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JEWISH COMMUNITY
CENTER OF
LONG BEACH ISLAND
E-LETTER
December 19, 2025
29 Kislev 5786
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A MESSAGE FROM THE RABBI
Each night, immediately after we light the Hanukkah candles, we read (or sing) Hanerot Halalu (Literally “these candles”). It is not quite a prayer. Rather, it is a declaration. Take a look:
These candles are lit to recall the miracles, the wonders, the rescues, and the victories that You(God) granted our ancestors in those days, at this season through Your holy priests (the Maccabees).
For all eight days of Hanukkah these candles are sanctified, and no one may use them except to look at them, and to be reminded to thank and praise Your great name for all Your miraculous rescues.
You can hear it here: CLICK TO HEAR
Essentially, the first section is a reminder to each of us that, but for God’s miracles, we would not be present to light candles. From a theological or religious observance perspective, this makes perfect sense.
But then, in the second paragraph, we are given an odd requirement. We are told that the candles are holy and, therefore, cannot be used for any practical or worldly purpose. They are merely to be gazed upon.
The Hanukkah candles have a singular purpose, and that purpose is publicizing the miracle (Persumei nisa). Indeed, this purpose of publicizing is so holy, that any other use of the candles would diminish their spiritual value. So, you can look, but you cannot read by them, work by them, or study by them. (The interesting thing is that, other than work, these activities are perfectly fine to perform by the light of the Shabbat candle.)
In a way not seen in any other place, the lights of Hanukkah are holy unto themselves. I surmise that it is one of the rare times that being useless is considered a good thing. J
Unlike on Shabbat and on other major Holidays, on Hanukkah, we are permitted to work and to attend to the mundane chores of our lives. The Hanukkah lights create a singular tiny universe of holiness. The blessings before lighting the candles, connect us to our ancestors and our tradition. But, by being commanded to take time to watch, and ponder, the flickering candles, and to be certain that others see them, we learn that holiness does not need to be commemorated in loud or magnificent ways.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7, or 8 small flickering candles can be as holy as a huge parting sea, or the thunder and lightning that accompanied the delivery of the Torah at Mount Sinai.
One last thought. By telling us to stop and ponder the Hanukkah candles, to simply gaze, we are being reminded that sometimes we need to pause to witness the miracles that are happening around us.
Light them, Gaze on them, Ponder them, and Share Their Glow.
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Urim Sameach – Rabbi Michael S. Jay
| Rabbi Jay will be in his office at the JCC after services on Saturday. The Rabbi is also available at any time or place to schedule in-person, or virtual meetings at your convenience. The Rabbi can be reached by call/text 973-865-9534 or email at Mjayrabrab@gmail.com | |  | |
Candle Lighting Time
(Southern Ocean County)
Shabbat Eve
Friday, December 19, 2025
4:16 PM
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Friday
December 19, 2024
SHABBAT DINNER
6:00 PM
SERVICES
7:30 PM
IN PERSON AND
ON ZOOM
Here is
your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to join Services
on Zoom
FRIDAY NIGHT
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Saturday
Dcember 20, 2025
9:00 AM
IN PERSON AND
ON ZOOM
.Here is
your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to join
Zoom services
SATURDAY MORNING
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TORAH READING
Parashat Miketz
Genesis 41:1-44:17; Numbers 28:9-15, 7:42-47
Miketz (“After”) follows Joseph as he interprets Pharaoh's dreams and rises to become second-in-command to Pharaoh. When Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt seeking food during a famine, Joseph accuses them of spying. He insists that they return with their youngest brother, Benjamin, and later plants a goblet in Benjamin’s bag.
Here is Genesis
Here is Numbers
HAFTORAH
Zechariah 2:14-4:7
Speaking after the destruction of the First Temple, the prophet Zechariah consoles the people and assures them that God is still present. He mentions a vision of a gold menorah and speaks a verse that is often used in connection to Chanukkah: “Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit”
Here is the Haftorah
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WEEKDAY SERVICES
Ma'ariv Service
7:30 PM
Here is your invitation from Rabbi Jay to
join Zoom services:
MA'ARIV
Monday - Friday
Shacharit Service
8:15 AM
Sunday at 9:00 AM
Here is your invitation from Rabbi Jay to
join Zoom services:
SHACHARIT
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SUNDAY, December 21
Pickleball
10 AM - 1 PM
******
TUESDAY, December 23
Pickleball
10 AM - 1 PM
*****
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MAH JONGG & CANASTA
WEDNESDAYS
12:30 PM TO 4:00 PM
NO GAMES UNTIL JANUARY 7
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PICKLEBALL
Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays
10 - 1
NO PICKLEBALL 12/25 AND 1/1
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Friday, December 19
Hanukah Shabbat Dinner
6:00 PM
Wednesday December 31
New Year's Eve Celebration
8:30 PM
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Tuesday, January 6
WAX Brunch: Site TBD
11:00 AM
Thursday, January 15
Dr. Tull “Everything you want to know about Medicinal Cannabis”
7:45 PM after services
Friday, January 16
Shabbat Family Dinner
6:30 PM
Wednesday, January 21
Book Club
4:00 PM
Saturday, January 24
Cholentfest after services
Friday, January 30
Special WAX Shabbat Program
7:30 PM
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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.
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CALL PAUL LEVINE WITH ANY QUESTIONS
484-802-0586
SEE ORDER FORM BELOW
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The following names will be read by the Rabbi on Friday evening:
Seymour Abend
Sylvia Applebaum
Carl M. Cole
Michael Kaplan
Jacqueline Mogil
Susan Shapiro
Inge Batoff
Clara Beckerman
Lorraine Liebowitz
Haim Mosios
Joseph Nakkab
Reba Papier
Millie Wolpert
Sidney Fisch
Mark Goldman
Irving Butler
Robin Ellison*
Mendel Fischer
Henry Gondelman
Ruth Moss
Dan Renzin
Ethel Snyder*
Louis Bass*
Linda Marlene Herman
Jacob Stern
Naomi Antonoff
David Fineberg
Jerry Green*
Henry Herzig
Samuel Lisagor*
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.
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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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Jill Berson
December 20
Elly Rosenthal
December 20
Irwin Sablonsky
December 21
Bernard Barrish
December 22
Beverly Miller
December 23
Craig Israelite
December 24
Ninette Steinberg
December 24
Richard Feldgus
December 25
Lynn Levitt
December 25
Debra Belena
December 26
Marsha Chazin
December 26
Carol Koransky
December 26
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David & Vicki Pashman
December 21
57th Anniversary
Frank & Renee Ward
December 21
39th Anniversary
Mitchell & Arlene Frumkin
December 22
46th Anniversary
Neil & Rebecca Dolinger
December 23
35th Anniversary
Howard & Sherry Fruchterman
December 24
Bernard & Vera Hershenberg
December 24
53rd Anniversary
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SHARE YOUR NEWS
AND PICTURES
CONTACT:
rvalen1963@aol.co
| | | Mark & Marsha Chazin celebrated the bat mitzvah of their granddaughter, Shaked Chazin, on December 6th in Bridgewater, NJ. Shaked is in the 7th grade and is the goalie on the middle school girls field hockey team. | | | |
MICHAEL GATTO
grandson of Ira & Ina Morgenthal
who had eye surgery this week
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STU’s a-STU-te SAYINGS
CHANUKAH MEMORIES
Chanukah was as with all, a very joyous occasions – My sister and I literally went outside at dusk to make sure we would see three stars in the sky so we could then light the candles [mind you, we didn’t stay out that long as Chanukah in Rochester was frightfully cold and I do mean cold]
Once inside, we all sang the Birachote and took turns lighting our candles on a very simple silver Chanu’keyah – Then once lit we journeyed into our kitchen to help our Grandmother z”l make latkes and my Mother z”l the Chanukah cookies
Those cookies were the best Chanukah celebration ever – When my parents got married in 1947, my Grandmother z”l gave my Mother z”l a set of Chanukah Cookie Cutters [ie: dreidal, Chanukeyah, wine bottle, candle, Lion of Judah, and a Jewish Star] – Although the recipe was a basic sugar cookie: the great part was taking food coloring and paint brushes to paint messages on these cookies – Then over the years as we grew up, my parents took great joy in making and creating these Cookies with personal messages, and then shipping them to us
As one could probably guess, my cookies bore messages that said “Musicals [then listing many]” – “Orioles [of course including Brooks and Cal]” – and – “Dogs” [yup, even my Dog’s name of Dynamite was blazoned on them!] – Now that wonderful tradition has carried on [even the exact recipe] to our Niece and Nephew in Silver Spring with their children painting the messages
When I began college, my parents most generously gave me that wonderful silver Chanukeyah – As there were Judaica stores galore in NYC, I decided to buy them a brand new one – Typical to loving parents who most graciously accepted this new Chanukeyah with loving gratitude; one has to admit sadly especially me: I have no idea what got into me to get them probably the most gaudier, over the top and to be honest: ugly one
Then when Eve and I got married and for our first Chanukah, we want an “us” Chanukeyah – Eve’s parents had a special one that had a music box built in and played ‘Ma’oz Tzur’ – I always wanted an oil based one and so that’s what we got – We light the wicks and the flames actually last 3-4 hours and yes, the music box did play that Chanukah melody
Now we celebrate as simply as possible – Eve makes the latkes from scratch [my job is to peel and grate] and hers come out as if they were my Grandmother’s z”l absolutely delicious ones – And of course, Eve also makes homemade applesauce – We then just take in the ambience of the Festival of Lights by just gazing at the lights and reflect of the message of this great Celebration of Freedom
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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:
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
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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
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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 75th 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.
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JCC LEADERSHIP
OFFICERS
President- Phil Rosenzweig
1ST Vice President-Sherry Fruchterman
2ND Vice President-Diane Hoffman
3RD Vice President- Jon Geier
Treasurer- Stu Cofsky
Secretary- Cliff Denker
Immediate Past President -Michael Babst
BOARD MEMBERS
Howard Babbitt
Diane Buskirk
Lorna Klein
Ken Podos
Sondi Pripstein
Terri Robinovitz
David Shatz
Bonni Rubin-Sugarman
Rose Valentine
Ken Yudman
WOMEN'S AUXILIARY
President - Diane Buskirk
Treasurer - Suzy Geier
Secretary - Joanne Babbitt
Lorna Klein
Joyce Levine
Representative to the Board - Sondi Pripstein
Immediate Past President - Irene Babst
Rabbi Michael S. Jay, Spiritual Leader
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