December 22, 2022

Shalom Chaverim (Dear Friends),

You are receiving this week’s message as Jews all over the world collectively celebrate Chanukah. Lori and I have been enjoying a wonderful “Festival of Lights,” celebrating in person with recently arrived family, and virtually via FaceTime with our son, his fiancée Patricia, and her sweet young daughters who are delighting in learning about Chanukah for the first time. It is indeed a holiday of light and joy for us.

At your Adolph & Rose Levis JCC, it has been a busy week of programming. Our first theatrical production of the season wrapped on Sunday; local playwright Michael McKeever’s 37 Postcards was a quirky comedy with a poignant twist. With campus neighbor and partner Donna Klein Jewish Academy closed for school break, the first session of our Winter Break Mini Camp program welcomed more than 40 children to campus each day this week so far, and we will warmly welcome students from our Broward County and Palm Beach County public schools to join in the fun in the coming days. We celebrated the season last week with a festive Leadership Holiday party and a fun-filled Staff Holiday party, and in between all of that, we were honored to welcome Doron Krakow, President & CEO of JCC Association of North America (JCCA), our national organization, along with his colleague, Jennifer Mamlet, Executive Vice President. Doron emailed me to share some of his thoughts about their visit with us:
“Your gracious hospitality was very much appreciated. We were very impressed by what you showed us. The new facility is shaping up beautifully – and your vision for the work that remains to be done paints a very bright picture indeed for the future. We were delighted to have had the opportunity to spend time with your leadership and to get a glimpse of the remarkable things you are doing around culture and the arts. In short, we can’t wait to return.”

I am filled with pride to be able to share this with you! Your Levis JCC leadership and staff are excited and energized to continue the important work we do each and every day for our community.

This week’s Torah portion is Miketz (At The End) in Genesis, the first in the Five books of Moses. In it, Joseph becomes very powerful after predicting that a famine was coming; he ensures that Egypt was prepared for it. Egypt became very wealthy when all had to turn to them for food. Today here in South Palm Beach County, we are doing all we can to ensure that we are prepared to support and nurture our thriving, growing, and vibrant community in the years ahead. I know we are well on our way with the support from our generous donors, Community Partners, members, guests, program participants, and our JCCA leadership. Like the candles we light during the eight nights of Chanukah, our Levis JCC’s future is shining bright.

Light Shabbat candles Friday evening at 5:16 pm.
Shabbat ends Saturday night at 6:12 pm.

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Chanukah!

Marty