Posts by Jason Moss

February 28, 2023

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 …

February 14, 2023

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…

February 7, 2023

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…

January 31, 2023

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…

January 17, 2023

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 …

January 10, 2023

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…

Standing Together

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…

Countering Hate with Jewish Pride

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…

Students of History

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…

Evolve to Survive

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…

Shana Tova

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…

Behind the scenes

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…

Not if, but when

Our security concerns are ramping up

As you might imagine, a lot of things come across my computer screen each day. Whether it is what is taking place in Israel, updates from our local synagogues, information about how upcoming legislation at both the federal and state level could impact ou…

Summer offers kids a break

Camp More Important than Ever

Awww… summer. That time of year when the air is filled with the smell of barbeque, life feels more carefree and it is okay to wear white.

 

For kids, it is a break from the regular routine of the school year and a chance to just play and be a kid. But for …

This year in Jerusalem

Every Trip to Israel is Different

When I was sixteen years old, I and 45 other teens from northern California, specifically the East Bay, spent six weeks in Israel during the summer after our sophomore year in high school. It was an incredible experience, especially at such a young age, and…