SAN DIEGO – Something I love to do each month is honor my friends celebrating a birthday with a handmade card. Once a month, a group of us meet for lunch and I bring cards for those celebrating in our group. They get passed around and signed by everyone in attendance. It might not be much but I feel if I am making something for you, then you are someone special in my life and deserve to be honored for another year I get to spend with you.
AJC’s (American Jewish Committee’s) survey of San Diego Jewish history during Jewish American Heritage Month features San Diego native Rose Schindler. One of the first times I met Schindler, she asked about my family and then asked when my birthday was. I told her it was December 27. She gave me a big hug and a kiss on the cheek and said, “Mine is December 28, you are my birthday twin!” For many years before she passed, I sent her handmade birthday cards or if I knew I would see her I would hand her one. She would ask me my name since she would forget but she would always call me her birthday twin. Click here to read her story.
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JEWISH ORGANIZATIONAL NEWS
During the Yom Ha’atzmaut event at the JCC on May 19, the Jewish Teen Foundation will culminate its work by awarding grants on state to Israeli and local nonprofits. Visit the JTF booth to congratulate the teens on their incredible fundraising efforts, hard work, and thoughtful selection of grantees. Click here to make your reservation for this free event.
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If this year has taught us anything, it’s that we must plan for the unexpected. Hillel of San Diego has been challenged to raise $50,000 to ensure all Jewish students in San Diego have a safe and welcoming environment through Hillel. Every dollar that is raised from our generous community will be matched one-for-one. Click here to help keep students safe.
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Keren-Dee Hamui, the new executive director of The Butterfly Project wrote in an introductory fundraising appeal that “I do not take lightly the seriousness of this moment as we witness the relentless incidents of antisemitism, Holocaust denial, and hate-fueled bullying against other marginalized groups in our communities. We must take action now. Click here to donate.
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Nierman Preschool at the Lawrence Family JCC is holding open enrollment for children ages 18 months to 5 years. Click here to schedule a tour.
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Beth Israel’s annual fundraiser on June 8 will feature actor and comedian Jason Alexander, known for his role as George Constanza on Seinfeld. Alexander will be performing his one-man show, “As Long As You’re Asking – A Conversation with Jason Alexander.” It will be an evening of comedy, music, and conversation. Click here to make your reservation.
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Rabbi Devorah Marcus of Temple Emanu-El, on the progress of her child, wrote in a Temple bulletin: “As Rafael is in his 4th week of life, I am filled with worry and woe. As he masters drinking from a bottle and I watch him get better at it every day, knowing each bottle down means we’re one step closer to leaving the wonderful and amazing NICU that I cannot wait to get released from, I am counting, and patiently waiting and watching in our own Omer, not just of days, but of bottles, and milliliters, and breaths and swallows, and pulse oxygenation. And I am so unspeakably grateful for every minute of it on this, the 16th day of the Omer when we contemplate might within beauty.” … Another milestone within that congregational family, Rabbi Emeritus Martin S. Lawson will celebrate 50 years in the rabbinate at Shabbat services on Friday evening, May 10.
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Rabbi Mathew Marko of Tifereth Israel Synagogue was asked to teach Hebrew Scripture in Dr. Elisabeth Burke’s Scriptures class at Grossmont Community College. Rabbi Marko took a Torah with him to share with the students.
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GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
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San Diego City Councilwoman Dr. Jen Campbell has endorsed Chief Deputy City Attorney Heather Ferbert in November’s election for City Attorney against Assemblyman Brian Maienschein. Campbell stated: “Heather Ferbert’s commitment to the law and her extensive experience in the City Attorney’s office makes her the clear choice for San Diego’s next City Attorney.”
Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) endorses fellow Democrat Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) in the U.S. Senate race against Republican Steve Garvey. Schiff said about his former primary election opponent: “Congresswoman Barbara Lee is one of our nation’s most powerful advocates for social justice and a tireless fighter to combat economic injustice, champion health care for all, and protect civil rights.” Garvey responded that Lee’s agenda is “a permanent ceasefire with Hamas, out-of-control crime, $50 minimum wage, and a failed track record with the Latino community.”
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Cailin Acosta is the assistant editor of San Diego Jewish World. Acosta can be reached via cailin.acosta@sdjewishworld.com
Elder (1-2) took the loss Sunday against the Padres, allowing seven runs (six earned) on nine hits and three walks while striking out three over three innings.
The Padres put up a quick three runs on Elder in the first inning, all with two outs, highlighted by a two-run blast by Jake Cronenworth. Elder held them scoreless for the next two frames but ran into more issues in the fourth, allowing four straight hits and three more runs to begin the inning before he got pulled. Sunday was the second time in his last three starts he’s failed to reach four innings, both of which he’s given up seven runs and walked at least three batters. For the year, Elder owns a troublesome 6.46 ERA, 1.94 WHIP and 19:11 K:BB in 23.2 innings and currently lines up to face the Pirates his next time on the mound.
The Microblades, a local powerhouse trio featuring Giulietta Randell, Lauren Deerinck and Imogen Collis, were recently awarded the honor of Best Pop Song for “Cowboy” at the annual San Diego Music Awards ceremony at Humphrey’s by the Bay, according to a news release. In their humble acceptance speech, each girl thanked her parents and the news release stated that lead singer/songwriter Giulietta Randell also said “And thank you to our neighbors for not calling the ‘cops’ when we have band practice.”
Since receiving the award, the band has been flooded with offers to perform. The Del Mar Foundation will feature The Microblades at their annual Summer Twilight Concert Series at Powerhouse Park in Del Mar. The Microblades will be sponsored by Zel’s Restaurant as the opening act for the band Daring Greatly on Tuesday, June 25.
SAN DIEGO — A former San Diego sheriff’s deputy who already pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter for the 2020 fatal shooting of an unarmed suspect has been indicted on two federal charges that could bring a life sentence, federal prosecutors said.
A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment Friday charging Aaron Russell with depriving Nicholas Bils of his right to be free from officers using excessive force and with discharging a firearm in a violent crime, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement.
Bils, 36, was arrested in May 2020 at Old Town State Park in San Diego where he had been pitching balls to his off-leash dog. He brandished a golf club at a ranger before running away and was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest.
Bils was in a State Parks patrol car heading to the downtown jail when he managed to slip out of his handcuffs, reached out a window to open the car door, then jumped out and ran.
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Aaron Russell, a jail deputy with 18 months on the force, chased Bils and shot him four times, including once in the back. Surveillance video captured the shooting.
Russell was charged with murder, but pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, and was sentenced to a year in jail and three years of probation. If convicted of the federal charges, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, the Justice Department said.
Contact information for Russell could not be found Sunday. He resigned from the sheriff’s department shortly after the shooting.
Bils’ mother, Kathleen Bils, told NBC 7 her son was a paranoid schizophrenic who was afraid of law enforcement, which may have played a role in his flight.
The shooting led to a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Bils’ relatives, which was settled in 2022 with San Diego County agreeing to pay the family $8.1 million.
