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 by the Peninsula JCC and Embodied Jewish Learning. The Addison-Penzak JCC and the Oshman Family JCC are now partners in this initiative to promote wellness and well-being infused with Jewish wisdom to the SF Bay Area community and beyond.
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!
Moving with the Tree of Life
7-Week Series with Julie Emden of Embodied Jewish Learning
Fridays, April 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30; May 7 and 14 • 9:30 – 10:30 am
Sliding Scale: Single Class: $10 – $36 • Series: $70 – $252
Join us each week between the holidays of Passover and Shavuot as we embody divine attributes (Sefirot) that map onto the body, based upon the Tree of Life. Each class will include guided movement sequences as well as time for free-form dance, accompanied by carefully curated playlists and infused with Jewish wisdom teachings for the week’s attribute.
No previous experience with dance or knowledge about the Sefirot is required. Please wear comfortable loosely layered clothing in which you can easily move.
Sign up for the series or for single classes. Can’t join live? A recording for your viewing will be sent to you. Zoom link will be provided upon registration.
Schedule of Classes:
April 2: Embodying Hesed (Flow)
April 9: Embodying Gevurah (Containment)
April 16: Embodying Tiferet (Harmony/Beauty)
April 23: Embodying Netzach (Patience)
April 30: Embodying Hod (Gratitude)
May 5: Embodying Yesod (Creative Life Force)
May 12: Embodying Malchut (Physical Divinity)
Offered in partnership with Chochmat HaLev; Kehilla Community Synagogue; Shalem, the Jewish Wellness Initiative of the Peninsula JCC; and Oshman Family JCC.
No one turned away for lack of funds. Multiple payment levels are offered to make this series accessible to those for whom payment is difficult or prohibitive at this time. If you are able, please consider sponsoring others to attend through the “help another” option when selecting a ticket. Contact Julie Emden if you need a scholarship.
Harmony of the Heart
A Virtual Jewish Meditation and Yoga Mini-Retreat inspired by Jewish Wisdom and Practice
Sunday, April 11 • 9:00 am – 12:30 pm (optional early risers sit from 8:00 – 8:45 am) • Sliding Scale: $0-$72
Please note: This retreat is online.
Harmony exists when many voices blend as one. We experience harmony of the heart when we bring loving attention to all our feelings, thoughts and experiences and we find beauty and wholeness. Join us as we engage in practices to cultivate harmony through meditation and movement infused with Jewish wisdom teachings, text study, and periods of silence and song.
Offered by Shalem, the Jewish Wellness Initiative of the Peninsula JCC; Embodied Jewish Learning; the Addison-Penzak JCC; and Oshman Family JCC.
Faculty includes Rabbi Lavey Derby, Julie Emden, Rabbi Hugh Seid-Valencia, Tova Birnbaum, Rabbi Laurie Matzkin, Tracey Green and Scott Green.
No one turned away for lack of funds. Multiple payment levels are offered to make this workshop accessible. If payment is difficult or prohibitive at this time, please select “Free.” And if you are able, please consider a $72 payment, which will help others to attend. Please select your ticket level at check-out.
Takes place via Zoom; registration required. Information regarding Zoom will be sent out before the event.
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.
To learn more, 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 (Note: No meeting Monday, March 29)
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 (Note: No meeting Thursday, March 25)
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
Presented in partnership with PJ Library Bay Area.
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.
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.
To learn more about our reopening stages, please visit https://pjcc.org/reopen/
