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A SHABBAT MESSAGE FROM OUR RABBI

There is an assignment for you at the end of this message!!!!

In Parashat Kedoshim, God tells Moses to tell the entire Israelite community that they “shall be holy because God is holy.” On its face, it is a huge demand that God is making of the Israelites. 

While to be holy is to do things that go above and beyond what might be acceptable, it does not require one to be a “super-mensch”.  Here are some very simple examples:

The person striving to be holy doesn’t just drive Grandma home. He/she takes grandma to the front door and makes sure she enters her apartment safely. 

The person striving to be holy doesn’t just make dinner. He/she makes sure that everyone at the table has enough food before taking for him/herself. 

The person striving to be holy returns the car he/she borrowed with more gas than it had when he/she took it. 

If the person striving to be holy cannot find the owner of the 10 dollars he/she found, he/she donates it to charity. 

The person striving to be holy pays a condolence call to the person he/she only just met if that person has lost a loved one.

The person striving to be holy brings chicken soup to someone who is not feeling well. 

The person striving to be holy irons clothes before he/she donates them. (I only include this because I know someone who actually does this.)

Now it’s time for you to give me your input. What does the person striving to be holy do? Please finish the following sentence and email it to me at mjayrab@gmail.com :

“THE PERSON STRIVING TO BE HOLY………..”

As of this writing, we have reached 16 days in the counting of the Omer which means we are getting closer and closer to our re-receipt of the Torah. Let’s Elevate our spirits and our holiness as we approach Sinai.

Shabbat Shalom – Rabbi Michael S. Jay

Falafel (Chickpea Patties)

INGREDIENTS

16 ounces canned chickpeas, drained

1 large onion, chopped

2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

1 egg

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 to 1 cup breadcrumbs or fine bulgur

1 teaspoon ground coriander or cumin

1 teaspoon dried hot peppers

1 teaspoon garlic powder

vegetable oil (for frying)

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine chickpeas with onion. Add parsley, lightly beaten egg and spices.
2. Mix in blender. Add breadcrumbs until mixture forms a small ball without sticking to your hands.
3. Form chickpea mixture into small balls about the size of a quarter (one inch in diameter).
4. Flatten patties slightly and fry until golden brown on both sides.
5. Drain falafel balls on paper towels.
6. Serve individually with toothpicks as an hors d'oeuvre or as a sandwich filling with chopped tomato, cucumber, radish, lettuce, onion, hummus and/or tehina inside pita bread.

Last Friday night was a special night at the JCC of LBI. The evening started with a wonderful dinner thanks to the help of the WAX executive board, Diane Buskirk, Jill Denker, Suzy Geier, Joanne Babbitt and a special thank you to Noralyn Carroll who took the lead in shopping/baking/preparing many of the dishes served. Also thanks to Elyann Katz and to Marlene Herman in helping with the setup. A thank you to Joyce Levine who prepared the many varieties of salmon and the kasha which were outstanding, and to Paul Levine for taking the time to travel to Lakewood to pick up the cabbage rolls, challah and cookies for dessert. 

Services following dinner were led by the women of the congregation and dedicated to Carole Nunberg z"l, who passed away a few days before. Carole and Bonnie Joy Farin z"l led the Sisterhood services for many years.

Diane Buskirk, WAX President welcomed everyone. The following ladies participated in the service lead by Irene Babst and Rose Valentine: Malenie Piscetelli, Joanne Babbitt, Phyllis Cohen, Phyllis Sisenwine, Suzy Geier, Noralyn Carroll, Marcia Gonsalves, Joyce Levine, Robin Genna, Ina Morgenthal, Elyann Katz, Lorna Klein, Bonni Rubin-Sugarman, Deb Schweighardt, Rona Stein, Sherry Fruchterman, Diane Hoffman, Nathalie Dionne and Deb Levy. Ina, Bonni, Irene, Debi L and Diane H are students of Ira Morganthal and have been studying to do their portion in Hebrew. Shehecheyanu. Kudos to Elyan who traveled from Virginia and Debi L who schlepped from Maine to be a part of the service.

Rose V gave a talk which she concluded with "There is a great opportunity for women along side of the men to grow and learn here at the JCC of LBI. I hope you all will take advantage of these opportunities."

A special thank you to Irene Babst who chaired the evening so beautifully.

Wednesday, May 15 @ 4:00 PM

WAX Book Club

Sunday, May 19 @ 4-6 PM

WAX Trivia with DJ Mike

Wednesday, May 22 @11:00 AM

Mahjongg Brunch at Diane Buskirk's

Thursday, May 23 @8:30 PM

A Talk with Alan Dershowitz

"University Anti-Semitism Will Only Get Worse!"

Friday, May 24

Brunch at 39 North, Manahawkin

Sunday, May 26 @ 10:00 AM

Blessing of the Pets

We are very excited to announce that due to the deligence of JCC of LBI Board Member David Shatz, the PJP Consortium will be presenting a talk by Alan Dershowitz, who is considered "one of the nation’s “most distinguished defenders of individual rights ” .

and “the best-known criminal lawyer in the world.” The talk entitled "University Anti-Semitism Will Only Get Worse!" will take place on Zoom on Thursday evening, May 23 at 8:30 PM and will be hosted and moderated by Rabbi Michael Jay.

Kudos to David for bringing this program to us and to the many participating PJP organizations all over the country.

JCC WOMEN’S AUXILIARY: BOOK GROUP DISCUSSION

 WEDNESDAYS AT 4:00 PM

NEXT BOOK REVIEW MEETING

NEXT BOOK REVIEW MEETING

Wednesday, May 15^th at 4:00 pm

Discussion Leader: TBA

But He Was Good to His Mother: The Lives and Crimes of Jewish Gangsters by Robert A Rockaway

Often typecast as superficial, vicious men who would kill at the drop of a hat, the men featured in this book are now shown in a different light. No longer the one-dimensional persons we have seen in other books, or portrayed in the press, this book now brings to life men like the legendary Arnold Rothstein, Dutch Schultz, Bugsy Siegel, and Meyer Lansky to name a few. 

Within these pages, we will have an opportunity to alter our viewpoint for the first time, and see both sides of how these gangster celebrities really lived, and how they viewed their vast criminal enterprises simply as businesses, not evil. We will be introduced to the history of Jewish involvement in crime in the United States going back into the 19th century.

June Book: A Castle in Brooklyn: A Novel by Shirley Russak Wachtel

CONGREGATION NEWS

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

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