This is an exciting time of the year. Students are preparing for Spring Break, and high school seniors are getting college acceptance letters. Families are starting to think about summer plans. (Shameless plug…don’t forget to sign your kids/grandkids up for Camp Gan Shalom this summer.)…
There has been a lot in the news lately, from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and the Ukraine War entering its 2nd year to more uplifting events like the 95th Annual Oscars and the start of the World Baseball Classic (where Israeli won its first game). However, unless you've been paying …
Let me begin this week's message by wishing everyone a very Happy Purim, Chag Purim. With celebrations underway, I hope everyone enjoys a hamantaschen and tries to perform the four mitzvot of the holiday – hear the megillah, give a gift of food, eat a festive meal, and give charity.
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As I have previously shared, I am a huge fan of “National (fill in the blank) Day.” Not only do I think they are fun, but it somehow makes me feel connected with others when I “celebrate” them. While it may come as a surprise, the first “National” day I ever heard about was not …
As you have read in this column many times, I love sports. I love the spectacle, the stress, the storylines, and the competition. And the pinnacle of the football year culminated on Sunday with Super Bowl 57. While my San Francisco 49ers were not playing, I enjoyed being with friends and wat…
As a Jewish leader, I often get emails and phone calls from various people. Some want to ask questions or suggest what we can offer in our community, while others want to schedule a meeting or sell me something. And on occasion, I get an email, as I did a couple of weeks ago, that makes me p…
A few weeks ago, the Jewish community marked the first anniversary of the hostage situation that occurred at the synagogue in Colleyville, TX. This occasion was marked with articles and talks about what faith-based organizations learned from this and how they have applied these lessons to th…
Last week, I was contacted by the editor of the Claremont Courier to get a quote about the recent Jew-blaming flyers that had hit Claremont driveways over that weekend. Sadly, as I explained, as horrible and despicable as the flyer was, it was not illegal because Jewish driveways were not …
This past Sunday, the Jewish Federation held its 28th Annual Meeting. During the event, we not only awarded two scholarships and celebrated our 2022 Volunteer of the Year (Joanne Karr), but we also had the opportunity to hear from Josh Rawitch (President of the National Baseball Hall of Fame…
Jews need others to stand with us to confront antisemitism
Often referred to as the oldest form of hate, antisemitism has been around for 2,000-plus years. The prevalence and prominence we are witnessing today have never caused the type of fear and security issues in the US for the Jewish c…
My list of Almost 100 Things I Love Most About Being Jewish
I know that the prevalence and incidents of antisemitism we are witnessing have caught many of us not only off-guard but also with a feeling of helplessness as we are being hit with it from all sides. Comments made by politicians a…
How to learn and grow from our past
I have always been a student of history. Of all of the subjects I had in school, history was always my favorite. I enjoyed not only understanding what transpired but also why it happened. What led to whatever occurred was just as important to me as what o…
But Relevance Is Vital as Well
I believe it was in elementary school or junior high when I first learned about evolution. There was no controversy surrounding it; it was introduced as a science lesson, and I accepted it as fact. However, it wasn't until much later that I realized that it wa…
Evolving and becoming a better version of ourselves
I can honestly say that as a child, I used to dread this time of year. But, come on… what child didn’t since once the calendar changed to September… it could only mean one thing… school was just about to start. And yet, as an adult…
Pulling back the curtain to show some of the unseen work of the Jewish Federation
When I was a teenager, I participated in a retreat program in the San Francisco Bay Area that brought teens from all across the area for a series of 3-4 weekend retreats. These retreats were coordinated throug…
