Stu’s a-Stu-te Sayings: Tu b’Shevat & JNF

Tu b’Shevat ט״ו בִּשְׁבָט‎ a Jewish holiday occurring on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat - It is also called Rosh HaShanah La'Ilanot (ראש השנה לאילנות‎), literally "New Year to the Trees" – Today its celebrated as an ecological awareness day, and trees are planted in celebration – This year, Tu b’Shevat will occur on Monday – February 2.

"Tu" stands for the Hebrew letters Tet and Vav, which together have the numerical value of 9 and 6, adding up to 15 - The date may also be called "Ḥamisha Asar b’Shvat" (חמשה-עשר בשבט‎, 'Fifteenth of Shevat'). Tu b’Shevat is the Israeli Arbor Day - On Israeli kibbutzim, Tu b’Shvat is celebrated as an agricultural holiday.

On Tu b’Shevat 1890, Rabbi Ze'ev Yavetz, a founder of Mizrachi took his students to plant trees in the agricultural town of Zikhron Ya'akov - This custom was adopted in 1908 by the Jewish Teachers Union and later by the Jewish National Fund.

Tu b’Shevat has been the foundation for many of Israel's major institutions as chosen this day for their inauguration: the cornerstone of the Hebrew University  1918; Haifa’s Technion in Haifa 1925; and the Knesset 1949. 

JEWISH NATIONAL FUND [Keren Kayemet L’Yisrael or KIKL] On December 29, 1901, at the 5th World Zionist Conference in Basil, Switzerland, based on the vision of Rabbi Dr Tzvi Hermann Schapira with Theodor Herzel who proposed the creation of an organization to purchase and reclaim land in the name of the Jewish people in what was then Palestine, and is now, or course: ISRAEL – These were done in tracts called Dunams.

As it celebrates, 125 years, JNF focuses on environmental development, afforestation, water management, job creations, education and heritage appreciation advancement as well as environmental action and community building, planting over 240 million trees and developing vast areas for sustainable use, serving as a trustee for the Jewish people's land and heritage

I had the great joy of serving as the Assistant Director of the JNF NJ Region from 1978-1981 traveling all over the state educating and promoting KKL.

FEBRUARY SHABBAT DINNER : A TU B'SHVAT SEDER

JOIN US FOR A

TU B'SHVAT SEDER AND SHABBAT DINNER

Friday evening, February 6th

6:00 Seder & Dinner

7:30 Shabbat Services

$25.00 per person

The Tu B'Shvat seder celebrates the "New Year of the Trees" by eating fruits, drinking four cups of wine, and exploring four worlds of creation. It mirrors the Passover seder with special blessings, readings, and songs that focus on nature, spiritual growth, and environm entalism.

CALL THE OFFICE TO MAKE YOUR RESERVATION

609-492-4090

YOU CAN CREATE YOUR OWN SEDER AT HOME

SEE THIS LINK FOR IDEAS

We are so excited about our Shalach Manos project.

Shalach Monos - meaning portions - is a Purim tradition where gifts of food or drink are sent to family, friends and others on Purim day. This mitzvah of giving comes from the Book of Esther. It is meant to ensure that everyone has enough food for the Purim feast and to increase love and friendship among Jews and their neighbors. This is often a fund raiser for synagogues and organizations.

Since the JCC of LBI is unique with many members not living in the area at Purim, we have come up with a wonderful idea which is in the spirit of the tradition and also supports Israel and the environment at the same time.

We are purchasing and planting individual trees in the name of each of our congregants. Additionally, we will be purchasing our very own Garden in the name of the JCC of LBI. Thanks to a donation from the Valentine family, trees planted in the Garden will be in memory of congregant Rudy Valentine.

As a JCC member you will receive a Purim Packet including a Tree Certificate along with a list of those sending you Purim greetings. A contribution of $136 ensures that each member of the congregation will receive greetings from you. If you choose not to participate in giving to the entire congregation, kindly send us a list of those to whom you would like to receive a Purim Package. Each name will be $18 with a minimum of 3.

Times are challenging right now, let’s show our love and support for each other and our beloved state of Israel by supporting this JCC fundraiser. Fill out the form below and return it to the office. You can mail, email, pay on line (https://jccoflbi.org/giving-opportunities/). The deadline for orders is next Sunday, February 1. Questions? Contact Stacey Podos at staciepodos@gmail.com------914-588-2751  

WAX BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

Wednesday, February 18^th at 4:00 pm

Estranged: How Strained Female Friendships are Mended or Ended

By Susan Shapiro Barish

Discussion Leader will be interviewing our own beloved

congregant & Author Susan Shapiro Barish

When life gets hard, we turn to our female friends. Husbands, partners, and jobs come and go, but close friendships are our bedrock. Until they're not.What happens when these bonds sabotage instead of support? Who among us has the courage to walk away? And how can we protect ourselves from further heartbreak?

Susan Shapiro Barash takes a deep dive into the complexities of female friendships. By peeling back the societal narrative that our friendships are meant to last forever, she uncovers a more nuanced reality: the closest bonds do falter. Through groundbreaking research and 150 interviews with women ranging in age from 20-80, Barash reveals an emerging trend - estrangement among female friends.

Estranged is an eye-opening investigation/practical guide for women navigating murky waters of suboptimal friendships. The book sheds light on unspoken pain of estrangement-both for the "estranger" who walks away and the "estrangee" who is left behind. Amid candid confessions of betrayal and grief, Barash challenges women to reimagine their friendships and take the bold step of letting go when necessary. 

Susan Shapiro Barash has written over a dozen nonfiction books, including Tripping the Prom Queen, You’re Grounded Forever, But First Let’s Go Shopping and Toxic Friends: The Antidote for Women Stuck in Complicated Friendships. For more than twenty years she taught gender studies in the Writing Department at Marymount Manhattan College and has guest taught creative nonfiction at the Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College. For her fiction, Between the Tides, A Palm Beach Wife, A Palm Beach Scandal, and Maribelle’s Shadow, she writes as Susannah Marren.

Susan is the daughter of Selma and Herb Shapiro z'l, founders of the Jewish Community Center of Long Beach Islan

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.

AND THAT WAS THE 75th ANNIVERSARY YEAR THAT WAS!!

Now that we have started a new year, we want to take just a moment to think back on 2025 and the 75th Anniversary celebration of the Jewish Community Center of Long Beach Island. Wonderful events were held throughout the year (the Island Singers, the Klezmer Band, and the Comedy Show at Surflight to name just a few). Many of us enjoyed dinner, dancing and coming together as a community for the 75th Anniversary Gala on a beautiful night in August.  

One of the most important accomplishments of 2025 was the 75th Anniversary fundraiser and the establishment of the New Tamid (“Eternal Light”), our first building maintenance fund. 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. We want to thank the following people who made donations or pledges to the 75th fundraiser.

Diane & Ron Buskirk

Linda & Lewis Chakrin 

Art & Sue Davis

Cliff & Jill Denker

Gerry Faich & Bonni Rubin-Sugarman

Perry Fox

Barry & Bobbi Freedman

Sherry & Howard Fruchterman

Jon & Suzy Geier

Flip & Joann Glass

Robin Grossman & Frank Brancati

Diane Hoffman

Robert & Sandra Kaplon

Elyann & David Katz

Bunny Kaufman

Lorna & William Klein

Paul & Joyce Levine

Stuart & Paula Mandell

Warren & Marlene Matz

Bev & Michael Miller

Ken & Stacie Podos

Donald Pripstein

Sondi Pripstein & Michael Diesenhaus

Joel Rosenberg & Jill Ratner

Phil & Beth Rosenzweig

Sue Rubinfeld

David & Karen Shatz

Steven Sher

Tracy & Shannon Spector

Stanley Spitzer

St. Francis of Assisi Parish

Carl & Elaine Steinberg

WAX of JCC

Richard & Violet Zeitlin

CONGREGATION NEWS

SHARE YOUR NEWS AND PICTURES

CONTACT: rvalen1963@aol.com

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

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

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 75^th 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.