30th of Kislev, 5775
Shalom!

The arrival of Hanukkah signals the start of an especially busy season at the JFAR office as we plan, among other things, for our annual Tikkun Olam Celebration on Saturday evening, February 21st (more details below).

But no one at our office has been busier, perhaps, than our new social worker Cindy Brown, who is already hard at work and excited about all the people she has been meeting in the community.  Thanks to all of you who have taken time out to meet with her and share your thoughts and ideas.  A reminder that you can reach Cindy at cindy@jewisharkansas.org or at our office (501 663-3571).  Thank you again, too, to the Strauss family (Susan, Steve, and Trip) for their generous donation, in memory of their parents Shirley and Sam Strauss, to help to support the new social worker position at JFAR.

With all the Hanukkah events, this has been a busy time throughout our Arkansas Jewish communities, too.  I hope, nevertheless, that you can still take a moment out to read more below about all that is and will be going on . . . even after Hanukkah is over.
   
Sincerely and Happy Hanukkah,

Marianne Tettlebaum
Director
director@jewisharkansas.org

PS  If you have news or information you'd like to submit, please e-mail us at federation@jewisharkansas.org.
At the JFAR Office

What's Happening:  4 Highlights  

--Save the Date!




















Congratulations to our Grand Honoree Justice Annabelle Imber Tuck as well as to this year's Jane B. Mendel Tikkun Olam Award winners:

Ati'Day Yisroel: Rhonda Bensen

Congregation Agudath Achim: Mike Margolis

Congregation B'nai Israel: Jim Pfeifer

Congregation Etz Chaim: Michelle Malashock

Congregation House of Israel: Cynthia Rephan

Hendrix Hillel: Lindsay Mindlin and Blair Schneider

Jewish Federation of Arkansas: Rita Fagan and Jo Lawton

Jewish Studies Program at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville:  Rabbi Jacob Adler 

Lovers of Learning: Sonia Burris

Lubavitch of Arkansas: Steven Lane

Meir Chayim Temple: Hagit Grenman Gregory

United Hebrew Congregation: Jane Kominek

Tickets for the event are $125 (including kosher hors d'oeuvres, kosher buffet, and open bar); invitations will arrive in January.  Table sponsorships are $2500.  If you would like to become a sponsor of the event, please contact our office.

--Save the Date again!  Thanks to the generosity of Judy Tenenbaum of Insalaco Tenenbaum Enterprises and of the TRG Foundation, Jewish Federation of Arkansas is serving as a sponsor of the Arkansas Repertory Theatre's production of The Whipping Man, and we are pleased to offer our community--as a thank you for all your support--a free night at the Rep for a performance of The Whipping Man on Tuesday evening, January 27th, at 7:00 pm.  More information to follow soon on how to reserve your free tickets.

Tomer Barash
--Announcing JFAR's 2015 Visiting Shaliach:  Tomer Barash.  Tomer will be in Northwest Arkansas during the last week of January.  Thanks to all the area congregations and Jewish organizations for working with us to schedule programs for Tomer, and a special thanks to Bob Costrell and Irene Spalter for serving as liaisons for Tomer's visit.  Dates for Tomer's visit to Central Arkansas are in the works.  In the meantime, you can download Tomer's CV here and start getting to know him.

--I've received a grant from the Jewish Federations of North America for the project "Commitment to Community:  An Intergenerational Pledge Program."  It will bring together people from different generations to talk about our community and why and how we give back to it.  More information to follow on how you can participate.
  
Around Arkansas

What's Happening:  4 Highlights
 
--We're pleased to add another community co-sponsor to our PJ Library Program subscription:  the Sisterhood of Congregation Agudath Achim, which joins the Sisterhood of Congregation B'nai Israel in helping us to make free monthly books and music possible for Jewish children ages 6 months to 8 years in Arkansas.   Thanks to both Sisterhoods for their support.

If your child or grandchild is eligible for PJ Library, but not yet enrolled, you can sign up here or contact our office.  We also send a special monthly PJ Library e-newsletter to families who subscribe.  If you would like to receive a copy, please let us know.  Finally, a reminder that you can also direct questions and inquiries about PJ Library or PJ Library programming to one of our PJ Administrators:  Jenny Max (Northwest Arkansas), Melissa Woods (Northwest Arkansas), or Ellyn Polsky (Central Arkansas).
 
Menorah lighting in Little Rock on the first night of Hanukkah.

--Two more nights of Hanukkah means two more opportunities to attend Public Menorah Lightings:  in Little Rock at 5:30 pm tonight (Monday) and 6:30 pm tomorrow (Tuesday) at the corner of Chenal and Bowman (in front of Centennial Bank) and in Bentonville at 5:30 pm at the Bentonville Square.  Sign-up here for the lightings in Bentonville. 
 
--If you're in Northwest Arkansas, you have an opportunity to participate with other Jewish commuity members in a longstanding Jewish tradition:  Chinese Food on Christmas Day.  Gather with other NWA Jews at China Caf� (2255 W. Sunset in Springdale) at 2pm for food, fun, and fellowship.  RSVP by the end of the day today (12/22). 

--Passover in January!  The Congregation B'nai Israel confirmation class is partnering with Kroger in the Heights in Little Rock to bring in Passover supplies.  Order forms will be ready in January.  Download more information here.  If you live in a remote area and would like to participate, I am willing to work with you to see about arranging delivery of supplies from Little Rock; if you are interested please let me know.  (I am already planning one trip with supplies to the Mountain Home area.)  Please note, however, that all orders and payment must still go through B'nai Israel's confirmation class.


In This Issue
Support Christmas at Our House
Every year JFAR organizes Christmas dinner at Our House Shelter for the Working Homeless in Little Rock.

Thanks to volunteers Kennon Goldsholl and Arleen Marshall who are chairing the Christmas dinner effort this year.  I hope you will consider supporting them in their efforts by clicking here to make a donation to the Our House Christmas Dinner project. 

Thank you to those who have donated already. 

 
Save the Date!
New opportunities are available to sponsor next year's Jewish Food and Cultural Festival!  You can be a
Mensch, do a Mitzvah, and/or become part of our Mispocha.
 
Quick Links
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Jewish Federation of Arkansas | federation@jewisharkansas.org | (501) 663-3571