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JEWISH COMMUNITY
CENTER OF
LONG BEACH ISLAND
E-LETTER
FEBRUARY 27, 2026
10 Adar 5786
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A TORAH MESSAGE FROM THE RABBI
This coming Monday night and Tuesday morning we will have the privilege and joy of celebrating the holiday of Purim! There are several traditions connected to the holiday. First and foremost, we are required to be happy. We do this by dressing in costume and acting with extra frivolity. It is also a tradition to send gifts of food, Mishloakh Manot, to friends and to those in need. This year, under the stewardship of Ken and Stacie Podos, we participated in a wonderful version of sending gifts. In conjunction with JNF, we participated in a program in
which trees will be planted in Israel for the JCC and for members of the JCC. The story of Purim is about the Jewish people, with God’s help, fighting for itself against evil. The planting of trees
in Israel is one way of saying we need to take care of Israel, ourselves, and the world. Purim is a holiday of fun, but there is a very serious side to it as well.
I always suggest that we should each get a copy of the Megillah text and read it cover to cover. If you don’t have a copy on hand, google it, or click here:
https://www.sefaria.org/Esther.1.1?lang=bi.
It is a not a long story, consisting of 10 (short) chapters, but it is filled to the brim with intrigue, drama, humor, suspense and, dare I say it, sex.
Read it, and if you have questions, reach out to me and ask away.
There are many messages crammed into this piece of prose. I will discuss one, using two pieces of the text.
In the first chapter, Queen Vashti refuses to come when the King summons her. He asks his
advisors what to do about her and they do something odd. They take this incident between a Queen and a King and apply it to every husband/wife relationship in the kingdom. Since the
queen failed to listen to her husband, they posited, then all women would refuse to obey their husbands. By doing this, they end up creating a law that will negatively impact every woman in the kingdom by requiring all women to always do their husbands’ bidding. It hardly seems fair to punish all women for the actions of one woman. And yet this is what happens.
Similarly, in the third chapter, Mordechai’s refusal to bow down to Haman (the King’s second-
in-command), infuriates Haman. Haman’s response, with the King’s blessing, to appoint a day when all the Jews can be slaughtered. Haman’s problem, and concomitant anger, should be directed against the one person who offended him. Instead, Haman seeks revenge against all of
Mordechai’s co-religionists. At best, this is a bit of an overaction. At worst, it is genocidal insanity.
In each of the above examples, an incident which should have had an impact only on the one person who misstepped, ended up having serious consequences for everyone in that person’s identifiable group. Vashti’s misfeasance led to all women being impacted while Mordechai’s would lead to the destruction of the entire Jewish community of Persia and Medina.
There is a simple lesson here. The Purim story is telling us that everything we do, big or small,
good or bad; from refusing to show up, to refusing to bow down, impacts the communities to which we belong. We need to be mindful of this when we make our choices.
There is a Jewish maxim that says: All of Israel are responsible for one another. (Kol Yisrael areivim zeh bazeh ( כל ישראל ערבים זה בזה ))
This is illustrated perfectly in a midrash (an elucidating story) that tells of a group of people sitting in a boat. One person pulled out a hand-drill and proceeded to drill a hole beneath his seat. The other passengers, flabbergasted by this person’s insane action, screamed at him and asked, “What do you think you’re doing?!” The hole-driller, matter-of-factly, responded, “What
do you care? Am I not drilling only under my seat?” They replied: “You will flood the boat with us all in it!”( Midrash Rabbah, Vayikra 4:6).
Remember what we do can affect those around us. Bearing this in mind, should be a factor when making decisions of the things we do in the future.
Join us on Monday night as we wear costumes, have dinner, read the Megillah, eat Hamentaschen and
enjoy each other’s company. We call it Pizza, Pasta, and Purim. Dinner is at 6:00 PM and the service, with the Megillah reading will start at
7:00 PM. The Megillah will also be read on Tuesday morning, at
8:15 AM. Here is the link for both services:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83559208295?pwd=ZGNQbFlxR3Y4S1Vuc1hiYUNCMnNuUT09
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Purim Sameach –Rabbi Michael S. Jay
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Candle Lighting Time
(Southern Ocean County)
Shabbat Eve
Friday, February 27, 2026
5:28 PM
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SHABBAT ZACHOR
The Shabbat immediately preceding Purim describes the attack by Amalek. There is a tradition from the Talmud that Haman, the antagonist of the Purim story, was descended from Amalek.
Friday
February 27, 2026
SERVICES
7:30 PM
ON ZOOM ONLY
Here is
your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to join Services
on Zoom
FRIDAY NIGHT
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Saturday
February 28, 2026
TORAH STUDY
9:00 AM
SERVICES
10:00 AM
IN PERSON AND
ON ZOOM
Here is
your invitation from
Rabbi Jay to join
Zoom services and Torah Study
SATURDAY MORNING
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TORAH READING
Parashat Tetzaveh
Exodus 27:20-30:10;
Deuteronomy 25:17-19
Tetzaveh (“You Shall Command”) opens as God instructs Moses to appoint Aaron and his sons as priests. God details how to make the priestly clothing, how to sanctify the priests and offer sacrifices during the seven days of inauguration in the Mishkan , and how to build the golden altar.
Here is the Portion I
Here is the Portion II
HAFTORAH
I Samuel 15:2-34
This week's special haftorah discusses G‑d's command to destroy the people of Amalek. This to avenge Amalek's unprovoked attack on the Israelites that is described in the Zachor Torah reading.
Here is the Haftorah
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TORAH QUESTION?
The haftarah for Parashat Zakhor tells of the efforts of Israel to defeat Amalek who attacked the Children of Israel from behind as they left Egypt. How does that relate to today's actions by Israel?
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WEEKDAY SERVICES
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
| Rabbi Jay will be in his office at the JCC after services on Saturdays. The Rabbi is also available at any time or place to schedule in-person, or virtual meetings at your convenience. The Rabbi can be reached by call/text 973-865-9534 or email at Mjayrabrab@gmail.com | | | |
SUNDAY, March 1
NO Pickleball
10 AM - 1 PM
Movie Afternoon
2:00 PM
******
MONDAY, March 2
Purim Family Dinner
6:00 PM
TUESDAY, March 3
Pickleball
10 AM - 1 PM
*****
WEDNESDAY, March 3
Mah jongg & Canasta
12:30 PM
*******
THURSDAY, March 4
Pickleball
10 AM - 1 PM
Torah Study
11:00 AM
*******
FRIDAY, March 5
Studying the Prophets
Following morning minyan
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Sunday, March 1
WAX Movie Afternoon
"For Your Consideration"
2:00 PM
Monday, March 2
Purim Family Dinner
6:00 PM
Friday, March 13
WAX Brunch
11:00 AM
Sunday, March 15
Passover Prep
11:00 AM
Wednesday, March 25
Baking wih Joanne
1:00 PM
Thursday, March 26
Virtual Tour of the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience
7:30 PM
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PICKLEBALL
Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays
10 - 1
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MAH JONGG & CANASTA
WEDNESDAYS
12:30 PM TO 4:00 PM
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Monday, March 2nd
Pasta/Pizza/Purim
In Person and on Zoom
dress in your finest costume as we dine and read the Megillah
6:00 PM
Tuesday, March 3rd
Zoom Only
Services at 8:15 AM
including Megillah Reading
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Choosing Joy This Purim: 10 Ways to Increase Happiness In the Chaos
from aish.com
When the month of Adar enters, increase joy. But how? Practical steps for choosing happiness when life feels overwhelming. Let's be honest. You probably don't wake up "glowing." You wake up to alarms, news alerts, and carpools. You wake up to deadlines and WhatsApp messages that already feel like a bit too much before your day has even started.
And then Judaism tells you: When Adar enters, increase joy. How?
Jewish thought teaches that joy is a decision, not a mood you wait for. It's about where you place your attention and how you interpret the chaos around you.
You can't control the headlines. You can't control other people. You definitely can't control every outcome. But you can choose what story you're living inside. Joy builds resilience. It protects your relationships from the friction stress creates. It gives you energy instead of draining what little you have.
Purim teaches this in such a dramatic way. The Scroll of Esther reads like a total political mess—hidden motives, power plays, and strange coincidences. God's name doesn't even appear once. And yet, everything turns around.
Haman's plot to destroy the Jewish people becomes the very thing that elevates them. The gallows he builds for Mordechai becomes his own execution site. The decree meant to authorize genocide transforms into permission for Jewish self-defense and triumph. Esther, who hid her identity out of fear, becomes the hero precisely because of that hidden identity. What looked like the end of the story was actually just the middle—and the reversal was total.
Joy is the refusal to believe that the surface story is the final one.
So, how do you actually choose it?
Decide That Joy Is Not Optional
If you treat joy like a nice extra, it's the first thing to go when life gets hard. Try to see joy as part of your emotional responsibility. The Jewish month of Adar shows you not to wait for joy to show up; it tells you to increase it. That implies effort.
Catch One Hidden Good Each Day
Purim is built on things being masked. Start looking for small reversals—the meeting that got canceled right when you needed to breathe, or a tough conversation that finally cleared the air. Train your eyes to notice what might be quietly working in your favor.
Loosen Your Grip
Costumes on Purim remind you that your identity isn't as rigid as you think. If you're holding on too tightly to one specific outcome or one version of how things should go, try to soften a little. Joy enters more easily when your need for control relaxes.
Strengthen One Connection
Make that call you've been putting off. Text a friend you haven't spoken to in months just to say you're thinking of them. Joy expands when you're in relationship with others; isolation shrinks it.
Move Your Body
Joy is physical. We dance on Purim for a reason. Put on music while you're cooking, or walk a little faster than usual. Sometimes your body leads and the mood follows.
Interrupt the Negative Narratives
Notice the broken record in your head: "This always happens" or "Nothing works out." Stop and ask: Is that actually 100% true? The Scroll of Esther teaches that there are hidden layers. Leave room for the story to unfold differently.
Give Generously
Whether it's money, time, or encouragement. Purim centers on giving because generosity shifts you out of your own head. When you contribute to someone else's joy, something inside you expands.
Allow Real Emotion
Choosing joy isn't about suppressing frustration. Adar doesn't erase reality; it adds dimension to it. Let yourself feel what's real, and then gently point yourself back toward what's possible.
Mark the Small Wins
You finished a project, kept your patience, or made it through a rough week. Light a candle or share dessert. Say, "That mattered." Celebrating the small things builds momentum.
Create One Daily Habit of Gratitude
It doesn't need to be a long list. Just one acknowledgment—said out loud or written down. Gratitude trains your attention. What you look for, you start to see.
Adar isn't about pretending life is easy. It's about remembering that reversals are possible, that hidden good exists, and that joy can be built, even before your circumstances change. You don't have to transform your whole personality this month. Just increase. A little more warmth. A little more generosity. A little more lightness.
Sometimes that small increase is what begins the reversal.
Thanks Paul
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MARCH SUNDAY AT THE MOVIES
Sunday, March 1 at 2:00 PM
"For Your Consideration"
Three actors learn that their respective performances in the film "Home for Purim," a drama set in the mid-1940s American South, are generating award-season buzz.
Starring the late Catherine O'Hara
| | WAX BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP | | |
Wednesday, March 18th at 4:00 pm
Discussion Leader: Rose Valentine
Queen Esther By John Irving
Esther Nacht is born in Vienna in 1905. Her father dies on board the ship to Portland, Maine; her mother is murdered by anti-Semites in Portland. Dr. Larch knows it won’t be easy to find a Jewish family to adopt Esther; in fact, he won’t find any family who’ll adopt her. When Esther is fourteen, soon to be a ward of the state, Dr. Larch meets the Winslows, a philanthropic New England family with a history of providing foster care for unadopted orphans. The Winslows aren’t Jewish, but they despise anti-Semitism. Esther’s gratitude for the Winslows is unending; even as she retraces her roots back to Vienna, she never stops loving and protecting the Winslows. In the final chapter, set in Jerusalem in 1981, Esther Nacht is seventy-six. John Irving’s sixteenth novel is a testament to his enduring ability to weave complex characters and intricate narratives that challenge and captivate. Queen Esther is not just a story of survival but a profound exploration of identity, belonging, and the enduring impact of history on our personal lives showcasing why Irving remains one of the world’s most beloved, provocative, and entertaining authors—a storyteller of our time and for all
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The Faithful: Women of the Bible
A new Fox series, “The Faithful: Women of the Bible,” is premiering on March 22, just in time for Passover and Easter.
Its first installment tells the story of the first Jewish matriarch — Abraham’s wife, Sarah, who will be played by the legendary Minnie Driver, of “Good Will Hunting” and most recently “Emily in Paris” fame. Viewers will see the story of Abraham and Sarah, and also of Hagar, who Sarah instructs to bear Abraham’s son, Ishmael, after years of infertility, only to later give birth to their son Isaac.
The second installment follows Isaac’s wife, Rebecca, and the way she treats her two sons, Esau and Jacob.
The final episode of the mini-series will tell the stories of Jacob’s two wives: older sister Leah, whom he is tricked into marrying by her father, Lavan, and her younger sister Rachel, his favorite wife. Their 12 sons would later become the 12 tribes of Israel.
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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.
The gift shop is open during office hours M-F 10 - 2.
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The following names will be read by the Rabbi on Friday evening:
Bertha Bitton
Gertrude Fitts
Vivian Fitts*
Mae Lazar
Rose L. Babbitt
Phyllis Fisch
Harry Kolsby*
Ruth Lustgarten
Ida Plotkin
Herman Reif
Stella Reif
Anna Robin*
Sondra Slotnick
Bessie Swaff*
Jacob Axilbund
Dr. Leo Hendler
Adele Linderman
Phyllis Shatz
Nona Abrams
Hannah Beck*
Herbert Buchalter
David Friedenberg
Solomon Meyerson*
Sidney Schlanger
Edythe Stern
Claire Kirschner
Ernest Schmalz
Sol Walkes
David Cousins
Joseph Dicicco Jr.
Jonah Herszenberg
Robert Jonas
Lottie Levy*
Salvatore LiVecchi
Henrietta Nagel
Shirley Teplitsky
Morris Weiner
Murray Elefant
Bella Garb
Gerald Golden
Margot Lippmann
Sarah Livshitz*
Ann Nogi
Elizabeth Tittelbaum
Arthur E. Weinstein
Florence Yablon
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.
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Martin Chazin
February 28
Bobbi Freedman
February 28
Harris H. Weisel
March 1
Susan Fisher
March 2
Alvin Konner
March 2
Phillip Glass
March 4
Steven Tebeleff
March 4
Richard Taffet
March 5
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Ethan & Julie Sheffet
March 2
30th Anniversary
Robert Finkel & Jacqueline Printz
March 3
35th Anniversary
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SHARE YOUR NEWS AND PICTURES
CONTACT:
rvalen1963@aol.com
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We would like to expand our Caring Committee to reach out to folks who need a "how are you doing?" call once and a while. Please contact
Debby Schweighardt
973-634-5349 if you are interesting in participating
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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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
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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
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JCC FUNDS
Scroll down to see the new Ner Tamid Fund
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.
NER TAMID FUND
The Ner Tamid Fund was established in 2025 as part of the JCC’s 75th Anniversary Celebration. Its purpose is to fund necessary maintenance or improvement of our beautiful JCC building as well as the Parsonage. To ensure that the JCC remains an Eternal Light for the Jewish Community on and off the island and in Southern Ocean County generally, please consider making a separate donation to the Ner Tamid Fund, or allocating a small portion of your High Holiday donation to that fund.
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JCC LEADERSHIP
OFFICERS
President- Phil Rosenzweig
1ST Vice President-Sherry Fruchterman
2ND Vice President-Diane Hoffman
3RD Vice President- Jon Geier
Treasurer- Stu Cofsky
Secretary- Cliff Denker
Immediate Past President -Michael Babst
BOARD MEMBERS
Howard Babbitt
Diane Buskirk
Lorna Klein
Ken Podos
Sondi Pripstein
Terri Robinovitz
David Shatz
Bonni Rubin-Sugarman
Rose Valentine
Ken Yudman
WOMEN'S AUXILIARY
President - Diane Buskirk
Treasurer - Suzy Geier
Secretary - Joanne Babbitt
Lorna Klein
Joyce Levine
Representative to the Board - Sondi Pripstein
Immediate Past President - Irene Babst
Rabbi Michael S. Jay, Spiritual Leader
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