The June Edition Includes:

See the photos from our "Blintzes & Burritos Brunch"; Mah Jongg Tournament;

Meet:Eric Leibovitch,MD; Meet:Lynne and David Lertzman; Youth and Adult Basketball; Readers Club; Men's Club; Book Club

Letter From Jeff Rubin

Executive Director, Valley JCC

Thank You!!!!

I wanted to take a moment before we dive into summer to express my sincere gratitude once again for your incredible support of our Blintzes and Burritos Program - Connecting the Jewish and Latino Communities Through Art and Architecture.

The event on May 5th exceeded our expectations, and that is thanks in large part to generous sponsors, donors, presenters, volunteers, and community members like yourself.

The day was truly inspirational and made a significant impact on our COMMUNITY. The cross-cultural exchange, the sharing, and the coming together was a sight to behold. It's moments like these that remind us of the power of art, architecture, and community to bring people together and break down barriers.

Your commitment to this program has been invaluable, and I hope I can count on your continued support as we look to expand and build upon this program in the future. With your help, we can continue making a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve.

Thank you again for being a part of this special day. 

Don't Miss Out on Summer Fun at Valley JCC!

The long school year is finally coming to an end, which means it's time to embrace the warmth and excitement of summer. At Valley JCC, we have an incredible lineup of offerings that will allow you and your family to make the most of this vibrant season.

Whether you're looking to relax, explore, or build meaningful connections, our summer programs have something for everyone. From exhilarating classes and engaging camp activities to opportunities to bond over shared interests, Valley JCC is the hub for summer fun and enrichment.

Don't let this chance slip away – join us and be a part of all the amazing experiences we have in store. We're a center for the whole community, and we warmly welcome you to take advantage of everything we have to offer.

The summer is calling, so don't wait. Dive into the fun and make unforgettable memories at Valley JCC.

Best regards,

Jeff

Letter From Ollie Haas

President, Board of Directors



Dear Valley JCC Members and Friends,

June is often a month of vacations and celebrations.

There are often graduations of children and grandchildren. During the summer, families often get together, as we just did.

Please check out the Valley JCC website to see all the programs that are offered during the summer, including the Mah Jongg Tournament. There is something for everyone and all interests.

Wishing all of you a good beginning to the summer!

Ollie

Valley JCC President

Meet:

Eric Leibovitch, MD

Eric Leibovitch, MD is the facilitator of Valley JCC’s Readers Club, meeting on the third Wednesday of each month. This is only one of the many activities he pursues these days.

Dr. Leibovitch studied for his medical career and graduated from McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University, with a specialty in Internal Medicine. He did his internship at Los Angeles County Hospital, specialized in Cardiology at Cedars Sinai Medical Center, and then began his medical practice in Encino. In 1983, Dr. Leibovitch became the Director of Medicine at Ventura County Medical Center.

Although he is partially retired, Dr. Leibovitch still sees patients on a part-time basis, and he teaches residents at Ventura County Medical Center. He enjoys facilitating the Readers Club, and leads the group as they rotate among themselves in choosing books for the upcoming months. He also serves as a docent at Skirball Cultural Center and participates in a writing group.

Dr. Leibovitch and his wife, Harriet, have been married for 67 years. They have been members of Temple Ramat Zion in Northridge since 1967. They have four adult children, 11 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. They enjoy living in Leisure Village in Camarillo and participate in many activities there.

Thank you for supporting Valley Jewish Community Center by heading the Readers Club!

Music & Morsels: The Great American Songbook Celebrates June Birthdays

Wednesday, June 5

1-2pm (PT) on Zoom

Save! Get “Early Bird” ticket prices; register before June 3rd!

For details & tickets, click here.

Designs & Designers: The History of American Department Stores

Monday, June 10

11am-12pm (PT) on Zoom

Save! Register by June 8th for “Early Bird” pricing!

For details & tickets, click here.

Designs & Designers: The Department Stores of London

Monday, June 17

11am-12pm (PT) on Zoom

Save! Register by June 15th for “Early Bird” pricing!

For details & tickets, click here.

Exploring Music: Masters of Songwriting – Mercer & King

Two Thursdays, June 20 & 27

1-2pm (PT) on Zoom

Save! Register by June 18th for “Early Bird” pricing!

For details & tickets, click here.

Meet:

Lynne and David Lertzman

David Lertzman, long-time teacher and coach, is being inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame 2023-24. Born and raised in Los Angeles, David attended Hamilton High School and then graduated from California State Los Angeles. He always liked sports, and started out playing football. This experience led to his desire to become a coach.

During the same time frame, David taught history at Pasteur Junior High School and also coached at Hamilton High School. During his 53 years of coaching, David coached football for 27 years, boys gymnastics for 18 years, girls volleyball for 23 years, and boys volleyball for two years. He taught in the Los Angeles schools for a total of 41 years. Some of the students David has coached, have subsequently become successful professional athletes.

A fellow teacher introduced David to Lynne, an English teacher who served in the LAUSD for 40 years. They went on a blind date that ultimately led to their marriage. Lynne has been honored by Kennedy High School and is in their Hall of Fame for her teaching career.

David’s coaching philosophy is to put the kids first and help them reach their goals. “When you’re a coach,” he says, “you’re with the students more than any other teacher - an average of three hours daily.” 

Lynne and David live in Northridge, have two adult daughters and two grandchildren.

Basketball

The Wayne League

by 

Jason Moser 

Summer is here!

That means our biggest season is upon us.

With youth out of school, adults returning from college, and just the fact that folks prefer to be in air conditioning, we are anticipating our biggest basketball season ever.

Summer also does allow families to travel. With that in mind, we are not running a traditional summer youth league. We will be working closely with coach Kiki and Valley Stars to provide teams with weekly games. This will allow coaches to pick which weeks they want to play and pay on a game by game basis. This will allow more flexibility and growth for our youth participants. Games will be Saturday Sundays at Highland Hall, El Camino, de Toledo, and Birmingham.

As for the adults, we anticipate over 130 teams and have 5-7 gyms most nights to accommodate all skill levels including our 40+ (no high school experience) newly formed Brass division, women's division, 35+, and every other division between platinum and copper. Every night will have multiple division options to choose from and multiple locations to play at. We will be starting the first week of July. For more information, please visit: https://linktr.ee/thelootbasketball or email: jason@valleyjcc.org

Have a wonderful summer!

Please join us - Shalom!

Valley JCC sports leagues are named

in memory of beloved former

Executive Director Jerry Wayne

Shavuot

June 11-13, 2024

Shavuot, the “Feast of Weeks,” is celebrated seven weeks after Passover. Since the counting of this period (sefirat ha-omer) begins on the second evening of Passover, Shavuot takes place exactly 50 days after the first Seder. Following the Greek word for “fifty,” Shavuot is also referred to sometimes as Pentecost.

Shavuot History

Shavuot combines two major religious observances. First is the grain harvest of the early summer. Second is the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai seven weeks after the exodus from Egypt. The first determines the ritual for the holiday, which was one of the three pilgrimage festivals of ancient Israel, when Israelite males were commanded to appear before God in Jerusalem, bringing offerings of the first fruits of their harvest. The second determines the significance of the holiday for Judaism, tying it in with the seminal event of Jewish religious memory, namely the entering into a covenant between God and Israel, exemplified by Israel’s assumption of Divine law.

Shavuot at Home

Since Shavuot is an ancient pilgrimage holiday, it is not surprising that its ritual focuses on the community. Nonetheless, there are a number of customs associated with personal practice. Chief among them is the eating of dairy products on Shavuot. Although the reasons for this custom are not completely clear, it has become traditional to eat milk and cheese products as part of the celebration of Shavuot. Some Sephardic communities also enjoy foods flavored with rosewater at this time of year.

www.myjewishlearning.com

Baked Alaska

Baked Alaska is a delicious and fun dessert for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and many other occasions. Combine your favorite ice cream choices and then top with meringue.

Complete recipe can be found at:

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/baked-alaska-recipe-2125603

Book Recommendation

James

by Percival Everett

When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he decides to hide on nearby Jackson Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father, recently returned to town. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and too-often-unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond.

While many narrative set pieces of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn remain in place (floods and storms, stumbling across both unexpected death and unexpected treasure in the myriad stopping points along the river’s banks, encountering the scam artists posing as the Duke and Dauphin…), Jim’s agency, intelligence and compassion are shown in a radically new light.

Brimming with the electrifying humor and lacerating observations that have made Everett a “literary icon” (Oprah Daily), and one of the most decorated writers of our lifetime, James is destined to be a major publishing event and a cornerstone of twenty-first century American literature.

www.penguin/randomhouse.com/books/

From Today's Montessori...

Valley JCC Men's Club

Meet and socialize

with other 55+ men in the Valley!

Past outings include special tours of Santa Anita Park, Jet Propulsion Laboratories in Pasadena, experiences at Dodger Stadium, the Getty Museum, and Axe Throwing at Lumberjack's in Northridge, and SoFi Stadium.

The Men's Club meets the first Monday of the month

unless there is a national or religious holiday.

We will be having our next Men’s Club meeting

on Monday, June 3rd, 6:00pm

at Bob’s Big Boy, 8876 Corbin Ave., Northridge

Please RSVP to me, steve@valleyjcc.org,

and let me know whether or not you will be able to attend.

A big thank you to everyone that contributed to the Men’s Club ad

that was placed in the Center’s Blintzes & Burritos tribute book:

Fred Reinecke, Shel Wolfe, Norm Braverman, Steve Kurtz and Randy Silverston!!!!

I hope to see all of you Monday,  June 3rd!!! 

For more information, contact steve@valleyjcc.org or call 818-360-2211

Valley JCC is looking forward to engaging in continuous outreach in the community.

Stay tuned for details...

Fundraising Opportunity

On Your Birthday!

"How To" Use Ralphs To Benefit Valley JCC

1. Go to: www.ralphs.com
2. Click on "Sign in" to the right of the search box. (If you don't have an online account, click on "Register")
3. Click on your name to the right of the search box at the top
4. You will now be on your Account Summary page
5. Scroll down to "Community Contributions" and click on "Enroll"
6. Complete the online form and Click on "Save"
7. Enter organization number SK677 and click on the "Search" button
8. "Valley Jewish Community Center" will be displayed. Click "Enroll"
9. You will see a confirmation at the top of the Account Summary page
10. A percentage of your purchases will be donated to Valley JCC