🏓Dink into Hanukkah on 12/7 | Afterlife and Reincarnation with ALI 10/27 | ✡️ What Israelis are Thinking About - 11/12 | Remembering Thomas Thorkelson 🕯️ | Shabbat Shalom!
10/24/2025 07:01:17 AM
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BECOME PART OF SOMETHING SPECTACULAR!
The Jewish Collaborative is laying a foundation for our second decade, and you are invited to grow with us🪴
To learn about Collaborative 2.0 and get a taste of community-building opportunities on the horizon, please join us Sunday, November 16 from10:15am -11:30am
Hosted at the Merage JCC 1 Federation Way in Irvine | Community Collaboration Room 🥯 Light breakfast fare and coffee ☕
This program will follow Sundays in SIlence and Spirit
Bringing Heaven Down to Earth: Mindfulness and Meditation with Rabbi K’vod Wieder from 9:30am to 10:15am
All are welcome. See flyer below
What Israelis are Thinking About Today Join us for an intimate and candid conversation with Sivan Bamberger, International Development Director for Dror Israel
Wednesday, November 12 at 7:00pm
Hosted at a private home in Orange. Address provided upon RSVP
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!
The Jewish Collaborative of Orange County mourns the passing of an extraordinary friend and community servant - Tom Thorkelson. Tom was passionate about interfaith relations both in Orange County and around the world. His warmth, kindness and devotion will be greatly missed in our community. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his beloved wife Sheila, his many children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A celebration of Tom’s life will be held on Saturday, November 15, at 11:00am at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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
Advanced Learning Institute:A New Look at Stereotypes: Revised Text-based Perspectives on Women of the TaNaKh with Rabbi Suzanne Singer | Mondays, November 10,17,24 and December 1 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
Garden of David Consecration Ceremony | Sunday, November 16, 2025 at 1pm | Harbor Lawn - Mt. Olive Memorial Park & Mortuary - 1625 Gisler Ave. in Costa Mesa | All are welcome. Reception to folllow
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
ILLUMINITE: A Festival of Light + Sound | Sunday, December 7, 4pm - 8pm | The Muckenthaler Cultural Center | Save the date
JCoOC PROGRAMS THIS WEEK
Saturday, October 25 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
ADVANCED LEARNING INSTITUTE
Mondays October 20, 27 and November 3 Rabbi Rachel Shere opens our minds and hearts to the soul's journey after it leaves the body.
OC EGAL NIGHTLY MINYAN ON ZOOM Sunday through Thursday at 6:00pm 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.
Hesed Shel Emet - OC’s Jewish Burial and Comfort Society invites you to attend
Garden of David Consecration Ceremony Sunday, November 16, 2025 at 1pm Harbor Lawn - Mt. Olive Memorial Park & Mortuary 1625 Gisler Ave. in Costa Mesa All are welcome. Reception to folllow
Join us as we consecrate Orange County’s newest section of Jewish cemetery space at Harbor Lawn - Mt. Olive Memorial Park & Mortuary. This sacred event is a special opportunity to engage in a mitzvah that will benefit the entire community.
Enjoy this JLife article written by Dalia Taft that highlights the history of Jewish cemetery space in Orange County
COMMUNITY EVENTS
The Interfaith Councils of Greater South Orange County and Laguna Beach invite the community to attend
The Sacred Art of Listening with renown author Kay Lindahl
Sunday, October 26 from 3-5pm
Norman P. Murray Community Center
24732 Veteran's Way in Mission Viejo
OC’s 11th annual Mega Hallah Bake November 13, 2025 | 5:30pm - 9:00pm
JCoOC's table host is Tammy Zweibel When you register, please indicate that you'd like to join Tammy and other Collaborative friends
1,000 women. One heart. Challah, shared song & prayers. Energy you’ll carry home for weeks. Together we rise.
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
