Sunday, July 19, 2020
Birmingham's Jewish teens can participate in the ADL's Words to Action program virtually from their homes.
Words to Action: Empowering Jewish Teens to Fight Anti-Semitism
Words to Action is an interactive education program for middle school, high school, and college students designed to empower and equip them with constructive and effective responses to combat anti-Semitism and anti-Israel bias including stereotypes, vandalism, harassment, hate speech, and anti-Israel incidents. Words to Action is a program of the Anti-Defamation League and will be offered to Birmingham's Jewish teens through an online platform.

This program is generously underwritten by The Birmingham Jewish Federation, The Birmingham Jewish Foundation and the Levite Jewish Community Center.
Wednesday, August 5 at 11 am: Rising 9th and 10th graders
Thursday, August 6 at 1 pm: Rising 11th and 12th graders (graduated seniors may also attend this session)

Campers having fun playing games at Camp LJCC
Jewish Day Camp During COVID-19: Persevering Locally & Nationally
Below are highlights from the Birmingham Jewish community's two day camps that are offering "normal" summer opportunities for our children.

Chabad of Alabama is running a 4 week Camp Gan Israel summer camp this summer. Though camp looks a bit different this year, we are dedicated to ensuring that our campers are having a safe summer, not only physically, but also emotionally. Through sports, dancing, swimming, water activities, art and so much more, our campers are imbued with Jewish pride that will stay on long after Gan Israel is over. Gan Israel also added an extra program for boys 12-13 years old who are too old to be in the main camp program but whose summer plans have left them at home. This program takes the campers outdoors for hiking, swimming, biking and boating.

Camp LJCC has had an amazing five weeks of camp serving over 180 unique campers! The campers, counselors and Youth & Camp Director Tina Weldon have found so many ways to have fun, despite the challenges that COVID-19 presents. With several weeks of camp left, we invite your camper to come and see what Camp LJCC has to offer. You'll be greeted with a "Shalom" by our camp staff each morning and end your week with a special Kabbalat Shabbat that involves social distancing practices. There's no place like Camp LJCC!

ENP’s successful academic program receives funding from the Birmingham Jewish Federation and Foundation
Ethiopian National Project Finding Success with SPACE
The results are in and are impressive! The Ethiopian National Project (ENP) assists some of Israel’s most vulnerable citizens, those whose families have immigrated to Israel from Ethiopia. A third of this community lives below the poverty level. ENP receives funding from the Birmingham Jewish Federation’s Israel World Jewry Bureau for SPACE, a scholastic enrichment program, for grades 7-12. SPACE is independently reviewed annually and the results should make us proud. SPACE participants reached a 78% passing rate on the Israeli national high school exam surpassing the national Hebrew-speaking average of 73%!

ENP representatives have visited Birmingham and many people from Birmingham have gotten to see ENP in action in Israel. The IWJB receives funding from The Birmingham Jewish Federation's annual campaign and The Birmingham Jewish Foundation.

Cyndi Bryant, LICSW, is among the professional therapists who are providing virtual counseling through CJFS.
CJFS Finds Success with Virtual Counseling
When COVID-19 forced Collat Jewish Family Services to suspend in-person counseling, some clients had doubts about whether virtual counseling would be as effective. But many, such as Robbie Rosenbaum, were pleasantly surprised.

Please join us as we honor two outstanding community volunteers and install the board of directors for the Birmingham Jewish Federation.
Save the Date! BJF Annual Meeting - Sunday, August 30
Community Programs & Announcements

CARES Virtual Support Group
Mondays at 1:30 pm and Thursdays at 7:30 pm via Zoom. To help dementia caregivers cope with stress, Collat Jewish Family Services’ CARES respite program is now offering its free Virtual Support Group twice weekly. The group is led by CJFS professional staff. Register now

Health, Emotional, Financial & Religious Impacts of the Coronavirus Pandemic in the Jewish Community
Monday, July 20 at 7:00 pm via Zoom. Brought to you by Knesseth Israel Congregation. Presented by Mark Trencher of Nishma Research. Mark will cover all the important statistics showing how the Jewish community has been impacted by COVID-19.
Trencher is the founder of Nishma Research, which conducts Jewish communal and organizational studies. Watch here

Archives at Home: The Dr. Werner Knurr Collection
Thursday, July 23 from 7:00-8:30 pm via Zoom. Holocaust survivor Dr. Werner Knurr joins BHEC archivist Rachel Lopez to tell the story of his family’s escape from Nazi Germany through the rare and unique collection of artifacts he has generously donated to the BHEC. From a comfortable life in Aurich, Germany, to hardships endured under the Nuremberg Laws, and finally to building a new life in Montgomery, Alabama, there is much to be learned from the Knurr family’s experiences. Register here

Mishkan HaNefesh - Temple Emanu-El's New High Holy Day Prayer Book
August 5, 12, and 19 at 6:00 pm via Zoom. Come and learn about Temple Emanu-El's new High Holy Day prayer book, Mishkan HaNefesh, in this three-class series. This prayer book gives us a wealth of resources for finding new meaning in these High Holy Days. Through updated translations, readings, and poetry, as well as easily accessible transliteration and new liturgical innovations, Mishkan HaNefesh breathes new life into High Holy Day services. RSVP here

Hands Up Together - Date Rescheduled
Thursday, August 13 from 5:30-6:00 pm via Zoom. Collat Jewish Family Services’ 2020 Hands Up Together event honoring Marjorie Perlman has been rescheduled as a virtual event. Sponsors and ticket holders will receive information about how to join this Zoom event. For more information, contact Elaine Witt .

Knesseth Israel FM Radio Service at 105.7
Sundays from 7:00 to 7:45 pm in the Knesseth Israel Parking Lot. Rabbi Rube and guests invite you to drive into the main KI parking lot at the front of the building. Please remain in your car and turn on your FM radio to 105.7 and enjoy the live broadcast.

*Virtual* L'Chaim 2020
Sunday, August 23 from 2:00-3:00 pm live online. L’Chaim will be inspiring as ever, and for everyone’s safety and enjoyment will be a live virtual event this year. Join the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center as they recognize our honorees Susan and David Silverstein . Learn more
Support our Local Agencies and Synagogues with Amazon Smile
Amazon Smile, a website operated by Amazon lets customers enjoy the same wide selection of products, low prices, and convenient shopping features as on Amazon.com. The difference is that when customers shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to the charitable organizations selected by customers. Please visit: smile.amazon.com If you have an existing Amazon.com account, you use the same account on AmazonSmile. All of our Birmingham agencies and synagogues are listed on Amazon Smile and you may choose one of them as the beneficiary of your purchases.