l cal news Reissa to perform Eleanor Reissa, the reigning queen of Yiddish cabaret, and the Varetski Pass Trio, an internationally renowned music ensemble from the Bay area have formed a brand new musical collaboration. For decades on the stage, Eleanor has been devoted to the accessibility and preservation of Yiddish and Yiddish song. Her work is classic and classy, funny and fascinating. She is an authentic personality whose life has been shaped by the richness of Jewish culture and who makes its beauty and vibrancy come alive. A Tony-nominated theater director as well as an actor, singer, writer and choreographer, she has lived a life in the theater for decades. Eleanor and The Varetski Pass klezmer trio, come together to celebrate the lights and joys of Chanukah in concert on Sunday, December 18, at 4:00 p.m. at Congregation Sinai. A latkes and dessert reception will follow.
A dangerous neighborhood: regional threats, the Palestinians and Israel’s security By Alan J Weissberger
Congregation Shir Hadash is honored and privileged to host a lecture and discussion on December 5, 2016 at 7:30pm by Carmi Gillon an Israeli business man, politician and former head of Shin Bet (Israeli Security Service) from 1972 – 1996. A prominent figure in Israeli security, diplomacy and business, Mr. Gillon was featured in The Gatekeepers, an Oscar-nominated documentary film featuring six former heads of the Shin. A graduate of Harvard Business School, Gillon has served in such varied leadership posts as mayor of the city Mevasseret Zion near Jerusalem, Ambassador of Israel to Denmark and CEO of the Peres Center for Peace. In his talk, Mr. Gillon will identify threats to Israel from Iran and its neighbors. He will also discuss the current situation with the Palestinians and how that might impact Israel’s security needs. Gillon will also explain why Israel’s security depends on achieving a two state solution and project if and when that might be possible. Let’s examine the award winning Gatekeepers
movie, in which Gillon, as head of Shin Bet, warned that extremists would try to kill Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. The assassination of Rabin on November 4, 1995 by a far-right Israeli extremist shook the agency’s reputation and led to Gillon’s resignation which was rejected by acting Prime Minister Shimon Peres. Ironically, this enormous failure was followed by one of Gillon’s greatest successes. In January 1996, the Shin Bet assassinated “The Engineer,” Yahya Ayyash, a Palestinian terrorist who had masterminded some of the bloodiest attacks on Israeli civilians in recent memory. After the assassination of Rabin, Shin Bet changed its strategies, quietly working with Palestinian officers on security matters. The Palestinians did not cooperate just to help Israeli security, but because they legitimately believed they would soon have a state of their own. Yet 20 years later their dreams of a Palestinian state remain unfulfilled. Is Palestinian self-determination synonymous with Israeli peace? Come to this lecture/discussion to find out.
Embrace-A-Family this Hanukkah! Jewish Family Services invites you to be a part of our ninth annual Embrace-A-Family program, which brings hope and smiles to those in need. Your gifts will help ease holiday pressures and stress for needy families, senior citizens, and adults. Frail, isolated seniors are often overlooked at this time of year. Providing gifts for them is a special mitzvah that will make a huge positive difference in their lives. What you can do to help Look for JFS SV dreidel boards in the community from now through December 23. The boards are at these locations: Levy Family Campus (main and Yavneh/APJCC Preschool lobbies, upstairs at Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley), synagogues (Congregations Beth David, Emeth, Shir Hadash, Sinai; and Temples Emanu-El and Beth Torah), Hillel of Silicon Valley, Pars Kosher Market, South Peninsula Hebrew Day School, and Israeli preschools (Gan Ronit and Liat’s Family Home). Purchase the gift on the tag and bring your unwrapped gift to the JFS SV office at the Levy Family Campus, 14855 Oka Rd, Suite 202, Los Gatos. Your gift will bring a smile – and be a blessing - to someone in need. Generosity restores hope for gift recipients Embrace-a-Family restores hope to people in need, and the generosity of our community over the years has been astounding. There are many beautiful and heartwarming stories from this program. Here are a few:
-A refugee couple who arrived to the U.S. in 2015 with almost nothing received flatware and dishes. The young woman was delighted to get a perfect business shirt just in time for her first job interview. The young man received a thermos and was thrilled to bring healthy meals to his night job – a small gift that made a huge difference. -In 2015 generous donors fulfilled wishes for the financially needy family of a mother who was critically ill. The family would have gone without any gifts. The mother developed the wish list for her children and husband. The family received many of the gifts including an adorable bike for a young child. These acts of kindness made a family feel more supported during this very difficult time. -In past years, seniors who received gifts of books, shoes, and warm blankets appreciated the comfort they brought. Refugee families who got kitchen, bedding, and other household items felt warmly welcomed in our country. Embrace-A-Family once again has a Target Gift Registry for those who like to shop online. Please check the Jewish Family Services website, www.jfssv.org for this year’s link. We appreciate your passing along information about the Embrace-A-Family Target Registry to family and friends who live out of Silicon Valley. Embrace-A-Family brings the community together
It’s a wonderful way for people who have much to be thankful for to give to those in need. Parents of preschoolers find that it is an easy way to help young kids understand about tzedakah and tikkun olam. Members of havurot get together and buy gifts or pool their resources for larger requests. Some families incorporate Embrace-A-Family into their family Hanukkah celebrations. New Dreidels for 2016: $36 Food Bags for families, seniors, and individuals. FEMA is not funding emergency food in Santa Clara County this year. $36 and $50 Emergency Fund for Refugees. United Way of Silicon Valley, which had been funding our refugee services, closed its doors in June. Our Emergency Refugee Fund dreidels will support our need to make up $50,000 in funding that helps refugee families begin new lives in America. More ways to help Gift cards (gas station, supermarket and discount department store) for struggling families and isolated seniors help throughout the year. Embrace-A-Family is a program of JFS’ Project NOAH. For information visit www.jfssv.org or contact Lori Cinnamon at 357-7467 or loric@ jfssv.org.
www.jvalley.org
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