Sign In Forgot Password

Welcome to PJTC's one-stop-shop for community news, events, Jewish resources and Torah study discussion. Simply scroll down to see what's new! Want the newest news sent to you monthly? Join our mailing list using the links to the left. Stay connected...

What can you find throughout...Read more...

Board Report January

Summary of Board Meeting January 29, 2024

The Board received good news in the Treasurer’s report in that it appears that the deficit predicted for the year will probably be avoided.  Income is about as predicted but expenses are significantly lower including administration and utilities.  An improved procedure for managing restricted funds was discussed but needed additional clarification before being approved.  An...Read more...

Social Justice Committee 

By Carl Selkin, co-chair

The regular time for the Social Justice Committee meetings will change from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 so that our members will have the opportunity to attend Rabbi’s study session as well as our committee meetings.  We are also planning aa variety of fairly informal opportunities to deepen our understanding of issues related to our mission.  SJC will...Read more...

Bnai Mitzvah February

Sarina Aoyama

Read more...

Sisterhood News 

Read more...

Men's Club - Februrary

Hello PJTC,

I’ll start and end this month’s Flame article with the big news: The Men’s Club annual Hy Vego Man (Member) Of The Year (MOTY) gala is slated for Sunday evening, April 7, 2024. This year we are also honoring a deserving member of the greater community with the Josh Pais Lifetime Achievement Award (LAA).

A bit of background: the MOTY award, named after Hy Vego (of blessed memory), is an annual award...Read more...

Shabbat Shirah Concert 

Dear Congregants,

The weekend of January 27 is Shabbat Shirah - the Shabbat of Song - reminds us to gather and lift up our voices in song, allowing ourselves to relive the exodus from Egypt. As it is written:

Miriam the prophetess ... took the tambourine in her hand;
and all the women followed her with tambourines and dances.
And Miriam called to them: Sing to G‑d...

Exodus 15:...Read more...

A True Hanukkah Rededication: Sierra Madre Synagogue's Cornerstone Given New Home At PJTC

As you may recall from the Centennial Museum, PJTC has been around for over a hundred years now, though not always under the name Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center. Temple B’nai Israel (which would eventually become Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center) was founded on January 20, 1921. In 1928 Temple Beth Israel in Sierra Madre was formed, and in 1931 their cornerstone, on the corner of Lima and Laurel, was placed. Some time between...Read more...

Sisterhood News

Rosh Chodesh, A Celebration

 

     Rosh Chodesh is a holiday for everyone, but women have a special attachment to the day. For at least 2,000 years, Jewish women have celebrated the appearance of the New Moon in their own way. It was a day women took off from their family chores, or a one or two day vacation. They honored every month in a special way. They would light candles, tell one another stories, and...Read more...

Men's Club January

Shalom PJTC,

 

Here we are at the start of a new year and we are all praying that with it comes a hope for peace in Israel and health, happiness and prosperity for all of us.

 

2023 was a tremendous year for your Men’s Club. Membership is thriving and our programming is continuing to draw large numbers. In November our annual Veteran’s day event drew 75 folks. We treated all Veteran’s and our...Read more...

Social Justice 

----Carl Selkin

 

This year our Social Justice Shabbat celebrates the bridge between the civil rights movement led by Dr. Martin Luther King and the Jewish community, represented by the amazing Rabbi Israel Dresner. Dresner began his career in activism at 18, protesting the denial of landing rights to the refugee steamer Exodus. Dresner...Read more...

Sisterhood Tribute Cards

Tribute Cards - A Special Way to...

 

...Send a birthday greeting

...Send a get well wish

...Send an anniversary acknowledgement 

...Send a special friend "thinking of you" note

...Send your thoughts of sympathy

 

Order tribute cards on this site:  sisterhoodtributecard@gmail.com 

Provide the name(s) of card recipient, occasion and any personal...Read more...

MARSHALL FUNDAMENTAL JEWISH CLUB

To our knowledge, Marshall Fundamental High school is the only school in Pasadena with a Jewish club. There is a relatively large Jewish population made up of middle schoolers, highschoolers, and faculty. Every year Marshall lets different culture clubs (ex: latino club) showcase their club to the rest of the school. This year, the school decided to combine all the cultures into one fair. Jewish club had never been a...Read more...

BAR MITZVAH DECEMBER

Andrew Bruck

Andrew Bruck is a 7th grade student at Rosemont Middle School in La Crescenta. He is the 3rd child of four and is known for his sense of humor. He goes to great efforts to make everyone around him laugh. Andrew is active in Scouts and Taekwondo. He is a huge fan of Science Fiction, comics and DC. Andrew is kind and witty and is devoted to his family and his 3 dogs. We are very proud of the...Read more...

Youth Group Updates

Dear Congregants, Despite many difficult transitions, it’s been a wonderful year for our thriving youth groups thus far. Our USYers (7th-12th Graders) have catered two B’nai Mitzvah celebrations, with more to come throughout the year. They and our other groups, Machar (TK-2nd Graders) and Kadima (3rd-6th Graders) have enjoyed numerous fun and engaging programs, such as the back-to-school pool...Read more...

Board Meeting - November

Summary of November Board Meeting

 

Chair Cathy Krasner reported for the Rabbi Search Committee that they received several resumes in response to their open posting.  They did a Zoom interview with one but decided not to go further.  The committee is now in the process of uploading the lengthy Rabbinical Assembly questionnaire to receive resumes from the Conservative movement.

 

Jenna...Read more...

The Social Justice Committee

By Carl Selkin, co-chair

 

Please read the invitations to join the KULANU initiative to combat anti-Semitism that appear in this and other PJTC emails.  Several recorded web presentations continue to be available online through the ADL/ KULANU portal that links PJTC with hundreds of other synagogues in the U.S. and...Read more...

PJTC Sisterhood's Women of Valor

by Aty Rotter, President

      In religious Jewish celebrations the text from Proverbs 31:10-31 is sung among other things: The Strong Woman, in Hebrew, Eshet Chayil, and in English, Woman of Valor. We are so thankful for the women who chose to be Women of Valor this year. They are the financial backbone of our organization and the financial commitment they made allows Sisterhood to provide programming and service...Read more...

Men's Club Football Pool Winners

 Football Pool  2023 Wk  7
+-------------+----------+-----------------+
|  Score Rank | Ticket # |      Winner     |
+-------------+----------+-----------------+
|   Highest   |   337    |    Jon Weisz    |
|   Highest   |   443    | Helen...Read more...

Foothill Unity Food Drive

Foothill Unity Center and the PJTC Food Bank Committee wish to thank everyone who donated groceries and checks to this year's High Holiday Food Drive.

Foothill Unity Center in Pasadena and Monrovia, California provides over 1 million meals per year to low-income and homeless individuals in the San Gabriel Valley.  Foothill Unity Center was extremely grateful for all of our efforts as the need this year continues to be...Read more...

PASSING THE TORCH

By Edie Taylor

 

     I came home that wonderful Sunday, November 5, still excited over the events of the day, and through the next week remembering the many people who were there and the love and friendships renewed after the period that I was out of touch with so many.  I began to think about how I would be able to send out over 200 thank you notes. After a few days I realized that THIS was the...Read more...

Social Justice Committee

When SJC  took on the responsibility to apply for and participate in the ADL’s KULANU initiative, the increase in anti-Semitism was apparent--but recent explosions of anti-Jewish vitriol and hate have made this eight-month program more crucial.   Shawn Paper is the point person for this endeavor and he is recruiting volunteers participants from PJTC.  You do not need to be a member of the...Read more...

From the Desk of Rabbi Goldstein

Dear Friends,

This past month has been a tumultuous and heart-breaking time for us all. The images from Israel have brought us to tears and conjured up in us the rage of seeing our family hunted simply for the crime of being Jews. We have also experienced the anguish and fear of the continuing military operation to eliminate Hamas. 

Join me and the rest of your PJTC community on Saturday morning November 18th.  I...Read more...

Board Report - October Meeting

Summary of October 30 Board Meeting

 

The Board reviewed the numerous events over the past month including two Israel Committee events and the well-attended and moving memorial service for Rabbi Aimee. Debby Singer reported that that the Religious school is functioning well with an enrollment of 140 students. It was noted that security for PJTC has been stepped up.  The newly-formed Security Committee has been...Read more...

Sisterhood - November

Did you know?

“That’s a Sisterhood project?”

  

     In PJTC’s Sisterhood, women are working hard on fundraisers, educational programs, synagogue improvement and beautification projects, supporting Israel,...Read more...

B'not Mitzvah November

Leona Berzon

Leona Berzon, daughter of Lisa Demidovich and Jeremy Berzon, will be called to the Torah on November 4 as a Bat Mitzvah.  Leona is an enthusiastic 7th grader at Chandler School. Leona is passionate about calling out any injustice she witnesses.

Leona loves adventure.  She has...Read more...

Bar Mitzvah - October

Leo Garroway, son of Kristine and Joshua Garroway, and brother to Cyrus and Abner Garroway, will be called to the Torah on October 14, 2023. He is in 7th grade at McKinley Middle School in Pasadena. As an honor roll student, he excels in his work and is proud to be in Math Academy, which is an accelerated math program offered by PUSD. Leo's thirst for knowledge makes him a formidable team member for trivia night, an event he likes to...Read more...

From the Desk of the Executive Director

There's a popular phrase going around at the beginning of articles and long emails--"Too long/Didn't Read" or "TL/DR" for short. For those who are unfamiliar, it's a playfully-intended way of saying "here's a summary of the rest in case you find yourself just too overwhelmed right now to read this in full." Rabbi Aimee taught me "TL/DR" a few years ago, and while in my role as Executive Director I've more often preferred to simply put a...Read more...

Social Justice Committee 

October Flame

Social Justice Committee

By Carl Selkin

 

L’ Shanah tova!

 

I know that this is not the holy day to ask questions---but,:  Why was this Rosh Hashanah different from other Rosh...Read more...

Article from Jason Moss

As many of you are aware, the Jewish Federation of the Greater San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys’ mission is to build community by strengthening and enhancing Jewish life. We do this by being resource for everything Jewish in the greater San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys. We are a safe place for people to find their way into and connect with both their Judaism and the Jewish community. The programs and services we provide celebrate...Read more...

Mens' Club - September

Hello PJTC,

Fall is in the air and fall means Men’s Club programming, activities and our financial support of youth and youth-related activities get kicked up a notch. 

 In early September Men’s Club cooked, cut, chopped and served up our annual (and delicious) back-to-school pancake breakfast for LBSRS students, faculty, staff and parents. Over 160 people feasted on the sumptuous...Read more...

Mon, March 18 2024 8 Adar II 5784