Sign In Forgot Password

Become a PJTC Guardian

ABOUT | HISTORY | UPCOMING EVENTSPLEDGE FORM | TESTIMONIALS | 2023-2024 GUARDIANS 

ABOUT: 

Dues do not come close to providing sufficient funds to keep PJTC a vibrant, welcoming Jewish home-away-from-home. In order to maintain our dues at an affordable level, we encourage additional giving by those who are able. We recognize these generous and committed donors through our Guardians program. Please consider joining many of your fellow members at one of the following levels, which represents their gifts over and above their dues payments. We are truly grateful for these vital additional commitments. 

HISTORY: 

Guardians have helped support our Temple financially for over 40 years. Temple dues cover less than half of the Temple’s operating expenses which means that PJTC relies heavily on donations to balance the budget. 

Any member paying normal dues who donates or pledges $1,000 or more to the Temple General Fund (unrestricted donation) becomes a Guardian. Membership is renewed annually and follows the Temple fiscal year (July to June). To become a Guardian for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, please return the signed pledge linked here to the Temple. Your donations are tax deductible. 

Guardians are acknowledged for their contributions but most importantly, Guardians are proud of their role in helping sustain the financial viability of our Temple not just for the present but for the future as well. Your name and donor level will be displayed on the Sanctuary Guardians Donor plaque and the Temple Guardians web site, and you are invited to all Guardians events.

Please renew your Guardian membership for fiscal year 2024-2025 by making a pledge or donation While you're at it, why not move up a level? If you are friends with anyone who’s not a Guardian, ask them to join! If you’re not a member, please join us. The Temple needs the Guardians, and the Guardians need the Temple.

Join us and you can attend and perhaps even help plan future Guardian events. We have an annual Guardian Brunch State of the Temple event in February, and a prospective member cocktail (or dinner) event sometime after the High Holidays.

Physical pledge forms are located in the Temple lobby. You can access a PDF here and a ShulCloud form here. You will also receive one by e-mail. To have your name added to the next Guardian plaque, you must return your pledge form or make a $1,000 Guardian minimum donation by January 30, 2025. If you have any questions, please contact the office and request to be put in touch with Bryan Jick, Guardian Chair. 

The Guardian giving levels are indicated below. The minimum pledge to qualify as a Guardian is $1,000 (Donor). Names of Guardians and their giving levels are commemorated on the Guardian plaque displayed in the Sanctuary, will be added to the Temple website, and you will be invited to all future Guardian events. Join us and you can also help plan future Guardian events! 

Guardian Giving Levels
Donor $1,000+
Friend $1,500+
Patron $2,000+
Diplomat $3,000+
Benefactor $5,500+
Shomrei Zahav $10,000+*

*Shomrei Zahav tier total includes membership dues. Shomrei Zahav receive two complimentary tickets to PJTC fundraising events, reserved parking space at High Holy Days (HHDs) and events, and two reserved HHD seats.

Now, more than ever, the Temple needs your help and support. Please consider becoming a PJTC Guardian!

RECENT EVENT:

On a warm and lovely Sunday evening, October 20, more than 50 Guardians gathered just before sunset in the spacious back yard of Doug and Keri Axel's Pasadena home for our annual Guardian cocktails and dinner event. It was also the night of Game 6 of Dodgers v. Mets, and there happened to be a big screen TV in the back yard so it's no surprise that some of the crowd seemed to gravitate closer to that section of the yard (Dodgers won!). But the wine and drinks were there too, so it's hard to say for sure what the specific geographic was. Yet, despite the lure of baseball, soon after their prompt arrival at 5 pm, many folks stood together, mingled, had some delicious appetizers and drank some of the aforementioned wine. 

As we stood closer to the Axel's backyard sukkah (assembled with the help of PJTC's USY group), we heard from Jack Singer about the Temple with an update on the Rabbi Search (it's ongoing!), and we heard a lovely story from Cantor Ruth about the meaning of sukkah. Then it was time for a fantastic salmon and couscous dinner (with a tasty lemon vinaigrette sauce), home-made marinated carrot strips on the side, and cherry tomato and mozzarella mini brochettes. Dessert was a selection of brownies, cookies, and coconut dream bars (courtesy of Porta Via). The event was planned to end at 7 pm, but the majority of folks were still sitting and talking (and a few were watching the Dodgers dominate the Mets), past 7:30 pm. A great time was had by all. 

Anyone can become a Temple Guardian by pledging or donating a minimum of $1,000 to the Temple general fund. Donating more is fine and encouraged! Guardians are mainly a donor group (which started more than 40 years ago), with 2 events per year traditionally. Our next event is a State of the Temple bagel brunch, to be held Sunday Feb 2 at 10 am in the Social Hall. 

PAST EVENT:

On Sunday February 25, 2024, we had our annual business meeting and bagel brunch. We enjoyed a fabulous buffet catered by Nancy Carlton and her crew. Piles of lox; fresh bagels; home cooked spinach, egg, and potato pie; fresh fruit; and scrumptious coffee cake. All free if you were a Guardian. Thank you also to Marcia Alper and Ellen Knell, our greeters, Ira Blitz, our intrepid photographer, and to Melissa Levy and Jack Singer for their time and presentations.

At our meeting, our visiting guest, Rabbi Beals, presented a D’var Torah and led the motzi prayer before we ate. We heard from Executive Director Melissa Levy about membership and engagement, with some great news and some challenges they are tackling. Our membership is growing—we have 49 new member families since last year, the Religious School enrollment has reached 141 kids, and there are 26 stundents becoming B’nai Mitzvah next year. President Jack Singer shared extensive and detailed information about the State of the Temple. According to Jack, “we are in the midst of some major changes, but change is also an opportunity.” He shared some future plans including some planned facilities upgrades.

PLEDGE FORM
To fill out the pledge form online for 2024-2025, click here
To print a PDF of our 2024-2025 pledge form, click here

Please Return the Signed Pledge to the Temple office:
1. Fax the signed pledge to: (626) 798-8410
2. Scan and e-mail it to melissa@pjtc.net or theresa@pjtc.net.
3. Mail it to or drop of at the Temple:

          Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center
          1434 N. Altadena Dr.
          Pasadena, CA 91107-1489

TESTIMONIALS
Stay tuned for testimonials from a few of our Guardians! 

Thank you for choosing to support us in our sacred commitment to sustain a vibrant Jewish community for years to come.  Your generosity will allow us to continue to provide loving kindness, spiritual meaning, pastoral support, educational excellence, religious celebration and family enrichment to our members and to the greater community. 

If you have any questions, please contact the office at 626-798-1161 or info@pjtc.net.

PJTC Guardians

Thank you to the generous and committed PJTC Members who have become PJTC Guardians and help us continue to build our vibrant PJTC community. Without them, we could not maintain the high level of service and support for our members and the larger, local Jewish community that we strive for at PJTC. We are very grateful for their donations.

Shomrei Zahav

Douglas Axel & Keri Axel

Michael Bernath & Mary Ann Bernath

Kai Lam & Bonnie Buratti

Ezra Callahan & Marisa Callahan

Phil Callahan & Judy Callahan

Steven Hartford & Sandy Hartford

Harvey Knell & Ellen Knell

Barbara Levinson

Jacob Levy & Melissa Levy

Clark Linstone & Karen Linstone

Matt Michelson & Sara Michelson

Mickey Segal & Lee Segal

Jack Singer & Deborah Singer

Louise Wannier

Alan Whitman & Sandy Whitman

Diplomats

Ira Blitz & Virginia Blitz

Gabriel Halperin & Helen Halperin

Peter Knell & Rebecca Knell

Erich Schlecht & Deborah Noble

Vance Tyree

Jonathon Weisz & Sarah Weisz

Mel and Gail Werbach

Patrons

Michael Brown

Jordan Ellis & Judith Ellis

Bryan Jick & Marina Jick

Izak Langholz & Faye Langholz

Jerome Metivier & Julie Metivier

Stuart Miller & Stacy Miller

Sondra Paskach

Steven Roth & Beth Roth

Michael Silver & Tammy Silver

David Snyder & Gail Snyder

Aaron Weiss & Valerie Weiss

Friends

Kevin Bourland & Carol Bourland

Don Diamond

Greg Hunt & Laurie Hunt

Michael Kotick & Yael Kotick

Bryan Langholz & Susan Auerbach

Carl Selkin & Carol Selkin

Victor Zlotnicki & Diana Granat

Donors

Marcia Alper

Nadav Bar-Chaim & Anat Bar-Chaim

Nathaniel Booker

Alan Bernstein & Annie Chang

Neil Brown and Karen Brown

John Carlton & Nancy Carlton

Walter Fried & Gail Fried

Michael Friedman & Elizabeth Short

Karen Gross

Arlene (Sue) Hogan

Harold Kern & Sandra Sonies

Cathy Krasner



Jeffrey Landau & Anita Landau

Joshua Levine Grater & Franci Levine Grater

Josh Pais & Jan Pais

Aty Rotter

Elliot Sainer & Marcia Sainer

James Schaefer & Denise Schaefer

Jeremy Schoenberg & Joanne Glasgow

Todd Sharp & Stacey Sharp

Stephen Sherman & Janet Sherman

Randy Shulman & Mona Shulman

Edie Taylor

Ken Zangwill & Daphna Enzer


Tue, November 5 2024 4 Cheshvan 5785