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Jewish Community News

Newsbriefs: June 2007

Kol Tefillah finds home

For 13 years, traditional Congregation Kol Tefillah (Voice of Prayer) has been renting space from Unity Temple every Saturday morning and Jewish holiday. Starting May 20, Congregation Kol Tefillah (Voice of Prayer) settled in its new home at 200 Washington Street in downtown Santa Cruz near Depot Park and the Municipal Wharf.

Kol Tefillah was formed in 1994 to offer traditional Hebrew Shabbat prayer services, educational activities for children and adults, and holiday celebrations. The congregation is lay-led: without the help of a paid rabbi or staff, members of the congregation lead the weekly services, read from the Torah, and teach each other. Affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism movement, Kol Tefillah offers men and women equal leadership opportunities.More information about the congreg-ation may be found by calling (831) 457-0264 or by going to the congregation's website at www.koltefillah.org.

Chai House launches website

Chai House, the South Bay's only Jewish-sponsored retirement community, has launched its first-ever website this month at www.chaihouse.org. The website offers information, photographs and social event listings for prospective residents and their family. Chai House apartment rentals include Kosher dinners, five-night-a-week, an on-site concierge and many social and cultural programs and activities. Readers are invited to visit the website to learn more about Chai House, or call (408) 947-1818.

Help wanted

The Silicon Valley Holocaust Sur-vivors Association is seeking a Holocaust Programs Outreach and Activities Coordinator. This is a contract position averaging 40 hours per month which includes one Sunday morning a month. Primary responsibilities include editing, publishing and distributing a monthly outreach newsletter and coordinating volunteer supported social wellness activities for Survivors, their families and friends. Microsoft program applications and web fluency required.

Please send resume with cover letter to: Search Committee, Silicon Valley Holocaust Survivors Association, P.O. Box 20274, San Jose, CA 95160.

Federation Annual Meeting July 9

The Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley will hold its Annual Meeting on Wednesday, July 10 at 6 p.m. poolside at the Levy Family Campus. The new slate of officers will be installed and Federation President Steve Greenberg will deliver an annual update on Federation. Dinner will be served for $10-per-person. For more information call Arielle Hendel at (408) 357-7501.

Shir Hadash wins award

Congregation Shir Hadash was recognized in April by the Union for Reform Judaism as an "Irving J. Fain Award Winner" for Outstanding Synagogue Social Action Programming. The award was given in acknowledgement of Shir Hadash’s Healthy Living Fair, which delivered health care services to hundreds of uninsured or under- insured residents in Silicon Valley.

The Fain Awards were presented in Washington, D.C., to Elizabeth and David Karpf MD, co-chairs of Shir Hadash's 2006 Healthy Living Health Fair. The Fain Awards were established in 1983 in the honor and memory of Irving J. Fain, a passionate proponent of social justice and of the Reform Movement’s active commitment to tikkun olam. This award is given every two years to congregations whose work in the area of social justice is exemplary and have successfully involved large numbers of congregants in their programs.

Hillel wins award at SJSU

Hillel's Jewish Student Union at SJSU was recognized as the "Most Outstanding Religious/Spiritual Group" on campus. The award was one of eighteen awards given to 125 nominees by Student Involvement.In addition to weekly celebrations of Shabbat and Jewish holidays, the JSU and Hillel have offered a variety of Israeli/Jewish cultural events, speakers, and a full week of Holocaust and Other Genocides programming. JSU members have visited Israel on birthright and missions, gave back to the community through social action projects, and enjoyed ski, camping, and beach trips.

"It's nice to be recognized by the university even though there have been some hostile moments on campus," said Amir Margittai, Jewish Student Union president.

"We worked really hard this year to bring programs to reach out to the entire campus community as well as the Jewish students."

Sinai Nursery School changes directors

Congregation Sinai has hired Miki Gurantz as its new nursery school director, and Monique Alexander as assistant director. Both Jewish educators have taught and been part of the San Jose Jewish community for many years.

Gurantz and Alexander will replace Tsilla Brafman, who is retiring after 10 years as Sinai Nursery School director.

Miki Gurantz has been with the Sinai Nursery School since 2000, first as a teacher and then as assistant director. In 2004, she received the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Award for Excellence in Jewish Education. Monique Alexander started teaching at Sinai Nursery School in 1997, and also teaches at Congregation Beth David's religious school. Recently she co-taught an adult education course at Sinai entitled Being a Jewish Parent and Grandparent which focused on the book, "The Blessing of the Skinned Knee." For more information about Sinai Nursery School call (408) 264-8486 or visit www.sinainurseryschool.org.

SPHDS Report Card!

South Peninsula Hebrew Day School has several exciting announcements. SPHDS recently received full accreditation by the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS).

The school has hired Ms. Melissa Lee as Dean of Academic Studies. Lee comes to SPHDS from the Bentley School, a premier independentschool where she held the position of assistant Head of School. Ms. Lee will be responsible for both curriculum and faculty in the General Studies Department.

South Peninsula Hebrew Day School is proud to report the college acceptance list of its 2003 graduates. After attending various Jewish and secular high schools throughout the South Peninsula, college acceptances include U.C. Berkeley, Cornell University, Stanford University, Sarah Lawrence, SUNY-Buffalo, Boston University, New York University and University of Southern California. Mazel Tov! SPHDS is also proud to report the continued Jewish interest of its graduates. Out of the nine 2007 graduates, six students chose to continue their Jewish education at Kehillah Jewish High School, and a seventh student will be going to Israel.

Volunteers needed to visit isolated seniors

Jewish Family Services pairs volunteers in the community with isolated seniors living at home or in a facility. Interested volunteers will be matched with a senior based on similar needs and interests and will spend an hour or two per week doing simple gestures of caring. Training and supervision are provided by JFS staff. For more information contact marilynp@jfssv.org or call (408) 357-7453.

Yavneh teacher receives Diller award

Shirley Goldstein, long-time teacher at Yavneh Day School, has been awarded the Helen Diller Family Award for Excellence in Jewish Education.

Goldstein has arranged many special programs including student visits to the senior Jewish residential home Chai House, leading a student "knitzvah" group, and encouraging students to organize fundraisers for causes such as Hurricane Katrina. Goldstein will receive a $5,000 prize, and Yavneh will receive a $1,250 institutional award. Goldstein and her fellow Diller Award educators will be honored on Thursday, June 7, 2007 at 4:30 p.m. at the Annual Meetings of the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco and the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley.

Dr. Kronish to speak at Shir Hadash July 27

Dr. Ron Kronish will speak on "The Other Peace Process: The Role of Interreligious Dialogue in Israel and the Middle East" on Friday, July 27 during the 8 p.m. Shabbat Service at Congregation Shir Hadash.

Dr. Kronish is a rabbi, founder and director of the Interreligious Coordinating Council in Israel (ICCI). He lectures to the Israel Defense Forces, teachers, and visiting Jewish, Christian and interreligious groups. In addition, he has been a scholar-in-residence in universities and communities across the United States, Canada and Europe and in the Far East. Dr. Kronish is the editor of "Towards the Twenty-first Century: Judaism and the Jewish People in Israel and America." In addition, he has recently edited two books of essays: "Toward the Third Millennium" and Pilgrimage in a New Millennium. He lives in Jerusalem with his wife Amy.

Senior "Shabbat Lunch" program

Join the APJCC for a Shabbat-style lunch and lecture with Rabbi Joshua Fenton every other Friday. These kosher-catered lunches will begin Friday, July 20 from 12-1:30 p.m. and be held at the Levy Family Campus, 14855 Oka Road in Los Gatos. For more information contact Elyse Gerson (408) 357-7438. $4/members, $5/non-members.

Shir Hadash senior group

Freilache Menschen, the seniors group that has been meeting at Congregation Shir Hadash for 10 years, has grown to some 110 members, with monthly programs attracting 60 people or more.

The group meets at 11:30 a.m. the third Thursday of each month, giving local seniors the chance to visit, eat lunch and hear a speaker or program.

Freilache Menschen programs have included topics and presenters including: Heidi Emberling, presenting her own story both live and on video along with her movie, "Tangled Roots;" Julie Ellis from the Jewish Partisans Association; Rose Levine, docent at the Magnes Museum, presenting "Gold Fever the Sequel;" and each of Shir Hadash's clergy on such topics such as: the Rabbinic construction of masculinity, Yiddishe Lidelache and Arab-Jewish dialogue.

Friends and family are invited to participate, and asked to make a $3-5 donation towards the cost of lunch. Dessert is brought in by the alternating half of the group in attendance. For more information on Freilache Menschen, contact Shir Hadash at (408) 358-1851.

Local adults graduate from Melton School

The first 35 graduates of the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School, an adult Jewish school held at the Gloria and Ken Levy Family Campus, will be honored celebrants on Wednesday, June 13. They have completed the two-year course and will receive their Certificates of Jewish Study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The courses are taught by South Bay rabbis and educators. The school explores deeper issues and questions of life through the lens of Jewish tradition and law. This celebration will take place in the APJCC Auditorium.For more information about this event and/or the Melton program, email Dottie Miller at MeltonSV@aol.com or Vickie at (408) 357-7439.

Jewish widow/widowers group

The Widow / Widowers group that meets at the APJCC is proud to announce the celebration of the group's first anniversary in September with a gala celebration. The group started last September with only a handful of people. Today, more than 50 people have requested information or participated in the group.

Summer plans include a luau at the JCC complete with Hawaiian entertainment. Wednesday meetings, held at the JCC, are designed to enrich and enhance the lives of active senior men and women who have lost a spouse. Meetings and programs are open to everyone. For more information please contact Norma Slavit at (408) 253-7200.

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