Dec 18, 2015
More than 750 people gathered at the OFJCC on November 22 for an extraordinary conference on the future of Israel, its relationship with American Jewry and the relevance of Zionism today. Presented in collaboration with Haaretz newspaper, Zionism 3.0 brought outstanding journalists, political thinkers and members of Israel’s Knesset to the...
Dec 16, 2015
On Sunday, November 22, over 750 attendees participated in an all-day conference at the Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto, California called “Zionism 3.0: Israel’s Place in Tomorrow’s World.” In partnership with Ha’aretz newspaper, we hosted speakers from across the political spectrum – from Bret Stephens to Peter Beinart, from...
Dec 16, 2015
This was written in early November from my hotel in Jerusalem where I attended the JCC Global Conference and JCC Innovation Summit with approximately 500 other global JCC leaders. It was before the horrific terror attack in Paris, and, most recently, in San Bernardino. These reflections feel even timelier now. I was invited...
Dec 10, 2015
First of all—let me get this out of the way—I’m not Jewish. That said, I do have a favorite Hanukkah song, Hanukkah Blessings by the Barenaked Ladies. It’s one that I play often this time of year as I’m decking my halls and baking my cookies. I hope my Jewish friends and...
Arts and Culture / Jewish Life
Dec 4, 2015
What will modern Judaism look like in the next century? According to Rabbi Wolpe of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, the future is unclear. During his recent talk at the Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto, Wolpe highlighted several factors that are threatening the continuation of modern Jewish life: the...
Dec 1, 2015
I’ve never been a big fan of potato latkes. Zucchini latkes, yes. Potato latkes, no. I was originally planning to come up with one alternative recipe to share on this blog, but after scouring the web for ideas, I found so many fantastic concoctions that I had to share them...
Nov 27, 2015
As Tenzin Gyatso (the 14th Dalai Lama) says the purpose of life is happiness. I believe the purpose of life is to share happiness with others. I also believe from the moment of birth, every human being wants happiness and to avoid suffering. Therefore, the question is to how to...
Nov 23, 2015
Books and reading with a child are two of the finest gifts we can give. As we approach the beginning of Hanukkah, I wanted to share with you a sampling of some of my favorite Hanukkah books—titles you’ll want to have around the house or gift to a friend or relative. Here...
Nov 18, 2015
It seems everyone has earbuds on around the OFJCC, tuning in to their private audio track—especially in the Fitness Center. So we asked a few members what they are currently listening to: “The Cure is coming to Shoreline Amphitheatre in May and it’s gotten me back into them again.” —Jill “I’m listening...
Nov 13, 2015
(Mini banana muffins, get it?) This recipe was adapted from the Rochester Hadassah Cookbook, one of the great kosher cookbooks. But if you look for it there, it’s called “Banana Chocolate Chip Bars,” submitted by Tillie Levinson. Those bars are my mom’s go-to recipe for a fleishig holiday meal. Chances are, if...