Sign up for Weekday J and get the latest on what's happening in the Jewish Bay Area.

Honors

Jewtina y Co. is one of nine organizations selected for the 2024 cohort of UpStart’s flagship UpSpring (previously known as the UpStart Venture Accelerator) program. Each participant organization was selected based on their demonstrated track record of inclusivity, creativity and vision. Jewtina, which is based in San Francisco, creates programs and builds community for Latin-Jewish people.

Jewish Community High School seniors Mia Finestone and Joshua Marx have been recognized as scholar-athletes by the Northern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Finestone received the 2023 JSHOF Scholar Athlete Scholarship and Marx received the 2023 Stuart and Gaye Seiler Family Scholarship. The scholarships are awarded to Jewish students who demonstrate outstanding athletic and academic achievements as well as a strong commitment to the Jewish community.

Comings & Goings

Aaron Levy-Wolins has joined the J. team as our staff photographer. Levy-Wolins is the former photo editor of Xpress Magazine, the student magazine at San Francisco State University, and his work has appeared in the San Francisco Standard, SFBay, the Golden Gate Xpress and Broke-Ass Stuart.

Former California State Assemblymember Marc Levine is the new director of ADL’s Central Pacific Office based in San Francisco. Levine represented Marin and southern Sonoma counties in the Assembly from 2012 to 2022, during which time he was a founding member of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus and joined with his colleagues to create the state’s first Commission on the State of Hate in California.

Mayor London Breed appointed Carey Wintroub to the San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission. Wintroub has served on several committees at Congregation Emanu-El and is currently a partner at L’dor V’dor Vineyards.

Happenings

Contra Costa Midrasha, Repair the World and Congregation Beth El have partnered with the Richmond Tiny House Village Garden and Farm, which broke ground Sept. 30. The project will double emergency tiny housing units serving homeless youth, ages 18 to 24 in Richmond. It will be Contra Costa County’s first tiny house village and is slated to open in fall 2024. The Jewish organizations are supporting the project by contributing donations and participating in building and decorating units.

BBYO is resuming chapter-based experiences in San Francisco, Marin and Contra Costa after the chapters ceased activity during the pandemic. The activities are kicking off with Havdalah and minigolf at Stagecoach Greens in Mission Bay on Saturday, Oct. 21 from 5:45-9:15 p.m. Tickets are $8 and the event is open to any Jewish teen in 8th-12th grade.