November 2, 2023

Shalom Chaverim (Dear Friends),

These are difficult times. Four agonizing weeks ago, Hamas militants invaded Israel, brutally murdered 1,400 Israelis and took more than 240 hostages. Israel declared war. Antisemitism has reared its ugliness all over the world, including on many college campuses here in the US. So many of us are deeply upset and concerned. Our hearts are heavy, and yet, I am heartened to note that many of us are finding comfort in community, in being together, in standing strong with Israel.

The Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center continues to be a place where our community can be together:

This past Monday, our hearts were full as we welcomed Israeli students to our campus. Our Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, in partnership with Chabad Israel Center, our Levis JCC, and Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services, created a new program for nearly 30 K-12 students to socialize, learn, and feel a sense of normalcy. We are very proud to be part of such a caring community, and we are very glad to warmly welcome these students to our Levis JCC each day.

While the students were being dropped off on our Jewish Campus, many Levis JCC staff members and leadership were at Stonebridge Country Club for the annual Levis JCC Golf Classic. The event continues a tradition of honoring longtime Levis JCC supporter and Board member Mel Gutmann’s memory and his legacy of service to the Jewish community.

On December 6th, we welcome everyone to be a part of our 8th annual Judy Levis Krug Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival right from the start – The Festival Reveal promises to be a wonderful morning of trailers for films that will be featured in our three-week Festival, which runs from February 10 - March 4. The Jewish-themed and Israeli films included in our program are entertaining, thought-provoking, and engaging, offering insight into some aspect of the Jewish and/or Israeli experience. We are so proud that our programs continue to bring members, guests, participants and the community at large together to learn, to enrich their lives, grow and—most importantly—to be part of our warm and wonderful community.

This week's Torah portion is Vayera (And He Appeared) in Genesis, the first book in the Five Books of Moses. In it, Abraham pleads with G d to spare the wicked city of Sodom. Two disguised angels arrive in the doomed city, where Abraham’s nephew Lot extends his hospitality to them and protects them from the evil intentions of a Sodomite mob. The two guests reveal that they have come to destroy the place, and to save Lot and his family. Lot’s wife turns into a pillar of salt when she disobeys the command not to look back at the burning city. All these millennia later, we are grappling with war and how to defend our people from incredible hatred that resulting in extreme violence. We pray for the release and safe return of the hostages and pray for a real and lasting peace.

Light candles Friday evening at 6:19 pm
Shabbat ends Saturday night at 7:12 pm

Shabbat Shalom

Marty