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JEWISH COMMUNITY
CENTER OF
LONG BEACH ISLAND
E-LETTER
February 16, 2024
7 Adar I 5784
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FOR THE BEST VIEWING OF THE SHABBAT REMINDER,
CLICK HERE
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LEARN SIGNING WITH
ANTHONY DEFRANCO
at the JCC
TOMORROW 2/16
10:00 AM - 11:AM
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SERVICES THIS SHABBAT
ON ZOOM ONLY
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A MESSAGE FROM
OUR RABBI
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GOD THE BUILDER
“Make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them”. These are God’s words to Moses at the very beginning of Parashat Terumah. I have written before about the brilliance of God’s decision to have the Israelites donate the raw materials for, and to build, the portable sanctuary.
The donations from the people would ensure that each person had a physical connection to God’s dwelling place (not dissimilar from the plaques that we place in modern synagogues to indicate who donated toward a new building). By taking part in the construction of the portable tabernacle (Mishkan), the Israelites had the satisfaction of knowing that they were physically involved in creating God’s home; it is human nature to feel a strong connection to the things that we create. That said, God gives very precise building instructions to the Israelites as if to say, “I believe in free-will, but I’m not leaving the construction of my portable home to the whim of my human creations.”
Something else dawns on me relative to this Torah portion. God only gives very specific instructions to build one other structure in the Torah. Do you know what that was?
I will give you 3 seconds to guess. Your 3 seconds are up……The answer is Noah’s ark.
If these are the only two places in the Torah where God provides architectural plans, is there a possible connection between Noah’s ark and the Mishkan? I am not sure. In both, the instructions are detailed; however, the structures do not appear to have additional physical similarities.
They both were intended as temporary dwellings: Noah’s ark housed animals and humans (creatures of the earth) during the flood. The Mishkan housed God, the ruler of the heavens. The ark spent much of its time in the water, while the Mishkan spent all of its time on land. Both were portable, the Mishkan, seemingly, more so than the ark.
One connection I see is that both Noah’s ark and the Mishkan were designed to save and protect God’s creations from destruction. With the ark, this is obvious. If there were no ark, there would have been no animal left alive to continue God’s world. The saving function of the Mishkan is a bit more nuanced. In the desert, the Israelites were going to need a constant reminder of God’s presence in order to give them the strength (emotional, spiritual, and physical) to continue. The Mishkan certainly served this purpose.
So, why the exacting building instructions. Perhaps the Ark and the Mishkan both served such important functions, that God needed to make it absolutely certain that they would be built correctly. There would be no better way to ensure this than to provide the blueprints to the builders.
Thus, God’s detailed architectural plans ultimately ensured that humanity would survive the flood and that God’s chosen people would survive wandering in the desert.
God the conceiver, God the planner, God the manipulator…. God the builder.
Shabbat Shalom – Rabbi Michael S. Jay
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SHABBAT SHALOM
Shabbat Candle
Lighting time
Friday evening
February 16, 2024
5:15 PM
JOIN US FOR SERVICES
ON ZOOM ONLY THIS SHABBAT
Friday, February 17, 2024
6:30 PM
ON ZOOM ONLY
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Here is
your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to join
Zoom services
FRIDAY NIGHT
Saturday,
February 17, 2024
9:00 AM
ON ZOOM ONLY
Here is
your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to join
Zoom services
SHABBAT
TORAH READING
Parashat Terumah
Exodus 25:1-27:19
Here is Parshah
Terumah (“Donation”) opens as God tells Moses to collect donated materials in order to build a dwelling place for God called the Mishkan (Tabernacle). God describes how to build the vessels that will fill the Mishkan - including the ark, table, menorah, and sacrificial altar - as well as the Mishkan’s walls and curtains.
HAFTORAH
I Kings 5:26-6:13
Here is the Haftorah
HAVDALLAH
5:30 PM
ON ZOOM ONLY
Here is
your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to join
Zoom services
HAVDALLAH
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Sunday - Thursday
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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Ira Morgenthal is beginning a new Beginners Hebrew Class. He has one student signed up and is look for one more (or even more) person who would like to learn how to read Hebrew.
Give him a call if you are interested. 908-705-2576
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JCC members working on their ceramic projects with LBI Foundation instructor. Thank you Jill Denker for setting this all up. | | | |
For those who missed the PJP program "Herzl's Political Zionism" with Eugene Sheppard last week. Please find the program recording below. | |
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THIS WEEK'S ACTIVITIES
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 18
Pickleball
10:00 AM
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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19
"Chosing Hope"
A NEW class with Rabbi Jay
10:00 AM
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20
Pickleball
3:00 PM
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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21
Canasta & Mah Jongg
12:30 PM
Rabbi's Class
"The Case for Israel"
7:30 PM following minyan
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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22
Pickleball
10:00 AM
Torah Study with the Rabbi
11:00 AM
Intermediate Hebrew with Ira
2:00 PM
Jewish Hollywood Series
"Those Were the Days"
8:30 PM
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FRIDAY FEBRUARY 23
Studying the Prophets
9:00 - 9:20 AM
WAX Brunch at LBI Table
11:00 AM
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PICKLEBALL
SUNDAY 10:00 AM
TUESDAY 3:00 PM
THURSDAY 10:00 AM
Reminder: Pickleball for members only!
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MAH JONGG & CANASTA
WEDNESDAYS
12:30 PM TO 4:00 PM
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Learn Signing
Fridays February 16
10:00 AM
Jewish Hollywood Series
"Those Were the Days"
Thursday, February 22
8:30 PM
WAX Bunch at LBI Table
Friday, February 23
11:00 AM
Cholentfest
Saturday, February 24
After Services
PJP Program
“Jewish Portugal”
Sunday, February 25
1:00 PM
Cantor Sarah Geller: The Work of Antiracism –
How Hard Is It, Anyway?
Wednesday, February 28
7:45 PM
PJP Program
“What is Judaism? –
The Dispute between Martin Buber and Franz Rosenzweig”
Thursday, February 29
8:30 PM
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LEARN SIGNING WITH
ANTHONY DEFRANCO
at the JCC
FRIDAYS
10:00 AM - 11:AM
*beginning February 2,
February 16, March1, March 15
Another program brought to you by the JCC Women's Auxiliary
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Thanks to our membership in the PJP we are able to enjoy a variety of programs. Here are the new programming lists. No need to register in advance. | |
PJP Series "What Jews Think”
2023-2024
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Thursday, February 29 @8:30 PM
Rabbi Dr. Haim Rechnitzer, Hebrew Union College
“What is Judaism? – The Dispute between Martin Buber and Franz Rosenzweig”
In 1923 Rosenzweig wrote an open letter to Martin Buber titled “Die Bauleute” (The Builders), a letter that later became a central part of Rosenzweig’s Jewish theological legacy. In “The Builders – Concerning the Jewish Law” Rosenzweig accuses Buber that despite liberating “us” from the shackles of 19th century academic objective engagement with “Judaism” and opening our minds and hearts to seek the “inner power” of the Jewish tradition, he failed to answer the crucial existential question “what are we to do?” That is, Buber’s answer left the question of Jewish praxis, of Halakhah, outside of the realm of possible answers. Buber, of course, did not leave the question of action in this world unanswered. He provided a non-halakhic answer, arguing that the “truth” of Judaism lies in its religiosity, not its manifestation as a religion, or as Law. Our session will be dedicated to the exploration of these two opposing concepts of “Judaism” and in fact, of the ever-present existential question of ““what are we (Jews) to do?”
Rabbi Dr. Haim O. Rechnitzer is a Professor of Jewish Thought at HUC-JIR in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a poet. He earned his doctorate from the Department of Jewish Thought at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and his rabbinical ordination from HUC-JIR (Jerusalem) in 2003. Rechnitzer’s research is dedicated to themes of political theology, theological trends in Hebrew poetry, Israeli theology, and Jewish education. His recent books are Prophecy and the Perfect Political Order: The Political Theology of Leo Strauss (Jerusalem: The Bialik Institute 2012), Songs of the Third Exile (Jerusalem: Carmel Publishing House, 2014), Shibolet (Vortex) (Jerusalem: Carmel Publishing House, 2014), and Pictures / Reproductions (Jerusalem: Carme & Yediot Aharonot, 2022). His forthcoming book is Ars-Prophetica: Theology in the Poetry of Twentieth-Century Israeli Poets Avraham Ḥalfi, Shin Shalom, Amir Gilboa, and T. Carmi(Cincinnati, HUC Press, 2023). He has published articles on the subject of political theology, philosophy of education, theology of Piyyut (religious hymns), and Hebrew poetry. Prior to joining the faculty of the CollegeInstitute, Rabbi Dr. Rechnitzer taught in Israel and was on the faculty of the Franklin and Marshall College, Department of Religious Studies.
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PJP Travel Programs
2023-2024
Sunday, February 25 @ 1:00 PM “Jewish Portugal” with Gloria Ribeiro
The Jewish heritage of Lisbon started in Roman times (if not before). This visit will allow you to understand the living Jewish community in Lisbon and learn about their history, their traditions and their everyday life. We will see the Sharee Tikva synagogue and refer to the massacre of Passover of 1506, for which a memorial was built by Jews and Catholics to express the reconciliation between religions. We will also walk virtually through Lisbon's historic downtown, where two of the Jewish quarters used to be located. The Alfama, the oldest neighborhood in Lisbon, still preserves the 8th century layout, and here, Jews, Christians and Muslims used to live and work side by side. For centuries after the expulsion, many "Conversos" kept practicing their faith in secrecy, and the most famous example are the Belmonte Jews, who until recently lived as an isolated community. We will also learn about the growing community of Porto, representing about 500 Jews from more than 30 countries. Glória Ribeiro finished her university degree on National Tourist Guiding, and became Portugal's official guide in five languages in 2004. She loves to show her people and their history to all her visitors, especially Portuguese Jewish history. She actually believes she has Jewish background herself.
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Join us for our 2nd 3-Part Series on Jewish Hollywood
Those Were the Days - Feb 22, 2024 - 8:30 PM
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The following names will be read by the Rabbi on Friday evening:
Mildred Chakrin
Gloria Cohen
H. Leonard Flam
Amanda Kanowitz*
Nellie Lehman
Solomon Schall
Bernard Herman*
Robert Lapidus
Florence Marmon
Ernest H. Morgenstern*
Dr. Elias Shapiro
Carole Flam
Sylvia Kaplan
Dave Oxfeld
James Ruland Sr.
Samuel Weinberg
Mae Lazar
Ida Plotkin
Herman Reif
Dr. Leo Hendler
Phyllis Shatz
Hannah Beck*
Herbert Buchalter
Sidney Schlanger
Edythe Stern
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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Bonnie Eisner
February 17
Jacqueline Margolis
February 17
Jules Slotnick
February 17
James J. Shrager
February 18
Daniel Blattner
February 19
Brett Harwood
February 19
Gary Koupf
February 20
Sue Fuirst
February 21
Dana Meyers
February 21
Malenie Piscetelli
February 22
Barbara Pyles
February 22
Patricia Adell
February 23
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Lawrence & Stacey Garb
February 20
24th Anniversary
Douglas & Rosalee Keech
February 20
41st Anniversary
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SHARE YOUR NEWS
AND PICTURES
CONTACT:
rvalen1963@aol.com
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IRENE BABST
Undergoing Hip Surgery
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GOLF BUDDIES
Rudy Valentine
Don Pripstein
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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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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:
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 z"l 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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2023 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
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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
Ken Podos
Terri Robinovitz
David Shatz
Bonni Rubin-Sugarman
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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