Jewish Life

It all began with the bounce house–well, for me it did. We set up a bounce house in town square, there was a parade and people were dressed in costumes. I was excited… and hungry. (The bounce house set up is pretty labor intensive.) A cookie was thrust into my...

In the spirit of Hanukkah, the Jewish celebration of historical miracles, OFJCC staffer Yana Z. describes the miracles of the time her father spent in the gulag. “I am a prisoner of conscience and I don’t conform to the norms of others. I always thought in a different way and did things...

Who said Jewish learning necessarily means sitting next to a table and reading from a big book in Hebrew or Aramaic? It might sound revolutionary, but you can study Torah, or at least engage in inspiring, thought provoking and refreshing Jewish content while working out, driving or working in your...

Perspectives on how friendships have made a difference from the OFJCC Chai Giving Circle. “Guys, I got accepted! Looks like I’m going back to school!” This message from my friend Ashley is an example of the kind of group text messages I wake up to every morning. Because I live on the West Coast,...

Charlene Stern, the producer and director of the documentary film Near Normal Man, offers lessons learned from her father’s survival of the Holocaust and his message for the next generation. With decades of details from my father’s life, I’ve learned that the limitless evil that exists in humankind is less...

Professional coach and Mussar educator Barbara Gottesman shares what Jewish tradition knew before modern science. It happens every year at the end of summer. I plan that, this year, I’m going to be ready for the High Holidays. I’m going to be present, assess my life, set goals on how I...

As a child growing up in a traditional community in Israel, I looked forward this time of the year. Every year when the month of Elul arrived, I would wake up early in the morning to the sound of the shofar (ram’s horn). In traditional Jewish communities, the custom of...

OFJCC Event Services Director Ed Bancroft muses on the benefits of unplugging weekly. Shortly after starting work at the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center, I was thrilled to learn many core Jewish values align closely with my personal values. Here in the heart of Silicon Valley, life is fast-paced and...

OFJCC Staff member Amy Shulman describes the best part about joining a community theatre group. The first time my synagogue put on a Purim play, the theme was rock ‘n’ roll. King Achashverosh was dressed like Elvis Presley. All I could think was, “Why am I not on that stage?” I’m not...

Let me start out with an admission: I am an unabashed fangirl of DC comics’ pantheon of characters. Ever since I secretly watched Batman: The Animated Series in my parents’ basement, I adored every hero (and some of the villains) DC produced. I still occasionally watch Justice League Unlimited as...