Two Israeli classical musicians to perform at Carlsbad library

CARLSBAD, California (Press Release) – The San Diego Jewish Music Series, presented by the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture will present in Carlsbad  A Classical Evening with Piano and Violin, featuring Victor Stanislavsky, piano and Asi Matathias, violin. 

These two virtuoso Israeli musicians, Victor Stanislavsky and Asi Matathias, are emerging as an outstanding force in the international performance arena.  Both performers are Scholarship Recipients from the American Israeli Cultural Foundation.

The evening’s program will feature the work of Cesar Franck and Edvard Grieg.  A reception will follow.

The event takes place at the Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium on the campus of the Carlsbad’s Dove Library, 1775 Dove Lane, Carlsbad CA  92011.  Ticket prices are $15/JCC Members and $18/Non-members.

For information or tickets call the JCC Box Office at 858-362-1348, or visit the web site at www.sdcjc.org. 

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Preceding provided by the Center for Jewish Culture at the Lawrence Family JCC in La Jolla

International Bar Association calls for halt to attacks on Richard Goldstone

LONDON (Press Releases)–The President and Executive Director of the International Bar Association (IBA), Fernando Peláez-Pier and Mark Ellis, respectively, are concerned by the sustained professional and personal criticism of the eminent jurist Richard Goldstone, following publication of the report by the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict.

Since the report was placed in the public domain on 25 September 2009, Justice Goldstone has been the target of a vitriolic campaign led by individuals and groups that disagree with the report’s findings. The United Nations Human Rights Council gave the four-person delegation, headed by Justice Goldstone, a mandate to investigate any and all violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law that might have been committed in conjunction with military operations conducted in Gaza between 27 December 2008 and 18 January 2009, whether committed before, during or after.

IBA President, Fernando Peláez-Pier said, ‘The United Nations sought Justice Richard Goldstone to head the fact-finding delegation into the late 2008 and early 2009 incursions into Gaza because of his impeccable professional credentials and personal integrity. It seems incredulous that he is now being criticised on these very qualities by detractors of the delegation’s resulting report.’ He added, ‘Justice Goldstone has held the distinguished positions, to name a few, of Co-Chair of the Independent Commission on Kosovo, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, and Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa; positions which underline the guiding principles that no state, nation, or individual should be considered above or beyond the reach of the law.’  

IBA Executive Director, Mark Ellis said, ‘It is ironic that Justice Goldstone is now facing criticism of bias given that it was he who insisted on enlarging the UN mandate to include an enquiry into the conduct of both parties to the conflict. Justice Goldstone had been tasked with investigating whether or not actions undertaken by Israel and Hamas in Gaza were consistent with international law and the responsibility that all actors have in upholding the laws of war and ensuring accountability for crimes. The report ultimately concluded that violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law appear to have been committed by both Israel and Hamas.’ He continued, ‘Instead of vilifying Justice Goldstone, his critics should applaud him for not shying away from seeking the truth in what is an extremely sensitive and politically complicated situation.’

Justice Goldstone, former Co-Chair of the IBA’s Human Rights Institute, his family and friends have endured malicious attacks on his reputation and his motives by some who disagree with what has become informally known as the Goldstone report. The IBA calls for such assaults to cease. Justice Goldstone has a record of scrupulous impartiality; he helped build the first international war crimes courts since Nuremburg; he courageously challenged apartheid in his native country of South Africa; and he has won a host of awards for his work in promoting international justice.

During a recent IBA webcast, Justice Goldstone briefly addressed the barrage of criticism he has received in relation to the report on the Gaza Conflict. Click here to watch the video footage which also includes discussion on terrorism; international justice in Africa; and the ICC.

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Preceding provided by the International Bar Association

University of Haifa to honor Ruth Dayan for work with immigrants, Bedouins

HAIFA (Press Release)–The University of Haifa will award the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, honoris causa, to Mrs. Ruth Dayan during the University’s 38^th Meeting of the Board of Governors, which will take place on June 1-3. The honorary doctorate will be conferred upon Mrs. Dayan in recognition of her longstanding contribution to Israel’s economic, cultural and social strength.

The Senate of the University emphasized her extensive contribution to the empowerment of women, immigrants and other groups in Israeli society who – thanks to her guiding hand – succeeded in becoming a pivotal force in society; her sharing her vision and knowledge with other countries and backing them in aspiring toward a more equal society; the great honor that her work has brought to the State of Israel; and her many years of friendship with the University of Haifa.

Mrs. Dayan, born in Haifa in 1917, is a social activist and one of the founders of Variety Israel. With the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, Mrs. Dayan founded the “Eshet Chayil” (“Woman of Valor”) project on behalf of the Jewish Agency – a project integrating women immigrants into the growing Israeli economy through traditional handicraft work, such as embroidery, weaving and knitting, thereby also preserving the culture and heritage of the Diaspora. Following the success of this project, Mrs. Dayan, then an employee of the Israel Ministry of Labor, founded Maskit, a fashion house that operated from 1954 to 1994 producing local creations combining traditional Eastern art with original Israeli designs. Over the years, Mrs. Dayan continued using traditional arts and crafts as a tool for social change and women’s empowerment. She initiated and advised many handiwork projects for women around the world, such as India, Ethiopia and various South American countries.

Her most recent project, which began in 1991 and continues today, involves assisting Bedouin women to break out of the circle of unemployment in Israel through their traditional embroidery and jewelry designs.

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Preceding provided by the University of Haifa

Pro-Israel group offers to pay Elvis Costello’s tour costs

 LOS ANGELES (Press Release)– StandWithUs, the international Israel education organization is extending an invitation for a five-star VIP tour of Israel to Elvis Costello to coincide with his wife Diana Krall’s performance on August 4 at Israel’s Ra’anana Amphitheater.  StandWithUs is also offering to work around Costello’s schedule if that date is inconvenient.  
 
The offer is made after Costello suddenly cancelled his June 30 and July 1 performances in Israel, citing “political reasons.”  “Misinformation about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is rife, particularly in Costello’s England where the press often misrepresents history and current facts on the ground,” explains Roz Rothstein, co-founder and CEO of StandWithUs. 

“Our mission is to correct this misinformation and educate the public so they can make informed decisions.  We would like to do this for Costello whose decision undermines instead of promotes peaceful coexistence.  As a celebrity, he has a special responsibility to make sure his public positions are based on accurate information and are fair-minded.”
 
StandWithUs urges Costello to consult with fellow Brit Paul McCartney who rejected Palestinian and Arab pressure to cancel his 2008 tour, and with Madonna, who called Israel “the energy center of the world” before a crowd of 50,000 Israelis during her performance in 2009.
 
The StandWithUs tour highlights the challenges Israel faces, the nature of Israeli society, and the efforts it has made to promote peace.  “Visitors are often stunned by Israel’s small size and by the short distance between the West Bank heights and Israel’s population centers and Ben Gurion Airport. They suddenly understand Israel’s security concerns and the serious strategic dangers Israel would face if extremists like Hamas took over the West Bank,” observes Michael Dickson, director of the StandWithUs Jerusalem office.

“They are also amazed at how multicultural, free, and vibrant Israeli society is, which contrasts with many media images.”
 
The tour also includes background about the extremist and violent goals of the terrorist groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and Islamic Jihad that Israel faces, and about the incitement to hate Jews and Israelis that saturates Palestinian society. 

“After the tour, many people realize that Palestinian leaders and extremist groups who are backed by Iran are harming the Palestinian people and are the real obstacles to peace, not Israelis who desperately want peace and have been willing to give up parts of their ancient homeland for a better future for Israeli and Palestinian children,” states Rothstein.
 
StandWithUs will continue to extend the invitation so that Costello can become a voice for peace and understanding instead of a voice for continuing misinformation, divisiveness, and hate.
 
StandWithUs is a nine-year old, international, non-profit Israel education organization that ensures that Israel’s side of the story is told in communities, campuses, libraries, the media and schools through brochures, speakers, conferences, missions to and from Israel, and thousands of pages of Internet resources that are distributed globally.
 
Based in Los Angeles, the organization has offices across the U.S., in Israel and the UK.  SWU was founded in 2001 in response to the public’s need and desire for more information about the Arab-Israeli conflict. StandWithUsCampus helps college students challenge anti-Israel bias. 

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Preceding provided by StandWithUs

Independent minyanim: a growing Generation Y phenomenon

Empowered Judaism: What Independent Minyanim Can Teach Us About Building Vibrant Jewish Communities by Rabbi Elie Kaunfer, Jewish Lights Publishing, ISBN 978-1-58023-412-2, ©2010, $18.99, p. 161 + appendices.

 By Fred Reiss, Ed.D.

Fred Reiss

WINCHESTER, California–The word minyan in Jewish ritual corresponds to the idea of a quorum. Minyan means having at least ten men assembled together to form a prayer community. Traditionally, a minyan gathered in the community’s synagogue. Today this is no longer the case. American life has spawned a plethora of Jewish movements, and the idea of independent minyanim (plural of minyan) is one of them. The Independent Minyanim movement, whose members overwhelming come from Generation Y, emerged from that generation’s need for spirituality interacting with their lifestyle.

Generation Y, the Millennial Generation, is known for its frequent use of communications and digital technology, as well as for their mobile lifestyle and delaying some of the rites of passage into adulthood. Independent minyanim allow people who temporarily move into a community to attend prayer services, network with their peers, and remain financially uncommitted to a religious institution.

Empowered Judaism by Rabbi Elie Kaunfer describes the Independent Minyan movement on two levels. The first is the story of Kehilat Hadar, an independent minyan, founded in New York City by the author and two of his friends in 2001. Kaunfer points out that Kehilat Hadar rapidly took hold because of New York’s young Jewish urban culture and the newly available e-mail—no need for phone trees anymore. Success continued because of the minyan’s shared vision, and its ability to energize attendees.  The second part of the book is a more general discussion of the issues faced by both existing and start-up independent minyanim.

Independent minyanim are one example of what empowered Jews can do. Independent minyanim do not give a trained spiritual leader the “power of their pulpit.” Instead, volunteer leaders make the decisions within the framework of the minyan and lay volunteers conduct the service. Because much of a Jewish community’s accomplishments comes from fostering and sustaining volunteers, an important strength of Empowered Judaism comes in the description of how independent minyanim organize and guide all-volunteer groups that grow and thrive. This includes both a group’s leadership as well as the rank-and-file members.

Empowered Judaism explains how Kehilat Hadar tackled “thorny” day-to-day issues involving its volunteers. For example, Kehilat Hadar, is built on a traditional prayer service. What should be done when a person asked to conduct a service announced that she wanted to recite a special prayer for Gay Pride Day, which coincided with the day she would be leading services? Other practical issues include: on what basis are prayer leaders chosen? Where does the community get a Torah to use for Sabbath morning and holiday services? How does the community pay rent for a building when the minyan gets too large for the free apartment? Empowered Judaism answers all these and more using Kehilat Hadar and other independent minyanim.

Kaunfer wants to know how the Jewish community can foster more empowered Jews. He is not necessarily interested in creating more independent minyanim, but rather how to make Jews proactive on behalf of Judaism. Empowered Judaism clearly shows that the peripatetic Millennium Generation is capable of self-organization. We will soon see to see how, as they age, settle down, start families, and so forth, they will use digital technologies to teach their children about Judaism and create vibrant children’s services, maintain a cohesive Jewish community that is able to sustain religious life-cycle events, and support multi-generational communities. Empowered Judaism is as much a primer on independent minyanim as it is a source for information about significant questions facing traditional congregations.

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Reiss is a retired public and Hebrew school teacher and administrator. He is the author of The Standard Guide to the Jewish and Civil Calendars;  Ancient Secrets of Creation: Sepher Yetzira, the Book that Started Kabbalah, Revealed; and Reclaiming the Messiah.

Politicians the world over practice a similar craft

 

By Ira Sharkansky

 

Ira Sharkansky

JERUSALEM–Politicians lie. The devil is in the details. There is no justice.

Lip service, as well as hyperbole or bombast, are prominent in political discourse.　

All of these expressions mean about the same thing.　They are part of what we call politics.

Politicians want to please. That is how they get elected and stay in office. The details are less important than the promise of achievement.

It’s not only politicians who overlook unpleasant details. Many citizens do not pay close attention to what (or who) they support or oppose.

The traits appear in issues that otherwise seem to be unconnected with one another.

One example is the 2,000 page health reform in the U.S. Every few days we read about the problems created by another provision that survived contending interests, media criticism, separate deliberations in House and Senate, and the rush to provide something that the president would sign.

Did he read what he signed? All of it? How much did he or his advisors understand?

Now that a libertarian prominent in the Tea Party has been chosen as the Republican nominee for a Senate seat, critics are focusing on what he has said. He does not seem to have squared all his slogans into a comprehensive set of principles.　

 

That makes him pretty much like other politicians, perhaps less subtle than those with more experience.

 

Israelis stand four square against corruption. The topic was prominent in the most recent elections, but did not keep us from choosing leaders with 　reputations for deception and other tricks. Now former Jerusalem Mayor and former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is beginning another round of interviews with the police about alleged　monkey business. Insofar as that he is no longer the national leader, he has to go to the police station for the inquiry, rather than having the police come to his official residence. We are speculating if the police are being less polite, and wondering if there will be a house arrest or something more confining.

Reports are that 300,000 employed Israelis earn less than the minimum wage.

How many people in the United States and Western Europe are also working for less than their countries’ minimum wages?

A high proportion of them are likely to be illegal immigrants, showing once again that immigration is a playing field for lip service. People oppose illegal immigration here, there, and elsewhere. But many illegals find jobs that locals do not want, at salaries less than the legal minimum.

While we are complaining about injustice or corruption, we might also notice if we or family members are benefiting from affordable child care, elder care, yard care, restaurant meals, maid service at home or in a hotel, 　and any of the other functions provided by illegal immigrants working for less than the minimum wage.

It is a travesty of justice and intellectual honesty that otherwise respectable people target Israel for their invective, when many other countries do much worse with respect to minorities and foreign adversaries.　

Should we believe that Barack Obama knows how to bring peace to Israel and Palestine? And accept the statements of Benyamin Netahyahu and Mahmoud Abbas that they are 　cooperating with the President?

Can Congress and the President smooth out the bumps in the Obama health bill, each of which has interests opposed to losing what they managed to slip into it?

Can Israeli voters be persuaded to focus on corruption? What should they do when the party most involved with police investigations also appears to be more suitable than its competitors with respect to concerns for national security? Corruption is distasteful, but how important compared to other considerations?

Shouldn’t we insist that our governments enforce the laws about immigration? But what about those decent people who clean our houses and yards, or look after our children or parents?　

Those of us who feel that we understand Israel should continue to explain its problems and actions in a balanced and moderate fashion. And expect to be dismissed as mad or extreme by others who claim to understand Israel.

There is much that is positive in what governments provide us, that have come as the result of political activity. They contribute a great deal to what us fortunates call the good life.

But each item received from government may include at least a little, and sometimes more than a little swindle. Perhaps it is only exaggeration.　

Politicians and political activists may not have to lie, but if they tell all the truth they would have trouble attracting an audience.　

We should be good citizens. If we do not use our democratic rights, we may lose them.

But we should not expect too much for our efforts.

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Sharkansky is professor emeritus of political science at Hebrew University.

 

San Diego County’s historic places: Lemon Grove

 

 

World's largest lemon?

By Donald H. Harrison

Donald H. Harrison

LEMON GROVE, California – If you travel to Hamburg or Frankfurt in Germany, you’ll find that in neither place is a “hamburger” or a “frankfurter” a staple of local diets. Wouldn’t you think that in Lemon Grove, one could get a glass of fresh-made lemonade? Lido’s, a popular family-owned restaurant serving Italian food for nearly a half century, indeed has lemonade on the menu. However, the waitress advises, it’s not fresh-squeezed; it’s from a dispenser.

Alas, things are not always what they seem. This is a town that right in the heart of its downtown boasts a 10 foot-by-6 foot lemon sculpture, recognized on the Roadside America website as the largest lemon in the world. However, the only fresh lemons you’ll find in the City of Lemon Grove are those that grow on a few trees recently planted for effect behind the lemon sculpture. The acres upon acres of lemon and orange groves of the past are no more; they gave way to housing developments and stores in this working class San Diego suburb on the San Diego Trolley’s ‘orange’ line.

The town has all but lost its namesake fruit, and except for the big lemon sculpture, does little to promote itself as a lemon capital. There are no ‘lemon fairs’ for townspeople to compete in; no international competitions for the best lemon meringue pies, lemon cookies, or lemon tarts. There are no trade fairs demonstrating the lemon’s qualities as a furniture polish, and not even any exhibitions of defective automobiles.

Yet, the town does keep nostalgia alive. Its station house along the San Diego Trolley line is a copy of one that served the town a century earlier. Four murals adorn the wall of the Grove Pastry Shop, located where the city’s first business, Sonka Brothers General Merchandise, once stood.

Four of five idealized history murals by local artists Kathleen Strzelecki and Janne LaValle were completed prior to New Year’s Day 2010. The first shows a Kumeyaay family outside a thatched hut or ewaa. Children are playing, women are weaving, a man is readying a spear for fishing.

In the second mural, crew members of explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo ride horses through the land he named ‘San Miguel’ in 1542, but which subsequently became known as ‘San Diego.’ In the background is a scene that could not have occurred for another 267 years—a Franciscan padre teaching a group of Kumeyaay Indians gathered around a tree. It was not until 1769 that Spaniards led by Father Junipero Serra began to colonize this area.

The third mural depicts San Diego County during its Mexican period. There is a procession of two brides on horseback—accompanied by musicians.

The fourth mural focuses on the early history of Lemon Grove, which was first settled in 1869 by sheep rancher Robert Allison. The mural shows the Lemon Grove Store operated by the Sonka Brothers, as well as a church, the school where a teacher leads children in a recess game, and the train station. The fifth mural, when completed, is supposed to show modern Lemon Grove.

In a 1958 edition of the Journal of San Diego History, Anthony F. Sonka, a second generation owner of Sonka Brothers, recalled that “in the early days, lemons were the chief industry, and hundreds of carloads were shipped from the local packing house, which was operated by the California Citrus Union; later the Lemon Grove Association was organized. … Lemon Grove was a community of five and ten acre lemon and orange ranches, chiefly owned by semi-retired people.”

He also wrote that baseball was the chief diversion for the lemon pickers in town. “In 1915 Lemon Grove won what they called at that time the Valley Championship. Among the teams were North Park, Lakeside, El Cajon and Chula Vista. We had a diamond which the players had built themselves, and which they kept up.”

Sports today still is important to Lemon Grove.  The Lemon Grove Little League rates its own banner near the big lemon, and  one of the best known businesses is Berry’s Athletic Supply, which keeps a huge inventory so that it can fill orders immediately.

Although Lemon Grove still has a small-town feel, with the Chamber of Commerce trying to persuade passers-by that they are experiencing the ’best climate on earth”  and most businesses along Broadway and Lemon Grove Avenue being one-story affairs, national chains are coming to the suburb. Close to the giant lemon is a Starbucks coffee outlet, and about a mile down Broadway is a huge Home Depot. 

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Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. This article appeared previously on examiner.com