Jewish Community News

News: September 2006

The Levy Family Campus one year later

One year has passed since the Gloria and Ken Levy Family Campus opened its doors to the public. In that short time, the building has transformed from an empty vessel to one teeming with life.

“This campus is truly everything we dreamed it would be,” said Jewish Federation CEO Jyl Jurman. “We took a real leap of faith that the campus would be successful, and we were right.” More

3COM founder Eric Benhamou
speaks at Jewish High Tech Society

Former 3Com and Palm chief executive officer Eric Benhamou stands at a podium on July 11 in a clean cut law office conference room in San Jose. He wears a tucked-in blue and white striped dress shirt and crisp trousers. After his arrival, the room quickly quiets to hear what this high-tech mogul has to say. More

Federation hires new SVYAD director

The Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley has hired Jonathan Berg, 25, as the new Young Adults Division director. Besides a stint at Krispy Kreme (it was kosher!) Jonathan has never worked outside of the Jewish community.

“At this point it’s my only marketable skill,” he deadpans. “I suppose I could get a job in the secular world but the idea of having to take a vacation day for Yom Kippur doesn’t really do it for me.” More

My once-in-a-lifetime experience

Jake was one of the 18 teens from the South Bay who traveled to Poland and Israel on the March of the Living.

On April 22, I embarked on what would be the most incredible, inspiring, emotional trip I have ever been on in my life, the March of the Living. Our group of South Bay teenagers started our profound terrible journey through Poland in the early morning darkness.

Plaszow came first—a littered, empty field, with retail shops built around it, anti-Semitic slogans graffitied on the rocks. A man walked his dog through the field, as if it were just a park. More

SVYAD changes leadership

Incoming Silicon Valley Young Adults Division presidents Shai Goldman, 28, and Ruth Zaltsmann, 27, have more in mind for SVYAD than just cocktail hours and annual ski trips. They want to cultivate future leaders for the South Bay Jewish community.

“In 20, 30 years, the old guard leadership of the Federation is going to be gone and who is going to be the new guard?” asks Goldman. Their answer: SVYAD members. More

Window into a widow's world

By Norma Slavitt

“I love you,” is something my husband and I told one another almost daily. Inseparable for 47 years, we took advantage of the simple pleasures of life: visits with the grandchildren, enjoying the theatre and opera, our daily walks, dining out with friends and a very close, loving relationship. Our life seemed right on track. He had been healthy all his life, and my husband’s father lived until the age of 97, so we looked to the future with great optimism. My husband planned to retire soon and we would grow old together still walking hand-in-hand at the age of 100. But our story did not have the storybook ending we envisioned. Two years ago, the doctor diagnosed my husband with cancer. From that time on, life would never be the same again. More

The 15th annual San Jose Jewish Film Festival begins in October

The 2006 San Jose Jewish Film Festival 15th season begins October 18 in downtown San Jose and runs through November 19. The films reinforce Jewish identity and help to educate on topical issues in Israel and throughout the world.

“These movies are a window into the Jewish world,” said Mark Levine, president of the Festival. Tickets can be purchased via the film festival Web site, www.sjjff.org, or by calling (800) 838-3006. All movies are shown at the Camera 12 Theater in downtown San Jose. More

Steve Greenberg takes on Jewish Federation presidency

Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley President Steve Greenberg is a no nonsense, straight shooter, tell it like it is kind of guy. And sometimes that means saying nothing.

“Sometimes you’ll see me sitting here, looking like this (chin rested on fist), and you may think I’m not paying attention,” Greenberg says, “but I am. I just don’t say something until I have something to say.”
When he does speak, Greenberg doesn’t waste time or mince words. “I will do what I believe is the right thing to do, whether it makes me liked or not,” Greenberg says. More

Nearly 500 brave sweltering heat to support Israel in San Jose rally

Nearly 500 people took on the 100 degree heat in downtown San Jose on Sunday, July 23, to participate in an Israel Solidarity Rally. Waving Israeli flags and guzzling complimentary water, the group cheered the often-repeated message: We must stand with Israel!

The rally was convened by the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley, and coordinated by the Jewish Community Relations Council, Israeli Consulate (Pacific Northwest Region) and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). More

Cease fire doesn't mean cease help

I am writing this article on the fifth day of a tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. The fragile promise for peace lingers in the air with questions for the future still unanswered. There is still no word on the kidnapped soldiers, Hezbollah will not disarm and we have lost much in Israel. Major portions of the north of Israel are still on fire as a result of the barrage of missiles. With these scenes as a backdrop, Israelis – Jews, Arabs and Druze – are returning to their neighborhoods to assess the damage to their property and to account for friends and family. While the war was raging, the saying for Israelis was “hazak v’ ematz” – be strong and resolute. Now, in the aftermath of the war, Israelis are back to the process of democracy and debate, and it is time for us to take up that motto. We need to be strong and resolute – and steadfast in our support of Israel. More