The Westchester Jewish Council's
Community Connection
Your bi-weekly and every so often e-newsletter
April 30, 2020 6 Iyyar 5780
|
|
Hello!
On April 27, 1976, our forefathers/mother, in order to create a more perfect union of Westchester Jewish organizations, incorporated the
Westchester Jewish Conference (now Council
) to bring together the many organizations that served Westchester Jewry. The impetus, as well reported by our founding past presidents including the late Hon. Samuel G. Fredman and Saul Singer was the Yom Kippur War of 1973. After a few starts and stops, the Conference was formed!
Today, 45 years later, we continue the mission of serving the needs of the community, developed from the ground up, of 150,000 Jews and 137 Jewish organizations.
Let’s all take a moment and recognize the inspired Jewish community we belong to. And lets all prepare to bring our vim and vigor to bear as we emerge from this pandemic with a deepened love for each other, community and Judaism.
|
|
Sincerely,
Lisa Roberts, President
Lori Kurlander, Communications Manager
Elliot Forchheimer, CEO
WESTCHESTER JEWISH COUNCIL
"HERE WHEN YOU NEED US
YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW"
(The Council is financially supported by donations from individuals,
dues from 136 member organizations and generous grant support from UJA-Federation)
|
|
Please support the work of the Westchester Jewish Council. Your donation makes a difference each and every day. Click
here
to donate
|
|
WESTCHESTER JEWISH COUNCIL UPCOMING EVENTS
|
|
DON'T MISS THIS EVENT HAPPENING TODAY
|
|
TODAY/THURSDAY---
UJA-Federation, JCRC-NY, and Westchester Jewish Council invite you to:
A Special Briefing on the Federal Response to the Covid-19 Crisis With United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Thursday. April 30, 2020 • 1:15 - 2:15 pm
Please join us for a virtual briefing with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand on the recently passed federal relief legislation, the CARES Act and Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, as well as the anticipated 4th relief package.
The Senator also will discuss the federal response to food insecurity during the Covid-19 crisis.
If you are unable to participate, the program will be recorded.
|
|
COME AND LEARN. (4 sessions left.)
INTRODUCTION TO JUDAISM
A Nine-Part Weekly Series Led by Rabbis From Throughout the area presented by
The Westchester Board of Rabbis, UJA and The Westchester Jewish Council,
Tuesdays, 7-8:30pm. This program
will take place each Tuesday Night through May 26th.
Each session is based upon a chapter in Stephen Wylen's "Settings of Silver: An Introduction to Judaism".
You may attend as many of the sessions as you choose as each stands alone. No prior knowledge is necessary, just a willingness to learn. Free and open to all
Please click
here
for the Introduction to Judaism curriculum.
|
|
COMING ON JUNE 4
Silver Anniversary
The 25th Annual Julian Y. Bernstein
Distinguished Service Awards
Virtual
Ceremony
|
|
This year's DSA Ceremony
will take place (virtually) on
Thursday June 4th from 7:30pm-8:45 PM.
While we will miss gathering with the community in person to honor 22 individuals for their outstanding dedication to the Westchester Jewish community, we will join one another via zoom. In recognition of the Silver Anniversary of the awards, we will also be honoring
Donald J. Fleishaker
who was the recipient of a first DSA Award in 1996.More details will follow.
If you would like to make a contribution in honor of one of the evening's honorees, please click
here
.
|
|
WESTCHESTER JEWISH COUNCIL'S SECURITY UPDATE
"
By
failing
to
prepare
,
you
are
preparing to fail" B. Franklin
|
|
Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr.'s office
and
The Westchester Jewish Council
co-hosted a Zoom meeting on April 27th
.
The DA's office discussed their plan to investigate the recent anti-Semitic cases of zoom-bombing that have occurred in Westchester in recent weeks. Along with District Attorney Scarpino, Jr., the panel included members of the Investigations Division and the Westchester Intelligence Center.
Thank you to everyone who joined and contributed to this event.
The DA's office issued a press release about the event. Click
here
to read more.
|
Pictured: Andrew Ludlum, Acting Director of the Westchester Intelligence Center
|
Pictured: Lisa Roberts, President, Westchester Jewish Council
|
|
PROGRAMMING AND EVENTS YOU CAN ENJOY FROM HOME
|
|
Today - Thursday, April 30, 2020, 8:30 - 9:30 p.m. EST
Please join Peggy Orenstein, bestselling author of Boys & Sex (and also of Girls & Sex), and
Moving Traditions
(Council member) for an honest conversation about masculinity. Adult mentors and alumni from the Moving Traditions Shevet program will provide a Jewish perspective on pleasure, pornography, and healthy relationships.
|
|
AJC
(Council member) will be hosting the following
:
Social Media 101
Discussion and Training
Thursday, April 30
th
Thursday, May 7
th
Thursday, May 14
th
10-11 AM Zoom Discussion(Link & Password Upon Registration)
In this time when we are all confined to our homes and looking at screens even more than we used to, social media has taken on new prominence. As a Jewish organization with a large following on social media, AJC has long recognized its value in the marketplace of ideas. If you are not following AJC on either Facebook or Twitter, you are missing most of the content being put out there by AJC and missing out on an effective advocacy tool. We know that this is daunting for many who are unfamiliar with the tool, so we have put together a special 3-part online series on social media with AJC experts in which you can take part from the comfort of your home.
Register for 1, 2 or all 3 sessions.
Questions? Contact AJC Associate Regional Director Jill Friedman at friedmanj@ajc.org
|
|
The Jewish Education Project (Council Member)
Yom HaAtzma'ut Celebration
Sunday, May 3 | 10:30 am - 9:30 pm EDT
Featuring: Israel Story, Mayumuna, and members of the Fauda cast. Join thousands across North America to celebrate Israel’s 72
nd
Independence Day! Virtual celebrations throughout the day for children, teens, and families. Music, art, and conversation with well-known Israelis, interactive workshops, games, contests, and more.
Let’s celebrate together.
|
|
Learn with
JTS
Faculty and Fellows (Council member):
Monday, May 4, 1:00-2:15 p.m. ET
Explore how the values and priorities portrayed in a Talmudic story about the siege of Jerusalem shed light on present-day questions of political leadership, unreliable news sources, physical privation, and economic disparity. Part of Times of Crisis and Possibility, an online series with JTS faculty and fellows. With
Dr. Sarah Wolf
, Assistant Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics, JTS.
|
|
Update with NY State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and NY State Senator Shelley Mayer
We are pleased to inform you that NYS Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and NYS Senator Shelley Mayer will join
Nonprofit Westchester
for a Zoom Update.
Date: Monday, May 11, 2020 Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: Online (Registrants will receive a link to join in advance)
THANK YOU TO NONPROFIT WESTCHESTER FOR OPENING THIS UP TO ALL
|
|
As always and per protocol, please report any security concerns immediately to your local Police Department and then to the Council for follow up.
|
|
UJA-FEDERATION OF NEW YORK IN WESTCHESTER
|
|
UJA Pre-Shabbat Gathering
Our shuls may be closed, but our hearts have never been more open. We're continuing to convene some of our community's rabbis to offer comfort and hope as we bring in Shabbat together. Join us this Friday, May 2 at 2PM for our community-wide virtual Shabbat gathering!
🍷
Sign up or tune in live on Facebook as we come together in prayer, song, and learning.
Featuring:
Eric S. Goldstein, CEO, UJA-Federation of New York
Rabbi Steven Exler, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale -
The Bayit
|
|
UJA Community Webinars
(Including a warm, pre-Shabbat gathering tomorrow)
for both personal and professional use.
|
|
WESTCHESTER JEWISH COUNCIL ROUNDTABLES (ConnecTables)
|
|
Westchester Jewish Council
Upcoming C
ommunity Roundtables
(The Council thanks the hundreds of people that dedicate time to attend our Roundtables-
a signature initiative of the Council often sponsored with wonderful partners from among our member organizations)
|
|
We will be hosting our roundtables via Zoom in the coming weeks.
Some Upcoming Council Roundtables
:
Volunteer Leadership Roundtable
- Thursday, May 7th at 11am
Youth Professionals Roundtable
- May 14th at 11am
Marketing Roundtable
- coming in June
Contact the Council office at (914) 328-7001 for information on these and other Roundtables--a key offering of the Westchester Jewish Council.
|
|
WESTCHESTER JEWISH COUNCIL LOOKS BACK
|
|
The Council was honored to partner with our member organization, the
Friends of the Israel Defense Force (FIDF)
and
Israel Bonds
in presenting a program in observance of Yom HaZikaron (Israel Memorial Day).
Thank you to the thousands of people worldwide that logged on.
|
|
Mazal Tov to:
Rabbi Andrew Ergas
on his appointment as Executive Director at Hebrew at the Center.
Condolences to:
Hon. Justin Brasch
, White Plains Council Member, on the passing of his mother, Ruth Brasch z"l.
Cantor Randall Schloss
, Temple Israel of New Rochelle, and family on the passing of his mother Myrna Schloss, z'l.
|
|
RideConnect
, a not-for-profit program of Family Services of Westchester, is dedicated to finding the fastest and most cost-effective transportation options to meet the needs of older adults, age 60+, in southern Putnam and Westchester Counties.
RideConnect has temporarily added a new 'Shop and Drop' Service for older adults and
for those with compromised immune systems
- volunteer shoppers will shop for groceries or medications and then deliver to your home - please note that the client is responsible for paying for the groceries.
Click Here
to request a volunteer shopper or call (914) 242-7433 or (914) 760-2779 for more information.
|
|
For Teens and Pre-Teens: Virtual E-Sports Tournaments
While it was a huge disappointent that the Maccabi Games were cancelled, there is a new opportunity out there that is being sponsored by LOST TRIBE℠ ESPORTS. They are stepping in to bring us xBox and PS4 tournaments for free! They are committed to building a global, year-round, Jewish esports platform. Compete with friends and make new ones, from around the corner and around the world. Please visit their
website
for latest schedule and to RSVP information.
|
|
April 1st was Census Day – but the 2020 Census is not over! People who have not responded can still do so by Internet, phone and by mail. Help us to spread the message - the 2020 Census is taking place and it is important for everyone to respond on Census Awareness Weekend: May 1st, May 2nd, and May 3rd, 2020.
|
|
|
|
Heros for Heroes
Kosher meal packages and snacks delivered to first responders, healthcare professionals and nursing home staff.
call 973-812-0329.
|
|
Westchester Jewish Council Teen Organizations include:
Thank you to the Jewish Education Project for working so closely with our Teen professionals and volunteers!
|
|
WESTCHESTER EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
|
|
JBS can be seen live 24/7 on Cablevision (channel 138), Verizon FIOS (channel 798), ROKU and on
|
|
Westchester Jewish Council
925 Westchester Avenue, Suite 200
White Plains, NY 10604
914-328-7001 |
info@wjcouncil.org |
www.wjcouncil.org
|
|
The next Community Connection will be published on or about May 7, 2020.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
