jvalley.org | jewish community news

Jewish Community News

Newsbriefs: December 2006

Mitzvah projects for families,
chavurot or youth groups

For many isolated seniors who live in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, JFS volunteers are their main connection to the Jewish community. You can help by adorning the walls of senior facilities with Hanukkah decorations and/or delivering Hanukkah food and gift packages during the week of December 11. These are great mitzvah projects for families, chavurot, and youth groups! To get involved contact Marilyn at 357-7453 or marilynp@jfssv.org.

Yavneh parenting Workshops

Yavneh Day School is hosting a series of parenting workshops open to all community members. Geared primarily to parents of school age children and “tweens,” the workshops address the joys and challenges of these important years. Upcoming workshop topics include “Creating Resilient Families” on Wednesday, Dec. 13; “Keeping Your Kids Internet Safe and Smart” on Wednesday, Jan. 10; and “Effective Communication Strategies with Children,” on Jan. 17. All talks will be held from 7-9 p.m. at Yavneh Day School. Space is limited and advanced reservations are required. Each workshop is $5 per person. Yavneh Day School parents may attend free of charge. For more information or to RSVP call Yavneh Day School at (408) 984-6700.

SBI havdallah & learning night Feb. 24

The South Bay Institute of Jewish Living and Learning will host a free evening of learning and socializing called “Jewish Learning: The Spice of Life!” The evening will feature more than ten classes with rabbis and teachers from the South Bay Jewish community, as well as a community Havdallah and Oneg. Save the date for this free event, Saturday, February 24, 2007, 7-10 p.m., at the Addison Penzak Jewish Community Center in Los Gatos. For more information, visit www.svjcc.org or contact Susan Sataloff, at susan@svjcc.org or (408) 357-7438.

Knitzvah Corps “Lapghan” Hanukkah Wrap-Up

Calling all knitters! Join the Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley Knitzvah Corps on Sunday, December 3, at 10:30 a.m. to put the last touches on the 300 lap-ghans going to seniors as Hanukkah gifts. Bring your Hanukiah for a teaching and exploration of this tradition. This event will be held at the JFS office, Suite #202 on the Levy Family Campus. RSVP to auntbarbara@comcast.com.

Knitzvah Corps “Lapghan”
Hanukkah Wrap-Up

Hillel beach clean up Havdallah & BBQ

Preschool Open Houses at SPHDS

South Peninsula Hebrew Day School’s Gan Aviv Preschool will be holding open houses on Sunday morning, January 21, from 10 – 11:30 a.m. and on Wednesday evening, February 28, at 7:30 p.m., at the school’s Sunnyvale campus, 1030 Astoria Drive.
Sunday morning’s open house is a family event. Families will visit classrooms and hear teachers speak about the class curriculum. Activities will be available for children and a light bagel brunch will be served. The open house on Wednesday evening, February 28, is for parents only.

At each open house parents will have the opportunity to learn about the school’s philosophy and curriculum areas, including the specialized 2-year-old program; the new Hebrew language program for 3-year-olds; the kindergarten readiness activities for the 4 year olds; and the new dynamic Young 5’s program. Gan Aviv hours are from 8:30 - noon and the Young 5’s hours are 8:30 - 1 p.m.; both programs offer enrichment classes and day care options as late as 5:30 p.m. To RSVP contact Gan Aviv Director, Barbara Goldstein, at barbara.goldstein@sphds.org or call (408) 738-3060.

Friday Night Live On February 2 at Shir Hadash

Shir Hadash invites the community to Friday Night Live!, on Friday, Feb. 2 at 8 p.m. Enjoy the music of Cantor Felder-Levy, the Shir Hadash Choir, and instrumental accompanists. This service, composed by Craig Taubman, offers an expanded idea of Shabbat music! Instrumentalists and choir members are needed and welcomed. Musicians may contact Cantor Felder-Levy at cantor@shirhadash.org or (408) 358-1751 x8.

Hadassah retreat February 23 - 25

Sharone Hadassah is hosting its 2007 Annual Educational Kallah at Asilomar, a tranquil retreat center in Monterey. Nitzhika Shaked will be the scholar-in-residence and guest speaker for the weekend. Born and raised in Jerusalem, Shaked holds a law degree from the University of Jerusalem and a Masters degree from Harvard Law School. Shaked is passionate about Jewish studies and lectures at Leurhaus, San Francisco State University, and other Bay area groups. She is writing a book on the legal aspect of the trial of Jesus.

The theme for the Asilomar Retreat is “Discover Israel.” Shaked will lead four sessions: A timeline history of Israel, the political and judicial systems in Israel (which she will compare to the U.S. systems), Jerusalem, its place in Jewish history and our time, and human rights in Israel. In addition, Cantorial Intern Meeka
Simerly will lead the Saturday afternoon session on Israeli and Jewish music and an evening Kumsitz. For a registration form, go to http://www.cpcr.hadassah.org. Contact Nurit Jacobs at (408) 257-8430 or Nurit95070@aol.com for additional information.

Art of Jules Halfant in Los Gatos January 28

Shir Hadash will host a guided docent tour of the art of the late Jules Halfant on January 28, at 2 p.m., at the Art Museum of Los Gatos. Mr. Halfant was an award-winning artist who produced more than 1,000 canvasses, several hundred monotypes and hundreds of
charcoal, watercolor and pen-and-ink drawings. Halfant was
responsible for the art direction and design of several Joan Baez
album covers and is credited with designing the Bob Dylan 1963 Town Hall NYC Concert handbill and much more. For more information call Shir Hadash at (308) 358-1751.

SPHDS ice cream social and open house October 29

Families of children entering Kindergarten in September 2007 are invited to an open house/ice cream social at South Peninsula Hebrew Day School on Sunday, October 29, from 3-5 p.m at 1030 Astoria Drive in Sunnyvale.

The program will include arts and crafts, games with the school’s physical education instructor, a tour of the campus, a visit to the library, and hands-on fun in the Benhamou Computer Center led by SPHDS' computer teacher.

To RSVP, or for further information, please call Director of Early Childhood Education Barbara Goldstein at (408) 738-3060 or email: barbara.goldstein@sphds.org.

Hanukkah Boutique at Emanu-El
November 12

Favorite and new vendors will be featured at Temple Emanu-El’s Hanukkah boutique, scheduled for Sunday, November 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Whether your list of needs includes personalized items, selected Judaica or jewelry and gift items from Israel, you are sure to find the perfect gift. Lunch, children's activities and more will round out the day's activities. For more information on the boutique or to sign up as a vendor, contact the Temple office at 292-0939 or Candy Halbig, boutique chair, at chalbig@sbcglobal.net.

Author to speak about growing up in a Jewish-Arabic family in America

Author Jack Marshall will speak at Congregation Beth David on Thursday, November 9, at 7:30 p.m. In his memoir, he explores the expulsion of Arabic-speaking (Sephardic, or Mizrachi) Jews from Spain in 1492, and their scattering into Muslim countries, including the difference in treatment by their host monarchs from their European (Ashkenazic) counterparts, and their emigration to America during the Depression. In America, they comprised an insular minority within a minority, keeping their Old World customs and language and rigorously observing their ancient Jewish laws and traditions, while adjusting to the demands of earning a living and raising their families in the New World.

Besides the memoir, “From Baghdad to Brooklyn,” Marshall has published ten volumes of poetry and received several awards. He has been a writer-in-residence and taught at the University of Iowa Writers Workshop, San Francisco State University, University of Hawaii, and UC Davis. Book sales and signing will follow the lecture. This talk is part of the Conversations in Jewish Learning (CJL) lecture series, and is free to members and CJL partners; a $5 donation is requested from non-members. For more information please call 257-3333.

News

Features

Information

OpenCube Drop Down Menu (www.opencube.com)