Shorts: Bay Area

Bless the harvest at Napa wineries

Two Napa wineries will host Jewish harvest blessings Oct. 19 in celebration of Sukkot.

Rabbi Oren Postrel of Congregation Beth Sholom in Napa will conducted the blessings at Judd's Hill Winery at 11 a.m. and Hagafen Cellars at noon. There also will be light refreshments at both ceremonies. The blessings are free and open to the public.

Judd's Hill Winery is at 2332 Silverado Trail and Hagafen Cellars is at 4160 Silverado Trail, both in Napa. For more information, visit http://www.cbsnappa.org.




'Nose' and 'Chicken' in temple film fest

The four-part Jewish Film Festival at Alameda's Temple Israel continues on Saturday, Oct. 4, with two documentaries. "My Nose" and "A Home on the Range: The Jewish Chicken Ranchers of Petaluma" will be shown starting at 7 p.m.

"My Nose" is a 13-minute personal documentary by Gayle Kirschenbaum in which she explores her mother's preoccupation with the filmmaker's nose. "A Home on the Range" is a 100-minute 2002 film about a group that fled Russian pogroms and set up an organized, socialized community in and near Petaluma.

The festival continues Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. with "Prime," in which Uma Thurman stars as a non-Jew who falls for a young Jewish painter. The last film in the series, "Every Time We Say Goodbye," will be shown 7 p.m. Dec. 13. It stars Tom Hanks as a World War II fighter pilot on extended stay in Jerusalem.

The cost is $10 per movie at the door. Movie snacks are included. The series will take place at Temple Israel,

3183 Mecartney Road, Alameda. For more information, visit http://www.temple-israelalameda.org.




'What is the What' refugee to speak

Sudanese refugee Valentino Achak Deng will speak at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 5 at Congregation Netivot Shalom in Berkeley.

Deng is the subject of Dave Eggers' 2006 award-winning novel "What is the What." He spent nine years in Ethiopian and Kenyan refugee camps, and in 2001 resettled in Atlanta. Deng has toured the United States speaking about his life in Sudan, his experience as a refugee and his collaboration with Eggers on "What is the What," the novelized version of Deng's life story.

The Netivot event is co-sponsored by STAND (a student anti-genocide group), the Center for Jewish Living and Learning of the Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay, the Aquarian Minyan, the JCC of the East Bay and Berkeley Hillel.

For more information, contact the synagogue at (510) 549-9447.




Jewish TV Network to air Kol Nidre service live

The Jewish Television Network will air a live Webcast of Kol Nidre services this year. Originating from Jewish outreach organization Nashuva in Los Angeles and led by Rabbi Naomi Levy, the service begins

6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8, and will feature music, prayer and meditation.

The Webcast is available on demand through the JTN Web site, http://www.jewish-tvnetwork.com/highholidays.




Fundraiser set for JFCS East Bay

The second annual Art of Living fundraiser for the Jewish Family and Children's Services of the East Bay will be from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at the Oakland Museum of California.

Featured speakers this year are local food luminaries Mollie Katzen, bestselling author of "Moosewood Cookbook," and Michael Wild, executive chef of BayWolf restaurant in Oakland. Both Jews, they will talk about how their family histories and traditions have informed their careers in food.

A silent auction is new this year, including prizes such as the ability to name a character in Ayelet Waldman's next novel and a week's stay in a Paris apartment.

All money raised will help JFCS of the East Bay continue to provide community, family, children and senior services.

Last year's inaugural event sold out. For tickets, contact JFCS-East Bay at (510) 704-7475.




Jim Joseph Foundation endows JNF fellowship

The S.F.-based Jim Joseph Foundation has awarded a $50,000 grant to the Jewish National Fund to create an environmental fellowship at New York University.

Twenty students will participate in the JNF/Bronfman Center Jewish Environ-mental Fellowship, which will focus on environmental sustainability issues and their connection to Jewish values and tradition.

The program aims to engage unaffiliated Jewish students who might not otherwise be interested in existing Jewish programming. Sessions will be devoted to learning and meeting with environmental experts as well as work in the field, including on-site visits, volunteering and seeing environmental activism in action.

The program includes a one-week spring break trip to Israel, during which fellows will volunteer on an environmental kibbutz.