J-town journalist
Janine Zacharia knows the Middle East like the back of her hamsa. Just off a gig as Jerusalem correspondent for the Washington Post, where she covered the Gaza flotilla incident, the Arab Spring and the vagaries of regional politics, she’s also spent more than a decade reporting for the Jerusalem Post, Reuters and Bloomberg. Zacharia will share her insights into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and more with Stanford journalism professor Joel Brinkley.
Noon Friday, Sept. 14 at Commonwealth Club, 595 Market St., S.F. $8-$20, free for members. www.commonwealthclub.org
friday/7
Frances Dinkelspiel. Author of “Towers of Gold” discusses her great-great-grandfather, philanthropist Isaias Hellman, and the family legacy. At Contemporary Jewish Museum, 736 Mission St., S.F. 1 p.m. Included with admission. www.thecjm.org.
sunday/9
Human trafficking. Jewish War Veterans Post 60 sponsors discussion on California Proposition 35, the human trafficking ballot initiative. At Moldaw Residences, Oshman Family JCC, Room G-100, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto. 11 a.m. Free. (650) 223-7187.
“The Israel/America Political Relationship.” Talk by Michael Citron, assistant area director of AIPAC. At Rossmoor, 3400 Golden Rain Road, Walnut Creek. 4 p.m. Free. (925) 938-4738.
monday/10
“Winning the White House.” S.F.-based JCF Business Leadership Council forum on where presidential candidates stand on Jewish issues. At Farella, Braun and Martell, 235 Montgomery St., 17th floor. 6 p.m. $18-$54. www.jewishfed.org/blc.
tuesday/11
Book talk and signing. Michael Chabon, author of new novel “Telegraph Avenue.” 7:30 p.m. At Herbst Theater, 401 Van Ness Ave., S.F. $22-$27. www.cityarts.net. Also Sept. 12 at Diesel Books (converted to pop-up music store Brokeland Records), 5433 College Ave., Oakland. Purchase of book ($27.99) required to attend. www.dieselbookstore.com. (See story, 27.)
wednesday/12
Book talk. Marty Brounstein, author of “Two Among the Righteous Few: A Story of Courage in the Holocaust.” At San Carlos Library, 610 Elm St., San Carlos. 7 p.m. (650) 591-0341. Also Sept. 15 at Mountain View Library, 585 Franklin St., Mountain View. 1 p.m. (650) 903-6877. Also Sept. 20 at Books Inc., 601 Van Ness Ave., S.F. 7 p.m. (415) 776-1111.
thursday/13
“Inside Jewish Turkey.” Panel discussion with young Jews from Turkey. At Tuba Restaurant, 1007 Guerrero St., S.F. 7 p.m. Free. RSVP to www.jdcentwine.org/events.
wednesday/19
“An Evening with Scott Turow.” Best-selling author onstage with KQED Radio’s Michael Krasny. At Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto. 7:30 p.m. $22-$35. www.paloaltojcc.org/arts.
thursday/20
Ritlab: Pickle, Preserve and Molly Picon. Pickle-making, talk on “California Dreaming” exhibit, silent film classic “East and West.” At Contemporary Jewish Museum, 736 Mission St., S.F. 5:30 p.m. $5 general (includes museum admission). www.thecjm.org.
Book talk. Michael Cooper, author of the novel “Foxes in the Vineyard,” about a son searching for his archaeologist father on the eve of the Israeli War of Independence. At Bookshop West Portal, 80 West Portal Ave., S.F. 7 p.m. Free. www.bookshopwestportal.com.