The Westchester Jewish Council's

WE-stchester

Comm-UNITY

Connection

February 5, 2026 18 Shevat 5786

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Greetings!

Good morning.

While the weather outside may be frigid, the celebration inside for our 50th Anniversary GOLDEN Gala this weekend will be warm, joyful, and filled with meaningful moments. Look for our recap next Thursday and thank you to everybody that has donated at a record level! We are humbled by your support and please know that each and every donation is appreciated.

This past week included both celebrations and gatherings.

On Sunday, Council leadership was grateful to take part in the JCRC-NY Annual Congressional Breakfast and 50th Anniversary Launch. Members of the New York Congressional Delegation joined more than 350 Jewish, faith, and civic leaders from across the city and state. It was inspiring to see the meaningful work taking place across New York City and throughout the state. We were proud that both of our members of Congress, the Hon. Mike Lawler and the Hon. George Latimer were in attendance.

On Tuesday, we were privileged to attend the Westchester County Black History Month Reception, hosted by County Executive Ken Jenkins. The event welcomed residents, community leaders, and elected officials from across Westchester to celebrate the contributions of Black Americans to the County’s history and culture.

Read more about recent events in the "Flashback" section below.

This promises to be a busy weekend with the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics in Italy tomorrow, to the final football showdown of the season on Sunday. Check out this article - "Jewish and Israel Athletes to Watch in the 2026 Winter Olympics".

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

It’s almost here—our 50th Anniversary Gala is this Saturday. Thank you to the record attendance. We look forward to honoring five decades of community, connection, and shared impact—while raising the annual funds that sustain our work.

The evening will feature the premiere performance of a one-of-a-kind community choir, bringing together voices from 30 Council member organizations under the direction of Conductor Daniel Henkin, followed by an energetic after-party with a full set by The Subourbons—a fitting finale to an unforgettable night.

Thank you to the extraordinary generosity of our community. If you have not pledged, it is never too late, as our work never ends! Your tax-deductible donation will help carry our impact forward and ensure this historic year ends on a high note with impactful plans for next year!

We look forward to seeing many of you on Saturday and reporting out next week with videos, photos and more.

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

Pam Goldstein

Stu Seltzer

Run For Their Lives

Here are some useful links related to the Gala that you might find interesting:

Click here for Gala Info and Registration

Shout-out at Congress: 90-second video] from Congressman Latimer to Pam Goldstein, Stu Seltzer and the Council

Click here to watch a short video overview about the Westchester Jewish Council.

Be sure to check out the short trailer below—it’s a quick sneak peek of the brand new Gala Community Choir that will be performing for the first and only time at the Gala

ISRAEL CORNER

Visit Council Member Israel Resources

WESTCHESTER JEWISH COUNCIL -

JEWISH LITERACY INTIATIVE

Please join us for the next installment of our Jewish Literacy Initiative with Purchase College - a talk with Prof. Rebecca Kobrin on Thursday, March 5th:

"A Credit to the Nation: European Jewish Immigrant Bankers and American Finance"

WESTCHESTER JEWISH COUNCIL

FLASHBACK

Last Wednesday evening was a powerful demonstration of community showing up to stand with one another at several important events. The Interfaith Gathering Standing in Solidarity with Minneapolis had a tremendous turnout, as did the UJA Federation program with former hostage Omer Wenkert. Additionally, the Council's Synagogue President's Roundtable had over 40 presidents in attendance. All these events helped to build community as people of all different backgrounds and faiths came together to listen, connect, and support one another

WESTCHESTER JEWISH COUNCIL'S

SECURITY AND SAFETY UPDATE

“Repetition Reinforces Retention and Recall”

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 - Wednesday, February 11th

Synagogue Presidents - Wednesday, May 6

Israel Roundtable - Coming Soon

Synagogue Presidents Roundtable

The Heller Fundraising Group presented at last week's Synagogue Presidents Roundtable. Katherine Jaeger-Thomas shared the benefits and strategies of bringing a campaign to a synagogue and discussed 6 elements of campaign success. Thank you to Katherine and all who attended, and thank you to Young Israel of White Plains for hosting.

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

Congratulations to the Westchester County Board of Legislators new committee chairs!

Community Calendar of Learning, Engagement &

Connecting Opportunities

Immediate Release:

"Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center Appoints New Board Member"

Read Full Release Here

Email Here for More Information

Learn More and Register Here

RSVP Here

New York Jewish Teen Summit

March 1, 10:00 AM–3:00 PM

Moise Safra Center, NY, NY

The New York Jewish Teen Summit brings together teens ages 15–18 from across the Metro NY area—including NYC, Westchester, and Long Island—for a one-day shared, immersive experience grounded in Jewish identity, leadership, and community.

Created by and for teens—with guidance from educators and professionals—the inaugural Summit is designed to educate, empower, and mobilize Jewish leaders across the region.

Those who are interested can reach out to Debra Cohen at cohend@jccmw.org or Shara Borus at sborus@shamesjcc.org for more information.

Visit the Website

WESTCHESTER AND BEYOND

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Mem Global is looking for a New York Community Manager.

Read Full Job Description Here

Westchester Torah Academy is looking to hire several positions.

Visit the Website for More Information

ON A PERSONAL NOTE

MAZEL TOV TO:

Rabbi Akiva Nelson of Bet Am Shalom on his installation as Senior Rabbi this coming Shabbat.

ODDS AND ENDS

PBS Black and Jewish America Four-Part Series

Premiered February 3 at 9/8c

Black and Jewish America: An Interwoven History is a four-part series tracing the rich, complex relationship between Black and Jewish Americans — defined by solidarity and strained by division. Drawn together by racism and antisemitism, they forged civic and cultural bonds, especially during the civil rights era. The series explores both the challenges and enduring promise of that alliance.

The next episode is scheduled for Tuesday, February 10th at 9pm.

Watch First Episode Here