Shorts: Bay Area

Sweet deal for Scharffen Berger

Berkeley's Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker Inc. just got a boost in the international marketplace.

Hershey Co. said it is buying the producer of high-cacao content chocolate bars and baking products.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Scharffen Berger is run by Robert Steinberg, a San Francisco Jew. The company placed first in j.'s "Best of the Jewish Bay Area" best chocolate category.




Campus for Jewish Life elects board members

James Koshland has been named the new president of the board of the Campus for Jewish Life, succeeding Carol Saal, the founding president.

As Koshland begins his term, Saal will still serve as chair of the $122 million capital campaign for the Palo Alto campus, which is slated to open in 2008.

Koshland, a lawyer, is a partner and co-chair of the Venture Services Group at Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich LLP. He serves on the board of the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation, S.F.-based Jewish Community Endowment Fund, Hillel at Stanford University and the San Francisco School Volunteers.

The board also elected Neill Brownstein to chair the CJL's finance committee, and Stuart Klein, who spearheaded the purchase of the CJL from Sun Microsystems, as a new board member.

Longtime Jewish Home board member Larry Marks has been appointed the Jewish Home's representative on the CJL board.




B'nai B'rith couples unit gets new co-presidents

New officers were installed earlier this month for B'nai B'rith's Ot Am Couples Unit # 5310.

The new co-presidents are Mary and Victor Saydun, who live in Redwood City. Victor has been with B'nai B'rith for 26 years, Mary for 12 years.

They were installed by Moishe Smith, the B'nai B'rith International chairman.




Memoir of Beth Am's rabbi emeritus available in print

Rabbi Sidney Akselrad recently published his memoir, "Lishma: For His Name's Sake." Akselrad is the rabbi emeritus of Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills.

The memoir is co-authored with Elaine Berman and is a transcript of the oral history Akselrad made for the Judah L. Magnes Museum. It features the rabbi talking about his traditional background, his decision to become a Reform rabbi and his involvement in the civil rights movement of the 1960s, among other issues.

The book, which is printed through iuniverse.com, is available at Bob and Bob in Palo Alto as well as on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.




Rabbi to lead High Holy Days in San Geronimo Valley

A rabbi will lead services for the first time at Congregation Gan Halev, also known as The Jewish Congregation of the San Geronimo Valley.

Rabbi Shula Stevens, a Jewish Renewal rabbi, has been teaching in the congregation's Sunday school program during the past year and has led occasional services as well.

Gan Halev (Garden of the Heart) began in 1992 when Jews living in the San Geronimo Valley formed a community to meet for Shabbat and major holidays. The congregation prides itself on its open, inclusive atmosphere and attracts people from throughout Marin County.

For information, call board member Steve Shaiken at (415) 459-4762 or (415) 248-1012.