The day after the Sandy Hook tragedy, mom-of-five Shannon Watts started a Facebook page which became Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a grassroots movement with a chapter in every state and more than three million supporters. Shannon sat down with moderator Sara Smirin, an early founding member of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, to discuss the current state of gun safety in the United States. The discussion began with the following video introduction for Moms Demand Action.

Visit the OFJCC’s Playback Library for more videos like this one.

New York Times columnist and best-selling author, Frank Bruni, discusses his life as a former food critic and addresses some topics from his recent book Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be on the college admissions mania. The conversation is moderated by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Anne Kornblut, who currently serves as Strategic Communications Director at Facebook.

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Esteemed writer and novelist Joyce Carol Oates closed out Litquake Palo Alto in discussion with fellow author Keith Raffel. Among her many honors are the PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in Short Fiction and the National Book Award. Oates is the Roger S. Berlind Distinguished Professor of the Humanities at Princeton University, and has been a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters since 1978. This compelling discussion was also included in 92Y’s 7 Days of Genius lecture series.

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The OFJCC’s Leslie Family Preschool is a special place where children and families are nurtured and supported. Hear what our parents and staff have to say about the program in this new video:

Visit our website for more information about the OFJCC and our amazing preschool.

For more information on the Mitzvah Corps, please visit our website.

Here we are just a week into 2016 and it’s already time to start planning for an exciting summer. Last year, the Oshman Family JCC welcomed a record number of campers to J-Camp to surf, swim, run, play, build, explore and learn.

We went to theme parks, explored nature, performed on stage, and met some of our favorite animals up close. Campers also explored new interests and developed passions for carpentry, chemistry, archery, dance, gymnastics, fencing, TV production and so much more.

From athletics to fine arts, there was no shortage of exciting opportunities for our new friends at J-Camp.

With last summer now just a fond memory, it’s time get excited about a new adventure: Summer 2016!

Visit the brand new J-Camp website for details and registration.

Can’t wait for next year? Watch a video recap of summer 2015:

On Monday October 5th,  Churchill Club and the Oshman Family JCC proudly welcomed author, activist and former first daughter Chelsea Clinton to our campus to discuss her book It’s Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired & Get Going! Joining Chelsea on stage was fellow author and activist Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer at Facebook.

Much of the conversation centered around Chelsea’s book, which carries the message to teens and tweens that everyone has the ability to make world around them a better place, telling stories of inspiring individuals doing incredible things for their families, communities, and countries.

If you missed the event or just want to hear it again you can now watch the entire conversation below or on the OFJCC Playback page.

At the OFJCC Leslie Family Preschool, a unique program has emerged that lets students get their hands dirty while tackling lessons in charity and sustainability. Led by longtime staff member Debbie Togliatti, the Giving Garden allows  students to grow their own produce and donate their yield to those in need. During garden time preschoolers enjoy spending time outdoors while learning important lessons about where their food comes from. Rooted in Jewish values, students cherish their time in the Giving Garden as they explore nature and munch on some of their own organic vegetables.

See the program for yourself in this video segment:

This month, get ready to turn your workout on its side. For September, Specialized Trainer Bryan Osuna demonstrates three variants of one of his favorite exercises, the side plank. You’ll flex your abs while strengthening your back and shoulders with this simple balancing act.

You can visit our website for a free workout calendar to keep you toning those muscles all month long. While you’re there, take a look at some of our other challenges. Now, if you’re ready for the challenge, simply watch the video below:

On Tuesday, August 25th the Oshman Family JCC hosted a live panel discussion on the highly-debated Iran Nuclear Deal, featuring well-respected experts on both sides of the topic:

• Abbas Milani, the Hamid and Christina Moghadam Director of Iranian Studies at Stanford University and Professor (by courtesy) in the Division of Stanford Global Studies
• Abraham D. Sofaer, the first George P. Shultz Distinguished Scholar and Senior Fellow in Foreign Policy and National Security Affairs at the Hoover Institution
• David Holloway, Raymond A. Spruance Professor of International History and Professor of Political Science, Stanford University, and Senior Fellow at the Stanford Institute for International Studies
• Ali Alfoneh, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a top expert on Iran and the inner workings of its regime

The panel was moderated by Michael Krasny, Ph.D., host of KQED’s award-winning Forum.

Read more about the Iran Nuclear Deal here.

You can watch a the full panel discussion below, as well as on the OFJCC Playback page: