Jewish Community Center in Los Gatos Honors 3 Community Leaders

The Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center (JCC) of Silicon Valley will honor three distinguished women who have been instrumental in building up and maintaining the South Bay’s Jewish community at its 2018 gala: Cookie Addison, Doris Davis, and Sylvia Metz.

The public is invited for an evening of dinner, dancing, and an auction in support of the programs and services of the JCC.

This year's Gala Chair is Virginia Hess, who commented, “These three wonderful women are the definition of ‘Community’ and ‘Caring’ and I am privileged to be part of this well-deserved thank you!”

All three of the honorees have been active in lives of service in the general community as well as the Jewish community. All three have also been active volunteers and fund raisers for the JCC over the past several decades, and all three have served terms as president of the JCC’s board of directors. And all three were major funders to the Levy Family Campus capital campaign, which resulted in the 2004 construction of the campus where the JCC is located.

Cookie Addison of Los Gatos, with her late husband Arnie Addison gave the founding donation for the JCC’s Los Gatos campus in 1984. In addition to her leadership at the JCC, she was Women’s Division president of the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley from 1993-94, and was honored by Jewish Federation as a Woman of Distinction in 1986. She has also served on the board of Congregation Beth David in Saratoga, has volunteered with Hadassah and Brandeis, as well as the Volunteer Exchange of Santa Clara and Planned Parenthood. She is also a talented painter, whose oil paintings have been exhibited in many shows.

Doris Davis of San Jose has been active in supporting the opera and the symphony in the South Bay, as well as Silicon Valley FACES, formerly the local chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. She is a member and volunteer at Temple Emanu-El in San Jose, and served as president of the temple Sisterhood (women’s club) in the mid-1960s. She served as Women’s Division president of the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley from 1987-89, was honored by Jewish Federation as a Woman of Distinction in 1989, and has served on the regional board of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. She received the Harold Witkin Humanitarian award from the Jewish Federation in 1999.

Sylvia Metz of Saratoga first joined the JCC’s board of directors in 1973 and has served several terms as a board member. She is an active supporter of the arts in the South Bay, especially TheatreWorks Silicon Valley and Opera San Jose, as well as the American Cancer Society. She has volunteered her time for Congregation Beth David, South Peninsula Jewish Day School, Knitzvah at Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley, Hadassah, Brandeis, American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley. In 2017 the Jewish Federation presented her with the Janet Berg Award, honoring a community member who has contributed significantly to the South Bay Jewish Community.

Tickets for the gala are available for purchase at $200 apiece. Proceeds support the programs and services of the JCC. Tickets can be purchased online at apjcc.org/gala.

About the JCC (www.apjcc.org)

The Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center (JCC) of Silicon Valley is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community center and is open to people of all faiths and backgrounds.

Located in Los Gatos, California, the JCC’s programs and services include adult education, art exhibits and cultural events, summer camps and after-school programs, the APJCC Preschool, and other social and enrichment programs for people of all ages, as well as an award-winning Fitness Center, Aquatics Center, Tennis Complex, and full gymnasium.

The Addison-Penzak JCC is a beneficiary of the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley and is affiliated with the JCC Association of North America.