Jewish Community Center of Long Beach Island E-Letter
December 18, 2020
3 Tevet 5781
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A MESSAGE FROM
RABBI JAY
It is now the last night of Hanukkah. By now we probably have all had our fill of latkes and sufganiyot. We have sung the same songs over and over again. Most of it might now seem mundane by now. However, A thought occurred to me as I looked at the Menorah on the 6th night of Hanukkah.
The mitzvah is to light the candles and to contemplate the flames as they sit on the Menorah. The flames represent the miracle of the oil lasting for 8 days. The flames flicker and dance and they are interesting to watch, but I have realized that there are actually several components to the observance of the mitzvah. Yes, we observe the candle’s glow. But that flame is on a candle. And that candle is on a Menorah. And that menorah is made up of a stem and several branches.
Is there, perhaps, another meaning to be gleaned? Let’s take a look.
The flame is a light that shines and flickers. Even the smallest light can brighten the dark. But if we look closely at the flame, it is continually reaching toward the sky; its stretch is to heaven. It is seeking God’s abode. That flame represents the divine and the divine within us. The divine seeks Shemayim (heaven).
If the flame represents divinity and reaching for heaven, the Menorah represents attachment to the earth. The Menorah is like a tree with branches that point to heaven and roots that extend into the earth.
But what connects the flames (heaven) to the Menorah (earth)? The candles. The candles represent us. The candles are humanity. Each candle is a person. It is a person connected to the earth by the menorah. It is a person connected to divinity and heaven by the flame.
The message of Hanukkah, the lesson to be learned, is that we should emulate the candle. We should be connected to the earth, to our earthly duties, and the messiness of our lives. At the same time, we should strive to be like the divine and we should seek the perfection of heaven.
Earth, people, heaven. All connected by a flickering, yet powerful, light.
So much potential, so many possibilities.
May this be the year to say “Nes Gadol Haya Po”. A Great Miracle Happened Here (and now).
Shabbat Shalom – Rabbi Michael S. Jay
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Candle Lighting Time
Friday evening,
December 18, 2020
4:16 PM
(So. Ocean County NJ)
JOIN US FOR SERVICES
ON ZOOM
Friday evening
December 18, 2020
6:00 PM
Here is
your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to
Join Zoom Services
Saturday morning
December 19, 2020
Torah Study
9:00 AM
Services
10:00 AM
Here is
your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to
Join Zoom Services
Torah Portion
Parashat Miketz
Here is the Parshah
Haftorah
I Kings 3:15 - 4:1
Here is the Haftorah:
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Havdallah
Saturday
December 19, 2020
6:00 PM
Sunday - Thursday
Ma'ariv Service
7:30 PM
Here is
your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to
Join Zoom Services:
Sunday - Friday
Shacharit Service
8:15 AM
Here is
your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to
Join Zoom Services:
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MONDAY 12/21 @ 10:00 AM
Chumash Class (Family Dynamics) with Rabbi Jay
MONDAY 12/21 @ 7:45 PM
COFFEE, DESSERT AND COMRADERIE
WAX GET-TOGETHER
THURSDAY 12/24
11:00 AM Torah Study with the Rabbi
2:00 PM Beginning Hebrew with Ira
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HERE ARE THE LINKS FOR THE ACTIVITIES FOR THIS WEEK |
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FROM THE HEART
I had to take a moment to look back at this year's Chanukah as tomorrow is the last day of the holiday. And what a holiday it was...
Rudy and I looked forward to each night when we got on Zoom with our JCC family. On the first night in fact some family joined us as well to light the first candle. I have not enjoyed the holiday as much since our kids grew up and left the house. Then it was just the two of us coming home from work and hoping we remembered to light the menorah. I hope next year, when we are back at the JCC, we can continue to get together each night - electronically - to celebrate the miracle of Chanukah.
Rose Valentine
E-Editor
Here is a gallery of pictures for you to enjoy
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Here is our moderator Mitch Frumkin as 60 households viewed the Great Debate between Latkes and Hamantaschen.
PS Latkes won!!!!
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Cooking with Rabbi Jay.
Jill Denker shows off her finished tray of latkes.
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Julian Brenman led us in song on Friday evening and Havdallah
We played dreidel one night. Gloria Cantor is our 2020 Dreidel Champ.
Here is the fabulous dreidel collection of Irene & Mike Babst.
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Last week's visit from Maggie Anton was another fascinating program.
Thank you again to Debbie Schweighardt for organizing the program and to Gloria Cantor for sponsoring Maggie Anton.
JCC WOMENS AUXILIARY: BOOK GROUP DISCUSSION
THE 3RD WEDNESDAY, AT 4:00 PM
CONTINUES....
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Wednesday, Jan. 20 at 4:00 PM
The dramatic final book in the epic historical trilogy about the lives and loves of the three daughters of the great Talmud scholar Rashi
Rachel is the youngest and most beautiful daughter of medieval Jewish scholar Salomon ben Isaac, or "Rashi." Her father's favorite and adored by her new husband, Eliezer, Rachel's life looks to be one of peaceful scholarship, laughter, and love. But events beyond her control will soon threaten everything she holds dear. Marauders of the First Crusade massacre nearly the entire Jewish population of Germany, and her beloved father suffers a stroke. Eliezer wants their family to move to the safety of Spain, but Rachel is determined to stay in France and help her family save the Troyes yeshiva, the only remnant of the great centers of Jewish learning in Europe.
ORDER YOUR BOOK NOW AND START READING TODAY!
Click here to purchase all 3 books in the series on Amazon. Click here to go to the Ocean County Library. A zoom link will be sent shortly before the event.
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THIS WEEK'S YAHRZEITS
The following names will be read at Friday night services.
Louis Bass*
Leo Steinberg
Naomi Antonoff
David Fineberg
Jerry Green*
Henry Herzig
Samuel Lisagor*
Mary Berkowitz
Marilyn Morgenthal*
Samuel Rosenberg
Lena Scheer
Sam Telles
Esther Ruta Mirrer*
Vernon Rosenberg*
Rosie Starr*
Rose Kleinfeld
Sarah Mizrahi
Robert Ian Stevens*
Jay Unger
Susan Blumenfield*
Anne Galer
William Gordon
Samuel Horowitz*
Ann Kamler
Helene Lowenthal
Herman Marcus
Becky Reiff*
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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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Elyse Pepose
December 20
Elly Rosenthal
December 20
Bernard Barrish
December 22
Beverly Miller
December 23
Craig Israelite
December 24
Donna Silverman
December 24
Ninette Steinberg
December 24
Richard Feldgus
December 25
Lynn Levitt
December 25
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SHARE YOUR NEWS
AND PICTURES
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
Join Herb and Selma Shapiro z"l to help assure the continuity of our JCC, and our ability to continue providing a full- congregation to serve the Jewish people of the area. Judith z"l & Donald Pripstein have joined the Shapiros with a $50,000 donation and have established The Pripstein Family Endowment Fund.
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.
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:
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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JCC FUNDS
Your gift to the JCC support 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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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 TEMPORARILY CLOSED.
PLEASE 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
Tony DeGregorio, Custodial Staff
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
KOL HAKAVOD
TRIBUTES:
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Rabbi Michael S. Jay
Michael Babst, President
E-mail Editor: Rose Valentine
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