Nov 17, 2021
Many of us have tried a low-fat diet at some point in our lives, but is it healthy for you? The answer is simply, No. Eating fat does not make you fat, just like eating green vegetables will not make you green. In fact, healthy fats are a critical part...
Oct 29, 2021
This week’s Parasha is Chayei Sarah, which literally translates as “‘the life of Sarah,” but, ironically, the story of this week’s Torah portion begins with the death of Sarah and then focuses on the next generation. The story is about Rivkah (Rebecca), the wife of Isaac, Sarah’s and Abraham’s son. The last...
Aug 2, 2021
Some people go to work to escape their family lives. At the Oshman Family JCC, we bring our families to work! By our count, there are at least 10 pairs of OFJCC staffer parents who work here with their teenage or adult children. “So many of our kids have grown...
Jul 2, 2021
Parshah Pinchas An Israeli and American duo met to learn the weekly Torah portion together. In the process, they discovered they had two totally different but equally meaningful interpretations of the same text. Eyal’s perspective incorporates the words of Israel’s beloved national poet, Chaim Bialik, while Brad’s perspective grounds us in the...
Jun 8, 2021
Editor’s note: OFJCC President and CEO Zack Bodner had the privilege of addressing the Leslie Family Preschool Class of 2021 on May 28, 2021 as they marked the end of their preschool years and journey forward. Please find Zack’s speech below. ___________________________________________________________ Welcome, Leslie Family Preschool Class of 2021! It’s...
Jun 7, 2021
On June 2, the White House’s first-ever Cabinet-level science advisor Eric Lander was sworn in using a volume of Pirkei Avot. Pirkei Avot, sometimes translated as “Ethics of the Fathers,” is a unique section of the Mishna. Unlike the rest of the Mishnah’s legal precepts, Pirkei Avot is a collection...
Feb 12, 2021
As we celebrate President’s Day Weekend, I cannot overstate the importance of strong, reliable, trustworthy leadership. As we have battled COVID for the past year, we have oscillated between trusting our leaders and doubting them. From the highest levels of government in our country to our local medical officers charged...
Arts and Culture / Family Life / Jewish Life / Lifestyle & Learning
Nov 3, 2020
I was born during an election year. It was 1988 – Bush v. Dukakis. My birth and the election are tied together as one story in my family’s lore because we were, at the time, living next door to Michael and Kitty Dukakis. When my parents took me home from...
Oct 15, 2020
While in the garden at the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center Leslie Family Preschool, the children experience and get to practice many Jewish values pertaining to nature and the environment. In my book Growing Jewish Values: Cultivating Your Jewish Roots in Your Own Backyard, I have emphasized ten values that can be...
Sep 23, 2020
This summer, Donna B., her husband and two sons decided to escape their home in Brooklyn for a little bit of the West Coast. They searched for a Hebrew-immersion summer camp option for their boys and were overjoyed to find the Tayasim Hebrew language program with J-Camp at the OFJCC....