Peninsula Temple Sholom chosen for initiative on engaging baby boomers
The Union for Reform Judaism has selected Peninsula Temple Sholom as one of 17 congregations to participate in a new initiative to engage the baby boomer generation.
“PTS puts relationships at the center of our activity with the goal of every congregant finding his/her own connection to Judaism,” congregation president Lauren Schlezinger said in a news release. “The needs of baby boomers in our community have evolved dramatically in the past decade, so it makes sense that we want to think creatively about how to engage this subset of our congregation.”
The congregations in the group will work for two years, receiving help from peers and advisers in their efforts to experiment and innovate. The project will include a meeting this fall in Chicago for the staff and lay leaders involved.
The Engaging Baby Boomers initiative is one of the URJ’s Communities of Practice, working groups for congregations interested in addressing a particular issue or need.
“We connect congregational leaders to each other as well as to experts, valuable resources and learning opportunities,” Amy Asin, URJ vice president of strengthening congregations, said in the release. “The cohort model allows congregations to engage with a group to experiment, lowering the risk and sharing learning.”
San Jose family still seeking funds to bring kidney donor from Israel
A San Jose man who needs a kidney for life-saving surgery has set up a new website to raise funds to bring a potential donor and his family from Israel
Dimitrios “Jim” Vlassopoulos, 50, who moved with his family to the Bay Area from Israel in 2014, was diagnosed with kidney failure a year ago. His family is seeking to raise a total of $200,000 to cover expenses and to pay for the kidney donor’s trip.
Donations can be made at hagaigeffen.wix.com/saving-jim#!englis/crjf.
United doubles nonstop SFO flights to Tel Aviv
United Airlines will offer daily flights from San Francisco to Tel Aviv starting Oct. 8.
The airline currently offers three flights per week from SFO to Ben Gurion International Airport, departing at 8 p.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
“This is a response to demand from our customers for direct flights to one of the United States’ most popular business and tourism destinations, with the added benefit of convenient onward connections from our San Francisco International hub,” said Avi Friedman, United’s managing director of sales in Israel.