Jewish Community Center of    JCC the Place to Be
 Long Beach Island  E-Letter

 June 28, 2019
 25 Sivan 5779




    Happy July 4th


Contents
Message from the Rabbi
Kol Hakavod
The Week That Was...
Mah jongg
Summer Activities
Federation News
Shoprite Scrip
TD Affinity Program
Next Week's Events
Service Schedule
Yahrzeits for Next Week
Happy Birthday
Congregation News
Celebrate a Milestone
Sponsor an Oneg Shabbat
Sponsor a Kiddish
Giving Opportunities
Bulletin Ads
Name Badges
Documents & Links
A MESSAGE FROM THE RABBI

This week's Parasha, Shelakh Lekha, is near and dear to my heart. It is my daughter's Bat Mitzvah Parasha and we studied it together many years ago.   Sammi subtitled the Parasha "Spies, Lies, Cries and Ties". Below I am summarizing the D'Var Torah she gave at her Bat Mitzvah.
 
SPIES
God tells Moses to send 12 spies into Canaan to scout the land out and to provide a report. The spies are chosen, one from each of the tribes. Each one is a leader. They represent the best that Israel has to offer. But let's see where that gets us. Is this a meritocracy or are the Spies chosen because of family name and history?
 
When the spies return from their vacation in sunny Canaan, they give an interesting, If not completely truthful, report. They brought back fruits and a cluster of grapes that was so big that needed two people to hold it. The land, they said, flows with milk and honey. This was the start of the report and everyone present shouted Hooray!!! But then something happens and the happy story takes a dark turn.
 
LIES
The land may be beautiful, 10 of the spies cried, but it devours its inhabitants. That is weird because they then describe giants who made the Israelites look like Grasshoppers. If the land devoured its inhabitants, how is it that there were giants on the land? It seems that the Spies needed to get their story straight.
 
The spies said that "we looked like grasshoppers to ourselves, and so we must have looked [like grasshoppers] to them." Notice that the Text does not say that they were the size of grasshoppers...it says we "looked like grasshoppers." There are lies being told by the best and the bravest.
 
But, in truth, who are these men? They are not warriors. A few short months ago they were slaves. Of course they were afraid, Until God came around they were an abused and subdued people. How could God expect any more of them?
 
Furthermore, they knew that they only got out of Egypt because God led the way. And if God needs them to scout the Promised Land, then perhaps God is going to make them fight for real. Not what a slave wants to hear.
 
Only 2 of the spies, Joshua (the future leader who would later tumble the walls of Jericho) and Caleb, tell the truth and advise people that if they have faith in God, they would prevail.
 
CRIES
However, the children of Israel choose only to hear the bad report. Instead of remembering how God took them out of Egypt with miracles and wonders, and instead of having faith in the Deity's incredible power, they cry and want to get rid of Moses and Aaron. They even want to go back to Egypt. God becomes so furious that He threatens to destroy the whole group except Moses. God even offers to start the Children of Israel over again, with Moses as the father.
 
But Moses, using his best lawyering skills, brilliantly represents his Israelite clients and gets God to avert the decree. His argumentation is flawless; he plays to God's ego by explaining that if God kills them before they get in to the land, then it will look as if God could not get the job done and decided just to wipe the people out.
 
God listens and changes his punishment. The punishment imposed would be that the Israelites would wander in the desert for 40 years, one year for each day that the spies were scouting the land. None of the people who were alive and received the false report, except for Caleb and Joshua, would see the Promised Land.
 
TIES
By the end of the Parasha, There is what appears to be a non-sequiter as God commands the people to wear Tzitzit. But his will actually tie everything together.
 
So what is the take-away from all of this. We get many lessons, but what I want to point out is something that I think is a major theme of Torah. There is always room for conversation, and growth, and there is room for change.
 
How do we see these points here.
 
1)      The majority of the spies are telling a bad tale, but Caleb and Joshua are willing to, at least try, to extend the conversation. Here it may not have worked, but Torah is telling us that we need to express that minority opinion.
 
2)      God can be argued with, reasoned with and God can be forgiving even when the Deity is really angry. Moses shows this when he is able to negotiate a better penalty. Indeed, so important is this notion of God's capacity for forgiveness that the phrase used to express this was taken from Shelakh Lecha and placed into the Yom Kippur liturgy by the Rabbis..."Vayomer Adonai Sehlakhti keedvahrekha" "I pardon as you have asked" Chapter 14:20.

I think the next one becomes the most important message.
3)      People, and God, can grow and learn. Joshua and Caleb become bigger leaders almost out of nowhere (Do we see hints of a meritocracy?)
Moses grows and learns. He starts as a person slow of speech in the beginning of his story, and becomes a person who is quite eloquent.
 
God, also, grows and learns. Remember the Ten Commandments? It says: "I am your God, you shall have no other, don't make any images of Me". it's nice stuff, but it fails to take into account the human dependence on sight.
 
By the end of the spy incident, God has learned that the people need more than an impersonal cloud or fire. The tzitzit, referenced at the end of the Torah portion, become a tangible reminder of God's presence and, thought the Tallit, that presence is forever attached to each person. It is very powerful.
 
The message of this Torah, is that if Moses, the greatest Prophet, and God the God of all Gods, can change, then how much more so should we be able to change. To be able to fine-tune ourselves is a gift given to us, and learned from, God.
 
Shabbat shalom  - Rabbi Michael S. Jay relaying the thoughts of Samantha Jay.

KOL HAKAVOD CAMPAIGN

Please consider being a part of this campaign to supplement the clergy needs of our congregation.   This is a separate, voluntary commitment  and is additional to our low annual dues obligation. HERE IS THE LINK TO BRING UP THE DONATION FORM KOL HAKAVOD

 

THE WEEK THAT WAS....

The weather cooperated for SHABBAT ON THE BEACH last Friday evening in Loveladies.  About 100 people welcomed in Shabbat.  Shabbat bags with candles, grape juice and little challah rolls were given out.  Thank you to Noralyn Carroll, Sue & Art Davis and grandson, Jill Denker and Sue Beekman for help to put the bags together and to Stuart Pepose for handing out the service booklets and to Irene & Mike Babst for giving out the bags after the service.  The Membership Committee of Maxine Paris, Noralyn Carroll and Lenore Forsted greeted everyone and took information from our guests.

Next Shabbats on the Beach: July 19th at 24th Street Beach, Spray Beach and August 16th at Loveladies.
MAH JONGG & CANASTA
Mah jongg

Mah jongg & Canasta
Wednesdays from 
12:30 to 4:00 PM


SUMMER ACTIVITIES





CHAVERAH PANCAKE 
BREAKFAST
Monday, July 8 @ 9:30 AM


 
 

JULY BAZAAR
Wed., July 10th
Volunteers Needed - Call Mary Beth in the office
609-492-4090
August Bazaar - 8/14


BOOK CLUB
Monday, July 15 @ 10:30
"Inheritance" by Dani Shapiro



MICHAEL D'AMORE CONCERT
Sunday Evening, July 21st at 7 PM 
An Evening of Music & Dancing, Snacks, 
Drinks & Dessert 
Tickets $35.00


Sunday, July 28 @ 10 AM
Details to Follow

 
WOMEN'S ROSH CHODESH

Thursday, August 1 @ 7 PM
Thursday, August 22 Place & Time TBA


BREAKFAST WITH THE AUTHOR

Sunday, August 4 @ 10 AM
Susan Shapiro Barash
discusses her new novel
"A Palm Beach Wife"







REMEMBER THE CATSKILLS
Sunday August 18th 7:00 PM 
 An evening with comedian, Larry Donsky, 
and singer, Vincent Talarico. 
Snacks, drinks and dessert. 
Tickets - $35.00


FEDERATION NEWS

  We are very excited to announce that two of the films in the Jewish Federation of Ocean County Jewish Film Festival will also be shown at the Regal Cinemas in Manahawkin.


Tuesday, August 20th  @ 7:00 PM 
"Shoelaces"
More info, see:  SHOELACES



Sunday, August 25th @ 7:00 PM  

"The Light of Hope"
More info, see: Light of Hope


Postcards about all the films will be sent to you shortly.  

If you would like to be a sponsor of the festival,
see form here: Sponsor

SHOPRITE & ACME SCRIP

Purchase Acme & Shoprite Scrip while still available in the JCC Office.
TD AFFINITY PROGRAM


Easy money! 

Do you have an account with TD Bank? 

You can contribute to the JCC without it costing you a cent. TD Bank will pay us on the number of accounts in our TD Affinity Club. There is no minimum number of members. We automatically receive $10 for every checking account and .01% of the balance on Savings Accounts. In addition we receive $50 for any new accounts.  This is strictly confidential and the JCC does not know the amount in any of the accounts. 

Think about joining this program and helping the JCC to reap the benefits.


 
JCC INFORMATION
 
 
 
THE OFFICE IS LOCATED AT
2411 Long Beach Boulevard (24th Street)
Spray Beach, NJ 08008

ENTER THE BUILDING DURING OFFICE HOURS
THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR.
FOR HANDICAPPED ENTRANCE
PRESS THE ENTRY BUTTON ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE ENTRANCE FOR ADMITTANCE.


Mailing Address:
2411 Long Beach Blvd.
Spray Beach, NJ 08008

Telephone: 609-492-4090
FAX: 609-492-7550

web site: www.jccoflbi.org  
  
 OFFICE HOURS:     
Monday - Friday 
from 9:00 - 1:30
  
 

 
Mary Beth, Tony and Leslie

Office Staff:
 Leslie Dinkfelt, Office Manager
 
Mary Beth Krieger, Staff Member
Tony DeGregorio, Custodial Staff



Kitchen Manager
Susan Berube


CONTACT INFORMATION:
  
Rabbi Michael S. Jay

Michael Babst, President
mjbofjcclbi@gmail.com

  VIEW THE MAY/JUNE BULLETIN
with this link
 
E-mail Editor: Rose Valentine 
rvalen 1963@aol.com
 

"Like" Us on Facebook: Search for Jewish Community Center of Long Beach Island and make sure the JCC of LBI: The Place to Be icon shown above shows up
or click on this link  FACEBOOK
or cut and paste:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jewish-Community-Center-of-Long-Beach-Island/345647489300?ref=br_tf

NEXT WEEK'S EVENTS
6/28/19 - 7/5/19

Wednesday
12:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Mah jongg
Canasta

SEE NEW TWO PAGE SUMMER CALENDAR

SHABBAT SHALOM

Shabbat 
Candle Lighting Time

Friday 
June 28, 2019
8:10 PM
(So. Ocean County NJ)

   JOIN US FOR SERVICES
Friday evening
June 28, 2019
8:00 PM

RABBI'S TALK:
"What is in a Word"

Saturday morning
June 29, 2019
9:00 AM Torah Study
10:00 AM Services

Torah Reading
Sh'lach
Numbers 13:1 - 15:41 
Here is the Portion

Haftorah
Joshua 2:1 - 2:24
Here is the Haftorah:

Torah Readers:
Aaron Lombardi
Sam Kohn

Haftorah Chanter
Sam Kohn


SPECIAL SHABBATS

 
SCHOLARS NEAR THE BEACH
July 12 - 14
Rabbi Jonathan Rubinstein
&
Rabbi Linda Motzkin

"Making Torah, Baking Bread, Building Community"

July 26 - 27
Shabbat with ZOA Speaker
Topics:
 "Why Support Israel" "Protecting  College Campuses"


Celebrating
AARON LOMBARDI

as he moves on
to Rutgers University this Fall
at Saturday morning
services
August 24th.

Please help us create a special atmosphere by not using electronic devices (phones, cameras, games etc) in or around the synagogue on Shabbat 
 and Holidays. No food or drink is permitted in the sanctuary.



YAHRZEITS FOR NEXT WEEK

These names will be  read at services on  June 28, 2019

Eldon Dondershine*
Bennie Reiff*
Edward Weiss
Joseph Jagust
Rose Rudnick*
Mollie Soto
Mollie Steinberg
Meyer Dobrow
Patricia Husak
Helen Muscente
Charlotte Rosenberg
Howard Seidler
George Wolpert
Harold Berson
Chester Goldberg
Minnie Lipsitz
Betty Sampson
Malcom Zlotkin*
Albert Alexander*
Benjamin Einhorn*
Dr. H. Robert Freed*
Joseph Goldstein
Lillain Goodman
Lori-Ann Keating
Mika Meshulam
George Cofsky

  PLEASE LET THE OFFICE KNOW WHEN YOU WILL NEED A MINYAN TO SAY KADDISH.  

 
* Yahrzeit Plaque - These names are lovely enshrined on our synagogue 
memorial boards.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Cake

This Week's
Birthdays:


Vicky Baty
June 29
Barbara Lenkowsky
June 29
Michael Lippman
June 30
Dina Ranade
July 1
Richard Schey
July 2
David Shatz
July 4
Elaine Steinberg
July 5
 
 

If you have not given the office your birthday information and would like to receive birthday wishes, please notify the office of your date of birth.

And if you would like to have the Rabbi give you or a family member a special blessing on the Shabbat of your/their birthday, please let him know: RABBI

CONGREGATION
NEWS



SHARE YOUR NEWS
AND PICTURES

 
 
 
Caring 
CARING COMMITTEE
   
This committee acts as a support system for congregation members facing illness and other personal situations that need to be addressed.
Please contact Chairperson,
Debby Schweighardt
if you are in need of assistance or if you know of a JCC member
that needs our help.
973-634-5349 
 
   
CELEBRATE A MILESTONE AT THE JCC

The JCC is a beautiful place to celebrate a milestone: wedding, anniversary, baby naming, birthday.

Contact the office for further information. 609-492-4090
 
SPONSOR AN ONEG SHABBAT


SPONSOR
an Oneg Shabbat 
on Friday night

with a $36.00 
minimum contribution

See this form for details
ONEG

Call the JCC Office to reserve a date.
609-492-4090
SPONSOR A KIDDUSH


We are proud to announce the establishment of the 
Zena Jay Kiddush Fund
in memory of Rabbi Jay's mother

Those who want to sponsor a kiddish or would like to donate to the fund, can contact the office at 609-492-4090

For information about 
sponsoring a Kiddush

SEE DONATION & MENU:

GIVING OPPORTUNITIES

SEND ONE OF OUR TRIBUTES IN HONOR OR IN MEMORY OF
See order form here: TRIBUTE

PAVERS
Inscribe a paver at the front entrance to the building
See form for your order:  PAVERS
 

Become a permanent part of the JCC landscape.
Purchase a personalized paving stone 
in honor of your family or in memory of a loved one.
It will be 
WRITTEN IN STONE
Please contact
Diane Hoffman 
with your order 
or with any questions: 
dihoff1@aol.com

TREE OF LIFE
Add a leaf (leaves) to our beautiful Tree of Life located in the Social Hall.  See the order form here: 

Bronze Leaf $90 
Silver Leaf $126 
Gold :Leaf $180

ENDOWMENT FUND
Join Herb and Selma Shapiro z'l to help assure the continuity of our JCC, and our ability to continue providing a full-service congregation to serve the Jewish people of the area.

A donation of at least $50,000 to the endowment fund will allow the donor to name one of the funds as the donor wishes. All such name funds will be joined together to be part of the endowment fund portfolio.

Judith & Donald Pripstein have joined the Shapiros with a $50,000 donation and have established The Pripstein Family Endowment Fund.

All members are encouraged to help this important effort by contributing to this fund whether as a specific named fund, or as a general donation.

Your gift to the fund can be sent to the JCC Office. Please mark your check accordingly.


YAHRZEIT PLAQUES
Space is available for memorial plaques on the yahrzeit boards in the Sanctuary. Here is the order form: PLAQUES

BULLETIN ADS

Please contact the JCC Office (609-492-4090) if you would like to place an ad in the Bulletin
NAME BADGES

If you did not order a name tag, we will be putting in another order.  Here is the link for the form to order your name tag:  BADGES

DOCUMENTS AND LINKS

 

JUST CLICK AND YOU'RE THERE!!!

 

LATEST BULLETIN:

BULLETIN 

 

WEB SITE:

JCC WEB SITE

 

MEMBERSHIP FORMS

MEMBERSHIP  

 

PAVERS:

PAVERS 

 

TREE OF LIFE

TREE 

 

YAHRZEIT PLAQUE FORM:

PLAQUE 

 

KOL HAKAVOD DONATION FORM

KOL HAKAVOD

 

ONEG SHABBAT SPONSOR:

ONEG 

 

KIDDISH SPONSOR:

KIDDISH