Monthly Update - March 2025

GET READY FOR PURIM!

PURIM PARTY & SHPIEL (FRIDAY, MARCH 14)

& trip to the PTBE PURIM CARNIVAL (Sun, March 16)

...and much more. See details below...

Rachael Gershenson and Cathy Hauer celebrating Purim ten years ago,...

...CJC members celebrating Purim at Cameron's Pub last year...

...and Hamantaschen bakers sharing their goods. (See a classic recipe below.)

This year, March coincides with the Hebrew month of Adar. This means that Purim, which is always on the 14th of Adar, is less than two weeks away. This fun holiday also has a serious side, as it commemorates a time when the Jewish people were saved from genocide. Here's everything you need to know about the holiday (the 'gantze megillah') in a 4-min video, What is Purim? 

Basically, a king has an advisor who does not like the fact that a person from a certain group of people refuses to bow down to him. So he tells the king that this group of people is expendable and the foolish king gives his advisor permission to get rid of them.

Although many people don’t seem to notice that a similar dynamic could be playing itself out in contemporary politics, even children can understand the danger present in the story of Purim.

Spoiler alert: A Jewish woman saves the day and vanquishes evil by stepping out of her comfort zone for the sake of the greater good.

Below are many opportunities to follow Esther's example. Stepping out of your comfort zone and choosing even one activity is likely to reify and strengthen the precious connection you have with your community, your tradition, and your conscience.

“Who knows? Perhaps you are here for just such a time as this.”

- The Book of Esther 4:14

THE FAMILY CHAVURAH supports children & families, providing experiences and opportunities for Jewish learning and identity formation, fostering optimal conditions for social, intellectual and spiritual development. For more information, reach out to Michal.

Be sure you have these family-friendly activities on your calendar:

March 14 - Shabbat, Dinner & Purim Shpiel/Talent Show, 6pm

March 16 - Purim Shpiel & Carnival at PTBE. We'll see you there!

April 13 - CJC Passover Seder

April 27 - Family Circle w/Tkiya, exploring Israel-related themes

May 16 - Family Shabbat & Lag BaOmer bonfire

May 18 - Family Circle - HEAL Project Field Trip

June 1 - Family Circle - End of School Year Party

Fri, March 14 - Performers still needed for our Purim Shpiel

On Friday, March 14, we will celebrate Shabbat and Purim at Holy Family Church. Our celebration will include a kid-friendly service at 6pm, a pizza dinner at 6:30pm, and a Purim Shpiel/Talent Show at 7pm. We have four adults and four children lined up to perform but we could use one more act. Children are encouraged to wear costumes even if they're not performing. For more info and to be added to our list of performers, email Brianne.

Fri, March 14 - Hamantaschen still needed for our Purim Party

We'll provide the dinner, but we'll need some hamantaschen. Can you bake some? CJC member Wendy Berk shares her grandmother Sarah Clark’s recipe. Wendy writes: "She would make them for us even when it wasn’t Purim because we all loved them so much. I remember getting tins of then at college. If I can make them, anyone can." Need help? Email Wendy.

2-3/4 cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup salted butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs well beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift flour, add baking powder and salt; Cream butter and sugar; Add eggs and vanilla; Add flour in small amounts mixing well; Chill in refrigerator.

Roll 1/8 inch thick on slightly floured board; Cut round and fill; Fold in 3 corners; Bake in 375 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.

Filling: Use 1/2 pound prunes and 1/2 pound apricots; Cook separately with a little or no sugar; mash or chop. The fillings can be separate or you can mix the prunes and apricots together.

Join us for our annual field trip to the Purim Shpiel & Carnival at PTBE

We'll buy the wristbands for any family that RSVPs here by Thurs, March 13!

These new children’s books celebrate Jewish pride, joy and resilience

Our friends at PJ Library Bay Area have compiled a list of new children’s books that celebrate Jewish identity, pride and joy through family traditions, holidays, rituals, and community. See the list here.

Speaking of PJ Library, have you signed up for their free Holiday Bytes newsletter? Right before Purim, Passover, Rosh Hashanah and Hanukkah, you will get an email jam-packed with local events for kids ages 3-10, recipes, places to buy prepared holiday foods and more. Their next newsletter comes out next week just in time for Purim! Sign up here.

THE COMMUNITY CHAVURAH supports both community-building within CJC and with the broader community through social justice activism and civic engagement. For more information, reach out to Linda or Chip.

Follow Esther's example: protest against authoritarianism & xenophobia

Tues, March 4 - Join the People’s Movement Protest at City Hall in SF, noon. Sponsored by 50501. Email Brianne to carpool. More info can be found here.

Sat, March 8 - Join International Women’s Day Unite & Resist Protests:

-10:00 am in San Francisco - at Union Square (Stockton & Geary.) Email Brianne to carpool. More info can be found here.

-11:00 am in El Granada - at the surfers' parking lot.

-2:00-4:00 pm in HMB - at the corner of Hwy 92 & Main Street. We'll have signs, but feel free to bring more. Register here or email Linda Goldstein.

Fri, March 14 - Join us for our inter-generational Purim party, 6pm

Everyone is invited to join us for our Purim party, which will take place at the Holy Family Church in HMB (1590 Cabrillo Hwy So.) Even the children from the Holy Family Preschool will be joining us!

The party will begin with a kid-friendly Shabbat service at 6pm, followed by a dinner of pizza and salad at 6:30pm, and a megillah reading and Purim shpiel at 7:00pm. Children are encouraged to wear costumes; adults can, as well. Bring hamantaschen if you care to bake some, and additions to the dinner if you need gluten and dairy alternatives. Questions? Email Brianne.

Sat, March 15 - Join 'Team CJC' and Step Up for the Homeless

Abundant Grace is hosting a 5K Fun Run/Walk on the Coastal Trail of Half Moon Bay to celebrate its 10th anniversary. Their center provides showers, laundry, mailing address, clothing, case management, and a lot of other resources for the homeless. They also teach participants a variety of work skills, environmental stewardship, meditation, journaling, and connect them with nature, spirit and healthy socializing.

Team CJC is well on its way toward meeting out goal of raising $1,000. If you’re a hardcore runner, part-time jogger, leisurely walker, or just want an excuse to get outside for a good cause, join us! Register here and choose Team CJC at the end of the registration process. You can also email Lisa Rojany for more info or if you would just like to make a pledge.

Sun, March 30 - Make Passover gift bags for seniors, 10:30am

Each year before Passover, JFCS volunteers of all ages come together to make gift bags of holiday treats for seniors and other Bay Area clients in need. It’s a great way to find community and do a mitzvah. Find info and register here.

Ask Your Elected Officials to Protect the NOAA

Research conducted by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration is the gold standard for tracking the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and oceans, publishing that data publicly for America and the international community, and forecasting changes as a result. 

Hindering NOAA's ability to conduct this research goes against Congressional authority and intent, would have catastrophic consequences for the fight against climate change, and would jeopardize the safety of communities nationwide. Send a letter to your elected officials here.

Your vote in the World Zionist Congress election can determine how billions of dollars will be used over the next several years

There are so few opportunities for American Jews to have a direct impact on the ground in Israel. But with the World Zionist Congress election taking place from March 10 to May 4, we have a chance to do just that. There are progressive slates like Vote Reform and Hatikvah that will help push back against the destructive agendas of Smotrich and Ben Gvir. More info here.

What's going on with the hostages in Gaza?

It's been 513 days since October 7th when Hamas terrorists murdered 1,200 people (including 44 Americans), wounded 3,300, and took 251 hostages.

Yarden Bibas was freed from Gaza on February 1, only to find out a couple weeks later that Hamas had brutally murdered his family. Read or watch the eulogy he delivered last week for his family.

Rob Eshman writes that "the Bibas family has made it clear, as have other families who have suffered in Gaza’s tunnels, that the first priority must be freeing the hostages. American Jews who at least figuratively stood side by side in mourning with them must impress upon President Donald Trump that whatever else he has in store for Gaza, nothing matters more than freeing the 24 hostages believed to still be alive."

THE LIFELONG LEARNING CHAVURAH supports adult learning through our ongoing Mussar groups, a Holy Books Study Group, and other learning opportunities. For more information, reach out to Vaughn Harrison or Laura Alster-Martin. (The Book Club meets next in January.)

Sun, March 9 - Navigating Memory's Landscape: Understanding Dementia and Brain Health, 4pm at the Odd Fellows Hall in HMB

Rodney Pearlman, Ph.D. will discuss the role and function of the human brain and how memory is essential to what makes us human. He will provide guideposts for "normal aging" as distinct from forms of dementia, and offer some tip for strengthening our brains.

Dr. Pearlman was President of a SF-based foundation that manages a consortium of 20 researchers focused on neurodegenerative diseases. Representatives from Senior Coastsiders and Coastside Adult Day Health Center will be there at 3pm to share information and resources for families and loved ones living with dementia. Come join us for a coffee/tea and baked treats before the main presentation, which begins at 4pm.

Buy your tickets ($10) here. Proceeds go towards high school scholarships.

Fri, March 14 & Sun, March 16 - 'There is Another Way' Screenings in SF

There Is Another Way is a powerful documentary that amplifies the message of collective liberation and follows the courageous journey of Combatants for Peace in the aftermath of October 7th.

The film is about choosing our future. It takes courage to walk a path even when you yourself feel overwhelmed and afraid—a path where you don’t know the final answer, only that it will emerge from standing in the grief of what we, as humanity, have experienced and created.

Director Stephen Apkon and Combatants for Peace members will be in attendance at the screenings. Buy tickets here. Email Brianne to carpool.

'No Other Land' wins Best Documentary at the Oscars last night

Accepting the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature, the two filmmakers behind No Other Land, called on the world to help halt the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, free the remaining Israeli hostages, and chart a more equitable path forward for Palestinians.

The filmmakers, Basel Adra and Yuval Abraham - one Palestinian and the other Israeli, accepted the award together. In his acceptance speech, Abraham called for a resolution to the conflict that provides national rights for both peoples. “Can’t you see that we are intertwined?" he asked. "That my people can be truly safe if Basel’s people are truly free and safe? There is another way.”

You can watch the documentary on Apple TV and Amazon Prime, or email Brianne to see if a few CJC members are interested in watching it together.

Weds, April 2 - Book Club reads novel that compares authoritarianism in Nazi Germany to the separation of migrant families and recent events

In The Wind Knows My Name, the lives of a Jewish boy escaping Nazi-occupied Europe and a mother and daughter fleeing 21st-century El Salvador intersect in this ambitious, intricate novel about war and immigration. Questions? Email Vaughn.

The CJC Book Club meets approximately once every two months at members’ homes. They read all kinds of books that are in some way related to Judaism, and generally ensure our books are available through a library. We schmooze, we nosh, we even discuss the book we all read! Most importantly, CJC members can get together to enjoy each others’ company.

THE SPIRITUALITY CHAVURAH supports the personal and communal interests of our members when it involves spirituality. Whether it's Shabbat and holiday rituals, field trips to other synagogues, or weekday meditation, we're here for and with you. For more information, reach out to Reb Moshe.

Tues, March 4 - Mindfulness Workshop with Alison Cohen, 4pm

Join Jewish educator and certified mindfulness teacher Alison Cohen for a four-week experiential course. "Another Way to Be: Cultivating Self-Compassion through Mindfulness and Jewish Wisdom" is being offered in partnership with ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal. Info/register here.

Weds, March 5 - Psychedelics and Monotheistic Traditions: Sacramental Practice and Legal Recognition – A Symposium at Harvard Law School

This interdisciplinary symposium brings together scholars of religion, legal experts, and contemporary psychedelic religious leaders to explore the legal recognition of religious psychedelic use in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim communities. Schedule and registration for free on-line attendance here.

Fri, March 7 - Reb Moshe leads Torah Study on this week's parasha

Join a Friday Morning Torah Study group that has been meeting for 50+ years! Every week features a different teacher from among rabbis, scholars, Jewish educators, artists, and lay leaders. Each session emphasizes deep conversation and multi-faceted perspectives. It's free but donations help support this and other programs sponsored by New Lehrhaus. Register here.

Fri, March 14 - Spirituality Chavurah co-sponsors CJC's Purim Party

CJC's upcoming Purim Party brings together our four chavurot and, from a kabbalistic perspective, brings together all Four Worlds in a synergistic way. A central theme of Purim is hiddenness, which suggests that an experience which may not appear to be spiritual is actually like a mask that hides the deeper significance of that moment. This is an occasion for the Spirituality Chavurah to support and bring the rest of our community even higher.

Sun, Mar 30 - Exodus and the Birth of Song: A Rising Song Immersive

Join us for a full-day musical immersive exploring the Jewish tradition of singing that first emerges in the Exodus narrative with the "Song of the Sea."

Guided by a faculty team of composers, facilitators, and scholars, this experiential day offers the opportunity to explore and cultivate the underpinnings of empowered music and prayer communities. All are invited to build skills, ask questions, and immerse in heart-opening communal song!

This immersive is presented by Hadar West in partnership with Chochmat HaLev. Register here. To carpool with the group from CJC, email Brianne.

"Who knows? Perhaps you are here for just such a time as this....”

These were Mordechai’s words to Esther, as he encouraged her to risk approaching the King in order to save the Jewish people. Who knows? It was uncertainty about what would result from her actions that propelled Esther to step forward.

The Purim story urges us not to let uncertainty stifle our actions or scare us into hiding; not to let uncertainty about what might result from our deeds be an excuse for turning away. Rather, we are called to let not knowing encourage our engagement and exploration; to let not knowing call forth our imagination and audacity.

We don’t know where our actions will lead. We don’t know the number of our days. What we do know is that our world is in urgent need of healing and transformation.

[Adapted from a teaching by Rabbi Yael Levy. See this and other teachings in a collection of Purim commentaries compiled by Wendy Berk.]

DONATIONS

"Thank you!" to those who donated to CJC in February:

Donations to Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund

Aaron Stern (son of CJC member Cynthia Stern)

Monthly donations - a great idea!

Sara & Storm Russell – In honor of the CJC Board

Cynthia Sherrill – In honor of Rabbi Moshe Heyn

Jhos Singer

Joel White & Janine Robinson

The Rabbi's Discretionary Fund needs to be replenished. It is used to help CJC members in need and for donations made on behalf of CJC to our partner organizations. Also, you should know that we are able to accept donations of appreciated stock. Email Monica for details. Thank you for your support!!

Join or renew your membership here,

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