Birthright Israel Summer Program Registration Is Now Open! 

Do you know a Jewish young adult age 18 to 26 who hasn't been on a Taglit-Birthright Israel trip? Summer registration for the free Israel trip of a lifetime is open now! From academics to active lifestyles, from special needs to LGBTQ, there is a Birthright trip for just about every demographic and interest. Learn more here.

March 4: "Mishegas - An Evening of Jewish Storytelling" with JTConnect 

Please join JTConnect on Saturday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m. for "Mishegas - An Evening of Jewish Storytelling" at the Solomon Schechter Day School in West Hartford. We have a fantastic cast of storytellers, featuring 26-time Moth StorySlam Champion Matthew Dicks, Speak Up veterans Lee Pollock and Kathryn Gonnerman, and newcomers Michal Abramoff, Eric Maurer, Jason Oruch, and Mel Simon. They will be sharing true stories about significant moments in their Jewish lives that are sure to make you laugh and cry. To purchase tickets or receive more information, please visit tinyurl.com/mishegas.

April 2: "The Jews of Spain" Dinner and Lecture Explores 1500 Years of Sephardic Culture

Please join the Jewish Historical Society and The Emanuel Synagogue for a delicious and informative program about the Jews of Spain to be held April 2 at The Emanuel Synagogue, 160 Mohegan Drive, West Hartford. The program begins at 6:00 p.m. with a kosher, Spanish-themed dinner; a lecture by noted journalist and author Andrée Aelion Brooks follows at 7:15 p.m. For registration and pricing information, please contact Lynn Newman at 860.727.6170 or click here. RSVP by March 22.

March 5: Hadassah Connecticut Walks for MS Research

Hadassah Connecticut is holding several Walks for Multiple Sclerosis Research this Sunday - plus a virtual walk that you can do anytime. A walk will be held at 1:30 p.m. at the Mandell JCC's indoor track, at 335 Bloomfield Avenue in West Hartford; you can register online (minimum $18 donation) here. Please call 203.307.1319 or email [email protected] with any questions. Hadassah Greater Hartford also invites you to a free program of stories and history with Zvi Jankelowitz, Director of Institutional Advancement for the Yiddish Book Center, "Tales from the Yiddish Book Center: Past, Present and Future," on March 21 at 1:00 p.m. at Beth El Temple, 2626 Albany Avenue, West Hartford. Doors open at 12:40 p.m. Please call 860.232.9950 with any questions.

Federation 2017 Annual Campaign Update 

Each year, your Federation's Annual Campaign raises millions of dollars to benefit our Jewish community in Greater Hartford, in Israel and around the world. Our 2017 campaign goal is $4,360,000, and so far we have raised $2,594,086! If you have not yet made your campaign pledge, please consider doing so today. As an added incentive, one of our generous donors has offered a $100,000 match on any increased or new gifts! We offer online giving options or you may contact Elizabeth Appelman, Vice President of Development, at 860.727.6123 or [email protected].

This month we're also holding a series of phone-a-thons to help close our campaign. We provide a light dinner and give you all the tools you need for phoning success - and you are guaranteed to make new friends. 

Phone-a-thons will be held:

Kindly RSVP to Jill Nulsen at [email protected] or 860.727.6119.

March 5: Celebrate Jewish Womanhood with a Mega Challah Bake

Women and girls, join Chabad of Greater Hartford for a Mega Challah Bake this Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at The Emanuel Synagogue, 160 Mohegan Drive, West Hartford. Learn to make traditional and gluten-free challah and create your own challah with three, four or six braids! Learn about the spiritual aspects of challah and build friendships with other women and girls in your community! Click here to RSVP.

March 8: UConn Hillel Presents the "Mr. Nice Jewish Boy" Contest

Who will win the title of UConn's first ever Nice Jewish Boy? On March 8, UConn students and community members will gather at 7:00 p.m. in the Student Union Theatre as 12 guys go head-to-head to win hearts and the title of Mr. NJB! Bubbie will be kvelling from the audience! Contestants will be judged on formal, swimsuit and everyday attire, in addition to a Q&A and talent portion. The night will conclude with a Win-a-Date auction. Click here for details and ticket information.

Prospective College Students: Apply Now for Scholarships at Jewish Community Foundation

Is college in your future for this fall? The deadline to apply for scholarships from Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford is April 15... apply today!

March 9: "Trouble in the Tribe: The American Jewish Conflict over Israel"

Dov Waxman, PhD, professor of political science, international affairs and Israel studies at Northeastern University, will speak on "Trouble in the Tribe: The American Jewish Conflict over Israel" on UConn's Storrs campus. The event takes place on March 9 at 7:00 p.m. in the Konover Auditorium at the Dodd Research Center and is sponsored by the Center for Judaic Studies and Contemporary Jewish Life, UConn's Middle East Studies Program, and the Department of Political Science. A book signing will follow the discussion. Learn more here.

The Hospital for Senior Care at Hebrew HealthCare Ranks #1

The Hospital for Senior Care at Hebrew HealthCare ranks first in the state for quality of reductions in hospital incurred infections for fiscal year 2017, according to data released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The CMS program designed to promote reduction of these infections, now in its third year, penalizes the lowest-performing hospitals where a relatively high number of patients acquire infections while in the hospital. Since the inception of this program, The Hospital for Senior Care at Hebrew HealthCare has never been penalized. "The Hospital for Senior Care at Hebrew HealthCare places strong emphasis on patient safety, and the outcomes for our hospital demonstrate that," said Kathy Walsh, RN, Director of Quality Improvement. To learn more about The Hospital for Senior Care and other services at Hebrew HealthCare, contact Madelene Francese, Vice President of Marketing and Development, at 860.523.3994.

March 9: Howard Jay Siegal Leadership Institute with Storyteller Matthew Dicks

If you help to raise money for a Jewish nonprofit, school or synagogue, this program is for you! Register today for Federation's Howard Jay Siegal Leadership Institute with Matthew Dicks. Matthew is creative director of the Hartford-based storytelling organization Speak Up and a 23-time Moth StorySLAM champion and four-time GrandSLAM champion. The program will be held on March 9 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at The Innovation Center at the Mandell JCC. Please respond to Jill Nulsen at 860.727.6119 or [email protected].

April 3: Tutti's Promise Reception and Book Signing

Tutti's Promise, by K. Heidi Fishman, is based on the true story of local Holocaust survivor Ruth "Tutti" Fishman. Tutti's story crisscrosses Europe and the Americas and is filled with both tragedy and resiliency. Come celebrate the launch of Tutti's Promise and meet Tutti and Heidi Fishman on April 3 at 7:00 p.m. at the Mandell JCC, 335 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford. The program is free; reservations are recommended. A portion of book sales will go to Voices of Hope. Part of the 2016-2017 Mandell JCC Jewish Book Festival. To reserve your spot, email [email protected].

March 10: Join FVJC for Camp Shabbat with S'mores!

Do you ever wish you could go back to camp? Join Farmington Valley Jewish Congregation - Emek Shalom for Camp Shabbat on March 10 beginning at 6:30 p.m. and relive the memories! The service will be followed by an Oneg Shabbat with s'mores & Rice Krispies treats... just like you remember. You are encouraged to bring your own dinner too; our congregation likes to eat together. Kindly RSVP to [email protected]. FVJC is located at 55 Bushy Hill Road in Simsbury.

March 11 & 12: Celebrate Purim in Greater Hartford!

Purim is one of our most fun-filled holidays: it commemorates the defeat of Haman's plot to massacre the Jews as recorded in the Book of Esther. Purim traditions include reading the Megillah (scroll) of Esther, wearing costumes, baking hamantashen, giving to charity, and sending small gifts (Mishloach Manot) to friends.

Beth El Temple will host a musical Purim Weekend on March 10 and 11 with international performer and cantorial master Cantor Jack Mendelson. On Friday, Cantor Joseph Ness, Cantor Mendelson and the Beth El choirs will lead a musical Kabbalat Shabbat. Cantor Mendelson leads Shabbat services on March 11... and Saturday night brings Purim! Megillah reading starts at 6:30 p.m., followed by a Purim party featuring desserts and Purim songs with Cantor Ness and Congregation Beth Israel's Cantor Lauren Phillips. Then Cantor Mendelson takes the stage with his hilarious one-man show, "The Cantor's Couch." Beth El Temple is located at 2626 Albany Avenue in West Hartford. The weekend is underwritten by the Gloria Goldenberg Music & Lecture Series Endowment Fund and the Leonard & Vicki Eisenfeld Endowment Fund.

A taste of Coney Island is coming to Beth David Synagogue for Purim on Saturday, March 11! The fun begins at 5:30 p.m. with a pre-Purim Seudah Shelishit (late afternoon meal) and kids' "carnival," followed by Megillah readings at 7:00 p.m. - your choice of traditional, women's or quiet - and a Purim celebration at 8:00 p.m. Admission is $12 adults, $8 children, with a family cap of $45. Beth David is located at 20 Dover Road in West Hartford. For more information, please call the synagogue office at 860.236.1241.

The Emanuel Synagogue needs all master LEGO builders to help us build the city of Shushan! This fun, free program takes place on Sunday, March 12, from 9:00 a.m. to noon at the synagogue building at 160 Mohegan Drive, in West Hartford.  Harness your inner Emmet and join us! The Emanuel will also hold a Megillah reading and Purim spiel on Saturday, March 11, at 6 p.m. Enjoy face painting, balloon animals, a bounce house, a photo booth, and games.  A Purim Café with tasty treats will open at 7:45 p.m. Don't forget your costume! For more information, call the Emanuel Religious School office at 860.233.2774.

Congregation Beth Israel's Annual Purim Celebration on Sunday, March 12 includes a Megillah reading at 9:30 a.m., the almost-world-famous CBI Purim Spiel at 10:30 a.m., and a Purim carnival afterward. This year's original spiel is entitled "Jewtiful: A Shushan King Story" and is based on the Broadway musical "Beautiful: A Carole King Story." The carnival includes games and prizes for young children as well as food and entertainment for families and adults. All are free and open to the public! Congregation Beth Israel is located at 701 Farmington Avenue in West Hartford.

Temple Beth Hillel presents "Shushan Street... a Purim Spiel!" Join us at Temple Beth Hillel on Sunday, March 12, at 10:00 a.m. for our Purim spiel and the Megillah reading. All are welcome! Temple Beth Hillel is a Reform synagogue located at 20 Baker Lane in South Windsor. For more information, contact the office at 860.282.8466 or [email protected].

Celebrate Purim with B'nai Tikvoh-Sholom on Sunday, March 12 at 11:00 a.m. We'll enjoy a festive Purim "Brunch 'N' Learn" with entertainment by the improv group A Jew and Two. Free and open to the community. Kindly RSVP for brunch by Tuesday, March 7 by contacting the BTS office at 860.243.3576 or [email protected].

The Mandell JCC in partnership with mainstages will present "A Beary Awesome Purim Tail" on Sunday, March 12 at 2:15 p.m. at the Mandell JCC, located on the Zachs Campus at 335 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford. After awaking from hibernation, a hungry bear meets an eccentric character who describes a magical Purim party featuring delicious food... and HONEY! Unable to resist, the bear finds himself in a family's home as they perform the story of Esther. All is well until someone realizes that the bear is NOT wearing a well-tailored Purim costume. A boisterous interactive performance featuring the PJ Library Book The Mystery Bear by Tamar Fox. For more information, contact Jane Pasternak at 860.231.6342 or [email protected].

The entire community is invited to celebrate Purim at Beit Mordechai on Sunday, March 12 at 4:00 p.m. You'll enjoy a kids' costume party, face painting and Purim songs. Festivities will be followed by a traditional Sephardic "Seudat Purim" feast. $10 per individual; $30 maximum per family. Beit Mordechai is Connecticut's only Sephardic Orthodox synagogue, located at 1137 Trout Brook Drive in West Hartford. All are welcome! To learn more, email [email protected] or call 860.880.1647.

March 14: Bess and Paul Sigel Hebrew Academy Holds Annual Gala

The Bess and Paul Sigel Hebrew Academy invites the community to its annual gala dinner, "Children Are Our Masterpieces," on March 14. A silent auction, cocktails and buffet dinner begin at 5:30 p.m.; the program begins at 7:00 p.m. Kindly RSVP at your earliest convenience. In other news, Hebrew Academy's fifth through eighth graders recently participated in a Tu B'Shvat Skype Seder (shown at right) with Maalot Nissim School in Afula, Israel, organized by Federation's Israeli Young Emissaries. The students sang together, made blessings and ate fruits from the Sheva Minim (the seven species of Israel). The Afula students gave a tour of their school and Hebrew Academy students sent them letters and a gift. They ended the program by singing Hatikvah together.  We are planning more programs with this school in the future!

April 5: How to Protect Reparation Assets and Income for a Holocaust Survivor

Are you a Holocaust survivor, or the family member or attorney of a survivor? If so, this free program is for you. Attorneys Robert Epstein and Michael Lissner of Lissner & Lissner LLP will discuss what you, your family, or your client needs to know about assets, Medicaid and your rights on April 5 from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. at the Community Services Building on the Zachs Campus, 333 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford. Lissner & Lissner LLP has served Holocaust survivors for 65 years. Joan Margolis of Jewish Family Services, the State Coordinator of Programs for Holocaust Survivors, will also answer your questions about Holocaust restitution programs. Kindly RSVP to Joan Margolis at 860.761.7094, or [email protected] or register online at bit.ly/JFS-Holocaust. This program is sponsored by Jewish Family Services, Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, Mandell JCC and Voices of Hope.

March 18: Congregation Beth Ahm Holds 35th Annual "Beat the Clock" Auction

Congregation Beth Ahm invites you to join the fast bidding excitement at its 35th annual Greater Hartford Beat the Clock Auction on Saturday, March 18. This casual-dress fundraiser - which features prizes you can use and enjoy every day - will be held at the synagogue at 362 Palisado Avenue (Route 159) in Windsor. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the live auction starts at 7:30 p.m., with rapid bidding at just 50 cents per bid. Prizes include restaurant, entertainment and sporting event gift cards; electronics and kitchen appliances; jewelry; a season of organic vegetables from a local farm; gardening supplies; and much more. The evening will also feature silent auctions, a restaurant and food auction, a "heads & tails" contest, and free door prize raffles. Admission is $10 at the door for adults and includes delicious refreshments. Credit cards are welcome. Congregation Beth Ahm is a Modern Conservative synagogue with members from across Greater Hartford, including interfaith families. To learn more, email [email protected] or call 860.688.9989.

Schechter Introduces Transformational, Multi-Age Educational Model

This fall, Solomon Schechter Day School will adopt an exciting holistic methodology that seamlessly integrates Hebrew, Judaic, and Secular Studies in multi-age classrooms to optimize student learning. Students will receive individualized instruction, greater social outlets and richly integrated curriculum. Each teaching team will include a full-time Hebrew/Judaics teacher and another for Secular Studies working together throughout the day. During skill-based work such as language arts, math, Hebrew and Chumash, students will work in flexible ability groupings to meet their changing needs. Cultural study groups for Israel education, social studies, science and Haggim will build community while integrating Jewish life and learning into every unit of study.  Schechter is very excited about this multi-age approach because it will support each student's academic, social, emotional and Jewish growth in a way that meets his or her personal learning style. It's a recipe for student success and for preparing tomorrow's Jewish leaders.

March 30: The Mandell JCC Presents The Women's Seder with YouTube Singing Sensation Michelle Citrin 

The journey continues as the Mandell JCC hosts a special pre-Passover Women's Seder on March 30 at The Emanuel Synagogue, 160 Mohegan Drive, West Hartford. Join women from all facets of the community to celebrate together. Rabbis, friends, sisters, mothers, grandmothers, and daughters will partake in the Passover Seder rituals and readings, enjoy a delicious dinner, and sing and dance with Youtube sensation Michelle Citrin and her band. Bring your friends! Registration begins at 5:00 p.m.; the Seder starts at 6:00 p.m. Admission is $50 per person for adults and $36 for students (Bat Mitzvah age through college) and includes a copy of The Journey Continues Haggadah. Patron and sponsorship packages are also available. Click here for details; for sponsorships and donations, please contact David Jacobs at 860.231.6313 or [email protected].

March 13: "American Jewish Philanthropy in the 21st Century" Presentation and Panel Discussion at Maurice Greenberg Center

The Maurice Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies at the University of Hartford will hold a free program on American Jewish philanthropy in the 21st century on March 13 beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the University's Wilde Auditorium at 200 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford. Lila Corwin Berman, PhD, Murray Friedman Chair of American Jewish History and Director of the Feinstein Center for American Jewish History at Temple University, will give remarks. A panel discussion will follow with Kathryn Gonnerman and Michael Johnston of Jewish Community Foundation; David Jacobs of the Mandell JCC; and Howard Sovronsky of Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford. Reservations are required; please call 860.768.5018 or email [email protected].

Jewish Children's Service Organization Celebrates 100 Years, Seeks Community Stories

The Jewish Children's Service Organization (JCSO) will celebrate 100 years of service to the Greater Hartford Jewish community this fall and is planning a historical retrospective. If you are a past or current member of JSCO or its Board of Directors, if you have any pictures or stories of JSCO to share, or if you were helped by JSCO in any way, the organization would like to hear from you! Information from beneficiaries of JSCO will be kept confidential. JSCO is committed to helping Jewish children grow and achieve their potential by helping their parents with basic needs, daycare costs, school backpacks, college scholarships and a Chanukah project. It also awards block grants to area Jewish day schools and summer camps. To share your memories or to learn more, please contact Marcia Mizrahi, President, at [email protected], or Anne Cohn,  Board Member, at [email protected].

March 16 - 26: "Hoops, Heroes and Chutzpah" at the Hartford Jewish Film Festival

A whirlwind adventure awaits with films that highlight the best of humanity at this year's 21st Annual Mandell JCC Hartford Jewish Film Festival on March 16 through 26. Connecticut's largest annual celebration of Jewish culture, history and people brings together beautiful and heartfelt stories of love and triumph, gripping documentaries, laugh out loud comedies, and soulful memories to this year's festival line up. This year's lineup includes 18 films from 10 countries, premiering in five venues! For tickets or to learn more, contact the Film Festival Box Office at 860.231.6316, visit the official film festival website, or contact the Member Services Center at 860.236.4571.

New from PJ Library: Free Jewish-Themed Chapter Books for Kids Ages 9 to 11!

PJ Library of Greater Hartford is delighted to announce that our community has been selected to participate in PJ Our Way. This means that children who are aging out of the PJ Library program at 8 years old can now enjoy free chapter books appropriate for ages 9 to 11. Learn more here.

March 19: "Securing Your Online Footprint" with Jewish Genealogical Society of Connecticut

Genealogical research has changed greatly in the 21st century. Many resources are available on the Internet, and social media enables you to find information, relatives, and other genealogists. But you need to be proactive about protecting your personal information. This free presentation by Doris Loeb Nabel, President of Jewish Genealogical Society of Connecticut (JGSCT), will help you limit what others can discover about you and control your tracking, browser preferences, cookies, passwords, social media, mobile phones, and more. (To get the most from this presentation, Doris suggests doing a quick Internet search on your name beforehand by entering it into the search bar of your browser.) The program begins at 1:30 p.m. on March 19 at Temple Sinai, 41 West Hartford Road, Newington; it is preceded by a brief business meeting for JGSCT members. The JGSCT library is also housed at Temple Sinai; members may borrow selected items.

March 23: "Farewell to the Homeland: Poyln" at Charter Oak Cultural Center

Imagine: a tiny shtetl in Dubiecko, Poland; three generations of a family klezmer band; family members live or die in the Holocaust; and Jewish music manuscripts are found in a family violin case.  Fast-forward to 2009 when Adrianne Greenbaum transcribes pages of music, travels to Poland and performs the tunes at the cemetery. Finally, FleytMuzik perform these works, with the full musical story coming to fruition today. "Farewell to the Homeland: Poyln" will be performed on March 23 at 7:00 p.m. at 21 Charter Oak Avenue in Hartford. For more information and tickets, click here. Part of Charter Oak Cultural Center's 12th Annual Celebration of Jewish Arts and Culture in collaboration with UCONN Center for Judaic Studies and Contemporary Jewish Life.

March 27: Mitzvah Mamas Welcome Rosh Chodesh Nisan

Women ages 13 to 120 are invited to welcome Rosh Chodesh Nisan (the beginning of the month of Nisan) with the Mitzvah Mamas on March 27 from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. We're a local group of women who gather together to connect, learn and celebrate Jewish life. We will share a meaningful hour together; please plan to arrive 15 minutes early, as we start and end as scheduled. Our Nisan shomeret/hostess is Beth Farber. Contact Mindy Glickman at [email protected] or 917.698.7952 or join The Mitzvah Mamas Facebook group for the location of this month's gathering or for further information. Chodesh Tov - a good month!

March 19, April 23, and May 7: S'mores and Tours at Camp Laurelwood

Camp Laurelwood isn't just a "summer thing." Come join us for S'mores and Tours on March 19, April 23, or May 7 to see for yourself! From 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., you'll meet our friendly staff and see our newly renovated campus during one of our open houses. Can't make it on the dates listed? Contact Evelyn Cohen to schedule a private tour, at [email protected]. Camp Laurelwood is located at 463 Summer Hill Road in Madison.

April 11: Celebrate Passover in Manchester! 10th Annual BSBI Community Seder

Join Beth Sholom B'nai Israel at 6:00 p.m. on April 11 for a spectacular second night Seder. Enjoy a warm atmosphere, traditional rituals led by Rabbi Randall Konigsburg, and a gourmet meal by Abel Caterers, with prayers, contemporary discussion and lots of singing! Non-members are very welcome! Early registration rates are available until March 24; all reservations close at 2:00 p.m. on March 31. For more information or to register, click here. Questions should be directed to Jeanne Lowrey at [email protected] or 860.643.9563 x103. Beth Sholom B'nai Israel is located at 400 Middle Turnpike East in Manchester.

June 7: Save the Date for Hebrew High School of New England's Unity Color Run

Calling all runners and walkers! Mark your calendars for  Hebrew High School of New England's 3rd Annual 5K Unity Color Run on Wednesday, June 7, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. More information is coming soon!

Children's Reading Partners' Preschool Pals Program Kicks Off the Spring Reading Season

Children's Reading Partners is excited to report that almost 40 new volunteers attended the Preschool Pals training last Thursday - and we've now doubled the number of preschools served. Preschool Pals will be reading with at-risk preschoolers in Bloomfield and Hartford schools for 10 weeks this spring. To learn more about this and other Children's Reading Partners literacy programs, please call 860.236.READ (7323), email [email protected], or follow us on Facebook. Children's Reading Partners is a program of the Jewish Community Relations Council, part of Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford.

October 30 - November 9: Community Mission to Israel!

Save the date for a life-changing adventure: Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford's 2018 Community Mission to Israel! Led by Co-Chairs Carolyn and Jeff Gitlin and Vicki and Richard Rosenthal, we'll spend 10 days exploring our Jewish homeland. In addition to visiting holy sites like the Western Wall, we'll learn more about modern Israeli culture and politics and see how Federation is making a difference in the lives of our brothers and sisters in need. More information is coming soon; in the meantime you can contact Elizabeth Appelman at 860.727.6123 or [email protected] with any questions.