December 25, 2025

Shalom Chaverim (Dear Friends),

With shops and restaurants full, the roads jam-packed, and the beaches and local attractions full of visitors and residents alike, the peak of the holiday season has reached our South Palm Beach County community. This evening, I’ll join in as countless Jews in America engage in the long-standing tradition of Chinese food for dinner on Christmas Day! I will be missing my wife Lori, who is in New York, assisting her mom as she recovers from a stress fracture. Lori really is a great daughter, wife, mom, and Nanna. I'm grateful for her every day. Even on my own at this holiday time, I never feel lonely in our community. There are so many ways to enjoy being together, and so many wonderful things to do.

The Levis JCC is the place to be for kids on break from school. Our Dale & Ed Filhaber Mini Camp at the J kicked off the holiday week with more than 75 children (Kindergarten - 5th Grade) enjoying non-stop fun. Active days include games, gaga, basketball, soccer, kickball, crafts, swim and special treats, like a visit from the Kona Ice truck (also sponsored by Dale & Ed Filhaber). Mini Camp continues throughout the holiday season and features special entertainment. Daily sign up is available. For information or to register visit us online

Our Betty & Marvin Zale Early Childhood Learning Center is making sure to keep it “cool” for our littlest happy campers. More than 30 children are enjoying daily activities at our “Winter Exploration” themed Mini Camp, including playground time, crafts, indoor gym time and scavenger hunts. Our Helene & Roy Schwedelson Special Department’s beloved Camp Kavod program is providing more than 40 children and teens who have special needs with engaging and enriching activities both on and off campus (depending upon their age group). From yoga to therapy ponies, from movies to bowling, each day brings countless opportunities for friendship and fun.

This afternoon, a sold-out crowd of more than 225 music lovers enjoyed an uplifting afternoon event: A Very Jewish Concert on Christmas Day. Aaron Kula and the Klezmer Company Jazz Orchestra offered famous Klezmer, Yiddish, Chassidic, and Israeli songs, arranged with influences from American jazz, swing, and blues, performing songs by Jewish composers like Irving Berlin, Leonard Bernstein, Jule Styne, and Stephen Sondheim. It was, as always, spectacular!

This week's Torah portion is Vayigash (And He Approached) in the book of Genesis, the first book in the Five Books of Moses. In it, Jacob comes to Egypt with his sons and their families—seventy souls in all—and is reunited with his beloved son after 22 years. On his way to Egypt he receives the divine promise: “Fear not to go down to Egypt; for I will there make of you a great nation. I will go down with you into Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again.” This sets up the story of the Exodus which comes to pass several hundred years later - once again confirming G-d's promise to the Jewish people that Israel is the land promised divinely to them. We proudly continue to protect and maintain this promised land to this very day.

Light Shabbat candles Friday evening at 5:18 pm.
Shabbat ends Saturday evening at 6:14 pm.

Shabbat Shalom
Am Yisrael Chai!

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

Marty