December 2021
Placing Jewish Ritual Stones at Veterans’ Graves
Each year, thousands of volunteers across the country participate in the Wreaths Across America remembrance program to visit over two-thousand veteran and private cemeteries to place millions of remembrance wreaths atop the graves of our veterans. Here in San Diego, our WWA committee has initiated a practice to honor and remember veterans of the Jewish faith with the custom of placing Jewish Ritual Stones atop the veterans’ gravesites. WWA is looking for volunteers to help place ritual stones on Monday,…
Find out more »Volunteer at Rachel’s Women’s Center
Rachel’s Women's Center provides overnight, emergency, short/midterm, safe and sober shelter for homeless women. To sign-up for a volunteer slot, follow this link. Congregation Beth Israel's Women of Beth Israel and Social Action Committees invite you to help us feed 28-32 hungry, homeless women on the second Sunday of even-numbered months, at Rachel's Women's Center (plus Christmas Day!). We appreciate sign-ups for one or more slots/dates, as explained below. Our plans for the next dates & times, subject to the updates below, are: At the present time--All pickups…
Find out more »January 2022
Shabbat Tzedek: Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz is the President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash, Founder & President of Uri L’Tzedek, Founder & CEO of Shamayim: Jewish Animal Advocacy, and Founder & President of YATOM: The Jewish Foster & Adoption Network. Rabbi Yanklowitz’s writings have appeared in outlets as diverse as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Guardian, and the Atlantic among many other secular and religious publications. Rabbi Yanklowitz is a sought-after educator, social justice activist, and motivational speaker as well as the author of seventeen books on Jewish spirituality, social…
Find out more »“Antisemitism: Here and Now” with Deborah Lipstadt in conversation with Rabbi Jason Nevarez
Deborah Esther Lipstadt is an American historian, best known as the author of the books Denying the Holocaust, History on Trial: My Day in Court with a Holocaust Denier, The Eichmann Trial, and Antisemitism: Here and Now Dr. Deborah E. Lipstadt, Dorot Professor of Holocaust Studies at Emory University in Atlanta, has published and taught about the Holocaust and antisemitism for close to 40 years. In August 2021, President Biden nominated her as his Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat…
Find out more »February 2022
Courageous Conversations: Don’t Check Your Identity At the Door – A Discussion with Brandy Shufutinsky
Join our Beth Israel community for another chapter in our Courageous Conversations series. We are honored to host Brandy Shufutinsky and hear her story and wisdom firsthand. Brandy will guide us through the intricacies of her identity in conversation with Rabbi Nevarez. A highlight will feature a discussion on their viewpoints on Ethnic Studies Model Curriculums, followed by a Q&A. Brandy Shufutinsky is a social worker, writer, researcher, and advocate. She holds a Doctorate in Education from the University of…
Find out more »Volunteer at Rachel’s Women’s Center
Rachel’s Women's Center provides overnight, emergency, short/midterm, safe and sober shelter for homeless women. To sign-up for a volunteer slot, follow this link. Congregation Beth Israel's Women of Beth Israel and Social Action Committees invite you to help us feed 28-32 hungry, homeless women on the second Sunday of even-numbered months, at Rachel's Women's Center (plus Christmas Day!). We appreciate sign-ups for one or more slots/dates, as explained below. Our plans for the next dates & times, subject to the updates below, are: At the present time--All pickups…
Find out more »“Anti-Zionism is Almost Always Antisemitism” with Micha Danzig
Have you heard people say “I am not antisemitic, I am only anti-Zionist” or that “Zionists are trying to weaponize antisemitism to stop legitimate criticism of Israel”? If you want to explore what’s wrong with those types of statements and understand better how to respond to them, as well as differentiate between legitimate “criticism” and plain and simple Jew-hatred, then this is the presentation for you. About Micha: Micha Danzig served in the Israeli Army and is a former police…
Find out more »April 2022
Volunteer at Rachel’s Women’s Center
Rachel’s Women's Center provides overnight, emergency, short/midterm, safe and sober shelter for homeless women. To sign-up for a volunteer slot, follow this link. Congregation Beth Israel's Women of Beth Israel and Social Action Committees invite you to help us feed 28-32 hungry, homeless women on the second Sunday of even-numbered months, at Rachel's Women's Center (plus Christmas Day!). We appreciate sign-ups for one or more slots/dates, as explained below. Our plans for the next dates & times, subject to the updates below, are: At the present time--All pickups…
Find out more »May 2022
Courageous Conversations: How to Safely Empower American Jews to Hold Antisemites Accountable – A Discussion with Liora Rez
Join our Beth Israel community for another chapter in our Courageous Conversations series. We are honored to host Liora Rez and hear from her firsthand. Liora will be in conversation with Rabbi Nevarez. This presentation will also employ real-time strategies for advocacy in and around our community. Liora Rez, Executive Director of StopAntisemitism. Liora Rez is the Executive Director of StopAntisemitism, a grassroots watchdog organization that publicly exposes antisemitic behavior and creates real consequences for those who espouse bigotry toward…
Find out more »June 2022
From Buffalo to San Diego: Understanding Antisemitism as a Corrosive Phenomenon and Threat to All Our Communities
Antisemitism has surged to historically high levels in North America and around the world, animating mass violence from Pittsburgh to Poway, Christchurch to Buffalo. Despite this fact, antisemitism remains a poorly understood phenomenon. Join us for a special session with ADL’s Vlad Khaykin, National Director of Programs on Antisemitism, for a discussion of how this age-old phenomenon manifests in North America today and the threat it poses not only to the Jewish community, but to all communities and to democracy…
Find out more »When Our Neighbors Don’t Love Us Back: The Ultimate Test of Jewish [Dis]Loyalty
Antisemitism is an ancient phenomenon that remains a threat to our communities today. What can the Torah teach us about this age-old form of oppression? Join Rabbi Jason Nevarez and ADL’s National Director of Programs on Antisemitism, Vlad Khaykin, for our annual Tikkun Leil Shavuot text study as we uncover powerful Torah and rabbinic texts that will offer insights into the ancient roots of antisemitism and its contemporary manifestations. 7:00 pm - 7:30 pm: A traditional dairy-style oneg will be available 7:30 pm:…
Find out more »Volunteer at Rachel’s Women’s Center
Rachel’s Women's Center provides overnight, emergency, short/midterm, safe and sober shelter for homeless women. To sign-up for a volunteer slot, follow this link. Congregation Beth Israel's Women of Beth Israel and Social Action Committees invite you to help us feed 28-32 hungry, homeless women on the second Sunday of even-numbered months, at Rachel's Women's Center (plus Christmas Day!). We appreciate sign-ups for one or more slots/dates, as explained below. Our plans for the next dates & times, subject to the updates below, are: At the present time--All pickups…
Find out more »July 2022
Poster & Shirt Making Party for San Diego Pride Parade
Join us anytime between 5:00 pm-7:00 pm for a Poster and Shirt Making Party in advance of Pride Parade! The annual San Diego Pride Parade, on July 16th, 2022, is the largest single-day civic event in the region and is among the largest Prides in the United States, attracting over 300,000 people. To learn more and sign up to march with Beth Israel, visit: https://cbisd.org/programs/beth-israel-marches-san-diego-pride-parade-2/ Materials will be provided (A supply of 20 blank white t-shirts in Med, L, and XL…
Find out more »Beth Israel marches @ San Diego Pride Parade
The annual San Diego Pride Parade is the largest single-day civic event in the region and is among the largest Prides in the United States, attracting over 300,000 people. Cheer on colorful floats & parade participants as we celebrate and honor the LGBTQ community at the San Diego Pride Parade in Hillcrest. We are hosting a Poster & Shirt Making Party on July 13: https://cbisd.org/programs/poster-shirt-making-party-for-san-diego-pride-parade-2/ When & Where Theme: TBD Parade Date: Saturday, July 16, 2022 Time: 10:00 am – 3:00…
Find out more »August 2022
Volunteer at Rachel’s Women’s Center
Rachel’s Women's Center provides overnight, emergency, short/midterm, safe and sober shelter for homeless women. To sign-up for a volunteer slot, follow this link. Congregation Beth Israel's Women of Beth Israel and Social Action Committees invite you to help us feed 28-32 hungry, homeless women on the second Sunday of even-numbered months, at Rachel's Women's Center (plus Christmas Day!). We appreciate sign-ups for one or more slots/dates, as explained below. Our plans for the next dates & times, subject to the updates below, are: At the present time--All pickups…
Find out more »September 2022
Roots of Antisemitism and Its Contemporary Resurgence
Dive into the uneasy questions of antisemitism in politics with the editors and contributors of Looking for an Enemy: 8 Essays on Antisemitism. From medieval accusations that Jews murder Christians for their blood to the modern-day conspiracy theories animating present-day political discourse, it’s clear that the belief that Jews are plotting against society never dies—it just adapts to suit the times. Join the editor and contributors of Looking for an Enemy: 8 Essays on Antisemitism and AJU's President Dr. Jeffrey Herbst for a nuanced,…
Find out more »Fighting Internalized Antisemitism
Find your Jewish pride and reclaim your Jewish story with author Ben M Freeman, and AJU’s President, Dr. Jeffrey Herbst. How do we reclaim our Jewish story if we never knew how to tell it in the first place? Join AJU’s President, Dr. Jeffrey Herbst and author/educator Ben M. Freeman for an engaging conversation on Jewish pride, internalized antisemitism, and so much more. Discover why Jewish people need to reject the shame of antisemitism imposed by the non-Jewish world and how to define your…
Find out more »California State Ballot Measures with Jason Bercovitch
Tired of watching commercials about Prop 27? Worried about how long your ballot is going to be? Concerned that a yes vote means no and a no means yes? Have no fear, help is here. Join us to learn about all the statewide propositions and local ballot measures you will have a voice in deciding this November. Our temple member Jason Bercovitch will give a non-partisan, unbiased presentation on what each proposition would actually do, who supports and opposes each proposal, and…
Find out more »October 2022
Volunteer at Rachel’s Women’s Center
Rachel’s Women's Center provides overnight, emergency, short/midterm, safe and sober shelter for homeless women. To sign-up for a volunteer slot, follow this link. Congregation Beth Israel's Women of Beth Israel and Social Action Committees invite you to help us feed 28-32 hungry, homeless women on the second Sunday of even-numbered months, at Rachel's Women's Center (plus Christmas Day!). We appreciate sign-ups for one or more slots/dates, as explained below. Our plans for the next dates & times, subject to the updates below, are: At the present time--All pickups…
Find out more »Pursuing Justice – Union for Reform Judaism
Join us for one or both online sessions. “Justice, Justice, you shall pursue” commands the Bible. Delve into foundational Jewish teachings about a systemic approach to justice, including the obligation to provide for society’s most vulnerable and to set up a fair legal system. Tuesday, October 18; 8-9:30 p.m. ET Explore the proud tradition of social justice activism by the Reform Movement and where we stand today on contemporary concerns like civic engagement and anti-racism. Put your learning into action…
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