The Jewish Collaborative of San Diego

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The Jewish Collaborative of San Diego

JCoSD is a cooperative-inspired synagogue community that provides opportunities for learning, support, action, and personal & spiritual fulfillment.

04/08/2026

How much time do you spend focusing on irrational thoughts? On things that you think may happen? On things that have happened that continue to trigger you? How much time do you spend focusing on the things you’re afraid of or the things that p**s you off or what other people may or may not be thinking?

In our opening up to answers, I will tell you that spending too much time focusing on all these things will keep you where you are, with many questions unanswered. On the other hand, if you decide to wade through these thoughts rather than just sitting in them, they may provide you with the most valuable answers you can find.

The key is to get curious. Why am I afraid of this thing? Why am I triggered by what happened or by what people do? Why am I so focused on what people may or may not think. Many people will tell you to get rid of all these thoughts. I’m telling you that you have more than one option. If you’re hyper focused on something, train yourself to focus on something more useful when that thought comes in. For instance, when the thought of something bad happening to you or your loved ones (not useful) comes in,catch yourself and name five things that you’re grateful for. And if the hyper fixation just doesn’t seem to go away, walk through it rather than letting it loop. This is done, as mentioned earlier, through curiosity.

We are working on opening ourselves up to all the answers that the universe is waiting for us to discover. Answers about humanity, about ourselves, about the meaning of life. Let’s not waste our time bogged down in the things that only serve us stagnancy. Let’s wade through these waters of life, take a dive here and there, and discover the vast sea full of treasures we never knew existed.

I love you all!
Rabbi Gabi

12/07/2023

Wishing everyone a Chanukah of light and hope!

10/23/2023

In times of conflict, in times of challenge, in times of chaos and complete ungroundedness, my mom has always told me one thing. She said "Gabi, you just stay the course." This mantra carried me through many difficult times in my life including what was termed "a very high conflict divorce." When people try to take you down, to create propaganda so that outside people see you as the villain, when people turn their backs on you, there are many paths you can go down. But the path best taken is one of truth, of authenticity, of compassion, of who we know ourselves to be. So we, as Jews must stay the course despite all the vitriol sent our way.

We must continue to be a strong community, to hold each other up, to gather, to cry, to pray, to find glimpses of joy and celebration, to mourn together, to process in our safe spaces.

We must continue to be a light, to feed the hungry, to give strength to the weary, to take care of the widow and the orphan, to welcome the stranger.

We must continue to study and wrestle with the Torah, to educate our kids and ourselves on what it means to be Jewish, on what it means to carry the history of our people.

We must continue to do good, to be good, to seek justice, to pray for and participate in healing, to pray for and participate in our pursuit of peace.

I stand with all of you. I feel deeply what it means to be Jewish in our country right now and I know how hard and heartbreaking it is for us all. Take breaks from the news and social media, reach out to your Jewish friends, be in community, tell your people you love them every day, meditate, journal, walk on the beach, volunteer locally, do whatever it takes to find moments of groundedness. Stay the course of who you are as a Jew and who you are as a human.

Sending you all big hugs and an even bigger I LOVE YOU,
Rabbi Gabi

06/06/2023

Join us!!

05/25/2023

Forty-nine days ago we recounted our journey from slavery to miracles to freedom with Passover. We reminded ourselves where we came from and where, at times, we continue to come from. We woke ourselves up to the fact that it was time to awaken again and take our journey towards Shavuot.

We went inward and reconnected. We thought, we processed, we came to some realizations. All of this took us to a day of recommitment and reconfirmation of who we are and how we want to walk in this world. On Shavuot we receive the Torah once again as a reminder that we are ready and we are worthy. We reconfirm that truth.

As we read the story of Ruth (on Shavuot) and her commitment to family, to self, and to community, we recommit ourselves to the same things.

So in looking forward to that commitment on Friday night (at JCo) or tomorrow night for some of you, I congratulate you all for coming on this journey and I thank you for letting me guide it. Go forward in connection, in acceptance, in patience, in truth, in enthusiasm, in love, and in faith.

I truly love you,
Rabbi Gabi
(Aaaaaand that’s a wrap)

05/24/2023

One of my pastor friends once told me that there are times in his life where he has to faith it till he makes it. That he gets lost in the hustle and bustle of life and has to find his way back to stillness.

I think we can all relate. But that’s the beauty of faith. It’s always there. We just lose our access to it sometimes and in those moments we have to figure out how to reunite.

Whatever faith is to you, remind yourself how to return. Whether it’s through gratitude or opening yourself up to miracles or looking to the past or the present moment, keep a roadmap close to your heart.

Faith grounds us, calms us, makes us more present. It’s a vital part of who we are.

I love you all! One more day of our Omer Journey. It has been quite a ride!

Rabbi Gabi

05/23/2023

As I have said in one of my earlier writings (I think), I believe that faith can be an antidote to fear. One of the things people fear most is change. Why? Because we humans like to be comfortable. And I get it. I like a period of stability and sameness just as much as anyone but without change, comfort quickly turns into stagnancy and stagnancy can very quickly turn into rot. I may sound dramatic but what would our past, present, and future be without change? Our faith reminds us that change is necessary and encourages us to lean into it rather than resist it.

We must have faith that each generation is supposed to forge new paths, that listening and learning allows for growth and evolution. We must have faith that change exists in our own lives to teach us new lessons and to help us grow deeper and wiser. We must have faith that change is just as much a part of the human experience as anything else.

We’re each going to read this message from the place that we currently stand. My hope is that each of us takes from it what we currently are in need of.

I love you all!
Rabbi Gabi

05/22/2023

Someone today asked me if I think that their loved one is capable of change this late into his adult life. I don’t believe in giving false hope but I do believe in drawing from my past experiences to know that anything is possible. I’ve been surprised by life many times before so it is possible that her loved one could surprise her. The message was to have faith that even the things we think are impossible could happen. The choice is whether to dwell in that place or the place of giving up.

Faith draws from our past experience. In our Exodus story, first came the miracles, then came the faith. The faith that life could change at any moment and bring us to places we never thought we’d be. It doesn’t mean we won’t face challenges or go through difficult times but past miracles can keep us open to receiving new ones. That faith keeps us walking along the path.

Draw on your own experiences of overcoming challenges, of making it through hard times, of witnessing and experiencing things you never thought possible and allow those memories to remind you of what IS and always will be possible.

I love you!
Rabbi Gabi

05/21/2023

Having faith in someone is not so much about the person as it is about surrendering to the fact that we have no control over someone else’s journey. Even less control than we have over our own and we don’t have much control there either. Having faith in someone else means coming to terms with the fact that no matter how much we guide or influence a person, ultimately they are responsible for their own life. Just as we are for ours. It’s a faith in the way life works, even if it throws us curveballs. It’s a knowing that curveballs will come and so will joy and moments of great fulfillment. Faith is knowing that it is ALL a part of this experience called life.

When you have faith in others you can have that same faith for yourself. And in doing so you allow and accept others to walk down their own path just as you hope they would do for you. This acceptance alleviates a lot of fear and doubt and arguments and disconnect. And it can bring us all closer.

Have faith that you are not responsible for the way others live. Have faith that we are all doing the best we can and going down the path as it continues to reveal itself.

I love you all!
Rabbi Gabi

05/20/2023

Emunah, faith, transcends reason. It goes beyond knowledge to a peaceful understanding. Faith is not something we can hold or touch or see. It’s not tangible. Which is why it can be challenging at times. As parents, as bosses, as friends, as children, as humans we like to know what is ahead in our journey. We like to be as prepared as possible and do the things we need to do. Faith is an understanding that we cannot know what lies ahead but we can know what exists in the now. In a way, faith can be being at peace with the fact that wherever we are, that is where we are. Our journey has brought us to that place and it will bring us to many more places to come. We can fear those places or try and control each step along our journey or we can do our best and have faith that wherever we go, we will be there.

As you spend the day in the midst of Shabbat, be present in each moment. Connect with each moment and allow it to bring you to the next one. Be at peace with where you are and move through your day from that place.

I wish you all a Shabbat shalom, a shabbat of peace,
Rabbi Gabi

Address

North County San Diego
San Diego, CA

Telephone

+17607077111

Website

http://Jcosd.com/

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