Join us for our free Preview Event
Want to learn more about the 2020-21 Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival?
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2020 • 1:30 P.M. (EST)
Celebrating Jewish Life in Greater Naples, Israel and the World
Federation Star Published by the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples Serving Naples, Marco Island and the surrounding communities
www.JewishNaples.org Y October 2020 – Elul 5780 / Tishrei 5781 Y Vol. 30 #2
Building our new home
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 10 Men’s Cultural Alliance 12 Women’s Cultural Alliance
Jane Schiff
13 Tributes 14 Community Focus
Federation Board Chair
21 Jewish Interest 26 Israel & the Jewish World 27 Commentary
F
or the past two years, we have planned and worked tirelessly to make our dream of a new home for Federation a reality. To house and benefit all of our affiliates, including Women’s Cultural Alliance (WCA), Men’s Cultural Alliance (MCA), Jewish Book Festival, Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), Israel Advocacy Committee (IAC), Catholic-Jewish Dialogue, Young Families with Children, Jewish Russian Cultural Alliance (JRCA), Jewish War Veterans, Mix & Mingle
28 Organizations 31 Synagogues 32 Focus on Youth 35 Community Directory
18
THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER NAPLES BUILDING
VIEW
LOBBY
and Young Jewish Professionals as well as BBYO. Getting to this point has not been easy. The trajectory of this task has been accomplished by a small group of dedicated lay and professional people. Marc Saperstein, JFGN Vice Chair, has been the Chair of Project 2021, this Herculean effort, with Merlin Lickhalter, a JFGN Board Member, as his cochair, and James Knafo as our architect. With full disclosure, James was a Federation Board member before he was hired to be our architect, going through a process of bidding against three other firms before being awarded our nod. However, I promise you, dear reader, that he has gone above and beyond, more than any other architect would have done. These three men have spent countless hours working on this project. They meet
with our construction and engineering companies, as well as advisors on our Building Committee, who have generously donated their time and expertise on every detail and facet, from security to rezoning to decorating to HVAC to plumbing supplies to furniture, etc. They do this to ensure that we will have the best, most efficient, beautiful, costeffective and practical building possible. Where are we in the process? In October and November, we will have our final rezoning hearings with the Collier County government. October 1 is the date for the Collier County Planning Commission hearing, followed by our final hearing with the Board of Collier County Commissioners on November 10. The project has been overwhelmingly welcomed by the surrounding continued on page 2
A New Want Home for the to learn more about the 2020-21 Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival? Jewish Federation Join us for our Preview Event
W E G M A N D E S I G N G R O U P
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2020 • 1:30 P.M. (EST)
We have a “Zoomtastic” author lineup, representing a wide variety of genres running from December 3 to March 30. Zoom in to hear about each of the authors, books, dates, ticket prices and more! You will also find out how to reserve your Zoom seat for Book Festival events.
3 Greater Naples Jewish Book Festival Goes Virtual
This PREVIEW EVENT is free. Sign up today! Go to www.jewishbookfestival.org, or use the registration link in the weekly Monday eblast, and register to reserve your front row seat!
Questions?
Contact Reneé, Program Director, at rbialek@jewishnaples.org
Join us on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 1 for our 2021 Annual Community Campaign virtual kickoff event! Page 7
THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER NAPLES BUILDING Jewish Federation of Greater Naples 2500 Vanderbilt Rd., Ste. 2201 PINE RIDGEBeach ROAD VIEW Naples, FL 34109
Non Profit Org U.S. Postage
PAID
Fort Myers, FL Permit No 521
Are you ready to build or remodel the home of your dreams? LEARN MORE ON PAGE 9
