November 27, 2025

Shalom Chaverim (Dear Friends),

What a week! Lori and I have just returned from an unforgettable trip through the Iberian Peninsula, part of our Levis JCC’s Travel With the J program. Now, we are heading to Arizona, where we will spend Thanksgiving surrounded by our wonderful family, including our son Noah, our daughter-in-law Patricia, granddaughters Gaby and Ollie, and our grandson-to-be. I am grateful for this special time together and look forward to the many simchot coming in the year ahead.

Here at our Adolph & Rose Levis JCC, we’ve had a week to be thankful for! Our Betty & Marvin Zale Early Childhood Learning Center’s Baby & Me families prepared for Thanksgiving, creating fall-themed crafts and music, and forming memories that will last a lifetime. On Tuesday, our Judy Levis Krug Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival’s Featured Film Series screened The Two Mariettes, a powerful film exploring identity and resilience in its portrayal of Holocaust survivor Mariette Diamant, who reveals her Jewish identity after hiding it for 70 years. This morning, we kicked off Thanksgiving with our Levis JCC Paul Markhoff Racing With the J Turkey Trot 5K. I am grateful to have been able join the more than 2,200 community members who walked, ran, and trotted together in our 17th annual 5K Race and Youth 1-Mile Fun Run, which have become local traditions for so many. We sincerely thank our generous sponsors for making this incredible event possible. This race is not only a special way to begin Thanksgiving; it benefits the vital services and programs at our Levis JCC that support children and families in our community. Through our “Step Up for Good” shoe drive, participants also helped provide footwear to individuals and families in developing nations. And finally, our Phyllis & Harvey Sandler Center's virtual “November ON DEMAND” programs continue to inspire with world-class lectures on health, film, music, politics, and more, filmed live from the stages of the 92nd Street Y. There’s just one week left to enjoy these incredible programs, so catch them while you can at levisjcc.org/culture/virtual!

This week's Torah portion is Parashat Vayetzei (And He Left) in the book of Genesis, the first in the Five Books of Moses. In it, Jacob agrees to work for his uncle Laban for seven years in order to marry Rachel. Laban agrees, but deceives Jacob on his wedding night, giving him Leah, instead. Set on marrying Rachel, Jacob commits to another seven years of labor. In life, disappointments are inevitable. It is how we respond to them that matters most. Jacob chooses perseverance. He continues with a sense of renewed purpose and resilience, reminding us to be strong and keep on keeping on.

Light Shabbat candles Friday evening at 5:10 pm.
Shabbat ends Saturday evening at 6:05 pm.

Shabbat Shalom
Am Yisrael Chai!
Happy Thanksgiving!!

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

Marty