Please join TVCJ for our annual Sukkah raising as we celebrate the season. We will be meeting on Sept 27th 10:30 am – 12:30 pm at 1817 Sinclair Drive in Pleasanton. Bring a brunch dish to share and a piece of fruit or vegetable (or something else) to decorate the sukkah. If you have one, also bring a large green branch for the roof. We will have crafts for the children and fun games for all! Please donate healthy non-perishable food to our our annual High Holy Days Food Drive. A $5 donation is requested for each adult non-member attending. We hope to see you there!

Observe Yom Kippur in a Secular Humanistic way that’s authentic both to Jewish tradition and to your own beliefs.  Join us Tuesday evening, September 22 (Kol Nidre night) at 7 p.m. at the Bothwell Center, 2466 8th St. in Livermore for a non-religious program of readings, poetry, music and a memorial ceremony.  Suggested donation is $20/non-member adult, but if you decide you belong with us and become a member, your donation will be applied to your membership fee.

Sunday Sept, 13, 5:00 pm — 7:30 pm: Rosh Hashana at the Bothwell Center, 2466 8th Street, Livermore.

Celebrate Rosh Hashanah in a Secular Humanistic way that that’s authentic both to Jewish culture and to your own beliefs.

Meet at 5:00pm for our tashlikh walk to the arroyo; 6:00 for our one-hour program of music and readings followed by apples and honey reception.   Kids are welcome. Suggested donation $20/non-member adult. We will have our annual food drive, so please bring non-perishable food items to be donated to a local food bank.

If you decide you belong with us and become a member, your donations will be applied to your membership fees.

“Blintzes and Books” is our traditional Jewish holiday Shavuot celebration.  The spring holiday is a time for dairy foods and for celebrating Jewish – and world – literature, based on the legend that the holiday commemorates the giving of the 10 commandments, the beginning of Jewish literature.

TVCJ will celebrate the holiday with a potluck brunch and program from 10:30 am to noon on Sunday, May 24 at a member’s home in Pleasanton.  Participants are asked to bring a dairy brunch dish to share and have in mind a book they enjoyed reading in the past year.  Each participant will briefly discuss his or her book recommendation.  Adults and children are welcome, as are contributions of favorite toppings for blintzes.  Suggested donation for non-member adults is $5.

Tired of Passover seders that last till midnight? We have got the one for you…lots of singing, humanistic text and nice company. Join us at the Bothwell Center on April 19 at 5 pm for a potluck seder.

Rosh Hashanah:  Wednesday evening, Sept. 4 at 7:00 p.m.  Program of music and readings in English followed by traditional apples & honey.  Child-friendly.  Suggested donation is $10 per adult for those who are not members of TVCJ.  (No charge for children.)  We are also collecting canned or boxed food for the food bank.

What’s a Secular Jew?  Sunday morning, Sept. 8 at 10:30 a.m.  Bagel brunch and introduction to Secular Jewish life and Jewish Culture School.   Are you uncomfortable in synagogue, but in your element at the deli, Mel Brooks movies and noisy political discussions?  Are you looking for a community where you fit in?  A way for your kids to learn about being Jewish without the demands of religious belief?     learn about the history and practices of Secular Jews, hear about Jewish Culture School for children and meet members of the organization.  There will be activities for children while the parents meet.  Please let us know you’re coming, so we can make sure we have plenty of food!

Yom Kippur:  Saturday, Sept. 14 from 2 – 5 p.m. (and we’ll go out for dinner together afterwards).The program consists of non-religious readings in English and music, followed by participatory workshops and a non-religious memorial ceremony.  Suggested donation is  $10 per adult for those who are not members of TVCJ.  (No charge for children.) There will also be an opportunity to make charitable contributions to various international, national and local agencies. We’re also collecting canned and boxed goods for the food bank.

Sukkah raising brunch!  Sunday, Sept. 22 at 1817 Sinclair Drive in Pleasanton.  Potluck brunch.  Bring a dish to share, a fruit or other decoration to hang in the sukkah and a branch for the roof (if you have one). Also collecting canned and boxed goods for food bank.

Holiday programs and informational meeting are held at the Bothwell Arts Center. 2466 8th St. in Livermore.  Please let us know you are coming.  Call us at 925 485 1049 or email reservations@Tri-ValleyCulturalJews.org.

Saturday, April 7 – 5:00 p.m. at the Bothwell Center, 2466 8th St. in Livermore. We use our non-religious haggadah, sing a lot, and enjoy a potluck dinner. Child friendly. We will also be collecting non-perishable food for the food bank. Guests and non-members are $10/adult (over 13). Free to members. Please be sure you have made your reservation by April 5 for the seder! If you want to come and have not reserved your spot yet, please call Jamie at 510 888 1404 and let her know you’re coming and discuss what you’ll bring for the potluck.

This year we are “adopting” The Zila Family from Bosnia through the Jewish Family and Children’s Services holiday giving program. The Zilas lived through the war in Bosnia and lost many family members.  They left their country and lived as refugees in Germany until they were able to come to the U.S.  They wanted a better life for their children.  The father works, and the mother stays home with her children.   The children, a 12-year old boy and a 9-year old girl, are doing very well in school.

Some suggestions on the family wish list include:

Please let us know what you would like to provide and bring it to the Chanukah party on December 18 (or give gifts to someone who can bring it) by emailing CulturalJews@aol.com or calling 925-485-1049.  If you are not able to shop, please consider a donation with which we can buy Safeway gift cards or other things.