JValley news July 2012
new leadership joins local organizations
10th anniversary of space shuttle tragedy
a special thank you to our donors Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley 14855 Oka Rd. Suite 200 Los Gatos, CA 95032 Change Service Requested
Published by the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley Vol. #84 Issue #1, July 2012
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The Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center Talk to us about membership! 408.356.4973 • Holiday celebrations • Classes for all ages • Art exhibits • Cultural events • Social events • Facility rentals • Birthday parties • Dairy cafe
• Fitness center • Aquatics center • Tennis complex • Indoor basketball • Preschool • Day camps • Sports leagues • Swim lessons
14855 Oka Road, Los Gatos, CA 95032 | 408.358.3636 | info@svjcc.org | www.SiliconValleyJCC.org
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JValley news JValley.news is published by the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley
JEWISH FEDERATION CEO: Jyl Jurman jyl@jvalley.org 408-357-7500
EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Amanda Orrin amanda@jvalley.org 408-357-7503
EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS: Pat Bergman Kay Gatell
ADVERTISING: Amanda Orrin amanda@jvalley.org 408-357-7503
SIMCHAS: Andrea Greyber agreyber@yahoo.com
BILLING: Jeri Jensen jeri@jvalley.org 408-357-7507
from the ceo Where Spring stands for renewal, I find tht Summer is often the perfect season for refreshing oneself, rejoicing with the people we love and getting revitalized for the year to come. Despite a secular calendar that strictly adheres to a January start date and an organizational fiscal year that begins in July, I find that my year has a natural beginning with the Jewish calendar, at Rosh Hashanah. Just like when we were children and summertime signified the season to play and prepare, our local organizations also spend the summer in a more relaxed mode, enjoyoing the calm before the storm and getting ready for the rush of the Jewish New Year. Whether a day school or a synagogue, the month of September brings a rush of excitement along with the chaos. As we prepare for the new year, I am so please to have much to rejoice in this summer. Here at Federation we are welcoming a new chairman and incoming board members (see page 16 for details) and both Hillel and the APJCC are welcoming new directors (see pages 10 and 7, respectively.) While we are sad to see old leadership move on, I am so pleased that new leadership is aboard, that fresh blood is joining our community. I am about to begin my 25th year and am constantly reminded of the power that fresh ideas, strong leaders and cohesive community can have. Thank you for being a part of our community.
Published six times a year by the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley. All articles must be submitted typed, double-spaced. We reserve the right to edit all copy. JValley.news is not responsible for the content of paid advertising.
We have the strength of a people and the power of community. We are Federation.
Send copy to JValley.news, 14855 Oka Rd., Suite 200, Los Gatos, CA 95032. Fax: (408) 356-0733.
Federation CEO
jyl jurman
CANDLELIGHTING San Jose, CA
content
FRIDAY, JULY 6...................................8:13 PM FRIDAY, JULY 13.................................8:10 PM
Local Highlights Rona Ramon appearance at Film Festival Shir Hadash app for iPhones New director to join Hillel of Silicon Valley First annual Celebration Classic a success New PreK-K class offered at Emeth Record number treated at Healthy Living Fair Florence Melton celebrates graduates Jewish Federation installs new Chairman Yavneh students shine at Social Justice Fair Interfaith group travels to Hawaii New JCRC leadership JCC welcomes new CEO
www.jvalley.org
FRIDAY, JULY 20.................................8:06 PM
In Every Issue 7 9 10 10 11 11 13 14 15 16 21 29
Community Photos Ask the Rabbi Simchas Datebook Obituaries Professional Directory
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FRIDAY, JULY 27.................................8:01 PM FRIDAY, August 3.............................7:54 PM FRIDAY, August 10...........................7:47 PM FRIDAY, August 17...........................7:38 PM FRIDAY, August 24...........................7:29 PM
Special Coverage Ancient medicine for modern times Witnessing History Community Mikvah brings special moments Thank you to our generous donors
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c mmunity photos
Mazel Tov! After 60 years of marriage, Rubin and Arlene Jurman renewed their wedding vows in May as part of Temple Emanu-El’s sixth grade life-cycle curriculum in religious school. The students created the individualized chuppah for the wedding couple, under the watchful eye of Temple Emanu-El’s Religious School art teacher Deborah Jacobstein.
APJCC board member Ruth Fletcher presents outgoing JCC CEO Hal Bordy with a farewell gift from the JCC board at Hal’s going-away party in May.
summer fun
Parents and children gather for PJ Library “Campout”
Rabbi Alexander roasts marshmallows at the PJ Library “Campout”
www.jvalley.org
Float Night June 2012 at the APJCC Jerusalem Bar & Grill served Middle Eastern food at Float Night. Other food vendors were JJ Magoo’s Pizza and Baskin Robbins. Music and entertainment were provided by Aaron David, a popular local DJ.
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jewiSh federation of SiliCon Valley
Cardozo Society
Save the date for thiS SpeCial event You are Hereby Summoned to Be and Appear in Person Before the Court.
S’lichot Program - The Trial of Jacob
PICTURE
2000
The Defendant, Jacob, our forefather, will be represented by a team of notable defense attorneys. He will be charged with theft by trickery and elder abuse. The prosecution team, lead by a local D.A., insists that the charges are serious. An expert medical witness will speak on the issue of Isaac’s competency at the time of the stolen blessing. Jacob, his brother Esau, and mother Rebekah, will all take the stand.
Saturday, September 8 8-10 pm Congregation Shir hadash
Our thanks to Judges Irwin Joseph, Jerry Nadler, and Deborah Ryan along with attorneys Alison Brunner, Carol Gustein, Adrienne Dell, Alan Lagod, Allen Ruby, and Kevin Saul, and to Andy Altman and Robbie Pearl who will be taking a role in our evening’s proceedings.
www.shirhadash.org www.jvalley.org
20 Cherry Blossom lane los Gatos, Ca 95032
MCle credit pending Cardozo Society
Activities for ALL! RSVP by August 20th to attend this event for free! www.Beth-David.org/rsvp After August 20th, cost is $5.00 per adult (18 and over) 19700 Prospect Road, Saratoga / 408 408-257-3333 www.beth-david.org
Daniel Pressman, Senior Rabbi / Philip Ohriner, Assistant Rabbi
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www.jvalley.org
l cal news
Rona Ramon to make guest appearance at Film Festival
Rona Ramon, the widow of Israel’s first astronaut Ilan Ramon, will make an exclusive appearance to highlight the Opening Night gala program of the Silicon Valley Jewish Film Festival as it kicks off its 21st season on Saturday night, October 20. The program coincides with the approaching 10-year anniversary of the Columbia Space Shuttle tragedy in which Ilan Ramon and six other astronauts perished upon re-entry. Rona Ramon is flying from Israel to Silicon Valley to share her emotional and moving story about her personal journey since her husband perished in a space shuttle mishap in 2003. Her comments will follow the screening of the highly acclaimed film “Article of Hope” that traces the amazing journey and heartbreaking loss of Ilan Ramon and his personal mission to launch Judaism to the stars. Plans are still being finalized, and other surprises are in store for Opening Night, so stay tuned and check the SVJFF website at www.svjff.org. Tickets for Opening Night will be available later this summer. Opening Night is one of the many exciting developments for the Festival in 2012. This year marks the first year for Tzvia Shelef as the Festival’s first full-time executive director. While her tenure has been short, Tzvia has had an immediate and broad impact by screening films, developing important relationships in the community, securing key donations, and by playing an instrumental role in recruiting five influential members to the Festival’s Board of Directors. The new board members are actively involved with Jewish and Israeli non-profits, are supportive of Israel, and committed to taking the Festival to the next level of growth. They also love movies and believe films connect people to their heritage and foster understanding among the broader community. The new board members include:
Rona Ramon, widow of Israeli astronaut, Ilan Ramon (photo courtesy of Ziv Koren)
• Sam Tramiel, formerly a CEO of Atari, is a highly successful businessman and entrepreneur who has deep roots in the community. He currently serves on the board of the Anti-Defamation League, is a member of AIPAC, and has served on boards of local synagogues, the South Peninsula Hebrew Day School, Israel 21C, and the Palo Alto JCC. • Eta Somekh serves on the National Board of Directors of AIPAC and has supported non-profit organizations in the Jewish community for many years. • Yael Landon began volunteering 13 years ago with Hadassah, and more recently was involved in the “Gvanim” program to develop leadership talent within the Jewish community. Yael also volunteers with the Israeli Connection Center (ICC) -- a program to involve more Israelis in the Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto. • Adi Gamon serves on the steering committee of the Harvard Business Alumni Association where he received the Award for Volunteer Excellence. He also serves as a mentor at the Clean-Tech Open, an organization founded by Silicon Valley leaders to find, fund and foster entrepreneurs. A successful high-tech executive, Adi was a co-founder of semiconductor firm Chip Express and has served on the board of directors of several high-tech companies. • David Rothenberg, who studied at the London School of Economics and graduated from Dartmouth, was previously an investment banker at Goldman Sachs. He recently graduated from Berkeley Law at the University of California and will begin his career as an attorney at a hightech firm. He chose the legal profession because of its potential to benefit the community. Aside from the new board members, existing board members include: • Festival President Bruce Entin • Former President Mark Levine • Chief Financial Officer Yoram Rubin • Arnnon Geshuri, an executive at Tesla Motors and board member of Yavneh Day School • Pam Kelly, a marketing professional at Comcast’s non-profit CreaTV group The 2012 SVJFF festival dates are October 20 through November 18. Watch for more information in the August edition of JValley.news as well as on the festival website www.svjff.org. www.jvalley.org
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class e s start i n au g ust
Join us at Temple Emanu‐El
Celebrating 150 Years of Tradition and Innovation! 1010 University Ave, San Jose, CA 95126 Temple Office Phone (408)292-0939 www.templesanjose.org Religious School Phone (408)292-3223
Summer Shabbat Services on the patio!
Celebrate the joy of Shabbat under the clear sky and warm weather of summer. Kabbalat Shabbat service every Friday at 6:30 through August. Tot Shabbat These brief services are led by Rabbi Magat and Cantor Meeka Simerly and feature upbeat songs, a short story, and a talk with the Rabbi on the bimah and are perfect for families with young children. Tot Shabbat is the third Friday of every month.
classes & tournament
The APJCC and Women’s Philanthropy of the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley invite you to learn Mah Jongg and participate in our annual two-tiered tournament.
Minyan, Tea and Torah— June 30 and July 14 at 9:00 am An egalitarian Torah study following Shabbat morning Minyan. Free and open to all in the community. Are you interesting in joining Temple Emanu‐El?
Mazel Tov to the Temple Emanu‐El Confirmation Class of 5772 Josh Applebaum, Isabel Haggerty, Alexandra Healey, Analise Henry, Ilana Holt, Kelsey Hurwitz, Emily Kessler, Micaela Laber, Anna Levine, Rochelle Malter, Eden Rousso, and Gregory Sprintz
wednesday evenings • 7-9 pm • $36 august 8, 15, 22, 29, september 5, 12 Levy Family Campus Save the date for the Tournament! SundAy, JAnuARy 13, 2013
Mah jongg
Join us for an ice cream social for prospective members and learn about the Temple Emanu‐El family. August 19 at 1:30 pm RSVP by August 10 to
Info/Registration: www.jvalley.org
or contact Arielle Hendel: arielle@jvalley.org, 408.357.7501
membership@templesanjose.org
For more information call 408‐292‐0939 or visit us at www.templesanjose.org Vardys_JCC_ad2 1/27/06 3:11 PM Page 1
Stimulate Your Brain and Enrich Your Soul
PEARLS TELL HER SHE’S LOVED.
Services Shabbat services at Sanborn Park July 21. Hike at 9am, informal service at 10:30am, brunch at 11:30am. Welcome our new Rabbi, Rabbi Lobel. Camping and services August 3-5. Join us at Big Basin State Park for a weekend of family activities and services.
VARDY’S PEARLS TELL HER SHE’S UNIQUE. For gifts traditional enough to wear forever and unique enough for
Education for your children 2012 – 2013 Religious School Registration. Sign up for religious school now. Registration for Religious School, Hebrew School, Hebrew High, Confirmation, and 11th - 12th grade is now open. Early Childhood Center Registration Spaces are available for full or part day students. Children may choose a 2, 3 or 5 day attendance schedule.
her—talk to the jewelry maker.
Classes Taste of Judaism. August 28. The popular 3-part introductory class starts again.
10227 So1655 De Anza Cupertino, CA 95014 •• 408 446-2900• • www.vardysjewelers.com S. DeBlvd. Anza Blvd. at Prospect Cupertino 408 446-2900 Proceeds of sales from this ad will go to Jewish Federation's ISRAEL EMERGENCY CAMPAIGN
www.jvalley.org
For more information on services, programs and adult ed please visit shirhadash.org
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Ancient medicine for modern times: traditional Jewish medicine
l cal news
By Abby Rappoport As a practitioner of natural medicine with a passion for simple, common remedies, I find that quite often the ingredients required for our healing already exist in our pantries or are growing in our back yards. It always strikes me as odd, the way we rely so heavily on prescription medications in today’s society--especially considering that the majority of our most commonly used remedies have only existed in our pharmacies for less than 40 years. This leads me to wonder: what did my ancestors do before modern-day medicine was available to those living in shtetls and small villages? My husband’s grandfather (we call him Abie), a survivor of the Holocaust, recently had some abdominal and digestive issues while I was visiting him. As an acupuncturist, I face a lot of adversity over my non-traditional views on medicine, but after employing about a dozen different types of prescription medications to deal with his issue to no avail, he was “willing to try anything.” I gave him a short acupuncture treatment and, after our 30-minute visit, he was completely relieved of his symptoms without the use of any drugs. Abie became intrigued by the medicine that I practice, and Abby Rappaport I started to tell him about the different modalities that I use, including acupuncture, herbal medicine, and traditional massage techniques like “cupping” (the use of small glass cups to create suction on the skin and promote a positive flow of white blood cells). I was quite surprised to see Abie’s face light up while I was explaining the cupping treatment, as he said, “Oh, you mean ‘bahnkes’!” He started to tell me a story about his childhood in Poland. Abie rarely talks about this time in his life and few family members know very much about his personal history. He began to tell me how, in the small village where lived in Poland, they didn’t have a doctor. Every few weeks a woman would come through the town with a case full of glass cups, and she would perform the “bahnkes” technique on the people of village. He remembered a time when he was seriously ill and was treated by this traveling doctor. Her method gave him almost immediate relief and helped him to recover quickly. I was amazed to hear this story. I didn’t realize that the medicine that I have dedicated so much time and energy to learning was actually a medicine of my people--the Jewish people. It’s fascinating to me to learn how easy natural remedies are and how they have made their way around the world from Asia, through Europe, and now all the way to modern-day California. Healing is part of who we are and, oftentimes, we only need to look to our history to find the most effective medicine. Abby Rappoport, LAc, is a licensed acupuncturist practicing in Los Gatos, CA. For more information about cupping, acupuncture, or to schedule an appointment, contact abby@AcupunctureLosGatos.com or (408) 384-9228.
The new Shir Hadash mobile app for iPhones, iPODs and iPADs is here! Being in the heart of Silicon Valley, Congregation Shir Hadash has long embraced the use of technology to help the congregation feel more engaged and connected. Shir Hadash launched its first website in 1997. Since then it has added a Facebook page, Twitter account and live streaming of High Holy Day services. Now it has added a mobile app for iPhones, iPOD touch and iPADs. The free app, called “myShirHadash” is now available for downloading in the Apple iTunes app store. With this app one can get key information about Congregation Shir Hadash wherever you are. According to Rabbi Melanie Aron of Congregation Shir Hadash, “The new ‘myShirHadash’ app offers a lot more than access to the temple’s website. Because the app can be used to notify the clergy of a member’s illness or hospitalization, we will be able to respond much more quickly to this type of news.”
Additional features of the app include the ability to: • Query the staff of the religious or preschool or temple office • View the temple website (the icon of a building) • Listen to the weekly Torah portion • Learn some common prayers • Add events to an iPhone calendar • Get directions to Shir Hadash The app was developed by Larry Krasno, a member of Congregation Shir Hadash. Larry, a member of the temple’s technology committee said, “Working on this mobile [app] has been really exciting for me. The mobile platform provides so many options for people to stay connected and get precisely the information they are seeking. I hope everyone finds the app useful.”
Several members of Shir Hadash’s clergy and staff including Rabbi Aron and Cantor Felder-Levy provided valuable suggestions and content for the app. www.jvalley.org
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l cal news Hillel of Silicon Valley welcomes new Executive Director Sarita Bronstein From the moment Sarita Bronstein learned about the Executive Director’s position at Hillel of Silicon Valley she felt as though all her previous experience had been a “dress rehearsal” for this role. She is inspired by and passionate about Hillel’s mission and its crucial role in building future Jewish communities and fostering leadership. She feels privileged to have the opportunity to contribute to Hillel’s mission of engaging students in Jewish life on campus and preparing them to be active members of Jewish communities in their post-graduate lives. Bonnie Slavitt Moore, Hillel’s president said, “Sarita’s ability to work successfully with students, her fundraising skills, and her knowledge of the community will enable her to meet the key challenges of the position. Sarita admires the success the organization has achieved and is confident that she can build on that success to take Hillel to the next level of excellence.” Sarita’s prior responsibilities include creating the Israel Travel program and the Israel@60 Mission, which she led in 2008 for the Israel Center. In addition, Sarita launched the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces San Francisco Bay Area chapter and all its successful parts: board, community outreach, fundraising and high-level events. She is one of the founders of Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School’s Middle School and of Kehillah Jewish High School. Her roles spanned the full range from comprehensive planning and budgeting to programming and marketing. She enjoys working with teens and college students; and, with more than ten years’ experience working with these age groups, she understands their needs. In addition, Sarita’s experience as a professional and as a lay leader has provided her with great insight into the importance of board-staff relations. For over 20 years, Sarita has been an active member of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish community. Having recently received her Master’s Degree in Communication and Marketing from San Jose State University (SJSU), she is also familiar with the university. SJSU is one of five campuses that Hillel of Silicon Valley serves from its new home adjacent to the San Jose State campus. The others are Santa Clara University, De Anza College, Foothill College and West Valley College. Sarita believes she can do great things for Hillel of Silicon Valley by applying her skills and passion to grow its programs and increase participation in Hillel activities. Hillel of Silicon Valley is thrilled to welcome Sarita to the Hillel family and to her new position!
First annual Celebration Classic Dinner and Golf Tournament is huge success What do strings of pearls, magic, long drives and short putts have in common? They all were fun aspects of Congregation Shir Hadash’s First Celebration Classic Dinner and Golf Tournament. The event, which included a sold-out dinner and large field of golfers eager to show their prowess and win some prizes, took place at the beautiful Golf Club at Boulder Ridge in Almaden Valley on May 6 and 7. Over 200 diners enjoyed the perfect weather and fantastic views of Silicon Valley while sipping cocktails and noshing on hors d’oeuvres on the outside patio. They also bought colorful strings of beads that would be their ‘raffle tickets’ to win one of two beautiful necklaces donated by Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry. The camaraderie and fun continued when they went inside for dinner. Joyce Freeman and her three children paid loving tribute to their deceased husband and father, Bob Freeman, past president of Shir Hadash. After a delicious dinner Jay Alexander, a magician/comedian, gave an amazing performance that had the audience continually wondering “how did he do that?” This was followed by a live auction which culminated with a hard fought bidding war for the right to be the personal guest of Mayim Bialik at a taping of and after-party with the cast of “The Big Bang Theory.” The 100-plus golfers who showed up for the tournament the next day were greeted by lots of friendly volunteers, warm weather, the chance to compete in a putting contest and attend a clinic on using sand wedges. A bagpiper called the groups of golfers to the start of the tournament. As each group made its way through 18 holes of golf, they competed for several opportunities to win prizes. When play was finished, the golfers and volunteers gathered for hors d’oeuvres, a raffle and the awarding of trophies. It was a great day and the winners are ready to come back and defend their titles. The Celebration Classic was produced by a dedicated group of Congregation Shir Hadash volunteers. Proceeds will be used to support the Temple and its community programs. Many wonderful sponsors from the community helped make the event a success. They included Vicky Deggs and Howard Taub; Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry; Berliner Cohen; Adleson, Hess & Kelly; Beshoff Motor Cars; Julie Tager; McMannis Faulkner; Confluence Law Partners; Shawn Warthen of Merrill Lynch, The Misle family; Joyce Freeman & family; Sylvia and Jim Katzman; and Plantronics.
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www.jvalley.org
l cal news New PreK-K class offered at Congregation Emeth
Record number underserved families treated at seventh annual Healthy Living Fair
Congregation Emeth, a Reform temple serving the Jewish community of South County, is experiencing a surge in membership particularly among young families. The congregation has noticed a rising affiliation among young families in Morgan Hill, Gilroy and South San Jose, convincing the Education Committee to create a class for 3-5 yearolds as part of the Religious School in 2012-2013.
On Sunday, April 29, Congregation Shir Hadash, in conjunction with St. Maria Goretti Church and with the generous support of its sponsors and partners, held the seventh annual Healthy Living Fair. With a tremendous turnout, facilitated by local press coverage and public service announcements, over 550 uninsured and/or underserved community members were medically screened for hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity. These services were performed by an amazing volunteer crew of nearly two dozen physicians and fifty nurses and student nurses.
“Early pre-registration has indicated that this will be one of our largest classes next year, with our b’nai mitzvah class a close second,” said Melanie Khamis, incoming principal. “We’ve created a unique format for our youngest students, with an experienced teen leading the class, supported by a teen madricha (teaching assistant) as well as parents who will take turns helping in the class.” The curriculum is being designed by Khamis and one of Congregation Emeth’s long-time teachers, both parents of pre-K children. “The teen leader has been our arts & crafts specialist for the past two years and we hired her for this class because of her special creative talents.” The 3-5 year-olds will meet in the craft room, at the same time as the rest of the Religious School, from 5-6:30 p.m. on Friday afternoons. Religious School is followed by a community Shabbat dinner with Shabbat rituals, as part of the curriculum. Congregation Emeth acknowledges the PJ Library® program of Silicon Valley for its role in helping parents and young children meet one another and began creating relationships in the synagogue community. Through its programming, directed by Rabbi Leslie Alexander, children were exposed to Jewish values and holidays. This class is a natural outgrowth of that, and the congregation hopes to continue using PJL as a valuable extra-curricular activity. For more information about Congregation Emeth and the 3-5 year-old class, call (408) 778-8200 or email admin@emeth.net.
Outside, under crystal clear skies and warm weather, attendees gathered information from forty local resource and support organizations and lined up for physical exams, dental exams and cleanings and vision exams. The number of people seen and served included: • 524 people were screened; 94 were identified with obesity, 96 with elevated cholesterol, 16 with elevated blood glucose and 39 with hypertension. • The Buddhist Foundation Tzu Chi Mobile Dental Van performed 24 cleanings and 29 fillings. • 62 people had their eyes examined by VSP. An additional 250 people received certificates for off-site private exams. Congregation Shir Hadash has a rich tradition of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) which it regularly demonstrates through its community service activities. The Healthy Living Fair, which is a wonderful example of this, is unique in that it is done in the spirit of cooperation and a “shared mission” with other religious groups. Of course none of this could be possible without the incredible commitment of the tireless Health Fair organizing committee chaired by Diane Toole and over 200 volunteers serving in many different capacities. Subcommittee chairs included: Arrangements, Brad Gordon; Vendor coordination, Nick Shain; Communications, Adrian Cerda; Publicity, Michael Coates; Translators, Pat UroMay; Volunteers, Suzie Nguyen; Medical, George Kent; Nursing, Liz Dietz and Ruth Rosenblum; and Food, Cindy Gordon and Ilene Mason. All of this would not have been possible without the help and coordination of the Latino and Vietnamese communities at St. Maria Goretti Church and the financial support received from the Health Trust, South Bay Public Affairs of Kaiser Permanente and the Community Benefits Foundation of El Camino Hospital and the in-kind gifts that were received. Shir Hadash is grateful to all of those who helped make this year’s event another tremendous success and is proud of the reputation it garners amongst its faithbased partners and the community as a whole.
www.jvalley.org
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the melton Community it’s not what you think
Come inside! “clAsses Are meaningful And informative”
“the best adult learning I’ve ever experIenced.”
“
the florenCe melton adult mini-sChool: an in-depth educational, comprehensive program without grades, exams, homework or prerequisites for enrollment. adult Jewish education done right.
Classes begin in oCtober Core Classes rhythms of Jewish living focuses on the ideas, beliefs, and practices that define Jewish life and examines tradition and ritual observances connected to the Jewish calendar and life cycle events.
“i now know what i believe as a Jew, and why.”
Purposes of Jewish living explores sources both ancient and modern in pursuit of answers to many of the major issues of Jewish thought and theology.
sCholar Courses
“A marvelous catalyst for Jewish learning in my life.”
sCholar Courses (10 weeks) October to december location Offered: ApJcc in los Gatos foundations (20 weeks) October to May locations Offered: ApJcc in los Gatos temple emanu-el in san Jose (10 weeks) congregation Beth david in saratoga (10 weeks) congregation Beth Am in los Altos hills
tales from the talmud explores talmudic texts, many of which focus on revelation and what happened at sinai. All the texts demonstrate the impact of the talmud, collecting diverse opinions and disagreements, and fostering the fluid approach that has helped Judaism persist for many centuries.
foundations
melton Changed my life ” Core Classes (30 weeks) October to June locations Offered: ApJcc in los Gatos congregation Beth david in saratoga
Jewish denominations: addressing the Challenges of modernity examines Jewish identity and religious expression against the backdrop of dramatic political and social change of the past 300 years; this includes the impact of gender, assimilation, Israel, and postdenominationalism on the major movements and the Jewish people.
register at svjcc.org/ jplace or call 408.357.7413 each melton course is offered at a variety of locations, days of the week, and times to accommodate a majority of adult schedules. look for these details in upcoming fliers, advertisements, and newsletters.
foundations of Jewish family living provides you with the learning, the language, and the confidence to be a teacher to our own children. this curriculum, for parents and grandparents, provides a thoughtprovoking encounter with the master stories from our tradition and the profound messages they convey, providing you with an opportunity to bring the Jewish conversation home at a time when your child is beginning his or her own Jewish education.
PurPoses for foundations Purposes of Jewish living oncentrates on the ultimate purposes of Judaism and explores 30 of the major theological and philosophical questions in Judaism. this curriculum will help you discover how to shape your Jewish life at home.
Costs Core Class $500 Jcc members, $600 non-members foundations $325 Jcc members, $400 non-members graduate Courses $150 per course
PurPoses for foundations (20 weeks) October to May locations Offered: ApJcc in los Gatos
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for more information, call 408.357.7413 or email CJll@svjcc.org. class fees do not include cost of books. Books range from $25-$35 a class.
www.jvalley.org
Florence Melton Adult Mini-School celebrates graduates
l cal news
After two years of studying together, the 6th graduating class of the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School in Los Gatos, California gathered together at the Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center of Silicon Valley for a brief graduation siyum (closing ritual). These students, who come from an incredible variety of Jewish and non-Jewish backgrounds, completed over 130 hours of study in order to receive their certificates of completion. Rabbi James Greene, director of the Los Gatos Melton program, welcomed the students, thanked them for their strong commitment to Jewish learning and spoke to the students about the nature of Jewish learning as an opening of self and receiving of wisdom. He also thanked the students for giving the community the gift of continued learning. The students celebrated their achievement with a traditional siyum – festival meal in honor of the completion of a period of study. Rabbi James Greene presented the graduates with their certificates from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The graduates from the Los Gatos school are part of 3000 Mini-School students in 60 sites around the world attending graduation ceremonies this month. The Florence Melton Adult Mini-School, a project of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, is the largest pluralistic adult Jewish education network in the world and in Los Gatos we are proud to be a part of this global network. The evening was a culmination of two years of enriching study. The graduates agreed that this is not an end to their study, but a significant entry into lifelong Jewish study. The Mini-School offers graduate courses and, with Jewish learning now a way of life for them, they look forward to these new study opportunities offered by the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School of Los Gatos. Classes with the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School of Los Gatos pick up again in September. In addition to the two-year Core Curriculum, the school offers year-long courses geared for parents as well as 10-week Scholars courses on a variety of topics. For further information on how you can sign up for classes, please contact Rabbi James Greene, rabbijames@svjcc.org or (408) 357-7413.
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l cal news Jewish Federation welcomes Jeff Kanel By Amanda Orrin Each June the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley celebrates our outgoing board of directors at the Annual Meeting, and welcomes the incoming chairman and board members during this time. This July we are pleased to welcome Dr. Jeff Kanel as the new Chairman of the Board. A Silicon Valley resident for 20 years, Jeff moved to Saratoga with his wife Renee and children, Shauna and Jason, after completing his medical training in Orlando. Almost immediately they became members at Dr. Kanel speaking at the Annual Congregation Beth David and Jeff was asked to sit on the board. Since joining Beth David, the family has moved Meeting to Los Gatos and Jeff has served as President of the Beth David board. Jeff has also served as a board member for the Silicon Valley Jewish Film Festival and joined the Jewish Federation board just months after leaving Beth David’s board. Serving on the Federation board since 2005, we are very pleased to see Jeff moving in as the next chairman. Jeff and Renee have served as a beautiful example of a Silicon Valley Jewish family. Raising their children at Beth David and involving them with USY and local camps, the entire family has remained involved and dedicated members of the Jewish community. The last time Jeff and Renee were interviewed by our community newspaper, it was by former editor Janet Berg and dedicated to their joining the Book of Life, a beautiful opportunity for community members to ensure that they continue giving back even after they are no longer with us. Jeff is just as excited to be the next chairman as we are to have him. As someone who took part in the strategic planning process, he is positive about the plan that the process gave us, from where the money will be raised to the new plans for allocating dollars. Says Jeff, “I am excited about the whole initiative process. It will hopefully make us more relevant, not just to other organizations, but to Jews in the South Bay, especially unaffiliated Jews.” Jeff is also excited to work with Michelle Nathanson, Jewish Federation’s newest employee, because he hopes that she will make a big difference in fundraising, not just with individuals but also with corporate giving. Welcome to the position of Chairman of the Board, Jeff! We are so pleased to have you begin your term.
KEHILLAH
A C O N T E M P O R A RY JEWISH HIGH SCHOOL
“”והיית לקהל עמים
Aliza Aitchison Maor Bernstein Naomi Sarah Cahn Genesis 28:3 Tzvia Rebekah Cahn Ari Cohen Nadav David Hayley Tess Epstein Eli Maxwell Feldman Raphael Jacob Fils Matthew Eli Friedberg Jacob R. Goldberg Amy Michelle Grossinger Tal Hadar Shenandoah Harris Hilla Hascalovici Keren Hovav Emily Elizabeth Jacobi Micaela Ilana Kaye Raquel Ariana Korman Malcolm Lazarow Emily Leiter Jonathan Gray Lerner Cody Leviloff Danna Nozik Andrea Resnick Harper Raphael Rose Jacob Rosenberg Baila Ilene Sherbin Sara Marie Silberman Guy Singer 3900 Fabian Way Rachel Stein Palo Alto, California 94303 Joshua Benjamin Tal Dana Yovel 650-213-9600 Siavash Zohoori www.kehillah.org ג:בראשית כח
“And you will be a community of peoples”
KEHILLAH JEWISH HIGH SCHOOL
“ספר תיכון ”קהילה-בית
Mazal Tov to our Class of 2012!
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l cal news Yavneh students shine at Social Justice Fair By Amanda Orrin Lots of money was changing hands at Yavneh Day School’s recent Social Justice Fair. Over $5,000, in fact. Seventh grade students presented twelve nonprofit organizations with checks ranging from $205 to $1,500. “Do you think I gave enough to help?” anxiously wondered seventh grade student Daniel. The representative from Stand Up for Kids assured Daniel that his gift was significant and meaningful and would do a lot to help runaway teens in Silicon Valley. Jewish Heart for Africa, an Israeli organization that provides solutions to problems of poverty and lack of access to clean water and medical care in Africa, did not send a representative from their New York office, but conveyed the message that the class’s gift of funds to buy a refrigerator that would store vaccines in a small African village was literally a life saver. The twelve fortunate organizations at last month’s Fair were chosen by the seventh grade students as part of their social justice curriculum, a class that meets once a week from 6th through 8th grade. Yavneh Day School curriculum developer and teacher Susan Ellenberg doesn’t just teach social justice to middle schoolers; she ensures that her students “walk the walk” with real-time experiences and involvement. “Where did the kids get the money?” was a question frequently asked at the Fair by guests and nonprofit representatives. Mrs Ellenberg explains: “Essentially, we ask the parents of the seventh graders to create a class fund by contributing what they would have otherwise spent on bar/bat mitzvah gifts for each child in the class. The students are then entrusted with the task of donating the money from that fund in a way that will alleviate some injustice about which the students themselves are passionate. The students spend much of their first semester researching nonprofit organizations that address issues about which they personally feel passionate. Then each student presents his or her organization choice to the class and advocates for a portion of the money from the fund to be donated to his or her organization. Then I stand back and watch the discussions, the calculations and finally, the allocations. The students have only two rules: one, every organization must get some money and two, it is not permissible to divide the pot evenly amongst the twelve organizations. The students must prioritize, make tough decisions with limited funds and justify their decisions. This is a very sophisticated process.” Perhaps too intense for some. “This allocations meeting showed me that I never want to be on a board” lamented seventh grader Nathan after a particularly grueling class discussion that lasted several hours. Other students noted the challenge of not being able to give every student the full amount for which he or she asked. “Its especially hard when we are all friends and don’t want anyone to feel hurt or take a decision to give less money personally” observed Nathan’s classmate Naava. In the end, the students were very proud of their hard work and waited eagerly for the day they would get to give the money to the organizations about which they cared so much. But the Social Justice Fair wasn’t all about the seventh graders. Eighth grade students highlighted the impacts of the three month internships they had just completed around the campus. Mrs Ellenberg explains that, while seventh grade focuses on giving money, eighth grade is all about giving time, talent and energy. Eighth grade students volunteered for Jewish Family Services, worked with JCC teen director Jason Goldstein to create a city wide service learning day for middle school students, tutored younger students, helped in the preschool and painted a mural to Yavneh students stand with StandUp for Kids presentation. beautify the school. One student noted excitedly, “Now I have some great ideas about the kind of community service I want to do in high school; I feel like the internship program at Yavneh gave me a head start.” The fair was rounded out by sixth graders who highlighted some of the areas of injustice they studied throughout the year and by some special guests who shared their own projects that are alleviating injustices, promoting local culture, and raising awareness of issues that affect children all over the world. Yavneh parent Nirit Peer exclaimed that the afternoon at the fair was “both exhilarating and exhausting. One one hand, it is depressing to hear about so many people who are suffering or being mistreated, but on the other, it is incredibly uplifting to see that our kids already have experience in thinking beyond themselves, caring about the troubles of others and having the confidence and skills to know that they can actually do something to make our world a better place.” Yavneh Day School’s social justice curriculum certainly won’t solve all of the problems in our world, but Yavneh students will just as certainly go forth from their school armed with compassion for others, an awareness that injustice exists, and the tools to make a difference, whether through money, time, social activism or a combination of all three. With these students on the watch, we just may be in better hands and just may be a little closer to a perfected world.
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ask the rabbi By Rabbi Melanie Aron Congregation Shir Hadash ASK THE RABBI: What is the best way to give tzedakah (charity)? Should you earmark special projects or causes or give to larger organizations that respond more broadly to community needs? As in many things, there are “fashions” in charitable giving. Right now, the general movement is away from community-based organizations like United Way and the Jewish Federation which assess communal needs and distribute funds accordingly and towards individual gifts made directly to causes which are important and meaningful to the giver. This is also the case on the organizational level, where many more grants are available for innovation than for the sustaining work of non-profit social service organizations. On the macro level, there is concern that this style of grant making fosters mission creep as organizations follow the money and branch out into areas where grants are available, losing sight of their primary purpose. “Sexier” and more appealing causes may get funded in ways that are disproportionate when taking other needs into consideration or measuring the impact of their work. In addition, this type of funding is often available only for a very few years, creating problems for both longstanding and new organizations. Recently a major study of non-profit start-ups in the New York Jewish world entitled “From First Fruits to Abundant Harvest: Maximizing the Potential of Innovative Jewish Start-Ups” noted that funding often ends before an organization reaches its maximum impact. The study is a call to action to provide more enduring funding that would allow innovative new organizations to realize their potential. On the personal level, it is important to remember that tzedakah is about those who need our help and not primarily about our own feelings or satisfaction. Giving tzedakah is an obligation which responds to the unfairness that exists in our world, where wealth, health and opportunity are not evenly distributed. We are to create more justice by meeting unmet needs and helping to complete G-d’s work in the world. It is responsible to be concerned about the financial transparency and stewardship of the organizations we support, but we are not being responsible when we deny the importance of staffing and infrastructure to the success of the organization’s mission. Volunteers benefit from training and organization so that their talents can be used effectively. Not providing the means necessary to the accomplishment of the tasks of the organization creates frustration and burn out. Non-profits may not need the Mercedes model of equipment, but working on machines that break down and are ineffectual is not cost effective either. Some overhead is to be expected if an organization is honestly reporting on its costs. The history of Jewish charitable giving in America moves back and forth between periods of aggregation and consolidation and periods of fragmentation and proliferation. Both extremes have their costs and benefits. The first federation of Jewish charities arose in Boston in 1895 in response to needs that were outpacing existing charitable giving. By joining together the community was able to respond more fully. Boston has continued to be a leader in the Jewish Federation world, and of the 152 currently federated communities, probably has the most outstanding record of creatively and expansively meeting community needs. They have found that working together the local Jewish organizations are able to accomplish so much more than if they each just fundraise for themselves. As an individual giver there is much we need to weigh, but what is most important is that we place the needs of the recipients in the foreground and keep our desires for personal satisfaction in a secondary position.
Jewish teen joins Interfaith group at Buddhist ceremony in Hawaii Reflection by Kara Samuels I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel to Hawaii with the Santa Clara County Teen Interfaith Leadership Council, funded by the Shinnyo-en Buddhist Foundation, to participate in the Lantern Floating Ceremony on Memorial Day. Along with teens of various faiths from San Francisco and Orange County, we volunteered our time by cleaning the beach, setting up the lanterns, and giving them away to the 2,000 out of 40,000 families from all over the world who attended the ceremony on the beach of Waikiki. The lanterns were covered in messages and prayers in memory of loved ones who had passed away and then floated across the water. I was able to witness many people of different religions and cultures pour their hearts out into one little lantern. As a volunteer, I was given my own lantern that I was able to dedicate to my grandfather. It was heartwarming to see the many emotions shared throughout the evening, and comforting to know that nobody was alone to grieve. This memory will last in my heart forever.
Kara Samuels
The Santa Clara delegation was led by JCRC Director Diane Fisher and Deacon Steve Herrera. A moving video made by Steve Herrera that includes teen interviews is posted at www.jvalley.org/jcrc.
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march f the living Witnessing history By Arielle Hendel If someone were to suggest to the average high school student that they spend their spring break touring death camps, most would say, “No thanks. I’d rather stay home.” So why, year after year do thousands of Jewish youth worldwide travel to Poland to witness the horrors of the Holocaust and the miracle of the State of Israel? According to March of the Living West Director Ruth Zaltsmann, “These students get an opportunity to rewrite their trajectory. They witness first hand through travel and a survivor’s eyes the horrors of the Holocaust and then experience the miracle of our Jewish homeland, Israel. This trip changes their lives and personal identity and sometimes even influences their life choices.” The March of the Living trip brings over 10,000 people together to Poland to replicate the steps taken by Holocaust victims between Auschwitz and Birkenau. The trip is not just about death, destruction and despair. The March itself is a potent symbol of Jewish survival against all odds. Other stops on the trip also underscore Jewish resilience. Participants in the March celebrated Shabbat openly in Poland and visited current Jewish centers which are revitalizing Jewish life in Poland and, of course, they travel to Israel. Rabbi Daniel Pressman of Congregation Beth David, Susan Gavens, Aliza Aitchison, David Braun, Jessica Levy, Rabbi Pressman from Congregation Beth Gavriela Fine, Danielle Lerner, Nadav David, Zoe Weitzman, Ruth Zaltsmann, Matthew Friedberg, Malcolm David who went on the 2012 March of Lazarow, Samuel Biondini and Rabbi Eitan Julius, formerly of Congregation Sinai in Willow Glen the Living Trip as a rabbinic advisor commented in his d’var torah upon his return, “We traveled the arc of 20th-century Jewish history, from destruction to renewal, from death to rebirth, from powerlessness to power, from the valley of the dry bones to the resurrected Jewish commonwealth. It drove home for us the magnitude of these events for Jewish history, identity and faith, and it reminded us of the miraculous achievement that Israel represents. Woe to us if we take it for granted.”
Not one of the students who went on the March of the Living trip will ever take their identity for granted. Jessica Levy, one of the 2012 MOTL participants said, “The trip changes you for the better.” She also made it clear that she now had personal experience with which to counter antiSemitic comments and Holocaust deniers. All in all, 38 high school students from the Silicon Valley, Manhattan Beach, Santa Barbara, Las Vegas, Tucson and San Diego participated. Their local chaperones were Susan Gavens and Ruth Zaltsmann and, as mentioned, Rabbi Daniel Pressman as their rabbinic advisor. Plans are underway to hold both youth and adult March of the Living Trips next year for the 65th anniversary of the State of Israel. As Danielle Lerner, a senior who traveled this year said, “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity ---everyone should take the chance to do this trip.” If you are interested in the Youth trip, please contact Ruth Zaltsmann at ruth@motlthewest.org, and if you are interested in the adult trip, please contact Arielle Hendel at arielle@jvalley.org or (408) 357-7501.
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l cal news From generation to generation By Rabbi Leslie Alexander Many of us who deeply love Judaism and are committed Jewish adults try diligently, when our children are young, to ‘stack the deck’ to ensure that they grow up with positive Jewish experiences and solidify their identities and desire to be Jewishly connected as adults. We in the Jewish community work together to make sure that every child can be educated in our Jewish traditions, culture, history and religion. We offer opportunities for them to develop community and hope that one day they will ensure the same for a future generation of young Jews. That is what we are talking about when we say that we pass our tradition L’Dor Va Dor, from generation to generation. This week, I had a wonderful experience of learning that the phrase “from generation to generation” does not only mean for parents to pass Judaism and Jewish commitment on to their children. I learned this from Rachel, a child that brought her parents to Judaism. It was precisely because our community was warm, welcoming and inviting and she felt at home and enveloped communally and religiously, that Rachel pushed her parents to get involved. It was Rachel’s encouragement that ultimately, last week, led me to stand in the Mikvah as a guide when her mother, Judy, immersed as a culmination of her conversion to Judaism. I am always moved by those who become gerei tsedek, who chose Judaism. This week I was struck by Judy, emotional because of her joy in reaching this sacred time in her life, but even more moved because it was her daughter who helped her prepare to immerse. Judy shared, “I’ve always been very close to Rachel but having (her) with me at the Mikvah brought us even closer as she gently combed my hair and read over the (Mikvah) checklist careful that I did not miss anything.”
Bob, Rachel and Judy
Judy readily credits Rachel, now 18, for her increased involvement with the Jewish community. It all started when Rachel was in third grade and she asked her father, Bob, why they weren’t going to Temple. Her friends went to church so she inquired why we weren’t “being Jewish.” A few weeks later, the family attended High Holiday services at Temple Emanu-El and, as they say, the rest is history. At the end of the service, young Rachel said, “Let’s join.” It wasn’t simply the joining that solidified the family’s connection, it was the care of the religious school principal who overheard the family’s discussion; it was the outreach of Rabbi Magat and Cantor Simerley.
As Rachel prepared for her Bat Mitzvah in 2007, her father watched her and enrolled in the synagogue’s adult B’nai Mitzvah class. Two years after Rachel’s entry into Jewish adulthood, her dad, Bob, “became a man” at his own Bar Mitzvah. Rachel’s dedication led to Bob’s journey into the Temple brotherhood, to its presidency, to becoming a Temple board member. Rachel herself went on to be confirmed, to be part of the synagogue High School, and graduated this May at a Shabbat service. And Judy, with whom we said the blessings at the Mikvah just over a week ago, will become Sisterhood president this year. While Judy has “felt Jewish” since she married Bob, twenty-seven years ago, it was Rachel who convinced her to become “official.” Judy has appreciated studying for this life transition supported by her Rabbi, her husband, and most of all, by her daughter. Judy said “When Rabbi Magat asked how I felt at the end of my Beit Din, I could only answer, ‘Complete.’” Next year, Rachel will go to UC Santa Cruz and get involved there. Bob and Judy will deepen their involvements at Temple Emanu-El, a home away from home. They hope to soon experience Israel together. Those of us fortunate enough to be present at the Mikvah felt the blessing of this family’s journey deeply. It feels complete for us as well, even though this is only the beginning. If we are fortunate, as is this family, we will come to see that it is possible and that as we help to connect our children to the beauty of Jewish life, they will help us connect. L’Dor Va Dor really does go both ways. 18
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PJ Playdates In The Park Various Locations Throughout Our Community Wednesday, July 18, 2012 - 10:00 to 11:30 am
PJ Library parents just like you are hosting a flexible, fun, summer get together in three neighborhood parks. Come join together with other PJ families to enjoy an experience that features all the “ingredients” that you have come to enjoy—stories, songs, games and an opportunity to get to know other families who also receive the PJ Library. Invite your friends to join you, too. Pick a park and, who knows? You and your children may make wonderful new lifelong friends!
Choose your location:
Belgatos Park 308 Belgatos Lane off Blossom Hill Road Los Gatos Hosted by Jennifer Green
Anderson Dam County Park 19245 Malaguerra Ave Morgan Hill Hosted by MariaElena Jarson
Lone Hill Park Michon Dr @ Vintner Wy, San Jose Hosted by Malka Doron (some conversation and books in Hebrew)
Important: Please respond ASAP so we can be sure to have enough materials for our activities and enough snacks for happy tummies! RSVP to pjlibrary@jvalley.org or call Rabbi Alexander at 405-357-7509.
So your family is growing? Mazal Tov! Your Silicon Valley Jewish Community is so happy about the birth of your child and we want to celebrate with you.
Our Shalom Baby program delivers a special gift bag to you either at the hospital or at home. We want you to know just how valued you and your family are in our community. Just let us know that the baby has arrived by contacting Arielle Hendel at the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley. (408) 3577501 or arielle@jvalley.org. One of our Shalom Baby Ambassadors will contact you to make a delivery. If you are a grandparent, a family member or a friend, you are invited to inform us as well.
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datebook
All area codes are 408 unless otherwise noted.
ONGOING PROGRAMS SUNDAYS Knitzvah Levy Family Campus, 10:30 AM, 7/15, 8/19 Volunteer knitters and crocheters take donated yarn and turn it into hats, scarves and other usable items for needy organizations. ALL skill levels are welcome from the beginner who wants to learn, to the experienced pro. Donations are greatly appreciated. cherier@jfssv.org, 556-0600 Zumbathon with U-Jam APJCC, 9 AM, 7/15, 7/22 Benefits the Sunbeam Foundation, a local children’s cancer charity. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. To register, go to www. SiliconValleyJCC.org/zumbathon. judyg@svjcc.org, 358-3636 FRIDAYS Talmud Study with Rabbi Pressman Beth David, 8:30 AM This ongoing Talmud study group with Rabbi Pressman will continue to discuss Tractate Berakhot (Benedictions). No registration fee, donations are welcome. 257-3333, adulted@Beth-David.org Alzheimer’s Family Support Group Shir Hadash, 10 AM, 7/13, 8/10 Support Groups help to provide tools for caregiving such as sharing ideas and resources. They are most helpful for families and friends needing “helpful hints” because they are caring for or know a loved one with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. This group will be “caring for the caregiver,” offering support in a confidential setting. Open to the public. Drop-ins are welcome. nadine@shirhadash.org, 358-1751 x5
Pirkei Avot: Sayings (Ethics) of the Fathers Beth David, 9:45 AM Explore ancient Jewish wisdom dealing with ethics and morals in this participant-led discussion group. No registration fee, donations are welcome. 257-3333, adulted@Beth-David.org SATURDAYS Tot Shabbat Beth David, 7/14, 7/28, 8/11 Ages 0-5. A fun, interactive parentled service. Open to the whole community. crocker@beth-david.org, 257-3333
UPCOMING EVENTS TUESDAY, JULY 10 He said WHAT?! Enhancing our marriage through improved communication SPHDS, 7:15 PM A marriage enrichment lecture presented by Laura Marder by the Mikvah Society of San Jose. Light refreshments served. $10 suggested donation. Women only please. rvchabad@sbcglobal.net, 445-1770 THURSDAY, JULY 12 Freilache Menschen: “Jewish Quotas at America’s Best Universities: How they Started and Why They Ended” with Rabbi Melanie Aron Shir Hadash, 11:30 AM Join the seniors group for a light lunch and program by Rabbi Aron. shanda@shirhadash.org, 358-1751 x2 FRIDAY, JULY 13 Kabbalat Shabbat and BBQ Dinner Sinai, 6 PM To catch the Early Bird Special, RSVP by Tuesday, July 10; $20/ adult (age 13 and up); $5/child age 5-12 (free for children under age 5). $54 maximum per family. For reservations: office@sinai-sj.org, 264-8542
SUNDAY, JULY 15 Continuing the Conversation on Clutter Shir Hadash, 10 AM Julee Ogawa and the conversation group will meet again to continue their Conversation on Clutter. The meeting will be held offsite, with the location to be announced through the eHadashot weekly electronic newsletter. 358-1751 x5, nadine@shirhadash.org Grandparents Circle Shir Hadash, 7 PM Join Rabbi Aron and Jean Bronstein for “Being Jewish in the Summertime.” For Grandparents of children being raised in interfaith homes. nadine@shirhadash.org, 358-1751 x5 TUESDAY, JULY 17 Summer Grownup and Me Preogram SPHDS, 9:30 AM For children 18-30 months accompanied by an adult. The morning will include free play, art, outside play and circle time. There will also be a Parent Discussion as part of the morning. Cost is $150 for all six sessions. Families can register for individual sessions for $25/session. The class will be lead by early childhood teachers both of whom speak fluent Hebrew. barbara.goldstein@sphds.org, 738-3060 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 1 Float Night Pool Party APJCC, 5 PM Pool admission is free to the public during Float Night and flotation devices such as inner tubes and rafts are allowed (but no water wings, please). Food will be available for purchase from vendors, including Jerusalem Grill & Bar, JJ Magoo’s Pizza, and Rumba Desserts. colinb@svjcc.org, 357-7404 FRIDAY, AUGUST 3 Camping at Big Basin State Park Big Basin, 5 PM The price for this weekend, which includes two nights of camping, Shabbat dinner, and Sunday breakfast is $90/family, $60/couple or $30/single. Friday night service and a Saturday morning service. Parent volunteers lead hikes, kids’ programs, and family activities.
Limited to 56 people, so please RSVP right away: 358-1751 x2, shanda@shirhadash.org THURSDAY, AUGUST 9 Freilache Menschen Luncheon & Program Shir Hadash, 11:30 AM Light lunch and program by concert pianist Carolyn Menipaz. shanda@shirhadash.org, 358-1751 x2 FRIDAY, AUGUST 10 Happy Hour and Kabbalat Shabbat Sinai, 5:30 PM Wine and appetizers (adult and child-friendly) followed by evening services. office@sinai-sj.org, 264-8542 Shabbat + BBQ = Shabbarbecue Dinner Shir Hadash, 6 PM Bring your picnic dinner for a relaxing Shabbat meal under the summer sky. The temple barbecue will be fired up and ready to grill. nadine@shirhadash.org, 358-1751 x5 SUNDAY, AUGUST 19 Beer & Bouncy House BBQ Shir Hadash, 11 AM Shir Hadash members in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, and their families, are having a Midsummer gathering! Families from the Early Childhood Center are invited to join us for the fun. It will be an informal gettogether with the standard BBQ fare and drinks provided free of charge. Potluck for sides, salads, or desserts. All are welcome! shanda@shirhadash.org, 358-1751 x2 SATURDAY, AUGUST 23 Men’s Mikvah Event BarbQue and Scotch Tasting TBA, 7 PM A men’s event for the Mikvah to be held at a private home. RabbiAlexander@jvalley.org, 358-3033 Have an event to add to the calendar? Submit it at www.jvalley.org! Questions about upcoming events or the community calendar? Contact amanda@jvalley.org or (408) 357-7503.
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V’ahavta l’reacha kamocha--New JCRC leadership continues the call
l cal news
On the evening of June 13, 2012, the JCRC board gathered in the garden of Eric and Lisa Rosenblum’s home to share a potluck dinner and reflect on the year past. Each of the five committee chairs (Israel, Holocaust Education, Interfaith Relations, Government Relations, Energy Independence) had much to share, but as each spoke a clear theme emerged. That theme was the ancient call by Rabbi Akiva—v’ahavta l’reacha kamocha—to befriend the stranger and to work together for our mutual benefit. The board was clearly inspired by Eric’s leadership as chair, as he set the model for working effectively to bring the Jewish community together, and to build further networks of interfaith and government relationships. Starting with the retreat on August 26, Marci Gerston will begin her term as chair, and it is clear that she will provide further inspiration to the board and the larger community. As a commercial litigator and partner at the firm of Trepel, Greenfield, Sullivan and Draa, Marci is well-known as a skillful attorney. Whether representing her clients, working with the Temple Emanu-El Tikkun Olam committee and PACT, or sharing accurate materials about Jews, Judaism and Israel with secondary school teachers for JCRC, social responsibility is a way of living for Marci. When asked what she was looking forward to about taking on the JCRC chair role, she commented, “Being the chairperson of the JCRC is an incredible opportunity to actively and meaningfully bring about change, build Jewish identity and responsibly take on the challenges facing our community.” Marci is especially interested in maintaining the JCRC as a forum in which all members of our community may air concerns and address difficult issues in a respectful environment. And no one is better prepared to continue the call—v’ahavta l’reacha kamocha. With both her heart and mind she is dedicated to building stronger relationships that break down barriers and make no one ✓Fine Furniture a stranger. Watching Marci in action, one is reminded of the quote from Anne Frank— ✓Carpet “How wonderful that no one need wait a single moment to improve the world.” ✓Hardwood ✓Laminate f u r n i s h i n g s The JCRC board is very appreciative that Marci has taken on this role, and looks forward ✓Linoleum Family Owned For Over 40 Years to 5773 with much anticipation. ✓Cork & more Every Day Discount Pricing ✓Window Coverings ✓Hunter Douglas (408) 374-7590 LawrenceFurnishings.com
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thank y u Dr. & Mrs. Norman Abrahams Mr. & Mrs. Seymour Abrahams Mr. & Mrs. Norm Abramovitz Mr. & Mrs. David Abrams Dr. Theresa Abrams & Mr. Gary Rezowalli Mr. Mike Acevedo & Ms. Dena Ruebusch Mr. & Mrs. Arnold Addison Mr. & Mrs. Charles Adelberg Dr. Toby Adelman Ms. Betty Adler Mr. Richard Albert Mr. & Mrs. Gene Alberts Mr. & Mrs. Barry Alhadeff Mr. & Mrs. Mark Allen Rabbi Leslie Alexander & Dr. Kenneth Aitchison Mr. Jack Alter Mrs. Agnes Angelesco Mrs. Suzette Anis Anonymous Mr. & Mrs. Michael Applebaum Mrs. Alicia Appleman Mrs. Amalia Arndt Rabbi Melanie Aron Mr. & Mrs. Steve Arshop Mr. & Mrs. Manfred Ascher Mr. & Mrs. Jaime Ash Mrs. Wendy Askenas Mrs. Hebe Aver Mr. & Mrs. Ilya Avrekh Mr. & Mrs. Marc Bader Mr. & Mrs. Maxie Baer Mr. & Mrs. Jim Baggese Mr. & Mrs. Bob Baird Mr. & Mrs. Stuart Baker Mrs. Ida Baker Dr. & Mrs. Jason Balaban Mr. & Mrs. Noah Bareket Mr. & Mrs. James Baron Mrs. Rosetta Barovsky Mrs. Ruth Bart Mr. Zeev Barylka & Ms. Lizi Oceransky Mr. & Mrs. Robert Bassian Mr. Peter Yessne & Dr. Gail Bates Yessne Mr. & Mrs. James Batson Mr. & Mrs. Murray Baumgarten Mr. & Mrs. Eric Beamesderfer Mrs. Ellen Beaudet Mr. & Mrs. John Beck Mr. & Mrs. Jared Beck Ms. Therese Becker Mrs. Tatyana Belayvskaya Mr. & Mrs. Amatzia Ben-Artzi Mr. & Mrs. Ron Bendori Mr. & Mrs. David Berg Mr. Andy Hewett & Ms. Rachel Berg Mr. & Mrs. Gary Naillon Mr. & Mrs. Robert Bergman Mrs. Patricia Bergman Rabbi & Dr. Joshua Berkenwald Rabbi & Mrs. Allan Berkowitz www.jvalley.org
Jonathan Katz, Yael Wolf, Shoshana Wolf and Noah Katz
Mr. & Mrs. Frederick Berkowitz Miss Rachel Berkowitz Dr. & Mrs. Craig Berlinberg Mr. & Mrs. Sanford Berliner Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Berman Mr. Warren Berman Mr. & Mrs. Alan Bernard Mr. & Mrs. Theodore Goldstein Mr. & Mrs. Phillip Bernstein Ms. Jann Besson Ms. Barbara Beyda Mr. & Mrs. William Beyda Miss Anna Bidner Ms. Barbara Biran Mr. & Mrs. Irving Black Mr. & Mrs. Joel Blatt Mr. Peter Littman & Ms. Barbara Bleadon Mr. & Mrs. Matt Blecher Mr. & Mrs. Avi Bleiweiss Mr. & Mrs. Sheldon Blickman Mr. & Mrs. Jeremy Bloom Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Bloomfield Mr. Steve Bogad Mr. & Mrs. Brett A. Borah Mr. & Mrs. Richard Borenstein Mr. Abraham Borts & Ms. Estelle Glazer Mrs. Jacqueline Braker Mrs. Jean Breen Mr. & Mrs. Steve Brenner Mr. & Mrs. Thayer Brickman Mr. & Mrs. Abraham Bromberg Mr. & Mrs. Gary Bronstein Mr. & Mrs. Richard Brooks Dr. Seymour Bross Mr. Robert Brownstein Dr. & Mrs. Barry Brummer Mr. & Mrs. Dean Brundage Mr. & Mrs. Neil Bryan Mr. Scott Budman & Ms. Jennifer Green Mrs. Rosalie Burns Mr. David Buseck & Ms. Linda Levine Mr. & Mrs. Cole Buxbaum
Dr. Peter Buzanski Dr. Edward & Marjorie Cahn Mr. & Mrs. Mark Cahn Dr. & Mrs. Michael Cahn Ms. Susan R. Cahn Mr. Calman Mr. & Mrs. Robert Cant Dr. & Mrs. Frank Carbajal Ms. Malkah W. Carothers Mr. & Mrs. Irving Cepinko Mr. Adrian Cerda & Ms. Bonita Krasnopoler Ms. Pia Chamberlain & Ms. Ruth Salavar Ms. Rosalind Chase Ms. Shirley Chasen Mr. & Mrs. Eldon Cherniss Mr. & Mrs. Aron Chernyak Mr. & Mrs. Jack Chevlen Mr. John Chilcott Mr. & Mrs. Ovadia Chitayat Mr. & Mrs. Robert Chortek Mr. & Mrs. Yigal Cidon Ms. Lori Cinnamon Mr. & Mrs. Michael Cogan Mr. Armand L. Cohen Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Cohen Ms. Eleanore F. Cohen Dr. Jayne H. Cohen Mrs. Lois Cohen Ms. Marilyn Cohen Dr. & Mrs. Nathaniel Cohen Mr. Marc Terzlev & Ms. Sandra Cohen Dr. & Mrs. Theodore Cohen Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence Cohn Dr. Linda Cohn Mr. Ron Cohn Mr. & Mrs. S. Len Connolly Ms. Linda L. Coon Mr. & Mrs. Larry Cooper Drs. Harry & Joanne Cornbleet Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Cowans Dr. & Mrs. Jonathan Cress Eran Dagon 22
thank y u Mr. Gerald Daniel Ms. Elizabeth Darrow Mr. & Mrs. Abe Darwish Mr. & Mrs. Eylon David Mrs. Sylvia Davilla Mr. Bill Davis Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Davis Mr. & Mrs. Richard Davis Ms. Janis Decker Dr. & Mrs. Joseph Decker
Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Faber Mr. & Mrs. Emery Fabri Mr. & Dr. Lawren Farber Mr. Sandor Fazekas Mr. & Mrs. Michael Fehl Mr. & Mrs. Robert Feigelson Mr. & Mrs. Irving Feinberg Dr. & Mrs. Steve D. Feinberg Mrs. Robin Feinman-Marino Mr. David Levy & Cantor Devorah Felder-Levy
“If we consider that our environments help shape us, then my exceptional childhood education, set the foundation to my unending commitment to education, Judaism, and my community.” - Gavriela Fine Mr. & Mrs. Chris Dedering Mrs. Lucy Delman Mr. & Mrs. Ulric E. Dennis Mr. & Mrs. Larry Dibowitz Mr. & Mrs. Steve Dick Mr. & Mrs. Lloyd Dickman Dr. & Mrs. Dean Didech Dr. Michael Dine Dr. & Mrs. Bernard Director Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Dirks Mr. Louis Dombro Dr. & Mrs. Stephen Dombro Mr. & Mrs. Leonard Dorfman Mr. & Mrs. Merlin Dorfman Dr. & Mrs. Richard Dorsay Mrs. Dorothy Drabkin Mr. & Mrs. Alex Drukarev Dr. Leigh Durlacher Mr. & Mrs. Vladimir M. Dvorkin Mr. & Mrs. Jim Dworkin Mr. & Mrs. Sidney Earle Ms. Randy Eckstein Mr. & Mrs. Edward Ehrlich Mr. & Mrs. Donald Ehrlich Mr. Neal Eisenberg Mrs. Barbara Eisner Mr. Nebi Elemu Mr. Natan Eliovich Mrs. Maureen Ellenberg Mr. & Mrs. Steven A. Ellenberg Mr. & Mrs. Mark Emanuel Mrs. Mira Engel Mrs. Miriam Engel Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Entin Mr. Kenneth Epsman Mr. & Mrs. Burt Epstein Mr. & Mrs. Kirk Everett Mr. & Mrs. Tim Evjenth Mr. & Mrs. Efraim Eyal Ms. Linor Eylon 23
Dr. & Mrs. Clayton Feldman Mr. & Mrs. Robert Feldman Rabbi & Mrs. Joey Felsen Mr. & Mrs. James Fenner Rabbi & Mrs. Joshua Fenton Mr. & Mrs. Bryan Ferguson Mr. David Fernandez & Mrs. Lori Krauss Mr. & Mrs. Raul Fernandez Miss Florence S. Fiance
Dr. & Mrs. Joseph Fischer Mr. & Mrs. Doron Fishbin Mr. & Mrs. David Fisher Mrs. Judy Fisher Dr. Alan Fishman & Ms. Robin Mano Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Fishman Ms. Nesya Fishstrom Mr. & Mrs. Michael Fletcher Mr. & Mrs. George Forrester Mrs. Frieda Forster Mr. & Mrs. Brian Fox Mr. & Mrs. Larry Fox Mr. & Mrs. Marvin Fox Mr. & Mrs. Robert Fox Dr. & Mrs. Stephen Fox Ms. Barbara Frank Mrs. Dorothy Frankel Mrs. Harriet Frankel Mr. & Mrs. Steve Frankel Mr. & Mrs. David Franklin Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Frederick Mr. Abe Malaster & Mrs. Henne Fredkin Mr. & Mrs. Mark Fredkin Mr. & Mrs. Marshall Freiman Mr. Arthur Fried Mr. & Mrs. Gerald Friedland Mrs. Karen Friedman Ms. Varda Friedman Mr. & Mrs. Murry Frymer Mr. & Mrs. Vadim Furman
Gavi and Renee Fine with Judy Borah
Mr. Donald E. Field Mr. & Mrs. Edward Fields Mr. & Mrs. Robert Fils Miss Devora Fine Mr. & Mrs. Howard Fine Ms. Jeri Fink Mr. David Finkelstein Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Firsty
Mr. & Mrs. David Gaertner Mr. Martin Gandel Mr. & Mrs. Howard Gannes Ms. Jeanette Garretty Mr. Gerald Gassman & Ms. Suzanne Boxer-Gassman Mr. & Mrs. Lee Gavens Mr. & Mrs. Sherman Geeser www.jvalley.org
thank y u Ms. Lorrene Gelb Ms. Vlada Gelfond Mr. & Mrs. Michael Gerstley Mr. Adam Gerston
Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Greenberg Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Greene Dr. & Mrs. Wayne Greene Mrs. Ann Greenspan
“Another lesson I learned from our Jewish community along my way is that it is important to give back. When you can give, you should.” – Ruth Zaltsmann Dr. & Mrs. Larry Gerston Mr. & Mrs. Joel Gerston Mr. & Mrs. Arnnon Geshuri Mr. & Mrs. David Gilford Mr. Abe Gindi Mr. & Mrs. David Ginsborg Dr. & Mrs. Edward Gipstein Dr. & Mrs. Harry Glatstein Mr. & Mrs. Robert Glicksman Mr. & Mrs. Robert Gluck Mr. Daniel Goeschl & Mrs. Anne Dain Mr. & Mrs. Saul Golan Dr. & Mrs. Michael Gold Ms. Sarah Gold Mr. & Mrs. Arnold Goldberg Mr. Harold Goldberg & Mrs. Alisa Israel Goldberg Ms. Marjory Goldberg Mr. Robert Goldberg & Ms. Mary Golon Mr. Leonid Goldburd Mr. & Mrs. David Goldhaber-Gordon Mr. & Mrs. Alex Goldin Mr. & Mrs. Josh Goldman Mr. & Mrs. Leslie Goldman Mr. & Mrs. Mark Goldman Mr. Stanley Goldring Mr. & Mrs. Sheldon Goldsmith Mr. & Mrs. Hilton Goldstein Mr. & Mrs. Bert Goldstein Mr. & Mrs. David Goldstein Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Goldstein Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Goldstein Mr. & Mrs. Henry Goltz Mr. Stuart Goodgold Ms. Margie Goodman Mrs. Marian Goodman Dr. & Mrs. David Goorvitch Mr. & Mrs. Ed Gordon Mr. & Mrs. Ernest S. Gordon Ms. Ronnie Gordon Dr. Norman Gould* Dr. Robert S. Gould Mr. & Mrs. Melvin Grant Mr. & Mrs. David Graubart Mr. & Mrs. Arye Green Mrs. Joan Green Dr. & Mrs. Stephen Green Mr. & Mrs. Herman Greenberg www.jvalley.org
Mr. & Mrs. Howard Greyber Mr. & Mrs. Allen Guggenheim Ms. Ilya Gurin Mr. & Mrs. Alexander Gutman Mr. & Mrs. Clifford Gutterman Ms. Mimi Gutterman Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Hack Mr. & Mrs. Robert Hakim Mr. & Mrs. William Halper Mr. & Mrs. Michael Hamilton Mr. Philip Hammer & The Honorable Susan Hammer Mr. & Mrs. Nathan Handelsman Mr. & Mrs. Eugene Handloff Mrs. Andrea Harris Mr. & Mrs. David Harris Mr. James Hayward Mr. & Mrs. Fred Heiman Dr. & Mrs. Marshall Heller Mr. & Mrs. Doron Hendel Mr. & Mrs. Ariel Hendel Mr. & Mrs. Jason Henika Mr. & Mrs. Michael Herman Ms. Vivian Herman Mr. & Mrs. Vlado Herman Dr. & Mrs. Robert A. Hersch Mrs. Dinah Hess Mr. & Mrs. Randy Hess Dr. Robert Pearl & Ms. Jane Hiatt Mr. & Mrs. Arnold Hilde Mr. & Mrs. David Hirsch Mr. & Mrs. Lee Hirsch Mr. & Mrs. Lon Hitchcock Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Hittleman Mr. & Mrs. Seymour Hoff Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Hoffman Ms. Nancy Hoffman Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Hoffman Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Holtzman Mr. Lonnie Hordon Mr. & Mrs. Steven Hubert Dr. William Hubka Dr. & Mrs. Alfred L. Hurwitz Mr. & Mrs. David Hurwitz Mr. Jerry Hurwitz & Ms. Susan Borkin Mr. & Mrs. Walter Hurwitz Dr. & Mrs. Bruce Hyman
Ms. Helen Ibsen Mr. & Mrs. Dan Illowsky Mr. & Mrs. Elias Isaac Dr. & Mrs. Dov Isaacs Rabbi Debbie Israel & Mr. Jerry Dubin Ms. Brandy Ivener Dr. & Mrs. Stephen Jackson Mr. & Mrs. Gerald Jacobs Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Jacobs Ms. Tamar Jacobs Mr. & Mrs. Irwin Jacobson Mr. & Mrs. Jerome Jacobson Mr. Mark Jacobson Mr. Rambod Jacoby & Ms. Jessica Intrator Drs. Richard & Annette Jaffe Mr. & Mrs. Robert Jaffee Mr. & Mrs. David James Mrs. Maria Elena Jarson Mr. Steve Jay Mrs. Sarah Joelson Mr. & Mrs. Tom Johanix Dr. & Mrs. Ronald Joseph Mr. & Mrs. David Jurman Mr. & Mrs. Fred Just Dr. & Mrs. Eric Kagel
Evan Kass, Len and Sylvia Metz and Phil Kipnis
Mr. & Mrs. Harry Kahn Ms. Lori Kahn Mr. & Mrs. David Kalmus Mr. Jay Kamchi Mr. & Mrs. Berry Kane Dr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Kanel Ms. Janis M. Kanter Mr. Alfred* & Mrs. Lorie Kaplan Rabbi Steven B. Kaplan Mr. & Mrs. Warren Kaplan Mr. & Mrs. Ben Karni Ms. Mary Kasaris Mrs. Elizabeth Kass Mr. Evan Kass Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Katcher Mr. & Mrs. Avrum Katz Dr. & Mrs. Gary Katz Mr. Jonathan Katz & Ms. Shoshana Wolf Mr. & Mrs. Robert Katz 24
thank y u Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Katz Ms. Lillian Katzen Mrs. Rina Katzen Mr. & Mrs. Howard Katzman Mr. & Mrs. Stuart Katzman Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan Kaye Mrs. Jeff Kazarnovsky Mr. & Mrs. Gregg Kerlin Ms. Anna Khodosh Mr. Oleg Kidelev Mr. & Mrs. Richard King Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Kinsey Mr. & Mrs. Phil Kipnis Dr. & Mrs. Edward Kiss Mr. & Mrs. Keith Kitchen Mr. & Mrs. Bernard Klein Mr. Avi Hochberg & Ms. Marcia Klein Mr. Saul Klein Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Klein Esther and David Kletter Mr. & Mrs. Harvey Kohs Mr. & Mrs. Vladimir Kompelmakher Mr. & Mrs. Pavel Birman Mr. Aryeh Korthamar & Dr. Barbara Korthamar Mr. Bernie Kotansky Dr. & Mrs. David Kramer Mrs. Ruth Krandel Mr. & Mrs. Steven Krandel Mr. & Mrs. Alexander Krasner Dr. & Mrs. Bela Kraus Mr. & Mrs. Sidney Kraus Mr. & Mrs. Howard Krawetz Dr. & Mrs. Stuart Krigel Ms. Ella Krivopaltsev Mr. & Mrs. Neal Kuhn Mr. & Mrs. Vladimir Kukuyev Mr. & Mrs. Michael Kulakofsky Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Kulakow Mrs. Edith Kulstein Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Kushner Mr. & Mrs. Alan Kushnir Ms. Lyudmila Kutikov Mr. & Mrs. Edgardo Laber Mr. & Mrs. Carlos Laber Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Ladabaum Mr. & Mrs. Steven Ladowitz Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Landau Mr. & Mrs. Dan Lang Mr. Charles Rath & Ms. Stephanie Laszlo Mr. & Mrs. Gary Lauder Mr. & Mrs. Larry Lauro Mr. & Mrs. Richard Lavine Dr. & Mrs. Hal Lax Mr. & Mrs. Alexander Lazer Mr. & Mrs. Daniel J. Lee Mr. & Mrs. Norman H. Lehrer Mr. & Mrs. Morton Leiter Mr. & Mrs. Charles Leiter Dr. & Mrs. Elliot Lepler Mr. & Mrs. Stuart Lerner Mr. & Mrs. Oded Lerner 25
Dr. & Mrs. Max Lettween Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Levenfeld Mr. & Mrs. Meir Levi Dr. & Mrs. Edward Levin Dr. & Mrs. Gordon Levin Mr. & Mrs. Steven Levin Mr. & Mrs. Sydney Levin Ms. Roza Levina & Mr. Eugene Libman Ms. Gail Levine Dr. Howard Levine Mr. & Mrs. Tim Levine Mr. & Mrs. Joel Levine Mr. & Mrs. Mark Levine Mr. & Mrs. Raymond Levine Mr. Joe Vela & Mrs. Fay Levinson Dr. & Mrs. Martin Levitt Mr. & Mrs. Marc Levitt Mrs. Allison Levy Mrs. Gerry Levy Ms. Heather Levy Ms. Jacqueline Levy Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Levy Mr. & Mrs. Reuben Levy Mr. & Mrs. Stan Levy Mr. & Mrs. Eric Lewis Mr. Steve Leydiker & Ms. Leya Leydiker Dr. & Mrs. Richard Lichte Mr. Joseph Lieb Dr. & Mrs. Michael Liebermann Mrs. Linda Lindenbaum Mr. & Mrs. Brian Friss Ms. Rose Litvin Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Litwin Mr. & Mrs. Gerald Lopatin Mrs. Rita Loren Mr. Juval Lowy & Mrs. Dana Collins Mr. & Mrs. David Mahler Miss Anna Malkiel Mr. & Mrs. Morton Malkofsky Mr. Michael Malter Mr. & Mrs. Ron Maltiel Ms. Elizabeth Mandel Marc & Susan Mangel Mr. Gene Manheim Mr. & Mrs. Tom Marantette Mr. & Mrs. Joshua Roza Mr. & Mrs. Gavril Margittai Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Margolis Mr. David LeVine & Ms. Lisa Mark Mr. & Mrs. Mark Markovsky Mr. Jerold Marks Ms. Naomi Marks Ms. Caroline Marley Mr. & Mrs. Charles Marr Mr. & Mrs. Jay A. Maskell Mr. & Mrs. Shabtay Matalon Ms. Marsha Matheny Mr. & Mrs. Marty Mathios Mr. & Mrs. Steven Matusow Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Matzner Mr. & Mrs. William Mauskopf
Dr. Howard May & The Honorable Jamie Jacobs May Ms. Zena Mayer Ms. Marilyn Mayo Mr. & Mrs. Terry McMahon Ms. Rochelle McNamara Dr. & Mrs. George A. Mednick Mr. Andrew J. Melnick Mr. & Mrs. Herbert Meltzer Dr. Loren Mendel Mr. & Dr. William Menkin Mr. & Mrs. Leonard Metz Mr. Michael Mezheritsky Mr. & Mrs. Grant Michels
Geoff Jackson and Marci Gerston
Mr. & Mrs. David Mighdoll Mr. & Mrs. Dan Milgram Drs. Alan & Leta Miller Ms. Ellen T. Miller Mrs. Gayle Miller Ms. Golda Miller Mr. & Mrs. Steve Miller Mr. & Mrs. Steve Miller Ms. Yetta Miller Ms. Nili Mirande Mrs. Mila Miseneva Mr. & Mrs. Robert Mitchell Mr. Mahsoltan Moghtader & Ms. Jackline Morovati Dr. Jack Moore, Jr. & Mrs. Bonnie Slavitt Moore Mr. & Mrs. Jacob Moradzadeh Mr. & Mrs. Stephane Morali Ms. Karolyn Morovati Ms. Jennifer A. Morse Mr. & Mrs. Mikhail Movshovich Mr. & Mrs. Aleksandr Movshovich Mr. & Mrs. Richard Muirhead Mr. & Mrs. Ari Mukamal Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Muller Ms. Bianca Muller Mr. David Muller Mrs. Eleanore Murray www.jvalley.org
thank y u Dr. & Mrs. Sharon Mutchnik Mr. & Mrs. David Myron Mr. Lee Nackman Mr. John Nadler Mr. & Mrs. Claude Nahum Mr. Aaron Nankin Mr. & Mrs. Gary Nankin Dr. & Mrs. Ike Nassi Dr. & Mrs. Leon Neidleman Mr. & Mrs. Martin Newman Mr. & Mrs. Benyamin Neys Ms. Alice Nichols Mr. & Mrs. Kiyoshi Nishide Mr. & Mrs. Alan Nobler Drs. Rick & Arlene Noodleman Mr. & Mrs. Jacob Orrin Mr. Steve Orrin Dr. & Mrs. Lewis Osofsky Mr. & Mrs. Ray Osofsky Mr. & Mrs. Albert Ovadia Mr. Robert Ovadia Dr. & Mrs. Robert M. Panick Mrs. Beatrice Papo* Ms. Nicole Partida-Bartoni Ms. Naomi Pascale Ms. Catherine Pasek Mrs. Rita Pearl Dr. & Mrs. Dale Pearlman Mrs. Helen Pearlman Mr. & Mrs. Max Perlman
Renee and Jeff Kanel with Sarita Bronstein
Ms. Abby Baker Perr Mr. Khaim Pesin Mr. & Mrs. Boris Pevzner Mr. & Mrs. Richard Pickard Mrs. Ellen Pifer Mr. & Mrs. Arnold Pinck Mr. & Dr. Eric Platt Mr. & Mrs. Andy Pluemer Dr. & Mrs. Howard Pomerantz Ms. Linda Pomeranz Mr. & Mrs. Alan Portnoy Mr. & Mrs. David Porush Rabbi Daniel J. Pressman Mr. & Mrs. Harold Price Ms. Judith Propp www.jvalley.org
Dr. Paul Protter Drs. Jay Pruzansky & Judith Manzi Ms. Gladys Puopolo Mr. & Mrs. Norman Radin Mr. Dan Raicu Ms. Rhonda Raider Mr. & Mrs. Jussi Rajna Mr. & Mrs. Hy Ramm Mr. & Mrs. Martin Rattner Mr. & Mrs. George Rauchwerger Ms. Arlene Ravel Dr. Bernard Axelrad & Mrs. Sally Ravel Mr. Eli Reinhard Ms. Myra Reinhard Mr. & Mrs. David Reisner Dr. & Mrs. Ronald Remba Ms. Ethel Ress Mr. & Mrs. Emanuel Rhiner Mr. & Mrs. Gary Richman Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Riggio Mrs. Sylvia Riveness Mr. & Mrs. Victor Rivkin Mr. & Mrs. Paul Robbins Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Robinson Mr. & Mrs. Ray Rogoway Mrs. Anne Rosche Mrs. Jan Rose Ms. Fagie Rosen Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Rosen Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Rosenberg Mr. Jonathan Rosenberg & Ms. Beryl Grace Mrs. Ruth Rosenberg Ms. Sandra Rosenberg Mr. & Mrs. Sidney Rosenberg Ms. Eloise Rosenblatt Mr. & Mrs. Eric Rosenblum Mr. Jay Jennings & Dr. Tina Rosenblum Mr. & Mrs. Shachar Hadar Mr. & Mrs. James Rosenfeld Mr. & Mrs. Leonard Rosenthal Mr. & Mrs. Milton Rosenthal Mrs. Bobbie Ross Mr. Keith Rovin Mr. & Mrs. Stuart Rovin Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Rozansky Mr. & Mrs. Michael Rubenstein Mr. & Mrs. Dan Rubnitz Mr. & Mrs. Joel Rubnitz Mrs. Riva Rubnitz Mr. & Mrs. Allen Ruby Ms. Ilean Rudin Mr. & Mrs. Richard Rusnak Mr. & Mrs. Gregory Rutz Mr. & Mrs. Greg Ryder Mr. & Mrs. Uri Sabadosh Ms. Robin Sabes Ms. Sherri R. Sager Ms. Ruth Saldivar Mr. Marvin Cohn & Ms. Adele Salle Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Salowe Mr. & Mrs. Walter Saltzman
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Samuels Mr. Ron Sandel Ms. Christel Sanders Ms. Judith Sapper Mr. & Mrs. Harley Sauvage Mr. & Mrs. Morris Saxe Mr. Tim Schacher & Mrs. Debra Mendlowitz Mr. & Mrs. Wolfgang Schaechter
“Thank you for continuing to work towards our goal – to help Jews in the South Bay connect in new and meaningful ways” – Dr. Jeff Kanel Mr. & Mrs. Morey Schapira Mr. Lawrence* & Mrs. Connie Schein Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Scher Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Schiff Mr. & Mrs. Edward Schiffman Mrs. Marilyn Schilling Mr. Stephen Schleimer & Ms. Cyndi Sherman Mr. & Mrs. Steven Schlosser Mr. Leonard Schlussel Mr. & Mrs. Ralph H. Schmitt Dr. & Mrs. Michael Schneider Mr. & Mrs. Gordon Schneiderman Mr. & Mrs. Leonard Schreibstein Mr. & Mrs. David Schroit Mr. Michael Schultz Mr. Chet Lanctot & Mrs. Rachel Schwab Dr. & Mrs. Kenneth Schwaderer Mr. & Mrs. David Schwartz Ms. Michelle Schwartz Mr. & Mrs. Martin Schwartz Mr. & Mrs. Gadi Schwartz Mrs. Lillian Schwartzberg Mrs. Marilyn Sefchovich Dr. & Mrs. Mark M. Segall Rabbi Hugh Seid-Valencia & Ms. Tricia Creason-Valencia Mr. & Mrs. Abraham Seiden Mrs. Beverly Seligman Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Shakhman Mr. & Mrs. Loren Shalinsky Mr. & Mrs. Sam Shamoulian Ms. JoAnn Shank Cindy & Philip Shanker Dr. & Mrs. Jerome Shapiro Mr. & Mrs. Marshall Shapiro Mr. & Mrs. Neil Shapiro Mr. & Mrs. Steve Shapiro Mr. & Mrs. Alan J. Shapiro Mrs. Ann Sharon 26
thank y u
Steve and Susan Ellenberg
Ms. Rivka Shenhav & Ms. Renata Zalinznyak Mr. & Mrs. Martin Sherman Mr. & Mrs. Leonid Shkrab Mr. & Mrs. Bernard Shoopak Ms. Sima Shore Mr. Anatoly Shteynberg Mr. & Mrs. James S. K. Shulman Mr. & Mrs. David Shvarts Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan Siders Mr. Lawrence Siders Mrs. Harriet Siegel Dr. & Mrs. Jack Siegel Ms. Judith Siegel Mr. & Mrs. Barry Siegel Mr. & Mrs Michael Siegel Mr. & Mrs. Manfred Siegler Mr. & Mrs. Ronen Sigura Mr. & Mrs. Nathan Silberman Dr. & Mrs. Richard Silberstein Mr. & Mrs. Steve Imsen Mr. Simon Silin Mr. & Mrs. Jon Silver Mrs. Sandra Silver Drs. Martin & Pamela Silverman Dr. & Mrs. David Silverstein Mr. & Mrs. Seth Silverstein Mr. David Singer & Mrs. Diane Goldman Mr. Rick Singer Mrs. Judith Skopicki Mr. & Mrs. Ilya Slain Mr. & Mrs. Pavel Smolyanitsky Mr. & Mrs. David Snyder Dr. & Mrs. Mark Snyder Mr. & Mrs. Robert Snyder Dr. Richard Sogg Mr. & Mrs. John Solin Mr. Matthew Solnit Mr. & Mrs. Howard Solovei Mr. Scott Sommer Mr. Ira Scharfglass & Mrs. Jayne Sonnenschein Mr. & Mrs. Joe Spitzer Mr. & Mrs. Alan Spool 27
Dr. & Mrs. Alfred Sporer Mr. & Mrs. Michael Sprintz Mr. & Mrs. Sheldon Spungen Mr. & Mrs. Steven Stein Mr. & Mrs. Alan Steinberg Mr. Russell Steinweg Drs. Donald & Laura Stemmle Mr. & Mrs. Lee Stoian Mr. & Mrs. Henry Stokols Mr. & Mrs. Gerald Stoner Mr. & Mrs. Henry Stone Ms. Michal Strutin Mr. Peter Cocotas & Ms. Kathryn Sucher Mr. & Mrs. Milton Sugarman Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Sutton Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan Sweedler Mr. & Mrs. Sander Taboh Dr. Jesse Tannenbaum & Mrs. Yana Arnold Mr. Bill Province & Ms. Julie Tardos Mr. Howard Taub & Mrs. Vicky Deggs Mr. Tad Taube Mr. & Mrs. Charles Taubman Mr. & Mrs. Richard Tavan Mr. & Mrs. Paul Taylor Mr. Ricardo Telichevesky Mrs. Ellen Terrell Mr. & Mrs. Alfred Tesler Ms. Wendy Thowdis Dr. & Mrs. Steven Tilles Mr. Shelley Timmins Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Timpson Ms. Linda Tobias Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Tobin Mr. & Mrs. Philip Tobin Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Tobin Mr. & Mrs. Maurice Tofig Ms. Deborah Trevisan Mrs. Barbara Trisler Ms. Jill Troderman Ms. Elyse Tsfati Mr. Howard Turner & Mrs. Eileen Pasternack Turner Mrs. Glenda Uffer Mr. Peter Ullmann & Ms. Vicki Harrison Mr. Harold Unger Ms. Nancy Unger Mr. & Mrs. Avi Urban Ms. Luda Usvitsky Ms. Judith Vant Mr. & Mrs. Vladimir Vaynberg Ms. Rochelle Ventura Mr. Paul Streit & Ms. Emily Vinik Ms. Rochelle Vitcov Mr. & Mrs. Paul Walborsky Mr. & Mrs. Paul Overmyer Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Warwick
The Honorable & Mrs. Mike Wasserman Mr. & Mrs. Nathan Wasserman Gail & Sam Wasserman Mr. & Mrs. David Weinberg Mr. & Mrs. Steve Weinger Mr. & Mrs. Martin Weinstein Ms. Linda Weinstein Mr. & Mrs. Neal G. Weinstein Mr. & Mrs. Lenny Weinstein Mr. Byron Lilly & Ms. Nancy Weintraub Mr. & Mrs. Bernard Weinzimmer Ms. Sylvia Weiser Ms. Jodi Weisman Dr. & Mrs. Robert L. Weisman Mr. Jim Remmel & Mrs. Wendie Weisman Mr. & Mrs. Franklyn Weiss Mr. & Mrs. Alan Werba Mr. & Mrs. Arnie Wernick Mr. & Mrs. Kai Wessels Ms. Denise Weyl Ms. Cathie Whalen Mrs. Phyllis Wiener Mr. & Mrs. David S. Wiesner Mr. Marc Wiesner Mr. & Mrs. Dan Winter Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Wirt Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan Witkin Ms. Sheryl Witlin Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Wolf Ms. Yael T. Wolf Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Wolfe Mr. Dean Rossi & Ms. Kari Wolff Mr. & Mrs. Ron Wolk Mr. & Mrs. James Woodbury Dr. Harold Woron, O.D. Ms. Mira Yakir Miss Natalia Yco Mr. & Mrs. Todd Yellin Mr. & Mrs. Larry Yelowitz Mr. & Mrs. Igor Yevelev Dr. & Mrs. Jeff Young Mr. & Mrs. Phillip Yuste Mr. & Mrs. Mikhail Zaliznyak Mr. & Mrs. David Zalk Mr. & Mrs. Moshe Zaltsmann Ms. Ruth Zaltsmann Mr. & Mrs. Valeriy Zarayskiy Mr. & Mrs. Isaak Zaraysky Mr. Elias Zasloff Mr. & Mrs. Rich Zbriger Mr. & Mrs. Robert Zeidman Mr. & Mrs. Richard Olsen Mrs. Elise Zentner Mr. Gregory Shirin & Ms. Eugenia Zhornisky Mr. & Mrs. Richard Ziegler
Ms. Deborah Zimmer & Ms. Liz Shivell Ms. Selma Zinker Mr. & Mrs. Jerome Zis Mr. & Mrs. Joel Zizmor * of blessed memory
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Photos by Kamran Zahoori, Picture 2000, taken at the Federation’s Annual Meeting on June 26.
www.jvalley.org
SIMCHAS By Andrea Cohen Greyber
Births Refoel Jacobson, son of Hananya & Mindy Jacobson, of Lakewood, NJ was born on April 9 and weighed 7 pounds 6 ounces. He is the grandson of Rabbi David & Emily Jacobson of Los Angeles and Rabbi Yaacov & Cookie Lipsky of Baltimore, MD. He is the great-grandson of Dr. George & Grace Fox of Los Angeles and is the first great-grandchild of Congregation Sinai members Rita & Jerry Jacobson of San Jose. Lainey & Maurice Tofig of Congregation Beth David are pleased to announce the birth of their grandson Sawyer Lawrence Tofig, son of David & Keight Tofig and little brother to Siena Lorraine, 3½, and Violet Wren, 22 months. He was born on April 14 and weighed 7 pounds 11 ounces and was 20½ inches long. The bris was held on April 22 and his Hebrew name is Moshe. His other grandparents Colleen and Patrick Fahey of Omaha, NE are also thrilled with the new baby. Jessica Intrator & Rambod Jacoby of Congregation Sinai welcomed Eva Symone into their lives on May 12. She weighed 7 pounds 8 ounces and was 19¼ inches long. She was named for her paternal grandfather Ebi
Yaghoubi and her maternal greatgrandfather Szymon Intrator. Her Hebrew name is Chava and that is in memory of her great-grandmother Alma Chava Bamberger. Her grandmother Mahnaz Yahghoubi came up from Los Angeles and her grandparents Edmond & Eleanor Intrator of San Jose were on hand for the baby naming at Congregation Sinai on May 26.
Called to the Torah Hannah Katinsky, daughter of Jennifer & David Katinsky, was called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah at Congregation Sinai on May 5. She has just finished the seventh grade at C.T. English Middle School in the Santa Cruz Mountains. She enjoys playing volleyball and riding horses. Hannah has worked with animal rescue and really enjoys working with horses and other animals. As a part of her mitzvah project, she helped to make and serve meals at InnVision. She missed her grandmother, the late Cheryl Berman at her Bat Mitzvah, but was pleased that her grandparents, Dr. Leonard & Toby Berman and Jack & Delores Katinsky were with her for this wonderful occasion. Aaron Ross, son of Julie & Jay Ross, was called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah on May 12 at Temple Emanu-El. Aaron has one
brother, Matthew, 15. Aaron is a 7th grader at Fisher Middle School in Los Gatos. Aaron loves sports, especially lacrosse and basketball. He also enjoys theatre, singing and acting. His Torah portion, Parshat Emor, discusses special rules which Moses is to convey to the people of Israel. Aaron enjoyed sharing his Bar Mitzvah with his family and friends. Aaron’s grandparents, Ruth & Lawrence Ross and Sylvia & Michael Meltzer were delighted to be on hand for this special occasion. Adam Kagel, son of Eric & Pazit Kagel, was called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah on May 19 at Congregation Sinai. He will celebrate again in Israel at the Kotel on June 14. He has just finished the seventh grade at Fisher Middle School. He enjoys playing soccer and water polo and mountain biking. He plays the saxophone and is a big brother to Danielle, 10, who will enter the fifth grade at Yavneh Day School, and Oren, 7, who will be a second grader at Yavneh. Adam was very pleased to have his grandparents with him for his special day. Yona & Tamar Vider came from Israel and Ina & David Kagel were in from Los Angeles. For his mitzvah project he worked with handicapped children. Amy Mullenex, daughter of David & Ella Mullenex,
was called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah on June 2 at Congregation Sinai. Amy will enter the eighth grade at St. Andrews School and she is the older sister of Laura who is entering the fifth grade at St. Andrews. Amy plays softball, enjoys acting in plays at school, plays guitar and loves babies. She will be volunteering this summer as a mother’s helper at a day care center. She was very pleased to have her grandparents Yosef & Mira Lavovski of Ashdod, Israel and her grandmother, Noreen Mullenex of Rio Vista, CA, come for her special day. Noah Levinson, son of Randy & Jackie Levinson, was called to the Torah at Temple Emanu-El on June 16. He is a seventh grader at John Muir Middle School where he is in the Student Leadership class and the Psychology Club. Noah is the older brother of Elijah Levinson, 9, and the grandson of Shelley & Manny Marquis and Jon & Diane Levinson. He enjoys working out, reading and spending time with his friends and family. For his Bar Mitzvah project, Noah established everykidneedsahero. org, raising money to provide new comic books to local hospitals for young patients with chronic illness. He has a strong sense of social justice and is determined to make the world a better place.
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l cal news Engagements
New CEO of APJCC Arrives in August
Joanne & Harry Cornbleet of Congregation Beth David are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Jenny Cornbleet, to Mark Futterman. Jenny attended the University of Chicago where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music and also a Masters in teaching English. She is the author of “Raw Food Made Easy.” Her fiancée is the senior editor of Ed2Go, an online learning company which is a part of Cengage. He is the son of Ann Futterman who lives in Seattle. The couple lives in Oakland.
The Addison-Penzak JCC has announced that Nate Stein will be its new chief executive officer, starting August 9. Mr. Stein is currently the associate executive director of the Lawrence Family JCC in San Diego.
Please send announcements and photos to Andrea Greyber at agreyber@yahoo.com or phone her at (408) 377-6224
Mr. Stein has extensive experience running many areas of JCC operations. His background is especially strong in the areas of arts programming and youth programming, particularly summer camp.
reached by the JCC.
He is looking forward to becoming part of Silicon Valley’s Jewish community and to working with the APJCC staff. “I want to build on the programs that are currently going on,” he explained. “The existing programs are strong and solid. There are some programs I’d like to enhance. Judaic cultural arts, for one. Studies show the Jewish community really supports the arts and I think we could do more in that area. I’d like to build up the Jewish programming, possibly youth arts programs, and enhance the summer camp programming also.” He added that he also plans to reach out to segments of the community that are not currently
Laypeople are an important part of the process. “I’d like to get people more involved at the board and committee levels,” he said. “It’s the community’s JCC, so the question is, how do you want to use it?” Mr. Stein “grew up in the JCC.” As a child in Phoenix, Arizona, he attended his local JCC’s summer camp and after-school programs, enjoying model building and basketball. Later he was involved in JCC teen programs and BBYO, and became a camp counselor. “I loved camp. When I was at college (at the University of Arizona in Tucson) my goal was to become a camp director, and after college that’s what I did. Then the executive director of the JCC where I was working talked to me about making a career at the JCC, and I ended up going in that direction.” “I believe the JCC is truly what its name says. It’s the center of the Jewish community,” he added. “It’s critical to a thriving Jewish community to have a center… A place where there are no territorial issues, where members of all the synagogues, and members of no synagogue, can come together and feel comfortable.” “No two days at a JCC are the same. It’s exciting and fun. I get to meet great people and it’s just a thrilling experience to have.” The three factors that drew Mr. Stein to the APJCC were, first, the health and vibrancy of the APJCC. “It’s a great center with a great future,” he said. The second factor was the people. “Both the staff and laypeople and also the members that I met, made me feel so warm and welcomed. (This community) has the nicest people, the warmest people… and third, it’s a great place to live. Los Gatos is a beautiful community.” “I’m also excited to work on a campus,” he added, explaining that this will be his first opportunity to work on a campus with several different Jewish community organizations in the same location.
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As assistant executive director of the San Diego JCC, Mr. Stein is responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations, cultural arts, marketing, facilities and security, camps, inclusion programs, and programs for youth, teens, singles, single parents, adults, and senior adults. Prior to working at the San Diego JCC, he served in executive positions as director of Planning and Allocations for the United Jewish Federation of San Diego County, the executive director of the East County Jewish Community Center in San Diego, and executive director of the Jewish Federation of Hawaii. He got his start as a youth and camps director at the JCC of Greater Phoenix. When he’s not working, Mr. Stein enjoys cooking, is interested in wine, and is looking forward to exploring the Bay Area’s wineries. He also enjoys tennis and black-and-white film photography. Mr. Stein’s wife of 29 years, Lisa Stein, will stay behind in San Diego until the end of the coming school year so that their son Ben can finish his senior year in high school. Their son Danny will be a senior at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
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obituaries TYBIL KAHN
March 26, 1923 – May 4, 2012 Tybil Faithe Smith Kahn, 89, died peacefully at the Jewish Home of San Francisco with family at her bedside. A resident of San Jose since 1959, she was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba to Jenny and Isaac Smith. She often told of walking through the snow to get to school and about her family’s business of making and delivering Smith’s Corned Beef. After graduating from high school, she taught school in a rural Canadian town. She then enrolled at the University of Toronto and at the University of Chicago (MSW). She was very proud of her service to those in need as a social worker. She worked at Jewish Family Services, Agnew State Hospital, Santa Clara County Head Start and the Valley Medical Center. She later began a clinical psychotherapy practice, helping individuals and couples. A lifetime member of the National Assn. of Social Workers, she was active in its activities along with those of AAUW, University of Chicago alumni, Hadassah, Brandeis University Women, League of Women Voters and other community groups. A lifelong reader and proponent of Yiddish, Tybil taught the first Yiddish class offered at Stanford University and frequently taught and read Yiddish around the Bay Area. Her annual reading of a Yiddish poem at Kol Nidre services was a tradition at Congregation Beth David for decades. She was instrumental in founding the nursery school at Congregation Sinai, the South Peninsula Hebrew Day School and San Jose’s first Jewish Community Center. Tybil was married to Allan Kahn for 46 years until his death in 1996. She is survived by her children, David Kahn (Pam Grossman), Dr. Zevi (Karen) Kahn, Rabbi Yoel Kahn and Dan Bellm and grandchildren Benjamin, Rebecca, Adam, Rachel and Sarah. She is also survived by her sisters, Dorothy and Mickey, and numerous nieces, nephews and good friends in Canada, San Jose and San Francisco. The family suggests that contributions in her memory be made to Congregation Beth El, 1301 Oxford Street, Berkeley, CA 94707.
SONDRA PALLER January 9, 1931 – May 23, 2012
Sandy Paller passed away quickly and peacefully after a courageous battle with various illnesses. She died in the arms of her daughter Lori and had just enjoyed a visit with her sons Gary and Jonathan. Along with her own children, she helped raise two step-children and nine grandchildren all of whom she was very proud. Married to Marv Paller for 29 years, they enjoyed a life of boating, traveling and many friendships. After Marv passed away, Sandy enjoyed many loving years with her beloved partner Leo Rinsler.
Home of Peace Cemetery and Mausoleum Founded 1853
Owned and Operated by Temple Emanu-El South Bay Area’s only Jewish-owned Cemetery, Mausoleum and Columbarium Pre-Need Terms
Bob Basuino, Administrator
(408) 292-0939 cemetery@templesanjose.org
We don’t make a profit. We make a difference. Our non-profit status has its benefits. Particularly for the dozens of community organizations we support: local synagogues and their education programs, a camp to help families deal with grief, seniors’ programs and many, many others. At the end of the day, it’s a bottom line we’re proud of. So we ask that you consider Sinai Memorial Chapel – Chevra Kadisha in times of grief, as a way of honoring life.
Peninsula Office 777 Woodside Road, Suite C Redwood City (408) 297-3636 FD 1830
Wayne A. Rose FDIC insured Pre-need funeral arrangements available.
Peninsula-South Bay Director wrose@sinaichapel.org FDR 979
Sandy was an elementary school teacher, co-owner of a computer business, an active Samuel J. Salkin, Executive Director, FDR 3371 member of Congregation Beth David and president of the Brandeis National Committee’s local chapter. 30 www.jvalley.org
Jewish Professional Directory Attorneys Hoge, Fenton, Jones & Appel 60 S. Market St., Ste. 1400 San Jose, CA 95113 (408) 287-9501 plh@hogefenton.com www.hogefenton.com/hammer.html Specializing in complex family law matters. Certified Specialist in Family Law, State Bar of CA; Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.
David J. Hofmann
Hoge, Fenton, Jones & Appel 60 S. Market St., Ste. 1400 San Jose, CA 95113 (408) 287-9501 djh@hogefenton.com www.hogefenton.com/hofmann.html Specializing in commercial and residential real estate transactions & finance
David S. Howard
Hoge, Fenton, Jones & Appel 60 S. Market St., Ste. 1400 San Jose, CA 95113 (408) 287-9501 dsh@hogefenton.com www.hogefenton.com/howard.html Specializing in complex taxation, corporate strategy, and business succession planning; Jewish Federation Silicon Valley Financial Advisory Board.
Steven D. Siner
Hoge, Fenton, Jones & Appel 60 S. Market St., Ste. 1400 San Jose, CA 95113 (408) 287-9501 sds@hogefenton.com www.hogefenton.com/siner.html Specializing in complex business transactions, estate planning, and family business succession planning.
Eliana B. Weissman
Hoge, Fenton, Jones & Appel 60 S. Market St., Ste. 1400 San Jose, CA 95113 (408) 287-9501 ebw@hogefenton.com www.hogefenton.com/weissman.html Specializing in family law matters.
Lynne R. Snyder
101 Church St., Suite 7, Los Gatos, CA 95032 (408) 354-5590 Adoption, Custody, Dissolutions, Guardianship, Juvenile Court, Paternity
Shannon Stein
Law Offices of Shannon Stein 438 South Murphy Avenue Sunnyvale, CA 94086 (408) 774-9097 shannon@shannonsteinlaw.com www.shannonsteinlaw.com Family Law Attorney, specializing in dissolutions, child custody, child support, mediation, restraining orders, limited scope representation, post-judgement issues.
Timothy D. Widman
Carol Elias Zolla
16450 Los Gatos Boulevard, Suite 208, Los Gatos, CA 95032 Tel: 408-358-6900 carol@zollalawfirm.com www.zollalawfirm.com Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law. The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.
Dr. Itzhak Emanuel
27 Eucalyptus Lane San Rafael, CA 94901 Phone/Fax (415) 453-3899 Cell (415) 218-1295 All Life cycle ceremonies-special events, Spiritual Leadership; Cantorial-Liturgical skills; Hebrew-Jewish studies
Commercial Real Estate
Guggenheim Realty Group, Inc
595 Millich Drive, Suite 101, Campbell, CA 95008 (408) 871-8722 x222 Fax (408) 834-4959 www.guggenheimrgi.com Commercial Real Estate Management, Investments, and Leasing. Call us for your property management, leasing and sales needs. Allen Guggenheim & Gary Naillon
Dentist Dr. Zuri Barniv, DDS
1210 E. Arques Ave., Suite 200 Sunnyvale, CA 94085 (408) 733-1124 Barniv_Dental@yahoo.com www.Barniv-Dental.com Dr. Barniv is a university faculty member, practicing high-quality dentistry in a mercuryfree office with digital X-rays. Dentist speaks Hebrew.
Minda B. Parrish
14500 Big Basin Way, Suite D, Saratoga, CA 95070 (408) 741-3500 minda@parrishlaw.net Estate Planning, Probate, Elder Law
Events AMB Designs
(408) 942-0852 ambdsgn@pacbell.net www.ambdesigns.com Balloon & Event Décor • Any Occasion, we do it all! Call Amy Blach, your Event Designer
Promote your business or service in the Jewish Professional Directory! Call (408) 357-7512 or email elisa@jvalley.org.
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Werba & Davis Advisory Services, LLC 3055 Olin Ave., Suite 2000 San Jose, CA 95128 (408) 260-3109 (408) 423-0209 Fee-Based Portfolio Management since 1990. Securities offered through Loring Ward Securities Inc., member FINRA/SIPC
Minda Cutcher, MBA, Inc.
Financial Advocacy for Seniors 408-279-3269 (o) 408-318-0828 (c) www.mindacutcher.com minda@mindacutcher.com Helping families create and manage strategies to reduce healthcare costs, access benefits, decrease household expenses, pay bills and process mail.
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Real Estate
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Law Office of Derryl H. Molina
“Trust Your Trust to Us!” 1142 S. Winchester Blvd., Ste. B San Jose, CA 95128 (408) 244-4992 attderryl@comcast.net www.fulllifecareplanner.com Estate Planning, Probate, and Elder Law. Mediation Facilitor.
Alan Werba, CPA, CFP
Law Offices of Timothy D. Widman 101 Race St., Ste. 100 San Jose, CA 95126 (408) 288-6777 www.widman-immigrationlaw.com tdwidmanesq@comcast.net Immigration and Nationality Law
Christl Denecke
“Helping you plan for your family’s tomorrow at every stage of your life.” 1743 Pilgrim Avenue Mountain View, CA 94040 (650) 336-5185 Christl@DeneckePlanning.com www.DeneckePlanning.com Family Wealth Planning • Living Trusts • Special Needs Trusts • Estate Planning for Young Families Estate Planning for Non-Traditional Families
Financial Services
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Attorneys
Orna & Ruben Yomtoubian
408-253-2250 or 408-887-8239 888-Do0-Fees 888-360-3337 (Toll Free) Orna@ORNA.com www.ORNA.com Full Service Discount Commission Realty Broker/Owner BS, MS, MIS, Finance www.aDiscountRealty.com • 1% Listing Broker Commission • I pay all my Buyer’s Closing Costs* • Free Service to Jewish Organizations (Bet Kenesets) www.aDiscountMortgage.com • 30 Years Fixed Conforming No Fee Loan 3.875% APR • No Upfront Fees, No Fee Loans, $417K> Loan>$250K Real Estate #01098186, Mortgage #NMLS31413, Appraisal #AL029181
Senior Services Lyn Pasqua DELIVERED BY GRACE
Transportation and Shopping Service 408-590-5898 Personalized transportation service, serving seniors throughout Santa Clara and most cities in San Mateo County. Our service is tailored to meet your needs.
Tax Preparation & Representation Philip S. Levine EA, MBA Padgett Business Services Silicon Valley West Inc.
501 N. Santa Cruz Blvd. Ste. A Los Gatos CA 95030 (408) 402-3725 p_levine@smallbizpros.com www.siliconvalleywest.com Tax Preparation and Professional Representation before the IRS and CA FTB. A small business focus including corporations and partnerships as well as their owners and other professionals. We also welcome CA Registered Domestic Partner (RDP) returns as well as clients with international tax issues.
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The Strength of a People. The Power of Community.
We have the strength of a millennial of history. Our strength comes from the continuum of Jewish history of which we are a part. At the Jewish Federation, our values of compassion, charity, generosity and responsibility inspire us to improve the quality of life for people in Silicon Valley, in Israel and in over 70 countries every day. When we combine our efforts we are a powerful community, developing innovative responses to critical, often life-threatening issues. This is your opportunity to be part of a caring community that gives back. Support the Annual Campaign. To donate, go to www.jvalley.org or call 408.358.3033.
To learn more about the power of our community visit
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