Jewish Life

There is a heaviness to Yom Hazikaron that is difficult to capture in words. The density of the experience—the emotional toll, the cultural and sociological significance—is compounded by the very real familiarity with loss. It is not a conceptual day on which we honor those who paid the ultimate price...

Like most non-observant Jews—which means “like most Jews in the world”—I don’t usually observe Tisha B’Av. But this year, I plan to do so. If you’re unfamiliar with this holiday, it’s an annual commemoration of all the worst events in Jewish history, piled into one day – the ninth of...

“You flew thousands of miles just to give us a hug. That’s what gives us strength. The Jewish People are family—that is our superpower.” These were the words spoken by Danny, the father of Israeli hostage Omri Miran, when he spoke to our group traveling on a Ramah Solidarity and...

Kol Isha is the OFJCC’s intensive women’s leadership program. Over the course of a year, a small group of local women come together to build community, participate in Jewish learning and create local social impact projects. The 2023–2024 cohort began meeting in early October with a focus on the global...

When you channel the moment through human connection, the world opens up to incredible possibilities. One day last fall, we invited two almost-strangers, our community members Giulio Fregni and David Porush, to the OFJCC for coffee. They had met once previously at the OFJCC’s Annual event back in March 2023. Lo and behold, even before our cups of...

Tu B’Shvat may be an under recognized holiday in some circles, but it’s very significant in preschool. Trees serve a great many vital functions in society, and possibly even more in early childhood. They offer a structure to climb, a challenge to conquer. A habitat for animals, its own little...

Tu B’Shvat, commonly referred to as The Birthday of the Trees, is celebrated on the 15th day in the Hebrew calendar of Shevat. This is a time for honoring trees, enjoying the fruits of Winter and planting for the upcoming Spring season. Here at the OFJCC Leslie Family Preschool, children...

For me and my wife, being far from our home in Israel the past two months has been excruciating—many of our closest family and friends serve in the IDF. But we, Jews outside of Israel, have a critical role to play as well, beyond material support. Beyond political support. We are here to...

I’ll take any opportunity to spend time with my adult kids, travel and be outdoors. Earlier this year, my daughter Hayley had a friend working at the Krakow JCC and, out of the blue, asked me, “Hey Mom, want to do this bike ride with me called Ride for the Living?” My immediate...

This summer, the New York Times ran a full-page, front-section article entitled, “If Loneliness Is an Epidemic, How Do We Treat It?” The authors wrote, “More than one-fifth of Americans over 18 say they often or always feel lonely or socially isolated.” And they went on to quote Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who said, “Addressing the...