PJP PROGRAM

"We are Indonesian Jews: Indonesia's Forgotten Tribes"

CLICK HERE: JEWISH INDONESIA

Passcode: M&v9Rzje

This year, Purim will be celebrated on the evening of Monday March 2nd, through Tuesday March 3rd, 2026. We are making it very easy to share the wonderful mitzvah of participating in Shalach Manos. 

This tradition derives from the Book of Esther. It is meant to ensure that everyone has enough food for the Purim feast held later in the day, and to increase love and friendship as a counter to Haman's assertion that the Jewish people are characterized by strife and disunity.

This year, more than ever, we understand the importance of supporting our Jewish Community. As we know, our congregation is a little bit of an anomaly, with many of our members living outside of Long Beach Island and sending the traditional Shalach Manos package would be a costly challenge.

With that being said, we came up with a Shalach Manos Campaign in a way to support both our JCC Family and our beloved Homeland, The State of Israel. 

We will be supporting Jewish National Fund by purchasing and planting individual trees in the name of each of our congregants. Additionally, we will be purchasing our very own Garden in the name of the JCC of LBI.

Your contribution of $136 ensures that each member of the congregation and the employees of the JCC will receive a Purim Package. If you choose not to participate in giving to the entire congregation, although we hope you do, kindly send us a list of those to whom you would like to receive a Purim Package. Each name will be $18 with a minimum of 3.

The money raised from this years Shalach Manos package, will not only support JNF but also the very important task of supporting our synagogue in meeting its financial needs. We are looking for 100% participation to aide in these very important causes.

Please complete the attached form and return it to the office by Sunday February 1st 2026. No orders will be accepted after that date. PLEASE NOTE: Shalach Manos packages will be mailed. If you do not wish to receive a package, check the box on the order form and submit it to the office

Thank you for your continued support of The JCC of LBI’s programs and activities. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Stacie Podos Shalach Manos Chair. ------- staciepodos@gmail.com------914-588-2751  

Ken Podos Shalach Manos Co-Chair----kenpodos@gmail.com----914-588-0393

WAX BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

Wednesday, January 21st at 4:00 pm

Discussion Leader: Debby Schweighardt

How to Lose your Mother: A daughter’s Memoir

By Molly Jong-Fast



Molly Jong-Fast is the only child of a famous woman, writer Erica Jong, whose sensational book Fear of Flying launched her into second-wave feminist stardom. She grew up yearning for a connection with her dreamy, glamorous, just out of reach mother, who always seemed to be heading somewhere that wasn’t with Molly. When, in 2023, Erica was diagnosed with dementia just as Molly’s husband discovered he had a rare cancer, Jong-Fast was catapulted into a transformative year.

How to Lose Your Mother is a compulsively readable memoir about an intense mother–daughter relationship, a sometimes chaotic upbringing with a fame-hungry parent, and the upheavals that challenge our hard-won adulthood. A pitch-perfect balance of acceptance and rage, humor and heart, How to Lose Your Mother tells a universal story of loss alongside a singular story of a literary life. This is a memoir that will stand alongside the classics of the genre.

We are very excited to add to the WAX Gift Shop items from local merchants and artisans. Stop in to look and buy one (or more) of these beautiful pieces for your home, as a gift or just for yourself.

The gift shop is open during office hours M-F 10 - 2.

CONGREGATION NEWS

A MEMORIAL SERVICE IS BEING HELD AT THE JCC THIS SUNDAY 1/18/26 AT 11:00 AM FOR

STEVE EISENBERG

Steve was a resident of LBI for 40 years and was proprietor of The Terrace Tavern. His grandchildren, Samantha and Ben, were students at the JCC Religious School and b'nai mitzvah at the JCC as well.

We anticipate a large crowd. Arrangements were made for additional parking at the Spray Beach Yacht Club.

Condolences to the entire Eisenberg family.

"May God remember forever our dear ones who have gone to their eternal rest. May they be at one with the One who is life eternal. May the beauty of their lives shine for evermore, and may our lives always bring honor to their memory."

Fried Hot Dogs and Potatoes (Zharenaya kartoshka): Russian Comfort Food

By Sonya Sanford

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 ½ lb (about 3–4 medium) potatoes — ideally Yukon Gold, German Butterball or Russet

½ medium yellow onion

5–6 oz hot dogs or kielbasa (about 3 hot dogs)

3–4 Tbsp neutral oil (sunflower, canola, or avocado)

salt and pepper, as needed

parsley and/or scallions, chopped, for garnish

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Start by washing your potatoes. You can peel the potatoes or leave the peel on. Cut the potatoes into even-sized (small fry shapes, half-moons, or rounds), ¼”-thick pieces. Soak the cut potatoes in water for 5-10 minutes; this removes excess starch and will help prevent them from falling apart in the pan. While the potatoes are soaking, thinly slice the onions and slice the hot dogs into even-size pieces. Drain the potatoes, place them on a clean kitchen towel, and pat dry.

While the potatoes are soaking/drying, you can begin frying the onions and/or hot dogs. For the onions: Add a generous drizzle of oil to a large cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan on medium heat. Add the onions to the pan with a big pinch of salt, and allow them to get golden brown and a little crisp-edged, about 5-6 minutes. Remove the browned onions from the pan and reserve.

For the hot dogs/kielbasa: Drizzle a little more oil into the same pan that the onions were cooked in, or a separate pan. Brown the sliced hot dogs on both sides on medium-high heat, about 5-6 minutes. Remove and reserve.

Add a few Tbsp oil to the same pan on medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the sliced, rinsed, and dried potatoes. Make sure the potatoes are in an even layer and that the pan is not too crowded. Every 3-4 minutes, flip the potatoes and stir them. Cook until golden and crispy on all sides, about 20-25 minutes. Resist the urge to move them around too much — that will allow them to brown more easily on each side. Some potatoes may get a little darker or crispier than others, and that’s perfectly ok. A few minutes before the potatoes are fully crisped, season very generously with salt and pepper.

Add the onions and hot dogs to the pan (if using), and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.

Serve with a fresh sprinkle of chopped parsley or scallions, and your favorite condiments.

from https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher

PS I have been making this for supper for years. RV

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:

PAVER 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:

dihoff1@aol.com

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.

See Order form here: Prayer Book

TRIBUTES

SEND ONE OF OUR TRIBUTES IN HONOR OR IN MEMORY OF

See order form here: TRIBUTES

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: 

YAHRZEIT

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

2025 MEMBERSHIP FORMS

Your support is so important to the continued success of the JCC.

Here is form for renewal:

RENEW NOW

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:

JOIN NOW

BE A PART OF THE WOMEN'S AUXILLARY

2025 DUES FORM HERE

JCC FUNDS

Scroll down to see the new Ner Tamid Fund

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.

NER TAMID FUND

The Ner Tamid Fund was established in 2025 as part of the JCC’s 75^th Anniversary Celebration. Its purpose is to fund necessary maintenance or improvement of our beautiful JCC building as well as the Parsonage. To ensure that the JCC remains an Eternal Light for the Jewish Community on and off the island and in Southern Ocean County generally, please consider making a separate donation to the Ner Tamid Fund, or allocating a small portion of your High Holiday donation to that fund.