Jewish Community Center of Long Beach Island E-Letter March 8, 2013

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1 Jewish Community Center of Long Beach Island E-Letter March 8, Adar 5773 Use the Calendar on the JCC web site to view all upcoming events - check out the new Spring and Summer activities. Just click here: JCC CALENDAR In This Issue Community Seder Special Message from Rabbi Jay - PLEASE READ Upcoming Events Passover This and That... Sandy Counseling Service What's Open on LBI JCC EVENTS 3/8-3/15 MAH JONGG Wednesdays 12:30-4:00 PM SUNDAY MAH JONGG - Sunday 3/10 at 10:00 AM SHABBAT SHALOM "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." This Week's Events Service Schedule Yahrzeits Congregation News New Programs Documents & Links COMMUNITY SEDER CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES Friday, March 8, :38 PM (So. Ocean County) WHEREVER WE ARE, LET US LIGHT CANDLES TOGETHER. JOIN US FOR

2 SERVICES JCC OF LBI COMMUNITY SEDER at the JCC Social Hall, Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 5:30 PM. Seder will be conducted by Rabbi Jay. Full traditional Kosher for Passover dinner. $35 for adults, $15 for children 6-12, children under 6 and under no charge (Non-member charge for adults: $40.00). Contact Vivian Fitts to make your reservation RESERVATIONS MUST BE IN BY 3/19/13 A TORAH MESSAGE FROM RABBI JAY Rabbi Michael S. Jay Exodus begins with the Israelites becoming enslaved in Egypt at a time when God's presence seems withdrawn. It then reports how God inserted Himself back into the story and, with incredible wonders, freed the Israelites. It concludes with the building of the Mishkan (the portable Tabernacle), a place where God will be able to dwell among His people. While it is mostly full of rich narrative, in one of the sub-stories of the Book of Exodus, the Torah spends an incredible amount of time telling us how the Mishkan is going to be made. One might think that the it is created to be the exemplar of God's existence; a holy place created specifically to provide God with a home. But it is more than this. We are reminded in Parashat Vayakhel that the people were asked to voluntarily, and personally, donate precious raw materials for the construction of the Mishkan. These donations were not mandatory and were to be in amounts "as each person's heart motivated him". In other words each person's donation was one that he, or she, felt comfortable giving. Among other things, we learn from this that the Mishkan had a piece of each household and each person in it. Thus, when God enters the Mishkan, the Deity is symbolically entering each person's home and maybe even each person's heart. But there is something else that we learn from it. The Mishkan was not just a home for God, but it was also a home for every individual. The community, and each member of the community, had a stake in that precious locale just as each of Rabbi Jay will be conducting services. PLEASE NOTE: Just in case of continued flooding and poor conditions on the island, please call the office to confirm that services will be held this Friday night. SHABBAT HaCHODESH Shabbat HaChodesh precedes the first of the Hebrew month of Nisan during which Passover is celebrated. Friday evening March 8, Adar 5773 TORAH PORTION Vayakhel-Pedudei (Exodus 35:1-40:38; special maftir: Exodus 12:1-20) Haftorah: Ezekiel 45:16-46:18 SATURDAY MORNING TORAH STUDY WITH RABBI JAY from 10-12

3 us has a stake in our own JCC. How I came to this conclusion is, for me, a touching story that the community experienced last Friday night. We had just begun the Kabbalat Shabbat service when there was a loud knock on the north exit door to the rear of the Sanctuary. We were initially startled that someone was at that door, but after the initial shock one of our congregants went to open it. It turned out that Stuart Snyder was there because, for some reason, the front door would not open. He came in and told us that others were at the front door waiting. Someone went to open the front door and a couple, whom I had not yet met, came in and sat down with Stuart in the Sanctuary. When we got to a point where a responsive reading was being read, I went down to say Shabbat Shalom to Stuart and to introduce myself to the other couple. It turned out that it was Stuart's brother, Robert, and his wife Lauren. As we were going through the introductions, Stuart told me that they had just learned that their father, Richard Snyder, Z"L (May his memory always be for a blessing), had passed away in Florida. They were still clearly in shock upon hearing this devastating news. I offered my condolences and announced the news to the congregation which was equally and understandably saddened. Later I dedicated my sermon to Richard's memory. I was incredibly moved by the fact that, essentially, the first thing that the Snyders did after hearing of Richard's having passed was to come to the JCC. Reflecting upon the powerful draw of love and community and faith that led the Snyder family to come to the JCC, I arrived at my above-stated conclusion that we each have a stake in this House of God. The Torah tells us that the Mishkan was built so that God could dwell among His people. I have always thought that this meant that God physically came down to set up camp in the Temple. Indeed, God may well be here physically but I now have a new understanding. When people, like Stuart, Robert, and Lauren come to the Synagogue to seek comfort in times of need or distress, they bring God's presence with them. It is the people who bring God in; we can be the facilitators of the Holy Presence. The lesson learned is that, just as the Mishkan was built with donations provided by the community, so too, the JCC has been constructed, physically and spiritually, by each of its members. True the building stands on its own, but it also stands on the shoulders and souls of each of us who contribute to it in our own unique ways. It took a beautiful and heartfelt gesture of reaching out in a time of need to help me to understand this fact. NOON IN THE JCC LIBRARY YAHRZEITS FOR THE NEXT WEEK These names will be read at services on March 8, Solomen Chalek Ginette Shomer *Minnie Britz Edna Eisner Manuel Sidel Hannah Dudkin Sidney Kronenberg Fanny Parker Sylvia Glasser Morris Herman Felix Horowitz *Marvin Weinberger *Daniel Lang *Joseph Schlanger Isadore Opatosky Jacob Liebenberg William Berger Chaya Cohen Sam Singer

4 For me, Richard and the Snyder family will forever be attached to a new, and more comprehensive, understanding of the importance of our holy physical space to us. May Richard's memory be for a Blessing and may the Snyder family, and the entire community, be consoled together with all of the other mourners of the Children of Israel. Shabbat Shalom - Rabbi Michael S. Jay UPCOMING EVENTS MAH JONGG - Wednesdays 12:30-4:00 PM SUNDAY Mah jongg - March 10th at 10:00 AM LUNCH & MAH JONGG - Wed. March 20 at 11:45 AM at Kubel's in Barnegat Light. Cost: $15.50 for lunch, tax and tip. Contact Marianne Clemente by clicking on this link MARIANNE or Judy Smith with this link JUDY. COMMUNITY SEDER - 2nd night of Passover - Tuesday, March 26. Seder will be conducted by Rabbi Jay. Full traditional Kosher for Passover dinner. $35 for adults, $15 for children 6-12, children under 6 and under no charge (Non-member charge for adults: $40.00). Contact Vivian Fitts to make your reservation PASSOVER THIS AND THAT... CHAROSET, TEXAS STYLE (In honor of President Don Pripstein and his wife Judith who spend their winters in Texas) Makes one quart 8-10 sweet apples (Fuji, Gala, Honey Criusp or Jonagold) 8-10 ounces of pecans, toasted 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, to taste 1/4 cup of honey, or to taste 1 cup of Concord grape wine 1. Peel, core and cut apple into 8 pieces 2. Place half the apples in a food processor workbowl and pulse until the pieces are about 1/4 inch (or you can use a *Michael Beck Louis Cohen *Irving List Isadore Abend Jacob Axilbund Ruth Weisberger Fannie Shapiro Charles Miller Ethel Zwillman *Perpetual Yahrzeit Plaque CONGREGATION NEWS CONDOLENCES TO: PHIL LEVY on the loss of his mother Lottie Levy mother-in-law of Reina & grandmother of Aaron & Marc Donations in her name can be made to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum RONA STEIN

5 wooden bowl and single-blad chopper/hand-grate). Transfer them to a large bowl and repeat with the remaining apples. 3. Toast the pecans at 350 degrees F for 5 minutes. Cool slightly for about 3 minutes, then add them to the workbowl. Pulse the machine on and off until the pecans are finely chopped, or hand-grated. 4. Mix the pecans with the apples. 5. Add the cinnamon and honey to the apple mixture and stir to combine. 6. Add the wine and mix well. 7. If the mixture is watery. drain off the excess liquid, adjusting cinnamon, honey and wine as desired. BETH & STEVEN SEAVEY on the marriage of their son Jason to Jessica Forman SHARE YOUR NEWS CONTACT: rvalen1963@aol.com 8. Cover and refrigerate overnight, but preferably 1-2 days, allowing the flavors to mellow and balance. Source: Reform Judaism Magazine ALSO CHECK OUT THIS INTERACTIVE SEDER PLACE ON THIS WEB SITE: SEDER PLATE. You can roll your mouse over each part of the plate ad see name and explanation. There are many more interesting Passover customs, recipes and projects on this site from the Union of Reform Judaism: PASSOVER POST SANDY COUNSELING SERVICE St. Francis is offering individual, family and group counseling services to anyone affected by Hurricane Sandy. For details, click on this link: SANDY WHAT IS OPEN ON LBI According to the LBI BUSINESS ALLIANCE, there are over 125 LBI businesses currently open and are listed on their web site: ALLIANCE. Please stop by and support them. JCC INFORMATION THE OFFICE IS LOCATED AT 2411 Long Beach Boulevard (24th Street) 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, Joy Kern, if you are in need of assistance or if you know of a JCC member that needs our help A SNEAK PEEK AT OUR NEW PROGRAMS AT THE JCC Program Chairman Lori Shomer has been working very hard to develop some very exciting programming for the Spring and Summer. Here are just a few activities to put

6 Spray Beach, NJ ENTER THE BUILDING DURING OFFICE HOURS THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR. Mailing Address: 2411 Long Beach Blvd. Spray Beach, NJ Telephone: FAX: web site: WINTER OFFICE HOURS: MONDAY 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM WEDNESDAY 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM FRIDAY - 9:00 am - 1:00 PM Office Staff: M/W/T: Leslie Dinkfelt F: Jeri Riffle Data Entry: Marcie Deutsch on your calendar. Please contact Lori with any questions: LORI The JCC will be offering a two part Boating Certification Class on May 19 & June 9. June 's Sock Hop, 6PM-10PM, Dinner, DJ & Dancing w/costume & Dance Contests. Start tuning you guitar, practicing your vocals or pulling out those old joke books now for Open Mic Night August 8! August 25 -The JCC will be proud to present the icon... Uncle Floyd! Yes, from the Uncle Floyd Show! More to come... DOCUMENTS AND LINKS JUST CLICK AND YOU'RE THERE!!! FEB/MARCH/APRIL BULLETIN: BULLETIN WEB SITE: JCC WEB SITE DUES RENEWAL FORM: RENEWAL WHAT'S OPEN: WHAT'S OPEN SANDY SUPPORT GROUP: SUPPORT SANDY COUNSELING: COUNSELING Leslie, Jeri & Marcie

7 CONTACT INFORMATION: Rabbi Michael S. Jay Don Pripstein, JCC President Judy Smith, JCC VP VIEW THE FEB/MARCH/APRIL BULLETIN with this link BULLETIN Editor: Rose Valentine The Jewish Community Center of LBI 2411 Long Beach Blvd. Spray Beach NJ 08008