OUR LEADERS Jacksonville welcomes new agency presidents.
SHALOM JAX The annual summer social, Shaloha, returns on June 22 with a tropical spin.
ANNUAL REPORT Check out the progress of our Jewish agencies.
JEWISH NEWS Jacksonville
June
2014
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Sivan/Tamuz
5774
Ackerman chairs national mission
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Are you a Chaim, Bracha or Tov? At left: Jeanine Rogozinski, Andrea Mail and Risa Herman At right: Lori Palatnik
By Jewish Federation of Jacksonville
Jerry Silverman, CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, recently announced that Scot Ackerman will serve as one of the chairs for this July’s worker-training mission to Israel. Sandy Langer of New Jersey will co-chair this first-ever national mission for campaign volunteers with Ackerman, who has chaired a number of similar missions from Jacksonville. Ackerman is a past campaign chair and president of the Jewish Federation of Jacksonville. Based on the Jacksonville model, JFNA hopes to have this trip kick off the 2015 campaign with a well-educated and highly motivated group of campaign workers. The participants will visit a number of Jewish Agency for Israel and American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee programs. There will be in-depth training sessions to help participants develop solicitation skills. Each participant makes a commitment to cover a minimum of 10 solicitations during next year’s campaign. There are over 50 people from many Jewish federations currently signed up for the mission, which runs July 14 – 20. Jacksonville’s contingent will include Federation President Hal Resnick, Campaign Chair Sandy Zimmerman, Jewish Family & Community Services Executive Director Colleen Rodriguez, Elliott Rosenbaum, Ben Marsh, Rabbi Avi
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Photos by L. Tallis
Amy Kaminsky and Emily Rosenbaum
Eunice Zisser, Susan Gendzier and Nancy Zimmerman
By ERIN COHEN
Women’s Division Director
On May 1 the Federation’s Women’s Division gathered for an incredible evening at the 9th Annual Girlfriend Connection and learned the answer to this question. Our featured speaker, Lori Palatnik, founder and director of the Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project, engaged over 160 women in an insightful and entertaining talk titled, Discovering the Real You, Understanding Yourself and Appreciating Others. In her talk,
she divides people into three major personality types (with variations, of course) based on your body and soul. She shares that until we understand ourselves, we cannot begin to understand and appreciate others. When asked why this talk is so popular, Lori said, “I think it’s because it is the foundation of creating all successful relationships. You need to know who you are, what drives you, what you are missing and what you need to work on in order to realize your potential.”
Jackie Goldman and Robin Haber
The event was chaired by Andrea Mail and Jeanine Rogozinski, along with an amazing committee of: Arlene Adelson, Lauren Block, Wendy Efron, Karen Gare, Laurie Gelman, Amy Kaminsky, Judy Lewis, Debra Setzer, Stacie Wilf and Talie Zaifert. A big thank you to our generous event sponsors, including benefactors: Helen DuBow, Risa Herman, Joan Levin, Andrea Mail, Debbie Parker, Jeanine Rogozinski, Ellen Setzer, Stacie Wilf; and patrons: Debbie Banks-Kitay, Anne
Bernstein, Merle Cherry, Henny Fisch, Linda Franzblau, Pat Frisch, Gail Furman, Judy Lewish, Diane Rothstein, Tammy Shumer, Gaye Sager, Marte Wasserman and Sheri Weiss. As we look ahead to the 2014-2015 programming year, please consider getting involved in the Women’s Division. If you are interested in sitting on the Women’s Division steering committee, or being an integral part of one of our event committees, please contact Erin Cohen at 448-5000 x205 or erinc@jewishjacksonville.org.
JCA and Hadera partner in programming By Jewish Community Alliance
Upon return from their Israel trip, the JCA department directors were eager to convey their experiences and the meaning of their trip to JCA members through programming. This was not the end, but rather the beginning of the journey. Through the Discover Israel program series JCA department directors became shlichim (emissaries) for Israel and Israeli culture. Each department director has implemented programs that focus on Israel to help members develop a better understanding of various aspects of Israeli culture. This year the directors were asked to expand on their programs and bring Israel into the JCA on a personal level.
While in Israel JCA department directors visited Hadera, Jacksonville’s Israel Partnership region, and spent a day touring its local community center, meeting staff counterparts and learning about its programs. Using this connection the JCA has kicked off two new projects in conjunction with the Hadera community center with the help of Jill Abel, Jewish Federation of Jacksonville’s Israel Partnership director. The JCA after-school program initiated a pen pal program, writing letters to school-age children participating in a similar program in the Hadera community center. “We have 11 participating students right now. They wrote
See JCA, p. 4
page 2
Jacksonville Jewish News • June 2014
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ANNUAL MEETING
Introducing Jacksonville Jewish agencies’ presidents By Jewish Federation of Jacksonville
Jacksonville Jewish agency presidents for the 2014-2015 year are: Adam Frisch, Jewish Community Alliance; Ellen Rosner, Jewish Family & Community Services; Marsha Pollock, River Garden; Hal Resnick, Jewish Federation of Jacksonville; and Mark Green, Jewish Community Foundation of Northeast Florida. Introducing:
JCA
The JCA welcomes Adam Frisch as the new president of the JCA Board of Directors. Adam joined the JCA Board in 2007 and became board treasurer two years later. Most recently Adam served a two-year term as board vice president. Adam and his family have a longstanding history of support for the JCA. He is a charter member along with his parents and grandparents, who were instrumental in founding the JCA. Growing up in Mandarin, Adam rode his bicycle
to the JCA on weekends. He was also a CIT at JCA Summer Camp in 1990. In 2012 Adam received the prestigious Esther Leah Ritz Next Generation JCC Leadership Award from the Jewish Community Centers Association of North America. The award identifies future leaders of Jewish community center boards and includes a training program designed to enhance the skills needed for them to assume top leadership roles. Adam is in his third year on the River Garden Foundation Board of Directors. Adam is the director of purchasing at Beaver Street Fisheries, a fourth-generation family owned business. He practiced bankruptcy and tax law for four years prior to joining his family business in 2008. Adam earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, juris doctorate and master’s degree in taxation, all from the University of Florida. Adam is married to Sierra, a practicing attorney. This year Adam and Sierra co-chaired the JCA’s annual fundraising campaign and Purim Masquerade special event with Allison Korman Shelton and Jamie Shelton.
Adam is an avid sports fan and is loyally devoted to the Gators and Jaguars; he rarely misses a home game.
JFCS
Ellen Rosner begins her first
year as president of the Board of Directors of Jewish Family & Community Services. She has been a board member since 2004 and has served as board secretary and first vice president. Ellen was born and raised
in Wooster, Ohio, and graduated from Indiana University and South Texas College of Law. She is a member of the Florida Bar Association. While attending law school, Ellen met her husband
See PRESIDENTS, p. 11
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Adam Frisch
Mark Green
Ellen Rosner
Marsha Pollock
Hal Resnick
Jacksonville Jewish News • June 2014
page 3
www.jewishjacksonville.org
23rd Annual Celebration of Jacksonville’s Jewish Agencies Officers and Board Members Jewish Community Alliance
Executive Committee Adam Frisch, President Allison Korman Shelton, Vice President Suzette Allen, Vice President Katie Kight, Secretary David Wolf, Treasurer Chase Zimmerman, Asst Sec/ Treas David Stein Honorary, Chairman Positions Expiring in 2015 Andy Cantor Ron Elinoff Adam Marmelstein Gary Perlman Jason Plaien Positions Expiring in 2016 Leah Kennelly* Rochelle Stoddard Rebekah Selevan Blair Sisisky Sherman Positions Expiring in 2017 Lisa Ansbacher* Irene Cywes* Mary Edwards* Jill Metlin* Michael Miller* Past Presidents Jan Lipsky Nancy Perlman Nominating Committee Nancy Perlman, Chair Allison Korman Shelton Daniel Miller Rebekah Selevan Rochelle Stoddard Myron Flagler, Staff *new term Howard Korman President’s Award Allison Korman Shelton Special Service Award Talia Steiner
Jewish Community Foundation of Northeast Florida
Officers and Board Members Mark Green, Esq., President Andy Cantor, CFA Matthew Edelman, CPA, VP, Treasurer Jeff Edwards, VP, Secretary Leonard Elikan Dr. Ron Elinoff Melvyn H. Fruit, VP *Mel Gottlieb Barbara Jaffe, CIMA Michael Korn, Esq., VP Iris Kraemer Mark Lodinger Andrea Mail, VP Dr. Sue Nussbaum Dr. Gary Perlman Neil Presser, CPA, VP Dr. Hal Resnick Ellen Rosner, Esq. Michael Schneider, Esq. Steven Sherman, CSM, CRPC
*Mark Shorstein, CPA *Richard Sisisky Sandy Zimmerman Barry Zisser, Esq. Of Blessed Memory Michele Block-Wiener, Esq. Michael Donziger Dr. Roy J. Sloat Honorary Trustee Elliott Horovitz * Past President
Joe P. Safer Award Michael DuBow Ilene Sari Selevan Young Leadership Award Nancy Davis Daniel Miller
Jewish Federation of Jacksonville
Jewish Family & Community Services
Executive Committee Harold Resnick, President Sandy Zimmerman, First Vice President and Campaign Chair Wendy Efron, Vice President Iris Kraemer, Vice President Mike Nussbaum, Vice President Risa Herman, Vice President (Women’s Division President) Jennifer Plotkin, Women’s Campaign Chair Ken Jacobs, Treasurer Jon Israel, Secretary Daniel Miller, rGEN Chair Larry Appel, Immediate Past President Richard Sisisky, Presidential Appointee Mark Green, President of the Jewish Community Foundation of Northeast Florida Board members Ellen Rosner (Jewish Family & Community Services) Marsha Pollock (River Garden) Adam Frisch (Jewish Community Alliance) Michael Abel Claudia Baker Nancy Davis Susan DuBow Kim Glasgal Andrew Jaffa Erica Jolles Francine Kempner Michael Koren Michael Korn Michael Lewis Andrea Mail Adam Marmelstein Ben Marsh Zachary Sherman Emily Rosenbaum Diane Rothstein Mike Solloway Todd Werwa Susan Wolchok Eugene Wolchok Past president/honorary life members: Scot Ackerman Guy Benrubi Jack Coleman Ronald Elinoff Leslie Held Joan Levin Mitchell Levine Gary Perlman David Robbins Kenneth Sekine Leonard Setzer Steve Silverman Arnold Vandroff
Lawrence Jaben Jim Kempner Dr. Dennis Lafer M.H. Levine Leonardo Maiman Lew Meisel Mark Shorstein Isabel Tanenbaum Gary Wilkinson Cathy Winterfield
Rabbis Rabbi Yaakov Fisch Rabbi Joshua Lief Rabbi Jonathan Lubliner Rabbi Michael Matuson
Honorary Board Larry Appel Richard Browdy Dr. Lawrence Goldberg Ken Goldman Beverly Goldstein Paulette Keifer Henri Landwirth Joan Levin Michael Lissner Dr. Milton Mann Dr. Edward Mizrahi Barbara Parker Jack Price Linda Rubens Shari Weitzner Eunice Zisser Rabbi Yaakov Fisch Rabbi Yossie Kahanov Rabbi Nochum Kurinsky Rabbi Joshua Lief Rabbi Jonathan Lubliner Rabbi Michael Matuson Rabbi Shmuel Novack
Board of Directors Ellen Rosner, President Francine Kempner, First Vice President Stephen Goldman, Vice President and Treasurer (Finance) Jodie Leach, Vice President (Development) Vanessa Solomon, Vice President (Programs and Services) Robert Morgan, Secretary Howard Caplan, Chairman Members Caren Appel Mary Berger Mary Edwards Tom Harris Barbara Hunter Michael Katz Stuart Klein Sue Levine Anne Lufrano Sheryl Newman Judy Poppell Dr. Harold Resnick Marjie Rogozinski Rabbi Avi Schochet Dr. Elana Schrader (new) Theresa Stahlman Andrew Steif Glenn Ullmann Elaine Wright
Volunteer Awards George Ameer Donna Stein McNett Mike Katz
River Garden
Officers Marsha Pollock, President Susan Cohen, Vice President, Chair of Admissions Larry Goldberg, Vice President, Co-Chair of Admissions Michael Price, Vice President, Co-Chair of Admissions Morrie Osterer, Vice President, Chair of House Judy Paul, Secretary Cindy Demri, Treasurer
Past Presidents Dr. Guy Benrubi Dr. Sol Brotman Jack Coleman Albert Datz David Garfinkel Debbie Gottlieb
Trustees David Cohen Sharon Siegel Cohen
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What’s inside Community................................. p. 5 Education.................................... p. 6 Federation .............................. p. 14 Jewish Family & Community Services.................................... p. 17 Jewish Community Alliance .... p. 15 Lifecycles.................................. p. 18 Obituaries................................. p. 18 Perspectives............................... p. 4 River Garden............................. p. 16 Synagogues ............................. p. 13
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Jacksonville Jewish News • June 2014
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PERSPECTIVES/COMMUNITY NEWS Commemoration of the largest mass arrest propriate to the day with which By RABBI JONATHAN LUBLINER everyone in our community, regardless of where s/he is on the of rabbis set for June 17 ewish Jacksonville has always establishment of the state of Israel religious spectrum, might feel
The cost of freedom Jacksonville Jewish Center
J
done a good job at coming together for the observance of Yom Ha-Shoah as a community. Each year we rotate from synagogue to synagogue, invite speakers, light candles, and chant the El Maleh Rahamim prayer to honor the memory of the Six Million. Yet notwithstanding the programming held at individual synagogues, why is Yom HaAtzma’ut, Israel’s Independence Day, not as deeply embedded in our communal consciousness? Unlike Yom Ha-Shoah, Yom Ha-Atzma’ut goes by virtually unnoticed. If Chanukah and Purim speak to the miracle of our triumph in the face of overwhelming odds against those who sought our destruction, Yom Ha-Atzma’ut is not one iota less a celebration of the miraculous. To rise from the ashes of the crematoria and, within a few years, raise a Jewish flag over our ancestral homeland – a place to which Jews could only dream of returning for 2,000 years – how could anyone not see this as the equal of Chanukah or Purim, a religious occasion deserving of liturgical recognition (a practice which Israel’s Chief Rabbinate, among others, has championed) rather than just another day on the calendar? Yom Ha-Shoah and Yom Ha-Atzma’ut are distinct observances; it would be blasphemous to claim that the former paved the way for the latter or that the latter ameliorated the tragedy of the former. Yet the Holocaust and the
are undeniably the warp and the woof upon which the tapestry of modern Jewish history has been woven. As Rabbi Irving “Yitz” Greenberg observed, “Yom Ha-Shoah occurs one week away from Yom Ha-Atzma’ut, and nothing could more profoundly capture the fundamental relationship of Holocaust and Israel. The state of Israel is not a reward or an exchange for the Holocaust; it is a response. The Jewish people responded to the total assault of death by an incredible outpouring of life.” For Israel’s Independence Day to find meaningful communal expression, however, requires that we see the day as more than a birthday party writ large, more than an opportunity to eat falafel and listen to Israeli pop music. As a community we need to find a way to explore the role of memory and faith in navigating the transition between Yom Ha-Shoah and Yom Ha-Atzma’ut. Would it help to hear from those who can recall a time when Israel did not exist? Might we employ the marvels of technology to connect with our Partnership Together community in Hadera for a program of shared remembrance of the Holocaust and then, a week later, a celebration of Israel’s Independence Day? Perhaps Yom Ha-Atzma’ut should be a time for us to wrestle collectively with the question of what Zionism means to those who prefer to live in the Diaspora. Could we create a liturgy ap-
RABBINICALLY SPEAKING
comfortable? As a religious leader in the Jacksonville community I acknowledge a measure of responsibility in not pushing my colleagues, communal leadership and laity in previous years to take a more proactive stance toward affording Yom Ha-Atzma’ut at least as much attention as Yom Ha-Shoah. I, too, am sometimes guilty of taking the blessing of Israel’s existence for granted. The Talmud teaches, “One who mourns for Jerusalem will merit seeing the renewal of her joy; one who does not mourn for Jerusalem will not see the renewal of her joy” (Babylonian Talmud, Ta’anit 30b). Oddly enough, we appear to have taken the opposite approach – while we come together to mourn we do not celebrate as a community the joy of Israel’s renewal in our time. The sentiment of Israel’s anthem, Hatikvah, “Od lo avdah tikvateinu – We have not yet lost our hope,” is more than a counterpoint to Yom Ha-Shoah; it is an affirmation of the eternal character of our covenantal relationship with God and a response to Jewish destiny. Perhaps, then, it would not be too early for all of us to mark our calendars for next year’s observance of Yom Ha-Atzma’ut, Wednesday evening, April 22, and Thursday, April 23, 2015, to gather in celebration of, as theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel once put it, “A land where time transcends space, where space is a dimension of time, a land which seeks an identity in us … a coherence in history, a bridge that spans the ages.”
Israeli community establishes group in Jacksonville By Israeli community group
The Israeli community has established a group in Jacksonville. We meet at a group member’s home on a monthly basis for coffee, cake and fun. Hebrew is the official language at the gatherings. We hope to become more active in Jacksonville, especially in regards to anything concerning Israel, and hope that we might bring more Israel-related programming and activities to the community-at-large. As every local institution does
MISSION
Continued from p. 1 Feigenbaum, Federation Executive Director Alan Margolies and Ackerman.
JCA
Continued from p. 1 letters to their Hadera counterparts and have already received replies! Now it’s our turn to write back. The idea is for these relationships to become independent before the end of the school year so the children are able to maintain them on their own over the summer,” said Betsy Miller, JCA director of Youth Services. The JCA Theatre Department also found a creative way to connect JCA youth with Hadera students. The JCA Coffee House in
its best to promote Israel, we would love to help you in any way possible. Israel is important to every Jew and needs the full support of each of us. Please send us contact information of those who are interested. Our goal includes welcoming Israeli newcomers to the community (a touch of home) and helping them to navigate Jacksonville. If you know of an Israeli living here, visiting here in the hospital, passing through Jacksonville or needing a place
for Shabbat or holidays, we would love to be of assistance to make them comfortable. We hope that with this group we will encourage more Israelis who are living in Jacksonville to get involved in the greater Jacksonville community. For more information please contact: Moti Demri (mdemri@ aol.com) 904-268-3408 or Meir Cohen (baba1958@comcast.com) 904-880-8854 or Lea Gabbay (lea-gabbay@comcast.net) 904262-1789.
“National campaign chair Linda Hurwitz asked Scot to cochair this special mission because he has chaired a number of prior national missions and Jacksonville’s worker training trips, as well.” Margolies added, “Scot is
a great leader bringing years of experience, knowledge and enthusiasm to this important role.” For further information on the July 14-20 JFNA Campaigners’ Mission to Israel, call Alan Margolies at 448-5000, ext 207.
Hadera was a joint collaboration, in which JCA performers ages 8 to 15 selected dramatic theatrical vignettes to work on during a three-week rehearsal process. The rehearsals and production were filmed to share with the young performers in Hadera. In return, Adi Schwartz, director of Youth Theatre at the Hadera community center, sent footage and photos of their process so the JCA young performers could share the experience of putting on shows in Israel. The show was presented in a coffee house/cabaret-style setting on May 10 and May 11 at the JCA.
Shelly Hughes explains that, “the process has been extremely enriching for the participants here and in Israel.” According to JCA Executive Director Myron Flagler, “The rationale for this type of direct collaboration is for both sets of participants to gain insight into the other’s world. They will see they are not so different. This form of Israel education is far more personal and is enormously valuable, especially for children.” Flagler continues, “This is just the beginning; there is still so much more that we can do at the JCA to discover Israel.”
By Jewish Historical Society
Half-a-century ago, 16 rabbis and the director of social action for Reform Judaism came to St. Augustine. Early on June 18, 1964, they found themselves sitting in the pews of St. Paul’s AME Church. From the pulpit the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. gave directions to march to the waterfront, then north to the Monson Hotel and Chimes Restaurant, to integrate lunch counters and the hotel swimming pool. By early afternoon, the 17 Jewish leaders had been arrested. Nine of the 17 are still alive, and seven expect to return to St. Augustine for a commemoration to begin with a public forum at Flagler College on Tuesday, June 17, and a wine and cheese reception. On June 18 the seven will read the letter they wrote from their cell, noting, among many motivations, the public silence
that facilitated the Holocaust and the murder of six million European Jews. This program is underwritten, in part, by a grant from the Florida Humanities Council, and many of the events will be open to the public. The St. Augustine Jewish Historical Society, in part through a grant from the council and Stetson Kennedy Foundation, invite all those to whom justice matters to join them to celebrate those arrested 50 years ago and participate in a rededication to the cause of social justice. The voices of those arrested can still be heard. “We came to stand with our brothers and in the process have learned more about ourselves and our God. In obeying Him, we become ourselves; in following His will we fulfill ourselves. He has guided, sustained and strengthened us in a way we could not manage on our own.”
Dine with the Jax Jewish Singles By Jax Jewish Singles
Dinner rescheduled for this month is at India’s Restaurant located on Baymeadows Road. Tempt your taste buds with this authentic North Indian food.
The spices will delight your senses. Come for good food and good conversation. Please call Francine for details, 221-8061 or email francine.smith@comcast.net.
JEWISH NEWS Jacksonville
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JEWISH NEWS Diane Rodgers, Communications Director 904.448.5000, ext. 212 Advertising Representatives Barbara Nykerk • 904.733.4179 Eta Perras • 904.629.0466 Communications Committee Jon Israel, Chair Shirley Bielski Helen Hill Michele Katz Joan Levin Andrea Mail Rachel Morgenthal Andrew Ocean Marsha Pollock Federation President Hal Resnick Federation Executive Director Alan Margolies
8505 San Jose Blvd. • Jacksonville, FL 32217 The Jacksonville Jewish News is published monthly. All submitted content becomes the property of the Jacksonville Jewish News. Announcements and opinions contained in these pages are published as a service to the community and do not necessarily represent the views of the Jacksonville Jewish News or its publisher, the Jewish Federation of Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Jewish News is not responsible for the Kashruth of any product advertised. Copy deadlines: All news, photographs, etc., must be received by the 6th of each month, and sent to jjn@jewishjacksonville.org. Ad deadlines: All ads must be received by the 15th of each month and sent to jjn@jewishjacksonville.org in pdf format.
Jacksonville Jewish News • June 2014
page 5
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FEDERATION/COMMUNITY NEWS
Israel Partnership’s schedule heats up this summer By Jewish Federation of Jacksonville
Here are some updates of what’s happening with Jewish Federation of Jacksonville’s Israel Partnership: 1. Shelly Hughes, Jewish Community Alliance Theater department director is working with a group of JCA Theater students to create a one-act play that will be performed at the JCA while her counterpart in Hadera, Israel, is organizing the same play there. They plan to share their end results with each other once they have both been performed. Students are in the beginning stages of production here at the JCA.
2. Lauren Wright, member of Congregation Ahavath Chesed, will travel to Israel this summer on the Tikkun Olam program through Israel Partnership. Lauren will travel through Israel with other American Partnership teens and Israeli teens. In addition she will be hosted by an Israeli family in the region during her experience. She will be traveling to the region of Hadera, seeing sites in Jerusalem and visiting at Masada and the Dead Sea. 3. This summer Jacksonville will be host to five Israeli teens between July 14 and July 28. These teens will work in our Jewish day camps in addition to
spending time with the residents at River Garden. They will also attend services at some of the local congregations. Thank you to all the families who have volunteered to host them. We love for our local teens to meet these amazing Israeli ambassadors, and we have many programs in which they can interact and get to know each other. If you are more interested in having your high school teens meet and spend time with these Israeli teens while they are visiting, please contact Jill Abel at the Federation office at 904-4485000, ext. 200, or jilla@jewishjacksonville.org.
Daughter of the Holocaust shares with local teens
Shalom Jax presents Summer Shaloha
By JEANINE HOFF
When you combine Shalom and Aloha, you get – Shaloha, which happens to be the official Jewish-Hawaiian greeting. That’s what we now call our annual summer social. All newcomers are invited to enjoy an array of island fruits and tropical punches at the Julington Creek home of hosts Erica and Jamie Jolles on Sunday, June 22, 7-8:30 p.m. Plan to dress casual or wear Hawaiian shirts and long dresses, and get in the mood for a delightful evening of schmoozing, good
rGEN Division Director
On Tuesday, April 29, Irene Jaffa spoke to an audience of over 600 students at Mandarin High School in honor of Yom HaShoah. Jaffa, a local artist and speaker, shared her story, Daughter of the Holocaust, with ninth- and 10th-grade students who just finished a unit on World War II and “Night” by author Elie Wiesel. Daughter of the Holocaust recounts the story of Jaffa’s
rGEN briefs Spring welcomed with successful events
rGEN welcomed spring and Passover with a three-week series of events geared toward celebrating Passover. The first event, A Pinteresting Passover, was a Girls Only event hosted by Nicole Sena-Brown. Nicole and Andrea Olitzky shared Passover recipes and crafts that were found on the social media site Pinterest. The second event, MNM Passover Seder, was the annual Seder hosted by the rGEN’s Mix ‘N’ Mingle group. This always popular celebration was hosted in the home of Dr. Andy and
parents, complete with a slideshow presentation filled with photos and information about family members lost in the Holocaust. Her story had been recently filmed and presented on WJCT by producer Dan Kossoff and a clip of that film was displayed at the Cummer Museum in conjunction with the recent exhibit, One Family, by Israeli photographer Vardi Kahana. Afterward, the students asked a wide variety of questions and posed for photos with Jaffa. Mrs. Nicole Brown with members of the rGEN community enjoying a kosher-for-Passoverstyle potluck. The final event, Guys Night Out, was hosted at Aardwolf Brewery the day following the end of Passover. The event celebrated a return to grain following the eight-day holiday.
By ISABEL BALOTIN
Shalom Jacksonville Director
food and friendship – JewishHawaiian-style. For most of us, the summer months are a time to relax, catch up on our reading, spend time outdoors and just take a break from some of our day-to-day activities. However, for Jewish Federation’s Shalom Jacksonville this is the season for newcomers. While many families move to this area all year long, we find most arrive prior to or during the summer months. Shaloha will be a great opportunity for newcomers to meet each other and connect with neighbors and other locals. To acquaint new people with
our area, we have planned a couple of casual gatherings for newcomers. Anyone new to the Jewish community will readily make connections with their neighbors and find out the latest happenings around Jacksonville, the beaches and St. Augustine. Please RSVP to Isabel Balotin, 904-448-5000 x 206 or shalomjax@jewishjacksonville.org. Directions to the hosts’ home will be provided with RSVP confirmation email. Shalom Jacksonville is the official Jewish welcome wagon of Northeast Florida and is a program of the Jewish Federation of Jacksonville.
Join us for Jewish Java on June 11 By ISABEL BALOTIN
Shalom Jacksonville Director
Join us for Shalom Jacksonville’s Jewish Java on Wednesday, June 11, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Village Bread Café, 10111 San Jose Blvd. and Crown Point Road. Each month brings regulars,
newcomers and many people who are interested in making new friendships. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve lived in Jacksonville, you have an open invitation to join us anytime. Buy your fresh breakfast, a bagel or Danish. The coffee and tea are compliments of Vil-
lage Bread. Mark your calendars now for the first Wednesday of every month. For more information about Java and other newcomer programs, please contact Isabel Balotin, 904-448-5000 x206 or shalomjax@jewishjacksonville. org.
Mix ‘N’ Mingle set for this Shavuot
rGEN wants you to join Monday, June 2, at 6:45 p.m. for the next Mix ‘N’ Mingle event. This time around we’re getting ready for Shavuot. For more details and event location, check out our Facebook page, rGENJax, or the Federation website, www.jewishjacksonville.org.
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Jacksonville Jewish News • June 2014
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EDUCATION
Block Gan hosts Shabbat concert By MOLLY SWEET
Michele Block Gan Yeladim Preschool
Each year Michele Block Gan Yeladim Preschool hosts a number of special events through the J Café (Cultural Arts Family Experience) program. The J Café interactive enrichment programs are designed for parents and children to enjoy together in a warm, open atmosphere that involves handson, age-appropriate activities. In winter 2013 Michele Block Gan Yeladim Preschool launched a new J Café program called Music around the World. Local musician and music educator Molly Sweet and several of her colleagues presented three interactive concerts over the course of the year. During the concerts preschool families played and socialized in the courtyard.
The final concert in the series featured Klezmer music and took place in May on a Friday evening. Klezmer is identifiable by its characteristic expressive melodies, reminiscent of the human voice, complete with laughing and weeping. Families came together for the music, a special Shabbat program and a picnic-style pizza dinner. Children and families played games and danced while the musicians provided a lively backdrop of music. For many parents these events provide a chance to bond with their children as well as an opportunity to share experiences with other Michele Block Gan Yeladim families. “Everyone was so excited to be together for Shabbat,” says Sweet, “I’m glad to be part of this community building experience.”
Torah Academy holds new joint Model Seder
By Torah Academy
On April 10 Torah Academy brought the student body together for a joint Model Seder. This celebration had been done in the past within each individual class. Bringing the whole school together gave more meaning to the service, because it allowed for the students to act as teachers as well as participants. Each grade was assigned a specific portion of the Seder, which they prepared and presented to the school. Everything was carefully choreographed. The nursery and VPK
performed Mah Nishtanah and the first and second grades acted out the 10 plagues. The fifth through eighth grades presented the Exodus and acted out the different stages of Dayeinu. Chad Gadya even made an appearance – complete with sound effects. Parents and faculty watched as the Seder came to life and the children enjoyed learning from their peers as well as getting a chance to teach others. This new way of celebrating the holiday of Pesach at Torah Academy will be cherished for years to come.
Writt en prayers
Michele Block Gan Yeladim Preschool celebrates Israeli Independence Day
Jewish month of Iyar, this year’s Michele Block Gan Yeladim Preschool holiday will commemorate 66 years of Israeli independence. On May 6 Michele Block In Israel the evening of Yom Gan Yeladim Preschool hosted a Ha’atzmaut is celebrated with celebration for Yom Ha’atzmaut, a ceremonial gathering at Mt. Israel’s Independence Day. Herzl in Jerusalem. The rite Observed on the fifth day of the includes a symbolic lighting
By MOLLY SWEET
of 12 torches, which represent the 12 tribes of Israel. Families gather for picnics, singing and dancing as they proudly display the Israeli flag in their homes and businesses. Michele Block Gan Yeladim students pretended to fly to Israel to experience the life, language and culture of Israel on Yom Ha’atzmaut. Activities included an archaeological excavation (in the sandbox) for hidden artifacts and trinkets, a shopping trip to the shuk (market) to taste Israeli food, milking a cow on the kibbutz, feeling and experiencing the rejuvenating Dead Sea mud and a chance to leave messages in the Kotel (Western Wall). Learning about Israeli culture is something that happens yearround at Michele Block Gan Yeladim Preschool. This was truly an exciting opportunity for students to gain understanding and appreciation of life in another culture, as well as a fun time to celebrate Israel’s birthday.
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MJGDS lower school students work on their written prayers to God that they slid into the cracks of the replica of the Kotel in Jerusalem in honor of Yom Ha’Atzmaut.
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Join us for the 2014
Annual Meeting and Cocktail Party JEWISH
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Jacksonville Jewish News • June 2014
EDUCATION
Arts for All museum Bernard & Alice Selevan Religious School re-imagines its curriculum program arrives at DuBow Preschool
Graduation: Congratulations to our JJC Bernard & Alice Selevan Religious School graduates: Rose Blumenfeld, Jacqueline Emas, Barbie Goldstein, Madison Grosse, Julia Plotkin, Jacob Saperstein, Hannah Silverstein, Arielle Wajsman, Brooke Zimmerman, Wendell Zimmerman, and Alyssa Zunic. By Selevan Religious School
By SILVIA ROMERO CAVIN DuBow Preschool
Dubow Preschool students recently used unusual supplies to create a huge painted mural! The Arts for All equipment, designed by Zot Artz, is specifically made to allow kids of all sizes and abilities to make beautiful marks in an uncommon process. The children enjoyed the wild colors, the fact that they could walk all over the painting while creating it, and the feeling of pushing a lawnmower to make the paint flow. Dwayne Szot, founder and president of Zot Artz, is just the right combination of charismatic artist, engineer and inventor to excel at helping children with disabilities experience the joy of
making a mark and creating art. As a youth, he spent hours fixing machines with his foster father – welding, bolting, and making do with what was available. “It developed a can-do attitude as well as a fascination with machines and mechanical design,” says Szot. He now travels the country to educate teachers and parents on arts infusion. The hallways of Dubow Preschool are adorned in sections of the communal mural that was created on the Arts Days. The children not only learned how to use these unique art tools, but also learned about how each person has special qualities and contributions. We thank the education department at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens for the loan of the art equipment.
Sisters in school share each other for show ‘n’ tell
For the past four months a task force committee, under the leadership of Lois Tompkins, has been working hard to re-imagine our Jacksonville Jewish Center Congregational School. Beginning in the 2014-2015 school year, students will enjoy many new components. Several Shabbatot, including one overnight for older students, offer
opportunities for children and their families to enjoy Shabbat together. Classes will choose year-long mitzvah projects, in which parents can participate, and two special Mitzvah Days will be set aside especially to work on these projects. On Sundays, second through fifth graders will enjoy Judaism through the Arts, a rotation of specialty classes utilizing music, arts and crafts, 21st century
Consecration: Mazel tov to our JJC Bernard & Alice Selevan Religious School Hagigat HaSiddur/Consecration class of 5774: Jacob Aronowitz, Avigail Barak, Hayes Bettman, Bella Kaminsky, Ethan Logvinov , Benjamin Marmelstein, Daniel Marmelstein, Scott Miller, Jacob Rubens, Noah Wasserman, Natalie Wawzynski, and Blake Zaner.
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Three years ago, baby Teagan was brought in for show and tell in her big sister’s Parparim class at DuBow Preschool. They were learning all about the letter T, and
Teagan was a perfect example. Well, three years later, in the same class room, little sister Teagan brought her big sister Zoe in for show and tell the week they learned all about the letter Z. What a special moment.
learning, and storytelling. A camp-like atmosphere will be created using Hebrew words as often as possible and employing madrachim (teen assistants) as group leaders. Kids will look forward to t’fillah with Rabbi Tilman and Hazzan Holzer. Kindergarten and first graders will also learn in an arts-based classroom, and middle schoolers will continue with the excellent Project Etgar curriculum. On Wednesdays all students will begin with a snack and learn session, in which parents will be encouraged to stay and learn with their children. A variety of traditional Jewish treats and guest leaders will help us all get our afternoon classes started with a positive family learning atmosphere. Hebrew will continue to be self-paced – a method that allows all students regardless of background and ability to be challenged and motivated. An online learning program will be available for reinforcement at home. Adult classes will again be offered as parents strive to improve their Hebrew skills, or learn something new. The staff is already excited about this new program. Registration for the fall semester has begun. For more information, please visit us at www.basrs.org or call Lois Tompkins, principal, at 904 268-4200, ext. 146.
Jacksonville Jewish News • June 2014
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EDUCATION
MJGDS looks back Block Gan starts sea turtle tzedakah project at its accomplishments
By Martin J. Gottlieb Day School
By MOLLY SWEET
Michele Block Gan Yeladim Preschool
Students at Michele Block Gan Yeladim Preschool gave a helping hand to the local sea turtle population this year. As part of an annual tzedakah project, students raised money to donate to the Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol, a local nonprofit organization aimed at protecting the endangered turtles of Atlantic, Neptune and Jacksonville beaches. Volunteers from the organization visited the school to discuss the many ways to help protect our native sea turtle population. “Nesting season is May 1 through Oct. 31, and during that time we need to be extra cautious,” said Bill McCullom, a volunteer with
patrol. The volunteers also delighted the children with informative booklets and stickers to take home. Sea turtles on the First Coast face many threats to their habitat including disorienting artificial light, litter, shrimp nets, loss of habitat and poaching, to name a few. With the money that Michele Block Gan Yeladim students raised, the Beaches Sea Turtle Patrol will be able to fund activities to protect and preserve the turtles. The organization’s volunteers survey the beaches in the morning, monitor light in the evening, perform nest relocations and excavations, as well as provide educational presentations for schools and civic groups.
Summertime means fun for toddlers and parents Shalom Baby friends join Mother’s Day Shabbat celebration and make these beautiful keepsakes.
By DuBow Preschool
Shalom Baby & Family Music & Movement – Jewish edition: Beginning June 22, Family Music & Movement will bring a Jewish edition of the class to Shalom Baby once a month. Class will include instruments, song, dance and parachute play. It will feature body parts and animal songs using Hebrew names, and a story song will be sung in Hebrew. As always, Shalom Baby is free, open to everyone in the
Jewish community, and each class will end with challah and juice. Don’t miss it. RSVP: rsvp@ dubowpreschool.org Sign-up for summer music class with baby: Family Music & Movement is going strong all summer long. We have smaller sessions, so choose from three – all are at half capacity, so reserve soon. Also, check out Groupon for a special offer (limited quantities). This is a terrific class if you’re new to the area, new to parenthood, or as a first class with your baby.
It’s been a great year full of accomplishments. Here’s a quick look back on the many milestones of the 2013-14 school year: • MJGDS extended dedicated science instruction throughout the lower school. The bar has been raised in the lower school ensuring that love of science begins at the youngest grades. • Whack A Haman, Purim game app, received over 1,000 downloads in its first three weeks in the app store. MJGDS students designed the game and its assets under the guidance of their teacher and South African company, Jewish Interactive. • Habits of Kindness: Students were introduced to a new habit each month from “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,” and they were
incorporated into classroom learning and the community of kindness program. • Student advisory: Every student in grades 3 to 8 was assigned an adviser with whom they can request to meet should there be a need to talk about something that might be bothering them. • Homework: The vision, philosophy and guidelines have been revised to focus on more authentic, meaningful homework of appropriate length of time. • The MJGDS Marlins boys basketball team played its first game in the history of the Day School against Grace Lutheran Day School and brought home a victory with a score of 29-12. • Middle School students were invited to the University of North Florida to teach new apps to the students in the College of Education through
Speed Geeking. • Students in grades 6, 7, and 8 received first place awards in all three age categories in the Daughters of American Revolution Essay Contest. • MJGDS put on an outstanding K-8 musical performance, “From Sea to Shining Sea,” in honor of Presidents Day. • A MJGDS second-grade student received a secondplace ribbon and a fourth-grade MJGDS student received an honorable mention for their art in the Mandarin Art Festival. • Second grade created an “I Spy” book and shared it with Jean Marzollo, the author of “I Spy” books. She praised the book and told the students that it was “the best one yet” and they “deserve a blue ribbon.” • Many MJGDS faculty members participated in national conferences throughout the year in presenter roles.
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Jacksonville Jewish News • June 2014
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EDUCATION
VPK moves up to kindergarten
MJGDS Shuk
MJGDS students use shekels (Israeli money) to purchase Israeli snacks in honor of Yom Ha’Atzmaut.
Miss Lisa Zavon, Levi, Eli, Mason, Cole, Aaron, Joey, Hank, Miss Gabrielle Margol, Danny, Vivi, Hannah, Julia, Itamar
By SHEREEN CANADY DuBow Preschool
The Tzeeporim–VPK class at the DuBow Preschool will participate in a special Moving Up Ceremony on June 3. On that day, the audience will be packed with family, friends, Jacksonville Jewish Center clergy, and teachers to watch the VPK kids perform some of their favorite songs, share their top VPK memories and receive their preschool certificates. The ceremony is a bittersweet event for our faculty; there are
always tears of joy as well as a desire to hold onto these cuties a little longer. We have worked with and watched these children grow from adorable toddlers to inquisitive preschoolers. After several years of nurturing and care, our tzeeporim (birds) have gained the skills necessary to leave our nest and move on to the “big school.” Ms. Ashley and Ms. Robin shared, “Our favorite part of the year was being able to watch the children grow, not only physically, but mentally and socially as well. This year in VPK has been
such a special and magical time.“ The children will be so proud as they walk across the JJC stage to receive their certificates and sing, “We are moving up to kindergarten!” We thank the parents for choosing our school and entrusting us with their precious children. It has been a great joy for us to work with the parents to help nurture the minds and hearts of these children. We take our role in their development and first school experiences seriously, and we look forward to seeing how they soar.
Temple Institute of Religion celebrates Jewish learning By Temple Institute of Religion
Traditionally, students and teachers celebrate when a unit of Jewish study is completed. This year we held a double celebration at Temple Institute of Religion. On Wednesday afternoon May 14, during mid-week TIR, students and teachers in the third to sixth grades held the first Celebration of Hebrew Learning. Hebrew is the one language shared by Jews all over the world. It is the sacred language of our prayers and texts, and the living language of the state of Israel. At Temple we are committed to passing a love of this language onto the next generation, l’dor vador. On Sunday morning May 18, the entire school and parents came together for the second annual Celebration of Jewish Learning. The celebration focused on Revelation, that moment in the wilderness of Sinai when we received the Decalogue. We are taught that
we were all present to witness this awesome event. During the celebration, we recognized the students who had been nominated by the TIR faculty to receive the Max Moss Award for Academic Excellence, Paul Bucholtz Award for All-Around Best Student and Excellence in Attendance awards. The Supreme Madrichim, teen teaching assistants, graduating seniors and faculty were recognized for the integral role they play in the success of TIR. The day was made complete with recognition given to members of the Temple family who had given lovingly of their time, talents and treasure to create the school’s learning environment. Special recognition, thanks and well wishes were given to Ronni Ticker, TIR director, as she is leaving to pursue her next challenge. TIR is a school blessed with a rich history, an engaging learning environment and a bright future. There is so much to celebrate.
Miss Ashley Roden, Max, Nathan, Steven, Liam, Brennan, Jayden, Noam, Adam, Mrs. Robin Vitiello, Chava, Lexi, Julianna, Nina, Chloe, Romy, Shaina
Block Gan students adopt chicks By MOLLY SWEET
Michele Block Gan Yeladim Preschool
Students and teachers at Michele Block Gan Yeladim planned to observe the incubation and hatching of chicken eggs to enhance their study of embryology. When the eggs didn’t hatch Andy Toelle, a representative from the Duval County Extension Office, bought three live chicks for the students to adopt until the chicks were old enough to live on a farm. The three chicks were from the same clutch as the original eggs and about the same age if the others had hatched. “Though our students didn’t have the opportunity to see the eggs hatch, we used this as an opportunity to talk about life, adoption and acceptance. We discussed adoption with the students and understanding how to respond when things don’t go as planned,”
says Rochelle Golomb, assistant director of Michele Block Gan Yeladim Preschool. The chicks enjoyed a stay at Michele Block Gan Yeladim for a few weeks. They were featured on their own reality show when
JCA staff members set up a live streaming video camera in their cage. The chicken cam had over 600 views in just a few days. This project demonstrated the ability to incorporate nature and technology in early childhood education.
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Jacksonville Jewish News • June 2014
PRESIDENTS Continued from p. 2
Alan Rosner, and he brought her back to his hometown. Ellen and Alan have three children: Rachel, Adam and Gabe; and have recently added son-in-law Jesse and daughter-in-law Lauren. Fortunate to be able to be a stay-at-home mom, Ellen has been a longtime community volunteer. She has served on the board of the Jacksonville Jewish Center, Jewish Federation of Jacksonville and the Jewish Community Foundation. She has been a member of the Women’s Giving Alliance for eight years, working on the committee responsible for determining what grant requests will be funded. In addition, she is a past president of NCJW. Ellen’s parents, Jerry and Florence Shapiro taught her from an early age the importance of giving back, and she is looking forward to working with the staff and board of JFCS to help meet the needs of the Jacksonville community. “I am honored and excited to be assuming the presidency of JFCS. This amazing organization has been serving the needs of our community for 98 years and our future is bright,” says Rosner. “I am fortunate to be working with a superlative leadership team, professional staff, and an outstanding board of committed men and women. Together we all work to fulfill JFCS’s mission of helping people help themselves.”
River Garden
Marsha Pollock becomes president of the River Garden Home board, where she has served since 1990, most recently as vice-chair
EDUCATION/COMMUNITY of the Admissions Committee. Marsha Pollock has served her community in almost every capacity. She is a second generation native of Jacksonville and comes from a pioneer family that spans four generations. After attending college at the University of Georgia, she returned from Atlanta with her husband and three children and became involved in the community at the urging of the late Judge Louis Safer. Marsha was the first woman to become president of a synagogue in this community, the only woman president to date at the Jacksonville Jewish Center and has served as president of the Jewish Federation of Jacksonville’s Women’s Division, River Garden Foundation, Jewish National Fund, Center Sisterhood, ORT, Hadassah and PTA. She is life member of Hadassah, NCJW and River Garden Auxiliary. In addition she has chaired numerous community events including the River Garden Gala, their 50th Anniversary Day, the NCJW Women in Power event and the JNF Tree of Life Dinner. Marsha served as chair of the Centennial Celebration Year of the Center. She served on the Federation’s Communication, Allocations and Community Relations committees. Her civic activities include Jacksonville Interfaith Council, National Conference of Community and Justice, the Local School Advisory Council, Girl Scouts, and March of Dimes and Leukemia street campaigns. Regionally she has served as state president of Women’s League for Conservative Judaism and vice president and conference co-chair of Southeast Region of United Synagogue, and on the board of the Jewish Museum of Florida and Jewish National Fund. Nationally
Frank the frog returns
Marsha traveled the country as a consultant and trainer for Women’s League. She also served on National Women’s American ORT Board and the advisory committee of United Synagogue. Marsha worked as a preschool teacher at the Solomon Schechter School and the Jewish Community Alliance. She also worked in the family business LEIBOS BIG and TALL MENS WEAR and LEIBOS Department Stores. Her honors include the Center Sisterhood Woman of Achievement, the ORT Mother to Another honoree, the Federation 1989 Joe P. Safer Community Service Award, Jacksonville Jewish Center Woman of Valor and the 2010 Woman’s Division group of Extraordinary Woman. Marsha credits her commitment to tzedakah and community to the example set by her late parents Morris and Ellen Leibo. She is married to Atlantan Ronnie Pollock and has three children, Joy Nebel (Bob), Stacy Pollock Fialkow, and Lee Pollock (Kristen). Marsha and Ronnie have five grandchildren. Marsha says, “River Garden is one of the rich components of this community, and I look forward to helping make sure families can continue to receive the same gold seal service we are known for.”
Federation
Hal Resnick continues as president of the Jewish Federation of Jacksonville. Hal and his wife Barbara moved to our community from Boston in September 2000, and located in Ponte Vedra Beach. During his 35 years in leadership and organizational development, Hal earned international recognition as a leading authority and innovator in organizational transformation, working with clients in North and South America, Europe and the Middle East. He intended to retire when he moved here but his love for his work has kept him engaged in his profession. He maintains an active private consulting practice, now primarily serving clients in Jacksonville. As an entrepreneur, Hal founded Work Systems Associates in 1980. This management consulting firm developed a number of systems to set strategic direction, develop leadership talent, build executive teams, establish quality improvement systems, and achieve transformational change. In 1996, Hal founded Generation21 Learning Systems, a soft-
ware company that developed one of the seminal web-based training and knowledge management systems. He served as its CEO through its acquisition in 1999 by Renaissance Learning. Prior to his career as an entrepreneur, Hal was a university professor at Boston University, Temple University and Wayne State University. He was also the director of organizational development for the Raytheon Data Systems Company, responsible for more than 5,000 individuals in 147 locations around the world. He earned his baccalaureate degree from the City College of New York and his masters and doctoral degrees from Wayne State University in Detroit. Hal and Barbara became involved in the Jewish community shortly after their arrival. They immediately joined Beth El at the beaches and the Temple. Hal served on the Temple board for a number of years, including a term as the vice president for programs and services. Hal and Barbara then became involved in Federation. Hal has served on the board for eight years, and Barbara has worked on a number of committees and events, while becoming a Lion of Judah. Hal has served as the major gifts chair, the campaign chair, and now assumes the presidency. Hal and Barbara have also been involved in Jewish Family & Community Services. Hal serves on the JFCS board, has guided the organization through two iterations of strategic planning and contributes his leadership development programs as a service to the agency. Barbara works as a Guardian Ad Litem for a number of the foster care children serviced by JFCS. Hal is also active in Jewish Community Foundation of Northeast Florida. He serves on the Foundation board, and both he and Barbara have actively participated in our Create a Jewish Legacy campaign. When asked why they are so active in our Jewish community, their response was simple and straightforward. “There are several thousands of years and many generations of our heritage that have brought us to where we are today. It is our collective responsibility as members of the global Jewish community to preserve our heritage, help those in need both locally and globally, and pass on what we have learned to future generations.” In that spirit Hal intends to bring focus during his term as
Eye Exams Now Available Our Doobonim friends enjoy playing with our Mitzvah Pal.
By SHEREEN CANADY DuBow Preschool
Frank the Frog is one of the Mitzvah Pals (stuffed animals) traveling to Solomon Schecter preschools across the United States. Through their journey, the Mitzvah Pals connect young children to the larger Jewish world, of which they are a part, demonstrating that kids just like them all over the country celebrate Shabbat, and other Jewish holidays and traditions. We were thrilled that Frank arrived at DuBow Preschool just in time to learn about Pesach with us and participate in all our model Seders. The children excitedly
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opened up his box; looked at the U.S. map, on which the children from the previous schools have been charting his journey; and added the Jacksonville Jewish Center’s DuBow Preschool. The teachers read Frank’s journal and added details and photos about his time with us. The classes learned about the lifecycle of a frog and about the 10 plagues. His visit with our school ended with a special “frog naming” in the chapel, led by Rabbi Jonathan Lubliner. Frank was given his Hebrew name, Fievel ben Moshe v’Sara. We added some mementos of his time with us and sent him off to his next preschool with a hearty “l’hitraot Frank!”
Federation president to honor and support those who contribute to our community today, to energize and engage the next generation, and to strengthen our relationships with our partner communities in Israel, as well as throughout the Diaspora.
Foundation
The Jewish Community Foundation announces that Mark Green will serve as president for an additional year. As a founding member of the board, Mark understands the significance of the work Foundation does. Through the Create a Jewish Legacy initiative, the Foundation is raising awareness of the need for leaving bequests and estate gifts to the Jewish Community Foundation for the benefit of the Jewish community. We are raising and growing endowment funds needed to ensure the financial strength of our Jewish agencies and synagogues. Mark has served as an active board member since Foundation’s inception in 1995. His service has included chairing the Grant Review/Allocations Committee and serving on the Development, Bylaws, Professional Advisory, Real Estate, Nominating, B’nai Tzedek Youth Philanthropy, and Create a Jewish Legacy Steering committees. For several years, he served as the designated partner representative for The Temple. Born in Albany, N.Y., Mark relocated to Jacksonville and attended public schools, received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and his J.D. from Stetson University College of Law. A local attorney specializing in marital, family and criminal law at Dale, Bald, Showalter, Mercier & Green, P.A., Mark volunteers for the Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, was listed in “Who’s Who in American Law” in 2007 and named a Florida Super Lawyer in 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2012. Active on local community boards, Mark was past president of The Bridge of Northeast Florida and the Jewish Community Alliance. During his 16 years on the board of the Jewish Federation of Jacksonville, Mark was recipient of the 2007 Joe P. Safer Community Service Award. He has returned to the Federation board as a member of the Executive Committee. Mark and his wife Nancy believe in Tikkun Olam and giving back. As the couple put it, “We want to leave the world a better place than we found it.”
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Jacksonville Jewish News • June 2014
FEED THE HUNGRY.
GIVE HOPE TO THOUSANDS.
SECURE THE FUTURE.
BEFORE YOU FINISH BREAKFAST.
It only takes a few minutes to change lives in our community and around the world. Food banks for the needy, care for seniors, Israel experiences for the young — these are just some of the solutions Federation supports with heart, innovation and decades of knowing what works. Seize the moment: Donate. Volunteer. Get involved. Your link to getting started: JewishJacksonville.org
THE STRENGTH OF A PEOPLE. THE POWER OF COMMUNITY.
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Jacksonville Jewish News • June 2014
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SYNAGOGUE NEWS
Jacksonville native named Jacksonville Jewish Center legislative assistant at URJ’s receives social justice award Religious Action Center By Jacksonville Jewish Center
The Jacksonville Jewish Center received the 2014 New Member Justice Award from ICARE, the Interfaith Coalition for Action, Reconciliation and Empowerment, at ICARE’s recent annual celebration. The Jacksonville Jewish Center joined ICARE in 2013 and is the first synagogue or Jewish institution to do so. The Center joined dozens of other congregations on Florida’s First Coast in an effort to come together as people of faith to make Jacksonville a more just city. The yearlong mission-focused process included congregational
By Congregation Ahavath Chesed
Jonathan Edelman has been awarded one of six legislative assistant fellowships from the Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism in Washington, D.C. When the Rabbi Maurice Eisendrath Legislative Assistant Fellowship begins in August, Jonathan and his fellow assistants will begin advocating for Jewish values and social justice on behalf of the Reform Movement. They will participate in a range of social action activities including monitoring legislation, developing synagogue social action programming, coordinating special events, creating educational materials, planning and running weekend conferences for teens, and mobilizing the grassroots of American Jewry. “I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to work for the Religious Action Center next year,” noted Edelman. “In high school, the RAC showed me why it’s important for Jews not just to give charity, but to advocate for policies that live up to the Jewish values of tikkun olam and tzedek in Washington, Tallahassee, and Jacksonville.” He continued, “I’ve always been passionate about social justice. We have a great team coming in this year and I’m excited for what we’ll be able to accomplish.” The son of Matthew and Susan Edelman, Jonathan attended TIR at Congregation Ahavath Chesed and was religious action vice president of the NFTY-SAR Region while active in JAFTY and NFTY. He is a 2010 graduate of the IB program at Stanton Preparatory and a 2014 Phi Beta
listening tours, a Community Problems Assembly, and research and attendance at the annual Nehemiah Assembly in which congregational leaders focus on specific social justice issues within the city and ask city leaders to work to end such injustice. This year, at April’s annual Nehemiah Assembly, over 3,000 people of faith, including Jacksonville Jewish Center members, worked with city officials who are committed to lowering the unemployment rate in this city, increasing the restorative justice and civil citation programs among minors, decreasing the education gap among students in Duval County public schools,
and raising mental health awareness within the city. Since the Jacksonville Jewish Center launched its Rodef Tzedek (Hebrew for pursuer of justice) social justice community last year, there has been an increase in involvement and commitment among Center members. The Center was awarded for its increased involvement in ICARE programs over the last year. If you are interested in getting involved in the Rodef Tzedek community and social justice initiatives at the Jacksonville Jewish Center, you can contact Rabbi Olitzky at jolitzky@ jaxjewishcenter.org or 2684200 ext. 134.
social action, Judaism, Israel and more. The board-elect will also be instrumental in planning next year’s Winter Kallah, when the Temple will host hundreds of NFTY teens from the Southern Area Region for a weekend of prayer, learning, bonding and fun. We would also like to congratulate Hayley Giambalvo and Rachel Reindl on their elections to NFTY-SAR Regional Board. Hayley will serve as president and Rachel as communications vice president. This will be Hayley’s second year on
the regional board, as she is currently SAR’s social action vice president. This summer, she will be the co-director of Camp Jenny, a four-day summer camp experience at URJ Camp Coleman for underprivileged Atlanta youth. Rachel is JAFTY’s current programming vice president and has planned events such as JAFTY Iron Chef, a San Marco scavenger hunt and a campout. Both the Temple and our region benefit from the passion and leadership of these exceptional young people.
JAFTY announces Executive Board for 2014-2015/5774-5775
Jonathan Edelman outside RAC headquarters in Washington, D.C. Kappa graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 2012 he participated in the Machon Kaplan Summer Social Action Intern program at the RAC. For 50 years, the RAC of Reform Judaism has been the hub of Jewish social justice and legislative activity in Washington, D.C. Led by Newsweek’s second-most influential rabbi in America, Rabbi David Saperstein, the RAC educates and mobilizes the reform community on legislative and social concerns, including economic justice, civil rights, religious liberty, Israel and more.
By Congregation Ahavath Chesed
The 2014-2015 JAFTY Executive Board includes: Amanda Segel, president; Rebecca Duncan, programming vice president; Lindsay Kaufman, social action vice president; Abby Morris, religious and cultural vice president; Rachel Herriff, communications vice president; Lexi Morris, membership vice president; and Emily Weisblatt, financial vice president. These young leaders will guide their Temple Youth Group in engaging and educational programming related to
FOUNDATION YEAR IN REVIEW Faces of Create a Jewish Legacy
Above are some of faces of those who have committed to a financial legacy to the Jacksonville Jewish community. From left, Hal and Barbara Resnick, the late Dr. Albert Wilkinson, and Sandy Zimmerman and his family.
Community celebrates Jacksonville’s endowment program By Jewish Community Foundation
Our Jewish community’s endowment program, the Jewish Community Foundation of Northeast Florida, continues to be unique. We are a partner of the Jewish Federation of Jacksonville, and major local Jewish agencies and synagogues in the community. We will celebrate this partnership at our multi-agency annual meeting set for Tuesday, June 17, 7 p.m., at River Garden with the entire community invited. This has been a year of success and change for Foundation. Paulette Keifer, following many years of devoted service as
executive director, has moved on to pursue other interests. We appreciate all that Paulette accomplished, particularly with Create a Jewish Legacy. With the guidance of the Jewish Federations of North America, we are engaged in a search process for a new executive director and hope to have a new professional leader in place by the fall. I am pleased to cochair this important process with our Federation President Hal Resnick. Members of the search committee include Larry Appel, Jeff Edwards, Len Elikan, Mel Gottlieb, Iris Kraemer, Andrea Mail, Sue Nussbaum, Ellen Rosner and Richard Sisisky with
Federation Executive Director Alan Margolies providing local staff support. I personally want to thank Alan for his assistance during this time of transition. On behalf of our board of directors, I want to express our grateful appreciation to Mel Gottlieb for his invaluable support housing us in the Gottlieb building and for providing Foundation with administrative staff services critical to our work. During the past 12 months, we have experienced continued growth. The fifth year of Create a Jewish Legacy saw us add five new families to our now slightly more than 300 Declarations of Intent, representing members of
the community expressing their plans to create permanent endowments or bequests. Three new endowment funds were completed this year, with an additional eight drafts in progress. We manage $14 million for our partner agencies and synagogues. In addition, we have $8 million in closed life insurance policies and $16 million from a variety of bequests. We also have nearly $1.5 million from various established trust funds. This means that we have approximately $25 million in closed permanent endowment funds that will one day provide significant revenue to the partner agencies in
our Jewish community. Donor advised funds are an important component of a foundation’s portfolio. This year we distributed over $900,000 from these funds to mostly Jewish agencies and synagogues. We are looking forward to a successful search process and the hiring of a dynamic new executive director. Working more closely with Federation and all of our partners, we believe will see significant improvement in the years ahead. I want to thank the members of our board for their dedication and service. — Mark Green, president
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Jacksonville Jewish News • June 2014
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FEDERATION YEAR IN REVIEW
Federation engages new members through creative programming By Jewish Federation of Jacksonville
As we prepare this year-inreview article for the Jacksonville Jewish News, we are approaching completion of the 2014 campaign, engaging in our allocations process, working in partnership with the Jewish Foundation on their search process for a new executive director and preparing our operating budget for the coming fiscal year. It does not feel as if we are completing our work. Everything continues to move forward, and things are quite exciting.
We began this year with a number of goals including raising more money than the prior year, engaging with new members of the community, enhancing relationships with those with whom we already are engaged, and continuing to have a strong overseas missions program. So how have we done? It is likely that our campaign will be level with last year. While we have made positive strides in some areas, we have also experienced significant losses with some major gifts. With the outstanding work ac-
Kids at Community University examine a map of Israel.
complished by our Women’s Division and rGEN (formerly Young Leadership Division), we have welcomed many new members of the community to participate in Federation activities. The creative programming in these divisions has seen literally hundreds of people engaged with us. This summer we will participate in the first-ever national Worker Training Mission based on our Jacksonville model, with Scot Ackerman serving as one of the co chairs. And next April we will have our first women’s mission to Israel in many years, chaired by Women’s Division President Risa Herman with nearly 40 women participating. Once again this year we had a most positive audit experience and our financial house is in good order. As Hal begins his second year as president, we are pleased to welcome Daniel Miller to our executive committee and as rGEN chair; and new members of the board Kim Glasgal, Michael Lewis and Todd Werwa. It is a privilege to have worked in partnership this year with the professional and volunteer leadership of Jewish Community Alliance (Myron Flagler and Jan Lipsky), Jewish Family & Community Services (Colleen Rodriguez and Francine Kempner), River Garden (Martin Goetz and Mark Lodinger), and Jewish Community Foundation
American and Israeli teens share a trip to Universal Studios via Federation’s Israel Partnership program. of Northeast Florida (Paulette Keifer and Mark Green). As noted earlier, Foundation is working with our national organization in a search process for a new executive director. Hal is co chairing the process with Mark Green, and Federation Executive Director Alan Margolies is providing local staff support. We view this as an important opportunity for Foundation, with the potential for much success for the future of our Jewish community. We know that we have one of the best Federation staff components in the country. The work accomplished by Erin Cohen, Jeanine Hoff, Pat Burke, Diane
Rodgers, Donna O’Steen, Kris Light, Emma Pulley and our parttimers Isabel Balotin and Jill Abel has been outstanding this year. It continues to be an honor to serve the members of our Jewish community. Please join us at our annual meeting on Tuesday, June 17, 7 p.m., at River Garden. Along with JFCS, JCA, River Garden and the Jewish Community Foundation; we will enjoy a cocktail party and dedicate the evening to Create a Jewish Legacy. — Hal Resnick, president — Alan Margolies, executive director
Above: Shalom Jacksonville hosts Passover in the Matzo Aisles.
Mark and Iris Kraemer take a private tour of the exhibit ‘One Family,’ photographs by Vardi Kahana, at Federation’s Major Gifts event at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens.
At right: Allison Jacobs and Erica Jolles pose with Jen Plotkin at the Women Division’s Champagne Brunch.
Federation honors Michael DuBow, Nancy Davis, Daniel Miller By Jewish Federation of Jacksonville
The recipient of the Joe P. Safer Community Services Award is Michael DuBow. DuBow was nominated by the Jacksonville Jewish Center where he is the immediate past president. His support of many other Jewish organizations in the community was a determining factor is his selection. The recipients of the Ilene Sari Selevan Young Leadership Award are Nancy Davis and Daniel Miller. Both Davis and Miller have played integral roles this past year helping to re-launch and re-brand YLD (Young Leadership Division) as rGEN (Our Generation). Davis has served as the co-
chair of rGEN for the past three years. She also is a member of the Federation Board of Directors and Allocations Committee, and is actively involved in the PTA at the Martin J. Gottlieb Day School and other various committees throughout the Jewish community. She is married to Rich and has two children in MJGDS. Miller is the incoming rGEN chair and has served on the rGEN Steering Committee for the past four years. He is also a member of the Federation Board of Directors and a member of the Allocations Committee. He will also serve on the Federation’s Executive Board and is a past board member of the Jewish Community Alliance. Daniel
Michael DuBow
Nancy Davis
Daniel Miller
is recently married to his wife Lior. The award, named after the late Ilene Sari Selevan, is given to individuals between their 20s
and 40s who have shown an exemplary level of service to their community and the Jewish Federation of Jacksonville. Past recipients have gone onto serv-
ing on the Federation in a number of roles including campaign chair and president, and other board positions throughout the community.
Jacksonville Jewish News • June 2014
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JEWISH COMMUNITY ALLIANCE YEAR IN REVIEW
What an exciting year it’s been at the JCA
By Jewish Community Alliance
JCA • Purim Masquerade • Discover Israel • JCCA Benchmarking • JCCA Biennial Excellence Awards • Summer Camp • Habonim • Sabra • Theatre • KinderCamp • Camp Gan Yeladim • J Institute • G• d Squad • Lean IN • Barack & Bibi • Israeli’s Hi• Tech Revolution • Using Traditional Chinese Medicine to Ease Pain • Beating Diabetes • Making Your Own Chanukah Candles • I Wanna Fly Jets, Sir! • The Power of Listening • Social Media • Oh, My Aching Back • Beat the Belly with Belly Dancing • Opening Day at the J • Live from New York • Israeli Society & the Family Divide • Dealing with Difficult People in the Office • Fused Glass • The Power of Mediation • Cultural
Arts • 17th Annual Jewish Book Festival • Art Classes • Watercolors • Pastels • Pottery • Oil Painting • Vandroff Art Gallery • JCA Book Club • JCA Film Series • Composing a Heart Concert • Young Concert Artists Series • Mature Adults • Music in the Afternoon • Rabbis in the Kitchen • Cindy Edelman Presents: Art a Gogh Gogh • Walking Club • Circle Dancing • Cooking Class in the Sukkah • Sit & Get Fit • Culture Mavens • AARP Driving Course • Symphony 101 • Mature Adult Forum • The Broadway Musical • Easy Desserts • Sunday Morning Movies • Purim Cookies • Red at ABET • Chocolate Seder • Theatre of Youth • Baby Bear and Bonny Bunny Ballet • Beauty and the Beast • Zoe’s Club House • Zoe’s Creative Combo • Zoe’s Express
Yourself • Zoe’s Epic Expeditions • JCA Playhouse • Fit for Broadway • A Night of Comedy with Mad Cowford • Annie • The Aristocats • Youth Services • Sukkot Family Celebration and First Annual Family Fun Run • Annual Chanukah Party • Babysitters Training Course • Kaplan SAT Prep Class • Break Away Days • Jacksonville Teen Volunteers • After School Program • Power Hour Plus • Chess Club • U is for Ukulele • Lego Lab • Creative Collages • Edible Art • Michele Block Gan Yeladim • 40th Birthday • Early Childhood Symposium; “Play, Where Learning Begins” • Trout Fishing in America• NAEYC Accreditation • Renovation • Spanish • A Taste of K at the J • Sensational Sensory Sukkah • Cooking Around the World • Block Building Bonanza • J Café
presents Concerts in the Courtyard Music Around the World • Tu B’Shevat Celebration Seder • Magnificent Musicians • Move with Me • Making Matzah • J Play Clay Day • Fitness and Wellness • TRX • Barre Pilates • Pilates Reformer Training • Fitness Tiyul through Israel • Group Fitness • Nutrition Counseling • Personal Training • Get Your “Sexy” Back • Women’s Health Issues • Foam Rollers • Train Like a Pro • YOGA • Advanced Arm Balance Workout • Tai Chi • Effective Stretching Methods • Renovation • Sports & Recreation • Practical Martial Arts for Adults • Open Pick• Up Basketball • Open Pick• Up Volleyball • Fencing for Adults • Cuong Nhu Martial Arts • Little Hitters • Little Dribblers • Flag Football Frenzy • Little Kickers • Terrific Tumblers
• Junior Gymnastics • Youth Soccer League • Youth Basketball League • Men’s Basketball Leagues • Softball Team • Basketball 101 • Volleyball Clinic • Athletes• in• Training • Fencing for Youth • Youth Flag Football League • Soccer 101 • Youth Makos Run Club • Women’s Self Defense • Aquatics • American Red Cross Learn• to• Swim Programs • Private Swim Lessons • Red Cross CPR Certification • Red Cross Lifeguard Training • Year• Round Swim Team • Makos Swim Team • JV Makos Swim Team • JCA Swim School • Tennis • Varsity Tennis Clinic • Cardio Tennis • Private Tennis Lessons • Quick Start Tennis Program • Tennis 101 • Men’s Clinic • Ladies’ A Team • Ladies’ B • Team Ladies’ C Team • Tournament Training • www. jcajax.org — And so much more!
Jewish Community Alliance honors leaders Shelton and Steiner By Jewish Community Alliance
The JCA Board of Directors will be honoring Allison Korman Shelton and Talia Steiner with special awards at the JCA June meeting.
Howard Korman President’s Award
Allison Korman Shelton will receive the Howard Korman Presidents’ Award. The award is named for her father, Howard Korman, past president of the JCA, whose leadership, vision and courage allowed the agency to navigate trying and difficult challenges. This award recognizes board members who have emulated these significant qualities of leadership, vision and
courage during the past program year. Allison Korman Shelton is being honored for her work as co-chair of the JCA’s annual fundraising campaign and Purim Masquerade special event. Ali serves as vice president of the JCA Board of Directors and chair of the JCA Demography Study Committee. Ali also received the prestigious Esther Leah Ritz Next Generation JCC Leadership Award from the Jewish Community Centers Association of North America at their Biennial Convention in March. “Ali’s leadership, outstanding success in fundraising and passion for the JCA make her the ideal candidate for this honor,” said Jan Lipsky, JCA Board president. “I know that Ali will
Allison Korman Shelton
Talia Steiner
continue to do exceptional work for the JCA, truly embodying her father’s JCA legacy.”
Special Service Award, which is given to an outstanding individual who demonstrates outstanding service to the JCA. Talia is being honored for her work as design consultant during
Special Service Award Talia Steiner will receive the
the recent renovation of the JCA Fitness Center. “Talia’s background in architecture and design has contributed so much to the project. She generously donated her time and expertise and helped to ensure that we completed the renovation on budget and, more importantly, on schedule! We are lucky to have Talia as such a devoted part of the JCA community,” said Nancy Green, assistant executive director of the JCA. Talia and her son Eitan became JCA members shortly after they arrived in Jacksonville in 2004. According to Talia, “The JCA is my house and family because of the support I’ve received here. I give back to the JCA by volunteering.”
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RIVER GARDEN SENIOR SERVICES YEAR IN REVIEW
Jacksonville Jewish News • June 2014
Jacksonville Jewish News • June 2014
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JEWISH FAMILY & COMMUNITY SERVICES YEAR IN REVIEW
JFCS expresses its gratitude to the community By Jewish Family & Community Services
As the year comes to a close and I reflect on all that has happened at JFCS this year the word that comes to mind – gratitude. I’m grateful for all of you in the community who share our vision through financial contributions and volunteering. You help us fulfill our mission. I’m grateful for a phenomenal Board of Directors who is engaged, supportive and mission-focused. I’m grateful for staff members who give of themselves every day to make a difference in our community. I’m grateful for the people we serve who show such courage by asking for help and wanting to make positive changes in their lives. Due to the variety of programs at JFCS and our ability to wrap services around each individual and family that comes through our doors, we are able to make lasting change – and we see such success stories every day. I am truly grateful. Thank you to all of our partners. We look forward to working with you in the coming year. - Colleen Rodriguez, Executive Director
You Can Count on Us
One of the major highlights of the year for JFCS was our annual fundraiser You Can Count on Us. Close to 400 people attended the event emceed by Donna Orender. The agency brought awareness to its services and how JFCS positively impacts the community by helping people help themselves. The event had 100 percent board participation, and was chaired by Caren Appel and Ellen Rosner, who worked tirelessly to ensure the best event possible. The crown jewel of the evening was having the support of Honorary Chairs J. Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver, and Laurie and Linda Dubow. We have already started working on the 2015
event, which will build on the success of this year’s event.
Child Welfare program
Child Welfare counselors provide voluntary in-home services and court ordered out-of-home services to children and families in cases of abuse and neglect. When it is safe for children to remain in home and the parents accept services, case managers work to provide protective services and supervision to these children. When children are removed due to the severity of abuse or neglect and are not safe at home, counselors work with the family to develop a plan to ensure safety and to support the parents in developing appropriate parenting skills. This year we expanded our scope of case management services for child abuse and neglect cases. JFCS now provides in-home voluntary protective services for children in Nassau and Duval counties. We built a connection between JFCS and the city of Jacksonville, in partnership with the court and Hubbard House, to create a Safe Havens visitation and exchange program for children in cases of domestic violence. The goal is to offer a safe location for children to visit their parents or a place to safely exchange custody. In our Prevention/STEPS (Strengthening Ties and Empowering Parents) program, we provided resources and worked with more than 785 families last year, which included over 2,500 children. The goal of this program is to prevent children from being removed from their home due to abuse or neglect.
Jewish Services
True to its name, JFCS provides support and services for a wide range of Jewish members in Northeast Florida. This year Jewish Services provided expanded
services to Jewish community members: children with special needs, Holocaust survivors and their families, Jewish chaplain hospital visits, Meals4You partnership with River Garden, Compass to Care senior services, and community presentations and programs. Clients served exceeded last year’s numbers by 18 percent. A special education teacher joined the department to establish services supporting children with special needs, interacting with over 250 parents, children and educators. Through this, we created a Parents’ Advisory Committee to identify needs in the community and determine solutions to ensure children with special needs fully participate in the richness of Jewish educational, cultural and social life. In addition, a number of support services, training and tutoring happened to educate families and teachers on the best practices for teaching children with special needs. Jewish Services’ events/ programs reached 16 percent more community members in 2014 compared to 2013. Numerous Passover Seders were held throughout the community bringing youth, families and older residents together for the holidays, and Jewish Healing Network made 425 visits to Jewish patients. Our local Holocaust survivors also felt support from JFCS Jewish Services. A new support group called Gen2 was created for children of Holocaust survivors, and quarterly social gatherings bring survivors and their families together.
Achievers for Life
Achievers for Life is a United Way program. JFCS partners with Communities in Schools and Big Brothers Big Sisters to offer complimentary services. The program, designed to address the low highschool graduation rates, keeps kids on track through a holistic model that gives students the tools they need for success. JFCS’s piece of that puzzle is family advocacy. Our case workers meet with the students’ families to ensure their home life is steady so the students can shine in their school life. Achievers for Life is in 10 area middle schools.
Financial, emergency food assistance A scene from the You Can Count on Us fundraiser
Many of the families whom we serve still suffer from the recent economic downturn. JFCS lever-
A scene from the You Can Count on Us fundraiser ages several different funds to help families pay the most basic, yet essential, needs: putting food on their table and helping them avoid eviction and homelessness. About 92 percent of our families are able to maintain their housing six months after our assistance. JFCS is on track to serve over 77,300 meals to 8,589 individuals and we provided financial assistance to more than 1,670 household members. To improve the way in which we help the community, JFCS hired an intake specialist for our new centralized intake program. As a recipient of the 2014 Bank of America Neighborhood Builders Award ($200,000), we are developing a centralized intake process so that clients receive a comprehensive initial evaluation of their needs and are linked with appropriate wraparound resources, with JFCS and the greater community. This year partnered with new organizations. We received funding for the food pantry from two new corporations: $10,000 from Bank of America and $2,000 from TD Charitable Foundation. This has allowed us to meet the 15 percent increase in demand for food pantry services. We partnered with MAZON, a Jewish Response to Hunger, to implement the Solutions to Senior Hunger program in Northeast Florida. With generous funding from the Walmart Foundation, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, in partnership with AJFCA, has developed this strategic initiative aimed at improving the quality-of-life among low-income seniors by increasing their access to food.
Adoption
JFCS has two paths to adoption. Dependency adoptions occur when children are removed due to
abuse or neglect, and parents do not comply with their court order case plan, and a judge terminates their parental rights. If the child does not have an adoptive placement, we work with FSS to find them a forever family. First Coast Adoption Professionals, JFCS’ private adoption path, helps birth mothers who will not be able to parent the child. JFCS helps the birth mother find the perfect family. They choose who they want to adopt their baby, and assist with counseling, home studies, and placement visits. JFCS was the first Jewish agency to receive a child placing license (1951) in the country and has been doing adoptions for over 60 years. We have child placing licenses in Florida, Connecticut and New York
Counseling
Dupont Counseling Group provides individual, couples, family and group counseling. Our team of highly trained staff is available to help serve the entire community – Jewish and non-Jewish. We offer in-home services and in-office counseling in a supportive and confidential environment. Our goal is to help people through everyday life transitions, whether it’s issues with grief and loss, marital struggles, parenting or coping with mental health needs. We also offer a variety of groups and are available for community education workshops. JFCS received funding from the Fanny Landwirth Foundation and Baptist Health for Building Bridges and Bridging the Gap, our independent living life skills programs for teens 13 to 17 years old. We also partnered with Congregation Ahavath Chesed in programming related to bully prevention and awareness.
JFCS honors volunteers Ameer, McNett and Katz for their efforts By Jewish Family & Community Services
Every year JFCS honors individuals or groups that volunteer their efforts in promoting the services that JFCS provides to the community. This year JFCS is recognizing three individuals who have donated their time and talent through the lens of a camera and filmed the services that we provide to the community in real time. George Ameer began his 13th year at the PGA TOUR in 2014. As senior broadcast manager, Ameer is responsible for all production-related issues pertaining to international broadcasters. In addition he is responsible for the creation, distribution and tracking of PGA TOUR commercials to
George Ameer
Donna McNett
Mike Katz
assist clients in promoting TOUR events and initiatives Donna Stein McNett is a native of Jacksonville and graduated
from The University of Florida - School of Architecture with a Bachelor of Design in interior design. She is an award-winning
interior designer with a 43-year career doing commercial and residential interior design and renovation.
Over the last few years she has extended her design talents to jewelry, photography and filmmaking. She enjoys using her design expertise and talents to help others. Mike Katz and his family moved to Jacksonville six years ago from Chicago. Mike grew up in Michigan, earned a degree in operations and industrial management from Michigan State University, and worked in manufacturing and then ERP software in the Detroit area. Since moving to Jacksonville, Mike has invested in a couple of local businesses. In addition to his work as a JFCS board member, Mike has volunteered to teach computer skills and internet safety to veterans and their families.
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Jacksonville Jewish News • June 2014
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LIFECYCLES/COMMUNITY Birth
Tiffany Gartner-Hassan and her husband Medhi announce the birth of their son Kaden Jay Hassan on April 10, 2014. Tiffany is a graduate of Florida State University and is the daughter of the late Harvey Gartner and mother Elizabeth Gartner of Jacksonville. Tiffany and her family reside in Pompano Beach. Dr. Randall and Shoshana Haas, grandparents, and Ari and Nirit Haas, parents, take great pride in announcing the birth of Adam Moshe Haas on March 3, 2014. The birth took place in North Hollywood, Calif., where Adam’s dad is involved in the acquisition and sales of new movies for overseas distribution.
B’nai Mitzvah
Brielle Maloney, daughter of Samara and Kenneth Maloney, will be called to the Torah on the occasion of her Bat Mitzvah on June 21, 2014, at Beth El The Beaches Synagogue. Sharing the simcha will be the Goldman and Maloney families of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Brielle will be entering eighth grade at Liberty Pines Academy in St. Augustine and is a premier soccer player. She also enjoys spending time with friends and family. Brielle chose to support Wolfson Children’s hospital in Jacksonville for her mitzvah project and will be collecting musical toys and teething rings for children ages 3 and under. Brielle also supports the Children of the Holocaust Program through the Jewish Community Foundation of Northeast Florida by honoring a child (Simone Wolmarck of Paris) who did not have the opportunity to make a Bat Mitzvah. Brooke Kayla Zimmerman, daughter of Lynn Geric and Sandy Zimmerman, was called to the Torah on the occasion of her Bat Mitzvah,
May 24, 2014, at the Jacksonville Jewish Center. Sharing in the simcha were Brooke’s sisters Leah Zimmerman and Sophia Geric; her stepdad Jonathan Geric; grandparents Barbara and Larry Jaffe, and Lanny Zimmerman; and great grandparent Sidney Gefen; as well as many other friends and family. Brooke is in seventh grade at Bolles, where she is an honor student, and was a member of the middle school cheerleading squad. She also cheers for Infinity All-Stars.
Appreciation
To my loving family and dearest friend, thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your prayers and good wishes. I’m blessed to have you in my life. – Steven Warfield
Sympathy
... to the family of Lisa Bell who died April 20, 2014. She is survived by parents Norma and Richard Bell, brother Brian (Robyn) Bell, niece Madyson, nephew Levi, aunts, uncles and cousins. Contributions may be made to the Jacksonville Jewish Center and River Garden. ... to the family of Frieda Bernstein. She is survived by her son Shmuel Leonard-Sapphire’ Bernstein and family. ... to the family of Sidney Dickstein, father of Nancy (Murray) Stern, Ellen (Bill) Kominers of Bethesda, Md., Matthew (Simone) Dickstein of Fort Collins, Colo.; and grandfather of Robbie and Logan Stern. Sidney died May 17, 2014. Contributions may be made to Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa., or the charity of your choice. ... to the family of Yvette Sylvia Edelman, sister of Dr. Stephen (Dr. Serena) Bloomfield and Harriet Shangold. Yvette died May 11, 2014. She is also survived by her husband Bernie Edelman; children Donna, Mitchell, Nadine; and five grandchildren. ... to the family of Robert Louis Jacobs who died April 29, 2014. He is survived by sons Ron (Eleanor Townsley), Howard (Stephanie), and Bruce (Kristi); and grandchildren Sophia and Vivian Jacobs-Townsley, Polly and Ned Jacobs, and Taylor and Ryan Jacobs. Contributions may be made to River Garden. ... to the family of Edmund
Jacksonville
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Piccioli who died April 26, 2014. He was survived by wife Lynne Kahn Piccioli; daughter Lisa (Scot) Chisholm; son Marc (Wendy Schoenfeld) Kahn; and granddaughters Jilliyn, Sarah, and Sophie. Contributions may be made to the Jacksonville Jewish Center, attn: Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund. ... to the family of Scott Saraga who died April 18, 2014. He is survived by parents Frieda and Leonard; siblings Sharon (Louanne) Saraga Walters, Paula Saraga, Rubin (Vickie Underhill) Saraga, and Marie (Mary Mansour) Saraga; aunt and uncle Shirley and Ralph Hochman; niece and nephews Ashley, Zachary, and Jake; and dear friend Marilyn Logan. Contributions may be made to the Scott Saraga PFLAG of Jacksonville Scholarship Fund. ... to the family of Charlotte Setzer, mother of Alan (Paula) Setzer and Dr. Barry (Ellen) Setzer, grandmother of nine and great-grandmother of 11. Charlotte died May 20, 2014. Contributions may be made to River Garden and/or Temple. ... to the family of Louis Telzer, of the late Dana Telzer, son of the late Renie Telzer, uncle of Myles Telzer and brother-in-law of Lysa Telzer. Louis died May 18, 2014. Contributions may be made to the Temple or The Justice Coalition. ... to the family of Bernyce Tobias, wife of Juan, who died May 16, 2014. Other family members include: brother Frank Tobias and sister Eleanor Rodriguez; son Johnny Tobias (Martha); step-daughters Stefanie Bibbins (Rafi) and Ilene Lansaw (Eric); granddaughter Katelyn; and step-grandchildren Ziva, Edon, Aziel, and Jacob. Contributions may be made to K-9s for Warriors, Community Hospice of Northeast Florida or the Jacksonville Jewish Center. ... to the family of Marie Glick Tully, mother of Linda Horowitz. Other survivors include daughter and son-inlaw, Linda and Barry Horowitz; grandchildren Michael (Jackie) Horowitz, Marian (Darren) Koch; and to her four greatgrandchildren.Contributions may be made to Community Hospice of Northeast Florida. ... to the family of Minnie Weisstein who died April 17, 2014. She is survived by sons
BUSINESS CARD DIRECTORY
Harold and Steven (Sandy); grandchildren Marshall, Leslie (John) and Elizabeth (fiancee’ Seamus); and great-grandson Benjamin. Contributions may be made to River Garden Hebrew Home.
To submit an item for lifecycles, please email it to jjn@ jewishjacksonville.org. Deadline is the 6th of the month. For guidelines of how to write Bar/ Bat Mitzvah, wedding or obituary announcements, go to jewishjacksonville.org/news under “Share your news.”
Jacksonville Jewish News • June 2014
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COMMUNITY NEWS
Temple celebrates 3rd Annual Jacksonville Jewish Food Festival By Congregation Ahavath Chesed
Congregation Ahavath Chesed’s third annual Jacksonville Jewish Food Festival attracted hundreds of people, of many faiths from throughout North Florida. This year’s theme, Jewish Food from Around the World, showcased the diversity of countries Jews have called home throughout history. With something to please everyone’s taste buds, 20 food vendors came together to offer everything including WRJ Temple Sisterhood’s chicken soup with matzo balls and chicken gumbo from Gumbo Ya Ya. There was sushi from Kazu Japanese Restaurant, spinach pie from Athens Cafe, stuffed grape leaves from Casbah Cafe, chilled pea soup from Taverna, gazpacho shooters from Margo’s, kugels from Classic Kosher, tabbouleh from Matthew’s and more. “It is really an opportunity to introduce the entire community to the breadth of Jewish cuisine,” said Goldie Lansky, Temple’s executive director. “Jews live all over the world, and Jewish cuisine has been influenced by what is available in the cultures in
There were smiles everywhere you looked at the food festival.
which we live.” The delectable brownies, blondies and bundt cake entries in this year’s Bubbe’s Bakeoff would have made any Bubbe proud. The judges’ panel consisted of food editors, critics, cookbook authors and food columnists. Anne DePaul won first place ribbons in both categories with her Chock-Full Blondies Squares and Hummingbird Bundt Cake. Second place ribbons went to Ann Stone for her Double Iced Brownies and Apple Cream Cheese Bundt Cake. The efforts of nearly 100 Temple volunteers, dozens of sponsors and a phenomenal Food Festival Committee made this event Temple’s largest fun-raiser Nearly 100 Temple volunteers participated and fundraiser. at this year’s Jacksonville Jewish Food Festival. “We look
for you to join us at next year’s Festival,” says Michelle Pargman, festival chair.
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We have found that most people who go to a “financial advisor” ultimately find out that they are really just dealing with a financial salesman. Their assets are invested in different mutual funds or annuities that have internal fees that are difficult to understand. Anne DePaul takes home firstplace ribbons in both categories at Bubbe’s Bake-Off.
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Jacksonville Jewish News • June 2014
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Jax Jewish Journal Run Date: 6/1/14-Size: 10.25” x 16” - Rep: Barbara Nykerk 904-733-4179
Happy Shavuot
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Items available at select stores. Please visit winndixie.com for store locations. Locations below carry fresh kosher meat and dairy items:
1520 W University Blvd. • Jacksonville 11701-10 San Jose Blvd • Jacksonville
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