How to Make the Most of the Summer in Tidewater
Fri, 05/11/2012 - 8:51am
The How-To Live Jewishly in Tidewater blog will feature posts throughout the year with information about Jewish life in Tidewater. Articles will discuss topics such as how-to celebrate the holidays in Tidewater, how-to keep kosher in Tidewater, how-to give back in Tidewater, and more! Feel free to contact Rebecca Bickford, Community Concierge, if there is something specific that you would like more information on.
The breeze is getting a little bit warmer, the days are lasting a little bit longer – summer is almost here! Summer brings not just sunny beach days but also vacations, no school, summer flings, and CAMP! It’s sometimes difficult to sift through all of the summer camp options in town so I have organized the two Jewish community summer camp opportunities. These two camps are incredible, each offering a unique experience that your child will remember far into the future. Draw back on your memories of summers long past… did you attend summer camp? Was it a JCC summer camp?
I attended Girl Scout camp most summers. I can still close my eyes and remember the cabins, the smell of the pine trees, the cold bite of the water in the lake, and of course, the silly camp songs we all had to sing. I sometimes look through my photo albums and while the names of the girls I met have left my memories, the excitement and laughter are still as vivid as if it just happened. I remember my counselors confiscating my New Kids on the Block cherry lip balm saying that it will attract bugs into my cabin. I remember the watery eggs for breakfast, the grilled cheese at lunch, and I remember the huge bonfires where we made s’mores and sang even more camp songs. I remember camping in the foothills of West Virginia, the wide open fields in middle Virginia, and even the back yard of the fire house where our troop would meet. I remember learning the value of friendship and how a simple bracelet of braided thread meant we would be connected forever. Summer camp taught me how to swim, how to follow a leader, how to embrace new experiences, how to love nature, and how to take any situation and find a way to make it fun. Camp allowed me to enjoy my childhood during the few precious months where school was not mandatory.
Summer camp evokes rich and fond memories to almost everyone who participates. I enjoy listening to the summer camp stories of my colleagues and BBYO girls who attended either a JCC day camp or a Jewish sleep away camp. I often wish I had the opportunity to attend a Jewish camp when I was younger – perhaps it would have made me more confident in my Jewish identity. Luckily, our community right here in Tidewater offers two incredible Jewish summer camps for our children at the Simon Family JCC and Chabad of Tidewater. Our JCC also welcomes everyone in for summertime fun with a discounted season pass. Enjoy the spring season and all it brings - the incredible thunderstorms, the surprise rainbows, the bright and colorful flowers, the green grass – for it will be short and before you know it, summer will be in full swing, school will be out, and you will be wondering…
So, what can you do in Tidewater this summer?
Spend your summer at the Simon Family JCC! 
A Summer Membership Season Pass is the best deal in town. The season pass allows you and your family full access to everything at the JCC including the state-of-the-art fitness facility, the aquatics center complete with three indoor pools and an incredible outdoor water park, 9 hole miniature golf, tennis courts, basketball courts, playgrounds, soccer fields, and so much more! The JCC is your one-stop-shop for a day full of fun. You can drop your kids off at the complimentary babysitting while you work out in either the fitness or aquatics center and then enjoy a nice relaxing afternoon with your family at the outdoor water park. The kids will have a blast playing on the no-slip activity area with water cannons and a Noah’s Ark jungle gym whose animals shoot water out of their mouths. Then they can skip over to the water slide and splash into a lagoon! Even your little ones can enjoy the pool from the beach-like entrance into less than a foot of water.
JCC Summer Season Pass Pricing
Family: $450
Individual: $199
The season pass allows unlimited membership access to the JCC from Memorial Day through Labor Day so you won’t miss a single sunny day! These prices are good until June 3rd.
Come by the Simon Family JCC for a Free-Fun Summer Open House
When: Sunday, June 3rd
Time: 1 – 4 p.m.
Bring the whole crew and spend the afternoon at the JCC hanging out by the pool, playing miniature golf, and learning about everything the JCC has to offer.
See you at the pool and don’ forget your sunscreen!
As I mentioned before, our community offers two exceptional summer camp opportunities. The Simon Family JCC and Chabad of Tidewater both host incredible camps that provide a fun, safe, and exciting summer camp experience that your child will talk about for the rest of the year!
Simon Family JCC Summer Camp – It’s a Camp Thing!
The JCC camp offers 8 non-stop weeks of adventure, discovery, and friendship. Summer fun doesn’t end after 8 weeks though! The JCC Kids Connection program offers three weeks of Kids Connection Plus in-between summer camp and the first day of school. This is a great way to keep your kids active and engaged!
Camp Director: Lisa Chacon
Assistant Camp Director: Eliot Weinstein
Camp Administrator: Michelle Grimsley
Beginnings Director: Becky Feld
CIT Director: Dana Leader
Camp Breakdown:
The camp brochure is available online and provides details regarding all aspects of the JCC Summer Camp experience.
The JCC Camp staff has created an excellent “Camp at a Glance” outline that shows the weeks and sessions of camp broken down by age group.
The JCC Summer Camp runs from June 18th – August 31st. The camps are offered by 1 week, 2 week, or 4 week sessions depending on the age of your child. The camp is organized into four main themes, each lasting two weeks. The themes are “It’s a Jungle Out There”, “Raiders of the Lost Artifacts: Diamonds in the Rough”, “Mystical Magical Me: Mastering the Magic Within”, and “JCC General: The Camp with Heart”.
Summer camp prices and registration varies depending on the age of your child and the options that you choose. Check out the Summer Camp website for a complete breakdown of pricing. The JCC believes that all children should have the chance to attend summer camp and therefore offers financial assistance to campers on a first-come, first-serve basis and also offers a Shadow Program for campers with special needs. There is also a sibling discount when you register more than one of your children for camp. Contact the camp offices for more information.
| Beginnings Age: 16 -24 months Weeks: 2 sessions; each 4 weeks long Options: 2, 3, and 5-day options | Chalutzim Age: entering 3rd – 4th grades Weeks: 8, each with a different theme |
| Yeladim Age: 2 years Weeks: 4 sessions, each 2 weeks long Options: 2, 3, and 5-day options | Ruach Age: entering 5th – 6th grades Weeks: 8, each with a different theme |
| Kaitana Age: 3 -5 years Weeks: 8, each with a different theme | Venture Age: entering 7th – 10th grades Weeks: 8, each with a different theme |
| Giborim Age: entering 1st – 2nd grades Weeks: 8, each with a different theme | CIT – Counselor in Training Age: entering 9th – 11th grades Weeks: 8 weeks, each with a different theme |
JCC Summer Camp also offers lunch options for your camper! All food that is brought into the camp must be Kosher, so the Cardo Café is offering a daily and a weekly lunch. You can surprise your camper with a fun lunch one day or purchase a weeks’ worth of lunches!
Daily Price: $6.50
Weekly Price: $27.50
JCC Summer Camp Open House
Meet the camp staff, your counselor, and your fellow campers!!
When: Thursday, June 14th
Time: 5 – 7 p.m.
Chabad of Tidewater Summer Camp – CAMP GAN ISRAEL – FUN FOREVER!
Camp Gan Israel (Izzy for short) is four weeks of fun, fun, and more fun! Campers will embark on a Mitzvah Adventure and pick up lots of mitzvah treasures on their journey. Camp Gan Izzy is where Judaism and fun go hand in hand.
Camp Director: Rashi Brashevitzky
Camp Breakdown:
Check out the Camp Gan Izzy website – it’s nearly as fun as the camp itself! The campers meet up every day at the Chabad House in Norfolk and spend the rest of the day participating in activities ranging from culinary exploration to gymnastics! The campers will even travel to the Simon Family JCC for swimming three days a week.
Camp Gan Izzy runs from July 30th – August 24th. Campers are divided into groups based on their ages and participate in all camp activities together. Kosher lunch and snacks are provided.
Here is a sample of the Camp Calendar of Activities from summer 2011. The staff at Camp Gan Izzy is working hard on this year’s calendar. Contact their offices for more information. The new activity calendar will also be sent out to all registered campers prior to the start of camp.
Summer 2012 prices are online and registration is now open! You can process your registration online directly from the Camp Gan Izzy website. You receive a special discount if you refer a first-time Camp Gan Izzy camper!
There are also great Jewish sleep away camps within our region:
Capital Camps
www.capitalcamps.org
Camps Airy and Louise
www.airylouise.org
Don’t let Summer 2012 get away from you without experiencing the Simon Family JCC Summer Membership or one of our community’s awesome camps!! Contact the camp offices at the JCC and Chabad for more information:
Simon Family JCC
Main number: (757) 321-2338
Camp Administrator: Michelle Grimsley (757) 321-2303
Chabad of Tidewater – Camp Gan Israel
Main Number: (757) 616-0770
Enjoy Matisyahu’s new song “Sunshine” while you anxiously wait for summer to begin!
Contact each organization for complete details, times, and pricing.
Be sure to check the community calendar for all upcoming community events.
Rebecca Bickford is the Community Concierge for the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and maintains the Shalom Tidewater program. Shalom Tidewater provides outreach to members of the Tidewater Jewish Community who are new or are interested in becoming more involved. The United Jewish Federation of Tidewater nurtures a vibrant, engaged, inclusive and caring community whose collective action is guided by our Jewish Values.
How-To Celebrate Israel in Tidewater
Thu, 04/12/2012 - 8:23am
The How-To Live Jewishly in Tidewater blog will feature posts throughout the year with information about Jewish life in Tidewater. Articles will discuss topics such as how-to celebrate the holidays in Tidewater, how-to keep kosher in Tidewater, how-to give back in Tidewater, and more! Feel free to contact Rebecca Bickford, Community Concierge, if there is something specific that you would like more information on. Israel. The Land of Milk and Honey. Our ancestors sacrificed everything so that future generations may have a land to call our own. Israelis take great care to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice on Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day. By design, Yom Ha’atzmaut, the marked Independence Day for Israel, is celebrated the following day. The back-to-back set up of these two holidays represents that all things must come at a price and gives Israelis an opportunity to reflect on how freedom was attained. This year, these holidays fall on Wednesday, April 25 and Thursday, April 26 respectively.
What does Memorial Day mean to you? The neighborhood pools open? Three day weekend? A day to remember and honor those who have fought to defend our freedom? Well, if you are in Israel then it means a day to remember and honor those who have fought to defend our freedom and nothing else. Unlike a traditional Memorial Day in America, there are no BBQs, no fireworks, or sandcastle competitions. Yom Hazikoron is a day where Israelis throughout the country pay somber tribute to those who have offered the greatest sacrifice.
Like most Jewish holidays, Yom Hazikaron runs from sunset to sunset. All public entertainment is closed and just after sunset, at 8 p.m., an air raid siren is sounded throughout the streets of Israel. This siren plays for one minute during which all activity ceases. Citizens walking the streets come to a complete stop. Transactions come to a halt. Cars stop. Everyone stands in silence, honoring and remembering the price of freedom.
Another siren at 11a.m. the following morning is met with the same behavior and official ceremonies begin. During the day, students walk to school wearing outfits of white shirts and blue pants. Israelis attend ceremonies all over the country—in schools, public buildings, and cemeteries—to honor those soldiers who perished during the fight for Israel’s independence and those who have perished defending it ever since. Regular television and radio programming is replaced with remembrance-themed shows, songs, and tributes to those who have fallen.
A national ceremony is held at Mt. Herzl (Har Hazikaron or Mount of Remembrance), where Theodor Herzl, the father of Zionism, is buried. From the top of the hill, citizens can look down onto Yad Vashem and across the grand span of countryside just outside Jerusalem. The view has a profound effect on Israelis as they are reminded of the lives that were sacrificed during their fight for a state. Prayers and readings are recited both aloud and with silent reflection during these ceremonies. The Mourners Kaddish and a special Yizkor prayer are read.
During the 1950’s-60’s, a poem written by Natan Alterman was a popular read. The poem, The Silver Platter, is a vivid metaphor meaning to represent those who died in their efforts to bring freedom to Israel. A truly tragic representation of the result of battle and who ultimately pays the price. Eventually, more poems, songs, and prayers were written but the message never changes: the price of freedom is, and always will be, life.
Yom Ha’atzmaut is a joyous festival full of celebration and merriment. Just after sundown, as ceremonies during Yom Hazikaron come to a close, the President delivers another speech on Mt. Herzl acknowledging and commending the Israeli military for their past and future successes. The Israeli flag is once again raised to the top of the pole and the mood throughout Israel switches to pure elation. Twelve torches are lit to represent the twelve tribes of Israel as the citizens pour onto the streets to begin their celebrations. Singing and fireworks continue on into the night along with parades and traditional folk dancing.
The next day holds even more celebration. Families take the day to spend time with Israel–hiking, going on picnics, or visiting the Army camps for tours. This is an opportunity for the IDF to show the civilians any new technology and achievements they have made. The International Bible Contest is held on this day not only in Jerusalem, but throughout the Diaspora as well. The winner of this contest is awarded a four-year college scholarship to Bar Ilan University. The first runner-up and the winner of the Diaspora contest each win a scholarship to Mechon Lev.
Yom Ha’atzmaut ends with the presentation of the Israel Prize. This prize is noted as the top award handed out by the state. Winners include individuals or organizations, and are chosen on an array of standards, including involvement in humanities and Jewish studies, all areas of science, arts and sports, and lifetime achievements or exceptional contributions to the nation.
Yom Ha’atzmaut is a popular holiday among Jewish communities in America. Many host large scale festivals to celebrate Israel independence. During these festivities, it is customary to have a short ceremony for Yom Hazikaron and to honor those Israelis who bravely fought and lost their lives.
So, how is Tidewater celebrating Israel?
Thursday, April 26
7 pm
The Community Relations Council of the United Jewish Federation presents..
“Israel Inside” – a documentary that shows how even a small country can make a big difference. This film illuminates the Israeli people, transcending politics and the standard rhetoric, as a dynamic, innovative, and humanitarian society.
This event is free and open to the community. To RSVP or for more information, contact Jan Johnson at jjohnson@ujft.org. Call or check the UJFT website for complete details.
Sunday, April 29
1 – 5 pm
The Simon Family JCC will host its Annual Community Israel Festival in celebration of Yom Ha’atzmaut. Join in the celebration with crafts, games, and camel rides! Adults can enjoy a beer garden with Israeli beer tasting and peruse the merchants at the indoor shuk. Get a taste of Israel with authentic Israeli food and games. This festival is always a fun and the whole community shows up! Hope to see you there! Call or check the JCC website for complete details..
Contact each organization for complete details, times, and pricing.
Be sure to check the community calendar for all upcoming community events.
Rebecca Bickford is the Community Concierge for the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and maintains the Shalom Tidewater program. Shalom Tidewater provides outreach to members of the Tidewater Jewish Community who are new or are interested in becoming more involved. The United Jewish Federation of Tidewater nurtures a vibrant, engaged, inclusive and caring community whose collective action is guided by our Jewish Values.
A Modern Day Exodus
Mon, 04/02/2012 - 8:49am
Carolyn Amacher
Community Development Specialist
United Jewish Federation of Tidewater
It was December 1984 and I was lounging around in my "double" 'dira' (apartment) at the World Union of Jewish Students compound, an absorption center housing over a hundred of us post-college Jews who were doing what is now called a ‘gap year’ in Israel.
I heard a knock on the door. It was Copi, the head of WUJS, coming to tell me I needed to vacate my apartment immediately and move to a quad. My response: "You could have given me some notice - like telling me at dinner!" My roommate Pola, from the Bronx, was not so restrained. "We are not moving out at this time of night!"
"But you must, and right now," said Copi.
Weighted down with “Sachnut” or Jewish Agency- issue orange plates and plaid sofa cushions, I was confounded by this urgent need to vacate my 'luxurious' double for a quad down the hall and split from my roommate Pola.
At six a.m. the next morning, another knock on the door. It was Copi.
"What is it now??" I asked.
"Come, take these bags and meet your new friends."
In a haze I walked downstairs carrying baggies of cosmetic items and had to focus and reframe the scene in front of me. A bus had emerged along with the sun. The sun I recognized. The people in the bus I did not.
"These are your Jewish brothers and sisters," said Copi. Images of "We are the World" and the famine in Africa emerged but collided with my notion of what a Jew looked like.
Disembarking were the bountiful progeny of our Ethiopian brethren who had spent the night in bewilderment upon a metallic bird - or El Al cargo plane. These children were gleaming and I felt a spark of excitement and hope about the emergence of a new peoplehood of Jews from this caravan.
This spark was quickly extinguished as I witnessed the generations pour off the bus: the parents, laden with sparse sacks of their worldly items, and then the grandparents, feeble and emmatiated.
It was their eyes that caught me off guard - eyes of lost souls, literally -a reunion of the lost tribes of Israel; eyes of lost souls figuratively as I could see that this Israeli Airforce secret airlift - Operation Solomon – had broken much more than the sound barrier. It had broken the spirit of a people who had wandered miles, days, months into the forests of Sudan with the a leap of faith too large for them to integrate.
I understood at that moment that my 'job' now was to lead a constellation of twelve family members up the Absorption Center stairs one step at a time (they had never climbed stairs) who had now emerged from Africa thousands of years after our People's exile- to return, just as I had, to the desert and the forest and the streams of our collective land.
“Follow me,” I said, like Nachshon who boldly jumped into the Red Sea to implore our people to follow.
I understood that more importantly my job was to help rejuvenate the souls of this new Jewish family, to fill the empty eyes with moments of joy and to rekindle a spark of hope.
With the flick of a switch I illuminated a new world complete with the trappings of the last Millenium – light bulbs, showers and refrigerators. This apartment I had begrudgingly vacated had the night before hosted posters by Andy Warhol and Madonna cassettes and would now be filled with wooden bowls, woven shawls and pages of our Hebrew scripture which made the journey home in safekeeping.
It was nearly Hanukkah and the luminescence of the Menorah in the window of my apartment, lit by my Ethiopian 'family' who had exiled the Land of Israel before this 'Modern' festival rekindled my own soul. The Menorah represented the power of Peoplehood and ushered in the exiles, all of us on a journey, from America, from Europe, from the Far East, from Africa, coming home.
Those eyes of the Ethiopian elders still haunt me today and inspire me in my own travels to do what I can to help myself, my family, and Jews throughout the places I have called home to feel 'at home' in our homeland and in the far corners of the Diaspora. The eyes of these elders, the Pioneers of the Ethiopian immigration, now gone and buried in the land of Israel, haunted me when I visited Kiryat Malachi, the Partnership 2000 city of the West Coast states of Arizona and California where I lived. I can still hear the pleading of the principal of an elementary school for money to pay for a new Xerox machine so she can spend her budget on feeding the Ethiopian students dinner while they waited for their parents to come get them.
Peering into the eyes of Ethiopian elders last winter I saw redemption. I was visiting with an Ethiopian ‘bet din’ or judicial panel to guide and legislate with wisdom gleaned through the generations.
In these eyes I now see hope. After meeting Ethiopian teens from Kiryat Malachi who wished to visit America as ambassadors of Jewish renewal, I helped bring them together with their assimilated Israel peers for a retreat in California where cultures converged and Jewish pride emerged.
In the eyes of Yoni, an Ethiopian teen I met in Arad all of those years ago, I found that spark of joy that I sought. I ran into him a few years into his Army service and he beamed in his IDF uniform. His eyes told me he was home.
I think of Yoni and his courage and ultimate transcendence when I myself feel isolated.
Now, for my son, who is disoriented after our recent move to Virginia from our home in St. Louis, I play this song by Israeli musician Idan Raichel and his Ethiopian lead singer who many say resembles the Queen of Sheeba. And I remind myself that indeed we are all on a journey home.
“Come.
Give me your hand and we'll walk
Don't ask me where.
Don't ask me about happiness.
Maybe it will come.
When it comes,
It will come down on us like rain.”
Idan Raichel
How-To Celebrate Pesach 5772/2012 in Tidewater
Thu, 03/29/2012 - 10:47am
The How-To Live Jewishly in Tidewater blog will feature posts throughout the year with information about Jewish life in Tidewater. Articles will discuss topics such as how-to celebrate the holidays in Tidewater, how-to keep kosher in Tidewater, how-to give back in Tidewater, and more! Feel free to contact Rebecca Bickford, Community Concierge, if there is something specific that you would like more information on.
The story of Passover is one that we learn at a very early age. No matter if you are a Hebrew school student or not, this story is told throughout the world in every Jewish household. We have all seen the dramatic reenactment of the events leading up to one of the most pivotal moments in our collective history. Charlton Heston, with a little help from Hollywood, vividly brings this story to life and reminds us just what it means to be Jewish. During the enslavement in Egypt, Moses rises from the mud pits to stand before Pharaoh on behalf of the Jewish people. Moses warns Pharaoh to heed his request for freedom and when Pharaoh does not oblige, a set of ten plagues consumes the land. It is the final plague that brings mighty Pharaoh to his knees - the killing of all Egyptian firstborn. Moses warns to the slaves to smear lambs blood at the threshold of their homes effectively telling the Angel of Death to “Passover” this house and spare the child. When the Angel of Death reaches the son of Pharaoh, he demands the Jews leave his land. With no time to spare, the Jews pack up their meager lives, strap everything to their backs, and begin the long journey toward freedom. Their bread, not given the proper time to rise, bakes flat on their backs under the desert sun. Matzah, the unleavened bread, is an important component during the Seder as it represents the haste of the Jews, the heat of the desert, the desperation, the lure of freedom. Matzhah’s flat, dry, flavorless presence on the Seder table serves as reminder of sacrifice.
As the Jews travel from Egypt, they are met with yet another obstacle. The Red Sea. This great expanse of water seemed to barricade the Jews from reaching their land of milk and honey, their freedom. It was not until Nahshon entered the waters and saw his head submerge did the hope return to the people. The sea began to part and Nahshon said “Follow me!” The Jews had barely stepped the last foot on the opposite bank when the waters converged on the Pharaoh’s men who were in pursuit. Yet freedom remained just out of reach. For 40 years, our ancestors traveled through the desert following the leadership of Moses until finally, they reached the land that is now called Israel. The word “Israel” can be loosely translated in many ways to mean “struggle”. Each year during Passover, we are reminded of the struggle of our ancestors. Their daily dose of bondage that nearly lasted a lifetime. We remember their courage to stand up to a mighty Egypt and their courage to follow a man who, for most of his life, walked side by side with the very whips that scarred their backs. The struggle of the Jewish people did not begin or end in Egypt. It did not end with the slaves safely on the opposite bank of the Red Sea. The struggle defines our people, warms our Jewish hearts, and propels us forward through hundreds of years of oppression, nationalism, and ultimately, peace without borders.
This Passover, take a special moment to remember the struggle that our fellow Jews are facing all over the world. Remember Gilad and his five year imprisonment in which his countrymen never abandoned the fight for freedom. Remember your family generations that have lived and those who have yet to live. Conjure the elation our oldest ancestors felt as the waters closed behind them. Let us move forward, parting the Red Sea of hatred and ignorance and step on the shores of tolerance, peace, and brotherhood. This Passover, while your family surrounds the Seder table and honors the struggle of the slaves of Egypt, remember these stories told and those yet to be told. Will you be a part of the stories yet to be told?
So what’s happening in Tidewater this Passover?
As always, be sure to check with each synagogue for exact times, prices, and if reservations are necessary. For more information about Passover, visit Passover.org.
Here is the VAAD Kashrus 2012 Passover Guide! A hearty thank you to Rabbi Mostofsky for getting this guide together for our community ever year.
KBH
Selling bedikat chametz (chametz search) kits for $2.50. Call (757) 495-8510 and leave a message for the synagogue president for more details. Call or check the synagogue website for complete details.
Temple Israel
Join Temple Israel for services throughout Passover.
Friday, April 6th at 5:30pm
Saturday, April 7th at 9:30am and 7:22pm
Sunday, April 8th at 9:30am and 5:30pm
Friday, April 13th at 7:30am and 5:30pm
Saturday April 14th at 9:30am and 7:28pm. The 9:30am services on this day will include Yizkor services and special guest speaker, Dana Cohen.
Call or check the synagogue website for complete details.
Saturday, March 31st
B’Nai Israel
“Shabbos HaGodol” Double-Chai Kiddush/Luncheon. $5 per person (with exception of babies under 2). Interested in sponsoring the luncheon for $36? Great! Please contact the shul for more information. Reservations are recommended and can be made through the shul office at 627-7358 or office@bnaiisrael.org. Call or check the synagogue website for complete details.
Wednesday, April 4th
Beth El
Wednesday, April 4th
Torah on Tap: Join Rabbi Arnowitz at The Public House for a Pesach themed discussion. Please RSVP to Sandy or Noelle in the office. Call or check the synagogue website for complete details.
Thursday, April 5th
11:30am
Simon Family JCC
Join the Senior Club for their annual Passover Seder Luncheon at 11:30am. Rabbi Barnette from Temple Emanuel will lead the Seder and students from Hebrew Academy will entertain with violin music. Please RSVP to Sherry Lieberman at (757) 321-2309; tickets are $5 per person. JFS will provide transportation to those to need it. Please contact Duane at (757) 321-2241 for more information. Catering provided by Beth Sholom Home. Call or check the JCC website for complete details.
Friday, April 6th
Gomley Chesed
6pm
Join Gomley Chesed for a traditional first night Seder. Ticket prices vary but parties of three or more will receive a discount! Reservations can be made over the phone to the temple front office. Call or check the synagogue website for complete details.
Beth El
8am - Feast of the First Born
11M - Hametz burning and Marshmallow toasting! Come burn your chametz and toast a marshmallow at the same time! Call or check the synagogue website for complete details.
Chabad
8:45pm
Chabad is hosting two Seders: first night and second night. Both Seders begin at 8:45pm and the celebration will continue on into the night! Reservations are necessary and prices vary. Come back to Chabad on Saturday, April 14th for a celebratory meal on the last night of Passover.
Call or check the synagogue website for complete details.
Beth Chaverim
6pm
Make plans to join Beth Chaverim for their Annual Passover seder. The menu includes a traditional seder with vegetarian and children’s options. Visit their website for more information and to download the reservation form. Contact Eleanor Lenox at elenox@cox.net for more information. Call or check the synagogue website for complete details.
Saturday, April 7th
Ohef Sholom
6pm
Join the Ohef Sholom Temple family for a second night Seder. Reservations are required and can be made through the temple front office. Call or check the synagogue website for complete details.
Gomley Chesed
7pm
Come back to Gomley Chesed and enjoy a traditional second night Seder. Ticket prices vary but parties of three or more will receive a discount! Reservations can be made over the phone to the temple front office. Call or check the synagogue website for complete details.
Temple Emanuel
7pm
Come by the temple at the beach for community second night Seder! Catering, by Sue Adler, will include a traditional Seder with kid-friendly options. Seats are limited so be sure to call in your reservations to Gail in the temple office. Ticket prices vary. Call or check the synagogue website for complete details.
Chabad
8:45pm
Chabad is hosting two Seders: first night and second night. Both Seders begin at 8:45pm and the celebration will continue on into the night! Reservations are necessary and prices vary. Come back to Chabad on Saturday, April 14th for a celebratory meal on the last night of Passover.
Call or check the synagogue website for complete details.
The Simon Family JCC will have special hours of operation during Pesach.
Friday, April 6th – close at 4pm
Saturday, April 7th – closed
Sunday, April 8th – closed
Thursday, April 12th – close at 4pm
Friday, April 13th – closed
Saturday, April 14th – closed
The Cardo Café will close on Friday, April 6th and reopen on Monday, April 16th with a limited menu.
Military Mitzvahs
Let’s not forget our servicemen and women this Passover. There are many soldiers and sailors who will be far from home this year. If you know of any soldiers or sailors who are looking for Seder this year, please let me know.
App Attack!
“There’s an app for that!” We have all heard it over and over again, but it’s true! No matter what, there most likely is an app for it! Even Passover!
OU Kosher just launched a new app that allows the user to search for kosher products. You can download the app here for your smart phone.
But wait! There’s more! Here is a longer list of available apps of the Kosher variety. Search and destroy Chametz, Kosher cookbooks, Haggadahs, and more. Enjoy!
Contact each organization for complete details, times, and pricing.
Be sure to check the community calendar for all upcoming community events.
Rebecca Bickford is the Community Concierge for the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and maintains the Shalom Tidewater program. Shalom Tidewater provides outreach to members of the Tidewater Jewish Community who are new or are interested in becoming more involved. The United Jewish Federation of Tidewater nurtures a vibrant, engaged, inclusive and caring community whose collective action is guided by our Jewish Values.
The Great Haggadah Hunt of Aught 12
Thu, 03/29/2012 - 9:03am
Lo! When my family and I looketh upon our Passover Haggadah, we thinketh of our ancestors of yore. And when we readeth during our Seder, we speaketh like them too.
In other words, for four generations my family has used the same slim gray books to follow the order of our Passover meal, retelling the story of the Jews’ exodus from Egypt, from bondage and slavery to freedom.
Our standard, The Union Haggadah, Revised edition (copyright 1923), is a lovely book, filled with illustrations, songs and commentary. Our collection has withstood almost 90-years of once-a-year use by dozens of guests at our family’s table. The pages and covers bear testimony to copious amounts of sloshed Manischewitz wine, and spilled—or spit—blazing hot haroses (Saul and Larry Mednick remain the horseradish eating champions of all time). Caught in the seams, you can find matzo crumbs. Who knows how long those crumbs have been there? 2006? 1960? 1924?
We like the books. We’re used to the books. But over the years, the reading and telling of the story has become rote—and fast. I saw a 30-minute Seder book at Barnes and Noble the other day—I bet we could do it in 25!
One of the only ways to bring focus to the story is when I am given the chance to read; those college drama classes taught me the power of overacting, and, with arms extended and moving broadly I declaim the words assigned to me: “And the Egyptians dealt ill with us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us cruel bondage…” (Imagine Hamlet-gone-mad or a gospel preacher; try it yourself if you want to wake the guests up.) My interpretation, and perhaps the wine being consumed, inspires others to read less like automatons themselves and become more passionate.
I would rather not have to perform, though. I would like the meaning of this story we are commanded to tell to come from the Haggadah and discussion, not from my intonation of the same words we’ve read for decades. For years, I have threatened to get a new Haggadah. To no avail. Last year, I promised we’d have a new one: “Next year in Virginia Beach,” I said.
So, I’ve been hunting for Haggadahs. I’ve enlisted friends. Diane McCabe sent me a link for a DIY Seder site, and Robin Mancoll directed me to www.Haggadot.com, and brought me some of her Haggadahs to explore. I’ve been to one bookstore and am planning field trips to synagogue gift shops this week. I will have at least one new Haggadah on the table for our seder on April 6!
We do have some restrictions. Which makes my hunt a bit harder.
• I like pictures in my Haggadah, and am particularly attached to the 90-year-old illustrations in the Union Haggadah.
• We have a variety of family and guests at our table: Hebrew speakers, Hebrew readers, non-Hebrew speakers or readers, Conservative Jews, Reform Jews, Reconstructionist Jews, non-jews, Jew-Bus, singers and non-singers.
• We like language to be inclusive, and, if it can be, gender neutral in the prayers.
I believe we’re not the only family still tied to this tradition of using the same tome year after year—there must be others who still use The Union Haggadah, or even that other standard—The Maxwell House Haggadah. (Are you out there?)
If you can help, please share your ideas, your Haggadah/ot or what you’ve used to create a new Haggadah.
Until then, I’ll continue my Great Haggadah Hunt of Aught 12.
* I’m including a link to a funny segment from The Colbert Report that Robin shared with me. FYI: I checked out Jonathan Safran Foer’s The New American Haggadah and it did not fit my criteria. Still hunting.
| The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Jonathan Safran Foer | ||||
| ||||
By Laine Mednick Rutherford
How-To Celebrate Purim 5772/2012 in Tidewater
Fri, 03/02/2012 - 12:54pm
The How-To Live Jewishly in Tidewater blog will feature posts throughout the year with information about Jewish life in Tidewater. Articles will discuss topics such as how-to celebrate the holidays in Tidewater, how-to keep kosher in Tidewater, how-to give back in Tidewater, and more! Feel free to contact Rebecca Bickford, Community Concierge, if there is something specific that you would like more information on. Purim is a very festive holiday that is celebrated on the 14th day of Adar (March 8th, 2012) to honor Queen Esther, who saved the Jews from the evil Haman. Communities across the Jewish world are gearing up for the most festive and joyous of all Jewish holidays. During Purim, children and adults dress up in costumes and masks as they enjoy the carnival-like celebrations and delicious feasts. There are a few customs that come with Purim including mishloach manot, the reading of the Megillah, and of course, delicious hamentashen. Mishloach manot or “sending of portions” is the act of sending food and drinks to friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, and other persons as well as providing gifts to the poor. For example, every year Miriam Brunn-Ruberg, Jewish Life and Learning Director at the Simon Family JCC, gathers staff volunteers to make huge baskets full of goodies and treats. She hand delivers these baskets to all of the agencies on the Sandler Family Campus – spreading the joy of Purim in full costume! Check out Chabad.org for more information about this festive holiday.
So, what’s happening in Tidewater this Purim?
Wednesday, March 7th
Temple Israel
5:30 pm, 6 pm, and 6:30 pm
Temple Israel is starting their Purim celebrations with a light pasta dinner at 5:30 pm followed by a children’s Megillah reading at 6 pm. The fun really beings at 6:30 pm with kid’s games and activities and their Purimshpiel adaptation of the classic “Bye Bye Birdie” called “Bye Bye Boychik”. Don’t forget to wear your best Purim costume! Call or check the synagogue website for complete details.
Beth El
6:30 pm
Beth El is hosting an “evening of family fun Shushan style!” There will be a costume contest, a parade, face painting, and readings of the Megillah. What’s the best part of the evening? Folks are asked to bring a box of uncooked macaroni to use as their grogger. Then, after Purim, donate that box to the hungry - taking mishloach manot to a whole new level!
Schedule of Megillah readings:
Family Megillah Reading: Wednesday, March 7th at 6:30 pm
Full Megillah Reading: Wednesday, March 7th following 7:30 pm short Mincha-Maariv service
Full Megillah Reading: Thursday, March 8th at 7:15 am during morning Minyan
Call or check the synagogue website for complete details.
B’nai Israel
6:30 pm
B’nai Israel is hosting their annual Purim Extravaganza after the reading of the Megillah. Grab your gragger, raise your glass, and prepare for a fun-filled night of celebration! Call or check the synagogue website for complete details.
KBH
7 pm
Join the KBH temple family in costume for special reading of the Megillah. Call or check the synagogue website for complete details.
Thursday, March 8th
Simon Family JCC
11:30 am – 1 pm
The JCC Senior Club is hosting a Purim Celebration for all! Come on by and enjoy hamentashen, fresh raisin challah, tea, and fun activities! Call or check the JCC website for complete details.
B’nai Israel
5pm
Didn’t get enough celebration at the Purim Extravaganza last night? B’nai Israel is hosting a Purim Seuda! Put on your Purim costume for the festive celebration and enjoy children’s activities, great food, a moonwalk, and Ryan the Balloon guy! Call or check the synagogue website for complete details and pricing.
Chabad of Tidewater
5:30pm
The Chabad House is hosting a Made in the USA Purim Party at the Norfolk Plaza Hotel. Awesome activities for kids including a Mad Science Show and an interactive Megillah reading. Don’t worry adults, they didn’t forget about you! Check out the full USA style buffet and L’chaims for all! Call or check the synagogue website for complete details.
Friday, March 9th
Temple Sinai
7:30 pm
Join the Temple Sinai congregation for a reading of the Megillah during Shabbat services. Call or check the synagogue website for complete details.
Saturday, March 10th
Temple Emanuel
7:30 pm-10:30 pm
Temple Emanuel is throwing a community Purim Carnival for adults and kids! There will be a costume parade for all with prizes! May the best costume win! Food will be served. Call or check the synagogue website for complete details.
Sunday, March 11th
Ohef Sholom
11:30 am
PURIM CARNIVAL! Come on down to Ohef for more food, fun, games, and prizes than one synagogue can handle. Lunch is on the Men’s Club – pizza, hamburgers, and hotdogs. Swing by the Sisterhood bake sale for some tasty homemade treats and support OSTY.
But wait! Purim isn’t over yet! Ohef Sholom Temple Presents…
Purimshpiel 2012 – The Megillah According to Walt Disney
Opening Night: Saturday, March 10th at 7pm
Highlight Show: Sunday, March 11th at 10:30am
Call or check the synagogue website for complete details.
What you missed out on:
Beth Chaverim
Purim Carnival Masquerade!
March 3rd
Beth Chaverim’s Sisterhood hosted a Purim Masquerade Carnival this year with face painting, fun activity booths, bounce houses, carnival games, hot dogs, and of course – HAMENTASHEN! Sounds like everyone had a great time.
Young Adult Division of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater
YAD partnered with the Simon Family JCC again and hosted the most successful Operation Hamentashen ever! On Sunday, February 26th, the JCC cafeteria was a flurry of homemade dough, flour, fruity filling, and laughter. More than 70 volunteers spent their afternoon baking batch after batch of hamentashen until we had over 1500 pieces to send to our service men and women currently serving overseas. Hey, it’s the least we can do! Take a look at some of the awesome photos from Operation Hamentashen here.
Bina High School
Those Bina ladies sure know how to throw a Purim carnival! They hosted their annual Purim Carnival at the Simon Family JCC on Sunday, February 26th. They had an amazing face-painter, games, crafts, and of course, food!
Do you have pictures from the Purim event you attended? Did you have the best Purim costume ever? Email your pictures to Rebecca and she will post them on the Shalom Tidewater facebook page! Let’s show our newest community members just how vibrant and fun our community really is. Please include your name and the name of the program you attended.
Did you forget your gragger at home? Well, if you have a smartphone, your problem is solved! The iTunes App Store has three gragger apps to choose from:
Ratchet! By CTS MobileSoft
Noisemaker Gragger by Berhman House Inc.
New Years Noise by Stuart Rubin Software
Contact each organization for complete details, times, and pricing.
Be sure to check the community calendar for all upcoming community events.
Rebecca Bickford is the Community Concierge for the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and maintains the Shalom Tidewater program. Shalom Tidewater provides outreach to members of the Tidewater Jewish Community who are new or are interested in becoming more involved. The United Jewish Federation of Tidewater nurtures a vibrant, engaged, inclusive and caring community whose collective action is guided by our Jewish Values.
commUNITY: Federation Shabbaton
Wed, 02/15/2012 - 10:25am
The first United Jewish Federation of Tidewater - Synagogue Shabbaton helped build bridges among our congregations and across religious streams here in Tidewater.
Ohef Sholom’s Shabbat Shira ushered in the Sabbath with beautiful melodies which complemented our Jewish Agency for Israel guest speaker Shoel Silver’s eloquent remarks about the need for harmony among the Jewish people here in North America and in Israel. At Beth Chaverim the vision of children clasping hands on the beema to model the unity of the Jewish people was embellished by Shoel’s description of the Committee on Unity of the Jewish People which he chairs with Natan Sharansky. Saturday night the poignant discussion at the home of B’nai Israel congregants Renee and Paul Mansheim centered on healing rifts within Klal Yisrael along with rifts in our own community. Sunday morning the lively Q&A by members of Temple Israel, Temple Emanuel, Beth El and KBH covered a range of topics from conversion to ordination of rabbis to the practice of the three main religious streams of Judaism in Israel – Orthodox, Conservative and Reform. Shoel then offered a briefing to members of the UJFT Board and described the significance of the Committee on the Unity of the Jewish People in that it is the sole governmental body in Israel where members of each stream of Judaism sit together to discuss policy affecting Jewish peoplehood in an environment of tolerance and respect.
Moving toward the future it is clear that all of us, representing the diverse and vital Jewish agencies and congregations here in Tidewater, are indeed moving in the same direction: forward – Kadima! With a sense of vitality and renewal, we look forward to continuing these conversations and activities which serve to inspire, connect and engage, as does the Jewish Agency for Israel. We indeed represent Kehila Kadosha, one sacred community.
This excerpt from Aish Hatorah's interpretation of Exodus chapters 15-17 which we read in synagogue during the Federation Shabbaton is quite fitting:
"The Jews are having a hard time. There's no water -- and they complain. Then there's no meat -- and they complain. They're so upset that Moses is afraid they'll kill him! Then again no water. The Jews are fighting and bickering terribly.
Then Amalek came and battled Israel. An outside threat shook us. What happened next? The Jews encamped in unity at Sinai.
When Jews are threatened as a people, we get the message loud and clear. We know we are one. In the Six Day War, all Jews stood together. In the struggle for Soviet Jewry, all Jews rallied together. When we're attacked, we become one.
The prophet compares the Jewish people to a "flock of sheep." As the Midrash explains, when one is attacked, they all react.
GOAL BEFORE EGO
There is one other instance where the Torah refers to a nation in the singular. Seven weeks earlier, as the Jews approached the Red Sea, they looked back and saw Mitzrayim no'saya acha'ray'hem -- "the Egyptians journeying (singular) after them" (Exodus 14:10). The Egyptians were united in their goal of destroying the Jewish people.
In this instance, unity was negative and destructive. At Sinai, unity led to world civilization. What's the difference?
In referring to the Egyptian unity, Rashi makes a slight change in the order. He says the Egyptians pursued "with a singular desire, and with a single goal." With the Jews, the goal came first. With the Egyptians, the primary emphasis was on personal desire.
If ego, partisanism, and private agendas are what define a people, then they'll destroy themselves and the world. Whereas if a meaningful common goal of God and Torah is what unites, that will bring utopia.
The lesson is clear for us today.
To view the full remarks from Shoel Silver, please click here.
L’Shalom,
Carolyn Amacher, Community Development Specialist
UJFT Advances Strategic Plan with Two Recent Hires
Wed, 11/30/2011 - 1:33pm
Our Vision:
The United Jewish Federation of Tidewater nurtures a vibrant, engaged, inclusive and caring community whose collective action is guided by our Jewish Values.
― From the Strategic Plan of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater
In the past year, the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater (UJFT) crafted a strategic plan regarding its own role and purpose in these changing times. The resulting document details the organization’s mission, its vision, its values and a detailed action plan for actualizing all three. To arrive at the final document, the committee responsible for the plan—more than 20 people representing a broad segment of the community—sought the input of over 100 people through interviews and focus groups.
From the planning process, one key and recurring theme to emerge was the UJFT’s role as a community builder. The planning committee recognized that a strong and vibrant Jewish Community in Tidewater is only possible with the engagement and collaboration of Temples and Synagogues.
As part of the action plan, two new positions were created: a Development and Fundraising Specialist, and a Community Concierge. Each of these positions has now been filled. This fall, Carolyn Amacher joined the UJFT as the Community Development Specialist, and Rebecca Bickford, already a familiar face on the Sandler Family Campus, accepted the position of Community Concierge.
Carolyn Amacher spent 15 years working in executive management for several Jewish Community Centers throughout the United States, including Chief Operating Officer of the Merage JCC of Orange County, CA, COO of the Tucson JCC, and Assistant Executive Director of the Weinstein JCC of Richmond, VA. While working as a journalist in her 20s, Carolyn realized community building, grass roots activism and engagement was much more compelling than the more passive act of writing.
“I knocked on the door of my hometown JCC in Rockville, Maryland, and immediately began to recreate what I had at the World Union of Jewish Students in Arad, Israela true, authentic and meaningful Jewish community. And I have never looked back,” she says.
“My contacts and experience in Jewish community building, together with my many years of financial resource development, leadership and management in Jewish communities throughout the country present a great match for the new position of Community Development Specialist, a key component of UJFT’s Strategic Plan. As an advocate for Jewish continuity and Jewish community, I believe that my experience conducting program management, financial resource development, board development and staff supervision of a JCC is a natural segue to this dynamic Community Development position.”
Rebecca Bickford has been working on the Sandler Family Campus since 2008, when she juggled another part time job with a part-time front desk job at the Simon Family JCC. Recognizing Rebecca’s enthusiasm and capacity for multitasking, the JCC offered her a Program Assistant job in late 2008, which she accepted as a way to advance “both professionally and to continue my Jewish Journey.” Rebecca quickly became a key staff member of the JCC, assisting with programs from family programming to cultural arts to membership.
Rebecca has proven herself invaluable to the Simon Family JCC and the UJFT not only as a staff member, but also as a volunteer for Maccabi, BBYO, the Film Festival Screening Committee and UJFT’s Community Relations Council.
Rebecca serves as the Development Associate for the Simon Family JCC, a position from which she gains great inspiration. “As Development Associate, I work primarily on donor satisfaction, which means being involved with those who care deeply about this community already.”
She is also the new Community Concierge for the UJFT, responsible for proactively welcoming newcomers and those newly involved. Her mission is to engage and encourage individuals and families to be active and connect with others in the Jewish community through meaningful and transformative experiences.
Oh her dual roles, Rebecca says, “This unique job combination provides me with a way to interact with a diverse group of community members and future community members. I want to keep growing professionally and having challenges and I feel like these positions are a perfect fit for me.”
In her role as Concierge, Rebecca will oversee the development of a “Shalom Tidewater” program, including a welcome kit and a web presence on jewishva.org, where she will provide resources and introductions to newcomers to the community and those looking to connect more deeply. While Shalom Tidewater ramps up, Rebecca is reaching out through more personal means, including Facebook, phone calls and correspondence. She can be reached at rbickford@ujft.org or 452-3180.
By Leslie Shroyer and Tracie Guy-Decker
Create a Jewish Legacy on Tu B’Shevat
Mon, 02/06/2012 - 9:53am
Tu B'Shevat is the New Year of the trees. This year Tu B’Shevat occurs on February 9. In Israel at this time, the almond tree is the first to flower, and the sap begins to rise within the trees. In ancient times, the counting of the age of trees was important for tithing and taxation purposes. But in modern times it has become an allegory for planned giving. This is best illustrated in the story of Choni Hama’agel (the Circle-Drawer) and the Carob tree.
Choni Hama’agel, the Wise One, was a miracle maker. As wise as he was, Choni sometimes saw something that puzzled him. When this happened, he would ask questions so as to unravel the mystery.
One day, Choni was walking on the road and saw a man planting a carob tree. Choni asked the man, "How long will it take for this tree to bear fruit?"
The man replied, "Seventy years."
Fascinated, Choni then asked the man, "And do you think you will live another seventy years and eat the fruit of this tree?"
The man answered, "Perhaps not. However, when I was born into this world, I found many carob trees planted by my father and grandfather. Just as they planted trees for me, I am planting trees for my children and grandchildren so they will be able to eat the fruit of these trees."
The Carob tree is, then, a symbol for continued life and giving. As such, it demonstrates the power of planned giving, endowments and bequests. When a seed of a tree is planted, it is the beginning of lifetimes of giving. As it matures into a full-grown tree, it can supply us food, protection from sun and rain, and warmth from a fire. Even after a tree has fulfilled its full lifecycle and is cut down, there still remains the stump that allows us to rest when we are weary.
As a metaphor, it reminds us that one planned gift can provide security for our Jewish community for generations to come. And as planting a seed is a simple, easy task, giving a bequest can be one as well, and is an easy way to provide for the future.
As human beings, most of us don’t like to think about death. And as such, many of us don’t create wills as they remind us of the ending of our life here on earth. But just as a tree gives for generations and scatters seeds back into the soil, creating more trees and building a forest, we can see our passing not as an ending, but as the beginning of something that builds and sustains all life. Through it, we affirm and celebrate that our lives have meaning, and continue on to care for our children, our children’s children, and the fate of the Jewish people.
For more information about how to Create a Jewish Legacy, please call or email Philip S. Rovner (757-965-6109, psrovner@ujft.org).
Tanya Marten is the Marketing Manager for the Tidewater Jewish Foundation. She earned her Masters degree from Brandeis University and has over twenty years of professional experience in marketing and management inside the non-profit sector.
Cleaning Out the Clutter
Tue, 01/10/2012 - 3:29pm
What is a New Year’s Resolution? Why do we stress ourselves out every New Year with a Resolution to make this year the year we change? The all-purpose resource, Wikipedia, defines it as a “commitment that an individual makes to one or more lasting personal goals, projects, or the reforming of a habit.” In short, we make New Year’s Resolutions so that the upcoming year may be more fulfilling or successful or, at the very least, less stressful.
But is that really true? But how successful are New Year’s Resolutions? I can’t even tell you how many New Year’s Resolutions I have broken (many before I finish the month of January!). According to the New York Times, studies show that while 52% of participants in a resolution study were confident of success with their goals, only 12% percent actually achieved their goals. At least now I feel better about myself that I’m not the only one who can’t seem to complete their New Year’s Resolutions. Can you recall how many resolutions you’ve successfully achieved in the past five years? Ten years? Why is it so hard to keep a New Year’s Resolution?
Let’s look at the top five resolutions for the year 2012, according to the US Government:
• Be financially-savvy
• Eat healthy, lose weight
• Manage stress
• Get a better education or job
• Take a trip or do more things for oneself
While these are all good resolutions (whether for your health or your state of mind), there is one Rabbi that explains why these resolutions don’t last. Rabbi Naftali Silberberg says that a resolution which is predicated on satisfying one’s own needs will be broken as soon as the person feels another, more pressing, need or desire. For example, while you may have made a resolution to wake up early and exercise every morning, when your alarm clock goes off at 5:00 am after going to bed at 1:00 am- your desire to sleep becomes more important than your desire to work out. Or in my case, while I really want to work on my portion control- that homemade dessert my aunt brought over is just too good to have one slice.
Did you notice that not one of the listed resolutions include community service or being more environmentally conscious? What the good Rabbi Silberberg said about resolutions may hold some weight here. When I volunteer, I am so inspired by the cause I am working for that is serves as my motivation to continue volunteering and see the project or commitment through to the end. While I have always thought the environment was important- I would never classify myself as a veggie-eating, tree-hugging kind of a girl. However, over the years my desire and commitment to make this world a better place has come to include the environment as a huge part of my journey. From visiting completely sustainable homes in the forests of Costa Rica, learning about Israel’s agriculture and water technology and innovations, to even breathing in the heavy “smog” of Beijing- I learned how much of an impact we make on the world in which we live and how just simple life changes could make a world of difference. Whether you believe global warming is fact or fiction, we all have a responsibility to our home, our community, and our world. This year I have made two resolutions: to be a global citizen and to decrease the negative imprint I leave on our environment.
This year, the Community Relations Council, the Jewish Family Service, J-Serve, and other local organizations and temples are giving you the opportunity to make a resolution that not only is good for you but great for the environment and the community. Together, let us commit to protecting our environment and educating ourselves about how we impact the world in which we live.
This Earth Day, April 22, 2012, join us at the Simon Family Jewish Community Center where we will recycle items (including electronics, pharmaceuticals, plastic bags, hearing aids, glasses, and more to be listed), have carnival games and crafts that educate on reduce, reuse, and recycle, and come together as a community to hold ourselves accountable to this New Year’s Resolution.
Please mark your calendars and be a part of this community event. While it is important to teach our children about recycling and our impact on the environment, what your child will remember most is if you lead by example and showed them through action your commitment to the world.
By: Shayna Horwitz
Shayna Horwitz is a Virginia Beach resident who will graduate from Virginia Tech in May of this year with a Bachelor's degree in Human Development. She is a graduate of Hebrew Academy and was an active member with her Hillel on campus. This past fall she interned with Federation's Community Relations Council as well as Operation Smile here in Virginia Beach. She is currently living with a Chinese family in Beijing, China, immersing herself in the language and culture while attending the Beijing Foreign University.
Community Calendar
- May 17, 2012Beth Sholom Auxiliary Spring LuncheonView DetailsMay 17, 2012Holocaust Commission MeetingView DetailsMay 17, 2012Ohef Sholom Temple Annual MeetingThank you to our Sponsors:
