April 29, 2026 | Iyyar 12, 5786 | | | |
Showing Up For the Journey
Dear Friends,
This Shabbat, we have the privilege of honoring two extraordinary groups in our community: our Confirmation class and our Intro to Judaism cohort.
On the surface, they may seem to stand at opposite ends of the Jewish journey - our teens, raised within the rhythms of Jewish life, and adults who have chosen to step toward Judaism with curiosity, courage, and openness. But in truth, they meet in the very same place: a willingness to ask, to wrestle, to claim Jewish identity as something alive and unfolding.
Our Confirmation students stand at a moment of affirmation. Not because their questions are finished - but because they are beginning to own them. They are choosing to say: this tradition, with all its depth and complexity, is mine to engage.
Our Intro to Judaism participants embody something equally powerful. They remind us that Judaism is not only inherited - it is discovered. Chosen. Built, step by step, through learning, relationships, and the quiet bravery of entering something new.
There is a line in Pirkei Avot that feels especially resonant this week:
“Lo alecha hamlacha ligmor, v’lo ata ben chorin l’hibatel mimena.”
“It is not upon you to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.”
Jewish life is not about arrival - it is about engagement. It is about showing up, again and again, to learning, to community, to becoming.
And perhaps that’s the deeper invitation of this Shabbat - not only to honor them, but to see ourselves in them.
Where are we still growing?
Where are we being called to step in more fully?
Where might we, too, choose to show up with renewed intention?
This Friday night, our presence matters.
When we fill the sanctuary, when we sing a little louder, when we simply sit alongside these remarkable individuals - we send a powerful message: You are not doing this alone. Your journey is part of something larger.
So I invite you - come. Show up. Bear witness to the courage, the questions, and the commitment that define Jewish life at its best.
Because in honoring them, we strengthen all of us.
Jason Nevarez
Senior Rabbi
rabbinevarez@cbisd.org
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Friday, May 1
5:00 pm Young Family Shabbat, Foster Family Chapel
6:15 pm Erev Shabbat Service (Confirmation & Introduction to Judaism Graduation), Glickman-Galinson Sanctuary (YouTube)
Saturday, May 2
Torah Portion: Emor, Leviticus 21:1-24:23 Haftarah: Ezekiel 44:15-31
9:00 am Torah Study; Leader: Rabbi Elana Ackerman Hirsch, Feuerstein Family Activity Center (diverse access, join us here)
10:30 am Shabbat Lay Led Service, Foster Family Chapel (YouTube)
| | | THE FABULOUS BETH ISRAEL CASINO NIGHT | | | |
Beth Israel Annual Fundraiser: The Fabulous Beth Israel Casino Night
Saturday, June 6 @ 6:00 pm
| A little magic, a little rock and roll, and a whole lot of fun with magician Dan Birch and a special appearance by Elvis. | More than a night out, it’s a celebration of our community and support for the people, programs, and experiences that make Beth Israel so special. | |
Be part of our Annual Fundraiser: The Fabulous Beth Israel Casino Night on June 6 by placing an ad in the program.
It’s a great way to share your business with our entire community and show your support. Please submit your ad by May 1.
| | | BETH ISRAEL SECURITY TRAINING | | | |
Beth Israel Security Training: Run | Hide |Fight
Beth Israel invites you to a Run | Hide | Fight Security Training conducted in partnership with Bill Ganley, Community Security Director of the Jewish Federation of San Diego. The training will teach basic skills for responding to emergencies: running to safety, finding secure hiding spots, and defending oneself as a last resort.
It will include a site walk-through, last approximately 90 minutes, and is open to members only. The training will offered on the following days:
- Sunday, May 3 | 9:15 am
- Tuesday, May 5 | 6:00 pm
- Tuesday, June 9 | 6:00 pm
- Wednesday, June 24 | 10:00 am
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Young Family Shabbat
Friday, May 1 @ 5:00 pm
Welcome Shabbat with this service geared toward our youngest congregants, birth – 5 years old. Join us in-person for singing, story time, and welcoming Shabbat together in the Foster Family Chapel.
Bring a friend and share the joy of Shabbat together with your little ones!
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Bubbles and Bunco
Wednesday, May 6 @ 5:30 pm
The Women of Beth Israel (WBI) invite you to join in a fun evening of “Bubbles and Bunco”. Whether you are an experienced Bunco player or have never played before, all levels are welcome. Bunco is easy to learn and makes for a social night out meeting new people.
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Jews and Muslims in Morocco: Shared Histories, Inherited Narratives
Wednesday, May 13 @ 6:00 pm
Communities today are navigating complex conversations around religion, identity, and the Middle East. Many of us face a difficult question: how do we engage these topics responsibly, without inflaming division?
Mustapha Ezzarghani offers a rare perspective: an Arab Muslim speaking openly about identity, normalization, and reform from within his own cultural framework. His presentations aim not to persuade audiences what to think, but to deepen understanding, humanize disagreement, and create space for responsible dialogue.
This Zoom-only presentation will include a Q&A with Rabbi Jason Nevarez, and time for attendee questions.
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How to Win Hearts and Minds: Effective Communication Strategies for Combating Antisemitism
Thursday, May 14 @ 5:30 pm
This exclusive briefing is designed for Jewish community leadership, offering a unique opportunity to hear from ADL on the latest findings and receive guidance on data-driven, effective communication strategies for combating antisemitism.
| | | | | ISRAEL LEARNING ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITY | |
Israel in Depth: A Reform Day of Learning
Sunday, May 17 @ 9:00 am - 2:00pm PST
| Join us for a North American–wide virtual training experience for the Reform Movement. This is a critical opportunity for those interested in engaging around Israel to hear from experts, ask big questions, and connect with others who are working in similar spaces. This half-day training was developed for this moment, to address the challenges and responsibilities facing the Jewish community in a post-October 7 world. | | | | | |
Men's Club Speaker's Forum & Dinner
The Jew Who Would Be King: The True Story of a Jewish Zulu Chieftain in the 19th Century
Wednesday, May 20 @ 6:30 pm
Professor Rovner’s meticulous archival research and travels to the site of Isaacs' island stronghold in Guinea, allow the telling of a little known story and deal with the harsh realities and moral ambiguities of colonial power and exposes the entangled forces of Jewish emancipation and antisemitism, slavery and abolition, the stark dichotomies of civilization and “savagery”, and the creation of whiteness versus Blackness.
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Come Celebrate with the Men’s Club: Jewish Heritage Day at PetCo Park
Tuesday, May 26 at 6:40 pm | San Diego Padres vs Phillies
Again this year the Men’s Club will coordinate our annual Padres Game Day with the Jewish Heritage Celebration, hosted by the Jewish Federation. Last chance to get your tickets, sales close April 30, or sooner if we sell out!
Federation is offering a limited number of theme game tickets in a reserved space on the Western Metal Rooftop (above left field). Tickets are $104/person, including unlimited food and soft drinks, plus giveaways.
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Appreciation Dinner & Annual Meeting
Wednesday, May 27 @ 6:00 pm
We thank you for your membership and all you do for our community.
All Beth Israel members and volunteers are invited to enjoy a complimentary dinner. We look forward to treating you to this fun and festive evening!
| | | BILL & SID RUBIN PRESCHOOL | | | |
Enrollment Is Now Open at Bill & Sid Rubin Preschool
Starting June 2026
At Bill & Sid Rubin Preschool, children are nurtured in a loving environment where they feel connected to their Jewish identity, confident, and excited to learn each day. Families appreciate our warm community, low teacher-to-child ratios, and play-based learning.
✔ Full-time and part-time schedules
✔ Year-round care
✔ Hours: 7:30 AM–5:00 PM
✔ Beautiful indoor classrooms and outdoor play spaces
✔ Conveniently located in the UTC area
✔ Weekly clergy-led Shabbat and Havdalah, plus joyful Jewish holiday celebrations and culture
| Have questions? Contact us at 858-900-2530 or schooloffice@cbisd.org. | | | MONTHLY AND WEEKLY OFFERINGS | | | Anniversaries: Week of 4/29 - 5/5 | | |
Merrill & Robert Haimsohn on 50 years!
Avalee & Howard Cohen on 48 years!
Kathleen Knotts-Lavine & Dennis Lavine on 46 years!
Melissa Garfield Bartell & Michael Bartell on 45 years!
Nina & Anthony Borwick on 45 years!
Tamora & Louis Vener on 44 years!
Kathyann & David Marsh on 40 years!
Jeanette & David Osias on 40 years!
Jackie & Charles Mann on 39 years!
Stephanie & Steven Steinberg on 36 years!
Randi & Stuart Shanken on 34 years!
Jamie & Kevin Wechter on 29 years!
Rachel & Josh Herman on 25 years!
Tamara & Thomas Wendoll on 23 years!
Dawn & Brett Meyer on 20 years!
Yuki & Zachary Nalven on 19 years!
Tracy Gilmour-Nimoy & Daniel Nimoy on 9 years!
Jennie & Scott Rathke on 8 years!
| | Julie Alper, Vivian Aronson, Yaron Ben Nora Ashtam, Denese Garrick, Wilfred Garrick, Dick Gordon, Elliot Ir, Tanya Jablon, Richard Maizels, Barry Pearlstein, Norman Rozansky, Galina Rubalchenko, Rhonda Schwartz, Melanie Schwimmer, Alan Shumacher, Harriet Shumacher, Mimi Shuman, Ned Silver, Debbie Simmons, and Cathy Weil. | | | | |
The 33rd Annual Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival
An Evening with Alex Edelman
May 12 @ 7:30pm | Mandeville Auditorium, UCSD
One of the most critically hailed comedians of his generation takes the stage for a night of comedy and conversation. Emmy and Tony Award winning Alex Edelman is best known for solo shows blurring the line between his stand-up comedy roots and narrative-driven storytelling. His Tony Award winning Just for Us, played more than 500 performances worldwide before premiering as an HBO original comedy special, earning him a place on the Time 100 list and an Emmy award. Alex plays Adam Cooper on the comedy series The Paper.
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Beth Israel
9001 Towne Centre Drive
San Diego, CA 92122
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www.cbisd.org
858 535-1111
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