Woo hoo!
Mazel tov and kudos to Raphael Bob-Waksberg, whose Netflix original series “BoJack Horseman” won the Critics’ Choice Award for the best animated series for television. He beat out Fox’s “The Simpsons” and “Bob’s Burgers” as well as Comedy Central’s “South Park” and Disney XD’s “Star Wars Rebels.” The cartoon series, for adults, features an anthropomorphic horse named BoJack as the washed-up star of a 1990s sitcom who is trying to make a comeback. P.S. “Woo hoo” is how proud mom Ellen Bob announced the win on Facebook. Proud dad is David Waksberg.
Kudos (and a woo hoo) as well to Jewish Vocational Service. The agency was featured in a “PBS Newshour” segment that focused on discrimination against job-seeking women older than 50. It was the second time the news show has visited JVS as a resource for a news report. The recent segment aired on Jan. 14 and can be found on YouTube.
Winning congregations
November was a big month for recognitions. Conservative Congregation Kol Shofar of Tiburon received the Solomon Schechter Award for innovative programming from the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism for its Center for Jewish Spirituality. Led by Rabbi Chai Levy, CJS offers alternatives for spiritual growth that connect mind and body.
And at the Women of Reform Judaism national assembly, the sisterhoods at three local synagogues received Or Ami (Light of My People) gold awards for exemplary social justice, community service and educational programs. San Rafael’s Women of Rodef Sholom received theirs for “Crossing the Street: Mother’s Day Surprise,” part of an ongoing partnership with Venetia Valley School, which primarily serves immigrant Latino children whose parents struggle economically and some of whom live in fear of deportation. Congregant Jessica Marker of San Rafael is the director of the partnership. The Women of Isaiah in Lafayette and Beth Am Women in Los Altos Hills also were recognized for their joint program “Communicating About Mental Illness.”
Short shorts
J.’s poetry editor Joan Gelfand of San Francisco has a short story included in the book “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Dreams and Premonitions: 101 Amazing Stories of Miracles.” Her story, “The Key,” was selected from more than 5,000 submissions … And J. contributor and film reviewer Michael Fox of San Francisco has been named to Essential SF, the San Francisco Film Society’s compendium of the Bay Area film community’s most vital individuals and institutions … Robert “Gabe” Gabelman and Yvonne Dotson of Larkspur have published “Mubba & Bubba’s Fit ’n’ Funny Thrive Guide,” a light-hearted guide to fitness, nutrition and relaxation. Check it out at www.mubbabubba.com … Marci Dollinger and Barry Finestone, both of San Rafael, have been named to the board of American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Both were involved in the organization’s Zin Fellows, designed to develop next-generation leaders for the university.
Congregation Shir Hadash of Los Gatos is producing a tribute film to celebrate three milestones and is soliciting your stories. The milestones are the congregation’s 36th anniversary, Rabbi Melanie Aron’s 25 years of service and Cantor Devorah Felder-Levy’s 20 years of service. Your stories may be about (for example) the clergy, times of inspiration, joy, laughter, learning or solace. Email stories to [email protected], or if you’d rather talk to them, call Elayne Klasson at the temple.
This columnist can be reached at [email protected].