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Update #13—For Homeless Families, Christmas at the Temple

For those of you who keep up with these things and sent me e-mails or phoned to inquire why there was no Update last night, I thank you.  That means that the updates have a loyal following.  (My family arrived from Chicago and we shared a wonderful evening together. ) Many of you may have read the article in the Bay Area section of The New York Times.  The article itself can be viewed on the first link below, and then if you are interested, the journalist who wrote the article has a blog running on Homelessness.  Hope that everyone finds them both of value.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/27/us/27sfshelter.html?emc=eta1

http://bayarea.blogs.nytimes.com/

There was a definite sense of sadness at Winter Nights tonight among the client-guests and those of us who have been there nearly everyday for two weeks.  As stated in an earlier update, Winter Nights has a life of its own, … Read More >

Update #12—The Spirit of the Season Reigned

A cold morning outside was warm inside at Temple Isaiah.  A delicious hot breakfast was served by Donna, Seth, David, Philip, and Joshua Moldoff, Shell, Adam, Hannah & Mia Portner and Gabe Gill & Karen Chandler.  Our client-guests are early risers, so the breakfast of eggs, quiche, and various assorted pastries was over by 8:30 a.m.  We waited until 9:00 a.m. to distribute family bags of gifts.

For those who don’t know the gift giving process, we will share it with you:

1. Santa’s Letters delivered to Winter Night site right before Temple Isaiah
2. Cindy picks up letters
3. Debby Weinstein compiles lists and works with Rabbi Forrest & Rabbi Greninger for candles for Religious School and on got shabbat?
4. Congregants bring gifts to Bride’s Room
5. Noar Nights volunteers, sort gifts by age, gender, and type of gift.
6. Client-guests “shop” for their families.
• All clients get socks, underwear, and books … Read More >

Update #11—Here Came Santa Claus, Right Down Risa Lane

There has hardly been a wedding or Bar Mitzvah at Temple Isaiah that have had as much energy and joy as our Winter Nights Shelter tonight. 

We had Santa Claus (our own Bill Broussard), Santa’s elves in red & white stripes (April Hirsch and Georgia Gerard), and Carolers galore (Rob Dunbar, Mark & Mimi Rossi, Joel Siegel, Pierre Hirsch, Jamie Gracer, Jan Trzniewski, Kim Drucker, Jeannie, Mike & David Conneran, Kim Drucker, David De Stephen, Cheryl & Eric Kohleriter, Susan Mautner, Joyce Stenson, Blessing Kobey and Dave Anderson).  Joyce took it upon herself to invite the carolers and to outfit them with song sheets and red & white Santa hats.  This is the kind of leadership and ideas that Winter Nights generates.  Special thanks to Joyce & all of the beautiful voices and talented musicians who performed tonight.  There was even an “after hours”  jam session with two of … Read More >

Winter Nights Update #10—It Takes a Shtetl!

The amazing spirit, energy and devotion of Temple Isaiah volunteers is beyond anything that one could dream up.  If there is a job that needs to be done – refrigerator organizing, shopping, dish washing, piano playing – it gets done with no fuss, no bother.  The program runs so smoothly because everyone in Our Jewish Neighborhood, or our own Shtetl, steps up to the plate.

Tonight we had Casey Sasner & Crew (Dvora & Daniel Citron, Carol Olmert, Meredith, Dan, Dave, John & Susan Radke, Liz & Ally Rosenberg, Evan, Eliana, Jackie & Jeff Mann, Rick, Conor & Michaela Sasner, and Elizabeth McClure.  The dinner included Moroccan Meatballs with Couscous, Green Salad, Dinner Rolls & Chocolate Chip Cake.  With so many clients and volunteers to feed, Casey wisely also served leftover Chicken Diable from Tuesday night. 

Not only do we have a large # of congregant kids working with … Read More >

Winter Nights Update #9—Flying Solo

Tonight co-chair Cindy Coleman ably handled all responsibilities as the Andersons entertained Dave’s college buddies.  Gwen Watson reported that Cindy was totally engaged with the activities of the evening.  Many volunteers were singing the praises of Temple Isaiah volunteers. Instead of being at Winter Nights,  I cooked almost the same meal as was served at our Shelter tonight:  Chicken Diablo, Easy Beans & Cranberries, Herb Tomato Salad, Dinner Rolls, and Frosted Carrot Cake. 

Veteran Crew Chief Jill Douglas (aided and abetted by David, Josh & Sophie Douglas), Celia & Leland Douglas, Helen Ann & Norm Licht, Brian Licht, Scott & Jack Danish, Lauren Quittman, Sandi Altman & Cal Podlid, Lori, Dara, Josh & Noah Feller, Phil & Millie Vince all volunteered tonight.

The big highlight of tonight was Mo Levich, Steve Snyder and the Generations of Jazz (5 Lamorinda students).  They played during dinner and a bit afterwards, and … Read More >

Update #8—Winter Nights Takes On A Life of Its Own

Winter Nights Executive Director, Gwen Watson, gave me the quote for tonight’s blog title.  She looked around at clients and volunteers and said, “Winter Nights takes on a life of its own at every church.”  That is certainly true at Temple Isaiah.  As I sat at dinner tonight with our Australian houseguests and watched the Evening Activities volunteers walk in, I thought, “Do we have too many for the # of guests?”  But alas the balance was just right because we had so many activities going on this evening.

Let’s start by acknowledging the forgotten folks from previous nights – Susan Lieber rearranged the refrig for us, and Dave Solomon and Karen Fessel were our Sleepover Volunteers.  Betsy Shandalov donated 4 cases of milk and 2 cases of Yoplait yogurt.  This will probably take us through our time for Winter Nights and beyond.  Thanks to Glorietta Elementary School.  Also, the … Read More >

Winter Nights Update #7—A Full Choice Art Studio

One of the most exciting things about Winter Nights are the Evening Activities.  Anita Weil and Nadav Rave have quietly coordinated one of the program’s essential elements.  They are on-site every night to welcome Activities volunteers and stay all the way through clean-up.  Ziva Rave & Jim Weil were also on hand tonight to support their hard-working spouses.

Sunday’s Winter Nights brought Laurie Bellet & daughter-in-law Katie, in with a full-choice art studio.  While some children and adults painted miniature pitchers, others decorated, gender-neutral cardboard people.  In fact some of these could have eventually turned into animals with arms and legs, depending on the individual’s creativity.  Laurie brought 36 (2x Chai) pillows made by students at the Oakland Hebrew Day School.  There were multiple activities to choose from, and everyone was totally involved. It is quite evident that Laurie is a gifted and creative art teacher. 

We must thank … Read More >

Winter Nights Update #6—The Shelter Was Filled with Voices of the Young

It was mostly the young at Winter Nights tonight.  The LAFTY teens supervised by Youth Director, Dan Lange and Rabbi Forrest, cooked, served, cleaned-up, washed dishes, made graham cracker houses, put on a beautiful Havdalah Service, and generally entertained all of the 22 children in the shelter.  They did the same job that our adult volunteers do with huge amounts of verve and energy.  A tremendous round of applause goes to these fabulous teenagers led heroically by the organized and talented Julie Fishbach.  I may have even secured a New Year’s Eve babysitter for my grandson, Andy, so that his parents and grandparents can go out and celebrate the coming of a new decade. 

The LAFTY team included:  Matt & Kennedy Bloom, Ally Blumenfeld, Philip & Thomas Levy, Adam Brager, Josh Goldberg, Emmett Jacobs, Molly Simon, Ava Feldman, Kim Elder, Emily & Michele Robertson, Alex Glazer, Talia Citron, Rachel … Read More >