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Friday January 11, 2008

Shorts: Bay Area

Schindler’s list survivor to speak in Pleasanton

Leon Leyson, the youngest survivor of the famed Schindler’s list, will be in the East Bay to tell the story of life inside the factory of Oskar Schindler. The event, sponsored by Chabad of the Tri-Valley, takes place 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 16 in Pleasanton.

Born Leib Lejzon in Poland, Leyson and his family were imprisoned in the Krakow Ghetto in 1939. Three years later, his father brought him to work at Schindler’s factory. His two eldest brothers did not survive the war, but Schindler, who rescued 1,200 Jews, saved him and his parents, brother and sister.

Leyson will speak at the Masonic Center, 3370 Hopyard Road, Pleasanton. Tickets: $15-$180. Information: (925) 846-0700 or www.jewishtrivalley.com.

Actor Ben Stein to speak in S.F.

Writer, actor and commentator Ben Stein will speak Jan. 24 at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco. Calling his talk “How Not to Ruin Your Life,” Stein will discuss financial and political issues facing the world today. Known for his game show “Win Ben Stein’s Money,” Stein is also an economist and conservative pundit.

The Taube Family Foundation is underwriting Stein’s appearance, which takes place 6 p.m. Jan. 24 at the Commonwealth Club, 595 Market St., S.F. Tickets: $12 for members, $18 for non-members. Information: (415) 597-6700 or online at www.commonwealthclub.org.

Watch Palo Alto JCC construction

If one sits and watches paint dry or grass grow, when it’s over all you’ve got is dry paint or overgrown grass.

But if you watch Palo Alto’s Oshman Family JCC, part of the expansive Taube-Koret Campus for Jewish Life, go up, brick by brick, you’ll have witnessed the transformation of a hole in the ground into a massive new Jewish hub. And you can do just that via a Webcam pointed at the construction site and easily accessible via the JCC’s Web site: www.paloaltojcc.org.

Locals bring home trio of medals

Bay Area participants in the Maccabi Pan Am Games held from late December until Jan. 2 did not return from Buenos Aires empty-handed.

The men’s softball team, featuring Dan Winnick of Walnut Creek and San Francisco’s Glen Davis, captured the silver medal, falling to host Argentina in the championship, 21-12.

South San Francisco’s Yevgeniy “Yev” Kaplinsky and the youth basketball squad also won a silver, falling to the Argentines in the Gold Medal game, 72-63.

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