family would go every summer and stay for 1-2 weeks, starting when Elijah was two years old. The summer after 7th grade, he and his siblings went there for sleep-away camp. This summer he will be attending an 8-week counselor-in-train-ing session. “I really like the people,” he says. “Some of my best friends are from Camp Alonim.”

As if focusing on school and sports, participating in Maccabi, leading Minyan, being a buddy, and getting ready for the counselor-in-training program are not enough, Elijah also volunteers at the Hand Up Youth Food Pantry at Jewish Family Service. He joined the Food Pantry in September and serves on the Hand Up Teen Leadership Committee. They meet once each month and help organize events to support the Pantry, including food drives and distributions.

“I’m very busy,” Elijah says, “but I try to balance things on my schedule. I can always find time to hang out with friends, family, and my two dogs—a black lab named Shayna and a yellow lab named Ginger.”

Beth El is very fortunate to have Elijah and his family with us. Yasher Koach, Elijah, on all your accomplishments!

Meet Elijah Gross-Sableby Karen Bohrer

Left: Elijah (middle) with brother Gabriel and sister Eve.Right: Elijah with family.Top right: Elijah and "buddy" Jake.

16 | zmanim

{ Legacy Spotlight }

Andrew and Erna Viterbi by Rabbi Philip Graubart

Make Congregation Beth El one of your legacies.

If you would like to discuss your legacy plans or have questions about Beth El’s Legacy Circle, please contact Beth El Executive Director Judy Persky

at (858) 452-1734, or Elise Wald, Charitable Planning Officer at the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego, at (858) 279-2740.

Andrew and Erna Viterbi are well-known in the Jewish and non-Jewish worlds. Andrew is famous for his invention of the Viterbi Algorithm, a math-

ematical sequence crucial for cell phone technology, as well as his role in developing first Linkabit and then Qualcomm, two companies that pioneered cellular tech-nology. Both Viterbis are highly regarded for their dynam-ic philanthropy all over the world, from San Diego and Los Angeles to Italy and Israel, funding university depart-ments, Jewish day schools, professorships, community centers, high schools, and much more. For us at Beth El, of course, they are honored, active congregants—Andrew a former president and Erna a beloved matriarch, whose children and grandchildren have found a spiritual home at our aptly named Viterbi Family Campus which, of course, contains our Viterbi Torah School.

In talking with both of them, I wasn’t surprised to discover how deeply the Holocaust shaped and continues to shape their Jewish identities and sensibilities. They both spent their formative years in the shadow of the catastrophe, and it comes up almost immediately in conversation. “It’s always with us,” Erna told me. Andrew admits that he had it easier, mostly because his family left Italy in 1939, and he passed through the war years in Boston. But his father, a physician, lost his job because of anti-Semitic legislation, and the family lost all of their wealth, starting again from zero as new immigrants. Andrew also reflects on how all Italian Jews of the time lost something precious—the illusion of being proud, accepted Italians. “We had at least 80 years of positive acceptance. Really, more than toler-ance. An embrace. A half-Jew had been mayor of Rome. A full Jew was prime minister. Jews were patriotic Italians. Some were even fascists during Mussolini’s early years.” All of this exploded with the war, when Italian Jews, many with deep generational roots in the country, were sudden-ly classified as “enemy agents” (though the Italians were

much less rigorous in handing Jews over to the Germans than most other Europeans under occupation).

Erna had it worse, though she refuses to characterize herself as a Holocaust survivor. “I’m not,” she told me. “I was never in a German concentration camp.” That’s because after the Germans invaded Yugoslavia, Erna’s father had the foresight to flee to the Italian zone—where he guessed correctly it would be safer for Jews. Eventually Erna and her family were seized in a kind of “house arrest” and taken to Italy where they stayed until 1943, when the country became too dangerous for Jews. Fortunately she was able to escape to Switzerland where she spent the rest of the war, returning to a DP camp in Italy in 1945, and finally immigrating to California in 1950. Her immediate family survived, but she lost much of her extended family in the death camps.

For both, their Shoah experiences created an unshakeable commitment to what Erna often calls “our people. Our people worldwide. The Jewish nation.” The commitment manifested itself in a fierce attachment to Jewish commu-nity. “When our children started arriving, we knew we had to join a synagogue,” Erna said. “We weren’t particularly religious, but you need synagogues to keep our people together. We strongly believe that. When we moved to La Jolla, we knew about the history of anti-Semitism, that Jews weren’t allowed to live here, and we heard about a synagogue that had just moved from Clairemont to La Jolla. We knew right away that we had to be a part of it.” Erna, in fact, has something of a religious back-ground. Her great-grandfather was Chief Rabbi of Bosnia-Herzegovina. And though, with much of Yugoslavian Jewry, her family became secular within the next two generations, she retained a love for Jewish customs and rituals. She recalls fondly Jewish scouts from pre-state Palestine teaching Hebrew songs and dances to the kids at her DP camp. She still remembers the songs.

Spring 2015 | 17

Andrew grew up with a much more secular identity. “There was very little Judaic content to the Italian Jewish identity during the modern period, the period of the ris-orgemento.” Andrew explained (In general, Andrew retains a fascination with the history of Italian Jews. He speaks about this heritage with great passion). “In many ways this was the choice of the rabbis. They chose emancipation over religion. But we were very Zionistic. Even some of the Jewish fascists were Zionists. But we weren’t religious. I didn’t step into a synagogue from the time I was born until I was 8 years old and had arrived in Boston.” Still, like Erna, he appreciated synagogues for how they create and support Jewish community, and he quickly became active at Beth El.

Reflecting on their losses during the Shoah, and on a more recent tragedy, I asked them how they coped with grief. Did they have any advice for others? Not surprisingly, Erna harked back to her Holocaust experience. “My parents lost so many of my family, and we were a very close family. They learned to be strong. They had to be strong for others. They could show their pain in private, but for their children and for others, they had to be strong. That is what I try to do. You have to find the people you must be strong for.”

Both Viterbis find strength from family. Their faces light up when discussing their five grandchildren. Erna describes with a beaming affection how much time they spend with their grandchildren and how often they visit. I suggested that, in the wake of the family’s loss, the grandchildren found comfort from Erna’s great strength. But she insisted, “We get strength from them. They bring us strength.”

“And they are all Jewish,” Andrew reports, with a mixture of marvel and pride. “Not merely Jewish. Caring, con-cerned Jews, who care about Israel, who understand the importance of Israel.” “That is our legacy,” Erna told me.

Top: Andrew and Erna Viterbi Bottom: Viterbi Family

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18 | zmanim

{ Donations }

DAILY MINYANIn memory of…Esther Filiba by Viktor & Fortune Filiba by Steve & Manijeh Breskin

Herman Dolinka by Mike Dolinka & Lauren Mangel

GENERAL FUNDThank you to…Amy ApplebaumAaron & Jennifer BernsteinRichard & Ann JaffeIn appreciation of… Aliya on 12/13 by Oded & Galit ShezifiIn celebration of… Mr. and Mrs. Erwin Siegal’s 75th birthday by James and Sheila Nerad

Eden Liat baby naming by Bradley VlotnickIn honor of…Carole & Jerry Turk, Mazel Tov for Matt & Eva’s marriage by Lawrence & Barbara Sherman

In memory of…Howard Silverberg by Laura Shectman, Klara Ostrager, and Daniella LaRocca Wright

ISRAEL COMMITTEEIn memory of…Marsha Sutton-Smolin’s dear father, Herman Slutsky by Chaim & Wendy Avraham

Alina Levy’s dear father, Alirio Nazareth by Chaim & Wendy Avraham

My dear father, Herman Slutzky by Marsha Sutton

MEMORIAL FUND In memory of…Stuart Goldstone by Martha Alden by Allison and Robert Price by Larry & Andrea Oster by Andrew & Erna Viterbi by Leonard and Beverly Bernstein by Jeffrey Glazer & Lisa Braun Glazer by Hollis Litrownilc & Alan Litrownilc by Keith & Ruth Wahl

My loving mother, Nancy Zavala by Juvencio Zavala, Jr.

My loving mother-in-law, Anne by Morris AlkinMy loving mother, Irene by Stan & Pam Amundson

My loving father, Robert by Debra AronoffSherry Sherman by Beverly BernsteinMy loving Sister, Raquel by Bernardo & Maty Feldman Bicas

My loving father, Roger by Marilynn BoeskyMy loving Aunt, Helen Haft by Michael & Diane Busch

My loving brother, Elliot by Rhona Fink My loving father-In-law, Sidney by Marcia Gelfand

My loving mother, Fay Druckman by Marcia Gelfand

My loving father, Percy by Lisa Braun Glazer

My loving father, Isadore Rosenbaum by Mindy Gold

Sarah & Samuel Goldbaum by Michael & Brenda Goldbaum

My loving mother, Joy by Denise WitkinMy loving father, Harry by Philip Aronoff

MEMORIAL FUND, cont’d In memory of…My loving mother, Pearl by Norman & Dorene Goldfinger

My loving father, Bernard by Fern JablonMy loving uncle, Abe Kessel by Julian & Jenny Josephson

My loving husband, Geoffrey and my lov-ing mother, Dora by Marjorie Kalmanson

My loving mother, Anne by Herschel & Cheryl Kaufman

My loving mother, Estelle by Herschel & Cheryl Kaufman

My loving father, Morris by Herschel & Cheryl Kaufman

My loving father, David by Selwyn & Barbara Klein

My loving father, Morris, and my loving father, Gershon by William & Gaby Kuperman

Benzion Sasportas by Benjamin LechmanOrah Stein’s Mother, Shulamith by Mr. Derek & Mrs. Robyn Lichter

Our loving father, Elias by Janice Van LintMy loving mother, Bluma Levine by Celia Marshak

My loving niece, Carol Kaufman by Millie Millman

My loving sister, Sylvia Baron by Millie Millman

Michael Sexter by Maureen & Joe NicholsOur loving daughter, Marci by Shearn & Linda Platt

My loving father, Mikulas by Jana PrintzJaime Rothman by the Rothman and Nagiel Families

Leon Ayzen by the Rothman and Nagiel Families

My loving sister, Pola Epelbaum by Dora Rothman

My beloved Uncle, Abe Kessel by Mal SmeidtMy loving husband, Jeffrey by Elyse Sollender

My loving father, Bernard by Gloria StoneMy loving mother, Lenka by Erna ViterbiMy loving mother, Mary by Shirley WengerMy loving brother, Sammy by Shirley WengerMy loving father, Jack by Justin & Shirley Wenger

My loving brother, Alvin by Justin & Shirley Wenger

My loving sister, Mildred by Shirley WengerMy loving mother, Lillian by Howard & Doris White

Esther Filiba by Randy & Nancy Wolman by Joy Wasserman Polun by Terry Miller

My loving mother, Harriet, and my loving grand- father, Steve by Rochelle Zuniga Freeman

My loving mother, Luba by Natan BakchtMy loving father, Bertram by Robert ReissMy loving mother, Sonia Sacks by Peter & Arlene Sacks

My loving wife, Cindy, and my mother-in-law, Florence by Clive Walden

My loving father, Aaron by Emanuel BrantzMy loving father, Mendel by Natan BakctMy loving father, Murray by Norman Goldfinger

My loving father, Philip by Lawrence Sherman

MEMORIAL FUND, cont’d In memory of…My loving mother, Helen by Julian & Jennifer Josephson

My loving father, Joseph by Barbara CohenMy loving mother, Shirley by Donald Rosenberg

My loving son, John by Ruth CovellMy loving mother, Essie Katzenellenbogen by Robyn Lichter

My loving mother, Madeline by Bard Cosman

My loving father, Manley by Dr. Stuart Davidson

My loving father, Moshe Lagnado by Dr. Isaac Lagnado

My loving sister, Teri Muroff by Marc MuroffMy loving grandmother, Esther by Diane Busch

My loving mother, Barbara by Joel SperberMy loving father, Jacob Stern by Sharon Gabriel

My loving husband, Herbert by Eleanor Hoffman

My loving mother, Helen Josephson by Marilyn Smiedt

My loving mother, Dora by Sheila SeidMy loving brother, Michael by Sheila SeidMy loving mother, Viola Coler by Sandra Carson

My loving father, David by Evan & Renee Ravich

Edna’s brother-in-law, Simcha Shimon Lorber by Terry Miller

My loving wife, Raquel by Natan BakchtOur loving son, Mark Mann by Dr. Norman & Mrs. Sivia Mann

Our loving father, Herman Brenner by Sivia Mann

My loving father, James by Arthur & Denise Adler

My loving sister, Evelyn by Barbara Barmatz

My loving mother, Evelyn and my loving grand- father, Hyman by Michael & Diane Busch

My loving son, Joel by Max & Pat Friedheim

Kislev and Laura Krista by July GalperMy loving father, Alfred by Hanna Gleiberman

My loving mother, Yochel, My loving aunt, Shefke, and father-in-law, Mark by Mark & Hanna Gleiberman

My father-in-law, Jacob Haber by Bryna Haber

My loving father, Barney Lichter by Derek & Robyn Lichter

My loving mother, Pauline by Norman & Sivia Mann

My loving mother, Minnie by Israela Manson

My loving father, Morris Levine by Celia Marshak

My loving husband, David by Terry MillerMy loving mother, Irma by Elena Romanowsky

Yahrzeit Donation by Nathalie RubensMy loving mother, Selma Fels by Arlene Sacks

My loving wife, Joyce by Phil Shapiro

Donations received Nov. 16, 2014 to Feb. 1, 2015

Spring 2015 | 19

{ Donations }

MEMORIAL FUND, cont’d In memory of…My loving father, Julian Grace by Nancie Vann

Edna Yedid’s brother-in-law by Ms. Joy Wasserman Polun

Alina Levy’s Father by Eleanor Hoffman by Joy Wasserman Polun

Marsha Sutton’s Father by Joy Wasserman Polun

RABBI GRAUBART’S DISCRETIONARY FUND

In appreciation of… Ben’s Pidyon Haben by Jeremy & Marion Handler

Support of our family, in memory of Herman Slutzsky by Rocky Smolin & Marsha Sutton

In honor of…Bris in honor of Benjamin Handler. by Dr. Stuart RubensteinBris in honor of Charles Turner by Dr. Stuart RubensteinIn memory of…Our loving friend, Michael by Eva & Howard Greenberg

Yahrzeit Donation…My loving father and mother, Dr. Alvin and Sylvia Weiss by Randy & Nancy Wolman

RABBI LIBMAN’S DISCRETIONARY FUNDIn appreciation of… Ben’s bris by Jeremy & Marion HandlerOur Wedding by Jordan Marks & Eva MorenoIn celebration of… Rabbi Avi’s 10th Anniversary at Beth El by Joseph Yeld

In honor of…Bris for Ari WassermanBris for Jackson LangusBris for HowardBris for David LaskBris for Dean MandelbaumBris for Henry Dupuis Bris for Samuel Feniger by Dr. Stuart & Britt RubensteinEdna Yedid by Barbara Friedman

RABBI LIBMAN’S DISCRETIONARY FUNDIn honor of…Rabbi Avi’s 10 years at CBE by Andrew & Erna Viterbi by Valerie Viterbi by Michael Winer

In memory of… Herman Slutzky by Rocky Smolin & Marsha Sutton

RITUAL FUNDIn honor of…Marriage of Jay Samit to Dava Horwitz by Irving & Sandy Samit

Birth of great-grandson, Mick Rosenbaum by Irving & Sandy Samit

TIKKUN FUNDGeneral DonationJordan & Susan Levin Irv & Myra BresselThanksgiving collection by Rabbi Graubart & Rabbi Susan Freeman

For the Thanksgiving Dinner for teenage homeless by Joe & Amanda Lowe

ISN Winter Shelter Donation by Dr. Isaac & Candice Lagnado

In memory of…Our loving mother, Raquel Bakcht by Jessica Koren, Miriam Luttbeg, Sharon Gamboa by Eugene & Suzanne Newman by David & Edna Wallace

In memory of…Lillian Gilevitz by Dr. Isaac and Candice Lagnado

Jack Wassermann by Eli & Anita PlaxeMy loving mother, Sandy by Marc & Ana Muroff

YOUTH FUNDIn appreciation of… Jason’s hard work by Marc & Ana Muroff

WOMEN’S CONNECTIONTorah Fund* In honor of Rabbi Avi Libman’s 10 yrs of devotion to Congregation Beth El by Pamela Amundsonby Cecelia Appelbaumby Debra Aronoffby Yacob Cohen Araziby Luciana Astizby Wendy Avrahamby Jane Connersby Roy & Lesley Davisby Mr. Michael Engelby Viktor & Fortune Filibaby Jeremy & Marion Handlerby Susan Heimanby Joel & Jennifer Glaserby Dr. Myra Greenberg Glassmanby Dr. Laurie Greenbergby Mr. John Smith & Dr. Ellen Jacobsby Drs. Irvin & Jacqueline Jacobsby Dr. Derek & Mrs. Robyn Lichterby Brenda Mannby Mr. Carlos & Mrs. Esther Michan by Terry Miller by Mr. Tad & Dr. Diane Parzenby Bill & Imelda Pearceby Elliott & Louise Rosenbergby Gideon & Orly Shakkedby Marilyn Sodomskyby Joel & Denise Sperberby Joy Wasserman-Polunby Edna Yedid by Drs. Stanley & Pamela Amundson by Ms. Luciana Astiz by Chaim & Wendy Avraham by Edna Yedid*In addition to those listed in the previous issue of Zmanim.

Donations recognizing Edna Yedid as this year’s Women’s Connection Eshet Chayil will be included in the Summer Edition of Zmanim.

Iris Clauss

What is your vision for the future of VTS?

VTS has three areas for strategic enhancement.

1. We need a better physical learning environment— a space that feels warm and welcoming, with easy access to technology and tools to support a variety of projects and learning styles. Teachers who are passionate and creative will have the flexibility to use multiple methods to engage their students.

2. We must document the best creative uses of the curriculum. This will provide excellent re-sources and usable ideas for teachers. Our best practices will be preserved for future years.

3. We must tailor the experience to each child’s personal interest. Each of our paths strengthens our connection to the larger Jewish community, and the community gains strength from each of us. My goal is to provide a wide variety of entry points so students can find their Jewish passion and where their Jewish interests reside.

Continued from page 14, “Ask Jessie”

Donations processed after February 1st will appear on the next issue of Zmanim.

20 | zmanim

{ B’not Mitzvah }

What’s your favorite Biblical story?My favorite biblical story is the Exodus and story of Pesach (baby Moshe in theriver, the burning bush, the ten plagues, 40 days and 40 nights in the desert, the golden calf, and the splitting of the sea). I like it because it rep-resents the strength of the Jewish people and our continuous yearning for religious freedom.

Who is the most unusual person on your guest list?They are not unusual, but some very special peo-ple on my guest list are my three cousins Adi, Noam, and Gilad, Aunt Diana, and Uncle Boaz from Israel. I am hoping they will able to join me on this very special day.

What is your Parashah?My Parashah is Tazria-Metzora. It mainly has to do with the laws concerning a woman’s purifi-cation after giving birth and the laws regarding

Metzora or leprosy. It describes different types of afflictions affecting one’s body in different de-grees, one’s clothing, or one’s home.

What is your Tikkun Olam project ?My Tikkun Olam project is to collect soccer equip-ment (used or new cleats, socks, shin guards, shirts, shorts, soccer balls, etc.) and donate them to chil-dren who need them.

What do you do in your spare time?I like to read. My favorites are book series such as The Maze Runner, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and Harry Potter. I also like to play soccer, play piano (I am trying to teach myself), and listen to music.

What's your favorite Biblical story?My favorite biblical story is Vayigash. I find it amazing that Joseph is able to forgive his brothers despite what they did to him.

Who is the most unusual person on your guest list? The most unusual person who is being invited to my Bat Mitzvah is my Great-Great Uncle, Alex Singer. He is my Great Grandma Pearl's younger brother. He was a director for many television shows, including Star Trek, Hill Street Blues, and Cagney and Lacey.

What is your Parashah?My Parashah is Emor. Ezekiel tells the Kohanim what they are and are not allowed to do when the Third Temple is built. Included in this are rules for what they can wear, how their hair is to be cut, what they can drink, and who they can marry. It talks about them being teachers and spiritual leaders. It also states that the

priests should not be given a portion of land in Israel, as God is their portion.

What Tikkun Olam activities have been especially meaningful to you? I have been involved in many Tikkun Olam activities. Our family has taken a leadership role in the Thanksgiving food collections at my school, San Diego Jewish Academy. Every year since I was little we have been a part of the collection and distribution of food items to various people in our community. Most recently we partnered with Jewish Family Services and have provided many food and gift items for Jewish families in our community for both Hanukkah and Thanksgiving. It makes me feel proud to be a part of organizing and participating in this project.

What do you do in your spare time?I like to bake, dance, play volleyball and basketball, and travel with my family.

What’s your favorite Biblical story?The story of the golden calf for it portrays the simi-larity between society and sheep. The Hebrews never thought for themselves and pursued others actions, similar to how a sheep follows a herd for survival, as they are weak as individuals.

Who is the most unusual person on your guest list?Since I began the public school system, I have known this boy who has the same first letters in his last name

as I do; therefore he has always been in my class. I always considered him my “arch enemy” because he took part in

mobbing me with snack food in the third grade. I always remembered him as the only one who was accurate when throwing and I had never let him hear the end of it up until the 5th grade when he made me realize that it was pointless to hold a grudge because we would be stuck sitting next to each other in every class until high school graduation. Through our similar interests we carry out long discussions every day. I don’t know what to consider him but I put him on my guest list, doubting he will actually attend my Bat Mitzvah.

What is your Tikkun Olam project?I am forming a letter writing and craft campaign for the women inmates of the California Institution for Women, to connect them with the com-munity. I believe this will strengthen their rehabilitation, which will re-duce recidivism, molding a safer society.

What do you do in your spare time?I like to research Asian history, political influences, and medical wonders.

Maya Landsberg

Mia Shalit

Berkeley Roselinsky

Spring 2015 | 21

B'NOT MITZVAH DATES: MAYA LANDSBERG

March 14 MIA SHALIT

April 25 MARGALIT (GALI) LASKA

May 2 BERKELEY ROSELINSKY

May 9th MIA MICHAELS

May 23

What's your favorite Biblical story?My favorite Biblical story is the story of Hanukkah. I really like that story because it teaches me to believe in miracles. Believing that miracles can happen gives you hope and enables you to dream. I also like that the story of Hanukkah is about light. There are so many references to light in the Torah. Light is special to me because my middle and Hebrew name, Lael, was given to me in memory of my Great Grandma Lucie, which means light.

Who's the person on your guest list who would be traveling the farthest to celebrate your Bat Mitzvah with you? My Great Aunt Hadassah is coming all the way from Haifa, Israel for my Bat Mitzvah. I am so excited to see her. My Bat Mitzvah will be very meaningful because she will be here to celebrate with me.

What's the key message from your Parashah?My Parashah is about Moses taking a census of the 12 tribes of Israel to find out how many men could be in the army. I think it’s important to consider how much more powerful the army could have been if Moses would have counted both men and women. Women are a big part of the world and I think they need to be counted just like men.

What is a Tikkun Olam activity you did that was especially meaningful?Last year I made nail kits for girls with cancer at Rady Children’s Hospital. I wanted to give them something that would make them feel pretty and take their minds off their illness and their treatments. It was really meaningful when they sent me a thank you note with photos of their manicures and pedicures. Making a difference in a person’s life is a really special feeling.

What do you like to do in your spare time?Are you kidding me??!! I have no spare time between school, homework, volley-ball, my Bat Mitzvah Sabra program, and studying for my Bat Mitzvah. I barely have any time to just hang with friends.

What’s your favorite Biblical story?My favorite Biblical story is the 12 spies in the book of Numbers. It shows that when ten men out of the twelve spies thought negatively of the land of Israel, two men believed that the Israelites could conquer the land and survive. This teaches me to always look on the positive side.

Who’s the most unusual person on your guest list?The most unusual person on my guest list would be Hazzan Ayelet Porzcanski. She is the Cantor at the synagogue in New

York where my mother was the Rabbi and where I grew up. When I began to think about my Bat Mitzvah, the only person I wanted to study with was Ayelet. Although we moved from New York almost five years ago, I wanted to have the same learning experience that I would have had if I still lived in New York.

What’s the key message from your Parashah?The key message in Parashat Acharei-Mot/Kedoshim is that the many things that the Torah teaches are ways to experience holiness. In the text, there are dif-

ferent ways to fulfill holiness—such as treating peo-ple with respect and not putting obstacles in front of them. One of the most well known mitzvot in the portion is “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”

What is your Tikkun Olam project?I will be working with the Hand Up Food Pantry Distribution Center through Jewish Family Service. I will be going to two different distribution centers to give food and other items to military families, and I will interact with the kids there as well. In addition, I will be asking my guests to bring children’s books for a collection that I will then give out at these centers af-ter my Bat Mitzvah celebration.

What do you like to do in your spare time?I like to perform with J*Company Youth Theater at the JCC. Over the past four years, I have been in seven productions. I also play volleyball with the Torreys at La Jolla Country Day School. I have been playing the flute for about a year and a half and I enjoy it very much. When I am not in school or doing my after- school activities, I enjoy playing games with my three younger sisters.

Margalit (Gali) Laska

Mia Michaels

22 | zmanim

Bethelgram

{ A Taste of Beth El }

German Style Matzo Balls

by Eva Nerenberg

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by

Eva

Bla

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I was born in Germany at the beginning of Hitler’s era.

My father fought for Germany in World War I. The Nazis wanted to put him in a concentration camp, so my mother found an old general who knew her and my dad, and he intervened with the Nazis. We were allowed to leave Germany but my family had only six weeks to find a country that would take us.

The Dominican Republic was the only country that would issue us visas. So, when I was age 4, my family and I left Germany and settled in the Dominican Republic.

I had a good life and education in the Dominican Republic. After high school, I came to the U.S. to attend college at Florida State University, where I received a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management (now called Hospitality). I then met Perry, who was stationed in a nearby Air Force base, at the synagogue in Tallahassee. The rest is history!

The matzo balls are made this way in parts of Germany. This recipe is from my Omi (grandmother).

GERMAN STYLE MATZO BALLS4 matzos 2 tbsp vegetable oil4 eggs ½ cup unpeeled slivered almonds¼ tsp salt ½ tsp sugarApprox. ¾ cup matzo meal (or more)

Directions:1. Soak the matzos in water.

When soft, wring out the water and add the oil, eggs, almonds, salt, and sugar.

2. Add the matzo meal until the mixture is the right consistency and will hold together.

3. Make matzo balls by rolling in wet hands.

4. Boil matzo balls in hot salted water for 20 minutes.

5. Remove matzo balls careful-ly and put in chicken soup.

Makes 25 or more matzo balls.

22 | zmanim

Eva has been cooking delicious treats for Beth El for more

than 50 years.

Spring 2015 | 23

Bethelgram

life@beth_elEdit Profile

Israel Fair

Living in the Diaspora parent student presentation

#beth el turkeys

@Israel_committee

@SD_run_for_the_hungry

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Minyanaires' dinner.

life@beth_el

@Israel_committee Great fun at Israel Fair.

@winter_shelter Serving dinner at the Winter Shelter.

@Israel_committee IDF's Shai Terry singing at the Israel Fair.

@beth_el Save a Child's Heart event.

@beth_elDennis Prager-Bret Stephens event.

@beth_el Rabbi Graubart and Governor Pete Wilson at Dennis Prager - Bret Stephens event.

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