Volunteer of the Week:

Gerry Soroka

Time is very important to Gerry Soroka. I arrive in the early afternoon and am ushered into the Soroka's lovely Almaden home. “Sit down in the kitchen,” he says with clear blue eyes and an easy smile, “and let's get started. It's 1400 hours.”

He has used military time since his service in the Navy. Originally from Los Angeles where he owned a successful TV store with 50 employees, Soroka moved to San Jose in 1963 and managed the TV Doctor on Bascom Avenue, emphasizing the best service and guaranteed work. He moved to Almaden Valley five years ago and is as productive now as when he worked full time.

Soroka is a substitute teacher with Central County Occupational Center, instructing students on subjects as varied as graphic arts to electronics. He admits that it can be a difficult job, but always looks for students wishing to succeed. They make it all worthwhile.

“Gerry's first love was flying,” explains Gerry's wife Francis. “But he sold his Piper Aero he owned with friends a few years ago and turned to his second love—fishing”. Soroka angles out of Emeryville and Santa Cruz on party boats, delighting in stories of limiting out on salmon, bass and albacore that he generously shares with family and friends. Trips to Baja, Mexico sport fishing for marlin and dorado with cronies are eagerly anticipated each summer. To keep fit for landing those big fish, he manages to work out at a local gym five days a week.

Soroka's other passion is volunteering. He is a board member of The Jewish Community Center of Silicon Valley and a patron of the San Jose Jewish Film Festival. The past seven years he volunteered to be the ushering chairperson in charge of staffing the ushers and ticket seating for the event. This is the 12th year of the film festival, running from Oct. 22 through Nov. 23. The criterion for the independent film selection is that the picture expands awareness of Jewish life and culture. The festival screened last year's Academy award-winning film, “The Pianist” before general release to theaters and became a huge success.

This is the first year the festival has featured special guests. Director Rod Freedman and Len Lesser, better known as Uncle Leo on the Seinfeld sitcom, were the first invited industry participants. Other firsts this year are Israeli TV series, two films for Gen-X's (18 to 30 year olds); Hebrew Hammer and The Discovery of Heaven , and the 1972 stage play Fiddler on the Roof featuring a family sing along.

“Gerry's amazing,” said Mark Levine, President of SJJFF. “He puts a lot of time into each showing, calling the ushers and making sure there's enough coverage for each of the 19 shows, and he's here for each one making sure it runs smoothly. Not only that but we start planning for it in January and he's always there to help. He has lots of energy”.

Work and volunteering make Gerry a productive resident of Almaden Valley. Time with family and friends create a worthwhile life and catching a big fish puts a smile on his face.

The San Jose Jewish Film Festival runs through Nov. 23 at Camera 3, 288 S. Second Street, San Jose. For more information on showing times, go to www.sjjff.org or call (408) 358-5907. -By Jeanne Lewis