Valley JCC Newsletter August 2022 | |
Letter From Jeff Rubin
Executive Director, Valley JCC
It’s hard to believe, as I sit down to write the August message for our newsletter, that I have just started my second year with Valley JCC. I look back upon the first year and am proud of the strides we have made as an organization and of my entire team for their hard work, dedication, and unwavering support as we continue our path to create community and make life better for all. A huge thank you to the Board of Directors for having the trust in me to move the JCC forward.
I just received the weekly update from the President and CEO of the JCC of North America, Doron Krakow. And his message made me realize the important role we, as a JCC, play in our community and how big our network of JCC’s across North America really is. Together we can do anything.
Here are a few excerpts from that message:
There are more than 170 JCCs (Jewish Community Centers and Jewish Community Camps) across Canada and the United States.
Together, they welcome over 1.5 million people in person each week throughout the year.
One million of them are Jews of every age, background, and disposition, making JCCs the largest ongoing point of contact we have with the North American Jewish community.
An additional half-million friends and neighbors from beyond the Jewish community also choose a JCC each week to do something they might just as easily do elsewhere but prefer to do with us—in a Jewish setting—making JCCs the largest platform for grassroots community relations on the continent as well.
This summer JCC day and overnight camps will be home to 100,000 young people. The JCC Movement includes the largest network of both Jewish day camps and Jewish overnight camps in North America.
In a few short weeks, a new academic year will begin with nearly 35,000 children enrolled in JCC early childhood education programs—the largest such network in the organized Jewish community.
These programs and countless others are made possible because of the devoted service of more than 30,000 full-and part-time professionals working at JCCs throughout the year, augmented by another 17,000 seasonal staff. This workforce is, far and away, the Jewish community’s largest.
More than 3,000 dedicated lay leaders serve on the boards of these remarkable institutions.
In short, the JCCs of North America are unique and extraordinary assets of the wider efforts to pursue something better for the roughly seven-million Jews in communities of all sizes across North America. Opportunities abound for JCCs to work with a growing commitment to partner with other organizations and institutions dedicated to shared goals and common purpose. There is growing evidence of the efficacy of such an approach to partnership, both within JCC communities and across the movement’s wider network.
Get involved today and enjoy all that our JCC has to offer and help us make a difference and enhance our amazing community.
Thank You,
Jeff
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Valley JCC Fundraising Committee | |
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Stephanie DuCaine, Phyllis and Andy Levy, are members of Valley JCC's
Fundraising Committee.
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They recently checked out possible locations for the annual
Galathon 2023.
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Message From Ollie Haas,
Valley JCC President, Board of Directors
With the continuous changes in the pandemic along with the the recent hot weather, I hope Valley JCC is helping by providing social outlets and interesting classes for your enjoyment.
Our first art history presentation by artist and art historian John Paul Thornton was a huge success, with over 120 attendees. He will be back on Wednesday, August 31st with another zoom presentation, “Jewish Artists of Paris”. We look forward to having everyone join us again for an exciting evening.
We are offering several in-person opportunities throughout August and September. Based upon last week’s “Dining Out With the JCC” dinner at Pineapple Hills Saloon and Grill, many of our members, family and friends are happy to get out and socialize again. Please join us on Tuesday, August 23, anytime between 9:00am-7:00pm at Famous Label’s Delicatessen in Tarzana. On that day, 15% of purchases will be donated to Valley JCC and Today’s Montessori. You can dine in, eat outdoors, or take-away breakfast, lunch and/or dinner and not only try this delicious deli, but also help contribute to Valley JCC at no extra cost to you.
Looking ahead to September, we’ll be partnering with Temple Aliyah to present an interactive experience taught by the leader of the renown David Labrovski Project. Participants will learn about the artist, how to critique works of art, and curate an art exhibit. Also, in cooperation with the Village at Northridge, Valley JCC will offer “Self-Defense for the Soul”. The two-hour class will include basic and self-defense techniques and how to combine body and mind when using these tools.
Valley JCC is proud to be participating in 2022 Maccabi Games, sending 29 youths to San Diego to participate in five different competitive sports. We are all rooting for our athletes!
Please continue to review the flyers that we send out by email and our monthly newsletter, so that you can participate in a variety of activities, gather with old friends and make new friends with mutual interests.
Thank you! And, have a great summer!
Best wishes,
Ollie Haas
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"Jewish Artists In Paris"
by John Paul Thornton
Wednesday, August 31st
Presented on Zoom - 6:00 to 7:30PM
Register HERE
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Famous Label's Delicatessen
“THE BEST JEWISH DELI IN THE VALLEY”
Looking for the best, most affordable Jewish deli in Los Angeles & The San Fernando Valley?
Then you’ve found it!
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At Famous Label's Delicatessen, we proudly serve only the best cuts of meat, ski-high on freshly baked breads such as double baked hot rye, egg, wheat, sourdough, and onion rolls.
"We believe in service and quality over fancy decorations and high prices. That is why all of our homemade sandwiches, salads, and soups are affordable. Not just our homemade food is of high quality, at our deli we only use top quality brands, from New York. High quality items, ingredients, and food is our specialty.
It is pretty safe to say that if you are coming into an authentic Jewish deli in Los Angeles like Famous Label’s Deli, you’re looking for one thing – an unbelievable sandwich at Famous Label’s Deli!"
...Famous Label's Delicatessen website
Join Us!
Tuesday, August 23rd
9:00 am to 7:00 pm
Come with friends - or - meet new friends!
15% of the proceeds will be donated to
Valley Jewish Community Center & Today's Montessori
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Upcoming Classes for August 2022
Check out our August classes and click on the link to sign up!
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Valley Jewish Community Center wishes to thank a few of our new and continuing Community Partners, Supporters and Donors for 2022-2023. Your generous support allows us to continue and succeed in our work for the community.
Our sincere appreciation to Mt. Sinai Memorial Parks and Mortuaries, The Village at Northridge, Southern California Gas Company, Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, Temple Aliyah, Temple Ahavat Shalom, Temple B’nai Hayim, and The Jewish Federation of Los Angeles,
To become a community partner, supporter or donor, please contact us at: valleyjcc.org
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Spotlight On:
Rabbi Becky Hoffman, Temple Ahavat Shalom
Rabbi Becky Hoffman, Temple Ahavat Shalom, grew up in the San Fernando Valley. Early in her life, she realized that Judaism and education were her main interests.
Rabbi Becky received her BA in Judaic Studies at UC San Diego, and an MA in Education from the Fingerhut School of Education at American Jewish University. She received an MA in Hebrew Letters from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, and became ordained in 2006.
During her education, Rabbi Becky served as a rabbinic intern at Temple Or Ami in Calabasas. After graduate school, she taught at Abraham Joshua Heschel Day School and Temple Isaiah, as well as working for the Union for Reform Judaism. These opportunities strengthened her commitment and shaped her core values of believing in partnerships with congregants and lay leaders, sharing the vision that speaks to the heart of American Reform Jewry, and reinforcing the values of Judaism.
Before heading the clergy at Temple Ahavat Shalom, Rabbi Becky served as Associate Rabbi and Religious School Director at Kol Tikvah in Woodland Hills, and continues to teach at the Melton School of Adult Learning as well as mentoring rabbinic students at Hebrew Union College.
“I believe in a combination of positive psychology along with blessings and gratitude,” explains Rabbi Hoffman. “This aligns with the Jewish tradition of saying 100 blessings each day, recognizing all the small moments of joy in our lives, and being grateful for the good things we have and enjoy. This is important on both an individual and community basis, especially during the ongoing pandemic.”
Rabbi Becky is married to Rabbi Joshua Hoffman and they have three teenaged children.
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Basketball Camps
For Boys & Girls
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Eclipse Basketball Camp in partnership with Valley JCC | |  |
Wayne Youth Basketball Camp | | |
Basketball
The Wayne League
by
Jason Moser
Summer adult basketball leagues will be ending in late August.
Registration for fall leagues that run September through December has started. We can accommodate up to 60 teams in 8 divisions, so there is something for everyone.
Our inaugural Jerry Wayne Youth Basketball League was small but successful. We anticipate that our fall league will be even better! We have added extra divisions and gyms as we anticipate rapid growth.
We are currently the only fall youth league in the West Valley. If you are interested, be sure to register your team by August 15th.
We would like to thank Ben Yeger for hosting his Eclipse basketball youth camp through the JCC and we are looking forward to adding more camps and clinics throughout the year.
I’m looking forward to seeing the parents and families in the community. We appreciate their effort in keeping our leagues going strong.
Join us!
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The Wisdom of the Cloud
by Rick Lupert
When the cloud lingered over the Mishkan for many days, the children of Israel kept the
charge of the Lord and did not travel.
-Numbers 9:19
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Decisions are hard.
Take what’s for dinner for example.
If it’s just you, it’s a little easier –
You don’t have to run anything by anyone,
though you still have to decide whether to cook, or to order,
and either option
involves a whole other set of choices.
If another person is involved, and,
both of you are decide-phobic
the difficulty is compounded.
They say half of marriage is
yelling what?! from another room,
I say the other half is deciding
what’s for dinner.
The mealtime detente can
turn you both into skeletons
long before anyone comes along
to explain the Torah to you.
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I’m envious of when we had a Cloud
telling us where and when to go.
If the cloud lingered, we’d stay.
If it was ready to go, trumpets would
spread the news, and we’d go.
We didn’t have to decide anything
except if we were going to do
what we were supposed to do.
All I know is I have to get from
the beginning of the day to the end.
More of the same tomorrow
and the next if I’m lucky.
I keep looking for the Cloud to know
if I’m headed in the right direction.
The clear sky is deceptively comforting.The wisdom of the Cloud in
the eyes of my beloved.
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Rick Lupert is a Southern California poet, song leader and graphic designer. He is the author of the book, "God Wrestler: A Poem for Every Torah Portion", along with 24 other collections of poetry. He is Communications Associate, Valley Jewish Community Center. | |
From Today's Montessori... | |
Valley JCC Men's Club
Meet and socialize
with other 55+ men in the Valley!
Past outings include special tours of Santa Anita Park, Jet Propulsion Laboratories in Pasadena, experiences at Dodger Stadium, the Getty Museum, and Axe Throwing at Lumberjack's in Northridge.
August Meeting
Monday, August 1st at 6:00PM
Lulu's Restaurant
16900 Roscoe Blvd.
Van Nuys, CA 91406
If you plan to attend, please RSVP Burt Kaminsky at Burt@Valleyjcc.org.
The Men's Club meets the first Monday of the month, unless there is
a national or religious holiday.
Stay tuned for the next activity...
For more information, contact Burt@valleyjcc.org or call 818-360-2211
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Valley JCC AUGUST Calendar
Check Out August Classes & Events!
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CLICK HERE TO VIEW LARGER SIZE AUGUST CALENDAR ONLINE | |
Mah Jongg
at The Village at NorthRidge
Join in and have fun on
Mah Jongg Game Day
Mondays
10:00am to 2:30pm
Location:
The Village at NorthRidge
9222 Corbin Avenue, Northridge
Bring your lunch!
Fee: $6 per session; no charge for VJCC members
Register at: http://www.valleyjcc.org/mahj
For more information, contact Judi at Judi@mahjonggfunla.com
or call: (818) 764-6240
To become a member of the Valley Jewish Community Center
Go To: www.valleyjcc.org/membership
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Current Events
Discussion Group
Join Our Current Events Discussion Group!
$6 participation fee
No charge for Valley JCC members
Meets the first Tuesday & third Thursday of each month
Register for upcoming sessions here.
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Happy Birthday!
August
Rosalyn Berg
Janice Berlin
Doris Goldberg
Barbara Herman
Milysan Kikos
Yaniv Levi
Dennis Levin
Robin Levin
Bill Nachenberg
Marlene Robinson
Lisa Sage
Violet Schlesinger
Ronny Scop
Susan Shapiro
Murray Silberling
Maor Toledano
Suzanne Victor
Malka Zeefe
We Wish You Good Health & Happiness!
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Women's Equality Day
August 26th
At the request of Rep. Bella Abzug (D-NY), the U.S. Congress designated August 26 as “Women’s Equality Day” in 1973.
The date was selected to commemorate the 1920 certification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote. This was the culmination of a massive, peaceful civil rights movement by women that had its formal beginnings in 1848 at the world’s first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York.
The observance of Women’s Equality Day not only commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment, but also calls attention to women’s continuing efforts toward full equality. Workplaces, libraries, organizations, and public facilities now participate with Women’s Equality Day programs, displays, video showings, or other activities.
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Peaches in August
Peaches are in season...
here's a recipe from "Taste of Home"
It takes 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook
CLICK HERE for recipe
Enjoy!
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/peach-cobbler?_cmp=stf
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Book Suggestion
By The Grace of the Game
The Holocaust, A Basketball Legacy, and an
Unprecedented American Dream
By Dan Grunfeld
From the grips of the Nazis to the top of the Olympic podium, from the cheap seats to center stage at Madison Square Garden, from yellow stars to silver spoons, this complex tale traverses the spectrum of the human experience to detail how perseverance, love, and legacy can survive through generations, carried on the shoulders of a simple and beautiful game.
"By the Grace of the Game" is a multi-generational family epic detailing history’s only known journey from Auschwitz to the NBA. With a foreword by basketball legend Ray Allen.
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Point Dume Trail
If you have driven through Malibu on PCH, then you have seen Point Dume, a dome-shaped promontory jutting into the Pacific at the northwest end of Santa Monica Bay. The point is surrounded by picturesque white sand beaches and sparking blue water. The headland is protected by Point Dume Natural Preserve, a California State Park.
A mile of trails on Point Dume’s bluffs lead to two overlooks, one at the top of Point Dume. Additional trails access both a secluded beach and a popular beach on opposite sides of the point. Seasonally, Point Dume Natural Preserve is a great place to spot whales migrating along the coast.
To get to the trailhead:
Take PCH to Malibu. Turn left (south) at the light on Heathercliff Road. Make the first left on Dume Drive and go one mile to Sea Lion Place. Turn right and drive to the end of the street. Make a left on Birdview Avenue, which curves to the left behind the park and becomes Cliffside Drive. Just after the curve, park in the small 2-hour parking area on the right. The trail begins from the parking area.
Trailhead address: 27807 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265
Trailhead coordinates: 34.004245, -118.80581 (34° 00′ 15.28″N 118° 48′ 20.91″W)
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Calling All Holiday
Boutique Vendors...
Save The Date!
Valley JCC Holiday Boutique
takes place on
Sunday, December 4th
10:00am - 3:00pm
If you are interested in becoming a vendor
please contact Leslie Dinstman at: Leslie806@aol.com
Location: The Village at NorthRidge
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Fundraising Opportunity
On Your Birthday!
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"How To" Use Amazon Smile...
- Go to the AmazonSmile website: www.https://smile.amazon.com/charity
- Sign-in using your existing Amazon Account Name and Password
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Select your charity: Valley Jewish Community Center
- Start shopping
- Every time you shop on Amazon from now on, begin at: Smile.Amazon.com and sign in. The sign-in spot is located in the upper right-hand corner
- A percentage of each purchase goes to Valley JCC. Everything helps!
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"How To" Use Ralphs To Benefit Valley JCC
- Go to: www.ralphs.com
- Click on "Sign in" to the right of the search box. (If you don't have an online account, click on "Register")
- Click on your name to the right of the search box at the top
- You will now be on your Account Summary page
- Scroll down to "Community Contributions" and click on "Enroll"
- Complete the online form and Click on "Save"
- Enter organization number SK677 and click on the "Search" button
- "Valley Jewish Community Center" will be displayed. Click "Enroll"
- You will see a confirmation at the top of the Account Summary page
- A percentage of your purchases will be donated to Valley JCC
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Join Us at the Valley Jewish Community Center...
Become A Member!
Join today to support Valley JCC and be an active member of our community! Membership gains you access and discounts to JCC programs. Tuition at Today’s Montessori include membership to Valley JCC and JCC Maccabi.
CLICK HERE to fill out the Membership Form
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