JEWISH COMMUNITY
CENTER OF
LONG BEACH ISLAND
E-LETTER
April 4, 2023
13 Nisan 5783
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Special thanks to Barbara Lehman for providing funds
for the purchase of our electronic sign and
Rob Van Naarden for updating the messages.
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THIS IS A MUST SEE VIDEO FOR PASSOVER. CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW AND SHARE WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
THANK YOU TO IRENE BABST FOR SENDING THIS TO US.
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A PASSOVER MESSAGE FROM THE RABBI |
My mom loved the Yiddish phrase:
װי א לאך אין קאפ
Vi ah lakh in kaf
Like a hole in the head
When I was younger, and living at home, something unwanted would happen, and my mom would cry out to the heavens, “Vi ah lakh in kaf!”. Try it some time. I can tell you from experience that it can be cathartic.
About 4 months ago I received a call from a lovely woman who, though she was not a member, had been to some of our Zoom services. She called to tell me that her husband had a terminal illness and they had decided to place him in hospice. She asked if I would be kind enough to officiate at his funeral. I said yes and asked her if she wanted me to visit. She said she would ask her husband, but she did not get back to me.
A week ago, she reached out to me again to tell me that hospice nurse told her that he would pass soon. She repeated the request that I officiate at the funeral, and I said, of course I would.
Yesterday, just as I was starting morning services, I received a text that her husband had passed earlier that morning, Baruch Dayan Ha-Emmett. After services I called her and she asked if I could officiate at the funeral which was this morning, the day before Passover. I had promised that I would be there and, though the timing was much less than optimal, I confirmed that I would officiate. I also said that I needed to meet with the family yesterday, which we did for an hour on zoom.
I could hear my mother saying: “A congregational Rabbi needs a funeral on the day before Passover “Vi ah lakh in kaf” (Like a hole in the head)! But I said yes, without hesitation, because this is what we Jewish people do. When someone is in need, we help. When a mitzvah needs to be performed, we make sure to perform the mitzvah. We do it even when it is the worst time for us. And we do it without kvetching to the person for whom the mitzvah is being done.
The brisket waited. The chicken soup waited. The chicken waited. I’m not saying they waited patiently, but they waited. And tomorrow evening as we start our Seder, we can do so knowing that we eased the burden of a family in very serious pain.
The Torah consistently tells us to help those in need. More poignantly, the Seder begins with us proclaiming that all who are hungry, and all who are needy, should join us. People “in need” can come at any time and in many, different ways.
As I was driving home from the funeral, though I was thinking about the cooking that still needed to be done, I had a sense of having fulfilled a purpose. It was the feeling that I did what needed to be done for people who, otherwise, would have had to scramble. Yes, I needed it Like a “Lakh in kaf”, but it was worth it. For a moment, I felt as if I had helped to make the world a better place.
As we sit around our Seder tables this year: breath in the smells, internalize the sounds, etch the smiles in our memory. My Uncle Jay used to say that “we only have a few Seders in our lives, and we need to make them special”. One way to make them special is to help to teach our families about Mitzvot. At some point let everyone at the table know the importance of helping the needy, wherever they needy are and whenever they appear.
From my family to yours:
Chag Kasher v’Sameach - Rabbi Michael S. Jay
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PASSOVER GREETINGS FROM THE JCC OF LBI PRESIDENT |
Passover 2023 is now upon us, starting on the 15th day of the month of Nissan. As we prepare to commemorate the Israelites’ exodus from slavery in Egypt, and to fulfill the commandment to tell the story to our children, and to all generations which follow as if we ourselves were freed, I am struck that this holiday should make us think even more broadly and more actively about freedom itself.
The lives we live in the Unites States of America today are because our country’s founders fought for freedom and our system of government, a Democratic Republic, values individual liberties and freedoms which continue to evolve over time. Two world wars were fought to preserve freedom. The Civil War was waged based on the absolute belief that people should be free regardless of race or creed; the reality that any human being had been enslaved in America is mind numbing. The fact that others are enslaved in many third world countries and elsewhere in 2023 is profoundly chilling. People defend themselves today from invading forces in an effort to maintain their freedom. There are literally billions of human beings who currently live in autocratic, dictatorial or non- democratic places which do not value, foster or enable freedom. They are not free.
Our Jewish people prevailed in their long shot struggle for freedom against the enslaving Pharoahs, and with the help of Adonai, we prevailed. As we celebrate our own freedom from slavery and retell the story of each of our journeys as Jews from slavery in Egypt to freedom, let us be mindful that so many aren’t even free enough to celebrate the holidays of their choosing, and let us give special thanks for being truly free.
A Ziesen Pesach to you and your families.
Chag Pesach Sameach!
Phil Rosenzweig
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PASSOVER
Candle Lighting time
Friday evening
Erev Pesach
Wed. April 5 7:06 PM
1st Night of Pesach
Thurs. April 6 8:16 PM
6th Night of Pesach Tue.
April 11 7:12 PM
7th Night of Pesach
Wed. April 12 8:22 PM
(So. Ocean County)
JOIN US FOR
PASSOVER SERVICES
Thursday, April 6
Friday, April 7
Wednesday, April 12
Thursday, April 13
10:00 AM
Yizkor April 13
at 11:30 AM
ALL SERVICES ARE IN PERSON AND ON ZOOM
Here is your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to
join Zoom services:
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Candle Lighting time
Friday evening
April 7, 2023
7:08 pm
(So. Ocean County)
JOIN US FOR
SERVICES
Friday night
April 7. 2023
7:30 PM
IN PERSON & ON ZOOM
Here is
your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to join
Zoom services
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Saturday Morning
April 8, 2023
9:00 AM
IN PERSON & ON ZOOM
Here is
your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to join
Zoom services
TORAH READING
Exodus 33:12-34:26; Numbers 28:19-25
Here is the Reading
HAFTORAH
Ezekiel 37:1-14
Here is the Haftorah
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HAVDALLAH
Saturday evening
7:45 PM
Here is your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to
join Zoom services:
Sunday - Thursday
Ma'ariv Service
7:30 PM
NO SERVICE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY EVENING
Here is your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to
join Zoom services:
Monday- Friday
Shacharit Service
8:15 AM
Sunday at 9:00 AM
NO SERVICE THURSDAY & FRIDAY
Here is your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to
join Zoom services:
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STUDY SESSION FOR THE FIRST BORN
Wednesday, April 5 at 9:00 AM
Because the First Born Israelites were saved from the 10th plague, (Literally "Passed over"), it is customary for first born children to fast the day before Passover. In order to avoid the fast, a custom has arisen to study after the morning service and then to have a meal. If you are a firstborn and do not wish to fast, join us for services and a study session. Services - 8:15 AM
Here is your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to join
Services and Study Session
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PASSOVER OFFICE HOURS
OFFICE CLOSED
Thursday and Friday, April 6 & 7 - Passover Day 1 and 2
Wednesday and Thursday, April 12 & 13 - Passover Day 7 and 8
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BURNING OF CHAMETZ
Wednesday, April 5 at 11:00 AM
Rabbi Jay will burn the Hametz in the JCC parking lot, by the kitchen door.
This is a live and on zoom event.
Here is your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to join on Zoom
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While many of us are getting ready for Passover Seder (aka the most complicated dinner party of the year) tomorrow, it is critical that we remember those who are not as fortunate. Our hearts go out to Evan Gershkovich and his family. Evan is an American reporter for the Wall Street Journal, who is being detained in Moscow and faces up to 20 years in prison. He is the son of Soviet-born Jews and should be at a Passover table, not sitting behind bars. Please share this email to spread awareness about Evan’s plight.
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THE JELLY SLICE An unlikely success story
"The sugar-selling business, not a little ironically, follows the rule of survival of the fittest. Many candies die out; the fruit jelly slice — which is too delicate for easy transportation — should have gone extinct in the mass market long ago. What saved it was a gelling agent called agar agar; it’s used in jelly slices and little else. Normally this would be academic, but on Passover it makes all the difference: Since agar-agar is derived from seaweed, it’s okay to use." To read the entire article click on the button below
David Zvi Kalman is scholar in residence
at the Shalom Hartman Institute
and owner of Print-O-Craft Press.
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PICKLEBALL
SUNDAY AT 10:00 AM
NO PICKLEBALL
THURSDAY 4/6 & 4/13
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THIS WEEK'S ACTIVITIES
MAH JONGG & CLASSES CANCELLED FOR THIS WEEK
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NEXT and last JEWISH HISTORY PROGRAM APRIL 27 , 2023
link will be sent out prior to the date
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JCC WOMEN’S AUXILIARY: BOOK GROUP DISCUSSION
WEDNESDAYS AT 4:00 PM
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NEXT BOOK REVIEW MEETING
Wednesday, April 19th at 4:00 pm
Discussion Leader: TBA
Defending Britta Stein By Ronald Balson
Chicago, 2018: Ole Henryks, a popular restauranteur, is set to be honored by the Danish/American Association for his many civic and charitable contributions. Frequently appearing on local TV, he is well known for his actions in Nazi-occupied Denmark during World War II—most consider him a hero. Britta Stein, however, does not. The ninety-year-old Chicago woman levels public accusations against Henryks by spray-painting “Coward,” “Traitor,” “Collaborator,” and “War Criminal” on the walls of his restaurant. Mrs. Stein is ultimately taken into custody and charged with criminal defacement of property. She also becomes the target of a bitter lawsuit filed by Henryks and his son, accusing her of defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Attorney Catherine Lockhart, though hesitant at first, agrees to take up Mrs. Stein's defense. With the help of her investigator husband, Liam Taggart, Lockhart must reach back into wartime Denmark and locate evidence that proves Mrs. Stein's innocence.
ORDER YOUR BOOK FROM AMAZON AND START READING TODAY
Click here to borrow the book from the Ocean County Library.
FUTURE BOOKS
Shanda: A Memoir of Shame and Secrecy
By Letty Cottin Pogrebin
My Mother’s Secret: A Novel of the Jewish Autonomous Region
By Alina Adams
Wednesday, July 19th
Signal Fires
By Dani Shapiro
Wednesday, August 16th
Rebel Daughter
By Lori Banov Kaufmann
A Zoom link will be sent shortly before the event.
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The following names will be read by the Rabbi on Friday evening
Milton Bloom
Irving Bzezensky*
Laura Kaplan
Harold Katz
Benjamin Lehrer
Allan Mayro
Pearl Corson
Stuart Geier
Rose Gottlieb
Claire Levin
Malvina Malmed
Louis Rubinfeld
William Schreer
Bernice Silverman
Edward Albert*
Donald Bosswick
Robert Jack Bzezensky*
Harry Millstein*
Norman Shaer
Jacob Britz*
Kathryn Hadley*
Arnold King Brenman, MD
Fanny Dickman
Joseph Horowitz
David Rosenbloom
Samuel Troum*
Joseph Callet*
Sylvia Evans
Deborah Gottlieb
Richard Saivetz*
*Memorial plaque will be lit this week.
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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Sharon Hendler
April 10
Laura E. Leizer
April 10
Barry Freedman
April 11
Stanley Wallach
April 11
Sandy Rosenbloom
April 12
Karl Mayro
April 13
Frederic Schragger
April 14
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Scott & Dana Ranani
April 8
23rd Anniversary
Cary & Lynn Reimer
April 8
51st Anniversary
Howard & Janet Cohen
April 12
37th Anniversary
Rudolph & Rose Valentine
April 13
60th Anniversary
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Rose & Rudy Valentine
1963
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SHARE YOUR NEWS
AND PICTURES
CONTACT:
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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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SHOWING OF THE NEW DOCUMENTARY DEPICTING
THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL FARMING COLONY IN AMERICA
The Alliance Colony was a social experiment. Forty-three Jewish families fleeing Russian persecution arrived in the desolate fields of the southern Pine Barrens in 1882. They formed an agricultural collective. Twenty-five years later, a bustling population of 1,000 Jews had harnessed the land and built a bountiful legacy that lives on today.
Stockton University
Sunday, April 16 at 12:30 PM
Showing of the Film Free of Charge
This is a three day event including dinner and tour.
SEE DETAILS BELOW
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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE COMMUNITY
Att: Doctors, Nurses, NPs and PAs
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YOU CAN NOW FILL OUT A GIVING FORM AND PAY ON LINE IN ONE SIMPLE PROCESS.
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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
Herb and Selma z”l Shapiro established the first individual Endowment Fund in memory of his father, as part of the JCC’s Endowment Fund portfolio.
Since then, three additional individual Endowment Funds have been established. Other members are encouraged to also provide for the future of our JCC by establishing similar funds. Please consider adding to this number.
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 named funds will be joined together to be part of the Endowment Fund portfolio.
Endowment funds are necessary to ensure the continuation and well being of our congregation. All members are encouraged to help this important effort by contributing to this portfolio, whether as a specific named individual fund, or as a general donation. The donation can be spread over one, two, or three years, and can be paid via check, donation of appreciated stock, wills, or from the RMD of your IRA or 401K account. 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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2023 MEMBERSHIP FORMS
Your support is so important to the continued success of the JCC.
Here is form for renewal:
And if you have been reading our Shabbat Reminder and other communications and have not yet joined our congregation, here is the new member form:
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JCC FUNDS
Your gift to the JCC supports 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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JCC LEADERSHIP
OFFICERS
President- Phil Rosenzweig
1ST Vice President-Sherry Fruchterman
2ND Vice President-Diane Hoffman
3RD Vice President- Rose Valentine
Treasurer- Ira Morgenthal
Secretary- Cliff Denker
Immediate Past President -Michael Babst
BOARD MEMBERS
Howard Babbitt
Diane Buskirk
Mitch Frumkin
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Jon Geier
Paul Levine
Donald Pripstein
Terri Robinovitz
David Shatz
Rob Van Naarden
WOMEN'S AUXILIARY
President - Diane Buskirk
Co-Vice President - Noralyn Carroll
Co-Vice President - Jill Denker
Treasurer - Suzy Geier
Secretary - Joanne Babbitt
Immediate Past President - Irene Babst
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JCC INFORMATION
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 OPEN
MONDAY - FRIDAY
CLOSED THURSDAY
FROM 10 - 2
Staff:
Leslie Dinkfelt, Office Manager
Mary Beth Krieger, Staff Member
Diane Parzych, Staff Member
Susan Berube, Kitchen Manager
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LATEST
BULLETIN:
PRAYER BOOK:
WEB SITE:
PAVERS:
TREE OF LIFE
YAHRZEIT PLAQUE FORM:
KOL HAKAVOD DONATION FORM
TRIBUTES:
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Rabbi Michael S. Jay
Phil Rosenzweig, President
E-mail Editor: Rose Valentine
Graphics by
Irene Babst
Contributing Columnist
Sheila Weisel
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