Tuesday, May 12, 2020. Issue 16.
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This week we welcome a new contributor to our Virtual JCC. Many of you already know
Jan Wahl
as a Bay Area celebrity, broadcast journalist, and film critic. She is also a friend of the Osher Marin JCC, and she joins us here to recommend entertainment for your enjoyment!
Jan tells us: "I've had wonderful experiences at the Marin JCC including interviewing everyone from Steve Allen to Betty White—as well as swimming in the gorgeous pool."
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Jan is a longtime film historian, professor of film, and a lecturer. She's won two Emmy Awards, been an active member in the prestigious Directors Guild of America since 1977, and she has been recognized with awards from
American Women in Radio and Television and
Women in Film.
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You can hear her on KCBS Radio, Armed Forces Radio Network, and she appears on Facebook and other platforms. She holds a Bachelor of Arts with honors from San Francisco State University, grew up in West Los Angeles in a showbiz family (Sinai Temple), and she is a 39-year resident of Marin County. She has a 40-year marriage to "a nice Iowa farm boy and is the mom of two lovely Tibetan Terriers: Duke and Ella."
We're thrilled to welcome Jan to our Virtual J community!
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I look forward to bringing you terrific films, documentaries, series, and musicals as we discover and re-discover the joys of escape and enlightenment! — Jan
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Feel-Good Films at Home
by Jan Wahl
Movies have the power to take us out of ourselves. Great writing, smooth acting, insightful direction, gorgeous cinematography…they all work together and add up to more than the many cinematic elements. In these challenging times, let’s celebrate cinema with three of my favorite movies to lift our spirits and reawaken our smiles.
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THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON
2019 (available on Amazon Prime, Fandango)
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After running away from his assisted living facility, a young man with Down syndrome pursues his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. Now how could this be uplifting? Easily when you have a charismatic Zack Gottsagen as the lead, meeting up with rebellious outlaw Shia LaBeouf. This comedy drama gives us the Huck Finn story with bold wit and loving details. There’s an edginess mixed with sweetness as Thomas Haden Church, Bruce Dern, and Dakota Johnson ride along in this exuberant and eccentric film. A satisfying ending to a journey worth taking.
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MY FAVORITE YEAR
1982 (available on YouTube, iTunes)
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It’s the 1950’s at Rockefeller Center and Sid Caesar is the king of national television. A young comic and writer works for the show and is thrilled when his idol, a swashbuckling movie star, is booked for an appearance.
Based on a true incident when Mel Brooks experienced Errol Flynn, everyone learns that even the most famous among us sometimes do not live up to their silver screen image. Peter O’Toole was nominated for Best Actor Oscar (lost to
Gandhi’s Ben Kingsley) and is unforgettable as Alan Swann. Costarring Lainie Kazan, Lou Jacobi, Mark Linn-Baker, Bill Macy, and a brilliant Joe Bologna, this is my second favorite comedy ever, right behind S
ome Like it Hot!
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IN AND OUT
1997 (available on Amazon)
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Upon winning an Oscar, a thrilled actor honors his high school teacher by mentioning he is gay. This is new information to his friends and family in the small Indiana town where he is a popular teacher and coach.
Kevin Kline reminds us he is one of our great actors as the befuddled yet angry man who has to prove to the world that he is not what is said about him. The media frenzy (with Tom Selleck perfectly cast as
Entertainment Tonight’s
correspondent) is perfect satire, as is the witty dialogue by Paul Rudnick. Joan Cusack was nominated as the teacher’s confused fiancée, nominated for Best Supporting Actress Oscar, but lost to
L.A. Confidential’s
Kim Basinger. This comedy is a joy from beginning to end.
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Celebrate someone special .
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I see homemade signs in windows, chalk drawings on sidewalks, and car parades—all offering encouragement and public recognition
for happy milestones otherwise celebrated in quarantine. I love how people are finding wonderful new ways to communicate, spread joy, and celebrate life!
L'Chaim!
We are, too.
For example, please consider a "shout-out" posted in this newsletter. With a donation of
$54
or more to the JCC, we will be delighted to feature a message from you in our new Virtual J section:
Shout-Outs & Celebrations.
We reach nearly 30k subscribers!
Your message can celebrate someone's birthday, an anniversary, Father’s Day, an upcoming graduation, or just say a public
thank you
to someone—whatever you wish, as long as it's a positive announcement and a celebration of life under 75 words.
You provide the words. We'll provide the graphics.
Your shout-out might look like these samples:
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Ready to celebrate someone? Click the button:
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DESTINATION
Sonoma County, CA
Let's prepare together for National Wine Day
—Monday, May 25!
Partnering with our friends at the award-winning Rockpile Vineyards, I am thrilled to take you away for a fun, interesting, delicious, and educational celebration (right in your own home)!
Join me for a very special, live, online,
private guided "terroir" wine tasting on
Sunday, May 24 @ 3:00pm on Zoom
Our event includes 3 bottles of premium, specially-curated, generously-discounted (just for us!) collection of 2017 Rockpile Vineyards Zinfandels, one from each of three different vineyard designations; Discussion of the Sonoma County growing regions with a focus on the Rockpile "AVA," its history, vineyards, and terroir; Live tasting and discussion of each wine; Emailed tasting notes and technical data; The fun banter and tall tales (re: interesting history) from Rockpile Team Members.
Tasting Event Fee
Free
Register
You need to register for the event by
Friday, May 22nd at 12:00pm.
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Wine Fee
$119.00 plus applicable CA taxes + Complimentary shipping ($20 -$36 Value). NB: Regular full price would be $200-$216 for the three bottles plus shipping!
Order
The wine must be ordered by Friday, May 15th at 12:00pm, please call Rockpile Vineyards at (707) 433-9206 and ask to order for “the OMJCC online tasting.”
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Hope you are all faring well, (virtually) diving into the arts, finding laughter in unexpected places, and embracing the beautiful nature that surrounds us right here in Marin.
Here are three pieces from incredibly talented people offering a little levity to our current situation. Enjoy, stay healthy, and hope to see you soon.
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Ladies Who Lunch
In case you missed this, it’s really worth watching Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski, and Audra McDonald. It's from
TAKE ME TO THE WORLD: A SONDHEIM 90TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION, a tribute to Broadway songwriting icon Stephen Sondheim created during the epidemic as a benefit for ASTEP (Artists Striving to End Poverty).
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Good News
And if you need to step away from the standard news, a new fave is
Some Good News (SGN) with John Krasinski.
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Hello...
And with all the COVID covers out there
—well, this one actually made me laugh!
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Help us save
lives on May 28, 10-4pm.
Healthy individuals are constantly needed now to help patients counting on lifesaving blood. On Thursday, May 28th, the Osher Marin JCC, Congregation Rodef Sholom, and The American Red Cross are partnering to host a blood drive at the JCC. Space is extremely limited, so advance registration is required.
To learn more or to sign up, go to
https://www.redcrossblood.org/
and use the code
MARINBLOODDRIVE
in the space that reads
Find a Blood Drive
(upper right corner).
Each pint of blood we collect can help save up to three lives and will touch the lives of so many more.
This program is part of the Osher Marin JCC"s Tikkun Marin community service initiative.
Please note, the Osher Marin JCC continues to be closed to the public due to the coronavirus and will be closed for all other activities on that day.
To learn more about the safety protocols on the day of the blood drive,
click here
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Mistakes & Inspiration
We at the JCC miss our members and community more than we can express. Even though there is no set reopen date, we are hard at work, planning for the day we open our doors again.
The group exhibit
Mistakes, Deconstruction & Surprises: Exploring Creative Process
, originally set for spring, has been postponed to coincide with our reopening. It's a celebration of the surprises, mistakes, and bursts of inspiration that accompany all forms of creation and is particularly relevant at this moment in time when our movements, rhythms, and schedules have been drastically altered. Those of us who are privileged enough to work from home have found various ways of coping. Some have picked up new hobbies and other forms of creative expression. Others have deepened an already existing practice. Some don't know how they'll ever find it in them to create again. And others are seeking out inspiration from others.
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We are pleased to present a glimpse into artist
Cindy Ostroff
's process as a printmaker. This is the first of three "virtual artist talks" by the exhibited artists that gives us a peek into three very different artistic practices.
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To access the video, click the link above, and then press "Play" on the top image (make sure to expand your screen to see the full image).
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We hope this might compel you to ask questions and find joy in the fact that learning is a lifelong endeavor for us all.
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It's a fun project for kids of all ages.
At camp, we love arts & crafts—especially the projects that allow our camp friends of all ages to participate!
Making a paper lantern requires few supplies but a lot of creativity! But, remember,
in art there are no rules so strict they can't be altered a bit.
Have fun on your own or with your family creating your very own paper lantern that can be used as a nightlight or decoration for your bedside table. Enjoy!
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Early Childhood Education
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Move your body, build listening skills, and support gross motor development while having fun!
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Kipot to the Rescue!
I have a confession to make: For years, I've been hoarding Kipot. Yarmulkas. I can barely close the drawer in which they reside. Jim and Nancy's wedding. Joel Feldman's Bar Mitzvah. Souvenirs from Italy; Uganda; Brookline, Massachusetts (my home town).
A
kipah (Hebrew) or
yarmulka (Yiddish) is a head covering, not mandated by
halacha (Jewish law) but a custom
—a sign of respect.
Judaism obligates us to take care of the holy vessels that are our bodies. In the time of Covid 19, a mask can save a life. Click below to see how to turn your extra kipot into life saving devices!
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Marin JCC Virtual 5K Run/Walk Event!
Let's get moving together
even though we are apart.
Never run or walked a 5k? We've got you covered with a free two-week training plan. Want to run your fastest 5K? Again we've got you covered with free two-week training plan. And everyone who signs up for the
5K will be put into a drawing for prizes!
Prizes include:
- 1 free month at the Marin JCC
- 3 one-hour personal training sessions
- Marin JCC gym bag
Go to Apple or Android app store and type in search bar "
Marin JCC" to download on your smart phone.
Once you have your profile all set up, link your smart watch to the Marin JCC app and click on the
Challenge to enroll in the Virtual 5K Challenge.
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Shout-Outs & Celebrations
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Expect Issue #17 on Tuesday, May 19th.
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