FOUNDATION

By Robert Nomberg president & ceo richmond jewish foundation

.Foundation Happenings

RJF celebrates 40th Anniversary with $40,000 Genesis Fund grant

To celebrate Richmond Jewish Foundation’s 40th Anniversary, the Board of Directors awarded the Weinstein JCC a $40,000 competitive Genesis Fund grant.

Miriam Davidow, Grants Committee chair, explained, “We originally received seven thoughtful requests for funding designed to enhance Jewish life in Richmond. After narrowing the list to four finalists the grants committee unanimously selected the Weinstein JCC’s project. We look forward to celebrating this forward-thinking and exciting project with the JCC and the entire community.”

Following their Global Day of Jewish Learning’s success, the Weinstein JCC successfully submitted their Genesis Fund request for, “Celebrating Jewish Richmond: 1700’s to the Present.” This celebration, planned for October 2020, will begin with a family Shabbat dinner. The celebration will continue Saturday night with an evening of music, dance, poetry and more with a musical and historical journey through time that celebrates Jewish life in Richmond. Storytelling and performances by some of Richmond’s most iconic Jewish artists will bring the community together for an educational and entertaining experience with friends.

The celebration will conclude Sunday with festivities modeled after the JCC’s inaugural Global Day of Jewish Learning that will include a day of multiple educational experiences led by local Rabbis around a themed-topic or a keynote speaker of national stature for an uplifting message of Jewish peoplehood.

Plans also include the creation of an exhibit, with the participation of local agencies, synagogues, schools and museums, featuring a timeline of cultural and historical events spanning 200+ years of Jewish life in Richmond. The exhibit will remain open to the public in the Sara D. November Gallery including educational outreach opportunities to supplemental schools and throughout greater Richmond as part of CultureWorks annual celebration of arts and culture. The exhibit will be gifted to the Beth Ahabah Museum and Archives for permanent display.

The three-day celebration, as outlined above, will be a community-wide celebration where individuals from all denominations, geographic areas, and aliations will find common ground in history and learning.

This project promotes community building through education and engagement. It honors our past and inspires our future.

The goal is that the programs will create opportunities for our community to connect and hopefully will inspire all involved to continue to engage in the Jewish community, activities and Jewish organizations in the future.

Weinstein JCC Chief Executive Ocer Rick Nelson said, “The Weinstein JCC is honored to be chosen as the recipient of this important Genesis Fund grant. The funds will be used to help further our mission of building meaningful relationships and providing opportunities for educational experiences guided by Jewish values and culture.”

He noted, “We thank the Genesis Fund Grant Committee and Richmond Jewish Foundation board for their continued commitment supporting our community.”

The first Global Day of Jewish Learning was held at the Weinstein JCC on November 17 and proved to be an enlightening day of learning and community engagement. Over 130 community members came together to learn from local Rabbis and Jewish educators as they reflected on the theme “Speaking Volumes.”

Members of the RJF grants committee include Miriam Davidow (chair), Rosann Bocciarelli, Josh Goldberg, Dan Rosenthal, and Jessica Samet.

To learn more about RJF’s Genesis Fund or how to create a fund supporting the charities of your choice please contact me at 804-545-8656 or robert@rjfoundation. org.

Brackins Continued from page 2

The Federation raises several million dollars in Richmond each year to fund agencies locally — including the Weinstein JCC, Rudlin Torah Academy, Synagogues, and community-building institutions as well as numerous social-service programs to care for those in need in Richmond.

Federation-funded agencies also work to advocate on important social issues and provide a strong foundation for Jewish life and identity-building on college campuses and in communities across the United States.

In Israel, Federation is changing lives by helping to settle immigrants, assisting in times of crisis and engaging in special partnerships with Hadera Israel. Federation also supports programs in more than 70 other countries, aiming to combat anti-Semitism, provide a lifeline of vital services to the frail and vulnerable, rebuild Jewish communities and help rescue and resettle those in peril. The vital work of these programs and agencies is coordinated by our long-time overseas partners — The Jewish Agency for Israel and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), as well as other non-governmental organizations.

In cooperation with The Jewish Federations of North America and working in partnership with a network of local, national and international beneficiary agencies and programs, we touch countless lives each year.

Secure Community Network, a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization, has served since 2004 as the ocial homeland security and safety initiative of the organized Jewish community in North America.

Established under the auspices of The Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, SCN works to enhance the safety and security of those within 147 Federations, the 50 largest Jewish non-profit organizations in North America and over 300 independent Jewish communities.

SCN aims to foster a culture of empowerment, collaboration and vigilance, ensuring that Jewish organizations, communities, as well as life and culture can not only exist safely and securely, but flourish.

Learn more at securecommunitynetwork.org.

To reach Brackins, call (804) 545-8660 or email dbrackins@jewishrichmond.org.

Allan Pollack performs some classics during Super Sunday last year. Photo by Rich Goldberg

Rudlin Torah Academy students entertain attendees with their singing last year. Photo by Leo Vaynberg.

Pictured in the three photos (clockwise from above) are • the start of a falafel • some side dishes – Tzimmes, a hot dog, pickle on a stick, kasha varnishkes and a broccoli kugel • and portion of

Latkes Photos by Leo Vaynberg

Great food, lots of fun set for Richmond Jewish Food Festival!

In just a few weeks’ time, the familyfriendly Richmond Jewish Food Festival returns to the Weinstein JCC on the Sunday and Monday of Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, Jan. 19-20, from 11:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. each day.

Back again this year are our signature dishes, homemade stued cabbage, brisket, corned beef, Kasha Varnishkes, broccoli and carrot kugels, and Schwarma. Don’t forget to stop by Zadie’s Bar and try our Israeli wine selection or a cold beer!

Not that adventurous? Then grab a Dr. Brown’s cream soda or coee to go, along with a selection from Bubbie’s Bakery. There you’ll find delicacies such as Rugelach – cinnamon/walnut www.JewishRichmond.org

and chocolate/raspberry, mandelbrot – chocolate chip and chocolate/cherry, almond horns, and rainbow and apple cakes.

As always, vegetarian, vegan, and nogluten items are available. Everything is strictly Kosher, and all ingredients are peanut- and dairy-free.

While you enjoy your meal, you’ll be entertained by live music on both Sunday and Monday. Performing again this year are My Son The Doctor, the Klezm’Or’Ami’m and Alan Pollack. And Richmond! Should you need assistance of course, there will be performances in getting your food or with anything by children’s choirs and musicians from else, just ask – any of our volunteers local schools. would be glad to assist.

Before you leave, don’t forget to check Check the festival website – out our Shuk, where you’ll find jewelry, RichmondJewishFoodFestival.com — often, hair accessories, 100 percent Turkish as it is updated regularly with the latest towels, and more. information. We want you to love Jewish

Getting to the festival is easy. The food, entertainment, and culture as complimentary festival shuttle transports much as we do! guests parked in the neighborhood The 2020 Richmond Jewish Food across Monument Avenue to and from Festival is proudly sponsored by the Weinstein JCC. Weinstein Properties, the Weinstein

Remember, admission, entertainment, JCC, Designer Deliveries, Party Perfect, and the festival shuttle are all absolutely and Allianz Partners. free! For everything else, cash and major See you at Richmond Jewish Food credit cards are readily accepted. Festival on Jan. 19-20.

We have the best volunteers in January 2020 . Tivet/Shevat 5780 | the Reflector | 36