Jewish Community Center of Long Beach Island E-Letter
March 4, 2022
1 Adar II 5782
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The Spirit of Shabbat
"More than Jews have kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept the Jews."
Achad Ha'am
Join with thousands of Jews in the US and Canada to celebrate Shabbat together.
Conceived and organized by NJOP (National Jewish Outreach Program) in 1997, Shabbat Across America and Canada represents a united effort by the entire Jewish community to renew interest in the fourth of the Ten Commandments – observing a weekly day of rest.
The JCC of LBI is observing Shabbat this week with a Virtual Service and Dinner
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A TORAH MESSAGE FROM THE RABBI
Parashat Pekudei concludes the book of Exodus with the building of the Mishkan, intended to be a “home” for God to “dwell among” the Israelites. God, then descended, in a cloud, upon the Tent of Meeting and filled to the entire Tabernacle.
The Tabernacle is made from the gold, silver, precious gems, and other valuable free-will offerings made by the Israelites. It is constructed in accordance with very specific instructions from God.
God is clearly seeking relationship with the Israelites. While I believe that the Tabernacle was built and existed, I also believe that it is a literary metaphor. To be in relationship with a “People” a structure may be needed. But to be in relationship with an individual there is no need for a “place”. The person becomes the “place”.
I believe that, just as the physical structure needed to be made of the finest materials, a person seeking relationship with God needs to be made of the finest materials. Like the Tabernacle, constructed of gold and silver and with royal colors, that person must put her/his best self forward. Our “best self” cannot merely be how we show ourselves to the world. Just as the Ark of the Covenant needed to have gold on the outside and gold on the inside, so too, must we.
Similarly, the very detailed instructions for the building of the Tabernacle are a metaphor for the Torah. A person wanting to be in relationship with God should do what the Torah wants us to do. This is not as complicated as it seems. Remember that Hillel said that the essence of the Torah is that “You should not do to others that which you would not want done to yourself, the rest is commentary.” What a world it would be if each of us lived by this precept.
So God will be with us if we are our “best selves” and if we live a life of Torah. How do we do this? The Rabbis prescribed many ways to do this. The first we find in the morning service, near the very beginning:
These are the deeds that yield immediate fruit and continue to yield fruit in the time to come: Honoring Parents; Doing deeds of lovingkindness; attending the house of study and prayer; Providing hospitality; Visiting the sick; Helping the needy bride; Attending the dead; Probing the meaning of prayer; Making peace between two people, and between a husband and wife. And the study of Torah is the most basic of them all.
The prayer book points to deeds of lovingkindness as being the most important quality:
Deeds of lovingkindness are superior to charity in three respects. Charity can be accomplished only with money; deeds of lovingkindness can be accomplished through personal involvement as well as with money. Charity can be given only to the poor; deeds of lovingkindness can be done for both rich and poor. Charity applies only to the living; deeds of lovingkindness apply to both the living and the dead.
How important are deeds of lovingkindness? The Talmud teaches:
The Torah begins with deeds of lovingkindness and ends in lovingkindness. It begins with deeds of lovingkindness, as it is written: “And Adonai, God, made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). It ends with deeds of lovingkindness, as it is written: “And God buried Moses in the valley in the land of Moab” (Deuteronomy 34:6).
So what do we learn? If you want to be a Mishkan, and if you want God to descend and dwell in and among you, be gold on the outside and inside, learn and live Torah and, perhaps most importantly, do deeds of lovingkindness.
How do you do deeds of lovingkindness? Help someone you don’t know, just to help. Pay a Shiva call to a stranger. Send money to, and pray for, the innocent people of Ukraine. Call someone who is alone and ask if they need anything. If someone is sick, send soup.
Be a Mishkan, be a place where God can come to dwell among us.
Shabbat Shalom – Rabbi Michael S. Jay
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Candle Lighting time
Friday Evening,
March 4, 2022
5:34 PM
So. Ocean County
JOIN US FOR
SERVICES
Friday Evening
March 4, 2022
6:00 PM
SHABBAT DINNER
Here is
your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to join
Zoom services
and
DINNER
Saturday Morning
March 5, 2022
Services
9:00 AM
ZOOM
AND
IN PERSON
Here is
your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to join
Zoom services
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Torah Reading:
Parashat Pekudei
Exodus 38:21-40:38
Here is the Reading
Pekudei (“Accountings Of”) is the final Torah reading in the Book of Exodus. It describes the making of priestly garments worn in the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and the completion of its construction. At God’s command, Moses erects the Mishkan and puts its vessels in place, and God's presence fills the Mishkan.
Haftorah
I Kings 7:51-8:21
Here is the Haftorah
Saturday Evening
5:30 PM
Torah Study
6:30 PM
Havdallah
Here is
your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to
join Zoom services
Sunday - Thursday
Ma'ariv Service
7:30 PM
Here is
your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to
join Zoom services:
Monday- Friday
Shacharit Service
8:15 AM
Sunday at 9:00 AM
Here is
your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to
join Zoom services:
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UKRAINE UPDATE
.Help us raise $20,000 to support the vulnerable in Ukraine!
There are 200,000 Jews living in Ukraine today – over 40,000 are elderly and living on limited means. Many more are at risk today. Our partners are working around the clock to ensure uninterrupted humanitarian aid including food, medicine, winter relief, and emergency assistance for the most vulnerable. Your contribution will go to work right away helping those affected by this crisis.
Thank you for letting them know they are not alone and making a difference!
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An Open Letter from one President to Another |
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Mr. President:
I am writing to you as one president to another, all though I preside over the Jewish Community Center of Long Beach Island NJ, and you, our great nation, we do have many things in common. The most important one, is the welfare of our constituents, and working for the greater good of the rest of the world.
So, Joe, please, do more of what you can, to stop the slaughter of the Ukrainian people. Since the outbreak of the Russian invasion of the nation of Ukraine, my wife and I have been glued to the news networks looking at the unrestrained assault of, for most Eastern European Jews’ ancestorial home. We watched in awe as a 44-year-old Jewish young man, a onetime actor and comic, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, became the spokesperson for freedom around the world. Like most of my citizens, we can trace our ancestors back to Eastern Europe, for me it is Poland and somewhere in Ukraine, for my wife Irene it is much closer to home, Odessa and Bessarabia, which had northern and southern districts in the Ukraine. This young man, could be a distant relative to Irene or me, or any of my congregants that can trace their lineage to this part of this world? I never thought that Mr. Zelensky could stir me and the rest of the world to do more to save Ukraine.
I am not asking that we send our children, grandchildren, or great grandchildren into harms way, or to escalate this into a possible third world war; none of us want to see that. But we need to see more and stronger sanctions brought to bear on Russia. All assets of the Russian Government must be frozen, if they are here or in any other allied countries. All Russian banks must be kicked out of the Swift System. Joe, we must stop importing Russian oil! I know we both fear that increased sanctions will lead to possible economic difficulties for our citizens.
In my case many of my congregants are retirees and thus on fixed income. As a result, we may fill the impact more. But, having said that we both understand freedom has never been free. It comes with a cost. Our fathers fought to defend freedom and push back Fascism, hatred, and the attempted genocide of the Jewish people during the second world war. I am appalled that Mr. Putin said he was invading Ukraine to stop the Neo Nazis government from committing genocide against the ethnic Russian population. Mr. Zelensky is Jewish, and there is no evidence that his government that was elected by all Ukrainians, has ever done anything to the ethnic Russian population. The same can not be said for the Russian government, who had in the past arrested Jewish dissidents, and sent them to Siberia, or would not allow them to emigrate to Israel. Now, not having any regard for non-combatants by conducting missile attacks against population centers and killing people he was claiming to want to free from the Neo Nazis. In one incident hitting a television station destroying the tower and also destroying a Holocaust memorial site called Babi Yar. Babi Yar is a ravine in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv where during a two-day period from September 29-30, 1941 approximately 33,700 Ukrainian and Russian Jews were murdered by the real Nazis. The Nazis continued to Kill Jews in this location until the Soviet Army recaptured the area in 1943. It is believed that almost 100,000 Jews and non-Jews were killed and buried there before the Soviets recaptured the area. Mr. Putin you should have remembered this from your own history, and the importance of this area, yet you disregarded that information when you attacked!!!
So, Mr. President, as one president to another, do what you must to stop this second genocide. So, stop the oil from Russia. I will not like paying more for gas, but I can limit my driving and walk more. I understand that I and my congregants will have to tighten our belts and suffer some inconveniences to put an end to this war, but I am sure that we will be just fine in the end.
Sincerely;
Michael J. Babst
President Jewish Community Center of Long Beach Island
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"Kol Nashim": A Woman’s Look at Torah and Tefillah
An Exciting WAX Series
Led by dynamic Jewish educators, together we will study Torah and Tefillah from a woman’s point of view. Our faculty includes: Cantor Sara Geller, Dr. Deborah Miller, Dana Newborn, Sheri Jay and Marlene Herman
Thursday, March 3rd at 7:45 PM on ZOOM
"Who Wrote the Book of Esther? John Stewart? Jane Austen?"
with Cantor Sara Geller
Let's look at the details that make this Book of the Bible such a timeless -- and humorous -- story. Like any good book club discussion, reading the book beforehand is helpful but not necessary.
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THIS WEEK'S ACTIVITIES
THURSDAY 3/3
following Ma'ariv
7:45 PM
Kol Nashim Program
with Cantor Sara Geller
FRIDAY 3/4
Shabbat Dinner
Shabbat Across America
6:00 PM
MONDAY 3/7
10:00 AM
Hartman Institute Seminar
"Foundations for a Thoughtful Judaism"
with Rabbi Jay
WEDNESDAY 3/9
following Ma'ariv
7:45 PM
Studying the weekly portions
with Rabbi Jay based on the book
"Judaism’s Life-Changing Ideas"
by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
THURSDAY 3/10
11:00 AM Torah Study with the Rabbi
2:00 PM Beginning Hebrew with Ira
HERE ARE THE LINKS :
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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Thursday, 3/3
KOL NASHIM
with
Cantor Sara Geller
7:45 PM
Friday 3/4
SHABBAT DINNER
SHABBAT ACROSS AMERICA
6:00 PM
Sunday 3/13
MAKE HAMANTASCHEN
with Rabbi Jay
10:30 AM
Thursday, 3/24
BOOK DISCUSSION
"Never Alone" by Natan Sharansky
led by Ted Leventhal
7:45 PM
Wednesday 3/30
WAX BOOK REVIEW
4:00 PM
Thursday, 3/31
INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR
Jonathan Stone
"Prison Minyan"
7:45 PM
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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday, 4/1
KOL NASHIM
Celebratig Rosh Chodesh
with
Marlene Herman
10:00 AM
Friday 4/1
SHABBAT DINNER
6:00 PM
Sunday 4/3
MAKE MANDEL BREAD
with Joanne Babbitt
10:30 AM
Saturday 4/16
COMMUNITY SEDER
6:00 PM
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HIGHLIGHTS
Chaverah Trip to the Grounds for Sculpture, Princeton
May 15, 2022
Kol Nashim Program with
Dana Newborn
May 31, 2022
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Let's Bake Hamantaschen with Chef Michael Jay
Sunday Morning
March 13th
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Join us on Zoom on Sunday morning, March 13 at 10:30 AM when Rabbi Jay will conduct our baking class on making Hamantaschen.
We were able to do this in the JCC kitchen 2 years ago and last year by zoom and we had a blast, so we will continue this tradition through zoom this year and hopefully next year be able to do this together at our JCC once again. But for now, invite your children and grandchildren, send them the link and the recipes so we can all bake together.
LOOK FOR THE RECIPE AND INGREDIENTS IN FRIDAY'S EMAIL.
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JCC WOMENS AUXILIARY: BOOK GROUP DISCUSSION
WEDNESDAYS AT 4:00 PM
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Yasher Koach to Gloria Cantor for doing a terrific job leading the discussion last week of "Jerusalem Maiden" by Talia Carner.
MARCH BOOK SELECTION
Wednesday, March 30th at 4:00 pm NOTE NEW DATE
Discussion Leader: Rose Valentine
"The Forest of Vanishing Stars" by Kristin Harmel
An evocative coming-of-age World War II story about a young woman who uses her knowledge of the wilderness to help Jewish refugees escape the Nazis—until a secret from her past threatens everything.
Future books
Wednesday, May 11th at 4:00 pm NOTE NEW DATE
Discussion Leader: Nora Hochman
"Hotel Moscow" by Talia Carner
Wednesday, June 15 at 4:00 PM
Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris
Discussion Leader TBA
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"Never Alone"'Prison, Politics, and My People
A Book by Gil Troy and Natan Sharansky
Thursday, March 24, 2022
7:45 PM
Discussion led by
Ted Leventhal
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'Susan & Friends 2022: The Men Speak Out”
Thursday, March 31, 2022
7:45 PM
Author: Jonathan Stone
Title: The Prison Minyan
Discussion led by
Rabbi Michael Jay
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CHAVERAH VISIT TO THE
GROUNDS FOR SCULPTURE
HAMILTON, NJ
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Chaverah
Date: Sunday, May 15, 2022
Rain Date: Sunday May 22, 2022
Mode of transportation: Car pool
Ticket Prices: $15.00 Senior rate
$18.00 Group rate
$10.00 Students
Tickets will be ordered 2 weeks prior to the event
Arrival time: 11:00 AM
Lunch: Rat’s Café 1:00 PM - Order from menu
This is the tentative plan, thought this would be a wonderful opportunity to be outside and enjoy the weather with our friends who we have all missed so much over the past 2 years.
So, who’s on board, again, this plan is tentative but we need to begin.
Questions: Irene Babst 856 904-5145 or JCCofLBIChaverah@gmail.com
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Also in stock - Mezuzah Scrolls |
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The following names will be read by the Rabbi on Friday evening
Adam Heller
Jeffrey Weiner
Max Kopelman
Isador London
*Memorial plaque will be lit this week.
In this Zoom era, we have been able to have a daily minyan at 8:15 AM and at 7:30 PM and on Shabbat. We encourage you to join us on the day of your loved one’s yahrzeit. In the morning, the service is about ½ hour beginning at 8:15 and in the evening at 7:30 until about 7:45. Rabbi will be glad to say the traditional El Malei Rachamim prayer for you, which is recited during the funeral, going up to the grave of the departed, Yizkor remembrance day and other occasions on which the memory of the dead is recalled. You are also welcome to share with the minyan some special memories of your loved one.
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Richard Taffet
March 5
Barbara Hurwitz
March 6
Ken Feldman
March 7
Myrna Hernandez
March 7
Neil Falek
March 8
Lynn Reimer
March 9
Ellen Weinberg
March 9
Phyllis Green
March 11
Stu Lehrer
March 11
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Horace & Carol Barsh
March 8
14th Anniversary
David & Karen Shatz
March 10
48th Anniversary
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SHARE YOUR NEWS
AND PICTURES
CONTACT:
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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
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GIVING OPPORTUNITIES
PAVERS
Inscribe a paver at the front entrance to the building
8" X 4", 8" X 8" and 12" X 12"
SEE UPDATED ORDER FORM:
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.
Please contact Diane Hoffman
with your order or with any questions:
PRAYER BOOKS
There are still High Holiday Prayer Books and Chumashim available to be purchased in memory or honor of someone or something. The cost of a Prayer Book is $72 each and $120 for an Eitz Hayim Chumash. The donation includes an affirmation sticker in the book and an acknowledgement letter or letters.
TRIBUTES
SEND ONE OF OUR TRIBUTES IN HONOR OR IN MEMORY OF
TREE OF LIFE
Add a leaf (leaves) to our beautiful Tree of Life located in the Social Hall. See the order form here: TREE OF LIFE
Bronze Leaf $90
Silver Leaf $126
Gold :Leaf $180
ENDOWMENT FUND
Herb and Selma z”l Shapiro established the first individual Endowment Fund in memory of his father, as part of the JCC’s Endowment Fund portfolio.
Since then, three additional individual Endowment Funds have been established. Other members are encouraged to also provide for the future of our JCC by establishing similar funds. Please consider adding to this number.
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 named funds will be joined together to be part of the Endowment Fund portfolio.
Endowment funds are necessary to ensure the continuation and well being of our congregation. All members are encouraged to help this important effort by contributing to this portfolio, whether as a specific named individual fund, or as a general donation. The donation can be spread over one, two, or three years, and can be paid via check, donation of appreciated stock, wills, or from the RMD of your IRA or 401K account. 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:
KOL HAKAVOD
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
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2022 MEMBERSHIP FORMS
Your support is so important to the continued success of the JCC.
Here is form for renewal:
And if you have been reading our Shabbat Reminder and other communications and have not yet joined our congregation, here is the new member form:
To pay on line
Fill in your information and then
go to Donation Details - then
Other and type in 2022 Membership
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JCC FUNDS
Your gift to the JCC supports our Clergy, our Congregation and the Community.
ENDOWMENT FUND
This fund was established to assure the continuity of our JCC, and our ability to continue providing a full-service congregation to serve the Jewish people of the area. While a donation of any amount is encouraged, a donation of at least $50,000 allows the donor to name a special or specific Endowment Fund in memory or honor of a specific person event, or family.
GENERAL FUND
Donations to this fund are not earmarked but placed in the general administrative account. Donations to this fund can be in honor or memory of a person, event, or family.
KOL HAKAVOD FUND
Donations to this campaign supplement the clergy needs of our congregation.
RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND
This fund, managed by the rabbi, allows donors to enable the rabbi to do the work of tzedakah in response to the needs of individuals, organizations and the community.
ZENA & JERRY JAY KIDDISH FUND
The Zena and Jerry Jay Kiddush Fund was established in memory of Rabbi Jay's parents to help provide funds for our Saturday morning kiddushes.
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JCC INFORMATION
THE JCC OF LBI IS LOCATED AT
2411 Long Beach Boulevard (24th Street)
Spray Beach, NJ 08008
Telephone: 609-492-4090 FAX: 609-492-7550
THE OFFICE IS OPEN
TUESDAY AND THURSDAY
FROM 10 - 2
CONTINUE TO USE THE PHONE OR EMAIL WITH REQUESTS.
OUR OFFICE STAFF WILL BE CHECKING IN REGULARLY.
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Staff:
Leslie Dinkfelt, Office Manager
Mary Beth Krieger, Staff Member
Kitchen Manager: Susan Berube
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LATEST
BULLETIN:
PRAYER BOOK:
WEB SITE:
PAVERS:
TREE OF LIFE
YAHRZEIT PLAQUE FORM:
KOL HAKAVOD DONATION FORM
TRIBUTES:
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Rabbi Michael S. Jay
Michael Babst, President
E-mail Editor: Rose Valentine
Graphics by
Irene Babst
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