Synablogue

This past Sunday night, over 50 Palisades families returned from an exciting weekend retreat in beautiful Running Springs, CA.  The weekend included festive meals, scenic hikes, live music, children’s programs, skiing, tubing and sledding, spiritual discussions and classes. It was the third annual retreat sponsored by Chabad of Pacific Palisades.

After everyone arrived to the camp grounds on Friday, they were treated to a Shabbat dinner in the dining hall, which overlooked the naturally stunning mountains of Lake Arrowhead. Saturday featured a delicious Shabbat lunch followed by a hike in the mountains. The children’s program was filled with games, snacks, song and snow play. Later that evening, everyone assembled in the main lodge by the fireplace to make Smores and enjoy a live musical performance by Bentzi Marcus of the group, “8^th Day”.

The next morning, after a French toast breakfast, it was off to Snow Valley for a fun filled day of skiing and sledding – a perfect closing to a perfect weekend.

“It was wonderful to see the members of our growing community have such a great time”, says Rabbi Zushe Cunin, Executive Director of the Chabad Jewish Community Center. “More people attend this retreat every year for a truly an unforgettable experience.”

The 9^th Annual Palisades Chanukah Festival will commence this Sunday, December 21^st, from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm on Monument Street (between Sunset and Bashford). The much anticipated event, hosted by the

Chabad Jewish Community Center, has become a community staple over the years and features traditional holiday foods, entertainment, music, balloons and rides for the children. The fun filled day will close with the Annual Public Menorah Lighting. Everyone is invited.

This year's Chanukah Festival represents profound significance to the memebers and staff of Chabad. They have recently increased the amount of events and community gatherings, in order to honor the memory of Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife, Rivkah; the Chabad emissaries killed in the Mumbai terror attacks.

“It is crucial that all Chabad Centers not only continue to spread light and joy around the world, but step up our efforts to an entire new level. This is the only way to eradicate darkness.” says

Rabbi Zushe Cunin, Executive Director of the Chabad Jewish Community Center.

Several local businesses have become involved, extending their generosity by sponsoring different rides and attractions at the Chanukah Festival. Including, but not limited to, the Blue Cross Pet Hospital, the Palisades Mobil Service Station, the Printing Palace, the Law Offices of Ava Field and the medical offices of both the Santa Monica Bay Physicians and Dr. Harry Cohen. All proceeds will go to the Palisades Jewish Early Childhood Center www.palisadesjewishearlychildhood.com.

Here’s a great opportunity for you to give back and thank the community for supporting you and your business all year! Last year’s Palisades Chanukah Festival was a big success with an attendance of 1,500 +. This is a community event with fun for all ages including the 9th Annual Menorah lighting. The Palisades Chanukah Festival will take place on Sunday, December 21st from 11 am till 4 pm. All of the days proceeds will be donated to the PJECC Scholarship fund. Monument (between Sunset & Bashford) will be closed for fun, games, food and music. Your participation is important for the success of this event. Sponsors and co-sponsors are needed! Large signs will be posted at each location giving the sponsor credit for underwriting special attractions.

Music ($500)

Balloon Person ($360)

Co-Sponsor ($180)

Ticket Booth ($175)

Cotton Candy ($100)

Popcorn ($100)

Mini Train ($770)

Co-Sponsor ($360)

Little Indy Racer ($770)

Co-Sponsor ($360)

Moon Bounce 1 (with slide) ($840)

Moon Bounce 2 (Bunji) ($560)

Moon Bounce 3 (Gladiator) ($560)

Co-Sponsor ($180)

 Arcade Booth (3) ($175 ea)

Pony Ride ($385)

Co-Sponsor ($180)

Rock Climber ($1,400)

Co-Sponsor ($360)

Food Booth ($900)

Co-Sponsor ($360)

YES! I WANT TO BE A SPONSOR!

Volunteers are needed the day of the event. If you wish to donate your time we guarantee you’ll have fun! Please call the

Chabad Jewish Community Center at: 310-454-7783.

This is an email that was sent to Pali Chai Director, Rabbi Nuchie from a former student:

Shalom Rabbi Nuchie,
I hope all is well!
I've been thinking about Chabad these past few days. I wanted to call you guys but I havent had the chance yet (school has taken over, of course :)

Just wanted to say thank you so much for everything that you, Rabbi Eli and Tzali (and everyone whos part of Chabad!!!) have done throughout the years. I want you to know that I started keeping Shabbat two years ago, and I couldnt have done it without your help! You guys gave me books and magazines, which I read over Shabbat, etc... Also, Rabbi Eli gave me my very own copy of TO KNOW AND TO CARE (vol 1 and 2)...I finished both and now im re-reading them!! Also, I gave these books to about 4 or 5 of my friends to read as well, and it really helped them to grow as well. So once again, THANK YOU ALL 4 everything!

Bli neder, Bezrat Hashem , I'll call the office soon so that I can tell you guys all about my Jewish journey (I went to seminary in Israel this past summer and so much more!)

All in all, it started because of your help and support, and now i have learned from you to give selflessly. So thanks :)

May Hashem bless you in all your ways,
Talia Tabaroki
(Pali Chai Jewish Club President 2007 :)

It was Mark Twain who said that "Education consists mainly of what we have unlearned." This implies that when we are young, we are pure and can think more clearly than as adults. In other words, we don't learn, but simply unlearn things that we've been told. It took me months to forget my previous knowledge of how to treat a child with a disability.

About a year ago, Sahar and I, two sixteen-year-old girls, were matched with an autistic ten-year-old boy named Rhys through an organization called the Friendship Circle, a program which connects teens with special-needs children and organizes for the teens to visit the child once a week.

When we arrived at Rhys's house for the first time and made our way toward his family's wooden door, many thoughts were going through my mind: Would he be able to communicate? Would he even like it when we came to see him? I had some juvenile pre-conceived notion that the goal of the visits would be for us to teach him. What I didn't know was that he had the capacity to teach us in a way that we could never have anticipated.
      

Well, according to Mark Twain, I have gotten a complete education through Rhys. I expected a student-teacher type of experience between Rhys and I, where I would come prepared with activities to do such as balloons and an air pump. I have unlearned this idea and I now know that Sahar and I must conform to what Rhys likes at the time, otherwise he won't have fun. For example, Rhys is currently fascinated with washing machines and can draw an impeccable one, when given a piece of paper and a pencil. When we play with toys such as wooden pieces to a railroad track, he cleverly puts them together not as the intended railroad track, but as an image that actually looks like a washing machine. He swirls it around and emulates the noises it makes… whoossshhhh.  Rhys has the incredible ability to comprehend every aspect of certain things in this way. At one point, he was fixated on a computer game called "Times Attack" which taught him all his times tables, and now, if I ask him any multiplication question, he will give me the answer in three seconds flat. I would have never expected him to be so incredibly astute.

The most gratifying surprise I had while spending time with Rhys was the moment when he first took my hand without being asked; after this incident, I quickly learned that he is not the stereotypical child with special needs that we so frequently imagine. On the contrary, he is bright and affectionate young boy who could never be encompassed by a stereotype.

I am forever indebted to Rhys for helping me understand the most important lesson of all: that everyone has the ability to learn. It is the teacher who has both the power and responsibility to speak the student's language in a way that is exciting to him or her. Rhys and I now know how to communicate in this way and can both speak each others' languages. The connection that I feel with him is one of simple and pure friendship, which I believe is the achieved goal of the Friendship Circle Organization.

 Pacific Palisades to Join Worldwide Debut of Soul Maps

The critically-acclaimed JLI series will be available to the Pacific Palisades community for its fall semester. The first course, Soul Maps, is an ancient yet innovative approach to human psychology. Classes are held at the

Chabad Jewish Community Center, 15207 Sunset Blvd. and will begin Wednesday, November 12^th, 19^th, 26^th from 7:30 to 9:00 pm and will continue December 3^rd and 10^th.

Soul Maps is structured as a six-step program, utilizing tools from the Kabbalah to help participants understand themselves and find inner contentment. The course is based on Tanya, an eighteenth-century book that made the previously esoteric teachings of Kabbalah practical, relevant and accessible.

Importantly, Soul Maps is designed for people at all levels of Jewish knowledge, and participants do not need to have any prior experience or background in Jewish learning to attend and enjoy this course. Additionally, all JLI courses are open to the entire community and people do not need to be affiliated with any particular synagogue or temple in order to attend.

For more information, such as tuition fees, additional courses and an entire list of adult courses at the Chabad Jewish Community Center, please contact Rabbi Shlomo Zacks at (310)454-7783 or log onto www.chabadpalisades.org.

  Friday Night Guests Cheer for Sandy Wolshin

As expected, former Raiderette and stand up comic-turned-observant-Jew-and-Rabbi's wife, Sandy Wolshin turned out to be a hilarious treat for all last Friday night. Her hysterical performance was also filled with strong emotion.

Sandy's critically acclaimed “one man show”, The Rabbi and the Cheerleader, has generated a huge buzz. The Friday night guests at the Chabad Jewish Community Center were able to experience the show intimately, over a Shabbat dinner.

“She was a joy to have at our meal!,” says Rabbi Zushe Cunin, Executive Director. “She had us laughing at times, and tearing at others. Her story is unique and we were honored to have her share it with us.”

Sandy Wolshin's story is indeed unique. At the height of her career (performing with Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld, as well as dancing with Sylvester Stallone!), she was struggeling with a profound eating disorder. This eventually led her to seek out spirituality, become an observant Jew and marry a Rabbi.

Afterwards, the floor was open for a Q&A session, providing further insight into this very special woman's life. It was a powerful experience for the entire community. Many came away with valuable advise on how to incorporate Judaism and meditation into their daily lives.

Truly, an evening to remember!