The Merage JCC is honored to present Mila Gokhman: Light & Shadow, an exhibition devoted to a selection of art and design by a remarkable, 88-year-old Ukrainian-American artist of soaring creativity, who resides in Orange County.
Strength and weakness are measured by how a society’s vulnerable members are treated. February is Jewish Disabilities Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month, raising awareness of people with special needs. We are honored to introduce Dr. Adrienne Matros, Jewish National Fund USA (JNF) Orange County’s Co-President, a pillar of the community and a prominent activist. Dr. Matros has been a resident of Orange County’s Newport Coast for 21 years. She is a clinical ...
A few days ago was Tu Bishvat – the birthday of the trees. Tu Bishvat was first designated in order to calculate how old are the trees. On this day, the trees are considered to have aged one more year, and all of the trees that are five years or older can be eaten from. Tu Bishvat is actually the name of the date in the Hebrew calendar. Tu means 15 and Shvat is the name of the month. On a regular year, we celebrate Tu Bishvat by planting trees and eating dried fruits. I remember every ...
Felix Stein and Fred Strauss were German Jewish immigrants who came to America as teenagers in the early 1900s, eventually making their way from New York to Fullerton. Both found work at Stern & Goodman Mercantile, and in 1916 Stein purchased the store from the original owners. Strauss, meanwhile, had opened his own shop around the corner; in 1925 they merged and started the Stein-Strauss Company, which remained in business until 1970. Originally a general store, it expanded into a much ...
Growing up in Israel, one of the things I loved most about Chanukah was going to the Festigal every year. The Festigal is an annual musical show for children. It is held every year during Chanukah and throughout the month of December, traveling from city to city throughout the country. The first Festigal was in 1981 and since then it became a popular Chanukah activity for Israeli families. The performers at the Festigal are well-known Israeli singers and actors. Each year’s Festigal has ...
Rosh Hashanah, marking the start of the new year on the Jewish calendar, will be here soon, so it’s time to plan the menu for the annual feast. This year, go beyond the traditional apple-dipped-in-honey! There are plenty of symbolic foods that can help us reflect on the year that has passed and set expectations for the year ahead. Among Ashkenazic Jews, the apple is still the most popular – reminding us of Adam and Eve as we commemorate the creation of the world. But you ...
Camps are notoriously loud and raucous… Jewish camps especially. From the moment your child steps out of your car at drop-off to the moment they step back in they are Israeli dancing and Shabbos shaking to the beats of Jewish camps’ drums. Our day camp is exploding with Jewish values and Israeli culture everywhere you turn. With directional, program and even the ubiquitous bathroom signs in both English and Hebrew, campers incorporate Hebrew into their everyday activities. ...
Operation Guardian of the Walls Editor’s Note: Leah Garber, Vice President, Israel Engagement | Director, Center for Israel Engagement, in Jerusalem, has written this update about the current events in Israel and the various factors influencing these events. She will continue to offer her personal perspectives from her home in Israel as often as warranted, and, of course, we pray that the current violence will end soon. Since last evening, hundreds of rockets have been ...
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The Merage JCC is excited to welcome people back into our theatre (safely and distanced), and there’s no better occasion to celebrate than Israel’s Independence Day! Please join us on Saturday, April 17 at 8pm for some laughs and “L’chaims” as we Roast and Toast Israel on her 73rd birthday. American-born Israeli comedian Benji Lovitt will join us from Tel Aviv, along with American comedians Talia Reese and Eitan Levine from New York. Benji draws on his experiences ...
First posted in 2017, we are bringing back some of our favorite articles from Mark Lazar, who originally launched our Center for Jewish Life. It is said in the Book of Kings that the great prophet Elijah looked for God within the mighty wind, the shattering earthquake, the raging flames only to find…”And after the fire---a still, small voice.” A still, small voice…a small voice that some of us hear sporadically and others like modern day prophets, use their ...