Local Jewish Agency
It’s no surprise that the region’s two Jewish Family and Children’s Services claimed top spots in this category. With offices in San Francisco, the South Bay/Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma, and a separately run entity providing for the East Bay, JFCS provides unique services to the entire Bay Area.
The 130-year-old S.F.-based JFCS in San Francisco has 40 comprehensive programs, and hundreds of staff members and volunteers. “We really are an agency that has something for everybody at every stage of their life, at every age, every socio-economic level,“ said Director of Marketing and Communications Chana Andler.
JFCS provides extensive programming for seniors, children and adults. Among its new programs is a child trauma-training institute to help “train professionals to work with traumatized children.”
JFCS of the East Bay works on a smaller scale than its San Francisco counterpart. While there are only 50 staff members working at JFCS East Bay, over 200 volunteer on a regular basis. “We’re really the only East Bay organization responding to a lot of these communities,“ said Marketing and Communications Director Holly White.
JFCS matches these volunteers with a person in need, and has them visit at least once a week to provide support and companionship. White noted that these volunteer positions often become long-term ones.
“Everything we do is local,” White said, “ We have a broad mission, but feel very strongly that the mission is based on Jewish values.”
Coming in second are the Jewish Community Relations Council for San Francisco, Shalom Bayit for the East Bay and Palo Alto Friendship Circle for the South Bay/Peninsula.
FIRST PLACE
San Francisco
Jewish Family
and Children’s
Services
(415) 449-1200
www.jfcs.org
East Bay
Jewish Family &
Children’s Services
of the East Bay
Berkeley
(510) 704-7475
www.jfcs-eastbay.org
South Bay/Peninsula
Jewish Family
and Children’s Services
San Mateo
(650) 931-1800
www.jfcs.org
Marin/Sonoma
Jewish Family and
Children’s Services
San Rafael
(415) 491-7960
www.jfcs.org
SECOND PLACE
San Francisco
Jewish Community
Relations Council
(415) 957-1551
www.jcrc.org
East Bay
Shalom Bayit
Oakland
(510) 451-8874
www.shalom-bayit.org
South Bay/Peninsula
Palo Alto
Friendship Circle
(650) 858-6990
www.friendshipcirclepa.org
Jewish
Fundraising Event
Money is the lifeblood of the Jewish community, which is why annual fundraisers play such a big part in keeping local Jewish agencies functioning. This year, three fundraisers by local Jewish organizations were fortunate enough to get first place in this category: the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation’s Super Sunday in San Francisco, the Reutlinger Community for Jewish Living’s Solid Gold Ball in the East Bay, and the Peninsula JCC Dinner Auction in the South Bay.
In San Francisco, Super Sunday is the JCF’s staple event, an annual phone-a-thon each November in which volunteers call donors to request money for programming to support local and national causes.
Over in the East Bay, the Reutlinger Community for Jewish Living in Danville hosts the Solid Gold Ball, a 26-year-old fundraiser, each November. This year the Ball will be held at Danville’s Blackhawk Museum, with the theme of “Casino Royale.” The Ball “points out the unique and needed home for Jewish elders ... [Reutlinger] is not only a place to live, but has the ability to provide a real arena of learning, “ said RCJL Executive Director Janice Corran.
Heading into the spring, there’s the Peninsula JCC Dinner Auction. What the PJCC raises helps support programs and operations for the center. The fundraiser is run by 250-odd volunteers, and has greatly helped the PJCC, which is only 3 years old, expand its membership base.
Second-place winners are the Jewish Community High School of the Bay Spring Celebration in San Francisco, the Oakland Hebrew Day School Spring Gala in the East Bay and the South Bay Annual AIPAC Membership Dinner in the South Bay/Peninsula.
FIRST PLACE
San Francisco
Super Sunday
S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation
(415) 777-0411
www.supersunday.org
East Bay
The Solid Gold Ball
Reutlinger Community for Jewish Living
Danville
(925) 648-2800
www.rcjl.org
South Bay/Peninsula
Peninsula Jewish
Community Center
Dinner Auction
Foster City
(650) 212-PJCC
www.pjcc.org
SECOND PLACE
San Francisco
Jewish Community
High School of the
Bay Spring Celebration
(415) 345-1818
www.jchsofthebay.org
East Bay
Oakland Hebrew Day
School Spring Gala
Oakland
(510) 531-8600
www.ohds.org
South Bay/Peninsula
South Bay Annual AIPAC
Membership Dinner
(415) 989-4140
www.aipacpnw.org
JCC
Whether you need a pool to swim in or a place to take Spanish classes, your friendly neighborhood JCC is the place to go — a second home. The readers’ choice picks for favorite JCC are the JCC of San Francisco, Contra Costa JCC in the East Bay, Peninsula JCC in the South Bay/Peninsula, and Osher Marin JCC in Marin/Sonoma.
The JCCSF serves what Executive Director Sandee Blechman believes to be about “half of the Jewish community in San Francisco.” All of its programs are open to non-members. “We put emphasis on trying to be proactive in our engagement with everybody who walks through our doors, so they have a positive experience,“ Blechman says.
Across the bay in Walnut Creek, the Contra Costa JCC, while working on a slightly smaller scale, still has a lot to be proud of. The CCJCC has the only Jewish infant care in the East Bay, and is partnering with the city of Walnut Creek on several initiatives. It’s also in the midst of renovating its building.
The Peninsula JCC in Foster City has a variety of programs to integrate youth and adults. Around 20-odd miles from both San Francisco and Palo Alto, “it’s the center of the Jewish community on the North Peninsula,” says Associate Executive Director Jane Post.
Up in the North Bay, it’s no surprise that the Osher Marin JCC in San Rafael was voted in first. Perhaps the biggest accomplishment this year for Osher Marin was the January opening of the Kurland Wing, which hosts the new Kurland Center for Lifelong Learning. This renovation has allowed for more Center Stage performing arts programs, and allows more people to attend those programs.
Second place winners are the JCC of the East Bay and the Albert L. Schultz JCC in the South Bay/Peninsula.
FIRST PLACE
San Francisco
JCC of San Francisco
(415) 292-1200
www.jccsf.org
East Bay
Contra Costa
JCC
Walnut Creek
(925) 938-7800
www.ccjcc.org
South Bay/Peninsula
Peninsula Jewish
Community Center
Foster City
(650) 212-PJCC
www.pjcc.org
Marin/Sonoma
Osher Marin
Jewish Community
Center
San Rafael
(415) 444-8000
www.marinjcc.org
SECOND PLACE
East Bay
Jewish Community
Center of the East Bay
(510) 848-0237
www.jcceastbay.org
South Bay/Peninsula
Albert L. Schultz
JCC
Palo Alto
(650) 493-9400
www.paloaltojcc.org
Jewish Women’s Organization
The venerable Hadassah: The Women’s Zionist Organization of America is j. readers’ favorite Jewish women’s organization.
But what is this 95-year-old organization doing to reach out to young members? Appealing to a younger crowd through once —a-month social events.
“It’s your social network, “ says Executive Director Denise Goldman. Hadassah holds events like the annual “Sushi Martinis” — where 250 Jewish professionals go to mingle — and is also presenting a film at the Jewish film festival, holding a gala and putting together “Dancing with the Hadassah Stars.”
Hadassah is also trying to “pass the baton” on to the younger generation through youth programs like teen trips to Israel and advocacy for medical issues like stem cell research. “People don’t realize how contemporary the issues that Hadassah deals with are,“ Goldman says.
The second place winner in the Bay Area is Amit.
FIRST PLACE
Bay Area
Hadassah
San Francisco
(415) 771-5900
www.sanfran.hadassah.org
SECOND PLACE
Bay Area
Amit
San Francisco
(415) 664-6309
www.amitchildren.org
Favorite Jewish Men’s Organization
We’re certainly not surprised that B’nai Brith won j.’s readers’ hearts for favorite Jewish men’s organization.
The 163-year-old organization facilitates many successful programs throughout Northern California. While most of its members are adults in their 30s and 40s, they now gear much of their programming toward youth. B’nai Brith hosts local events like a Yom HaShoah commemoration, which not only draws B’nai Brith members, but community members and San Francisco politicians as well.
Frank Winston, regional director of B’nai Brith, says it succinctly: they’re “more than just a men’s organization.”
FIRST PLACE
Bay Area
B’nai Brith
(415) 752-9304
Place for Jewish Lectures
If your favorite author is coming to town, look no further than these Bay Area programs to hear him or her speak. In choosing the winners for favorite place for Jewish lectures, our readers picked the JCCSF, Osher Marin JCC and Peninsula JCC. In the East Bay, Lehrhaus Judaica received top honors.
The JCCSF is flying high — in 2006, 28 of its 106 lectures sold out completely. In the past year its programming has brought in a younger audience and big names such as Annie Liebowitz and Mark Morris. JCCSF celebrated “Freud Fest” last year, with over 20 programs. “We appeal to the widest cross-section of adults,” said Executive Director Sandee Bleckman.
Over in the East Bay, while Lehrhaus Judaica may only have five employees, the 33-year-old organization makes up for its size with its number of sponsors and number of active participants “It’s a reflection of the commitment of the co-sponsors to a genuine grassroots effort,” said Executive DirectorJehan Grist. Some of its signature series are Bible by the Bay, Learning in Leadership, and its newest series, “Understanding Israel: A New Way to Discover Israel’s Past, Present and Future.”
The Peninsula JCC finds its most popular lectures are those in relation to Israel. One of its other main lecture series is related to the lifecycle; starting in the fall, programming will revolve around that topic, starting with discussions and lectures on birth.
While most of the Osher Marin JCC’s programs are for adults, they still have an eclectic array of themes and speakers. Every Friday, the JCC attracts between 30 and 75 people to lectures on varied topics. Some of its newest programs include a series devoted to National Book Month, a “Center Stage” program focusing on singers and songwriters and a series by Leah Garrett on growing up Jewish in Shanghai.
The second-place winner is the BJE Jewish Community Library in San Francisco.
FIRST PLACE
San Francisco
Jewish Community
Center of San Francisco
(415) 292-1200
www.jccsf.org
East Bay
Lehrhaus Judaica
Berkeley
(510) 845-6420
www.lehrhaus.org
South Bay/Peninsula
Peninsula Jewish
Community Center
Foster City
(650) 212-PJCC
www.pjcc.org
Marin/Sonoma
Osher Marin Jewish
Community Center
San Rafael
(415) 444-8000
www.marinjcc.org
SECOND PLACE
San Francisco
BJE Jewish
Community Library
(415) 567-3327 ext. 704
www.bjesf.org/library.htm
Jewish Place to Volunteer,
If you’re feeling some of that trademark Jewish guilt and need a way to get rid of it … why not become a volunteer? This year j. readers voted these esteemed locations as the best place to volunteer: Congregation Sherith Israel in San Francisco, the Reutlinger Center for Jewish Living in the East Bay, and the S.F.-based Jewish Family and Children’s Services in the South Bay/Peninsula.
In San Francisco, Congregation Sherith Israel has a volunteer program with many different aspects. One of its biggest programs is Hamotzi, which has congregants making and delivering meals to homeless shelters every week. “We have a three-legged approach: volunteer leadership, staffing and clergy,” said Executive Director Nancy Drapin. With volunteers of all ages, and at least 50 percent of the congregation volunteering, they really service the community in a significant way.
At the Reutlinger Community for Jewish Living in Danville, around 300 volunteers assist in clerical and service work from within and outside the community (including local synagogues). According to Executive Director Janice Corran, volunteers “follow us wherever we go.”
In the South Bay, JFCS organizes several volunteer programs with appealing names: Seder Sacks, Chicken Soupers, Café by the Bay. While many of its programs predominantly serve the elderly, other programs like Team Tzadik and On the Mark are meant to bring in a younger crowd. “We really are an agency that has something for everybody at every stage of their life,” said Director of Marketing and Communications Chana Adler.
Second-place winners are JFCS in San Francisco, JCC of the East Bay and Wornick Day School in the South Bay/Peninsula.
FIRST PLACE
San Francisco
Congregation
Sherith Israel
(415) 346-1720
www.sherithisrael.org
East Bay
Reutlinger Community
for Jewish Living
Danville
(925) 648-2800
www.rcjl.org
South Bay/Peninsula
Jewish Family
and Children’s Services
Various locations
(415) 449-1200
www.jfcs.org
SECOND PLACE
San Francisco
Jewish Family
and Children’s Services
(415) 449-1200
www.jfcs.org
East Bay
Jewish Community Center
of the East Bay
Oakland
(510) 530-9222
www.jcceastbay.org
South Bay/Peninsula
Ronald C. Wornick
Jewish Day School
Foster City
(650) 378-2600
www.wornickjds.org
Secular Volunteer Opportunities
There are a lot of nonprofits besides Jewish organizations that need volunteers. That is why j. introduced a new category this year, favorite secular volunteer opportunities. Readers’ chose the San Francisco Food Bank, Planned Parenthood Golden Gate in the East Bay and Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties in the South Bay/Peninsula.
The San Francisco Food Bank, although it has only 60 full- and part-time staff, provided food to more than 118,000 people, and distributed more than 27.4 million pounds of food in the past year alone. It partners with many local agencies in distributing and providing this food, and helps local residents prepare for both emergencies and disasters.
In the East Bay, Planned Parenthood significantly helps in informing the community about health issues. One notable accomplishment was its advocacy against the Parental Notification Initiative, an issue that attracted more than 300 volunteers this past year. “People volunteer with us because there is a sense of urgency around the issues we work on politically, “ said Public Affairs Manager Maya Ingram.
In the South Bay, Second Harvest Food Bank provides the community with a wide array of volunteer opportunities. Second Harvest began when a merger in 1988 brought together Santa Clara and San Mateo Food Banks, and, according to their Web site, now has hundreds of volunteers coming in weekly. Some of the primary volunteer opportunities revolve around food distribution, education, advocacy and warehouse activities.
Second-place winners are Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco and Meals on Wheels in the East Bay.
FIRST PLACE
San Francisco
Food Bank
(415) 282 1907 ext. 244
www.sffoodbank.org
East Bay
Planned Parenthood
Golden Gate
Various locations
(415) 441-7858
www.ppgg.org
South Bay/Pennisula
Second Harvest
Food Bank of
Santa Clara and
San Mateo Counties
SECOND PLACE
San Francisco
Glide Memorial
Church
(415) 674-6080
www.glide.org
East Bay
Meals on Wheels
Various location
(866)669-6697
www.mealsonwhelsof
CopyrightJ, the Jewish news weekly of Northern California