T uesday, July 28, 2020. Issue 27.
Safe! Clean! Fun!
We open in just one month, so please register your preschoolers by Tuesday, August 4 . Space is limited.
We'll be ready for your little ones with a cheerful staff and lots of fun activities!
Classes start August 25th.
Fun Fact

They say these are The Dog Days of Summer...
Apparently the phrase The Dog Days of Summer does not refer to pooches sweltering through a long, hot summer's day, nor is it about footlong hot dogs at county fairs. Rather, the referenced dog is the "dog star" Sirius and its unique position in Late July (now) when Sirius appears to rise just before the sun. The ancient Greeks and Romans expected this astronomical event to coincide with the hottest days of the year. Thus, long, hot summer days are still known as the dog days.

Fortunately, we're here in Marin, and Weather Underground forecasts the next ten days for nice, temperate, mid-70s weather.
Cultural Arts & Trips
DESTINATION
Cambodia: Hidden Treasure of Southeast Asia
 Still Traveling:
Captivating Cambodia
Mondays, August 10 - 31 11:00am to 12:00pm
via Zoom
Are you itching to travel? Now you can...without ever leaving your home!

Join us from the comfort of your armchair for our new Still Traveling series. We'll visit the fascinating and often overlooked Kingdom of Cambodia.

Forget the long, masked airplane ride. We'll travel across time zones via Zoom on these fun, live, guided group tours.

At each destination, our local, professional guide, Tek, will tell us about his fabulous country. These hour-long classes will include live Q&A, photos, and video clips (when available).

And if you'd like, stay after class to talk informally with other travel lovers.

Don't miss these rich, interesting, and beautiful multi-layered experiences.

  • The Great Angkor Civilization (August 10)
  • Pagodas and Spiritual Life (August 17)
  • Phnom Penh: Vibrant Capital, Turbulent History (August 24)
  • Traditional Wedding Customs (August 31)

Fee
$40 for four classes
$15 for a single class
Your ticket purchase helps support our guest guides.
Advance EventBrite registration required no later than noon (PDT) on the Sunday before the class.

Questions? Email me at  jsokol@marinjcc.org.
Adult Learning & Living
DISCUSSION
Baffled by Your Viewing Choices?
With virtually unlimited streaming television and web sources, how do you choose what to watch? Here's your chance to share and compare your favorite television programs, movies, mini-series, and shows that surprised you.

Join Danielle Vierra for some cozy conversation and uncover entertaining, engaging, educational, and uplifting treasures you may have missed.
Whatcha Watchin'?
Wednesday, July 29 — 1:00 to 2:00pm
via Zoom

Advance registration required. A minimum of five registrants are required by 10am on Wednesday, July 29.
You will automatically receive an email confirmation. If the email is not in your inbox, please check your “junk” or “spam” folders. Still no confirmation? Please re-register making sure to enter the correct email. Still no confirmation? Please contact Danielle at dvierra@marinjcc.org.
Thanks to our donors, this program is free!
VIRTUAL CLASSES
Free Zoom Training Ends Friday!
Don't miss your final opportunity to be a Zoom expert. Our last training session is Friday, July 31.

Take a look at our Learning Zoom webpage for easy step-by-step manuals, and register for our final, live online practice sessions.

Advance registration required. Zoom classes require a minimum of five registrants by 10:00am on the Friday morning of the program.
Thanks to our donors, these sessions are free!
Special Event

LIVE AND ONLINE
A Must-See Free Show!

Transcendence Theatre Company's popular "Broadway Under the Stars" has transitioned to "Best Night Ever" for Summer 2020.

Join us on August 16 as we partner with Transcendence Theatre Company as their Nonprofit Partner for their free online performance of I Hope You Dance. With this partnership, 10% of all online donations that Transcendence receives on the August 16 show date will be donated back to Osher Marin!
Youth
Nurture the Artist in Your Child
Every child has a little van Gogh or Picasso inside.

There's an easy way for your children to create their own masterpieces. First, use this photo for inspiration. The artwork is made from recycled materials—primarily egg cartons. Cool, right?

Add a dash of creativity and then upload their creations to Facebook. And don't forget to tag us so we can see them.

Since we can't visit a museum right now, I challenge you to create your own museum at home filled with your children's artwork.
Jewish Peoplehood
Mayim Mayim Popular in Japan
What do Jewish folk culture and Studio Ghibli, the iconic Japanese animation film studio, have in common? More than you can imagine.

Dive into the surprising history of how a popular Hebrew folk song, Mayim Mayim, is woven into the fabric of Japanese culture.

Trace the origins of a rise in folk culture in the 1930s Middle East, giving way to the popularity of folk dancing as an international phenomenon.
See how these songs and folk dances have been assimilated into other cultures in some fascinating ways.

Have fun teasing out the threads of this Jewish cultural mash-up!
Jewish Engagement
Fond Farewell
All good things must end, including my time at the Osher Marin JCC.

Reflecting back on my 11 years with the JCC, I am filled with gratitude for having the opportunity to contribute to enriching Jewish life in Marin County.

We've learned and grown together here and in Poland, Spain, Argentina, and Cuba.

When I responded to the job description in 2009, it was for a Rabbi or Ph.D. in Jewish studies. I am neither. Yet, I was honored to win senior management's trust and build and grow a department that continues to present compelling programs for adults and families.

As I move on to explore other pursuits, I will remain active in making Marin County an ever more welcoming place for all. A place where we celebrate our differences and share the wisdom and traditions of our heritage.

L'hitraot and be well.
EDITOR'S NOTE:

Dear Joanne: Your colleagues wish you every joy in your next chapters—which we expect will become riveting bestsellers. Your wisdom, friendship, leadership, and creative teaching talents will be greatly missed. Sad for ourselves, but happy for you and your new beginnings.

Thank you for your years of service to Osher Marin JCC!
Entertainment
ENJOY
Eccentric Characters Delight and Thrill on Film!
This medium loves a good madman or madwoman! Let’s not say exactly mad , but certainly different, individualistic , or non-conformist .

Eccentric is defined as a person with unconventional views or behavior, often living outside of society norms. I had a mother who had many qualities of two great movie eccentrics: Auntie Mame and Maude (from Harold and Maude ). Some of my favorite films celebrate just this kind of person!
A Thousand Clowns (1965)
This film is based on Herb Gardner’s hit play about a former TV comedy writer who turns his back on the rat race, retreating to his Manhattan apartment. He lives happily with his nephew as a post-modern idealist and hilarious guy, reminding his neighbors that life is about freedom. Everything changes when social workers come onto the scene and our hero must come to grips about the world he lives in. Jason Robards is brilliant as he recreates his Broadway performance. Martin Balsam won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar as his worried brother. Barry Gordon is touching as the nephew who hopes to stay with his unusual uncle.
The King of Comedy (1982)
An example of a dangerous eccentric, this movie is a brilliant drama by Martin Scorsese. Rupert Pupkin (Robert De Niro) is a disturbed but passionate comic, determined to find the spotlight. His hunger for fame and success leads him to obsess about his own hero (Jerry Lewis). Ultimately, Lewis is kidnapped by Pupkin and his deranged friend (Sandra Bernhard). A remarkable statement on celebrity worship and our media culture, it is both controversial and powerful. Lewis is subtle (not a word usually associated with him!) and gives a deeply personal performance.
Harvey (1950)
An unforgettable and kind gentleman, Elwood P. Dowd, is played brilliantly by James Stewart. This is Stewart's favorite film. It's a whimsical comedy based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Mary Chase. Dowd is attached to his best friend, a six-foot, three-and-a-half-inch rabbit named Harvey. Dowd isn't hurting anyone in his opinion and is extremely kind to family and friends. He and Harvey become a catalyst for the new understanding of a wounded family and an unlikely romance. You might find your own "Harvey" after this beautiful film.
Crumb  (1994)
This strange documentary comedy-drama is about an artist and his family. Robert Crumb is a noted underground cartoonist with popular characters like Fritz the Cat, and his "Keep On Truckin'" theme song. Director Terry Zwigoff gets into the dark subconscious of Crumb's mind and work, showing us a complex world of trauma and talent. Very well made and detailed. It's one weird film, but then again, so is its subject!
You Can’t Take It With You (1938)
Recently seen on Turner Classic Network, the movie is fresher and funnier than ever. This Kaufman-Hart play is perfectly translated to film in all its madcap glory. A New York family lives by its own rules, from ballerinas to Russian health fanatics to inventors. When the daughter meets up with an aristocrat, he decides to try and loosen up his uptight rich parents with her lovely, completely non-conformist family. Frank Capra cast this charming movie perfectly with James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Lionel Barrymore, and Ann Miller. It's one of my all-time favorites.
Of course, there are many great movies in this genre: Being There, The Ruling Class, Dr. Strangelove, Gray Gardens, Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory…the list goes on.

Search for these eccentric films on Google.
Expect Issue 28 on Tuesday, August 4.  
Stay well, Friends. We miss you!