March 2006

Welcome to the Taube-Koret Campus for Jewish Life newsletter! The Campus is an exciting development project on the South Peninsula involving two premier Bay Area Jewish organizations—the Palo Alto JCC and the Jewish Home of San Francisco, with support of the Jewish Community Federation. We hope you will enjoy reading the latest updates about the Campus and other news important to our community. For more information, visit our website at www.campusforjewishlife.org.
Progress Update

Naming Opportunities at the Taube-Koret Campus for Jewish Life

Interested in knowing more about naming opportunities available at the Taube-Koret Campus for Jewish Life, the new Oshman Family Jewish Community Center and the senior residences being developed by the Jewish Home? TKCJL Capital Campaign Director Amy Lit reports that information about naming opportunities is now available, reflecting the many age groups, programs and facilities planned for the South Peninsula Jewish community’s new central address. For more information, please contact Amy at (650) 691-0100 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (650) 691-0100 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or amy@campusforjewishlife.org.

Draft Environmental Impact Report Available

The Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) prepared by the Palo Alto Department of Planning and Community Environment on the Taube-Koret Campus for Jewish Life and adjacent residential project being developed by BRIDGE Urban Infill Land Development (BUILD) is now available for public comment. The 45-day public review period for the DEIR concludes on April 3, 2006. The Planning & Transportation Commission will take comments on the DEIR at a public hearing scheduled for March 29 at 7:00 p.m. at the City Council Chambers. The DEIR can be viewed at www.cityofpaloalto.org/901sanantonio.

Publication of the DEIR represents a major milestone for the Taube-Koret Campus. Certification of a final EIR is an important component of the City approval process, which began in June 2004 and is targeted for completion this summer.
Reservations Now Available!

Reservations are now available for this year’s ALSJCC Community Seder at Spago Palo Alto, featuring a unique Passover dinner by Wolfgang Puck and Chef Aram Mardigian. Now in its fourth year, this popular event has become an annual tradition for many in our Jewish community and seating capacity is limited. The Spago seder will be held on Thursday, April 13, with check-in at 5:30 p.m. and the seder starting at 6:00 p.m. Reservations can be made by calling the restaurant at +16508331000.
Welcome

TKCJL Welcomes Bruce Landgarten

Bruce Landgarten is the new director of the Jewish Community Federation’s South Peninsula office. Bruce joins the South Peninsula on April 1, following two years as Executive Director of the Levine Jewish Community Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Levine JCC is located on a 54-acre Jewish campus that is home to multiple organizations serving the Charlotte Jewish community. Bruce previously led the Contra Costa Jewish Community Center in Walnut Creek for four years and looks forward to returning to the Bay Area. “I am delighted that Bruce is joining us to help lead the Federation’s activities on the South Peninsula,” said JCF CEO Tom Dine. “His experiences in providing major, useful locations for Jewish community life will be a significant asset as we move toward fulfillment of the vision for the Taube-Koret Campus for Jewish Life.”

When asked about his thoughts regarding the South Peninsula, Bruce said, “I am truly impressed by the dedicated and talented lay leaders and professionals at the Federation. Each person is committed and ready to move forward as a team. I think that together we will begin to weave a new tapestry that will affect the entire Jewish community. I believe the South Peninsula Jewish community is a strong and cohesive group which will work hard to achieve their goals. They exemplify the ‘ruach’ that is sometimes missing in community organizations. I welcome the opportunity to promote Federation’s mission and insure a bright and viable future for our Jewish community. My wife Carol and I are looking forward to making the South Peninsula our home.”
Mazel Tov

TKCJL congratulates Rabbi Yosef Levin and Dena Levin, whose 25 years of service to the local Jewish community were recently honored on the rabbi’s 50th birthday at a celebration hosted by Chabad of Greater South Bay. Rabbi Levin was featured in a Palo Alto Weekly cover story titled “Honoring Tradition.”

Mazel tov to South Peninsula Jewish community member Sunny Kaplan, who received the annual Judith Chapman Memorial Women’s Leadership Award at this year’s Power of One event. Sonya “Sunny” Kaplan has been active in Federation for over 35 years. In addition to having served as president of the Women’s Alliance, she served on the Women’s Division board of the United Jewish Appeal (the Federation’s earlier name), chaired the South Peninsula Campaign, and served as president and co-founder of the South Peninsula Regional Council. She played a key role in obtaining early funding for the Albert L. Schultz JCC, Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School, and Hatikvah House (the only home in Northern California for developmentally disabled Jewish young adults) and is a past recipient of the Harvey Koch Leadership award. Last year’s Chapman award winner was TKCJL founder and fundraising chair, Carol Saal.

Welcome, Samuel Leslie! TKCJL sends best wishes to Josh and Sara Leslie upon the birth of their son Samuel. We look forward to the day when Sammy will play and learn with his parents, grandparents, cousins, aunt and uncle at the new Oshman Family Jewish Community Center.

To be involved in developing the Taube-Koret Campus is to see the incredible diversity and creativity of our Jewish community every day. We are truly fortunate to have the commitment of so many dedicated and talented people who are working tirelessly to make the Campus possible.

Shelley Hebert
Executive Director – Campus Development
Taube-Koret Campus for Jewish Life

March 2006

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