Shorts: Bay Area

Friendship Circle marks 5 years of service

The Friendship Circle, a South Bay–based Jewish organization that helps special needs Jewish children, will mark its fifth anniversary with a celebration 6 p.m. Sunday, May 31, at the Fremont Hills Country Club in Los Altos Hills.

Local Jewish community activist Francine Gani will be honored, as will 220 teen volunteers who over the years have bonded with the special needs kids and served in big brother/big sister roles.

For more information about Friendship Circle and the event, go to http://www.bayareafc.org.

Taste Israeli wines, help Kehillah High

Palo Alto’s Kehillah Jewish High School will host an Israeli Wine Festival and Tasting from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, June 4 at the Jennings Pavilion in Atherton.

The wines available for tasting will come from Israeli wineries such as Yatir Winery, Yaffo Winery, Tavor Winery, Rimon Winery and Teperberg Winery. The benefit also will feature finger foods prepared by Bay Area chef Derek Burns, and a silent auction.

Kehillah will use the money raised to fund programming for students, financial aid and teacher resources.

Jennings Pavilion is located in Hollbrook-Palmer Park, 150 Watkins Ave. Tickets are $180 per person. For more information and tickets, contact Logan Davis at (650) 213-9600 ext. 125, or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

East Bay federation to hold annual meeting

The Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay will hold its 91st annual meeting June 16. The evening’s agenda will focus on building a stronger East Bay Jewish community, as well as honoring donors, volunteers and communal partners.

The federation’s new board of directors will be installed, and those who have donated to the organization for 15 or more consecutive years will be honored.

The meeting begins 7 p.m. at Temple Isaiah, 3800 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette. Wine, cheese and dessert will be served. To RSVP or for more information, e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or call (510) 318-6449.

Auction of rare items benefits synagogue

An online auction of documents signed by famous 20th-century Jewish leaders will raise funds for Congregation Beth Shalom in Carmichael. Items include handwritten notes by Albert Einstein, former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, and Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism.

The auction runs from June 1 to 17, and will be conducted by RR Auctions at the company Web site, http://www.rrauction.com. The items come from the personal collection of Beth Shalom congregant Jeff Baker, who hopes to raise $25,000 for the synagogue.