A contemporary congregation serving the entire Ojai Valley. Offering a wide array of services to Jews of all denominations.
Week at a glance
Thursday, December 19
Walk with Sheila at Ojai Museum, 8am
Friday, December 20
Hebrew School, 4pm
Shabbat led by Sheila Cohn, 6pm
Sunday, December 22
Hanukkah party at the Ojai Valley Inn, 4 to 5:30pm
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...
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 email us at info@ojaitemple.org
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.
The Bylaws Committee and the JCO Board have completed the changes to our bylaws.
One of the most important issue we have taken up is having a full set of committees, as they are the underpinnings of our organization. JCO members approved the concept that every member should serve the JCO a minimum of 2 hours per year.
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.
JCO President, Alan Greenberg, has a message that is focused on helping us to grow our Rainy Day Contingency Fund, and JCO security. Please click here to read it.
The Social Action Committee was formed to create projects that benefit the general community and to participate in ongoing social action projects led by other local groups. Click here to read more...
JCO has a service for our members. This new service will alert you whenever a departed loved one's Yahrzeit date is approaching.
In addition, the name of your relative or friend will be spoken by the religious leader on the Friday Shabbat service that is closest to the Yahrzeit date.
This is a FREE service that depends on you to complete the information about your departed loved ones.
This year we will be serving our Homeless guests starting December 2 and the first Monday every month through March at St Andrews Episcopal Church.
Your continued donations for this program are much appreciated to be able to continue our work to fulfill the Mitzvah of helping the less fortunate. Although we have a core group of volunteers, I always try to fit in volunteers to share in this mitzvah.
If you wish to help, please get in touch with me, John Gottesman, via my email...
We invite you to join us at the Ojai Valley Inn on December 22nd
from 4pm to 5:30pm
for the traditional Chanukah party.
Please email Sheila if you plan to attend and include the number of attendees.
Rainy Day Contingency Fund
It's the time of year when we ask you to help insure our future by contributing to our Rainy Day Contingency Fund. Our goal is to have each of our members become a participant in funding unexpected major expenses. Please click here for more information and to make your contribution.
