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JCCSF hosting Israel symposium

Israeli social and political leaders will come together Sept. 10 for the symposium “Engaging With Israel: Leaders and Visionaries for the 21st Century,” where they will discuss issues critical to Israel and the future of the Jewish state.

Speakers will talk about the role of religion and state, minority and majority relations and the impact current events have had on the Israeli state and society.

The keynote speaker will be Colette Avital, deputy speaker of the Knesset. Other speakers will be Eliezer Yaari of the New Israel Fund, Consul General of Israel David Akov, Nidal Abed El Gafer of SHATIL’s Mixed Cities Project, Shira Ben Sasson Furstenberg of SHATIL’s Religious Pluralism Project, civil rights attorney Gil Gan-Mor and Israela Goren-Graziani of Yedid.

The Israeli symposium will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the JCC of San Francisco, 3200 California St., S.F. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. Admission is $18 for students, $40 general. Call (415) 543-5055 or visit www.nif.org/sfsymposium.

New Chabad center for Napa Valley

Napa Valley will be home to the latest regional Chabad center, as Rabbi Eli Tenenbaum, his wife, Chanie, and their two children have relocated to the city of Napa to set up shop.

The Tenenbaums, who moved west from Brooklyn, will inaugurate their tenure with High Holy Day services, starting with Erev Rosh Hashanah services Sept. 22 at the Elks Lodge, 2840 Soscol Ave., Napa.

Tenenbaum is a graduate of Central Lubavitch Yeshiva in Brooklyn, while his wife graduated from Beth Chaya Mushka Teacher’s Seminary in Montreal.

They can be reached at (707) 320-2348 or via email at [email protected].

Rare Maimonides book up for auction

An extremely rare 15th-century first edition of Maimonides’ classic Jewish text “The Guide of the Perplexed” is on the auction block. One of only two copies to be auctioned in the last 30 years, the volume is valued at between $70,000 and $90,000.

Considered one of the supreme works of Jewish philosophy, Maimonides’ guide was written in Judeo-Arabic around the year 1190, and later translated into Hebrew. The work’s principal topics are God, creation, prophecy, providence, evil, the nature of man and moral virtue.

For more information on the book, go to the Web site of PBA Galleries, www.pbagalleries.com/search/item175761.php.

Palo Alto campus wants support at meeting

Palo Alto’s Taube-Koret Campus for Jewish Life could receive final approval for its building plans at a city council meeting on Monday, Sept. 11 — but they want you to be there.

The 18th public meeting over a two-year period — and nobody is missing the significance of the number 18 — could be the big one, and campus leaders are urging members of the Jewish community to show their support in person.

The meeting is being held at 7 p.m. at Palo Alto’s City Council Chambers, Civic Center, 250 Hamilton Drive.

New widows, widowers group in San Jose

The pain of losing a life partner doesn’t have to be your solitary secret.

The Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley, Jewish Family Service and Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center have teamed up to create a new social group for widows and widowers. Volunteers are needed for a focus group so the group can mold itself into the most efficient and helpful organization possible.

The initial planning meeting will be Wednesday, Sept. 13 at activity room B on the Levy Family Campus, 14855 Oka Road, Los Gatos. For more information, call Vlada at (408) 357-7456.