J Blog

August 15 was a very special day for the ceramics program at the J and our devoted students. It wasn’t enough that we have been welcomed back into a beautiful new studio and have been so well treated by the staff at the J.

Through the auspices of the Ceramic Store (which has been so generous to us since Harvey), we were treated to a glaze workshop sponsored by Amaco Glaze Company. Not only did the president of the company travel to Houston himself, he also brought one of his top educators to demonstrate, explain, and answer questions. 

Are you part of a book club and looking for your group’s next read?  We’ve just announced our Community Read event for the Ann and Stephen Kaufman Jewish Book & Arts Festival and hope you’ll join us by reading Rachel Kadish’s new novel The Weight of Ink!

Kadish will be speaking at the Book Festival on Monday, Nov 5 at 8:00 PM. For this event during the Festival, we ask book clubs and interested readers to read The Weight of Ink in advance of her author talk.

There is a debate in the Talmud over how to interpret a particular phrase in the Book of Psalms. “Rabbi Judah HaNasi and the sages differed in this matter. One said [the phrase should be interpreted as], ‘The character of the generation is determined by its leader.’ And one said [the phrase should be interpreted as], ‘The character of the leader is determined by its generation’” (Arachin 17a).

Although the debate is not definitively concluded, its implications are worth noting—a nation and its leaders are inextricably linked, and each has a role and responsibility in shaping the other. 

We are proud to announce that our very own Evelyn Rubenstein JCC Foster Grandparent volunteer, Blynthia Scott (AKA Granny Blu), has been selected as a nominee for WellCare | TexanPlus® Grand Champion. Blynthia, along with the other four Champions, exemplifies excellence by giving back to our local community and making a difference in the lives of older adults.

Granny Blu lives a life full of compassion and devotion. She volunteers as a Foster Grandparent 40 hours a week at the Harris County Psychiatric Center, working with youth with mental illness.

Got 4 weeks? How about 6, 8, 10 or 12? No matter your schedule or interest, we’ve got a class for you.

If you’ve always wanted to explore your Jewish roots and discover what they can mean to you as an adult, now is the time to do it! Our Bobbi and Vic Samuels Center for Jewish Living & Learning (CJLL) is proud to be a hub of pluralistic adult Jewish learning classes, bringing together students and faculty from various synagogues and other institutions in the Houston community.