Death Wings Workshop

Sundays, October 5, 2025, January 25, April 12 & May 17, 2026 | 11:00 am
Lawrence Family JCC

In Partnership with Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego

The Death Wings Workshop is a hands-on creative ritual for remembering and letting go. This workshop, created by theatrical performer, playwright, artist and teacher Bess Welden, is a three-hour session for small groups to gently open up to thoughts and feelings about loss and grief while engaging in a meaningful art project. Facilitated by Lawrence Family JCC CEO Betzy Lynch, this community workshop will allow us to not only normalize loss but celebrate what letting go liberates in us, all while creating your very own set of mini-wings.

DISCLAIMER:Space for this program is limited. If you do register, please make every effort to attend. If plans have changed and you are no longer able to attend, please contact laurenl@lfjcc.org

Price: Complimentary

Death Wings Workshop: October 5 Add to Cart

Death Wings Workshop: January 25 Add to Cart

Death Wings Workshop: April 12 Add to Cart

Death Wings Workshop: May 17 Add to Cart

Spanish Literature

Mondays, October 20 - December 8, 2025 | 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Lawrence Family JCC

Literary critiques are the goal of this class; to go beyond the written word and the literal meaning. Students will use critical and analytical thinking to formulate questions about the assigned text to be discussed in class. The course requires whole-class participation to master an essential component of Communication, which is interaction.

New students will receive an assessment prior to enrollment.

Price: $185 | JCC Member Price: $155
*Security fee will be applied at checkout

DISCLAIMER: Please note that this class requires a minimum enrollment in order to proceed. If this minimum enrollment is not met, the class will be cancelled. In the event of a cancellation, all enrolled students will be notified and will receive a full refund or the option to credit their registration fee to a future event.
Additional Rules: Price for the course will not be prorated if you can not make any classes for any reason/add class late. Make-up classes are at the discretion of the instructor.

Spanish Literature 10/20- 12/8 Add to Cart

Intermediate Spanish

Mondays, October 20 - December 8, 2025 | 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Lawrence Family JCC

Classwork will include practical real-life situations such as being able to explain your symptoms to a doctor, haggling over prices in a market, inviting a friend to a movie, and retelling past experiences. Dialogues and visual stimuli will engage students and provide a backdrop for meaningful conversations between student and teacher, and between fellow students!

New students will receive an assessment prior to enrollment.

Price: $185 | JCC Member Price: $155
*Security fee will be applied at checkout

DISCLAIMER: Please note that this class requires a minimum enrollment in order to proceed. If this minimum enrollment is not met, the class will be cancelled. In the event of a cancellation, all enrolled students will be notified and will receive a full refund or the option to credit their registration fee to a future event.

Intermediate Spanish 10/20 Add to Cart

Treasures of the Jewish Music

Thursdays | 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Astor Judaica Library
Lawrence Family JCC

Step into the rich tapestry of Jewish musical heritage with. Eileen Wingard and a community of music aficionados as they showcase and appreciate iconic musical gems from the Astor Judaica Library’s Jewish music collection.

Recorded music curated and hosted by Eileen Wingard, retired San Diego Symphony violinist

Great Jewish Musicians Series:
September 4: Great Jewish Violinists
October 30: Great Jewish Cellists, Special guest: Marcia Bookstein, retired San Diego Symphony cellist
December 18: Great Jewish Pianists, Special guest: Irina Bendetsky, Russian-born pianist
February 19:Great Jewish Conductors, Special guests: David Amos, Music Director, TICO; Robert Gilson, Music Director, San Diego Civic Youth Orchestra

Jewish Holidays:
Music for Lag B'Omer, April 16, 2026, Special guest TBA
Music for Yom Yerushalayim, June 4, 2026, Special guest TBA

Price: Complimentary

Great Jewish Cellists: Oct. 30th Add to Cart

Great Jewish Pianists: Dec. 18th Add to Cart

EAST COUNTY LECTURE SERIES KICKOFF: The Colossal Emma Lazarus: Sephardic American Poet, Activist, and Visionary

Tuesday, November 4, 2025 | 10:30 AM
Tifereth Israel Synagogue
6660 Cowles Mountain Blvd, San Diego, CA 92119

Join us for the kickoff of the 2025–26 East County Lecture Series with Dr. Joellyn Zollman, exploring American literary icon and Jewish visionary Emma Lazarus. Best known for her poem The New Colossus on the Statue of Liberty, this lecture places her famous sonnet in the context of Lazarus’s remarkable life, work, and enduring impact on Jewish and American identity.

This program is presented in partnership with Tifereth Israel Synagogue

Price: Complimentary

EAST COUNTY LECTURE SERIES KICKOFF: The Colossal Emma Lazarus: Sephardic American Poet, Activist, and Visionary Add to Cart

JEWISH POETS-JEWISH VOICES: The Magic of Spoken Word

Tuesdays | 7:00 PM Joy Heitzmann, refreshments. | 7:00 PM
Lawrence Family JCC

Celebrate the 19th season of Jewish Poets-Jewish Voices! Experience an enriching evening as three talented local poets, handpicked by the JP-JV committee, share their compelling presentations. Following their performances, indulge in a half hour of open mic, where you're invited to share your own voice. Join us for a captivating night filled with spoken word and moments of introspection.

Hosted by Joy Heitzmann, refreshments.

November 11, 2025, featured poets: Iska Koth, Laura Ribitsky, Marcia Bookstein; open mic.
January 13, 2026, Jewish Poets of the Past: Itshe Slutsky, Russian-Yiddish Poet; Naomi Shemer, Israeli poet/songwriter. Ohr Shalom Choir, director, Elisheva Edelson. Readers, TBA. Selections curated by Janice Alper and Guri Stark.
March 10, 2026, Jewish Poets--Jewish Voices Student evening. Participating schools TBA; open mic.
May 19, 2026, featured poets: David Chait, Betzy Lynch, Donna Rolfe; open mic.
Price: Complimentary

November 11th Add to Cart

January 13th Add to Cart

March 10th Add to Cart

May 19th Add to Cart

Day of American Mah Jongg with Michele Frizzell

Tuesday, December 2, 2025 | 10:00 AM
David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre
Lawrence Family JCC

Join us for a fun-filled day of American Mah Jongg with expert Michele Frizzell! Learn tips to boost your game, enjoy live play, and meet fellow enthusiasts. With decades of experience and over 46,000 YouTube fans, Michele’s clear teaching and passion make this a can't-miss event. Bring your set, table mat, and friends—or meet new ones!

Price: $62 | JCC Member $47

Day of American Mah Jongg with Michele Frizzell Add to Cart

Shalomaland: A Walking Tour of San Diego's Jewish History

Thursdays, | 10:30 am
Various Locations Around San Diego

Back by popular demand, Shalomaland returns for a second season to explore San Diego's rich Jewish history! Guided by scholar Dr. Joellyn Zollman, we will journey to key Jewish sites across the city, revealing the resonant, layered history of Jewish life in San Diego. From San Diego pioneer Louis Rose to the visionary Jonas Salk, this four-session class will reveal the vibrant Jewish legacy embedded in our fine city.

Louis Rose Point at Liberty Station, Point Loma
Thursday, January 22, 2026 | 10:30am-12:00pm

Joellyn takes us on a journey of Louis Rose and his contributions to San Diego with a walking tour of the former naval training center Liberty Station. Starting at Louis Rose point, a plaque dedicated to Louis Rose - first Jewish pioneer developer of San Diego - we will walk around the park as Joellyn shares Rose's lasting impact on America's Finest City.

Temple Beth Israel at Heritage Park in Old Town
Thursday, February 19, 2026 | 10:30am-12:00pm

Continuing the tour of San Diego's acclaimed Jewish historical sites, we make our way to Temple Beth Israel, located in Old Town. During this session, Joellyn will share the history of San Diego's first synagogue and the role it has played in the city's Jewish past, present and future.

Ohr Shalom Synagogue and Banker’s Hill
Thursday, March 19, 2026 | 10:30am-12:00pm

After visiting Temple Beth Israel, San Diego’s first synagogue, in our previous session, we now journey to the site of the congregation’s second home - Ohr Shalom Synagogue. Along the way, we’ll explore the Banker’s Hill neighborhood and understand what life was like for downtown San Diego’s Jewish community on the other side of World War II.

Exploring La Jolla through the eyes of Jonas Salk, Louis Kahn, and Roger Revelle
Thursday, April 16, 2026 | 10:30am-12:00pm

For this final class session, we will highlight three Jewish innovators who left an indelible mark on San Diego - Jonas Salk, Louis Kahn and Roger Revelle. In this journey in around the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, we will explore how Salk, Kahn and Revelle influenced the North County region as we know it today and how their significant impact is felt far beyond the Jewish community.


DISCLAIMER:Please note that this class requires a minimum enrollment in order to proceed. If this minimum enrollment is not met, the class will be cancelled. In the event of a cancellation, all enrolled students will be notified and will receive a full refund or the option to credit their registration fee to a future event. Additionally, as many of these sessions take place outside, in the case of poor and/or unsafe weather conditions, sessions will be rescheduled as needed. In the case of a session needing to be rescheduled, you will be given the option to move your registration to the new class date, credit your registration fee to a future event, or receive a refund

Price:
Individual Classes: $30 | JCC Members: $25
4-Class Bundle: $100 | JCC Members: $80

Shalomaland: 4-Class Bundle Add to Cart

Shalomaland: January 22 Add to Cart

Shalomaland: February 19 Add to Cart

Shalomaland: March 19 Add to Cart

Shalomaland: April 16 Add to Cart

Moses, Freud, and the Buddha: Paths to Mindfulness and Mental Wellness

Tuesdays March 10, 17 & 24, 2026 | 10:00 am
Lawrence Family JCC

This course led by clinical psychologist and meditation teacher Dr. Oded Shezifi explores mindfulness as a pillar of modern mental wellness, tracing its roots from Freud’s early psychotherapy to ancient Buddhist meditation and Jewish spiritual teachings. Through lectures, discussion, and experiential practice, participants will engage with diverse traditions that support reflective, mindful living.

DISCLAIMER:Please note that this class requires a minimum enrollment in order to proceed. If this minimum enrollment is not met, the class will be cancelled. In the event of a cancellation, all enrolled students will be notified and will receive a full refund or the option to credit their registration fee to a future event.

Price: $45 | JCC Members: $36

Moses, Freud, and the Buddha: Paths to Mindfulness and Mental Wellness Add to Cart

Brunch & Briefing with Professor Goldberg

Friday, March 20, 2026 | 10:00 AM
Lawrence Family JCC

Join us for an exclusive brunch and intimate conversation with Professor Jacob Goldberg, a foremost expert on Middle Eastern politics and former advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. Building on his recent lecture series, Professor Goldberg will offer timely insights into Israel’s political landscape and international dynamics. Come with your questions for a thought-provoking debrief and engaging dialogue in a relaxed setting. Brunch will be provided.

Price: $90 | JCC Member $72

Brunch & Briefing with Professor Goldberg Add to Cart