March 29, 2011 | 12:23 pm

Wine and Vineyard Shabbat

Posted by Sophie Sills

Follow JewishJournal.com on

NEXT LA participant learns about wine and Jewish tradition on an outing to the Malibu Winery.

November 24, 2010 | 1:03 pm

December Newsletter

Posted by Sophie Sills

Wishing you a warm and peaceful Thanksgiving and Hanukkah. May the hanukkiah lights shine brightly in your homes and may latkes fill your bellies.

 
Hahahanukkah! Wednesday, December 8th @ 7:00 pm, Hollywood
Back again by popular demand: HaHaHanukkah! We invite you to celebrate the Festival of Lights with a Festival of Laughs at ComedySportz (733 Seward Street)!

Latkes and other Hanukkah goodies will be available to munch on, and after the show you can mix and mingle with the cast! So come on down and get your laugh on! Buy tickets before they sell out! Only $8.

Upcoming Events

Active Outdoor Shabbat Series: Hike to the Hollywood Sign | Saturday, December 11th @ 9:30 a.m., Hollywood
Just roll out of bed and strap on your tennis shoes for this casual Shabbat hike. FREE. >> RSVP
   

Jewish Trivia Pub Night | Tuesday, December 14th @ 6:30 p.m., Santa Monica
Come test your knowledge of Jewish pop culture and trivia at Finn McCool’s in Santa Monica! >> RSVP

Cooking Class Series: Jews of China | Thursday, December 16th @ 6:30 p.m., The Grove
Come learn about the Jewish people’s unique relationship with China. $22. >> BUY TICKETS

Volunteer Day | Sunday, December 19th @ 12:00 p.m., Van Nuys
Join Birthright Israel NEXT LA and volunteer at SOVA as we package food for delivery to needy families. FREE. >> SEE MORE

0 Comments — Leave your comment

November 12, 2010 | 1:29 pm

November Newsletter

Posted by Sophie Sills

Color My Hanukkiah | Thursday, November 18th @ 6:30 p.m., Encino
Create and decorate your very own hanukkiah! Pizza and drinks will be provided and we’ll have a great discussion on the history of the holiday. $12. >> BUY TICKETS


Active Outdoor Shabbat Series: Malibu Hike | Saturday, November 20th @ 10:00 a.m., Malibu
Take a break from the work week and enjoy the peace of Shabbat at Malibu Creek State Park. FREE. >>SEE MORE


Cooking Class: A Hanukkah Fry-Up | Tuesday, November 30th @ 6:30 p.m., The Grove
This cooking class will teach you how to perfect the craft of latke making, as well as how to make delightful soofganiot and other traditional Hanukkah foods. $22. >> BUY TICKETS


HaHaHanukkah | Wednesday, December 8th @ 7:00 p.m., Hollywood
Back again by popular demand: HaHaHanukkah! We invite you to celebrate the Festival of Lights with a Festival of Laughs at ComedySportz! $8. >> BUY TICKETS

0 Comments — Leave your comment

October 29, 2010 | 2:16 pm

Tzedakah and Buffalo

Posted Sophie Sills

Thanksgiving is almost here; and so, American Jews are reminded of a value so fundamental to Judaism that we are commanded to practice it. This is the gift of giving tzedakah. While in practice, many Jews donate a portion of their income to the needy, I argue that the core ideology of tzedakah transcends donating money, or even one’s time to social action or world peace. My belief is that tzedakah begins with recognizing the world outside of ourselves, and acknowledging the holinesses within each person, plant and animal. It is when we see another in the same light in which we see ourselves that we create true peace. Of course, Thanksgiving engenders personal reflection and gratefulness for the richness of our lives, and Judaism promotes brotherhood among fellow Jews across the globe. But, my feeling is that the Native Americans have also got the right idea when it comes to giving tzedakah.

Recently, in the Mythology class I teach, we watched the PBS series, “Power of Myth,” based on the book by Joseph Campbell. In an interview with Campbell, he explains the relationship that the Native Americans practice toward nature and animals, particularly the buffalo, with which there is a “hunter animal food covenant.” “Through ritual, animals were thanked for their willingness to sacrifice their lives and were assured transcendence and rebirth (which in turn replenished the food supply). Animals were considered equals, or given their superior physicality viewed as gods, givers of life and inspiration.” (Yel Hannon Brayton, Sacred Cows for High School Creative Writing Students)

Beyond this, the idea that God lives in the animal (and all of nature), Campbell argues, creates a sense of seeing an object or thing not as an “it,” but as a “thou.” He says that the lack of allowing ourselves to see another as a “thou” is what causes us to mistreat each other and go to war with one another. So, the Native American’s ability to identify personally with nature, seems to me, to evoke the true meaning of tzedakah.  I think Thanksgiving is not just about giving to those in need or for being thankful for what we possess or have accomplished. It is about identifying the God in all of us, using the harvest season to remind us of our connection to the cosmos, to animals and nature, and, quite beautifully, our sacred connection to one another.

0 Comments — Leave your comment

October 5, 2010 | 1:14 pm

Days of Awe

Posted by Sophie Sills

For me, whether I make it to High Holy Day services or not or commit to the 25 hour fast or not, it is the beautiful act of FORGIVENESS that marks Yom Kippur as more than a holy day, but an occasion to deliver my soul. While “repentance” implies sin, “atonement” suggests apology. And though admitting the hurt we’ve inflicted on others is hard, inherently so, I think admitting how we’ve allowed others to wrong us is equally as challenging, if not more. In our egocentric modern world it’s always me first. But when it comes to forgiveness, looking inward on the sorrows we wear should be the first place to start. I need to forgive myself so that I can forgive my fellow humans. The grace and dignity and love I offer my own soul will, in turn, radiate from me in every act I commit. So when it comes down to it, Yom Kippur is really about peace: finding paths to inner peace, becoming that peace, and endowing it into our every interaction and exchange. I don’t mean to take a beautiful tradition and get all self-helpy or New Age with it, but those terms get a bad rap!

I hope this year, during the Days of Awe, all my loved ones found forgiveness in the people they sought it from. But I hope too they granted themselves pardon, saw that they are human, and as humans, part of a collective divinity. I’m reminded of Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous words “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” The same goes for peace. It is this idea that each person is connected to every person that deserves, at least once a year, to be celebrated.

0 Comments — Leave your comment

August 6, 2010 | 2:08 pm

TOMS Shoes Event, Backgammon Tournament and More—August Newsletter

Posted by Sophie Sills

TOMS Shoes: Style Your Sole Party!

Wednesday, August 18th, Santa Monica @ 6:30 p.m.

Design your own pair of TOMS shoes while helping a good cause! You’ll go home wearing a customized pair of TOMS shoes and TOMS will provide another pair of shoes for a child in need.

This event is all inclusive: a $36 ticket gets you a brand new pair of TOMS (retail $44 + shipping), dinner, and painting supplies. Save big on shoes, help a child in need, and work with our artists to create your own shoe masterpiece. Buy tickets by August 4th.

**This event is currently sold out**

 
Stump the Rabbi

Tuesday, August 10th, West Hollywood

Got tough questions? Let the renowned Rabbi Sharon Brous of IKAR offer her insights. We hope you’ll sign up for this evening of snacks, drinks and philosophy! >> LEARN MORE

Mah Jongg at Moishe House
 
Thursday, August 12th, West LA

Collect your quarters, nickels and dimes! The Mah Jongg Mavens, a group of Jewish young women in their 20s, will teach us how to play this ancient Chinese game. >> RSVP HERE

Tel Aviv to Santa Monica Challenge

Sunday, August 22nd, Santa Monica

Join us for a very special Welcome Back event for recent Taglit-Birthright alumni. Birthright Israel NEXT Los Angeles will be hosting an afternoon in Santa Monica, where you will be taking part in our very own “Amazing Race” NEXT-style. SIGN UP

Rosh Hashanah Cooking Class

Thursday, September 2nd, The Grove

Commemorate the sweet New Year by cooking up a Rosh Hashanah feast! We’ll conjure Jewish traditional delights and give them a modern culinary flair. >> BUY TICKETS

There are even more events coming in September!

* Reflection Hike in Griffith Park, September 11th
* Dinner and Havdalah in the Sukkah, September 25th
* Downtown Women’s Shelter Volunteer Night, September 28th
Like us on Facebook so you can be the first to sign up for August events.

6 Comments — Leave your comment

July 2, 2010 | 12:37 pm

July Newsletter: Temecula Wine Tour, Israeli Dancing, Yoga Havadalah and More!

Posted by Sophie Sills

Temecula Wine Tour - Sunday, August 1st

You’re invited on our bus trip to the Temecula wine country. We’re visiting three vineyards in idyllic Temecula, southeast of Los Angeles.

Your $25 ticket includes transportation, three tastings, and lunch. This event always sells out fast, so RSVP NOW.

Cafe Ivrit: Conversational Hebrew Series
Eat Israeli food and banter in Hebrew at this event at Nana Restaurant. We’ll enjoy traditional Israeli cuisine and drink while schmoozing in a casual setting. Our favorite Hebrew instructor, Ilana Geffen-Winter, will be there to guide and encourage us. Cafe Ivrit will take place on July 6th, July 21st, August 3rd, and August 17th.


Call for Recipes!
On August 4th, we’re hosting a cooking class at Sur La Table, and the whole menu will be comprised of YOUR recipes.

Want yours featured? Submit up to three of your favorite recipes with a short blurb about why you like them and how it relates to your Jewish identity, experiences or family story to losangeles@birthrightisrael.com.

Israeli Dancing, Wednesday, July 7th, West LA
Tired of doing the same old Hora? Come learn modern Israeli dance moves from David Dassa, known for teaching some of the best high-energy sessions outside of Israel. >> RSVP HERE



Beach Day, Saturday, July 10th, Dockweiler State Beach
Spend a day at the beach playing Matkot (Israeli paddle ball), doing beach clean-up, and sitting by a bonfire. >> LEARN MORE


Havdalah Yoga, Saturday, July 17th, Santa Monica
Reflect and relax with an hour and a half of challenging yoga as the sun sets over the ocean, bidding farewell to another rejuvenating Shabbat. Only $5 to join us. >> BUY TICKETS


Heritage Day at the Dodgers Game, Sunday, July 25th
Need to get your Dodger dog fix? Root for the Dodgers as they play the Mets. Only $10! >> BUY TICKETS


Couples Cooking Class, Monday, July 26th, Santa Monica
Celebrate Tu B’Av (Israeli Valentine’s Day) with your significant other at a hands-on cooking class. You’ll learn the secret of romance through delicious food at Sur La Table. >> BUY TICKETS


Shabbat at the Hollywood Bowl: RENT, Friday, August 6th
The evening begins with a delicious Shabbat picnic in the park across from the Bowl, then we’ll head over to watch the Bowl’s production of this famous musical. >>BUY TICKETS


There’s even more coming up in August!

* Cooking class on Wednesday, August 4th
* Backgammon Tournament on Thursday, August 5th
* Stump the Rabbi with Rabbi Sharon Brous on Tuesday, August 10th.


Like us on Facebook  so you can be the first to sign up for August events.

0 Comments — Leave your comment

June 15, 2010 | 1:33 pm

From Alef: Middle School Fantasies

Posted by Heather Wolfson

By Amir Levi
Featured in Alef: The NEXT Conversation: Middle School Fantasies

During 7th grade, everyone was having their bar and bat-mitzvahs. I remember before each party, as I would be putting on the same suit I wore to every one, I would ask myself, ‘Will this be the party where he notices me and asks me to dance?’. A complete wallflower and social outcast in middle school, I would sit on the side watching the slow dances of the 1994-1995 season (guys putting their hands on the girls hips, with the girls putting their hands on the guys shoulders, and both parties stepping side to side in the same rhythm, no matter what the song was). I thought those dances were the first step to meeting Mr. Right and that if I wasn’t asked to dance, I would remain single for the rest of my life. Fifteen years later, I’m still waiting to be asked to dance.

I used to imagine myself as the awkward girl in romantic movies, you know, the girl with the glasses that the popular guy doesn’t notice at first, but once her glasses come off and her hair gets let down, he realizes that she’s more beautiful than anyone else he could’ve ever hoped for…and more interesting as well. I had braces, big hair, and my older brother’s hand-me-downs. I couldn’t wait for guys to dig below the surface to find that I was just what they were looking for.

I needed these fantasies. I went to a Jewish school in Atlanta where if you weren’t an athlete or a bully, you immediately became the target, not only by the students, but by some of the faculty as well. As my aspirations involved singing, dancing and a desire to hang out with Madonna and Paula Abdul (as opposed to Nirvana and Green Day), it became evident that there would be no support system in my everyday life, so I had to seek solace elsewhere. My friendships came from my acting classes, my boyfriends came from… well, the pictures ripped out of Dynamite magazines and taped to my doors. I had wonderful boyfriends: Luke Perry, Jason Priestley, and Mark Paul Gosselaar. I would kiss each of them goodnight almost every day, and I would fantasize that any one of them would come to the bar and bat mitzvahs to rescue me as I was getting beaten up while being called “faggot.”

I also fantasized about my future. While watching Fiddler on the Roof, I’d think about which groom I’d end up with, and I’d measure the pros and cons of each. Motel was cute, but a wimp; Perchik was passionate, but poor; and Fyedka… well, he wasn’t Jewish, so I wasn’t interested. In the end I’d always choose Perchik. Perchik would stand up for me and for rights of everyone around me. I needed someone who would fight the good fight and who I could believe in. I also wanted someone who would marry me under a chupa and stomp on the glass while everyone yelled “mazel tov.” I was going to be a Jewish bride and no amount of bullying from my peers was going to stop me.

After I graduated eighth grade, I went to an International School, as opposed to Yeshiva, and I was freed. I made instant friends (some of whom I’m still close to today) and I stopped looking over my shoulder for threats of violence. I participated in debates between the girls and boys of my class about whether gays were equal (boys usually voted no, girls voted yes), and I broke up with the men of my bedroom in favor of fantasies about the boys in my class.

I never doubted my Judaism. In fact, I connected with the fact that in spite of the adversity the Jewish people faced (and continue to face), we still survive and continue to thrive as a people. I needed to survive the torments of my youth because I knew that eventually life had to get better. I needed to be strong for myself, and for Perchik. After all, someday he would ask me to dance, right?

amirlevimm@gmail.com

0 Comments — Leave your comment