January 30, 2025

Shalom Chaverim (Dear Friends),

I am writing to you from the Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore, where I am learning alongside 200 colleagues at JCCA Mifgash, an annual gathering of executive leadership from our network of 170 JCCs across North America. It is inspiring to be surrounded by colleagues and friends, recharging together so we can return home and serve our local JCCs and Jewish communities at our very best. One particularly moving moment was bidding farewell to twelve esteemed colleagues as they retire and step into the next chapter of their lives.

Our Levis JCC is also filled with unforgettable moments. Last Saturday, we lit up the night at the Marisa & Matthew Baker Jeans, Jewels & The J – Neon Nights: Rockin’ the 80s event at Boca West Country Club. More than 375 guests came together to dine, dance, and participate in auctions, all in support of our Levis JCC’s vital work. We honored outstanding community leaders and raised funds to provide scholarships, which will enable many children in our community to attend preschool, summer camp, and special needs programming.

On Sunday, our Phyllis & Harvey Sandler Center welcomed more than 120 people to celebrate South Florida’s 11th Annual International Ladino Day with Bezos i Sekretos ~ Kisses & Secrets, a live concert and multimedia performance honoring Ladino music and culture. It was a beautiful and moving concert. Our Judy Levis Krug Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival’s Emily & Neil Kishter Year Round Film Programs have also been in full swing. This week, film lovers explored the legacies of two remarkable Jewish families with screenings of The Wonderful Kingdom of Papa Alaev, presented by our 2024-25 Nina Rosenzweig Sunday Morning Israeli Film Series, and The Levys of Monticello, part of the Fascinating Sephardim: A Film Series. But the main cinematic event is just around the corner! In one week, our 9th annual Judy Levis Krug Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival begins. Running February 8-22, we proudly present over thirty Israeli and Jewish-themed films and shorts. It’s an incredible lineup—there is something for everyone, including opportunities to engage with filmmakers at select screenings. Learn more online.

This week's Torah portion is Bo (Come) in the book of Exodus, the second in the five Books of Moses. In it, the last three of the Ten Plagues are visited on Egypt: a swarm of locusts devours all the crops and greenery, a thick, palpable darkness envelops the land, and all the firstborn of Egypt are killed at the stroke of midnight of the 15th of the month of Nissan. Only after all this devastation does pharaoh agree to let the Hebrew slaves leave Egypt. The effort to bring our hostages home has been similarly trying. May they all return safely to us soon.

Light candles Friday night at 5:44 pm
Shabbat ends on Saturday night at 6:40 pm

Shabbat Shalom
Am Yisrael Chai!

If you would like to support the Levis JCC and its programs and services, click below.

Marty