A contemporary congregation serving the entire Ojai Valley. Offering a wide array of services to Jews of all denominations.
Week at a glance
Thursday, July 19
Walk with Sheila, Ojai Museum 8am
Friday, July 20
Shabbat with guest Rabbi Lisa Bock, 6pm
Thursday, July 26
Walk with Sheila, Ojai Museum, 8am
Friday, July 27
Shabbat with Rabbi Lotker, 6pm
Your Temple in the Ojai Valley
The weekly Torah portion can be found at the Union for Reform Judaism website.....click here
or, get another point of view at the United Synagogue for Conservative Judaism...click here
Interested in the dates of the Jewish Holidays? Click here
Todah Rabah!
Want to thank someone who has done something special for the Temple and our members? You can do it by simply sending us a note. Click here to see how it works...
Interested in learning more about the various committees that keep the Temple humming? We strongly encourage you to read about them and, if intrigued, contact the chair of your choice to discuss your participation in what interests you. Click here...
Your donations are always appreciated. If you wish, you can use your credit card to pay your membership dues, purchase commemorative plaques, enroll in our special classes, or just make a contribution to our general fund. Click here for more information...
You've asked us to provide a means for telling other congregants about things of personal interest to you. You can post items of interest to you, and others may add comments to your postings. Visit the Bulletin Board by clicking here or on the menu button on the left side of the screen.
Wanna go for a Walk with Sheila?
It's never too late to start exercising and what better way than with a group friends. You can catch up on their lives, gossip a little and enjoy the fresh Ojai morning air. We do a different walk every week...usually about 3 miles or 7-8,000 steps, almost a whole day's quota. Hope to see you at 8am on the west side of the Ojai Valley Museum courtyard on Thursday mornings, rain or shine.
Become a Member
Please read a message from the Chairman of our Membership Committee that explains how you can greatly benefit from becoming a member of our Jewish Community of Ojai. Access our message by clicking here....
Please consider leaving a bequest to Jewish Community of Ojai in your will or estate plan. This is an excellent way to help ensure the long-term economic strength of our congregation. For more information, please contact John Allen at 708-567-6650.
Monthly Food Collection-HELP of Ojai Food Pantry
Sponsored by the Social Action Committee, JCO will collect non-perishable foods & household supplies for the HELP of Ojai’s Food Pantry -- one of its Community Assistance Programs for low income and homeless residents.
Food collection bags will be distributed at the last Friday Night Service of each month. They should be returned before or at the first Friday Night Service of the next month and will be be stored in the Rabbi’s Study/Library. A continuous supply of bags will be available there. Guidelines for food & supplies purchases are printed on the bags.
We hope that members of the JCO community will combine shopping for this valuable program with their regular shopping trips. Every little bit helps someone in need in the Ojai Valley.
Rabbi Lotker has firmed up the details of a trip to Israel from October 18 to October 27 plus an optional side trip to Rome. Please click here for details including site visits, costs, travel arrangements and two meetings to address your questions. He invites you to accompany him on this extraordinary trip.
With the beginning of our fiscal year on June 1st, please expect to receive an invoice for your dues soon. Once again, there is no dues increase. However, we have implemented a 3% service charge on all online credit card payments to offset our costs. Please click here for more info...
As of the 1st of June, we have a new Board of Directors and new Officers. The most important issue that they have taken up is the establishment of a full set of committees, as they are the underpinnings of our organization, The outgoing Board placed a proposal on the first-ever ballot that asked the voters to approve or disapprove the concept that every member should serve the JCO a minimum of 2 hours per year (non-monitored).
At the Annual Meeting the ballots were counted and the majority voted YES on this. Serving on a committee will certainly satisfy this obligation. Please join a committee. Your JCO needs your talents, your assistance, and your participation. You can decide just how much energy you want to put forth to benefit the committee you choose and the JCO.
Please join us on Friday, July 20 for Shabbat services. We are very pleased to have Rabbi Lisa Bock, one of our candidates, leading that service.
Please take this opportunity to meet and greet Rabbi Bock both during the service as well as at the Oneg.
Pottery Making
Sunday, August 19, 11am-1pm
At the Firestick Pottery Studio
Temple member, Robin Nahin, will be guiding us on a creative venture for each of us to make hand-built ceramic pieces of your choice: bowls, planters, vases or simple sculptures. You must pre-register.
Member Sharon West has written a piece describing the creation of the stained glass window at the rear of the bimah. Created by Adamm Gritlefeld, the window has an interesting history.
