THIS WEEK IN JEWISH LIFE Feb. 10, 2023

Shabbat Shalom CT!

On a cool and brisk morning last week, the Federation staff, board chair Mindy Siegel and vice chair Sharon DeFala huddled in Mindy's house for our annual staff retreat.

It was wonderful to participate in a series of exercises designed to motivate us and get us thinking.

Lively conversation, great food and a lot of laughter produced unique thoughts and plans for the coming year, and offered up some very cool ideas on how to build upon a successful 2022.

At the end of the day, I asked if anyone had a BIG IDEA for 2023, and boy, did they! Jewish arts and culture, refugees, LGBTQ, emerging leaders, Holocaust education, literacy boosts, foodie events, high-school trips, Israel @75, PJ Library Bubbies, new community partners, board engagement-- the list goes on.

There is really nothing like spending the day strategizing with our colleagues -- Jewish our leaders of tomorrow-- and sharing their enthusiasm, their dreams, and their Big Ideas.

L'dor v'dor. From strength to strength. I think we're in good hands.

I wish you a warm, safe and peaceful Shabbos.

Carin Savel, CEO

carin@shalomct.org

Mission Meet Up

Many of the community members who traveled on our first Civil Rights Mission in January met up at the Federation for an evening of discussion this week.

We began with a fabulous video of memories and testimonials produced by our Israel Emissary, Ofek. His perspective on the trip was fresh and eye-opening.

We shared our most acute recollections and some of our most emotional ones, too. From all angles of the conversation, it became clear that the conversation is far from over.

It's just the beginning.

The Federation will be hosting the next Federation Civil Rights Mission in January 2024.

The 2023 mission sold out quickly, so if you are interested in going, email me and I'll add you to the list.

We have more to learn, more to understand and more to do. And everyone agreed -- it all begins with one person.

At the end of the evening, we were treated to an incredible documentary of the trip, shot and produced by Westporter Tom Kretsch. We sat in stunned silence as one image flowed into the next and then we joined him in song.

This group of people is connected for life--watch Ofek's video below.

Civil Rights Mission Moments: Tom Kretsch

A Letter To Dr. King

Posted on Dan Woog's 06880 blog on January 20, 2023

Just before Martin Luther King Day, longtime Westport resident and superb photographer Tom Kretsch and his wife Sandi joined a trip to the South, sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Fairfield County.

The group — which included other Westporters, and Shirah Lpson Sklar (a Staples graduate, the new senior rabbi at Norwalk’s Temple Shalom) — traveled to places crucial to the civil rights movement, like Atlanta, Montgomery, Selma and Birmingham.

When Tom returned, he wrote a “Letter to Dr. King.” Today he shares it — and several powerful photos he took — with “06880” readers.

All photos by Tom Kretsch

Letter to Dr. King

We want to let you know what an incredible journey we have just completed.

We think it would make you happy to know 50 of us had traveled on this powerful Civil Rights Mission sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Fairfield County, following in your footsteps on the roads you traveled for justice.

It is like we stepped back in time, reliving so much of the history that was part of our early 20s. Sadly, I remember being in the Peace Corps in South America and learning of your assassination on BBC Radio.

I could hardly believe this had happened to you, shortly after the same fate came to Robert Kennedy. Sandi remembered all the lessons she had taught her kindergarten students about your efforts to create a more just world, and the struggle for freedom for all.

Our journey started at your favorite church: Ebenezer Baptist in Atlanta. We attended Sunday Service, with the Reverend Raphael Warnock preaching.

We heard the choir’s soulful voices, saw him hold up little babies who had come to service and heard how he so skillfully weaved some of the political discourse into the meaning of the gospel of Luke, even touching on the recent injury to Damar Hamlin and the teamwork of the responders.

His message, like yours, was that life should be more about the “us” and less about the “me.” You would have loved how enthusiastic the worshipers were as they responded to his messages. He is now also Senator Warnock from Georgia. I don’t think you could have imagined that happening, but oh how sweet it is!

Your old friend Andrew Young spoke with us outside the church. You remember how hard he worked with you for civil rights, and became US Ambassador to the United Nations under President Carter.

We couldn’t believe we were able to meet with this radiant man, who like yourself worked so hard for freedom for all.

On to Montgomery our bus rolled. Under gray skies we pulled into the grounds of the Equal Justice Initiative's National Memorial for Peace and Justice. You would be so proud of the work of Bryan Stevenson, who initiated this idea. He has dedicated his life to working to exonerate people unjustly imprisoned for crimes they did not commit. He is our hero!

Read more here...

MORE MISSION MOMENTS

Ellen Lautenberg and Melissa Kane

Mindy Siegel and Alan Feldman

Bonnie Slyn and David Ball

Carin Savel and Ofek Moscovich

Rabbi Evan Schultz and Rabbi Sarah Marion

Nancy Diamond and Jeffrey Mayer

Jan Magid and Sam Rost

“I feel like I’m in a Jewish youth movement again!

I didn’t know Israel had such a good beer.”

Shalom,

Last night I joined Temple Israel Men’s Group to lead a program on Israeli beer and arak.

We met at the Temple for delicious Israeli food and drank Israeli beer and arak!

I shared my experience brewing beer in Israel as well as the history of Israel’s beer culture – which began more than 13,000 years ago!

We watched some old Goldstar commercials and ended with some arak cocktails my uncle likes to drink.

I felt a little bit like I was back home in Israel, drinking Goldstar and eating hummus! Thank you to Temple Israel Men's Group for inviting me.

I’m happy to share this experience with any other group or in anyone’s home as well, so reach out and let’s set a date: Ofek@shalomct.org.

Ofek Moscovich

Federation Israel Emissary

COMING SOON!

Merkaz is back!

We'll still reeling from the start of spring semester at Merkaz Bridgeport!

Watch for a deep dive into some hands-on projects the students will be working on this semester.

A program of the Jewish Federation, Merkaz Community High School for Judaic Studies provides a meaningful and relevant Jewish education to our community teens that builds character, positive values, leadership, a strong Jewish identity, and creates a sense of unity with the Jewish people. #Merkaz

HONEY CAKE & LATKES - REGISTER

Amanda Steinberg is a financial expert and social movement builder.

She has done more toward educating women financially than anyone else. In 2009, she launched DailyWorth to bring a fresh voice to personal finance.

In 2015, Forbes named her one of 21 New American Money Masters.

In 2016, Oprah Winfrey selected her for the inaugural SuperSoul 100 and Fast Company named her one of the Most Creative People in Business.

Prior to her career in finance, she was a computer programmer and founder of Soapbxx, a digital agency building web platforms for a connected world.

She’s the author of Worth It: Your Life, Your Money, Your Terms.

Amanda Steinberg’s vision for empowering women around our money — and then the subsequent collective investing power and influence we women can have on our lives, our communities and the globe — is breath-taking. WE’RE IN.

SHIRAH SKLAR INSTALLATION - FULL SCHEDULE

We are heartbroken by the news of the devastating earthquake and aftershocks that hit Turkey and Syria this week. Right now, the death toll is over 20,000 and is rapidly rising. While thousands of homes and businesses have been destroyed, rescuers are racing to pull survivors from beneath the rubble.

150,000 people have been made homeless by the earthquakes and need to cope with the bitter cold in the region. Our focus, alongside our partners, will be on helping this population cope with living outside in the difficult conditions by supplying thousands of tents, heaters, thermal clothing, ready-to-eat meals, and first-aid kits.

Jewish Federations power the emergency response on the ground through our core dollars. We are able to respond so quickly because of the work we do all day, every day.

HELP EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS