January 15, 2026

Shalom Chaverim (Dear Friends),

This weekend marks the 49th anniversary of my Bar Mitzvah–a milestone that reminds me of the many gifts I have in life, from the love of family and friends to all my simple, daily joys. With the long weekend ahead marking the birthday of iconic American civil rights leader Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr., it’s important to remember and honor the contributions of all those who helped shape and expand our local and global communities, as well as those who continue to be changemakers today.

Here at our Adolph & Rose Levis JCC, we see the importance of community daily. Last Friday, more than 25 families came together for a fun and festive Family Shabbat @ the J: Winter Wonderland, enjoying quality time with old and new friends while dancing, crafting, snacking, and taking photos with Frozen’s Olaf. This week, our Betty & Marvin Zale Early Childhood Learning Center’s free winter session of Blooming Babies began, offering new moms and their newborns a welcoming space to connect and learn from guest speakers from Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. Our professional community has also been busy; earlier tonight, our Eastside Pop Up Happy Hour participants met at Lefke’s Estiatorio in Delray Beach, where they enjoyed networking over cocktails and light bites. And our Nina & Martin Rosenzweig West Boca Theatre Company has continued to delight audiences with their latest show, “Broadway Bound,” the third installment of Neil Simon’s acclaimed autobiographical trilogy. There are four showings left; I hope to see you there! Tickets are available at levisjcc.org/theater.

This week's Torah portion is Va'era (And I Appeared) from the book of Exodus, the second in the Five Books of Moses. In it, G-d reveals Himself to Moses and promises to free the Children of Israel from slavery, take them out of Egypt, redeem them, and anoint them as his chosen people. This portion reminds us that hope and support are always within reach, especially in communities like ours, in which we celebrate and uplift one another.

Light Shabbat candles Friday evening at 5:33 pm.
Shabbat ends Saturday evening at 6:29 pm.

Shabbat Shalom
Am Yisrael Chai!

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Marty