The Jewish annual cycle was established thousands of years ago and to this day the holidays are concentrated on one side of the year – NOT summer. Summer is for agricultural tasks – ancient Jews had to go out and tend the crops and the herds. But this quiet summer time can be a lovely…
Read More »Community Activities
Yom HaShoah
This year — 2013/5773 — Holocaust Memorial Day begins at sunset on April 7. Community observances will take place from April 7 to April 10 around the bay. Anyone is welcome to attend any of the memorials and you should expect large crowds. We still have among us the generation who lived through the Holocaust,…
Read More »Crown and Mystical Kabbalah
We’ll begin with a brief discussion of the meaning of mysticism; then the focus will move to the unique characteristics and history of Jewish mysticism. We will look at a variety of texts including the Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Creation), Sefer Bahir and texts from the school of Abulafia before looking more intensively at the…
Read More »Community Seders 2013
Special Seder on the day BEFORE Passover begins: 3rd Annual Chocolate Seder Jewish LearningWorks is pleased to partner with Peninsula Temple Sholom in Burlingame to provide this lovely event. The chocolate seder is intended for children from kindergarten through 7th grade. It’s a fun, lively seder which involves learning, afikomen hunting, and lots and lots…
Read More »Purim shpiels everywhere!
Homemade Bollywood costume Purim is coming! Along with it comes the commandment to Be Happy, Have Fun and Get Drunk! OK, you don’t actually have to get drunk but you are supposed to really whoop it up. Every synagogue is holding a Purim Shpiel – that is telling the Purim story. Many synagogues pick a…
Read More »Christmas, Jews, and all that jazz
Christmas is just about here and the last big build-up is upon us. Here’s a good article about the Santa Claus issue — not from a religious standpoint, good for any parent raising kids in America. A few words of advice Whatever you do or don’t do for Christmas, make your peace with it now….
Read More »