The Jewish Community News

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1 The Jewish Community News News of e Peninsula Jewish Community December 2013/5774 See page 2 for more Super Sunday News.

2 2 News of e Peninsula Jewish Community December 2013/5774 Campaign Capsule Sarah Barnett, Campaign Associate Super Sunday Goes Global Get Ready for Super Sunday 2014 on Sunday January 12 when we celebrate Jews around e world. Our special guest for Super Sunday brunch will be Eiopian Israeli Maly Jackson, now a resident of Virginia Beach who will share her true childhood story of trekking rough Eiopia and Sudan by foot to be rescued and taken to her Israeli homeland. Maly visited our Lead Jew Leadership Development group last Spring and had us all glued to our chairs wi her seemingly unbelievable story. If you have never heard a first hand account from is piece of modern Jewish history, Maly is not to be missed. When e religious school students converge on our campus after breakfast, Maly will join oer guests who will share eir experiences of growing up Jewish around e world. Super Sunday is one of our most important campaign days of e year during which we outreach to and call hundreds of homes asking for Annual Campaign support. Wi e help of scores of volunteers we will ask as many of you as possible to help us complete our 2014 Annual Campaign. Please answer e call, or better yet.volunteer to help wi phone calls or administrative work. We need everyone! Campaign Update Power of e Purse was a Pretty Perfect afternoon attended by 45 women. We started out wi a fun Personal Purse Treasure Hunt, won by Peggy Kipling of Williamsburg. Peggy won a 2000 piece Purse jigsaw puzzle. After a little fun we were captivated by Deborah Feldman s riveting story about leaving e Ultra Orodox Satmar community in New York. Her you defied her wisdom, grace, and confidence while relating e difficult journey she has made to find a place for herself outside of e world of her upbringing and her transition into a more pluralistic American and Jewish world. Though we could have listened all afternoon long, ere was business to be done before we could have e drawing for two purses. The Campaign component of Power of e Purse completed 26 additional pledges totaling $8,254. We had a drawing for a Cole Hahn purse donated by Richey and Co. Shoes of City Center at was won by long time donor Phyllis Weinstock. A second tote valued at $80 was won by anoer long time donor, Lois Ullman. igive because When a horrible natural disaster occurs like Typhoon Haiyan, I know at my Jewish world is poised to respond rough our overseas partner e American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). JDC has a rich history as a respected NGO reaching back more an 100 years serving e entire world, and stands ready to partner wi oer agencies as well as work alone where needed. While always attending to e needs of impoverished Jews around e world working in over 70 countries, JDC also understands our communal obligation to serve all people in need. As of November 13, JDC in a partnership wi e United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), was providing "School in a Box" kits, to be used for teaching displaced children. In addition JDC helped supply equipment to e Israel Defense Forces (IDF) field hospital in e Philippines. Though is relief work would happen under any circumstances, e Jewish world feels a special sense of gratitude towards e Filipino people for eir role in rescuing 1000 Jews from e Holocaust by issuing em visas. See accompanying article, page 3 How you can help e Typhoon Haiyan Victims Typhoon Haiyan Relief Fund, The Jewish Federations of Nor America, Wall Street Station, PO Box 148, New York, NY Or if you want to do it on line, ere is a link on e jfna.org website.

3 3 News of e Peninsula Jewish Community December 2013/5774 Op-Ed: In its time of need, repaying a debt to e Philippines Alan H. Gill - November 12, 2013 NEW YORK (JTA) As e extent of e catastrophic damage and tragic dea toll continues to grow in e Philippines, a particularly heroic piece of history should be recalled by e global Jewish community, which owes a debt to e island nation. Seven decades ago, a Philippine president, a globetrotting Jewish family named Frieder and e American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, my organization, helped save e lives of more an 1,000 Jews who oerwise would have almost certainly died in e Holocaust. Thanks to eir initiative, ese refugees were issued rare travel certificates to e Asian country to work as skilled laborers in e Frieders cigar factories in Manila ough in reality, few of em had any experience in e industry whatsoever. The audacious operation, seemingly extraordinary today, is e subject of e recently released documentary Rescue in e Philippines. At e time at Manuel Quezon admitted Jews to his country, e Filipino president made what seems today like a remarkably prescient statement. The people of e Philippines will have in e future every reason to be glad at when e time of need came, eir country was willing to extend a welcome hand, he was quoted as saying. We recalled is moment in history last week when we began reading reports and watching coverage of e impending super typhoon Haiyan e strongest storm in recorded history as it barreled toward e Philippines. In anticipation of e impact, JDC s disaster relief and development staff assembled a contingency plan at went into full effect once news emerged of e dea and destruction wrought by Haiyan. As part of our ongoing response to e typhoon, JDC will ship critically important food, shelter, and hygiene and medical supplies as well as ensure e provision of water and sanitation items and shelter support rough its partners, e Afya Foundation and Caolic Relief Services. JDC s advance team of disaster relief and development experts will head to e Philippines later is week to assess damage and needs while consulting wi our local/international partners and e Filipino Jewish community to ensure maximum impact for storm survivors. About 30 percent of funds raised will be dedicated to immediate relief for food, water, shelter, medical supplies and care, unless e emergency phase lasts longer because of expanding, critical needs among survivors. The rest will be invested in sustainable local projects at will emerge in e long, slow process of rehabilitation at is sure to come. It s a formula JDC, which is celebrating its centennial is year, has developed over decades of efforts in e field, from helping Ukrainians starved by e Bolsheviks in e 1920s to rehabilitating survivors of genocide in Rwanda. And on behalf of e Nor American Jewish community and wi its support, we have over e past decade delivered tens of millions of dollars in aid to victims of natural and manmade disasters in Soueast Asia, Haiti and Japan. These efforts now come full circle, especially for one member of our team arriving in e Philippines later is week, Danny Pins. In addition to being one of our development and employment experts, Pins s moer and grandparents were among e German Jews who fled to e Philippines to seek safe haven in His posting, in many ways a homecoming despite previous trips to e country, is highly symbolic. Today, in e wake of one of e worst storms in history, wi perhaps more an 10,000 dead and hundreds of ousands homeless, we are fully committed to fulfilling President Quezon s prophecy and returning e favor to e Filipino people. Not just because we are Jews, e heirs to is nation s life-saving actions, but because we firmly believe in mutual responsibility and e idea at each individual life is valuable beyond measure. (Alan H. Gill is e CEO of e American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.) JTA.org

4 4 News of e Peninsula Jewish Community December 2013/5774 Gesher Upcoming Events O n Saturday, December 14, Gesher will present a new and improved Havdalah program wi Havdalah and Hops A Night at e Brewery. We ll meet at 6:00 PM for fun, food, and beer education at e St. George Breweright here in Hampton. Watch for more details or RSVP to gesher@ujcvp.org. Get ready for e First Annual Pre Super Sunday Blowout party at e JCC. This is a social and Annual Campaign event wi an accessible $25 a person minimum campaign pledge to attend. This program is brought to you by e Lead Jew Leadership development group and is going to be a party not to be missed. Mark your calendars now! President s Message As you are probably aware, our beloved Bob Bob e Builder Kessler, is preparing for his retirement in mid Jim Segall has graciously assumed e responsibility for leading e effort to secure Bob s replacement. In a nutshell, Jim s leadership is a tremendous asset for our community. Jim and his committee have devoted hundreds of hours toward finding e best candidate to fill Bob s very large shoes. This has involved reviewing many resumes, phone and Skype interviews, and in person interviews here on e Peninsula. The critical search committee work will continue until a suitable executive director is secured. Bob Kessler is also closely assisting and advising Jim and e committee in is endeavor. Thank you to our search committee members for your dedicated effort. And, a special ank you to Jim Segall, who approaches is task wi great skill and determination. How to Give to e Jewish Family Service Gift Program First of all, ank you so much to everyone who has donated food for e JFS food closet. This food program supports Peninsula Jewish families who come to Jewish Family Service for financial assistance. They all struggle wi monly expenses and ese items are always a welcome help to em. At is time, e most needed items include tuna and peanut butter as well as gift cards for gasoline and grocery gift cards to help wi expenses for perishable frozen or refrigerated items. We greatly appreciate your support of our agency and e services at we provide to ose in need. All donations of food or gift cards are tax deductible and may be dropped off at e JFS office or at e main desk at e UJC. If it is more convenient, please send gift cards via mail to Jewish Family Service 2700 Spring Road Newport News, Virginia Libby Batten, JFS Social Worker

5 5 News of e Peninsula Jewish Community December 2013/5774 Congratulations to Rodef Sholom Temple on eir 100 Year Anniversary From The Trustees of e UJC Endowment Fund The UJC Board of Directors and The UJC Staff

6 6 News of e Peninsula Jewish Community December 2013/5774 December Dilemma DOES RELIGIOUS CELEBRATION BELONG IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS? No! The principle of separation of church and state is inherent in our Constitution. It was recognized by Thomas Jefferson and oer founding faers of our nation at for religion to be free, it must also be separate from governmental influence. The separation works in two ways. A long line of Supreme Court decisions has confirmed at e schools must remain religiously neutral, neier supporting nor inhibiting any particular religion or practice of religion. It is not e role of e public school system to advance any particular religious belief; erefore, a school program which has e effect of observing a religious holiday, necessarily advances or infringes upon e religious beliefs of some students, and is, erefore, improper. SHOULD RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS BE DISCUSSED IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS? Certainly, so long as e discussion is done in e same way oer important events are studied and is part of e curriculum based on instruction. This does not include bringing in spokespersons for particular religious denominations as advocates for ose religions or to help celebrate e holiday. However, e use of resource persons for legitimate curriculum based programming is proper. Not everyone celebrates one of e major religious holidays at fall in e mon of December. Teachers and administrators need to be as sensitive to e majority of children whose upbringing includes Christmas or Chanukah as to ose who do not celebrate e traditional observances, just as we do not infringe on e right of e majority to celebrate in eir own way at home or in eir houses of worship. WHAT KIND OF RELIGIOUS PROGRAMMING IS APPROPRIATE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS? Programming which teaches about religion, as opposed to advocating particular religious beliefs, is appropriate. In most cases, consideration of e content of e program and e context in which it is presented will determine wheer it meets is criteria. For instance, a Winter Concert given in December which includes Adeste Fidelis wi oer traditional winter (but not religious) songs such as Jingle Bells would pass muster; however, a Christmas Concert, wheer in name or content, which contains mostly traditional religious music, wi perhaps a token Jewish Chanukah song, is not proper. WHAT IS NOT APPROPRIATE? Organized prayer. Distribution of Bibles The public display or presentation of religious symbols by school auorities. Presentation of religious plays and films in a religious context. Religious programs or prayer meetings during e school day except during free time. Penalizing students for an absence due to a religious holiday. Concerts which celebrate a religious holiday. WHAT IS APPROPRIATE? The following are examples of activities which are appropriate. Education about e principles of religious freedom and religious liberty. Inter-cultural programs which focus on e role religion has played in e development of society. Factual and objective teaching about religion. Religious symbols used by individual students as a model of self-expression. The study of religious music as part of a music appreciation course, or as part of a study of various lands and cultures. Recognition of a student s absence from school due to a religious holiday as an excused absence. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, CALL THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS COUNCIL (CRC) OF THE UNITED JEWISH COMMUNITY. The Community Relations Council is e central representative body of Jewish organizations and institutions on e Virginia Peninsula devoted to community relations, information, and action. We believe at religious liberty, free from government promotion, is an indispensable aspect of American democracy. Please feel free to obtain needed information. The UJC phone number is or unitedjc@ujcvp.org.. All communications wi e CRC are and will be kept in e strictest confidence.

7 7 News of e Peninsula Jewish Community December 2013/5774 Temple Sinai Warwick Blvd. Newport News, VA Schedule of services for December Services are held every Friday at 7:30 p.m. Rabbi Lawrence Forman will conduct services December 6 and December 20. Services will be lay-lead December 13 and December 27 Cantor Jonaan Rasam will be at e December 27 service. Temple Sinai will be lighting e community menorah at City Center in Oyster Point on Wednesday, December 4 at 6 PM for e final night of Hanukkah. Keep e Hanukkah spirit going a little longer at Temple Sinai s festive Hanukkah dinner, Friday December 6 at 6 PM. Come and eat latkes, brisket, and salad, and enjoy a festive celebration followed by services and dessert at e Oneg. The dinner is $14 for adults, $7 for children 12 and under and free for ose under age 3. To RSVP call Temple Sinai now offers Gentle Haa Yoga classes on Thursdays 4-5 PM, taught by John Mellman at e Temple. There is no charge for classes and ey are a great opportunity to relax, stretch and balance for all ages and states of physical fitness. Bring a yoga mat and large towel. Chair adaptation is available. The next Sisterhood meeting will be held Monday. December 9 at 7 PM. The Temple Sinai Broerhood will hold its next breakfast, Sunday, December 15 at 10 AM e guest speaker will be Peter A. Zando, Special Field Representative for e U.S. Census Bureau, who will speak about what e Census Bureau does when it s not counting e U.S. population every ten years (apparently ey do quite a lot!). Cost is $6 for non-members and ere is always plenty of food, good company as well as an interesting program. Congratulations Rodef Sholom Temple on your 100 Birday! Keep up wi all e news from your Temple at or on our Facebook page. Come to e Jewish Community Center for interesting and informative lectures and lunch at 12 noon wi e following presenters: December 19 PJHS Program on NACA/NASA Roundtable discussion including Aaron Ostroff, Stanley Scher, Jim Batterson, Paul Cooper, Grif Anderson, Shirley & Bland Stein, Joel & Arlene Levin, Irving Weinstein, Edi Spritzer. January 16 Rabbi Gilah Dror Rodef Shalom Temple February 20 Rabbi David Katz Temple Be El April 17 Former Governor George Allen May 15 State Delegate David Yancey Oer programs scheduled on, March 20, and June 19 (Speakers to be announced). Cost: $ Call JCC to make your reservation

8 8 News of e Peninsula Jewish Community December 2013/5774

9 9 News of e Peninsula Jewish Community December 2013/5774 The United Jewish Community wishes to congratulate e following student and his family on his Bar Mitzvah. Saturday, December 7 Ben Eisinger son of Suzanne and Richard Eisinger at Temple Be El of Williamsburg JCC Senior Programs D on t forget to come to e JCC for lunch on Tuesdays. If you are over 60 and looking for a good place to have lunch and meet oer seniors, come join us at e JCC. Lunch is $2.50 and transportation is provided by reservation in e UJC bus. Call e JCC at to make your reservations December 3 Bingo/Mah Jong, Hanukkah Party December 10 OUT TO LUNCH December 17 Bingo/ Mah Jong December 24 JCC CLOSED December 31 Bingo/ Mah Jong

10 10 News of e Peninsula Jewish Community December 2013/5774 Emet v Or services are at e Jewish Community Center, 2700 Spring Road in Newport News. We hold activities in Newport News, York County, Williamsburg and Hampton. Congregation Emet v Or strives to be a supportive community and meaningful place for Jewish people, eir families and ose who desire to learn about e Jewish fai December 6, 7 PM, Rabbi Scott Gurdin leads services & Dr. Jonaan Rasam is e cantorial soloist. Educational Babysitting provided for ose under age 8. December 14, at 6 PM, is an end of Shabbat service, Havdalah, en an adult dinner out. A great way to meet new people in e synagogue. December 20, services are led by religious school students. December 27, Shabbat dinners and services in people s homes. All are welcome to attend! Contact office@emetvor.org for more information. December 17 Parent & Me for children ages 2 to 5 - held monly, 10:30 socialization. 11 AM class. lowly introduce your child to e joy of Judaism. This is an introductory class, open to any child on e Peninsula who has a Jewish parent. You do need to at you will bring your infant/toddler/pre-ker. UJC preschool building, 2700 Spring Road. Our congregation will be feeding e homeless on December 24 and 25 when ey stay at a local church. Do you want to volunteer? If you would like to make a turkey or oer dish, help check people, or stay overnight to help wi breakfast, contact Rachel L. at rayn8r@yahoo.com. *See facebook page: Congregation Emet v Or for more information. Jeremy Ben-Ami: What Does it Mean to Be Pro-Israel in American Today? Monday, December 16, at 8:15 PM at e JCC Is it acceptable for American Jews to criticize Israeli politics, as Israelis do? J Street president Jeremy Ben- Ami joins us for a discussion of what it means to be pro-israel in America. Jeremy is Executive Director of J Street and JStreetPA Don t Forget e Homeless Do you have e soaps, shampoos, and oer toiletries at are in your hotel rooms when you travel? People in homeless shelters, centers for abused women and oer havens for e less fortunate can always use ese items. Please bring em by e JCC when you can and ey will be distributed to persons in need. If you have any questions, please get in touch wi Stan Glasofer at or glasofer@verizon.net. Also, would you have is short request as well? Do you have a worn and frayed tallit in a drawer at home? The CHEVRAH KADEESHA is in need of old tallitot. Please bring em by e JCC and leave em wi a note at ey are for e Chevrah Kadeesha. Thank you. UJC December Closing Dates Monday, December 23 because of MGB construction. Wednesday, December 25 Wednesday, January 1 - Happy New Year

11 11 News of e Peninsula Jewish Community December 2013/5774 Temple Be El of Williamsburg 600 Jamestown Road, Williamsburg, VA (757) Note our new and website addresses tbewilliamsburg.org Rabbi David Katz's is rabbi@tbewilliamburg.org Office Administrator's is office@tbewilliamsburg.org The TBE Hanukkah Party The TBE Hanukkah party will take place on Wednesday night, December 4, from 6:30PM to 8:00PM. Please bring a vegetarian main dish to share. All are invited to make and submit latkes for our annual Iron Chef Latke competition. Also, all are invited to make and bring in a menorah for our Make Your Own Menorah Contest. In keeping wi is year's convergence of Hanukkah and Thanksgiving, 'Menurkey' menorahs are encouraged! The TBE Program Committee is launching a new series of events called Tuesdays@TBE. It is our intent to have someing exciting and interesting for you to enjoy on most Tuesdays at 7:00 PM. Tuesday, December 17, Tuesdays@TBE will present a screening of e film 100 Voices: A Journey Home. Many of e world's finest Jewish singers return to Poland, e birplace of cantorial music, for a series of exuberant, history-making concerts in is compelling musical documentary. Tuesday, December 24, Tuesdays@TBE will have a Jewish Christmas Eve eating Chinese food and watching a movie togeer. The suggested movie for e evening is The Frisco Kid. Note: All of e Tuesdays@TBE programs will start at 7:00 PM TBE.

12 12 News of e Peninsula Jewish Community December 2013/5774 Come to e JCC on selected Thursdays for a movie and popcorn. All movies begin at 1:00 PM and are free to e public. December 12: The Jazz Singer (e original) January 9: The Boy in e Striped Pajamas February 6 : Everying is Illuminated March 6 : Sarah s Key Make plans to enjoy e following programs: Thursday, December 5: Bizarre Bazaar, arts and crafts fair in Richmond Tuesday, February 4: An evening out, play and dinner. Donkey Tonk Angels at e Wells Theater. Wednesday, May 21: Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in Richmond Call or Leslie@ujcvp.org for furer details or to make a reservation.

13 13 News of e Peninsula Jewish Community December 2013/5774 Have you heard about e Free Community Hebrew School held at e JCC and TBE Excerpt from Executive Director s Report published in e November 2013 newsletter. Community Hebrew School at e JCC available to all students regardless of synagogue affiliation at no charge. Only requirement is a $100 /family registration fee. rd At e October 23 Board of Directors meeting, Mike Eisenberg, chair of e Education Committee, presented his committee s recommendation: at e UJCVP approve e recommendation and provide a Community Hebrew School at will only require a $100 registration fee per family. There is every reason to believe at e UJC umbrella organization can meet e needs of Jewish Education wi e cooperation of all e congregations wi e added social benefit of bringing all our children togeer. The recommendation was passed by e Board. Community Hebrew School classes are held at e Jewish Community Center and at Temple Be El of Williamsburg for all children. Please call Carmela Malkin-Kuhn at e UJC, for registration and/or additional information. UJC Fund Contributions Haifa Symphony Orchestra of Israel to play at e Ferguson Center The UJC has purchased a block of tickets for e Saturday, February 8 performance of e Haifa Symphony Orchestra of Israel at Ferguson Center. Discounted seats are $50/person. Please call or Leslie at or leslie@ujcvp.org to reserve your seat wi payment. LILLIAN & WILLIAM DIAMONSTEIN SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR HOLOCAUST STUDIES Sis and Joe Litvin in memory of Helen Halcomb s faer. Sis and Joe Litvin in honor of e bir of Sidney and Cynia Becker s first grandchild, Beatrice Eve. ENDOWMENT UNRESTRICTED FUND Ettalea Kanter in memory of David Waranch.

14 14 News of e Peninsula Jewish Community December 2013/5774 Preschool Dates to Remember December 4-9:15 AM Hanukkah family breakfast and singing songs December 9 - Musical Mondays December 11-9:15 AM in Library Parent Chat wi Libby Batten rd st December 23 - January 1 No school/no daycare December 26 & 27 Winter blast day camp- need minimum of children to register. Sign up for one or two days. Weekly exercise class for Nitzanim, Parparim and Chaverim called Stretch & Grow held on Tuesdays and a PE class for PreK on Wednesdays In Judaics, we have been doing beautifully singing our prayers! Wi each new word of e week on our word wall (which begins wi our letter of e week), it is fascinating to see how great e children are learning e Hebrew word at corresponds. We have already been exposed to e Hebrew words for apple, ball, cat and dog! Also, we are having a great time counting to ten in Hebrew each day! Our Mitzvah Tree truly is looking awesome, and we have enjoyed discussing creation, Noah s Ark, Jewish Values and of course Shabbat! On Mondays, we have now loved welcoming our new week wi a Havdalah ceremony (ending Shabbat). From our Preschool Prekindergarten class: Our special activities is mon have included 2 field trips to Sesame Street Live and Dean and Don s Pumpkin Patch and P.E. each Wednesday! The children were adorable as ey danced and sang wi excitement wi Elmo and friends. Our trip to e Dean and Don s pumpkin patch was fun-filled. We enjoyed a puppet show, rode a hay ride and of course picked out a pumpkin at e end. This allowed for some great learning time in class! We talked about e grow stages of a pumpkin and enjoyed all e parts of e pumpkin-none of our classroom pumpkin went to waste! We looked, touched, smelled, saw and even ate it! We are very proud of e children as all of em were very brave and tasted some cooked pumpkin.

15 15 News of e Peninsula Jewish Community December 2013/5774 Winter Fun Days at e UJC December 26 & a.m. 4 p.m. $30 per day/you (Grade PreK-6) Experience Jewish Community Center fun days in December! A Blowup, field trip and color war are all on e agenda! You can register for bo days or choose a single day option! If we do not have sufficient registration by December 15, is program will be cancelled. Minimum of 10 children registered per day. Call for before and aftercare availability. Please rsvp and make your payment below by December 15 to or pay online. Print Child s Name: Child s Age Payment Included $ Choose Day: December 26 ($30) December 27 ($30) December 26 and 27 ($60)

16 16 News of e Peninsula Jewish Community December 2013/5774 Sunday, December 1, 2013 ~~ 6:00 PM at e United Jewish Community 2700 Spring Road, Newport News, VA Come join us at e JCC for delicious potato latkes, apple sauce, and donuts. We will light e Menorah at City Center at 5:30 PM and en head over to e JCC for e community FIFTH NIGHT CELEBRATION David Gussman from Bagels and Fryalox Klezmer band and Benjamin Motter, violinist, sophomore at HRA, and concertmaster of e 2013 All-Virginia Orchestra will play Hanukkah music for is festive occasion! A gift of your choosing for any age will be your entrance fee! Gifts will be distributed roughout e Peninsula Due to Middle Ground Construction, e UJC will be Closed Monday, December 23 Please be alert... Sometime during e next several weeks, Spring Road will be shut down and access to e UJC/JCC will be from Nettles Drive. You will be notified by and/or postcard when is occurs. Dr. Guy Levy, President Robert H. Kessler, Executive Director Linda Molin, Newsletter Editor (757 ) Fax (757) UJC address: unitedjc@ujcvp.org - UJC Web Page -