Adult Groups and Gatherings

Virtual and In-Person Programs for Adults

Look for the following icons, which indicate where the program takes place:

Ⓥ Virtual Program

Ⓟ In Person at the PJCC

Ongoing Programs

Guided Mindfulness Meditation Ⓥ
Mondays • 9:30 am
Join us for meditation practice led by respected scholar and mindfulness mentor Rabbi Lavey Derby.

Meditation is an invitation to cultivate awareness of the present moment without judgment. We approach each moment with courage, curiosity, and compassion, creating space for whatever arises. As we practice, we learn to let go of the struggle with what is, to embrace ourselves and others in compassion, and to rest in the Mystery.

Registration required; email Rabbi Lavey Derby to sign up. Takes place via Zoom.

Beginning Drawing & Watercolors Ⓟ
Fridays, April 21-June 2 • 9:00 am–12:00 pm • $230 Members; $260 Public
Sundays, April 23-June 4 • 1:00–4:00 pm • $230 Members; $260 Public

Experience the fun and excitement in painting with watercolors. This class will focus on learning basic watercolor techniques such as washes, gradation, color mixing, and blending. There will also be strong emphasis on design and composition of subject matter. Students will learn how to draw a pencil layout with accuracy and balance with the guidance of step-by-step demonstrations by the instructor. A small class size ensures that each student receives significant individual attention from the instructor, Shirley Lim.

Registration required. Sign up here.

Let’s Talk About It: Virtual Discussion Group Ⓥ
Mondays · 3:30-4:30 pm
Meet for a lively discussion about topical events. All opinions are welcome, creating a forum for stimulating and thought-provoking conversations led by David Nigel & Jon Levinson. Takes place via Zoom. Please register using this link.

Yiddish Club
Tuesdays • 11:00 am • Zoom Ⓥ
Increase your Yiddish vocabulary, learn about Yiddish culture, and make sure the mamaloshen lives! Yiddish speakers of all levels are welcome; fluency not required. Peer led.

If you are interested in joining the virtual group, please contact Kimberly Gordon (kgordon@pjcc.org) to get the Zoom link.

Get Up and Go Virtual Social Hour for Older Adults Ⓥ
In partnership with Peninsula Temple Beth El’s Senior Friendship Club
Every Other Wednesday • 1:00-2:00 pm
Join us for Social Hour, an open forum to check in with each other and share personal updates. Once a month, we will have a special guest presentation, ranging from Jewish holidays to health and wellness. On alternate meeting dates, we will continue the tradition of “Showtime,” sharing personal items related to that week’s theme, as well as the Storywise activity, encouraging conversations to connect and discover the things we have in common. Any questions, please contact Josephine Daniels.

Life, It’s Complicated Ⓟ Ⓥ
Thursdays • 10:15 am
Join Rabbi Lavey in this free ongoing weekly conversation about Jewish topics of interest, Jewish perspectives on contemporary issues, and how Jewish wisdom can help us live a more meaningful life.

Attend in person or via Zoom. Registration required; email Rabbi Lavey Derby to sign up.

Drop-in Mah Jongg Ⓟ
Thursdays • 12:30 – 3:00 pm • Members Free / $4 Public
Come play Mah Jongg with your friends at the PJCC! Sessions are available for Beginning & Intermediate players and Advanced players. No instructor will be present. Bring your current Mah Jongg card and set. Masks and registration required. Sign up here.

Drop-in Bunco Ⓟ
Second and Fourth Fridays • 1:15 – 3:00 pm (No meeting December 23)
Join us on the second and fourth Fridays of the month for a social afternoon playing Bunco, a fun, dice-rolling game of chance. Beginners welcome. Masks and registration required. Sign up here.

Organizing Your Photos Online: Digital Photo Project Ⓥ
Tuesday, March 21 • 10:00 am

Let’s get creative. In this two-part series led by Eric Gee of AnewVista, we will work on a hands-on project using Shutterfly to make a fun collage. Presented by the PJCC and Seniors at Home/JFCS.

Registration required. Takes place via Zoom.

Game Night: One Word Ⓥ
Wednesday, March 22 • 8:00 pm
For our March virtual Game Night we’ll be playing One Word and perhaps sprinkle in a round of Scattergories if time allows. Registration required; takes place via Zoom.

Jewish Book Discussion Group March Meeting: “Fear”Ⓥ
Tuesday, March 28 • 10:30 am
Our March short story selection is “Fear” by Chana Blankshteyn. TThe story can be found online here. Discussion led by Jim Van Buskirk.

Registration required; takes place via Zoom. Sign up here.

The 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising: Resistance and Survival in the Holocaust Ⓟ
With Dr. Zachary Mazur, POLIN Museum Senior Historian
Monday, April 3 • 3:00 pm • PJCC Board Room

With the 80th anniversary of this momentous event upon us in April, Dr. Mazur will reflect on the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in stark contrast against the stereotype of Jewish passivity during the Holocaust. This presentation will draw upon some never before seen sources and images that were discovered in the process of preparing the POLIN Museum’s temporary exhibition “Around Us a Sea of Fire” on the civilian experience in bunkers and hideouts during the Uprising. The exhibit avoids any use of sources, either in text or photographs, from the perpetrators, focusing entirely on victims and bystanders.

Made possible by Polin, Museum of the History of Polish Jews and Taube Philanthropies.

Reserve your seat here.

Learning Lunch at Café Ohlone Ⓟ
Wednesday, April 19 • 11:45 am – 3:45 • $45 M*/$50 P*
The special senior excursion will offer guests a unique culinary experience, as we dine together on the private terrace of Cafe Ohlone.

The menu (unpublished at this time) focuses on seasonal, indigenous ingredients. Every meal is prepared and served with the mission of educating guests about the rich and enduring culture of the Ohlone.

Roundtrip transportation from PJCC included.

*This is the subsidized price for those 65 and older. Made possible by the Maimonides Fund of the Jewish Community Federation.

Priority will be given to those who have not been on a PJCC Day Trip since August 2022. To register or be added on our waitlist contact Rachel Goldman rgoldman@pjcc.org or 650-378-2764.