Rabbi’s Message | Healing Sound Bath 10/19 | Pickleball for a Cause 12/7 | Soul Migration and Afterlife with ALI 10/20 | Shabbat Shalom!
10/10/2025 11:58:42 AM
Oct10
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Dear Friends,
The traditional greeting to Jewish friends and loved ones during the middle days of Sukkot is moadim l’simha, which might be loosely translated as - “May these special days be festive.”
The fall festival of Sukkot is celebrated for 9 days including Shemini Atzeret and Simhat Torah that will begin next Monday night and conclude Wednesday night at sundown. Days 1, 2, 8 and 9 are considered holy days during which the proper greeting is Hag Sameah. Days 3-7 are hol hamoed - loosely translated as "regular days of the holiday.”
As Americans, we often mark time by both a Gregorian calendar date and a Hebrew calendar date. The first day of Sukkot this year coincided with October 7th, the 2nd anniversary of the Gaza massacre and the onset of two of the most painful and devastating years in Israel’s short history as a country. On that day, 48 of the 251 people taken hostage in 2023 were still in captivity. Of those, intelligence believes that 26 are confirmed deceased.
The Hamas attacks on kibbutzim and cities near the Gazan boarder on October 7th in 2023 was calculated to take place on the holiday of Shemini Atzeret that coincided with Shabbat. This special festival focused on the blessings of rain for a robust harvest in the year to come will always carry the weight of tragedy for the pain and suffering caused on that day and every moment thereafter.
There is a ray of hope. Current sources say that on Monday of next week, just before the onset of the holiday, the remaining hostages - those alive and dead - will be released. If that happens, the families that have waited in agony to care for and bury their loved ones will finally be able to begin the process of closure, treatment and whatever the next steps look like for emotional and psychological healing.
It is incumbent upon us to be grateful for miracles large and small. If a bona fide peace agreement can me reached and executed with integrity, Gaza and the surrounding Israeli cities stand to be a little safer and more sustainable for all who live in the region. Nothing lasts forever, but, like our rainy seasons that we remember every Shemini Atzeret, we pray for and embrace one blessed year at a time.
Moadim l’simha and Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Marcia Tilchin
Interfaith and OC Community Sukkot Events for the Whole Family
TWO EVENTS TONIGHT
CommUNITY Shabbat at the Merage Jewish Community Center Friday, October 10 | 5 - 7pm
RSVP here Celebrating Orange County's cultural diversity: People of all faith traditions are welcome to join
Together we'll welcome in Shabbat with blessings, a Kosher dinner, crafts and fun activities for kids. Spread the word and bring a friend!
Interfaith Sukkah Community Dinner
at Temple Beth El of South Orange County
Friday, October 10 | 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Interfaith Shabbat service followed by dinner in the sukkah
Featuring conversations with nationally known authors Dr. Christena Cleveland and Victor Villaseñor.
Dinner will be available for purchase during this program.
Pickleball for a Cause is Back!
December 7th, 2025
If you enjoy playing Pickleball, want to learn or would like to spend an afternoon with friends, this is a beautiful way to bring OC together as one community of care.
This year, proceeds from our tournament are dedicated to buildingHesed Shel Emet - OC’s Jewish Burial and Comfort Society that helps families with chaplaincy and burial needs, community comfort and long-term grief support in a Jewish context.
We are looking for event sponsors to help us reach our $50,000 fundraising goal. If you are able to sponsor, either personally, through a family foundation or business, please consider doing so. You will be recognized in our advertising, general publicity and at the event. Thank you for your partnership and generosity!
Earthrise Climate Action Festival: WUICAN’s culminating interfaith fall festival dedicated to earth stewardship, restoration, justice and healing | Saturday, October 11 from 11- 4pm | Harbor Christian Church - 2401 Irvine Ave in Newport Beach
Sundays in Silence and Spirit with special guest presenter Lou James | Sunday, October 19 at 9:30am | Merage JCC
Advanced Learning Institute:Where Do We Go From Here?: Jewish Perspectives on Soul Migration,the Afterlife and Reincarnation with Rabbi Rachel Shere | Mondays, October 20, 27 and November 3 at 9:30am PT | Register here
Bringing Heaven Down To Earth: Integrating High Holy Day Wisdom into Everyday Life | Sunday, November 16, 9:30-11:30am | Merage JCC - 1 Federation Way in Irvine
CommUNITY Shabbat - Celebrating OC's Cultural Diversity in the JCC Community Sukkah | Friday, October 10, 5-7pm | Merage JCC | Register here
The Sacred Art of Listening with author Kay Lindahl | Sunday, October 26 from 3-5pm | Norman P. Murray Community Center - 24732 Veteran's Way in Mission Viejo
Saturday, October 11 at 2pm PT TWELVE STEPS AND TORAH JCoOC partners with Our Jewish Recovery (OJR) every Shabbat afternoon for Torah study informed by the wisdom of Twelve Step recovery. Join us on Zoom. For more information and to be added to the Twelve Steps & Torah email list, click here For a full menu of OJR programs and meetings click here
Sunday through Thursday at 6:00pm OC EGAL NIGHTLY MINYAN If you are looking for a place to say Mourner's Kaddish, observe a yahrzeit, or participate in an evening minyan, OC Egal meets online five nights a week.Click here to receive the private Zoom link. All are welcome.
No minyan October 13, 14 and 15 in observance of Shemini Atzeret and Simhat Torah
SAVE THE DATE Weissman Arts presents ILLUMINITE: A Festival of Light + Sound Sunday, December 7 | 4pm - 8pm
The Muckenthaler Cultural Center
VIRTUAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Enrich your summer with Jewish learning Visit the websites below to access current and past course and special program schedules:
AJU Whizin Center for Open Learning: AJU online learning offers classes for adults seeking to build Jewish skills and knowledge and hosts lectures by internationally acclaimed scholars, artists, authors and geo-political experts. Something for everyone!
Jewish Theological Seminary of America | Podcast | Torah Commentary | Lifelong Learning JTS offers online classes that create live, interactive opportunities for study with top-caliber scholars. Encounter compelling Jewish scholarship that brings the texts and wisdom of our tradition to bear on contemporary dilemmas. Courses delve deeply into specific areas of Jewish text, history, philosophy, religion, arts, and literature.
HUC Connect: HUC Connect invites you to join participants from 55 countries to discover something new about Judaism and about yourself through webinars, courses and podcasts.
Shalom Hartman Institute: Online courses, podcasts and programs that courageously address some of the most pressing issues of our time.
Orange County Community Scholars Program: A colorful array of podcasts and videos of current and past lectures spanning 2001-2025. Jewish scholarship at its finest.
The Jewish Collaborative of Orange County is a creative, collaborative, and compassionate community mosaic dedicated to innovating and supporting local and national programming that enriches the landscape of Jewish life and encouraging individuals and families to connect their passions and purpose with Judaism.
November 10,17,24 and December 1
Mondays - 9:30 am PT | 12:30 pm ET Register here
When you think about biblical women, what images and words come to mind? Temptress? Victim? Women subjugated by husbands or fathers? Close textual reading reveals that these stereotypes are incongruous with the actual lived experiences of female characters in TaNaKh. In this course we will gain some new insights into the extraordinary women that populate the pages of our Holy Scriptures.
Dror Israel: Educating for Hope and Healing in Times of War
Wednesday, November 12 at 7:00pm
Sivan Bamberger, International Development Director for Dror Israel
Hosted at a private home in Orange RSVP HERE
Bringing Heaven Down To Earth: Integrating High Holy Day Wisdom into Everyday Life
Grounded in the Jewish prophetic value of Pikuach Nefesh, JQ offers free virtual monthly and drop-in support groups for LGBTQ+ Jews and allies. Learn more
ExploringJudaism.org is about embracing the beauty and complexity of Judaism and our personal search for meaning and learning. No matter who you are or your experience in Judaism there is something to learn and explore.
JCoOC is an exempt organization in accordance with Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code EIN: 36-4844121
