Jul 11, 2018
In January of this year, my husband and I welcomed our first child, Noah, to the world. Our joy was unimaginable. Could it be? Our wish for a child had come true? He was more precious to us than diamonds. We wrapped him in a silky blanket and called him our “Torah scroll.”...
Mar 1, 2018
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...
Jan 17, 2018
Getting healthy or losing weight are the two most common New Year’s resolutions that people make each year but research shows that only eight percent of people actually achieve their New Year’s goals. Why do so many people miss the mark? Master Trainer Jorge G. Contreras at the Goldman Sports...
Dec 15, 2017
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...
Nov 10, 2017
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...
Nov 2, 2017
Marla Goodman takes a deep dive beneath surface. Becoming a proficient SCUBA diver is an iterative process. Once you learn the foundational rules of diving, you can then begin learning new skills like proper buoyancy, air control and gaining a general awareness of your surroundings. Diving evolves from being frantic to meditative—you learn...
Oct 25, 2017
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,...
Sep 25, 2017
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...
Sep 19, 2017
Blogger and community member Nicole Gesher presents a delectable chicken dish just in time for Rosh Hashanah. With a slew of Jewish holidays just around the corner, I find myself yearning not just for a sweet new year for my family and friends, but also for new recipes that will spice things...
Sep 12, 2017
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...