The Westchester Jewish Council's

WE-stchester

Comm-UNITY

Connection

January 22, 2026 4 Shevat 5786

ABOUT US COUNCIL EVENTS CALENDAR CONNECT-ORY MEMBERS & PARTNERS NEWS

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Greetings!

Good morning.

Our big celebration, our "JewBilee" 50th anniversary, is almost here! In just over two weeks, we’ll celebrate our 50th Anniversary Gala with an evening full of connection, inspiration, positivity, and fun. From honoring our incredible honorees, Pam Goldstein, Stu Seltzer and Run For Their Lives, to enjoying delicious food from Foremost Caterers, a nostalgic video sharing our history, music performed by a brand new/one-time-only community choir, and an after-party with the Subourbons, this is a celebration you won’t want to miss. Register here - it is not too late! (If you have attended in past years, please expect a different format with a shorter event program, a meaningful dessert afterparty and concert.)

We welcome a new member to the Council, Lights of Tomorrow. You can learn more about them below. We are pleased to continue to enlarge our coalition of organizations. Welcome!

Did you know that SUNY Purchase College welcomes older adults who are at least 60 years of age to audit a maximum of two credit-bearing, on-campus courses at $50 per course in which space is available. Auditable courses are non-participatory, traditional lecture courses with no restrictions. The Registrar’s Office will post a list of these courses on the Older Adult Auditors Registration Procedures webpage each semester after the add/drop period. Spring 2026 registration for older adult auditors is open between Friday, January 30 – Tuesday, February 10.

Please take a moment to read through the full newsletter. While admittedly long, there are items of interest within including news, requests for assistance and more.

To close, a reminder that Tuesday is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. While the Council and the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center will hold its Countywide Yom HaShoa ceremony on Tuesday April 14, at the Garden of Remembrance in White Plains, let's take a moment on Tuesday to remember the millions of those systematically murdered during the Holocaust which took place only 80 years ago.

Shabbat Shalom.

Michael Mittelman, President

Elliot Forchheimer, CEO

Lori Kurlander, Communications Manager

WESTCHESTER JEWISH COUNCIL

HERE WHEN YOU NEED US - YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW:

Since 1975, the Council has connected our Jewish community to:

Each other, to Israel, to our elected officials and

to our brothers and sisters from other faiths and ethnic groups

Please support the work of the Westchester Jewish Council. Your donation makes a difference each and every day. Click here to donate.

(The Council is financially supported by donations from individuals,

dues from 120 member organizations and generous financial support from UJA-Federation.)

ANNIVERSARY GALA

We’re getting closer to the big day! Our 50th Anniversary Gala is just 2 weeks away, and we can’t wait to come together to celebrate five decades of community, impact, and connection—while raising the annual funds that make our work possible. This golden milestone will be marked by an evening filled with delicious food, meaningful moments, and a few unforgettable surprises

Did you know that Gala night will feature the premiere performance of a one-time choir, made up of representatives from 30 Council member organizations? And when the celebration continues, the after-party will feature a full set by The Subourbons—guaranteed to keep Westchester rocking.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, we’ve already reached 89% of our annual fundraising goal. If you haven’t yet pledged, there’s still time—pledge today and pay in the coming months. We hope you’ll help make this milestone year truly shine by making your tax-deductible donation today.

Thank you for being part of this special celebration!

To learn more about our wonderful honorees, click on their image.

Pam Goldstein

Stu Seltzer

Run For Their Lives

One of the highlights of our upcoming Gala will be the inclusion of a video capturing the incredible history and lasting impact of the Council. To give you a sneak peek, we’re sharing a video from the archives starring founding Council members Rabbi Amiel Wohl and Hon. Samuel G. Fredman discussing the early days of the "Conference" in this week’s newsletter—just a taste of the meaningful moments awaiting us on Gala night.

WELCOME NEW MEMBER

Lights of Tomorrow is a youth-led nonprofit made up of students from high schools throughout Westchester and Putnam, NY. It is our mission to ensure that all teens in these areas looking to connect with the Jewish community have the opportunity to do so, regardless of their affiliation with Jewish schools, synagogues and other institutions. We develop and run programs that focus on community building, connecting teens to Israel, education, and leadership building, in the hopes that these programs help Jewish teens and allies feel secure in their place in the Jewish community and confident in their abilities to defend the Jewish people.

Visit our Website

ISRAEL CORNER

Visit Council Member Israel Resources

COMMUNITY ISRAEL SHLICHA EVENTS AND MORE

Israeli Dancing & Tu B'Shvat Program

Saturday night January 31, 2026

Click Here to Register

WESTCHESTER JEWISH COUNCIL'S

SECURITY AND SAFETY UPDATE

“Repetition Reinforces Retention and Recall”

The next Council Security Roundtable will be held in person on Tuesday night, January 27, 2026. We look forward to seeing designated representatives from our member organizations for an evening of meeting law enforcement and sharing best practices.

For more information about the Westchester Jewish Council's Security Roundtable initiative, contact security@wjcouncil.org. Working together we are all safer.

WESTCHESTER JEWISH COUNCIL ROUNDTABLES

Westchester Jewish Council

Upcoming Community Roundtables

(The Council thanks the hundreds of people who dedicate time to attend our Roundtables - a signature initiative of the Council, often sponsored with wonderful partners from among our member organizations)

Synagogue Executive Directors-today

Security - Tuesday, January 27

Synagogue Presidents – Wednesday, January 28

Day Camp Directors - Wednesday, January 28

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins announced a series of leadership updates within County government, honoring the retirement of a senior leader and highlighting key promotions from within the organization. Congratulations and good luck to all. The Council leadership looks forward to working with you.

Check out this interview with Mayor Justin Brasch of White Plains on Zev Brenner's Talkline podcast.

UJA-FEDERATION OF NY

AN EVENING WITH FORMER HOSTAGE OMER WENKERT

Wednesday, January 28, 2026 • 7:30 pm, Westchester, New York

Omer Wenkert survived the October 7 Nova music festival attack and endured more than 500 days as a hostage in Gaza. Now, on his first trip to the United States, Omer will share his extraordinary story of survival, hope, and resilience. Don't miss this opportunity to hear Omer's story, honor his courage, and stand united against hate and terror.

BUSINESS PARTNER EVENTS

Ayelet Tours will be leading a trip through Europe's Riverways, led by esteemed scholar Professor Stephen Berk. You can learn more about this fantastic journey by clicking the button below. Ayelet Tours continues to work with the Council and so many Council member organizations on their trips to Israel, Europe, and well beyond.

Learn More Here

A SMALL SAMPLE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING...

Community Calendar of Learning, Engagement &

Connecting Opportunities

WJCS is as esteemed Council member organization and one of the largest non-sectarian, not-for-profit human services agencies in Westchester County. Their Center for Jewish Programs supports more than 40 local synagogues, Jewish Community Centers, Jewish day schools, and senior centers, as well as individuals in community through unique, individualized education, spiritual, recreational, and mental health initiatives. Learn more at their website and from the two informational flyers included below.

Jewish Programs Brochure

Learn More and Register Here

Visit our Website

ODDS AND ENDS / CAN YOU HELP?

The Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center is proud to present the exhibit “Call Me Stefan.” We need help in transporting the exhibit ( 12 panels 80” x 40” ) to and from the local schools. Do you own a small van and have some time to help? Please contact Millie Jasper, Executive Director at 914-696-0738.