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President and CEO
Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford
Mandell JCC Valley Sports and Community Center Marks Its First Chanukah in the Valley

The Mandell JCC Valley Sports and Community Center hosted three community Chanukah programs during its first Chanukah in the Valley! Three hundred people participated in Chanukah activities at Simsbury Celebrates, which was co-sponsored by Farmington Valley Jewish Congregation - Emek Shalom. To help get families into the Chanukah spirit, a PJ Library Storytime was held at Barnes & Noble in Canton and a Chanukah fair for families with young children was organized at the JCC. Children in the vacation program lit candles during the holiday and made edible dreidels with Michal Abramoff, the Mandell JCC Shlicha. JCC staff also joined in the candle lighting on the Canton Town Green that was sponsored by Chabad of the Valley.
Embrace Possibility for a Happier, Healthier YOU in 2017!

The New Year is for resolutions and goals. Begin by setting realistic and attainable goals so that you're not setting yourself up for failure. Then, establish your priorities and learn to embrace failure. Most important, when you don't follow through, hold yourself accountable. You'll be amazed at how freeing it feels! Jewish Family Services of Greater Hartford provides counseling, education, and community support to help people of all religions advance along the path toward emotional well-being, self-reliance, more positive relationships, and a renewed sense of possibility. To learn more, please contact JFS at 860.236.1927 or visit www.jfshartford.org.

January 9: Join YAD for Happy Hour with an Israel Twist

Federation's Young Adult Division will host a Happy Hour with Zachary Schaffer, Community Strategy Associate with the Israel Action Network, on January 9 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Wood-n-Tap Bar & Grill, 99 Sisson Avenue, Hartford. The Israel Action Network was created by Jewish Federations of North America in partnership with the Jewish Council for Public Affairs to counter assaults made on Israel's legitimacy. Zachary educates and organizes Jewish communities across the country. Bring your questions and your appetite! RSVP here.
January 29: Commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day with Voices of Hope

Voices of Hope invites you to the 7th Annual Greater Hartford International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 29 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at The Emanuel Synagogue, 160 Mohegan Drive, West Hartford. The program includes a dairy brunch; presentation of the 2017 Chesed Award to Abby Weiner; a presentation by Avinoam Patt, PhD, of the new University of Hartford Museum of Jewish Civilization; and musical selections by Hazzan Sanford Cohn and granddaughter of survivor, Hannah Rose Berkowitz.
Saturdays: Feed Your Soul with FVJC-Emek Shalom's Shabbat Morning Minyan and Torah Study

Farmington Valley Jewish Congregation - Emek Shalom welcomes you to Shabbat Morning Minyan and Neshama, an exploratory Torah study, each Saturday in January at 9 a.m. (and every Saturday when there is not a Bar/Bat Mitzvah). Minyan is an intimate, 45-minute, clergy- or lay-led worship service. It's followed by a nosh and Torah study. In Jewish mysticism we learn that the soul (Neshama) and Torah were created together and have the same spiritual roots, so by studying Torah we also delve into the depths of our soul. Each session will engage your senses in new ways as you unpack the text, derive meaning from it, and connect it to your life. All Neshama sessions are participatory, warm, and relaxed - no prior knowledge is required! FVJC is located at 55 Bushy Hill Road in Simsbury.
UConn Hillel Celebrates Latkepalooza with Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity

Hanukkah arrived over UConn's winter break this year - but that didn't stop UConn Hillel and the men of Sigma Alpha Mu from celebrating. Sigma Alpha Mu made delicious latkes for the community to enjoy, and proceeds from the event went to the Judy Fund, a part of the Alzheimer's Association. Also - did you know that UConn Hillel has a special Grad-Jew-Ate Student Organization for Jewish grad students? Learn more here.

Children's Reading Partners Seeks Preschool Reading Mentors

Each year, more than 1 in 3 American children starts kindergarten without the language skills they need in order to learn to read. You can help! Become a Reading Mentor in the Children's Reading Partners Preschool Pals program this spring. Mentors read for 30 minutes once a week, for 10 weeks, with a preschool student in Bloomfield. A training session for volunteers will be held February 23 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Community Services Building on the Zachs Campus at 333 Bloomfield Avenue in West Hartford. To learn more, please call 860.236.READ (7323) or email [email protected]. Children's Reading Partners is a program of the Jewish Community Relations Council, part of Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford.
February 10 & 11: Neshama Carlebach Brings Her Heavenly Voice to Greater Hartford

Jewish music superstar Neshama Carlebach comes to Beth El Temple in West Hartford for an artist-in-residence weekend on February 10 and 11, bringing a voice that both honors her father - famed rabbi, composer and singer Shlomo Carlebach - and strikes a new spiritual chord of her own. From a very special Kabbalat Shabbat and dinner to Shabbat morning services and a community Havdalah and concert, Neshama will share her musical gift that has been called "a bit of heaven." The entire community is welcome! The Neshama Carlebach Artist-in-Residence weekend is underwritten by the Gloria Goldenberg Music & Lecture Series Endowment Fund and the Leonard & Vicki Eisenfeld Endowment Fund at Beth El Temple. Beth El Temple is located at 2626 Albany Avenue in West Hartford.
Take the Chai Mitzvah Challenge in 2017!

Take on the Chai Mitzvah challenge in this new year! Chai Mitzvah is a framework that spans the whole spectrum of the Jewish community. We discover what's meaningful to individuals in the areas of learning, social action and spiritual practice and couple it with beautifully illustrated source books for a monthly small group discussion. A member of a Chai Mitzvah group said, "I am thoroughly enjoying my Chai Mitzvah journey. It has reconnected me to my religion and my community and I am more comfortable accessing resources to help me live a fuller life." To learn more, contact Ilana Bernstein at [email protected] or call 860.922.0448.
Federation Men's Mission Heads to Israel January 11 through January 20

Twenty men are headed to Israel next week as part of Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford's second annual Men's Mission to Israel. Led by Mission Co-Chairs Jay Gershman and Lee Pollock, the men will visit historic and holy sites such as Masada and the Western Wall and explore political and social issues facing Israel today with policy makers, activists and local citizens. They'll also see firsthand how contributions to Federation's Annual Campaign are improving life for new Israeli immigrants. For more information on Federation missions, please contact Elizabeth Appelman at [email protected] or 860.727.6123.
Schechter's Reading Buddies Program Builds Literacy and Character
 
Solomon Schechter Day School's core values - Chochma (Wisdom), Lev Tov (Good Heart), and Klal Yisrael (Community) - come together as first and eighth grade students participate in the Reading Buddies Program. The students create strong connections with each other as they read and discuss books together twice a month. This helps strengthen some of the primary goals of the reading program at Schechter: to develop a lifelong love of reading and to engage students in literature as a community of readers.
January 31: Congregation Beth Israel to Host a Conversation with Connecticut Muslims  

Congregation Beth Israel invites you to hear Connecticut Muslims share their stories and respond to your questions at its "Honest Conversations with Muslim Neighbors" program on January 31 at 7:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome for this important event in the interfaith life of Connecticut. The program is organized by the Connecticut Council for Interreligious Understanding, the Muslim Coalition of Connecticut, and Hartford Seminary. Congregation Beth Israel is located at 701 Farmington Avenue in West Hartford. For more information, please email [email protected] or call 860.233.8215.
February 7: College Planning through a Jewish Lens

Thinking about college can bring up a huge range of emotions, responses, and ideas for teens and parents alike. Wondering how to think about the college search process from a Jewish perspective? JTConnect invites teens and their parents to a conversation with Shuly Rubin Schwartz, Ph.D., Dean of Undergraduate & Graduate Studies at Jewish Theological Seminary, as she discusses what matters most in the college search process today and how to find the school that's right for you. This program will take place on February 7 at 7:00 p.m. at Beth El Temple, 2626 Albany Avenue, West Hartford; it's free and open to the public. Kindly RSVP to [email protected].

January 15: Jewish Genealogical Society of Connecticut Opens Its Library to the Public

Interested in Jewish genealogy? The Jewish Genealogical Society of Connecticut has a free program for you! On January 15 at 1:30 p.m., JGSCT will open its library to the community and answer your genealogical questions. The JGSCT library is located at Temple Sinai, 41 West Hartford Road, Newington. During the program, JGSCT Board members will help you find the resources you need within our library. Bring your questions, meet other genealogists, and explore our local genealogical treasures.
Federation 2017 Annual Campaign Update

Each year, your Federation's Annual Campaign raises millions of dollars to benefit the Jewish community in Greater Hartford, in Israel and around the world. For the 2017 campaign, our goal is $4,360,000. We closed the calendar year with outstanding results and ahead of pace. 

Our largest fundraising day of the year - Super Sunday - took place on December 4. Students from Hebrew High School of New England came out in force to help make calls to donors to secure gifts and say "thank you." Their enthusiasm was infectious and inspired everyone present. They received the top prize for Partner Agency participation (above right) with the students from University of Hartford Hillel right behind them in second place. A challenge match provided by a generous donor family allowed us to raise an additional $32,000 in new and increased gifts! 

Thank you to everyone who helped to make December such a successful month as we move toward our goal. And a special thanks to Victor Bernstein (above left), who closed more gifts than anyone in the month of December!
August 26 and all year: Camp Laurelwood Celebrates 80 Years of Fun, Friends, Forever

Calling all Camp Laurelwood alumni and friends: Be sure to save the date for the camp's 80th Anniversary Reunion on August 26! It will be an epic celebration of Fun, Friends, Forever - 80 years in the making - and more details are coming soon. For those who are new to Camp Laurelwood, it's Connecticut's premier Jewish overnight camp, located at 463 Summer Hill Road in Madison. You are welcome to tour the camp facilities at any time; please contact Evelyn Cohen at [email protected] to make arrangements. We can't wait to see you!
January 29 and ongoing: "Hartford Remembers the Holocaust" Remarks and Exhibit Examine Local Survivors' Lives

Avinoam Patt, PhD, Philip D. Feltman Professor of Modern Jewish History at the Maurice Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies and director of the Museum of Jewish Civilization at the University of Hartford, will present remarks on the museum's "Hartford Remembers the Holocaust" exhibit on January 29 at 1:30 p.m. as it opens for the semester. The exhibit records first-hand stories of persecution and survival from our neighbors right here in Greater Hartford. The museum is located within the Mortensen Library on the University of Hartford campus at 200 Bloomfield Avenue in West Hartford.
WOW! In a Box Program Offers Themed Kits and Training to Jewish Educators

WOW! In a Box may be the best kept secret of Federation's Commission on Jewish Education and Leadership. This experiential education program provides training and materials that local Jewish educators can use to bring meaningful, hands-on, Jewishly themed lessons to their classrooms. The next two programs are "Shabbat Shabang" on January 22, for teenagers (Madrichim) who teach or assist in classrooms; and "Beyond the Cape" on February 28 or March 1, which highlights heroism in the Purim story. Anyone who teaches in a local Jewish day school or supplementary school is eligible to attend. To learn more, please contact Jennifer Schwartzman at [email protected].
Monday Nights: Beth Sholom B'nai Israel Announces Lecture Series on Religion and Politics in Public Life

Beth Sholom B'nai Israel invites you to "Religion and Politics: Meeting in the Public Square," a Monday night lecture series with Mark Silk, PhD, Professior of Religion and Public Life at Trinity College. The series begins on January 23 with "Historical Overview: From Thomas Jefferson to Jimmy Carter," followed on January 30 by "The Religious Right, the God Gap, and the Rise of the Nones" and on February 6 by "The Obama Years and the Impending Trump Administration." Lectures begin at 8 p.m. at Beth Sholom B'nai Israel, 400 Middle Turnpike East, Manchester. The cost is $30 in advance for the series, $12 per session at the door, and $5 per lecture for students. To learn more, click here or contact Jeanne Lowrey at [email protected] or 860.643.9563 x103.
Coming March 30: Mandell JCC Prepares for Women's Seder

In the spirit of togetherness, the Mandell JCC will host a special pre-Passover Women's Seder event on March 30 at The Emanuel Synagogue, 160 Mohegan Drive, West Hartford. Attendees can expect a night of singing, dancing and empowerment along with storytelling, laughs, festive Passover rituals and food, and multi-media experiences. Please mark your calendar now: more details are coming soon!
March 9: Learn the Art of Storytelling to Benefit Your Favorite Jewish Organization
 
Do you help to raise money for a Jewish nonprofit organization, school or synagogue? Please join us for the Federation's next Howard Jay Siegal Leadership Institute on March 9 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at a location to be announced soon. Matthew Dicks, renowned storyteller and creative director of Speak Up, a Hartford-based storytelling organization, will inspire you to tell stories that open donors' hearts and wallets. For more information, please contact Jill Nulsen at 860.727.6119 or [email protected].

"Family History on the Road" Trains Students to Preserve Their Family  History
 
The Jewish Historical Society of Greater Hartford is partnering with synagogues to provide training and resources that will help students learn about their family's history. A guidebook explains the concept and process of oral history interviews and the importance of preserving and sharing family history by placing it in the Society's archive. The first family training session took place in early December at Beth El Temple in West Hartford. The Family History Project is partially funded by a grant from the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford and by a contribution from the Jeffrey Hoffman Family. To learn more, please contact Lynn Newman at [email protected] or 860.727.6170.
University of Hartford Hillel Receives Honors at Hillel International Global Assembly

Hillel International honored University of Hartford Hillel twice at its Global Assembly held in Orlando last month. Executive Director Jason Oruch was one of eight worldwide recipients honored with the Richard M. Joel Exemplar of Excellence Award, which recognizes Hillel professionals who enrich the lives of Hillel students and ensure a culture of excellence. University of Hartford Hillel also received an Excellence in Impact award for its participation in Hillel International's Measuring Excellence program.
January 28: Temple Beth Hillel Offers Rosh Chodesh Group for Women

Women throughout Jewish history have celebrated Rosh Chodesh - the new moon and the beginning of a new month - by taking a break from their everyday lives and gathering together. The Mitzvah Mamas at Temple Beth Hillel invite women ages 13 and up to join us as we welcome Rosh Chodesh Shevat on January 28 from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. Temple Beth Hillel is located at 20 Baker Lane in South Windsor. Leave your dishes in the sink and your troubles behind! To learn more about Mitzvah Mamas or Rosh Chodesh gatherings, please contact Mindy Glickman at [email protected] or 917.698.7952.
Sigel Hebrew Academy Welcomes New Head of School, Showcases Middle School

In November, Bess and Paul Sigel Hebrew Academy held a well attended "meet and greet" to showcase the middle school and to introduce Rabbi Zev Silver, its new Head of School. Middle school students shared brief presentations on math, science, social studies and Judaic studies, and visitors rotated through the classrooms to get a feel for a day in the life of a Sigel Hebrew Academy middle schooler. For over 77 years, Sigel Hebrew Academy has created a warm and nurturing environment where all children feel special about themselves and their Jewish heritage in a Modern Orthodox environment with a focus on academic excellence. For more information or to arrange a tour, please call 860.243.8333.