May 22, 2025

Shalom Chaverim (Dear Friends),

I write this week’s message with a heavy heart. We mourn the senseless death of two beautiful young people – Israeli embassy staff members killed in Washington, D.C. as they were leaving an American Jewish Committee event at the Capital Jewish Museum. This horrible act of violence and antisemitism casts a shadow of sadness felt by so many. I am reminded that it is more important than ever to be together in community, something I am proud to foster every day at our Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center.

As we near the end of May, and summer is almost upon us, we are keeping things cool with the Judy Levis Krug Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival’s Summer Film Series, held every Wednesday afternoon in our Beifield Auditorium. Building on a nine-year tradition of outstanding programming, Film Festival Leadership is hard at work planning another full season of inspiring, thought-provoking, and entertaining films to our community. We are fortunate to have generous and passionate community leader Judy Levis Krug spearheading this Festival, which has become such a successful cornerstone of film programming in our area. We are very proud to be able to offer wonderful films all year. This week and next, we are screening Oscar-winning Best Documentary Features, beginning with yesterday’s showing of Searching for Sugarman and continuing next week with Fire of Love. Looking ahead to June and July, we are launching two exciting Movie Clubs, Documentaries Directed by Women and a Steven Soderbergh Retrospective, each featuring thoughtful post-film discussions. Learn more at levisjcc.org/filmfestival/yearround.

On Thursday, May 15, we celebrated the last day of school at our Betty & Marvin Zale Early Childhood Learning Center and wrapped up a year filled with joy and growth. That same evening, our Eastside Pop-Up Happy Hour welcomed professionals for an evening of networking and connection. I would like to extend a big thank you to the many community members who joined us and continue to show their support for our Levis JCC.

This week's double Torah portion is Behar-Bechukotai (On the Mount/In My Statutes) in the book of Leviticus, the third in the Five Books of Moses. In it, God proclaims, “Even when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away.” Thousands of years later, we continue to see this covenant put to the test. With 58 hostages remaining in Gaza, 23 of whom are believed to be alive, these words resonate more than ever. May they give us strength and hope as we continue to pray and advocate for the hostages’ safe return.

Light Shabbat candles Friday evening at 7:47 pm.
Shabbat ends Saturday evening at 8:43 pm.

Shabbat Shalom
Am Yisrael Chai!

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Marty