Enrich your life. Cultivate health and resilience. Discover joy. Experience ancient wisdom. Create new pathways for your personal well-being.
The PJCC is committed to both Wellness and vibrant Jewish living. SHALEM: The Jewish Wellness Initiative melds these two core missions by offering wellness programs infused with Jewish wisdom and practice.
Shalem means wholeness, and Jewish wisdom has a great deal to offer anyone who seeks to live a healthy, resilient life with a joyful sense of balance and well-being.
From ancient teachings to modern-day practices, Jewish wisdom encourages us to cultivate qualities—such as gratitude, joy, compassion, and mindfulness, as well as physical wellness.
When we engage in practices to enhance our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being we are shalem: whole in body, heart mind and spirit.
Shalem was created as a collaboration between the PJCC and Embodied Jewish Learning. The Addison-Penzak JCC and the Oshman Family JCC are now partners in this initiative and are joining together to promote wellness and well-being infused with Jewish wisdom to help support the entire community in times when these tools are greatly needed.
Jewish Wellness offerings are organized around the PJCC’s integrated approach to wellness focusing on Nourish, Move and Engage activities.
Nourish your body and mind with wholesome foods and with practices that promote healing, energy, improved concentration and stress relief.
Move your body for greater physical strength, flexibility, stamina, balance, and resilience.
Engage your body, mind, heart and spirit for increased joy, wholeness, gratitude, intellectual and spiritual understanding, wisdom, community connection, and meaningful relationships.
Explore our Jewish Wellness offerings below!
Friday, December 11 • 4:00-5:00 pm • Free
Enter this special Shabbat of Chanukah by connecting breath and movement with spiritual reflection. We will let our light shine and strengthen with the themes of the season. Get out your mat or just find a quiet spot in your home. Please arrive on Zoom before 4pm, and plan to participate with video on and audio muted. Led by Rabbi Laurie Matzkin, Founder of Makom Yoga.
Registration required; sign up today.
Sponsored by Addison-Penzak JCC Mindful Jewish Journeys (a partner in the PJCC’s Shalem Initiative).
Deepen the spiritual experience of candle lighting with yoga and meditation.
Thursday, December 17 • 5:00-7:00 pm
In the Jewish mystical tradition, the eighth night of Hanukkah elevates us beyond the physical to see the spiritual light of The Mystery in all being and to become vessels of light.
Schedule:
5:00 pm – Yoga for Light (Led by Scott Green): With mindful yoga and qi gong practices, we will prepare ourselves to embody the radiant light of the present moment.
6:00 pm – Meditation for Light (Led by Rabbi Lavey Derby): Through guided meditation we will bring attention to the light within ourselves and in all being.
6:45 pm – Contemplative Candle Lighting and Gazing Meditation
Suitable for ages 18+. Registration requested; sign up today.
With Julie Emden of Embodied Jewish Learning
Listen anytime!
As we enter the month of Kislev, we invite you to pause and rest into the quality of light – a quality so needed at this time. Rest into the light of the candles, the light of goodness in the world around you, the light of the first day of creation.
Listen Here to a 20-minute embodied practice.
Join Rabbi Lavey Derby and Julie Emden as we explore how to experience and support Middot, personal and spiritual qualities, through these 10-minute meditation and yoga practices infused with Jewish Wisdom. Listen to our podcasts today.
Please consider a donation to the PJCC’s Jewish Life programs to support our Shalem programming.
Program Cancellation Notification
Your health and safety is the PJCC’s highest priority.
Due to San Mateo County Department of Health order, we have cancelled in-person programs for the current time.
Thank you for your understanding during this evolving situation.
We are currently in Stage One of our reopening plan. To learn more about this and future stages, please visit https://pjcc.org/reopen/
Due to San Mateo County Department of Health order, we have cancelled in-person programs for the current time.
Thank you for your understanding during this evolving situation.
We are currently in Stage One of our reopening plan. To learn more about this and future stages, please visit https://pjcc.org/reopen/
Watch for additional upcoming events to Nourish you!
Stay tuned for more Movement-oriented Shalem programs in the future.
Guided Meditation
Mondays • Weekly • 9:30-10:00 am
Join Rabbi Lavey every Monday morning at 9:30 for 30 minutes of guided meditation to help us find our center and to cultivate calm during this unusual time. (Preregistration required. Join via Zoom at start time. (Note, no class on Monday, September 28 or October 5)
Life: It’s Complicated
Thursdays • Weekly • 10:15-11:15 am
Join Rabbi Lavey for an ongoing discussion of Jewish topics and how Jewish wisdom can help us live a more meaningful life. (Password required; email jewishlife@pjcc.org for assistance.)
Join via Zoom at start time
Lovingkindness Meditation
Thursdays • Weekly • 4:00-4:30 pm
In this meditation, we silently repeat blessings of lovingkindness for ourselves and others. Join Rabbi Lavey in this practice that opens the heart and cultivates compassion. Preregistration required. Join via Zoom at start time (Note, no class on Thursday, October 8
Shababa (Takes Place via Zoom)
Fridays • 10:00 am (No meeting 9/18 – Erev Rosh Hashanah)
Get ready for Shabbat! Join Jeni & her puppet friends for music, movement & guaranteed giggles.
Join via Zoom at start time
See the Pink @ the PJCC page for more information about ongoing programs. For more information, please contact our Breast Cancer Exercise Specialist, Vicki McGrath at vmcgrath@pjcc.org or 650.378.2727.
