Sep 7, 2023
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...
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...
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...
Sep 27, 2019
As we begin a new year, it is a tradition to take stock of the last year, reflect on what we did well and what we would like to improve, and set some goals for ourselves for the coming year. In that spirit, I humbly offer a week-by-week guide for...
Jul 17, 2019
For our family vacation this summer, we chose to go back to discover our roots. We started in Poland, where the Ashkenazi side of the family could learn more about our past, and ended in Spain to explore our Sephardic heritage. In each country, we captured images of castles and...
Apr 10, 2019
What are you teaching your children? I mean – what are you really teaching your kids? As I focus on teaching Jewish values to my own kids, it is vital that Israel be one of them. I want my children to know Israel, support Israel, wrestle with Israel and love...
Dec 29, 2016
While we won’t be hosting Bacon with Bodner at the OFJCC any time soon, we did host a successful Bourbon with Bodner this month, bringing together more than fifty people for booze and schmooze. And this week, we are celebrating Hanukkah here at the OFJCC and out in our community as...
Jul 11, 2016
As I sit on the plane flying home after our first-ever Silicon Valley Community Trip to Israel, I want to reflect on the passing of Elie Wiesel. We were in Jerusalem when we heard that Elie Wiesel had died, and it just so happened that our group was slated to...
Family Life / Food / Jewish Life
Jun 30, 2016
Greetings from Israel, where we’re kicking off the first-ever OFJCC Silicon Valley Community Israel Trip. Our journey began with a rousing speech by former Hillel International President Avraham Infeld, in which he forcefully declared, “Judaism is not a religion! We are a people WITH a religion!” He said he was taught this by...
May 4, 2016
Did you know tomorrow is Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day? What will you do differently? Maybe you will wear white. Maybe you will go to a ceremony at your local JCC or synagogue. Maybe you will light a yahrtzeit candle. Or maybe you won’t do anything special at all tomorrow. But...