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OF THE SHABBAT REMINDER

COUNTDOWN TO PASSOVER

FIRST SEDER: Saturday, April 12

SECOND SEDER: Sunday, April 13

5 Steps to Get Your Passover and Spring Cleaning On

from jamiegeller.com

While you are already cleaning for Passover you might as well go full spring clean and declutter with these 6 steps. 

1. Plan -Start by planning out when and where you will clean each day and put it on your calendar. Generally, it is best to start in the least used rooms, work towards the bedrooms and bathrooms, and end with the kitchen. 

2. Don't Do It Alone - Don't let your kids, grandkids or husband get away without helping out. Everyone should be responsible for a space — their own and/or another — but do each room as a group or in pairs. Turn cleaning into quality family time.  

3. Have Fun -Plan some games to make it more exciting. Have a contest to see who can clean the best and rate them on speed, thoroughness, and final results. Hide something like a new toy at the bottom of your kids' closets so they have to clean to find it. Give young kids their own sponge and spray bottle of water and vinegar to clean after you declutter. Play some music and take dancing breaks. End the day with a reward, like going out for dinner. 

4. Clear Out - Even though we started this to clean for Passover, we are using it as a way to clean up our home in every sense of the word. Go through everything you own and put them into one of 3 places: neatly in a place they belong, in the trash, or in a donation bag. Big tip: If you haven't worn or used it in a year, get rid of it — this applies to everything in your home, even food, spices, and appliances.

5. Get Help - While you must be the one to go through all your closets and drawers it is okay to bring in the reinforcements (cleaning professionals) to do the heavy lifting once you have cleared the clutter, especially if you don't have confidence in your sweeping and mopping skills like me. 

6. Take Pictures - Make sure to take some before and after pictures and share them with us on this post and/or on social media. It will inspire others to get moving and cleaning. 

14 Make-Ahead Passover Dishes to Freeze for a Stress-Free Holiday

From meatballs to brisket and matzah ball soup

from The Nosher

See one of the recipes below. Click here for the entire article

The Best Matzah Lasagna

Total Time: 1 hour Yield: Serves 6-8

Ingredients

6–7 sheets matzah

3 ½ cups (1 jar/25 oz) marinara or your favorite tomato sauce

2 (16 oz) containers whole-milk ricotta

1 cup chopped basil + more for garnish

4–5 sprigs thyme, leaves removed from stems, about 2 tsp

1 large egg

1 tsp kosher salt

½ tsp black pepper, or to taste

5 cups (16 oz) shredded low-moisture mozzarella

1 ½ cups (5 oz) shredded cheddar cheese

¼ cup grated parmesan (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. 

Add the ricotta, chopped basil, thyme, egg, salt and pepper to a bowl, and mix until just combined.

Assemble the lasagna in a 9”x13” casserole dish that is at least 2.5”-3” deep. Start by adding 1 cup of the marinara to the bottom of the dish. Layer two sheets of matzah on the bottom, break as needed to fit them into a single layer. Top the matzah with 2 cups of the ricotta mixture (half of the mixture), and smooth it into an even layer with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Evenly top the ricotta with 2 cups of shredded mozzarella and ½ a cup of shredded cheddar. 

Repeat the process by dolloping 1 cup of sauce over the shredded cheese. Top the sauce with two sheets of matzah, the remaining 2 cups of the ricotta mixture, followed by 2 cups of shredded mozzarella, and ½ a cup of shredded cheddar.

For the last layer, top the cheese layer with two sheets of matzah, then finish it off with the remaining tomato sauce (if you enjoy a saucier lasagna, you can add an additional cup of tomato sauce over the top before you finish it off with the shredded cheeses). Add the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and ½ cup of cheddar. Finally, sprinkle the parmesan over the top.

Cover the lasagna with foil, and bake for 30 minutes covered.

Uncover the lasagna and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until browned and bubbly on top. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving so that the lasagna can set and hold its shape.

Notes

This recipe requires one full jar of marinara, but if you like a saucier lasagna, add an additional cup (or a small 8 oz jar) of tomato sauce to the top of the lasagna.

To make the lasagna ahead, bake for 30 minutes covered, remove from the oven and allow to fully cool. Refrigerate or freeze the lasagna. If refrigerated, reheat at 375°F for 15 minutes covered, and 15 uncovered; and if it’s frozen, reheat for 20 minutes covered, and 20-25 minutes uncovered.

CLICK HERE DOWNLOAD THE FORM TO SELL YOUR CHOMETZ

If you missed the PJP Program "Israel and Jews in America: The History and Future of this Contentious Relationship" with Hadas Cohen click on the button below to view

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MAH JONGG & CANASTA

WEDNESDAYS

12:30 PM TO 4:00 PM

April 9, 23. May 21, 28. 

Play starts at 11am and ends at 1:45  

PICKLEBALL

Sundays, Tuesdays

and Thursdays

10 - 1

NO PICKLEBALL 4/13 AND 4/20

CLICK HERE FOR UPCOMING WAX EVENTS

THIS SPRING AND SUMMER

JCC WOMEN’S AUXILIARY: BOOK GROUP DISCUSSION

 WEDNESDAYS AT 4:00 PM

NEXT BOOK REVIEW MEETING

Wednesday, April 16th at 4:00 PM

Discussion Leader: TBA

Book: Eternal Life By: Dara Horn

Rachel is a woman with a problem: she can’t die. Her recent troubles—widowhood, a failing business, an unemployed middle-aged son—are only the latest in a litany Continued on page 23 2 3 Volume 18/ Issue 2 JCC Women Auxiliary: Book Group Discussion – continued Wednesday at 4:00 PM Eternal Life by Dara Horn spanning dozens of countries, scores of marriages, and hundreds of children. In the 2,000 years since she made a spiritual bargain to save the life of her first son back in Roman-occupied Jerusalem, she’s tried everything to free herself, and only one other person in the world understands: a man she once loved passionately, who has been stalking her through the centuries, convinced they belong together forever. But as the twenty-first century begins and her children and grandchildren—consumed with immortality in their own ways, from the frontiers of digital currency to genetic engineering—develop new technologies that could change her fate and theirs, Rachel knows she must find a way out.

LOOK HERE FOR 75TH ANNIVERSARY UPDATES

WE NEED HELP!  The 75th Anniversary planning committee and is looking for help preparing a media presentation for the August 10 Gala. If you, your teenage children, or you know someone who has this skill please let us know. We have news clippings, video interviews, pictures etc regarding the 75 years of JCC history on the island. Compensation will be provided. Please call Jon Geier at 703-589-2440 or Diane Hoffman at (732-742-2881). Thanks so much.

COMEDY SHOW

We are excited that our first JCC section is sold out. An additional section has been put aside and will be available to JCC members until ticket sales are open to the public. Seats can then be purchased in the rest of the theater. Remember comedy shows at the Surflight are usually sold out.

ABOUT THE COMEDIANS...

Robin Fox

New Jersey Stand-Up Comedian Robin Fox spent 17 years as a full-time mom and dieting. Then one day, Robin gave up dieting and decided to make her life long dream of being a comedian a reality. Today she is happier than she can ever remember and will never look back! Original and funny, she talks from her heart about the frustrations of suburban living, marriage, and being an empty nester. No longer is she willing to just be the funniest mom on her New Jersey cul-de-sac. This New Jersey mom is now a regular on the comedy scene playing at the top clubs in NYC and performing nationally.

Joe Bublewicz

A 20 year veteran of the national comedy circuit, Joe’s ability to take you on a tour of life’s absurdities will create an atmosphere of non-stop laughter by blending just the right mix of sarcasm, logic, and personality into a hilarious stand-up performance. His creative humor and sardonic style of comedy has made him a favorite at all the major comedy chains throughout the country. It’s a night out that will leave you wanting more.

Wayne Cotter

Wayne Cotter is a veteran of the talk shows, having appeared dozens of times with both David Letterman and Jay Leno. A top nationally touring comedian, Wayne hosted the Fox Television Network series “Comic Strip Live” for many years, and has been nominated as “Best Standup Comedian” in the American Comedy Awards. Although he studied Electrical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania and began a career with a New Jersey computer company, before long Wayne started moonlighting as a Philadelphia comedian. He continued this double life for some time, and ultimately came to the visionary conclusion that the computer industry was going nowhere and left town to pursue showbusiness full time.



The JCC section at Crescent Memorial Park is available for sales. Please contact Bonni Rubin-Sugarman at 609-417-7148.

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. Here is a sample of some of our new products. The gift shop is open during office hours M-F 10 - 2.

CONGREGATION NEWS

AROUND THE OCEAN COUNTY

JEWISH COMMUNITY....

YOU CAN NOW FILL OUT A GIVING FORM AND PAY ON LINE IN ONE SIMPLE PROCESS.

Go to jccoflbi.org - Giving/Pay

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