December 31, 2021
27 Tevet, 5782
Dear Friends–
Shabbat Shalom:

How special is it that the last day of the year is also Shabbat?

I, for one, am thrilled. Last week, because of Christmas, we celebrated Shabbat to its fullest extent. While we try and relax and enjoy Sabbath each week, last Saturday with nothing open we had the opportunity to really enjoy each other’s company. This week with everything closed on New Year’s Day, Shabbat will be much the same. We’ll have a festive dinner on Friday night to ring in Shabbat and the New Year, and Saturday will be a wonderful, lazy day where we can relax, recharge, and reflect.

As we close 2021 and embark on 2022, I want to wish each of you a year of all good things. May we enjoy better health, more quality time with family and friends, the ability to pursue things that make us happy, and the continued commitment to each other to make our community better.

I look forward to sharing exciting news with you in 2022 about our Annual Campaign, the newly formed Young Leadership Program, and our new strategic plan – but for now, as we enjoy this last week of another unique year I send new years wishes from my family to yours.

Hazak Hazak Ve-Nit’Hazek (be strong, be strong, and may we be strengthened),

Danny
Agency Spotlight
Spotlight On Our Future:
Hillel Connections
Hillel Connections is a program designed to attract Jewish college students to Birmingham, allowing them opportunities to develop personal, mentoring, and professional relationships with our community at large. An eight-week immersive summer internship program enables them to envision living in Birmingham as a young professional, and to consider looking for employment opportunities here after graduation; BJF feels this is a cornerstone of ensuring our Jewish future.

We are grateful to the Birmingham Jewish Federation, Birmingham Jewish Foundation, The Grafman Endowment Fund of Temple-Emanu-El, the Levite Jewish Community Center, and several visionary individual donors who have invested in our future by previous and current support of this program. Of the 20 students that have completed the program, 4 continued to work during the following school year, seven currently live in Birmingham, and seven are still in school or in post-grad programs and have expressed interest in returning (with the potential to bring at least 3 Jewish significant others with them).

Each week, we will “showcase” student(s) interested in joining our HC 2022 summer program; EMPLOYERS are needed to offer summer internships. Please review and reach out if you can help NETWORK on behalf of these talented students. They are bright, efficient, and willing to work!

If you know of a potential employer for these students, please have them reach out to us at hillel.connections@gmail.com or text Roxanne at (205) 907-2531. A detailed resume and further information can be provided if that would be helpful before you make the contact.

Prospective Intern Information

Alanna G. is a Junior at the University of Alabama from Atlanta, GA. She is majoring in Marketing with a minor in International Business. She is a member of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, and Delta Sigma Pi, a co-ed business fraternity. She is also actively involved with Bama Hillel and serves on the student board as secretary. This past summer she lived and worked in Tel Aviv with a start-up travel company. She is interested in a marketing position related to the travel industry.

Micah H. is a UA sophomore from Chattanooga, TN with a GPA of 3.98. Micah is majoring in Operations Management with a minor in Supply Chain Management. During his time as a style consultant at Target, Micah enhanced the accuracy and efficiency of a complex inventory system containing 9,000+ items through constant maintenance and extreme attention to detail. As treasurer of Alpha Epsilon Pi, he consulted with experienced professionals to develop a plan for growth while maintaining the chapter's values and assuring low financial risk. Micah is looking for opportunities in logistics and supply chain management.
Upcoming Programming
Maccabi Media Program
A New Program for Aspiring Sports Media Professionals
Israel, Summer 2022
Applications due January 1, 2022
Maccabi USA is proud to present a new program offering a unique international experience for aspiring sports media professionals who are Jewish. Following a comprehensive application process, a team of 14 students will be selected to cover the 2022 Maccabi Games in Israel and participate in Maccabi USA’s Israel Connect program from July 5-26, 2022. The application process is now open and will close on January 1, 2022.

Eligibility Open To:
  • Current college undergraduates (including those who will be a freshman in Fall 2022)
  • College graduates no older than 25 years old by July 5, 2022
  • High school students who will become seniors in Fall 2022 (Class of 2023)
  • Applicants must be enrolled in, intend to enroll in, or have graduated with a university-level communications-related program/major such as sports media, mass/electronic communications, TV/radio/film production, journalism, digital media, etc.

Duties/Experience required:
Participants will perform the following sports media roles while covering the Maccabi Games in Israel and MUST show previous experience in as many of these areas as possible:
  • Play-by-Play & Color Analysis                            
  • Hosting, Anchoring, Sideline Reporting   
  • Shooting & Editing video for packages         
  • Sports reporting (interviewing & writing articles) 
  • Social Media                                                     
  • Live Event Production (TV, streaming, podcasting)

Submission Materials:
All applicants must submit a resume and a link to a demo reel and/or examples of his or her own work, provide media/school references, and write an essay. Demo reel and work example requirements will be forthcoming. 
 
Training, Costs & Other Important Considerations:
  • Those selected for Maccabi Media will be notified no later than Jan. 31, 2022, and must commit to attend all trainings and the entirety of the July 5-26 Games. A series of Zoom training sessions will begin in early 2022 as well as a mandatory, in-person 2-day workshop just prior to departure for Israel.
  • Maccabi Media team members will have financial responsibility of $1,500 plus a $50 application fee and are responsible for their own domestic travel to the in-person training. This heavily subsidized fee will cover expenses related to international airfare, accommodations, meals, transportation, equipment, and Maccabi apparel while in Israel, plus the 2-day training session. You will be provided with most of the technical equipment necessary, but you must bring your own laptop computer, and phone. All provided equipment must be returned to Maccabi USA following the Games.
  • Maccabi Media team members must have valid passports and proof of all required Covid vaccinations.
  • Maccabi USA will provide any documentation needed to assist students in receiving college or university credit for making this an internship or independent study if the school so allows.
 
You can apply here or contact us with any questions at maccabimedia@maccabiusa.com
Order Mah Jonng cards today and support CJFS programming!
Order by January 14, 2022
Annual Meeting and Board Installation
January 23, 2022, 1- 3 PM
Jacobs Camp
First Time @ First Session
Summer 2022
International Holocaust
Remembrance Day Commemoration
January 27, 2022, 5:00 - 6:30 PM
As The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum states, “The United Nations General Assembly designated January 27—the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau—as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. On this annual day of commemoration, the UN urges every member state to honor the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and millions of other victims of Nazism and to develop educational programs to help prevent future genocides.”

The Birmingham Holocaust Education Center will honor International Holocaust Remembrance Day by holding an educational event at the Vestavia Hills City Hall.

Esther Levy will be sharing her family’s experience during the Holocaust followed by a Q & A.

We hope all will attend to remember and honor the victims of the Holocaust.
Community Programs
Quicklinks
The Federation and Foundation have been having issues with our post office box. Please send all correspondence to our physical address at 
The Birmingham Jewish Federation

@jewishbirmingham