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THIS WEEK IN JEWISH LIFE

March 24, 2023

Shabbat Shalom CT!

Spring will be a special time of celebration in our community as we begin plans for a month of festivities and fun. It's Israel's 75th birthday and Ofek Moscovich, our Israel Emissary, has been preparing for months to bring us the best of Israel. You can click here for a full list of events.

Israel is a young country with a flourishing modern culture. You probably already knew that, but it might come as a surprise to some of the recent critics of Israeli judicial unrest.

This is a photo of my doppelganger cousin, Margalit, who is marching peacefully and proudly in Tel Aviv. She sends me these photos every day.

Her father, a Holocaust survivor who had his Bar Mitzvah while imprisoned in Dachau and immigrated to Israel after the war, walks slowly with her. They are celebrating -- and struggling -- along with hundreds of thousands of others.

Last night, we spent time with Dan Elbaum, The Jewish Agency for Israel’s Head of North America and President and CEO of Jewish Agency International Development (JAID), on a Zoom call.

We were looking for information and looking for a way to make sense of current events. It was difficult. As the audience members asked questions, the answers were sometimes complicated (see video below).

But in the end, something was abundantly clear:

This is the time to hold Israel closer. This is the time to love Israel.

I wish you a safe and peaceful Shabbos.

Carin Savel, CEO

carin@shalomct.org

Shalom!

As the Israel Emissary in our community, I am thrilled to announce that we will be celebrating Israel's 75th birthday with a month-long program of events.

Our celebrations will include a vibrant mix of music, food, and cultural activities, showcasing the rich and diverse heritage of Israel.

From traditional cuisine to contemporary music, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.

So, come and join us in celebrating Israel@75, as we come together to mark this important milestone in our nation's history.

Ofek Moscovich

Federation Israel Emissary

WELCOME TO ISRAEL @75

A MONTH-LONG CELEBRATION OF ISRAEL'S 75TH BIRTHDAY

Honey Cake & Latkes was an extraordinary evening of memories, stories, tears and recipes. If you were unable to attend, here is the video of the event. Many thanks to Chabad of Westport for hosting us in their beautiful sanctuary and to Westport Kosher food guru, Liz Rueven, for leading us through a wonderful discussion.

STOLEN CHILDREN - REGISTER

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Are you interested in helping to preserve the stories of Holocaust survivors?

We need volunteers to help sort letters, catalogue photos and upload testimonials from local Holocaust survivors.

You will work with Federation staff and other volunteers to help archive these important documents -- and have an opportunity to protect the legacies of our survivors and their descendants.

Please contact HRC@shalomct.org for more information.

As you know, antisemitism has been present in our society for a long time. Unfortunately, it no longer lives mostly behind closed doors – now we see antisemitism everywhere -- from the college campus to the football field to the hallways of our middle and high schools.

Many Jewish teens have a hard time recognizing antisemitism when it is happening and are ill equipped to handle it when they see it or when it is directed at them.

Just yesterday morning, the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) released its annual audit of antisemitic incidents in 2022 which shows a 36% increase over 2021. Sadly, in the state of Connecticut, there was a 100% increase of antisemitic incidents in 2022.

This past Monday, 30 teens came together on the Westport campus of Merkaz to learn with the Connecticut ADL’s Teen Trainers, a group of teens who have dedicated themselves to learning about antisemitism and how to share this important knowledge with their peers.

The workshop at Merkaz Westport was a fully teen-led program during which we learned how to spot antisemitism (even when it is trying to hide within a joke) and what we can do when confronted with it.

MEET COCKTAILS SPEAKER AMANDA STEINBERG!

One of Forbes’ 21 new American money masters, Amanda Steinberg is the founder and CEO of DailyWorth, a website devoted to helping women manage their financial lives. Launched from a Philadelphia attic office in 2009, its newsletter now reaches more than one million subscribers. She has discussed personal finance on a number of news outlets, including Good Morning America, CNN, Today, and MSNBC. In her book, Worth It, Steinberg outlines the vital financial information women need to create a healthy financial future, and draws a direct line to the ways women can use money as a source of personal freedom and power.

COCKTAILS FOR A CAUSE - REGISTER!

EMAIL SARA

COMING SOON

In Real Times - Arthur Szyk:

Artist and Soldier for Human Rights

September 29 – December 16, 2023

The Jewish Federation will be hosting the next Civil Rights Journey on January 21-23, 2024. (Participants should plan to fly into Atlanta on late afternoon or evening of Jan. 20). The 2023 Journey sold out quickly, and the 2024 is more than 3/4 full, so please Email Carin if you wish to add your name to the list. Registration will open soon!

Read 2023 Mission reflections here.