December 5, 2024

Shalom Chaverim (Dear Friends),

As I write this Shabbat message to you I am keenly aware that we are now in the first week of December. Thanksgiving has passed although the added pounds have stuck around. And we have Chanukah squarely in our sights. The end of the year is quickly approaching as we come close to celebrating the first 25 years of the 21st century! That’s a pretty big deal.

A really “big deal” is our Judy Levis Krug Boca Raton Jewish Film Festival, which proudly presented The Big Reveal yesterday. We screened trailers for each of the 34 films that will be included in our two-week Festival, which will be in theaters from February 8-22. You can learn more about this and all of our Festival’s Emily & Neil Kishter Year-Round Film Programs here. This week our Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center also welcomed area singles for another Mitzvah Mingle. On Monday night, Jewish singles in their 40s, 50s and 60s gathered at our Levis JCC to enjoy drinks and light bites while working on a meaningful and purposeful mitzvah – partnering with Tri-County Animal Rescue to put starter kits together for people adopting dogs and cats. There are so many ways to get involved with our Levis JCC and to become connected to this vibrant community.

None of this fantastic programming would be possible without the dedication of our hardworking Levis JCC staff. I am truly privileged to work with this group of outstanding professionals, and it was a pleasure to take a break from our work last night to celebrate the holiday season together at our annual holiday party. We are all looking forward to many wonderful programs and events coming and I hope you will join us and experience what makes our Levis JCC so special.

This week’s Torah portion is Vayetze (And He Left) in Genesis, the first book in the five books of Moses. In it, Jacob dreams of a ladder connecting heaven and earth, with angels climbing and descending on it; G-d appears and promises that the land upon which he lies will be given to his descendants. Jacob’s ladder is a very complex image. Serving the ever-changing and evolving needs of a robust (and growing) Jewish community is also complex. It is work that requires not only dedication, but passion for serving and sustaining our community long into the future. I am honored to lead this wonderful staff in doing such meaningful work every day.

Light candles Friday night at 5:10 pm.
Shabbat ends on Saturday night at 6:06 pm.

Shabbat Shalom
Am Yisrael Chai!

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

Marty