Valley JCC Newsletter July 2022 | |
Letter From Jeff Rubin
Executive Director, Valley JCC
Growing up, my parents instilled in me the habit of treating others the way I wished to be treated myself. To treat them with kindness and respect. And that is how I’ve always treated people. Maybe you feel the same way. Years ago, I came across this story that teaches the Golden Rule:
The Old Man and His Grandson
(The Wooden Bowl)
There once was a grandpa who lived with his family. As Grandpa grew older, he began to slobber and spill his food. So the family had him eat alone. When he dropped his bowl and broke it, they scolded him and got him a cheap wooden bowl. Grandpa was so unhappy. Now one day the young grandson was working with wood. "What are you doing?" Mom and Dad asked. "I'm making a wooden bowl," he said, "for when you two get old and must eat alone." Mom and Dad then looked sad and realized how they were mistreating Grandpa. So they decided to keep quiet when he spills his food and to let him eat with the family.
Valley JCC is all about respect, kindness and making our community a better place for all. We strive to create programs, classes, sports leagues and interest clubs that create an opportunity to enjoy each day of life to the fullest. Mutual respect is demonstrated in our committee meetings too, as active members research, discuss and select the best programs to schedule throughout the year.
We can’t change all the inequities in the world, but within our Valley JCC community we’re certainly practicing the Golden Rule in all our endeavors. We can hope that it has a ripple effect that spreads beyond our walls. I think our parents would be proud!
Thank You,
Jeff
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Message From Ollie Haas
Valley JCC President, Board of Directors
I hope everyone is enjoying the transition from the end of the school semester, graduations and other annual celebrations. As we now begin embracing the summer months, Valley JCC continues its activities and sports programs throughout the summer.
I’d like to thank John Paul Thornton for his recent beautiful and comprehensive art history presentation, “Art in Israel”. There were 120 people in attendance at the zoom class, including Center members and many who joined us for the first time. A warm welcome to all of you!
Based on the great response, we have reached out to John Paul and plan to include many more of his presentations in our schedule this year and in 2023. His next class will take place on Wednesday, August 31, 2022.
Our Fundraising Committee has been busy planning a yearly calendar of activities including, but not limited to, a Holiday Boutique, Dodger game, Wine & Cheese gathering, March Madness Game Day, more Bingo and Trivia Nights, and our annual Galathon.
I look forward to seeing you at our in-person gatherings and I encourage you to keep looking at our website for all the new and continuing classes, lectures, interest clubs, youth and adult basketball, basketball camp and partner programs. Whether on zoom or in-person, Valley JCC has something for everyone.
Enjoy the 4th of July!
Best wishes,
Ollie Haas
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"Art in Israel" by John Paul Thornton
Enjoyed by 120 attendees!
Next art history presentation Wednesday, August 31st
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Save The Date!
Wednesday, August 31st
6:00-7:30pm
History Through Art
presented by
John Paul Thornton
Following the success of
"Art in Israel"
we have invited John Paul to present several more programs this year.
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Don't miss out on our exciting
new BRIDGE CLUB
You are invited to a FREE Zoom
Meet & Greet
July 11th at 4pm ET/1pm PT
Join Peter Steinberg, one of America's
favorite and most popular bridge
teachers, for a demonstration of our
Bridge Club.
Try an interactive bridge hand
Play on our unique virtual bridge table
Q & A with Peter to learn about our program
No partner required
Lots of surprises await attendees.
Click HERE to register
Questions? Email [email protected]
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Upcoming Classes for July 2022
Check out our July classes and click on the link to sign up!
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Songs & Stories: A Tribute to Burt Bacharach
Wednesday, July 13 – 2pm (PT) on Zoom
Save! Order before July 11th for “Early Bird” pricing!
For details & tickets, click here.
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Still Traveling:
Magical Morocco – Food, Film & Fine Crafts
Three Mondays, July 11, 18 & 25, 2022
11am-12:15pm (PT) on Zoom
Save! Register before July 9 for “Early Bird” ticket pricing.
For details & tickets, click here.
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Meet Adam Frank
Coach, Wayne League Youth Basketball
Adam Frank grew up in Studio City and Sherman Oaks in the San Fernando Valley. During his years at Grant High School, he starting playing baseball and competed in the sport for many years, including his early college years at San Diego State.
When he transferred to University of California, Santa Barbara, Adam decided to major in political science and minor in sports management. His career path in sports management became a reality when he became Director of Athletic Marketing at Allan Hancock College, located in northern Santa Barbara County.
Adam’s interest in sports continued when, in 2000, he moved to the east coast to join the Athletic Department at the University of Maryland. Eventually he moved back to California and built a career with State Farm Insurance.
“I have combined my passion for baseball and my desire to mentor children by participating in the community sports programs," Adam explains. He has been a baseball coach at Sunrise Little League in Woodland Hills, and is currently part of the Valley JCC’s Jerry Wayne Youth League Basketball program. When he’s not coaching, Adam can be found in Woodland Hills with his wife, Tracy, and their children Liam and Olivia.
State Farm Contact Info:
www.adamfrankinsurance.com
Photo: (L to R): Liam, Tracy, Adam, Olivia
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Readers Club
Join us!
Wednesday, July 20th at 7:00pm
"The Collector's Apprentice""
by B.A. Shapiro
Please RSVP to: [email protected]
When you RSVP you will receive
the meeting ID and Password
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Spotlight On
Michael Fishman
Board of Directors, Valley JCC
Michael Fishman, an active member of Valley JCC, serves on the Board of Directors and the Fundraising Committee.
A proud New Yorker, Michael was born in Manhattan and grew up in Queens. He graduated from Queens College, where he met his future wife, Wendy. Following college, Michael served in the U.S. Army Reserves and was employed in the Garment District selling fabrics.
Michael was always interested in sports and played baseball and basketball as a kid. After his playing days were over, he stayed involved with these sports as an official.
For the past 35 years, he has officiated as an umpire in youth baseball and high school softball and as a referee for youth and high school basketball.
Michael and Wendy moved to Los Angeles with their two children in 1976. They soon met Donna and Ollie Haas, who introduced them to Valley JCC. The Fishmans joined and Wendy was nominated to serve on the Board of Directors.
Michael shares a quote from Coach John Wooden: “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are”.
Photo: (L to R): Wendy Fishman, Granddaughters Avery, Mila, and Scarlett, Michael Fishman
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Basketball Camps
For Boys & Girls
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Wayne League Youth Basketball | |  |
Sundays at de Toledo High School | | |
Basketball
The Wayne League
by
Jason Moser
Our Adult Basketball Summer League has just started with 54 teams. It will run thru Labor Day.
We would like to thank Viewpoint School, A.C. Stelle Middle School, de Toledo High School, and Emek Hebrew Academy for allowing us to play in their excellent gyms.
Youth Basketball games continue on Sundays through mid-August. Be on the look out for Fall Basketball registration.
During July and August we also have a summer camp for boys and girls ages 6-14 years. Locations will be in Calabasas, and Sherman Oaks. Please look at all the choices on the flyer above and sign up for some special fun.
I’m looking forward to seeing the parents and families in the community. We appreciate their effort in keeping our leagues going strong.
Join us!
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From Today's Montessori... | |
Valley JCC Men's Club
Meet and socialize
with other 55+ men in the Valley!
Past outings include special tours of Santa Anita Park, Jet Propulsion Laboratories in Pasadena, experiences at Dodger Stadium, the Getty Museum, and Axe Throwing at Lumberjack's in Northridge.
July Meeting
Tuesday, July 5, 2022, (July 4th is on Monday)
6:00P
Frank Weiler's Deli, 21161 Victory Blvd.
Please RSVP Burt Kaminsky at [email protected].
The Men's Club meets the first Monday of the month, unless there is
a national or religious holiday.
Stay tuned for the next activity...
For more information, contact [email protected] or call 818-360-2211
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Valley JCC July Calendar
Check Out July Classes & Events!
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CLICK HERE TO VIEW LARGER SIZE JULY CALENDAR ONLINE | |
Mah Jongg
at The Village at NorthRidge
Join in and have fun on
Mah Jongg Game Day
Mondays
10:00am to 2:30pm
(No game on July 4th)
Location:
The Village at NorthRidge
9222 Corbin Avenue, Northridge
Bring your lunch!
Fee: $6 per session; no charge for VJCC members
Register at: http://www.valleyjcc.org/mahj
For more information, contact Judi at [email protected]
or call: (818) 764-6240
To become a member of the Valley Jewish Community Center
Go To: www.valleyjcc.org/membership
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Current Events
Discussion Group
Join Our Current Events Discussion Group!
$6 participation fee
Free for members
Meets the first Tuesday & third Thursday of each month
Register for upcoming sessions here.
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Happy Birthday!
July
Anat Hirschorn
Lior Edri
Oriahn Saban
Doron Saban
Jason Spector
Gary Arnold
Debbie Du Val
Holly Fleschler
Samuel Gardner
David Gelb
Sam Goldberg
Donna Haas
Natalie Hall
Al Leamons
Gal Lis
Barbara Medovoy
Joe Mordoh
Judi Nachenberg
Barbara Paige
Russell Rapoport
Barbara Reinecke
Martin Rosenthal
Oren Schlesinger
Rotem Shenon
We Wish You Good Health & Happiness!
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Did You Know?
10 Fun Facts
Share these fun facts at your BBQ...
1.The Declaration of Independence was not signed on July 4, 1776. That’s actually the day it was formally adopted by the Continental Congress, but it wasn’t signed by most signatories until August.
2. Americans typically eat 150 million hot dogs on Independence Day, “enough to stretch from D.C. to L.A. more than five times,” according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council.
3. Three presidents have died on July 4: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and James Monroe.
4. John Adams believed that American Independence should be celebrated on July 2, as that’s the actual day the Continental Congress voted for independence in 1776.
5. The famed Macy’s fireworks show in New York City uses more than 75,000 fireworks shells and costs about $6 million.
6. Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest is held annually on July 4. In 2018, champion Joey Chestnut ate 76 hot dogs with buns in just 10 minutes.
7. Every July 4, descendants of the signers of the Declaration of Independence tap the Liberty Bell 13 times in honor of the original 13 colonies.
8 John Hancock has the largest signature on the Declaration of Independence.
9. The first July 4 celebration took place at the White House on 1801, hosted by Thomas Jefferson.
10. One World Trade Center in New York is 1,776 feet tall to mark the year the U.S. declared its independence from Britain.
...https://parade.com
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4th of July
Frozen Bananas for Dessert
Just cut peeled bananas in half, insert a lollipop stick into each and freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Then dip in melted red, white or blue candy melts; drizzle with more candy melts and decorate with sprinkles. Freeze until ready to serve.
LINK for recipe CLICK HERE
or go to:
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/chocolate-covered-frozen-bananas-5312687
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Book Review
The Diamond Eye
by Kate Quinn
The New York Times bestselling author of The Rose Code returns with an unforgettable World War II tale of a quiet bookworm who becomes history's deadliest female sniper. Based on a true story.
In 1937 in the snowbound city of Kiev (now known as Kyiv), wry and bookish history student Mila Pavlichenko organizes her life around her library job and her young son--but Hitler's invasion of Ukraine and Russia sends her on a different path. Given a rifle and sent to join the fight, Mila must forge herself from studious girl to deadly sniper--a lethal hunter of Nazis known as Lady Death. When news of her three hundredth kill makes her a national heroine, Mila finds herself torn from the bloody battlefields of the eastern front and sent to America on a goodwill tour.
Still reeling from war wounds and devastated by loss, Mila finds herself isolated and lonely in the glittering world of Washington, DC--until an unexpected friendship with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and an even more unexpected connection with a silent fellow sniper offer the possibility of happiness. But when an old enemy from Mila's past joins forces with a deadly new foe lurking in the shadows, Lady Death finds herself battling her own demons and enemy bullets in the deadliest duel of her life.
Based on a true story, The Diamond Eye is a haunting novel of heroism born of desperation, of a mother who became a soldier, of a woman who found her place in the world and changed the course of history forever.
...goodreads.com
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Looking For Succulents?
Look No Further Than Cactus Ranch!
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Desert Blooms in Reseda
Tens of thousands of cacti and succulents are beginning to set flower buds. Exotic, Night Blooming Cereus fill the air with a powerfully fragrant perfume. Hummingbirds fit around sucking nectar from Haworthia Aloe and Echeveria flowers.
A trip to South America isn't required to experience this scene. The unique microclimate described above sprawls over a 1½ acre agricultural site in Reseda, California.
More than 100,000 cacti and succulent plants thrive in the display gardens and greenhouses maintained by California Nursery Specialties, where the unusual is commonplace.
California Nursery Specialties is primarily a production grower, with a network of retail distributors, open to the public only on weekends.
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For the curious visitor, the fun starts with the outdoor display gardens, where dominating 20 foot giant denizens of the desert throw long shadows across the details of the landscape below. A myriad of smaller cacti and other odd succulents fill almost every little nook and cranny between boulders and weathered wood.
Visitors are awe-struck by the incredible diversity of these unusual plants which grow in so many bizarre shapes, textures and colors. Some of the ugliest plants suddenly send up some of the most beautiful flowers.
Visitors are Welcome
Saturdays & Sundays
11am - 6pm
(winter 11am - 5pm)
Location and Directions
The Reseda facility is located at 19420 Saticoy, Reseda, CA 91335, 2 ½ miles north of Hwy 101. Exit Tampa, north to Saticoy, west on Saticoy 1 ¼ blocks. Street parking is available along the front of the gardens.
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In recent years, the interest in drought-tolerant gardens (and low-maintenance plants in general) has increased the appeal of cacti and succulents.
The popularity of the "southwestern look" has made these plants the ideal choice for use as indoor "living sculpture," as well as indoor-outdoor landscape combinations. These plants compliment many styles of decorating and architecture, especially the early California, African, Spanish, rustic and western themes.
Some guests come by just to gawk. Others come with lists of what they need to complete a collection or finish a landscape. An occasional busload of students or green thumbs comes to learn more about the desert flora. Artists and photographers often make themselves at home, capturing the dazzling beauty of nature with easel and paints, or tripod and camera.
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Fundraising Opportunity
On Your Birthday!
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"How To" Use Amazon Smile...
- Go to the AmazonSmile website: www.https://smile.amazon.com/charity
- Sign-in using your existing Amazon Account Name and Password
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Select your charity: Valley Jewish Community Center
- Start shopping
- Every time you shop on Amazon from now on, begin at: Smile.Amazon.com and sign in. The sign-in spot is located in the upper right-hand corner
- A percentage of each purchase goes to Valley JCC. Everything helps!
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Calling All Holiday Boutique Vendors...
Save The Date!
Valley JCC Holiday Boutique
takes place on
Sunday, December 4th
10:00am - 3:00pm
If you are interested in becoming a vendor
please contact Leslie Dinstman at: [email protected]
Location: The Village at NorthRidge
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"How To" Use Ralphs To Benefit Valley JCC
- Go to: www.ralphs.com
- Click on "Sign in" to the right of the search box. (If you don't have an online account, click on "Register")
- Click on your name to the right of the search box at the top
- You will now be on your Account Summary page
- Scroll down to "Community Contributions" and click on "Enroll"
- Complete the online form and Click on "Save"
- Enter organization number SK677 and click on the "Search" button
- "Valley Jewish Community Center" will be displayed. Click "Enroll"
- You will see a confirmation at the top of the Account Summary page
- A percentage of your purchases will be donated to Valley JCC
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See Your Message or Advertisement
HERE
For more information including pricing, e-mail [email protected]
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Join Us at the Valley Jewish Community Center...
Become A Member!
Join today to support Valley JCC and be an active member of our community! Membership gains you access and discounts to JCC programs. Tuition at Today’s Montessori include membership to Valley JCC and JCC Maccabi.
CLICK HERE to fill out the Membership Form
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