JEWISH COMMUNITY

CENTER OF

LONG BEACH ISLAND

E-LETTER

December 27, 2024

26 Kislev 5785

Visit our Website

CLICK HERE FOR THE BEST VIEWING

OF THE SHABBAT REMINDER

We are excited about our two new menorahs that are on either side of the steps.

JOIN US SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT 4:00 PM

FOR A COMMUNITY MENORAH LIGHTING

HOT CHOCLATE AND

SUFGANIOT (DONUTS)

AND SOME CHANUKAH SONGS

RABBI JAY IS ON VACATION THIS WEEK. LOOK FOR RABBI'S MESSAGE NEXT WEEK. HERE IS AN ARTICLE FROM NOSHER FOR YOU TO ENJOY

Why Do Jews Eat Chinese Food on Christmas?

The story isn't just about the lo mein and dumplings.

By The Nosher | December 19, 2017

It’s a bit of cliche with a whole lot of truth behind it: Jews love eating Chinese food on Christmas and Christmas Eve.

The story of why Jews in America stereotypically enjoy Chinese food on Christmas began, like so many American Jewish stories, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe and Chinese immigrants were two non-Christian immigrant groups living side by side in nearby Manhattan neighborhoods. And while it’s true that Chinese restaurants were likely the only option open for Jews on a holiday like Christmas, Adam Chandler points out in this article from The Altantic that the Jews and Chinese were linked by their otherness on Christmas; neither had yet assimilated into American culture or celebrated the holiday.

Food writer Michael Twitty explains further, sharing, ““How do you affirm your Americanness when the ‘American’ thing to do is celebrate Christmas?” he said. “You create your own ‘Christmas.’”

Today, most American Jews feel accepted and embraced by American society, and so the isolation and negativity previously associated with the necessity to eat Chinese food has long passed. Chinese food on

Christmas is celebrated by society at large, and you can even find restaurants like New York City’s Mile End deli featuring special Chinese-Jewish menus specifically for the celebration of “Jewish Christmas.”

Keep the flavors of Jewish food alive.

stu’s a-stu-te sayings…..

Fun Stu-ff about נוכה Chanukah

Did you know that the reason why we celebrate Chanukah for 8 days is more than just having the Temple’s Menorah remain lit for 8 days: yes, the Jews in their clean up of the Temple found a jar of oil that they had then lit the Menorah which they felt would last but for one day BUT as we all know it remained lit for the next 8 days? What was the deal on that? In those days, it took 8 days to make enough oil to keep the Menorah lit for one day so while they were intent on making that first batch of oil to keep in reserve: the Temple’s Menorah remained lit for those first 8 days

As for the Menorah – The original Menorah back in the days of Moses, had seven arms but when the miracle of the Temple’s Menorah remained lit for 8 days: the sages decided to re-create a candelabra in recognition of this wonderful festival – So the 8 arm lamp was devised along with a leader or Shamas and we call that a Chanu’keyah

The largest Chanu’keyah is in Manhattan as it measures 36 feet tall and weights 4000 pounds
The record for the most spun Dreidals at the same time is 1,369 at the Rosenbaum Yeshiva in River Edge NJ
Professional eater Peter Czerwinski ate 46 potato latkas in eight minutes. Each latka weighed three ounces for a total of 8.6 pounds.

NOTE: Speed eating can be dangerous and should only be attempted by trained professionals.

Candle Lighting Time

(Southern Ocean County)

Shabbat Eve

Friday. December 27, 2024

4:21 pm

JOIN US FOR

SERVICES

CANTOR GELLER WILL BE LEADING SHABBAT SERVICES THIS WEEK

Friday

December 27, 2024

Services

7:30 PM

ZOOM ONLY

Here is

your invitation from

Rabbi Jay to join Services

on Zoom

FRIDAY NIGHT

Saturday

December 28, 2024

9:00 AM

ZOOM ONLY

Here is

your invitation from

Rabbi Jay to join

Zoom services

SHABBAT

TORAH READING

Parashat Miketz

Genesis 41:1-44:17; Numbers 7:24-29

Miketz (“After”) follows Joseph as he interprets Pharaoh's dreams and rises to become second-in-command to Pharaoh. When Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt seeking food during a famine, Joseph accuses them of spying. He insists that they return with their youngest brother, Benjamin, and later plants a goblet in Benjamin’s bag.

Here is Parshah:

Genesis; Numbers

HAFTORAH

Zechariah 2:14-4:7

This haftorah is read on Shabbat Chanukah as it contains a vision describes a vision of a golden seven-branched Menorah.

WEEKDAY SERVICES

Monday - Thursday

Ma'ariv Service

NO SERVICE TUESDAY EVENING

7:30 PM

Here is your invitation from Rabbi Jay to

join Zoom services:

MA'ARIV

Sunday - Friday

Shacharit Service

8:15 AM

Sunday at 9:00 AM

SERVICE ON JANUARY 1 AT 9:00 AM

Here is your invitation from Rabbi Jay to

join Zoom services:

SHACHARIT

What are your favorite toppings for latkes?

Send in a special recipe to share.

Pictured above: smoked salmon and dill; risotto and hot honey; apple sauce and cinnamon; ketchup and truffle salt; sour cream and carmelized onions.

If you missed the FABULOUS program on JOAN RIVERS last week here is the link to see it at your leisure CLICK HERE FOR JOAN

Passcode: kA@5$CHa

Thursday, December 31

New Year’s Eve Party at the JCC

8:30 PM

LAST MINUTE RESERVATIONS

CALL DIANE AT

856-952-5940

PAYMENT INFORMATION

You can send in your check to the JCC office

2411 Long Beach Blvd., Spray Beach, NJ 08008

Make your payment on the JCC Website.

See button below.

CLICK HERE TO PAY ONLINE

Scroll to the bottom of the page on the Giving Opportunties page. Fill out the form with your information and type in under Donation Details, Other Reason box "NYE Party".

Wednesday, January 8:

Singles, Widows and Widowers

3-4:30p

Thursday, January 9

PJP Program

Sid Caeser Hail Caeser

8:30 PM

Thursday, January 16

PJP Program

Changes in Israeli Politics and Society”

8:30 PM

Friday, January 17

Shabbat Dinner

6:30 PM

Wednesday, January 22

WAX Book Review

4:00 PM

Thursday, January 30

PJP Program

Jewish Mexico

8:30 PM

Friday, January 31

Candlemaking Class

11:00 AM

MAH JONGG & CANASTA

WEDNESDAYS

12:30 PM TO 4:00 PM

RESUMING JANUARY 8

PICKLEBALL COURT CLOSED DECEMBER 24 'TIL JANUARY 5

JCC WOMEN’S AUXILIARY: BOOK GROUP DISCUSSION

WEDNESDAYS AT 4:00 PM

NEXT BOOK REVIEW MEETING

Wednesday, January 22^nd at 4:00 pm

Discussion Leader: TBA

Wherever You Go by Joan Leegant

Yona Stern has traveled from New York to Israel to make amends with her estranged sister, a stoic ideologue and mother of five who has dedicated herself to the radical West Bank settlement cause. Yona’s personal life resembles nothing of her sister’s, but it isn’t politics that drove the two apart.

Now a respected Jerusalem Talmud teacher, Mark Greenglass was once a drug dealer saved by an eleventh-hour turn to Orthodox Judaism. But for reasons he can’t understand, he’s lost his once fervent religious passion. Is he through with God? Is God through with him?

Enter Aaron Blinder, a year-abroad dropout with a history of failure whose famous father endlessly―some say obsessively―mines the Holocaust for his best-selling, melodramatic novels. Desperate for approval, Aaron finds a home on the violent fringe of Israeli society, with unforeseen and devastating consequences.

In a sweeping, beautifully written story, Joan Leegant, winner of the PEN New England Book Award and the Edward Lewis Wallant Award, and a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award, weaves together three lives caught in the grip of a volatile and demanding faith. Emotionally wrenching and unmistakably timely, Wherever You Go shines a light on one of the most disturbing elements in Israeli society: Jewish extremist groups and their threat to the modern, democratic state. This is a stunningly prescient novel.

PJP PROGRAMS

As part of the PJP consortium the JCC is privy to many outstanding programs.

Travel around the world to Jewish neighborhoods...Study the ever complex dynamics of Eretz Yisrael...Enjoy stories of famous Jewish commedians,,,,

Zoom link will be published prior to each program....

For those who missed Thursday Night's Eretz Yisrael program, "The Political Dynamics of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict" with Nadav Shelef, you will find the recording link below.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LINK

Passcode: 3H#9u$&X

The JCC section at Crescent Memorial Park is available for sales. Please contact Bonni Rubin-Sugarman at 609-417-7148.

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. Here is a sample of some of our new products. The gift shop is open during office hours M-F 10 - 2.

New item in the Gift Shop COASTAL COLORS COLLECTION OF MEZZUZAHS. Great Chanukah gift or for someone moving into a new home.

Eileen Jacobs, Potter

Seacrest Designs

Lavina Haven Soy Candles and

Essential Oil Soaps

Mezzuzahs

Resin Bowls and Candlesticks by Seacrest Designs

CONGREGATION NEWS

MISHABERACH LIST

As we do every year, the names for healing on the current Mishaberah list will be removed as we start a fresh list on January 1. Please notify the office jccoflbi@gmail.com if you want to have a name included. If circumstances change for this person please notify the office. THANK YOU.

The following names will be read by the Rabbi on Friday evening:

Rachel Cherins

Herman Glassman*

Sol Grossman

Martha Rosenblith

Lionel Wolpert

Joseph Blumenthal*

Arnold Schwartz

Marcia Yankowitz

Shari Zalkind*

Stanley Antonoff

Robert Salzman

Nathan Shapiro

Harvey Sherman

Joseph Valentine*

Seymour Abend

Sylvia Applebaum

Carl M. Cole

Michael Kaplan

Jacqueline Mogil

Susan Shapiro

We encourage you to join us on the day of your loved one’s yahrzeit. You are also welcome to share with the minyan some special memories of your loved one.

CLICK HERE FOR EVENING SERVICE

CLICK HERE FOR MORNING SERVICE

Look for birthdays in a future email

SHARE YOUR NEWS

AND PICTURES

CONTACT:

rvalen1963@aol.com

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

YOU CAN NOW FILL OUT A GIVING FORM AND PAY ON LINE IN ONE SIMPLE PROCESS.

Go to jccoflbi.org - Giving/Pay

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

2024 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

JCC FUNDS

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.