August 3, 2023

Shalom Chaverim (Dear Friends),

As an avid Boston Red Sox fan and a lifelong fan of Major League Baseball generally, I am really excited to see all the wheeling and dealing that I anticipate occurring over the next few days. It’s a fun time for baseball fans! It’s also been a fun summer weekend of movie-going for many, and Lori and I joined opening weekend crowds to see Oppenheimer. What an impressive cast and important movie.

Speaking of exciting, JCC Maccabi Games^® & Access are back in Florida and our Adolph & Rose Levis JCC is proud to be sending the Levis Krug Delegation to Fort Lauderdale in the coming week! 2,000 teens from 64 delegations will participate in the Games, including Access, an experience for athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Games will be hosted by the David Posnack JCC in Fort Lauderdale from August 6-11, 2023. The 2023 Games reflect JCC Association’s (JCCA) commitment to a new, multi-year strategy to unlock the full potential of JCC Maccabi as a transformative, Jewish identity and community-building platform for teen engagement. Over time, the strategy will enable JCCA to dramatically expand and deepen JCC Maccabi’s reach, influence, and impact on young people and the Jewish community.

With the generous support of Judy Levis Krug & Stuart Krug, 16 teen athletes and 2 special needs athletes will be participating in the games on behalf of the Levis JCC. We’ve had great success in past JCC Maccabi Games^® and are excited to make our mark again this year. If you would like to attend, the opening ceremony will be held on Monday, August 7th at Florida Live Arena, 1 Panther Pkwy, Sunrise FL 33323 at 7:00 pm. Click here for more information on spectator passes.

This week’s Torah portion is Eikev (Because) in the book of Deuteronomy, the 5th and final book in the 5 books of Moses. In it, Moses warns to beware of believing that “my power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth”. Whether it be competing in Maccabi games, in Major League Baseball, or in life, retaining ones humility and having gratitude for the successes for which we have been blessed is a most important virtue.

Light Shabbat candles Friday evening at 7:47 pm
Shabbat ends on Saturday night at 8:41 pm

Shabbat Shalom!

Marty