<![CDATA[JCC-FEDERATION OF SLO

<![CDATA[JCC-FEDERATION OF SLO - Blog]]>Tue, 13 Oct 2026 18:15:47 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[October 8: Healing, Water, and the Work of Beginning Again: An invitation to help bring our community mikveh to life]]>Thu, 08 Oct 2026 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.jccslo.com/blog/october-8-healing-water-and-the-work-of-beginning-again-an-invitation-to-help-bring-our-community-mikveh-to-lifeThere are no easy words for the grief, fear, loss, and uncertainty that continue to ripple outward from October 7, 2023, and the wars that have followed. Healing is not a straight line, and it does not happen on anyone else's timetable. Sometimes it begins with something as simple as finding a place where we can breathe.

I personally have found that place in water, and in Jewish rhythms.

Today is October 8 and, like most days, I did my aquatic therapy. I was in my HOA pool, tuning into two podcasts that brought me back to the reasons I feel so drawn to the intersection of water, movement, and healing for and through Am Yisrael.

In an episode of Feldenkrais for Life, I was reminded of the importance of paying attention to how we move through the world, becoming more aware of ourselves, and discovering new possibilities in our bodies. I was especially struck to learn that Moshe Feldenkrais himself only learned to swim in middle age. What a beautiful reminder that learning, growth, and new beginnings are not reserved for the young.

Then I listened to “The Pool Is Our Heart,” from the What Came After podcast. The episode brought me to Einot Bar — Ripples of Healing, a healing center in Israel that has been supporting soldiers, survivors, first responders, and civilians affected by October 7 and the war. Through water therapy and other healing practices, people are being offered space to rest, reconnect with themselves, and begin to process what they have experienced.

I found myself thinking about how much water can hold.

Water can support us when our bodies need relief. It can invite movement when movement feels difficult. It can offer quiet when words are not enough. It carries the prayers our bodies speak. And sometimes, simply being held by water allows us to feel a little less alone.

This is part of what draws me to the ancient Jewish practice of mikveh.

A mikveh is more than a pool of water. It is a place where we can mark transitions, make room for reflection, and reconnect with ourselves, our community, and the possibility of renewal. Jewish tradition has long recognized the power of water as a threshold: a place to pause, to emerge, and to begin again.

At JCC SLO, we are working toward creating a community mikveh here on the Central Coast of California. My hope is that this will be a place of Jewish hospitality, spiritual nourishment, connection, and healing — a place where people can come as they are and find room for whatever they are carrying.

We are now preparing to receive our Mikveh Starter Toolkit through the Rising Tide Open Waters Mikveh Network. This is an exciting next step, but it is also a reminder that a mikveh is not built by one person alone. It takes a community: people willing to imagine, listen, learn, plan, ask questions, and help bring something meaningful into being.

Would you like to be part of that community?

I'm inviting anyone who feels drawn to this project to join the JCC Federation of SLO Mikveh Committee. You do not need to be an expert in Jewish ritual, have prior mikveh experience, or know exactly how you would like to contribute. Curiosity, care, and a willingness to participate are wonderful places to start.

If you would like to join us, please reach out to me directly at nissa@jccslo.com.

On this October 8, as we hold space for grief and remember the enduring need for healing, I invite you to help us create a place where renewal can take root — right here in our community.

May we find ways to hold one another, make room for healing, and keep the possibility of new beginnings alive.

לרפואה,

Nissa Rost-Rothman
Board Member/Property Steward]]><![CDATA[Thank You to High Holy Day Volunteers and Donors!]]>Fri, 11 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMThttps://www.jccslo.com/blog/thank-you-to-high-holy-day-volunteers-and-donors

This High Holiday season, over 50 bags filled with honey cake, apples, honey sticks, tea, juice, and Shabbat and yahrzeit candles made their way to seniors and disconnected members of our Jewish community.

18 BAG ASSEMBLY VOLUNTEERS
A huge thanks to Mimi Naish-Toews, who opened her home for our assembly party and pitched in at every step along the way, and to Meg Hillman, whose steady stream of calls and emails kept this whole effort moving.

Along with Mimi and Meg, we were joined on Sunday by fellow assembly volunteers Susan Pearl, Adriana Sousa, Ben and Eve Fine, Dayna Austin and Adam Schreckinger, Fiona Ferguson Reichek, James Graff-Radford, Judy Barclay, Lisa Marmon, Nissa Rost-Rothman, Ronnie Goyette, Julia Townsend, and Nachshon Margalit with Arielle and Ava. We even had four kids helping out!

14 VOLUNTEER DRIVERS
We're just as grateful to our drivers, who made sure these bags got safely to their recipients' doors: Anita Lawson, Anne Robin, Michael and Carol Ray Rosen, Dove Okonina, Gordon Mullin, Karin Traber, Linda Seeley, Nachshon Margalit, Nancie Hardy, Robert & Sheila Spector, Susan Pearl, and Terri Burkhart.

$2,401 RAISED
We met our anonymous donor’s matching challenge for $1,200, with thanks to Cricket Handler, Andi Portney, Etti Margalit, Karin Traber, Elisa S. Feingold, Diana Wright, Anne Robin, Joshua Burt, Linda Seeley, Bruce L Cohen and Julia Townsend.

Because of you, care bags reached even more community members who needed a little extra love this season, and you helped make all of the JCC's programs possible.

This project happens every year because our community shows up for each other, and this year was no exception: 55 bags, 30 volunteers, $2,428.28 raised, and a reminder to everyone who received one that they are cared for. Thank you to everyone who gave their time, their homes, their cars, and their hearts to make that possible.

Shabbat Shalom and Shanah Tovah U'Metukah,
Heather Townsend, JCC Administrator

]]><![CDATA[Birthday Blessing]]>Wed, 12 Aug 2026 20:38:40 GMThttps://www.jccslo.com/blog/birthday-blessingMy Hebrew birthday is Rosh Chodesh Elul—the beginning of the month traditionally associated with reflection, renewal, and preparing our hearts for the High Holy Days. It feels especially meaningful to celebrate my birthday at the beginning of a month that invites us to pause, look inward, and consider what we want to carry forward into the year ahead.

So this year, I’m asking for a birthday gift that is deeply personal to me: a donation toward creating a mikveh here on the Central Coast.

Mikveh has become personally meaningful to me as a powerful practice of renewal, transition, and coming home to myself. I love that it can hold so many different moments in a person’s life—times of change, grief, celebration, healing, intention, or simply the desire to pause and begin again. It is an ancient Jewish practice that can also be deeply personal and accessible, meeting each person wherever they are.

Creating a mikveh here feels like a way of building the kind of Jewish community and spiritual home I want to be part of: welcoming, nourishing, rooted in tradition while making room for many different paths and experiences.

Our emerging mikveh at the JCC is still in its early stages, and every contribution helps bring this vision closer to reality. If you’d like to give me a birthday present this year, please consider making a donation toward the mikveh.

💙 Donate to the Mikveh: https://www.jccslo.com/mikveh.html

Thank you for helping me celebrate by investing in something that means so much to me—and that I hope will become a meaningful resource for our community for generations to come.

May this Elul be a month of renewal, courage, and possibility for all of us.

Nissa Rost-Rothman
Board Member/Property Steward]]><![CDATA[Camp Shoreshim: Session 2 Highlights]]>Fri, 31 Jul 2026 17:13:36 GMThttps://www.jccslo.com/blog/camp-shoreshim-session-2-highlightsHere’s a message from our Camp Shoreshim Director, Aubrey O’Leary:

“Each morning and afternoon, our counselors bring everyone together with songs, games, and camp traditions that I hope our campers will remember for years to come.

This week was packed with creativity. Campers tie-dyed, drew, decorated boxes, painted faces, worked on playwriting, made golems out of cardboard, and created sets and props for their play.

My friend David also visited with some of his remarkable pets, including Queso, his seven-foot-long boa constrictor; Fluffy, the friendly tarantula; Piggy, the hognose snake; and more fascinating creatures.

In between games of Gaga, Mafia, and Secret Rabbi, campers enjoyed Hebrew with Amira Mele, song sessions with Cantor Mark Getten, soccer with Sean, playground time, Capture the Flag, scavenger hunts, and making matzah pizzas with Robyn Friedman-O’Leary.

Wednesday brought our Bike Rodeo, and Thursday was our epic Games Day, complete with relay races, Fill the Bucket, a water-gun fight, Grandma’s Keys, and more.

Our campers were excited to perform their play for their families today. After the performance, we gathered for a family Camp Shabbat with Rabbi Micah Hyman before bringing another wonderful week of camp to a close.

A special thank-you to our wonderful counselors Rachel Getten, Sean Oksner and Delvina Traga for bringing so much creativity, enthusiasm, and care to camp each day. This experience would not have been possible without them.”

Thank You to Our Supporters!

LISA MARMON • AN ANONYMOUS SPONSOR • LORRAINE BREWSTER • SUSAN M. ARONER • KARIN TRABER & JENNIFER ALM • ROBYN FRIEDMAN-O’LEARY • ANDI & JEFF PORTNEY • ROBIN FOX AVEDESIAN IN MEMORY OF HER SON, RUSSELL FOX, WHO LOVED CAMP AS A CHILD.

]]><![CDATA[Camp Shoreshim: Session 1 Highlights]]>Fri, 24 Jul 2026 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.jccslo.com/blog/camp-shoreshim-session-1-highlightsThis week's theme was Tikkun Olam (Repairing the World), and our campers really brought it to life! Here are some of the moments they loved most:

Mitzvah Project: In the spirit of Tikkun Olam, campers spent an hour giving back, turning old clothing into homemade dog toys to donate to Woods Humane Society. A perfect example of repairing the world, one dog toy at a time.

Games Galore: Between rounds of Mafia, gaga ball, scavenger hunts, bubbles, and plenty of time in the craft tent, our campers have had no shortage of ways to have fun and make new friends.

Hebrew with Amira Mele: Campers had two sessions with Amira, picking up new words and phrases along the way.

Music with Cantor Mark Getten: Mark led campers in Jewish songs, filling the camp with music.

Story Yoga with Leana Marcus: A camper's mom led us through a story-based yoga session, mixing movement, imagination, and calm.

Bike Rodeo: Another camp classic that was a huge hit, as always!

Slithery Special Guests: Our friend David brought his reptile collection to camp. Seven-foot-long boa constrictor Queso was a favorite, plus a tarantula named Fluffy.

Water Wars: Counselors didn’t stand a chance in the epic campers vs. counselors water gun fight.

Frog Condos: The kids loved making homes for the JCC property’s frogs.

Cooking: Custom matzah pizzas with Robyn Friedman-O’Leary were fun and tasty!

There’s also a talent show coming up.

Finally, Shabbat with Rabbi Micah Hyman will help close out with the campers and parents.

Next week, we set sail with a Noah's Ark theme. Stay tuned for next week’s update!

Thank You to Our Supporters!

CAMP SECURITY SPONSORS who made it possible for us to have security in place both weeks.

LISA MARMON • AN ANONYMOUS SPONSOR • SPECTRE SECURITY.

CAMP SUPPORT: Tie-dye materials, snacks, porta-potties, admin support & more!

LORRAINE BREWSTER • SUSAN M. ARONER • KARIN TRABER & JENNIFER ALM • HARVEY’S HONEY HUTS • CONGREGATION BETH DAVID • ROBYN FRIEDMAN-O’LEARY.

CAMP SCHOLARSHIP SPONSORS who enabled more campers to attend!

ANDI & JEFF PORTNEY • ROBIN FOX AVEDESIAN IN MEMORY OF HER SON, RUSSELL FOX, WHO LOVED CAMP AS A CHILD • AN ANONYMOUS DONOR.

]]><![CDATA[Cal Poly’s AEPi Steps Up to Support the JCC]]>Fri, 10 Jul 2026 20:58:41 GMThttps://www.jccslo.com/blog/cal-polys-aepi-steps-up-to-support-the-jcc

Before we could even ask for help after the fire, our phones buzzed with a text from Joshua Pinsky, president of AEPi's Sigma Omega chapter at Cal Poly.

“We are always willing to help.”

Just hours earlier, a wildfire had swept across the back fields of our 10-acre property on Laureate Lane. Thanks to the swift response from CAL FIRE, no one was hurt, and the synagogue, clay tennis courts, olive orchard, and One Cool Earth's Play Grove were spared.

Unfortunately a stable for animals was damaged, acres of pasture were burned, and with Camp Shoreshim beginning July 20, there is important work to do before campers arrive.

Joshua didn't wait to be asked.

Within days, he and the brothers of AEPi's Sigma Omega chapter launched a GoFundMe to help restore the property. The campaign raised more than $600 in its first twenty minutes, and they're continuing to rally their alumni network in support of the effort.

For Joshua, the decision was simple.

"This property already does so much for us," he shared. The chapter gathers at the JCC several times throughout the year, and he wanted AEPi's members and alumni to give back to a place that has welcomed them for so long.

Then he learned something that made the connection even more meaningful. Alumni advisor Michael David, a founding member of Sigma Omega, told Joshua that decades ago, AEPi brothers helped build the JCC's clay tennis court—the very court the fire came within feet of reaching.

That story says something profound about this place.

Long before today's students arrived, earlier generations invested their hands, their resources, and their hearts to create a Jewish home that would outlast them. Today, that same property hosts children at Camp Shoreshim, welcomes college students, brings neighbors together on the tennis courts, and gives our community a place to gather, celebrate, grieve, and grow. It is not simply land owned by the JCC—it is a living legacy entrusted to all of us.

What touched Joshua most was learning that Camp Shoreshim could be affected. A "camp kid" himself growing up, he remembers those weeks as "some of the best memories of my life." He wants Jewish children here in San Luis Obispo County to build those same lifelong memories, on the same sacred ground that has nurtured generations before them.

Brothers who are in town this summer will be joining us for our Community Workday on July 19, the day before Camp begins.

If you'd like to stand with them, there are many ways to help: volunteer at the workday, contribute to the GoFundMe, become a JCC Supporter, or simply help share the story. Every hour volunteered and every dollar given is an investment in the future of this place—and in the generations who will one day call it their Jewish home.

To the brothers of Sigma Omega: thank you. Your generosity arrived before we even knew how to ask for it, and in doing so, you reminded us that this land belongs not just to an organization, but to an entire Jewish community.

See the AEPi GoFundMe

Become a JCC Sustainer

Join the July 19 Workday

]]><![CDATA[Introducing JCC Office Hours: Wednesdays from 10 a.m. - Noon]]>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 19:15:33 GMThttps://www.jccslo.com/blog/introducing-jcc-office-hours-wednesdays-from-10-am-noonHave a question, an idea, want to volunteer or connect? We're now holding weekly office hours every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon. Drop in to talk programs, volunteering, JFS support, or anything else on your mind.

👉 We'd love to see you! Stop by to say hello, or contact us for the address at info@jccslo.com.
We’re also available by appointment other days and times!

]]><![CDATA[JCC Land Community Service Day: 20+ Neighbors, One Beautiful Sunday]]>Fri, 03 Jul 2026 16:54:10 GMThttps://www.jccslo.com/blog/jcc-land-community-service-day-06-28-26More than 20 community members showed up on a recent Sunday morning to help care for our beloved JCC property, and we are deeply grateful.

Together, volunteers cleared brush and weeds to prepare for upcoming Camp Shoreshim activities, relocated and refurbished an old shed, cleaned out years of accumulated materials, and reorganized storage areas to make our spaces more functional and usable. Our dedicated tennis community also stepped up, beautifying the court surface and securing fences and wind screens to help preserve this treasured amenity.

In Jewish tradition, caring for the land is both a responsibility and a mitzvah. "We feel incredibly blessed to serve as stewards of this beautiful 10-acre property and sharing it with the Jewish community," said JCC Co-President Janelle Eagle. “This land holds tremendous potential to better serve the SLO Jewish community and our neighbors, and we believe we are only beginning to imagine what is possible here.”

A heartfelt thank you to Nissa Rost-Rothman, our Board Land Trustee, the members of the Land Committee, and the many new volunteers who joined us.

We invite your input to help shape the future of this special place. If you feel inspired by the possibilities of this property, please consider joining our Land Committee and contributing your ideas, energy, and vision.

🙏 THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS: Bella Mitchell, Heather & Chris Townsend, Sheila Levin, Tina & Serena Grace, Avi Alany, Nissa Rost-Rothman, Omer Alany, Daniel Sassoon, Barry Weinstein, Richard Smith, Terry Crowe, Sophie Rose, Gordon Mullin, Janelle Eagle, Scott Cleere, Stephanie Teaford, Hal Sweasey, Jeff Rowan, Mike Stanton, Dave Moss, Dan Lambert, Mark Sczbecki, Fred Kelley, and Paul Pickering.

]]><![CDATA[Building a Place of Welcome, Renewal, and Sacred Connection on the Central Coast]]>Wed, 27 May 2026 22:26:55 GMThttps://www.jccslo.com/blog/building-a-place-of-welcome-renewal-and-sacred-connection-on-the-central-coastIn Jewish tradition, water has long symbolized renewal, transition, healing, and hope. Across generations and geographies, communities have gathered around living water not only for ritual practice, but also for reflection, restoration, and belonging.

Here on California’s Central Coast, the JCC-Federation of San Luis Obispo is beginning an exciting new chapter as we explore the creation of a community mikveh in partnership with the Rising Tide Open Waters Mikveh Network. Our vision is rooted not only in Jewish ritual life, but in a broader aspiration: to help make this region a destination for Jewish hospitality, connection, spiritual nourishment, and renewal.

This vision feels especially meaningful in light of painful events that unfolded in nearby Cambria this past weekend. Moments that challenge the values of dignity, inclusion, and mutual respect remind us why sacred community-building matters. Our response is not to retreat from public Jewish life, but to deepen it — thoughtfully, warmly, and with integrity.

We believe the Central Coast can be known not for division or exclusion, but for generosity of spirit. We aspire to cultivate a place where people from many backgrounds and experiences can encounter Jewish tradition as a source of compassion, healing, learning, and welcome. A mikveh can become part of that landscape: a container- sanctuary for reflection, transition, celebration, grief, growth, and reconnection.

As we take these first steps, we are deeply grateful to those helping bring this dream into being.

We are honored to acknowledge the sponsorship of our soon-to-be-acquired Mikveh Starter Toolkit by Hollie Clark and Rabbi Micah Hyman. Offered through Rising Tide, the toolkit provides communities with practical resources, guided activities, consultation, and planning support for developing inclusive mikveh initiatives.

We also wish to recognize additional early contributions to the mikveh fund from Valerie Breese, Adriana Sousa, and our very first anonymous donor. Each gift — whether public or private — represents a meaningful vote of confidence in the possibility of creating something special and enduring for our region.

This project is still in its earliest stages. In the months ahead, we will continue recruiting for our mikveh committee, learning from communities around the country, and engaging in educational opportunities through Rising Tide. We are especially excited about the upcoming Seven Steps Online Mikveh Guide Training cohort, an eight-week, virtual program designed to prepare compassionate and knowledgeable mikveh guides who can help create welcoming, respectful, and spiritually meaningful immersion experiences for diverse Jewish communities. Registration is open through June 1st.

Our hope is simple but ambitious: that the Central Coast becomes increasingly known as a place where Jewish life is vibrant, restorative, welcoming, and deeply connected to both tradition and the natural beauty that surrounds us.

We look forward to sharing the journey with you.

B’shalom uvrachah,

Nissa Rost-Rothman
Board Member/Property Steward]]><![CDATA[WE ARE KVELLING!]]>Fri, 22 May 2026 21:12:01 GMThttps://www.jccslo.com/blog/we-are-kvellingSeeing our community and so many new friends gather together is incredibly powerful. This past weekend, the JCC-Federation of SLO really hit it out of the park. Along with our partner organization, Hillel and our local synagogues and sponsors, the 2nd Annual Jewish Heritage festival was a resounding success. Between an opening night reception and afternoon festival, hundreds of Jews and allies came together to share their pride.

SEE THE VIDEO

Here are some of the highlights:

The opening reception had every seat sold out and featured a captivating Q&A with the filmmaker of the documentary film TOVAH. Beyond being entertaining, it was also a perfect celebration of embracing Jewish Heritage and community.
On Sunday, our Jewish children laughed, got their faces painted, rode a mechanical bull, pet goats, and made art projects. It was phenomenal to see their Jewish Joy on blast and to give them an opportunity to be surrounded by Jews!
We saw the faces of longtime supporters and were also thrilled to have many unaffiliated Jewish community members and visitors from all over the state join.
Folks signed up to participate in future JCC programming such as the Shebrew Shabbat and Men's Dinner series - and our synagogue partners shared that they had multiple inquiries into new membership at their booths.
Our partner orgs and vendors had foot traffic that mattered - good conversation and fundraising opportunities galore. What an honor to support the empowerment and stability of our community partners in this way.
The music was PHENOMENAL and we just kept dancing as the Chutzpah Collective rocked out for four whole hours. What a gift to have their music bless us and set a celebratory and prideful tone throughout the event.
We were supported by multiple local and statewide organizations and community partners that helped underwrite this program. This shows that this sort of programming matters and is in high demand and worth investing in.

We are already planning the 3rd annual event (next May!) and would love your feedback if you attended or have ideas you'd like to contribute for how we can make this programming resonate even more. We also welcome your support for future community-wide events.

GIVE US FEEDBACK

THANK YOU to all of our partners, sponsors, volunteers, entertainers and to the community members who showed up and displayed their pride during our heritage celebration. Let's do it again soon!

Cheers,

Janelle Eagle
Co-President, JCC-Federation of SLO

A HUGE THANK-YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS: Judith Cohen, Debi Burdman-Deutsch, Jerome Becker, Rita Becker, Naomi Blakely, Kristie Burch, Jonathan Burch, JuliAnna Fink, Cody Fink, Aubrey Fleming, Brynn Gray, Wendy Kim, Nitsan Kolikant, Abby Lassen, Beryl Levine, Barry Weinstein, Lauren Yoder, Samara Weiner, Aubrey O’Leary, Becca Shivers.

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