Sunday, March 1, 2020
Lipstadt will speak at Birmingham-Southern College on Wednesday, March 4 at 7 pm
Holocaust Scholar Dr. Deborah Lipstadt Speaking in B'ham on Wednesday
Deborah E. Lipstadt, noted Holocaust scholar, author and anti-Semitism expert, is visiting Birmingham this week. She is one of the world’s foremost authorities on anti-Semitism, and is at the forefront of leading thinkers who are speaking out over growing and increasingly dangerous anti-Semitism.

The event will be Wednesday, March 4 at 7 pm at Birmingham-Southern College. The event is free and open to the public but tickets will be required.

The event is being underwritten by The Birmingham Jewish Foundation and is also being sponsored by Birmingham-Southern College and The Birmingham Jewish Federation, with the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center as an educational partner. 

Lipstadt, a professor at Emory University, has written numerous books. She was the subject of a movie, Denial , based on her book History on Trial: My Day in Court with a Holocaust Denier , which chronicles Lipstadt’s legal battle with Holocaust denier David Irving.

"The word “vision” sits atop her to-do list. That’s a broad term that can encompass many goals, but Dubrinsky-Clayton already has a clear idea of where she’d like to take The J."
LJCC Executive Director Highlighted in Village Living
"The Levite Jewish Community Center’s new executive director is already well-acquainted with her surroundings. Samantha Dubrinsky-Clayton grew up in Mountain Brook and has been going to “The J” since she was a child.

Dubrinsky-Clayton took over as the LJCC’s permanent executive director at the start of the year. She had held the position in an interim capacity since October 2018 and worked under the guidance of Richard Friedman, former Birmingham Jewish Federation executive director and LJCC CEO.
When Friedman retired from both roles at the end of 2019, Dubrinsky-Clayton dropped “interim” from her title. That she has attained such a lofty position at only 30 years old is a reality to which she’s still adapting."

"Our 2020 winners include a mix of CEOs, innovators, risk-takers and big thinkers from industries ranging from health care and real estate to law and technology." -Birmingham Business Journal
3 Members of Jewish Community Selected to BBJ 40 Under 40
T hree of our Birmingham Jewish community’s outstanding young leaders have been selected as part of the 2020 Birmingham Business Journal's Top 40 under 40. 

Please help us congratulate Scott Goldberg, Layne Held, and Jacob Kosoff. All three of these men have played important roles in the Jewish and broader Birmingham community over the years. They all continue to be inspiring young leaders and we are proud of their accomplishments and leadership.



Rabbi David Rosen, second from left, meeting with Saudi King Salman at the royal palace in Riyadh
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Saudi Arabian King meets with Rabbi for First Time in History
The Times of Israel recently ran an article about a Saudi Arabian king meeting with a Rabbi for the first time in history. Continue reading to learn more about their visit. "For apparently the first time in modern history, a rabbi met with the king of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh last week. King Salman hosted Jerusalem-based Rabbi David Rosen in his royal palace in the Saudi capital, in a move indicative of the monarchy’s desire to further open itself up to the Western world.

Rosen was born in England but moved to Israel years ago and is a member of the Israeli Chief Rabbinate’s Commission for Interreligious Dialogue. He spent two and a half days in the Saudi capital to attend a meeting of the King Abdullah International Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, where he is a member of the board of directors."

Rosen serves as the American Jewish Committee's director of interreligious affairs.The American Jewish Committee is one of the many organizations the Birmingham Jewish Federation helps fund through its Annual Campaign.

In the past years, IsraAID has responded to multiple epidemics and health-related disasters across around the globe.
IsraAID Launches Coronavirus Response
IsraAID recently reported that they "sent a shipment of emergency medical supplies and protective gear to the Chinese Ministry of Health on the last flight from Tel Aviv to mainland China, with our partners: the Israel-China Chamber of Commerce, INNONATION, and David Ashkenazi of ICCB Capital."

"In the coming weeks, IsraAID will continue to monitor the Coronavirus situation, and may launch a secondary response including Mental Health and Psychosocial Support for humanitarian aid workers and first responders working in the area, focusing on stress relief."

The Birmingham Jewish Federation's Israel-World Jewry Bureau (IWJB) committee is proud to have been funding IsraAID for the past four years. IsraAID is a leading humanitarian non-governmental organization providing life-saving emergency relief and durable solutions for populations affected by natural disasters, epidemics and post-conflict situations. Since 2001, IsraAID has become synonymous with a rapid response to humanitarian crises. The IWJB also receives funding from The Birmingham Jewish Foundation.

For more information on IWJB and the organizations that our community supports, please contact Florina Newcomb .

Upcoming Community Events

Falafel Sunday
Sunday, March 1 from 12:00-2:00 pm at Chabad of Alabama. All you can eat falafel, pita, Israeli salads, pizza, and more. Moon Bounce and Game Room. Last one of this school year! L

Parenting Counts...a Focus on Early Learning
Wednesday, March 5 from 8:00-9:00 am in the LJCC Board Room. Join the Cohn Early Childhood Learning Center for an Emotion Coaching session where we will focus on the importance of secure attachment and provide positive examples of how to help children understand their emotions. There will also be an in-depth look at the four parenting styles and the steps of Emotion Coaching. Register now
Purim Wild West Party with Mechanical Bull
Monday, March 9th, Maariv at 7:15 pm; Megillah Reading at 7:30 pm at Knesseth Israel Congregation. Wild West Purim Party with mechanical bull, balloon artist & margaritas! Dinner to feature Thai barbecue chicken and all the trimmings. Sling on your best Western duds and join us. Adults $18, Children 12 & Under $10, $72 max per family, YBIB Special Rate $15. Please RSVP and pay by Thursday, March 5th. Follow link and click "donate". Register now

Purim in the Shtetl*
Tuesday, March 10 at Chabad of Alabama. Megillah Reading at 4:30 pm. Join us in the shtetl this Purim at 5:00 pm for fun for the whole family! Delicious Shtetl dinner (think stuffed cabbage, brisket, kasha varnishkes, hamantachen, and so much more), open L'Chaims (bar), petting zoo, music, and more! *A Shtetl is a small Jewish town or village in eastern Europe. Register now

CARES Memory Cafe
Friday, March 13 from 1:00-2:30 pm at 3794 Crosshaven Road. Featuring music by Don Wendorf and Greg Womble – acoustic bluegrass with a modern flair. CARES Memory Café is a fun, friendly place for dementia patients and their loved ones to socialize, listen to live music and enjoy light refreshments. CARES Memory Café is FREE and open to all. Learn more

PJ Library Character Breakfast to celebrate Purim!
Sunday, March 15th from 10:00-11:30 am in the LJCC Auditorium. Get the entire family dressed up as your favorite character and enjoy a fun-filled breakfast! You'll be joined with some of your favorite princesses, superheroes, and historical characters from the Purim story. Enjoy a meal, face painting, crafts, and story time. $18 for each child (includes 1 adult), $25 for each child at the door (includes 1 adult), children under 1 are free. This program is sponsored by the LJCC and PJ Library. PJ Library is funded locally by the Birmingham Jewish Foundation’s Andrew David Abroms Fund. Register now

Color4Friendship One Mile Color Run
Sunday, March 15 at 1:30 pm at the LJCC. Join Friendship Circle for a one-mile color run! After every 1/4 mile, runners, walkers, and strollers will be doused in color! Followed by a color throw, inflatables, and more paint fun. Learn more