August 29, 2024

Shalom Chaverim (Dear Friends),

As we come into the last few days of August, I am so looking forward to a busy and fulfilling September. Lori and I are headed to New York City this weekend for a wedding at the Pierre Hotel. I used to staff events at the Pierre when I started my career at the UJA-Federation of New York in the late 80s. It will be great fun to celebrate this simcha at such an elegant old haunt. Lori and I will then briefly return home before joining 21 fellow travelers to depart for the Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center’s latest “Travel With the J” trip. Beloved longtime Levis JCC staff member Susana Flaum, a native Colombian, will lead us on a spectacular tour of Jewish Cultural Colombia, home to more than 5,000 Jewish people. This will be a very special adventure as Susana shares “her” Medellin with us!

Our “home” here in South Palm Beach County is full of exciting and engaging programs and events. Our Levis JCC Betty & Marvin Zale Early Childhood Learning Center’s 240 students are off to another wonderful year of learning. Our Phyllis & Harvey Sandler Center’s eagerly anticipated season will be on full display when our beautiful catalog arrives in mailboxes in the next week or so. On Tuesday of this week, our sold out JBiz Business Networking Event at Farmer’s Table welcomed than 60 members of our community for networking and to hear from our guest speaker, Mayor Scott Singer, who shared some of what is in store for the City of Boca Raton’s centennial year.

Tonight, I am very proud to join Vice Chair of Board Engagement Richard Koblick and more than 20 of our Levis JCC’s Board Members for an evening of food, fun, mingling and mitzvah. After a bite to eat and a chance to catch up with one another, we are participating in a mitzvah project in collaboration with Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services, preparing lasagna trays for their Jacobson Food Pantry. It is wonderful to come together in support of our community.

This week’s Torah portion is Re’eh (See) in Deuteronomy, the 5th and final book in the Five Books of Moses. In it, the mitzvah of charity is introduced and obligates a Jew to aid a needy fellow with a gift or loan. Tonight’s Board mitzvah project helps those in our community who suffer from food insecurity. Similarly, I look forward to having opportunities to connect with the Jewish community in Medellin to fulfill this ancient commandment. For thousands of years, the mitzvah of charity has made the Jewish community a light onto others, a beautiful concept that I am so proud to be part of through the programs and services of the Levis JCC.

Light Shabbat Candles on Friday night at 7:24 pm
Shabbat ends Saturday night at 8:15 pm

Shabbat Shalom
Am Yisrael Chai!

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

Marty