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JEWISH COMMUNITY
CENTER OF
LONG BEACH ISLAND
E-LETTER
April 21, 2023
30 Nisan 5783
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A TORAH MESSAGE FROM THE RABBI |  | |
The double portion that we read this week in the Torah, Tazria-Metsora, is not pleasant. It is all about what a priest is supposed to do when people have various diseases like leprosy and sores and eruptions. It even describes what to do when a house has growths on its walls. Okay, so it is weird stuff and full of hocus-pocus, and an interesting, if uninspiring read, but what does any of this have to do with us today? How can we use this information in our modern era when most of these issues are dealt with by a dermatologist?
The answer, I think, lies in the very fact that the Torah devotes valuable ink, space, and time to these ailments and what to do with them. In the ancient world, leprosy and similar diseases were a death sentence and were viewed as a punishment for some sin that the afflicted person committed. The diseased person was sent away essentially to live and die alone, or with other similarly diseased individuals. What the Torah does, in a subtle way, is let us know that this practice of banishment and death was unacceptable. Indeed, the message is clear. People get sick and when they do, we need to try to heal them. When the Torah tells the Priests what to do it is creating the first doctors in what will be a long tradition of Jews in the medical profession.
To be clear, not everyone agrees with my notion that these portions are about natural disease. Many great commentators believe that the illnesses listed, and the cures involved, are only about punishment for specific sins that we commit. I cannot subscribe to this theory and in refutation cite you to Nehama Leibowitz who tells us that at another point in the Torah (Exodus 21:19) we are told that one who injures another is required to “cause him to be thoroughly healed.” According to Rabbi Yishmael, as recorded in the Talmud, Bava Kamma 85a, “[from this Torah text] we know that a physician is allowed to cure”.
The Torah’s detailed attention to these issues helps us to understand the importance of taking care of those who become ill, even if we determine that the illness is contagious, or part of an epidemic. And even if we somehow deem that the disease was brought about by a person's own actions. Healing of any sort is God’s work. May we continue to live in a world where healing and finding cures to diseases is of paramount importance. And may we offer our many blessings to those who undertake this holy task and to all who care for the less fortunate in our midst.
Shabbat Shalom – Rabbi Michael S. Jay
(Re-Published from a prior year)
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YOM HAZIKARON
Israel Memorial Day
Tuesday April 25
4 Iyar
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YOM HA'ATZMAUT
Israel Independence Day
Wednesday, April 26
5 Iyar
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Candle Lighting time
Friday evening
April 21, 2023
7:22 pm
(So. Ocean County)
JOIN US FOR
SERVICES
Friday night
April 21. 2023
7:30 PM
IN PERSON & ON ZOOM
Here is
your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to join
Zoom services
FRIDAY NIGHT
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Saturday Morning
April 22, 2023
9:00 AM
IN PERSON & ON ZOOM
BAT MITZVAH OF
EILIANA BRAUN
Mazel Tov to
the parents
Kim & Josh Braun
the grandparents
Renee & Rob VanNaarden
& the entire family
Here is
your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to join
Zoom services
SHABBAT MORNING
TORAH READING
Parashat Tazria-Metzora
Leviticus 12:1-15:33; Numbers 28:9-15
Here is the Reading
LEVITICUS
NUMBERS
[
HAFTORAH
Isaiah 66:1-24
Here is the Haftorah
HAFTORAH
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HAVDALLAH
Saturday evening
8:00 PM
Here is your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to
join Zoom services:
HAVDALLAH
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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ABOUT OUR BAT MITZVAH
Eliana (Ellie) is a 7th-grade student at Edison Intermediate School in Westfield, NJ. She is very excited to become a Bat Mitzvah with Rabbi Jay at the JCC of LBI. Ellie is a dedicated winger on the NJ Premier Dutch Total Soccer Club and can be found dribbling the ball day and night. She is a passionate activist participating in the Teen Leadership Institute at the Community Food Bank of NJ (CFBNJ) and creating a Students Change Hunger Chapter with CFBNJ at her school. She recently led a school-wide food drive raising over 500 pounds of food in one week for donation to those challenged by food insecurity. Ellie loves reading, cooking, playing the piano, and is first chair tenor saxophone in her school jazz and concert bands. This summer will be Ellie’s third at Ramah Berkshires. Ellie feels very grateful to have the opportunity to become a Bat Mitzvah and to celebrate with her family and friends at her home away from home on LBI
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April 22
Bat Mitzvah of Eliana (Ellie) Braun
April 27
PJP Jewish History Series
Final Program
April 28/39
Aufruf of Samantha Jay & Reid Title
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May 6
Adult Bat Mitzvah of Irene Babst, Deb Levy and Ina Morgenthal
May 17
WAX Book Review
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PICKLEBALL
SUNDAY & THURSDAY
AT 10:00 AM
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MAH JONGG & CANASTA
WEDNESDAYS
12:30 TO 4:00 PM
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THIS WEEK'S ACTIVITIES
SUNDAY, APRIL 23
Pickleball
10:00 AM
MONDAY, APRIL 24
Foundations for a Thoughtful Judaism: Practice
A Hartman Class with Rabbi Jay
10:00 AM
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26
Canasta & Mah Jongg
12:30 AM - 4 PM
following Ma'ariv
7:45 PM
Study with with Rabbi Jay
"Jewish Wisdom"
using the book
by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin
THURSDAY, MARCH 23
10:00 AM Pickleball
11:00 AM Torah Study with the Rabbi
2:00 PM Beginning Hebrew with Ira
8:30 PJP History Series
SEE LINKS BELOW
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NEXT and last JEWISH HISTORY PROGRAM APRIL 27 , 2023
AT 8:30 PM
"Awake My People: Anti-Semitism and the Jewish Encounter with Modernity."
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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, May 17th
Shanda: A Memoir of Shame and Secrecy
By Letty Cottin Pogrebin
An intimate memoir from a founding editor of Ms. magazine who grew up in a Jewish immigrant family mired in secrets, haunted by their dread of shame and stigma, determined to hide their every imperfection—and in denial or despair when they couldn’t.
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FUTURE BOOKS
Wednesday, June 21st
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:
Nathan Blumberg
William Frank
Ann Hirsh Mednikoff
Michael Yudman
Anna Blumenthal*
Dr. Morton Kaplon
Aaron Powitz
Fred Gottesman
Ada Heller
Fanny Kelsen
Lazar Lebovitz
George Rosner
Pearl Elefant
Jack Halpern
Phil Pepperman
Batia Shatz
Margaret Stern
Tessie Weisel
Anna Kaufman Wittenberg
Ann Bernstein
Max Braun
Libby Flumenbaum
Burton Greenblatt
Harold Kugel
Leon Schachter
Alfred Baker*
David Ehrlich
Barbara Greenberg
Ben Levenstein
Nathan Rubenstein*
Ted Cohen
Abraham Mizrahi
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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Susan L. Beekman
April 22
Bunny Kaufman
April 22
Jennifer Millner
April 23
Ruth Miller
April 24
Joshua Gindin
April 26
Shelley Kreiger
April 26
Bonnie Shrager
April 26
Rabbi Michael Jay
April 27
Michael Slomovitz
April 28
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David & Terri Robinovitz
April 28
55th Anniversary
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SHARE YOUR NEWS
AND PICTURES
CONTACT:
rvalen1963@aol.com
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MAZAL TOV TO PHYLLIS COHEN on her daughter Jessica Berman being honored by the UJA Federation NY with the David J. Stern Leadership Award at this year’s Sports For Youtth Annual Luncheon. CBS Sports' Tracy Wolfson will be the M.C. for the afternoon. Jessica is also the daughter of Ted Cohen z"l.
Jessica Berman is the commissioner of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), where she oversees all operations of the league with a focus on supporting players on and off the pitch, working with NWSL clubs to continue building on the positive momentum of the league’s growing audience, and collaborating with NWSL partners to create the most engaging and entertaining fan experience.
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Thursday, May 18, 2023
11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Gotham Hall,
1356 Broadway
New York, NY, 10018
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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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SHEILA'S CORNER....
Grandma’s & Papa’s House
How did the years go by and make us as adults full of boring priorities? We fight every day for things we are not even sure we really want, when in fact, spending time at Grandma’s and Papa’s house is what everyone really needs to be happy.
Grandma’s & Papa’s house is where time takes a vacation and their cuckoo clock on the wall is the only reminder of the time. Hours fly by like minutes. READ MORE BY CLICKING HERE
Sheila Weisel is a Contributing Columnist to the Shabbat Reminder
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HERE IS A ZOOM PROGRAM ABOUT THE CHICKEN FARMERS OF SOUTH JERSEY.
IT IS FREE IF YOU REGISTER
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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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