Ken Jewish Community - San Diego's Latin Jewish Community

About the Ken Jewish Community

What is the Ken?

The Ken Jewish Community is where Latin Jewish families find friends for life who share their beliefs, values and traditions.

Through a wide range of educational, leadership, social, performing arts, and sports programs and activities, its members strengthen their Jewish identity, build a connection with Israel, and maintain their Latin culture.

History of the Ken

During the early 1980s, a large number of Latin Jewish families immigrated from Mexico City and Tijuana, Mexico to San Diego to provide their families with a safe, high quality environment and to capitalize on economic opportunities. The majority of these families settled in Chula Vista and other neighborhoods in East County. Their goal was to retain their language and culture while integrating into American life.

When their social group outgrew their own backyards, a few families talked about finding a gathering place. They located a house on a large property in Chula Vista and joined together to fund the down payment. After creating a governing Board, they began recruiting members, hired a “sheliaj” (envoy from Israel) to oversee the activities, and formalized their program. In a short time, membership grew to 100 families. Their dream was to build a Latin Jewish Community Center similar to “El Deportivo de Mexico”, the one where they had socialized in their youth in Mexico City.

Overview of the Ken

The primary offering of the Ken is, and always has been, its youth movement, Serving children from ages 3 and above, the program offers weekly activities on Saturdays from 1:00 – 4:30 pm at a school in north county from September through June.

Mini-Maccabi – preschoolers and kindergarteners
Maccabi – 1st – 8th graders
Aluma – 9th graders
Madrijim – 10th graders and abobe

Children learn about their Jewish heritage and culture, traditions, Jewish values and the importance of community service. Teenagers attend a two-year training program called “Aluma” which teaches leadership skills, Jewish identity, and technical skills for becoming youth counselors, “madrijim.”

A Bat Mitzvah course and celebration is available to 6th grade girls. Teens can choose to participate in an Israeli dance group which performs at the annual International Israeli Dance Competition in Mexico City, called Festival Aviv. During the month of July, the Ken offers a summer camp program which is currently held at Boy Scouts Headquarters in Balboa Park.

Adult activities include an indoor soccer league and family holiday celebrations on Chanukah and Yom Ha’Atzmaut. Members can elect to join a theatre program, Teatro Punto y Coma, which has performed in Mexico City and in the San Diego community. Adults also participate in the Ken by volunteering their services on the Board of Directors, Communications, Membership and Welcoming Committees. In the last year, large community events, including concerts, a golf tournament and poker night, have successfully expanded awareness of the Ken among Latin Jews in San Diego.

The Ken staff is comprised of a youth director, or “sheliaj,” who serves as an advisor to the counselors, and develops and oversees the programming, assistant youth director, administrators (1 full-time; 1 part-time), and a marketing and communications coordinator. All remaining responsibilities in the organization are handled by volunteers. Over the years, the Ken has found it increasingly more difficult to engage teenagers and adults as volunteers due to their lack of time and interest.

The Board of Directors has 10 members: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Youth Director, Special Activities Coordinator, Membership Director, Immediate Past President, Director of Administration, Sheliaj, and a member of the youth movement. Members attend monthly meetings from September through June. They serve for a 2-year term, with no term limit.

Members pay a one-time fee and monthly dues plus the cost of the youth program. Financial aid is available.