April 10, 2025

Shalom Chaverim (Dear Friends),

This weekend, we begin Passover and retell the story of our ancestors’ journey to freedom. And yet, I am writing this message while still celebrating a different kind of redemption: the Florida Gators’ long-awaited NCAA men’s basketball victory. After a long plague of losses, the win felt like a miracle. The last time the Gators won was back in 2007, when my family and I were living in Sarasota. Though it’s not exactly akin to wandering the desert for 40 years, we have spent 18 years in the Sunshine State faithfully cheering and waiting for victory. That’s almost a third of my life, and this week, it paid off.

Meanwhile, at our Adolph & Rose Levis JCC, we’ve been preparing for Passover all week! On Friday, the Model Matzah Factory visited our Betty & Marvin Zale Early Childhood Learning Center, teaching students how to make matzah from scratch. Together, they mixed flour and water, kneaded the dough, then rolled, perforated, and baked it, all in under 18 minutes. On Sunday, students in our Helene & Roy Schwedelson Special Needs Department's Paul Markhoff Otzar Sunday School sampled Passover treats while creating their very own seder plates and Haggadahs, which they will use at home in just a few days. This week, Zale families were invited to join the festivities in their child’s class as they sang songs, told the story of Passover and enjoyed Seders. Even our youngest participants in our Zale Baby & Me classes explored Passover through sensory experiences: rolling matzah balls, playing with farfel in sensory bins, and listening to Passover stories from PJ Library of South Palm Beach County.

In addition, throughout the week Zale families have been collecting donations for the Kindness Matters Club’s annual Passover Food Drive, benefiting the Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services Jacobson Family Food Pantry. The drive continues through Friday, so if you haven’t contributed yet, now is the perfect time to help a family in need enjoy a meaningful holiday.

Lastly, if you’re looking to fill your child’s Passover break with sports, crafts, and fun, our Dale & Ed Filhaber Mini Camp is right around the corner, running April 15-18 and 21. There’s still time to register at levisjcc.org/minicamp.

This week’s Torah portion is Tzav (Command), in the book of Leviticus, the third in the Five Books of Moses. In it, G-d asks Moses to instruct Aaron and his sons on the priestly duties to be performed in the Sanctuary. Here in Boca Raton, our Levis JCC is my sanctuary, and our team’s passion and commitment to building and strengthening our community is nothing short of sacred. I am deeply grateful for the work they do every day.

Light Shabbat candles Friday evening at 7:24 pm
Light Passover Holiday candles Saturday night at 8:18 pm

Shabbat Shalom
Happy Pesach
Am Yisrael Chai!

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

Marty