Pearl Sofaer will be discussing her literary masterpiece: “Baghdad to Bombay – In the Kitchens of my Cousins”

Pearl Sofaer was born and grew up in Bombay, India.  Her large family originated in Baghdad and Kirkuk, Iraq, before migrating to Burma and India during the latter part of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th.

Pearl will be sharing her childhood memories, as well as entertaining us with Middle Eastern customs, music and traditional foods.

Joined by Shuli and Ronit Madmone of Whole Spice who will show us how to spice up our lives.

Napa Valley Yacht Club, 100 Riverside Drive, Napa, CA
No charge to JHSNV members

Adults: $10
Families: $25
RSVP required to info@jhsnv.org or (707) 251-9092

Wine and Middle Eastern nosh will be served
www.jhsnv.org

$8 per person, Free for Kids ‘N Action Members.
Location: 1089 El Centro Ave. Napa
info@jewishnapavalley.com

Fran Avni’s Harmony Happening is a fun and uplifting way to celebrate Israel at CBS come together in harmony and easy enough that everyone can take part.

This is both a Girls’ Night Out as well as a Guys’ Night Out.  There will be a special section for those guys who would like to sit together.

WHEN:  Wednesday, April 29, 2009  – 6:30 p.m.

WHERE:  Buckhorn Grill, Napa Town Center

SUCH A DEAL! $30 per person, all-inclusive (dinner and donation)
Optional:  Bring a bottle of wine to share!

RSVP – Harriet Spitz: 707.226.7755.  Mail check for $30 (or more – the “more” goes to The Table Fund at CBS) to Harriet Spitz, 108 Autumn Run Way, Napa, CA 94558

Your check, payable to Congregation Beth Sholom,
Attn: The Table, is your reservation.

If you are not able to join in the fun and would like to send a contribution, for the Table, your donation is most welcome.

Holocaust Memorial Day Observance

April 21st at 7:00pm

Napa Resident Evelyn Fielden
and Witness to the Nazi Holocaust

Born in Berlin in 1921 to assimilated Jewish parents and baptized in the Lutheran Church, Ms Fielden grew up not knowing that she was a Jew.  Her father was a wealthy textile manufacturer.

When Hitler came to power, she wished to join the youth organization for girls but was unable to register for the Hitler Youth because of her Jewish background. Because of her desire to join Hitler, she discovered that she was born Jewish.
In 1939, Ms Fielden escaped to England but did not receive a visa to the US until 1944 as a war refugee. Eight family members were murdered, or died in transport.

Please join us for this important Community
presentation with a question and answer period

Camp Chaverim Day Camp: JUNE 15th – 19th and 22nd – 26th 2009

For children age 4 through Grade 8

Our children and staff engage in sun-filled and fun-filled days of Swimming, Drama, Arts & Crafts, Sports & Athletics, Creative Movement, Jewelry Making, Hebrew, Music & Drama, Dance, Cooking & Challah Baking, Storytelling, Theme Days, Shabbat Celebrations, and so much more… together, we are building countless Jewish memories, values and friendships to last a lifetime.

March 20th at 7:30pm, Friday Night Live & March 21st at 10:30am for Shabbat with Visiting Scholar Presentation by Rabbi Sue Levi-Elwell, URJ Pennsylvania Council Regional Director and Poetry Editor of the URJ Press Women’s Torah Commentary

To contribute to the consecration celebrations, please be in touch with CBS VP Don Hogencamp, phone (707) 287-7834

Join us for a Tradition of the Mystics. Enjoy fruits and wine as we celebrate Tu B’Shvat the Kabbalistic way. Treat yourself to a feast for your body and soul.
WHEN: Tuesday, February 10 th    7 PM
WHERE: At 18 Lodestar Lane

Suggested Donation: $12

Pkease RSVP by calling (707)320-2348 or email Chana@JewishNapa.com

A Project of the Chabad of Napa Valley

Havdalah, Delicious Dessert Buffet, & Rabbi Ferris!

Sit back and enjoy Rabbi Ferris’s stories and humor while he exhibits musical talent and entertainment on his guitar!

Saturday, February 7, 7:30pm

For More Information please call: (707) 320-2348

RSVP Appreciated info@jewishnapavalley.com

Suggested Donation: $10

This post will focus on my non-voluntary Jewish background. To clarify when I say non-voluntary it might be better stated that it was “parent steered”. Later posts will focus on the twists and turns that my “Being Jewish” has taken since moving, marrying and raising kids in the Napa Valley. My intent is to start a running dialog on the joys and struggles about Being Jewish in the Napa Valley.

I have lived most of my life in Contra Costa County and was raised in a “Conservative” Household. My earliest memories of being Jewish are from Temple Beth Abraham (TBA) in Oakland. I attended Sunday school there and have fond memories of celebrating Passover there with that community. Interestingly I recently went back to TBA to celebrate my cousin’s 90th birthday (unfortunately she was in the hospital and could not attend) and it is funny to see how everything seemed so much smaller than when I was child an attended that Temple. I don’t think I had been back to the Temple in 30 years.

Interestingly my parents left TBA over a change of Rabbi when I was still young ( I recently revisited that topic when talking to my parents about some of the struggles we have at CBS ). I find this interesting because as an adult and a member of CBS (Congregation Beth Sholom) I have seen 4 different Rabbi’s and many members come and go because of these Rabbinical changes.

The years after TBA were spent trying a variety of different synagogues from reform to orthodox as well being a part of chavurah with some ex-TBA members. I remember fondly the Kol Nidrei that was done by one of the female members of the chavurah each year – all dressed in black with a veil looking like some anti-shabbat bride and her beautiful voice still echoes in my ears.

My parents finally landed us in a newly established conservative synagogue in Walnut Creek called Congregtion B’nai Shalom under Rabbi Gordon Friedman. Interestingly Rabbi Friedman just retired and the congregation has hired a young female Rabbi (Rabbi Fisher) and my parents seem very pleased with her.

I went through both Sunday School and Hebrew school at the other CBS and was Bar Mitzvahed there as well. I also attended Midrasha in Berkeley. I actually spent a fair amount of time playing hooky from Midrasha and would sneak off to Telegraph Street to spend a few hours in the record stores (Tower and Rasputin) and comic book shops (Comix and Comix) before my parents would pick me up back at Midrasha.

Unfortunately most of Sunday/Hebrew schooling and temple going (mostly on high holidays) was not what I would call a positive Jewish Experience. My participation was done under obligation to my parents and under their direction.

The one part of my Jewish Youth that I look fondly back at was my participation in a peer lead Conservative Zionist organization called Hashachar Young Judaea. I participated in both the Summer Camps (first year was in White Sulphur Springs in St. Helena) as well the montly meetings/events and conventions that went on a couple of times of year. I participated at every level in this organization going from camper to eventually Assistant Camp Director the year I met my wife Lisa (who was Art Director that year). I actually was friends with (ok she was older than me and it was more of a crush) and attended camp with Debbie Percelay who I have rediscovered at CBS after all these years.

I would say the pinnacle of my Jewish Experience as a Youth was going on Year Course with Young Judaea. At 18 years old I lived and went to school in Jerusalem for 6 months, lived in a Moshav (Moshav Ramon) for a month as a sheep herder and finally on a Kibbutz (Neve UR) for 3 months where I spent most of my time working and running the kitchen (every made gefitile fish for 500 from scratch?).

My parents (mostly my Mom) were heavily involved with the Jewish Federation of the East Bay when I was a child and were involved in organizing the Israel Independence Day Celebration at Zellerbach for many years.

So now that is my Jewish Youth story or a short synopsis of it at least. Hopefully you have some better background of where I am coming from when I make these posts. Please share you stories as well.

Thanks

Louis