Judith Stubbs is a retired educational therapist who is active in the arts and in giving back to the community. A Palo Alto native, her life journey took her near and far in the  world until fate brought her back home to Palo Alto,  and “things began falling into place.” Read on about what the OFJCC community has meant to Judith.

Q: You’ve said the OFJCC now feels like home to you. Can you tell me a little about that journey from your first involvement with the OFJCC until now?

A: It has been a gradual, wonderful process which started about four years ago when I moved back to Palo Alto and was searching for ways to reconnect after so many years away.  I knew I wanted to have a connection with the Jewish community in some way in addition to our synagogue, so the JCC was a natural fit and close by. At first I just wanted to exercise at a pleasant facility. Little did I know that, within months, my experiences at the JCC would be expanded and I would be delighted by the educational and cultural programs  as well as by feeling part of a community.

Q:  What was your first experience here like? 

A: My first contact was the tour of the state-of-the-art gym. I had some physical challenges that required physical therapy and personal attention as I worked out, so the OFJCC was literally just what the doctor ordered! Then I saw the two beautiful pools with a lovely sundeck, (I grew up around Palo Alto pools!), topped the day off in the Nourish Café with Chef Roberto’s cauliflower soup and I was hooked!

Q:  What programs are you currently part of and why?

A: Since I recently retired from educational therapy, I have enjoyed many of the adult programs: the Tuesday concerts [as part of Community Tuesdays] and [Music at Noon] speakers with lunch, the planned trips to Carmel Bach Festival and the Cliff House; the spiritual holiday celebrations of Women’s Seder; educational classes about Israel; I sang with the community choir in a performance of Broadway songs and happily recently became involved in the terrific Jewish preschool on campus as a volunteer.

Q:  Why is your involvement important to you?

A: First of all, this is the first time in my life that I have been consistent with a workout program and it has made a huge difference in my balance and strength, as well as quality of life! As we age, this is vital!

Secondly, the  J has  helped me reconnect with the local Jewish community and my own roots. It has grounded me with a special place in the community. I have always enjoyed giving back to the community and recently joined the Chai Giving Circle, which researches and gives donations to local organizations in need. Although many of my involvements here have been Jewish-related, you certainly do not have to be Jewish to enjoy all of the wonderful programs here as many folks do!

Q: What advice do you have for others to take advantage of programs at the JCC?

A: If you want to keep your mind and body active, expand your experiences in a positive environment, come explore the many offerings here. Try something new! The “standouts” for me have been the excellent quality of each program and the welcoming connection the staff/speakers/events create, whether it’s in the gym, the classroom or in the large auditorium.  A bonus: you might just find yourself connected to a new, warm community!

What’s the great piece of life advice or quotation, original or not, that you’d like to share with us?

These are all forms of positive living, by which I try to live:

“The thoughts you give attention to are the ones that grow.”

My mom

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”

Maya Angelou

What makes you happy? For Jo Kadis, it’s bringing joy to others with food. “I never wanted to retire from catering,” says Jo, a vibrant 82. She found her post-career calling by serving food at the popular Community Tuesdays lunch and concert series and being an escort for day trips.

Jo first became involved at the Oshman Family JCC when it was still located at an elementary school east of Middlefield. At that time, her mother would come in and work with her from time to time. “My mom would come in and clean the chickens and we would come back the next day and make the rest of the Shabbat meal,” she notes.

“I enjoyed doing it and making the food extremely tasty.  Most people were on a low salt diet and they couldn’t understand how I got it tasty without salt.”

Jo eventually became the group escort on day trips to destinations such as the SFMOMA and more. “I’m answering questions. I’m up and down talking to people. I pass out water and chips. My younger daughter says it’s perfect for me because I get to tell people what to do,” she jokes.

“I bring chocolate with me on every trip I escort. Because a great day should have chocolate in it! I know what the participants like and what they don’t like. There are some who like milk chocolate, some dark chocolate and one person who likes Lindor truffles. Nobody else likes those, but I have an assortment. People ask me for chocolate even when I am not the escort.”

OFJCC Adult Program Manager Michelle Rosengaus says, “Jo has been escorting the travel and day trips for seven years and she is wonderful. She has spoiled the people on the trip because they always expect her chocolate. She does it on her own because she loves doing it.”

As they say, do what makes you happy. Addendum: especially if it involves chocolate.

No matter how you look at it, The Breakfast Club defined a generation. When hearing this phrase, many people think of the classic 1985 John Hughes film about teenagers in high school. They each come from different cliques, standing in for different stereotypes, and must serve a day’s worth of detention on a Saturday. Audiences were intrigued by “a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal” coming to terms with who they were as people. In the process, they learn that they have something essential in common.

Thirty years later, members of a different generation meet and form their own “breakfast club.” But it’s not the generation you might think, and everyone attends voluntarily to enjoy themselves, unlike in the film. However, participant Henry Burger notes, “We have a lot of people with varied experience who have different points of view. You see why people believe what they believe and how they came to form their opinions, which are very different and controversial. It’s really interesting.” The Tuesday morning Men’s Breakfast Club is a collection of mostly retired individuals ranging in age from their sixties to their nineties who meet at the Oshman Family JCC to have an open discussion. “It’s been a very open forum,” says Jerry Wagger, a retired physician and the group’s de facto moderator. “Topics are submitted by those present and occasionally we will have a focused agenda so that people can give some thought before.”

The genesis of the group was via the Community Tuesdays programming led by Michelle Rosengaus, OFJCC Adult Program Manager. Together with a volunteer, Michelle conducted focus groups to determine what men were looking for in social programming, which she discovered was a discussion group like the Breakfast Club. Initially, the group met in the cafe on campus (now Nourish: A Newish Jewish Cafe), but moved to room M-119 on the Saal Family Midrahov to accommodate the increased membership as well as provide a more private venue for discussion. It is free and open to the community at large and meets every week from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM. “I have to get up early on Tuesday morning,” jokes a dedicated member of the group.

Topics range from health and romance to politics and poetry. Liao Weiping, a member of the group who writes poetry in both Chinese and English, describe his appreciation: “I am very glad to be here to meet friends. I have a good time.” Another member adds, “Every time that I come here, I go away with new information. That is the biggest reward—you learn something new.”

While the professions of the members include a retired automaker, geophysics professor, folk singer, civil engineer and diplomat, there are also a number of different physicians, including a retired ophthalmologist, gastroenterologist, internist and cardiologist. “Don’t get sick while you’re there,” warns Wagger, “because they’ll fight over who gets to take care of you.”

“Before I retired, I never used to communicate with men of such a broad spectrum,” says Jack Sklansky, a retired professor. “If I had known about it, I would have been even more eager to come here.”

Dr. Jerry Wagger

The group members, different as they may be, have found their harmony with one another, seamlessly passing from point to point. They acknowledge their differences but respect them. Mike Goldman states, “When you get up to talk, you don’t have to be right. I can attest to that.” He is interrupted by someone else: “And it will always be pointed out.”

You may have noticed that the Oshman Family JCC was closed on Friday, August 26. If you were wondering why, the answer is simple: preparedness.  Many people are vaguely aware that an emergency disaster situation is possible but few of us have taken concrete steps to prepare for it. Friday, August 26 at the OFJCC was dedicated to making sure the campus is prepared to safely evacuate and protect members and staff in the event of an emergency as well as to sharing our common mission as an agency.

Kenneth Dueker, Director of Emergency Services for the City of Palo Alto, provided information on how to best prepare in the event of disaster.

Dueker noted that a high magnitude earthquake has more than a 99% chance of happening in California in the next 30 years, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. In the event of a disaster, there is also the possibility of a “cascading effect”–the impairment of phone systems, infrastructure, roads and water delivery. Unfortunately, no police department has the capacity to serve all of the residents in an urban area at the same time during an emergency. As a result, professionals recommend that each individual and family prepare independently.

How can you be prepared in the event of an emergency? The Office of Emergency Services recommends taking the following steps:

1. Build A Kit

In the event of an emergency, the basic essentials might not be available from stores and utilities. For this reason, the City of Palo Alto recommends assembling a kit of supplies needed for survival. Surprisingly, the kit should contain enough provisions to last at least seven days. This includes basics like nonperishable food, water, toilet paper and a flashlight but also less commonly thought of items such as comfortable clothing, sturdy shoes, cash in small bills, a tent, sleeping bag, flash drive with important documents and a battery solar crank radio preset to an emergency radio station. More information on local tips for creating a kit can be found here.

2. Make a Plan

Planning for a disaster is an important element of being prepared. FEMA has a handy Family Disaster Plan document which can be filled out for each individual or family.

Top tips include:

• Identify a place to reunite if you and members of your family are separated
• Record important personal and medical information
• Learn the policies of schools and day care centers your children attend regarding their release after an emergency
• Consider the needs of infants, seniors and persons with disabilities

3. Stay Informed

In the event of an emergency, it is important to stay up-to-date on developments in the area. The City of Palo Alto recommends registering for AlertSCC as the best way to stay informed in the event of an emergency. This county-wide service ensures that you receive emergency alerts about critical and timely safety information throughout the course of what is happening. There are also two radio stations to be aware of in an emergency and those are KZSU 90.1 FM (Local) and KCBS 740 AM/106.9 FM.

Sergeant Dueker gives the thumbs up in front of the 12 Tribes Sculpture at the Oshman Family JCC.

By following these steps, Palo Alto residents and people all over the world can ensure they are prepared, in Sergeant Dueker’s words, “in the event of a fire, earthquake, flood, locusts, you name it. Yes, that was a Bible joke. Because, you know, the JCC.”

Some people say you’re never too old to try something new. Oshman Family JCC member Paul Kent agrees.

When he was 90, Paul met yoga master and fellow Moldaw resident Lily Hillis. She convinced him to attend one of her weekly yoga classes at the OFJCC’s Goldman Sports & Wellness Complex. An open-minded Paul agreed to sit in and has been a regular ever since. Last week, in honor of his 95^th birthday, Hillis orchestrated a surprise party for Paul after their regular class.

“I’ve been coming for five years and never missed a class,” Paul said to a crowd of waiting friends and community members at the surprise gathering. The witty 95-year old, who admittedly doesn’t look his age, also shared a story of being turned down by the British Army during World War II for having a heart murmur. “I bet they regret that now,” he joked.

“I want to be Paul when I grow up,” says instructor Lily Hillis of her student and close friend. Like Paul, Hillis was introduced to yoga later in life, but has been infatuated ever since. Lilly currently teaches two Gentle Yoga classes at the OFJCC, providing versatile movements for people of all ages to enjoy and peppering each class with her unique brand of humor.

Paul and his wife Elsie have been living at Moldaw since the senior housing development opened in 2009. The Kents, who will both turn 95 this week, are quite active on the Taube Koret Campus for Jewish Life, which houses both the Moldaw Residences and the Oshman Family JCC.

On behalf of the OFJCC, we wish Paul and Elsie wonderful birthdays.