31 years of performances celebrating Jewish history, people, and ideas in virtuoso music, theatre, dance, and fine arts!
2024 JFest CONTINUES with TWO NEW PROGRAMS in September
The Whole Megillah New Jewish Play Festival celebrates plays that are “unapologetically” Jewish and express the entire gamut of Jewish ideas, affiliations, and experiences.
Women of STEM, a new chapter in JFest’s Women of Valor celebrates trailblazers across cultures in science, technology, engineering, and math, breaking barriers and inspiring generations.
Upcoming Events:-
In Every Generation
Sunday, September 22 7pm | New Village Arts
By Ali Viterbi
Directed by Todd Salovey
Ali Viterbi’s play was birthed in JFest, went on to win the National Jewish Playwrighting Contest, and enjoyed its premiere production in Chicago. One family celebrates the holiday of Passover in four millennia. Over matzah ball soup and (vegan) brisket, the Levi-Katz clan contends with questions of race, religion, and intergenerational trauma. Gripping, funny, and mystical, this brilliant play repeatedly reenacts the exodus from Egypt, each time asking: Will we ever be free? And why is this night different from all other nights?
Charles Green: “One of the most moving plays I’ve ever encountered.”
David Winitsky: “Ali is a great writer with a real connection to Jewish culture.”
Lainie Vansant: “Ritual is tradition, but it's also time travel. What a beautiful start to this beautiful play.”
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Women of STEM
Tuesday, September 24 at 7pm | Elementary Institute of Science
This year, The Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival (JFest) and The Jacobs Institute for Innovation in Education have partnered to create an original full-length play honoring six local women in San Diego who have made significant contributions to STEM fields. Their stories have been woven into a narrative using monologues and music. Join us at the show to get a peek into the lives of these six phenomenal women.
Dr. Laura Becerra
Dr. Laura Becerra recently graduated with her PhD, having conducted research in both Electrical Engineering and Nano Engineering at UCSD. She was a recipient of the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, the ECE Department First Year Fellowship, and the ARCS Foundation Fellowship.
Sarah Tuakli Cooper
Sarah Tuakli Cooper is the Executive Director of the Elementary Institute of Science, an afterschool science enrichment center dedicated to igniting the young minds of San Diego County and addressing the widening gap of underrepresented students in science. With laboratory experiences at the heart of its programs, EIS provides maximum exposure to all scientific fields in an interactive, inquiry-based environment that hones students’ analytical and critical thinking skills naturally.
Dr. Odesma Dalrymple
Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Odesma Dalrymple is a proponent of education equity as a key mechanism for ensuring just social growth and development. As a trained engineering education scholar, Dr. Dalrymple’s professional and service work is focused on transforming engineering education and its public image; making it more inclusive, and socially connected.
Aleesa Elbaum
Aleesa Elbaum is an embryologist working to improve fertility outcomes in couples aspiring to build families. She is currently in specialized training at the World Embryology Skills & Training center in Carlsbad. She graduated in 2024 from Yeshiva University Stern College for Women with a degree in cellular and molecular biology, and a minor in English literature.
Dr. Mwenda KudumuBiggs
Dr. Mwenda KudumuBiggs is the Vice President of Community Service and Engagement at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center. She is dedicated to broadening the participation of underrepresented voices in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and is creating and driving initiatives and programming at the Fleet Science Center to reach all San Diego County communities.
Dr. Erica Ollmann Saphire
Dr. Erica Ollmann Saphire is Professor, President & Chief Executive Officer of the La Jolla Institute for Immunology. She is a Structural Biologist and Director of the Ollmann Saphire Research Laboratory. As a leading expert in deadly diseases such as the Ebola and Lassa viruses, she directs a diverse team of scientific experts in her research lab. One cool breakthrough from their work was discovering how proteins fold and take on various shapes much the way “Transformers” do in the movie.
This program is partially funded by the Conrad Prebys Foundation. Co-Produced by The Jacobs Institute for Innovation in Education. Collaborators include: Elementary Institute of Science, Greater Than Tech, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, Steam Collab, Ocean Discovery Institute, University of San Diego.
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Women of STEM
Sunday, September 29 at 2pm | University of San Diego
This year, The Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival (JFest) and The Jacobs Institute for Innovation in Education have partnered to create an original full-length play honoring six local women in San Diego who have made significant contributions to STEM fields. Their stories have been woven into a narrative using monologues and music. Join us at the show to get a peek into the lives of these six phenomenal women.
Dr. Laura Becerra
Dr. Laura Becerra recently graduated with her PhD, having conducted research in both Electrical Engineering and Nano Engineering at UCSD. She was a recipient of the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, the ECE Department First Year Fellowship, and the ARCS Foundation Fellowship.
Sarah Tuakli Cooper
Sarah Tuakli Cooper is the Executive Director of the Elementary Institute of Science, an afterschool science enrichment center dedicated to igniting the young minds of San Diego County and addressing the widening gap of underrepresented students in science. With laboratory experiences at the heart of its programs, EIS provides maximum exposure to all scientific fields in an interactive, inquiry-based environment that hones students’ analytical and critical thinking skills naturally.
Dr. Odesma Dalrymple
Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Odesma Dalrymple is a proponent of education equity as a key mechanism for ensuring just social growth and development. As a trained engineering education scholar, Dr. Dalrymple’s professional and service work is focused on transforming engineering education and its public image; making it more inclusive, and socially connected.
Aleesa Elbaum
Aleesa Elbaum is an embryologist working to improve fertility outcomes in couples aspiring to build families. She is currently in specialized training at the World Embryology Skills & Training center in Carlsbad. She graduated in 2024 from Yeshiva University Stern College for Women with a degree in cellular and molecular biology, and a minor in English literature.
Dr. Mwenda KudumuBiggs
Dr. Mwenda KudumuBiggs is the Vice President of Community Service and Engagement at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center. She is dedicated to broadening the participation of underrepresented voices in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and is creating and driving initiatives and programming at the Fleet Science Center to reach all San Diego County communities.
Dr. Erica Ollmann Saphire
Dr. Erica Ollmann Saphire is Professor, President & Chief Executive Officer of the La Jolla Institute for Immunology. She is a Structural Biologist and Director of the Ollmann Saphire Research Laboratory. As a leading expert in deadly diseases such as the Ebola and Lassa viruses, she directs a diverse team of scientific experts in her research lab. One cool breakthrough from their work was discovering how proteins fold and take on various shapes much the way “Transformers” do in the movie.
This program is partially funded by the Conrad Prebys Foundation. Co-Produced by The Jacobs Institute for Innovation in Education. Collaborators include: Elementary Institute of Science, Greater Than Tech, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, Steam Collab, Ocean Discovery Institute, University of San Diego.
Thank You to Our STEM Sponsors:
Thank you to all our Festival Supporters:
The Lipinsky Family Foundation | The Conrad Prebys Foundation
NISSIM BLACK SPONSORS
The San Diego Community Kollel
SCY High
San Diego Soille Hebrew Day School
Lawrence Family JCC Teen Programs
MANDY PATINKIN COMMUNITY SUPPORTERS
Beth El Congregation
Congregation Beth Am
Congregation Beth Israel
Congregation Dor Hadash
Hillel of San Diego
Kahal Am
Ner Tamid Synagogue
Ohr Shalom Synagogue
San Diego Jewish Academy
Temple Solel
Tifereth Israel Synagogue
LA OBRA
Ken Jewish Community
The Old Globe
Teatro Punto Y Coma
WOMEN OF VALOR SPONSORS
Jewish Federation of San Diego County
Center for Jewish Care at JFS
Leichtag HIVE
WOMEN OF VALOR CO-SPONSORS
American Jewish Committee
Beth El Congregation
Congregation Beth Am
Congregation Beth Israel
Jewish Community Foundation
Jewish National Fund
San Diego Jewish Academy
Seacrest Village Retirement Communities
Temple Emanuel
ITALIAN JEWS THROUGH THE GENERATIONS
Hillel San Diego
Italian Cultural Center of San Diego
COMEDY FOR KOBY
Congregation Adat Yeshurun
The Koby Mandell Foundation
REGENERATEE! AN ECO-PERFORMANCE FEST
Coastal Roots Farms
Lawrence Family JCC – Community Engagement
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