26 minute read
COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA NEFL WELCOMES NEW COMMUNITY SHALIACH By Jill Abel, Jewish Federation and Foundation of Northeast Florida Intelligence Unit. In his high school years, Stav served as a counselor at Camp Szarvas and Allison and Ken Jacobs for serving as Host Parents for Stav.” We are excited to welcome him to our community in mid-August.
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We are thrilled to participated in the Diller welcome our next Teen Fellows Program in Community Shaliach to the California. He is looking Northeast Florida Jewish forward to working with community, Stav Brener. everyone in our community
Stav is from Tel Aviv and and continuing the amazing is currently completing his success of our Shlichut service in the Israeli Defense Program. Forces as a Course Alan Margolies, Executive Commander for young Director, is appreciative of adults on the Autism those community members Spectrum. During his IDF who will help make Stav feel Service, he also served as a welcome, “Many thanks to Course Commander in the Jill and Mike Abel and
JCA JEWISH CULTURAL ARTS FESTIVAL: IN PERSON OR VIRTUAL, THE SHOW MUST GO ON! By Lior Spring, Jewish Community Alliance what the future holds, the JCA committee remains fl exible and adaptable and selected three fi lms to be part of the line-up: Aulcie, Incitement and Saul and generated supports the festival and other JCA Cultural Arts. Author The JCA Jewish Cultural Arts Festival returns this November with the assurance of an outstanding lineup. Chaired by Sherrie Saag for her fourth year, the festival promises to provide a meaningful and educational Jewish cultural arts experience to the entire Jacksonville community through diverse and engaging events. Due to COVID-19, this year’s planning process for the festival is diff erent from years past. Without knowing continues to select books and fi lms for a November event, regardless of its formation. “Given the uncertainty, we are planning fantastic content for our community and our committee is also preparing to present the content in a virtual way,” said Saag. “Regardless of the format, our festival will be every bit as fabulous as ever!” Members of the screening committee have already Ruby, To Life! (Dates are to be determined). Whether in person or virtual, the festival remains an important event in our Jewish community. “It may be even more signifi cant this year based on what people have been going through with physical distancing!” noted JCA Assistant Executive Director Nancy Green. The JCA Jewish Cultural Arts Festival is a self-sustaining, sponsor supported program. All revenue selections will be announced in the JCA October Alliance News. The JCA Jewish Cultural Arts Festival is from November 2–12. All events remain free and open to the community thanks to the generosity of JCA sponsors. For more information or to support this important Jewish cultural arts event, contact Lior Spring at 730-2100 ext. 318 or lior. spring@jcajax.org. 5
JEWISH FEDERATION AND
FOUNDATION OF NORTHEAST
FLORIDA BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2020-2021
As required by our by-laws, the proposed slate of executive committee and board members of the Jewish Federation and Foundation of NE Florida for fi scal year ending June 30, 2021 is presented to the community in advance of the August 18 Annual Meeting:
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Iris Kraemer, President Jennifer Plotkin, Vice President and Campaign Chair Andrew Jaff a, Vice President Daniel Miller, Vice President Allison Jacobs, Vice President Debbie Banks, Vice President and Women’s Philanthropy President Jeanine Rogozinski, Women’s Philanthropy Campaign Chair Sue Eaglstein, Treasurer Kim Glasgal, Secretary Ben Marsh, YPF Chair Kenneth Jacobs, Immediate Past President Joan Levin, President’s Appointee
BOARD MEMBERS Shylie Bannon Nicole Brown Jeff Edwards Dina Fetner Larry Goldberg Stephen Goldman Mark Green Michael Korn Mark Kraemer David Loeb Jill Metlin Michael Price Meryl Rittenberg
PAST PRESIDENTS/ HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS Scot Ackerman Larry Appel Guy Benrubi Ronald Elinoff Leslie Held Mitchell Levine Gary Perlman David Robbins Kenneth Sekine 6
Jeff Rood Elliott Rosenbaum Marcy Sandler Michael Setzer Erik Rostholder Judy Silverman Mike Solloway Les Stern Rochelle Stoddard Brent Trager Haley Trager Barry Zisser
Leonard Setzer Steve Silverman Richard Sisisky Arnold Vandroff Sandy Zimmerman Elliot Zisser
RABBIS Rabbi Richard Address Rabbi Jonathan Lubliner Rabbi Michael Matuson Rabbi Yaakov Fisch
Originally from Wyoming, Cecilia Cristol grew up in South Carolina. She moved to Jacksonville with her husband over 20 years ago where they raised two daughters. She loves to travel and once lived in Singapore. She has visited fi ve of the seven continents.
Cecilia worked in both radio and print media. However, her real passion is the theater. She has been performing over 40 years in both professional and community productions.
She has been volunteering at JFCS for the past several
years, working on the frontlines in the Max Block Food Pantry, participating in the Senior Food Box program, serving on the Annual Event Committee, and participating in the Holiday Gift Giving program.
She puts all of herself into anything she does, and when JFCS was between Food Pantry Coordinators, Cecilia took the lead, ensuring all orders were completed, bread was picked up and the Max Block Food Pantry ran smoothly through the transition.
Cecilia Cristol is a true ROCKSTAR and JFCS is fortunate to have her! Thank you, Cecilia!
MEET PJ LIBRARY’S NEW COORDINATOR By Donna O’Steen, Jewish The PJ Library program, a Emerging Leaders), to her next chapter and we Family and Community Services national Jewish education and engagement program for Jewish families with children, Neighborhood Captain Program, No-Sew Blanket Project, and the wildly welcome the vision of our new PJ Library Coordinator!
JFCS is thrilled to welcome provides books, activities, successful Mom and Dads’ Melissa Williams as the new and community events for Night Out. In addition, PJ PJ Library Coordinator. families to help families learn Library initiated PJ Pals and
Melissa is a former and grow in their Jewish PJ Our Way, through a kindergarten and fi rst grade heritage. partnership with all local teacher who brings with her In the last few years, PJ Jewish community agencies. years of experience in Library grew from 269 JFCS would like to working with children and subscriptions to over 555 congratulate Whitney Kuvin families and is excited to subscriptions today. PJ on her incredible and expand the PJ Library Library initiated the annual life-lasting accomplishments program. JEWEL Society fundraiser at JFCS! We wish Whitney (JEWish Women as all the best as she moves on
A BUSY SUMMER FOR SETZER YOUTH EDUCATION
By Sarah Crowe, Jacksonville Jewish Center
Setzer Youth Education at the Jacksonville Jewish Center normally takes a break over the summer. Staff visit summer camps, participate in trainings, and host a USY on Wheels bus. Due to the pandemic crisis, we made some changes.
This summer we hosted virtual and socially distanced activities and programs for our participants. Students participated in weekly Zoom calls with cooking demonstrations, indoor scavenger hunts, and talent shows. For in person activities, we maintained socially distanced, but still managed to have some fun by making stepping stones, tie dye, and a fashion show featuring some creative face masks. We look forward to seeing Chalutzim (4th-5th), Kadima (6th-8th), and USY (9th-12th) for our fi rst events:
Elections for Chalutzim on August 16 at 12:30pm-2:00pm Opening event for Kadima on August 16 at 2:30pm4:00pm Opening event for USY on August 26 at 7:00pm-8:30pm
To register, please visit https://www. jaxjewishcenter.org/ syeregistration.
For more information or for any questions please reach out to Sara Crowe, Youth Director, at youthdirector@ jaxjewishcenter.org
NORTHEAST FLORIDA JEWISH LIFE BEQUESTIONS WITH KELLIE SMITH & GUEST COLUMNIST DR. BRUCE POWELL
Recently, I hosted a community conversation to discuss the importance of fi nancial security to sustain Jewish Life in Northeast Florida. The very same day I received an email from a colleague, she thanked me for inviting her to join the conversation and shared this great article with me. After reading the article and Google searching the author, I reached out to him and we immediately connected over a shared vision for a fi nancially secure Jewish Community. Dr. Powell granted me permission to share his article with our community and I hope you will read this and want to continue the conversation in our community. If you have questions or would like a topic addressed, please send them my way.
Unbridled optimism is a prerequisite for any Jewish educator or Jewish community professional.
Among the many lessons
I’ve learned in my 50 years of work in the Jewish
Community, optimism is at the top of the list – to work for and to lead any of our extraordinary institutions of 8 Jewish learning and culture is fundamentally an act of hope, a leap of faith, and an exercise of the deep belief in our core values, and in the necessity of enriching Jewish life in America, and infusing those values toward the making of a more meaningful world for our children.
But there’s another lesson that’s just as important—and that speaks to the stark reality facing many of our organizations today. There are those organizations that have done careful fi nancial projections and planning, and thereby have the wherewithal to ride out the current COVID storm; and there are those who have not, and may well fi nd themselves in the dustbin of Jewish organizational history.
The biggest diff erence comes down to a single word: Endowment. The Coronavirus pandemic has ripped the thin fi nancial veneer from Jewish groups all over America and across the globe—and revealed who was ready, and who was living, too often, from ones dues or tuition payment to the next.
I know this is a harsh reading of our current situation. As a lifelong Jewish educator, however, I have witnessed over the past half-century in the fi eld, schools that rise and grow and fl ourish, and others that started with vision and high hopes but due to lack of leadership, and poor fi nancial planning, no longer exist.
Organizations that have subsisted from one donation to the next are now struggling with an existential crisis. Those that have developed endowments and cash reserves, and those with visionary boards and professional expertise, will keep themselves afl oat in the present maelstrom, and will continue to provide their vital services to the Jewish community, and the nation.
Believe me, I doubt that the great universities of our
nation, each of which holds billions of dollars in endowment funds, are worried about their continued existence, or their ability to continue to educate their students.
Indeed, I doubt that any institution or organization that holds millions or billions of dollars in endowment funds is deeply worried about continuing to operate post virus.
All of this brings me to my bottom line:
Endowment is a moral imperative. BEQUESTIONS, cont. on pg. 46
B’NAI TZEDEK
NEXT GEN FUND HOLDERS
*as of July 31, 2020
Jacob Abraham Madison Abraham Rachael Abram Ariela Allen Jordan Allerding Harrison Andrew Nicole Ansbacher Michael Appel Michael Appelbaum Eliza Aretz Benjamin Arnold Richard Bailys Nicole Bailys Shylie Bannon Avigail Barak Geoffrey Berlin Samuel Bernard Susan Bernhardt Arielle Bernhardt Grace Beyer Jamie Bielski Allie Bielski Elizabeth Bistrong Alexandra Block Noah Borrousch-Rosin Zach Borrousch-Rosin Cory Brenenson Louisa Brinn Rebecca Brown Rachel Bu Jacob Campbell Alex Caplan Benjamin Chafetz Danielle Cheiken Gabrielle Cohen Martin Cohen Benjamin Davis Lily Davis Julia DeBardeleben Joshua DeBardeleben Alyssa DeCrispino Rachel Dranetz Dalia Dryden Sophie DuBow Charlie DuBow Shira DuBow Allison Duncan Rebecca Duncan Zachary Edelman Jonathan Edelman Lauren Edwards David Edwards Haley Falick Joshua Feig Shira Ferman Talia Fetner Ben Finck
Joshua Fleet Ariella Fleet Talia Fleet Adam Friedman Remy Frohman Dante Gaviglio Austin Gardner Jennifer Gartner Delta Gatewood Hannah Gendzier Alyson Giambalvo Sienna Glassman Mathew Glassman Gabriella Glassman Julian Glassman Jacob Glassman Jennifer Goetz Andrew Goldman Elizabeth Goldman Brad Goldring Jeffrey Goldring Aliza Goldstein Max Goldstein Ilan Goldstein Scott Goldstein Barbie Goldstein Amanda Gomer Jerry Gomer Edyn Gottlieb Alyse Granat Brooke Gridley Eva Gridley Sydney Gross Madison Grosse MatthewHarris Benjamin Hecht Faye Hedrick MatthewHarris Stephanie Hecht Jacob Hecht Lily Hernandez Craig Herring Max Horovitz Sarah Hunter Ayden Israel Brett Jackrel Emily Jackson Sarah Jacobs Joshua Jacobs Maiah Jaffa Ava Jaffa Garrett Jaffe Joshua Jolles Sarah Joseph Jack Joseph Caroline Joseph Maggie Joseph
Seth Karstaedt Shaina Katz Rebecca Katz Erica Katzin David Kaunitz Sage Kaye Jillian Kight Lindsey Kight Matthew Kingson Sarah Kirkwood Jonah Kitay Shira Kitay Jessica Kopp Elissa Kraemer Jason Krantz Shelby Krantz Benjamin Lantinberg Hannah Leach Shimrit Lee Tal Lee Annie Levenson Eric Levenson Brian Levenson Noah Levin Victoria Levine Ellis Levine Shoshana Levy Rachel Levy Evan Levy Micah Lewis Danielle Lewis Itamar Lubliner Elior Lubliner Gabrielle Magid Sabrina Mail Jasmine Mail Faye Maiman Neil Maiman Elana Maiman Lauren Margol Ali Margolies Carolyn Margulies Benjamin Mamelstein Daniel Marmelstein Ben Marsh Sophia Milian Sarah Miller Joshua Miller Madelyn Millrood Jonathan Mizrahi Debra Mizrahi Hannah Mizrahi Eli Mizrahi Ryan Mizrahi Max Mizrahi Evelyn Mizrahi Zach Mizrahi
Jacob Morgenthal Vivien Moritz Zachary Morris Maci Morse Trudy Morse Rebecca Nathans Arin Nathans Sarah Neadle Erin Nicholson Eddie Norton Britney Norton Jacob Orender Zachary Orender Danielle Palombo Amy Perlman Ariella Phillips Harrison Phillips Jacqueline Phillips Montgomery Phillips Max Pittman Laura Platzer Sara Plotkin Shaina Plotkin Jereme Pozin Zachary Pozin Noah Pozin Charlie Raitt Ashley Reiter Aaron Resnick Louis Richman Sara Richman Jennifer Richter Lawrence Richter Matthew Ricko Luria Rittenberg Shira Rittenberg David Rivera-Clapp Leah Robbins Laura Rogovin Jessica Rogozinski Laura Rogozinski Dana Rogozinski Jonathan Rogozinski Zachary Rogozinski Max Rogozinski Danielle Rogozinski Abigail Rotenberg Jillian Rosenberg Gabe Rosner Adam Rothstein Nina Rothstein Sophie Rothstein Avi Rubin Micah Rubin Brandon Ruckh Sydni Rudowitz Elizabeth Rutansky
Jake Rutansky Josie Sagasser Jonathan Sandler Paul Sandler Ethan Sandler Laura Sandler Ari Sandler Zach Sandler Sarit Sandler Elan Sandler Dustin Sandler Brooke Saye Rachel Schemer Zachary Schemer Leslie Schemer Sarah Schemer Eva Schildhause Matthew Schimmel Jodi Beth Schneider Samuel Schwartz Harris Lee Schwartz David Selber Jackie Selevan Alexandra Selevan George Setzer Joshua Shapiro Jessica Shapiro Rachel Shapiro Zev Shapiro Jennifer Shorstein Mathew Shorstein Benjamin Shorstein Benay Shorstein Arnie Silverberg Alexandra Silverberg Joel Silverstein Matthew Silverstein Zach Silverstein Hannah Silverstein Justin Simmons Connor Simmons Lawrence Sims Logan Sims Caroline Snowden Kyle Solloway Rachel Solomon Samuel Sommers Cameron Spiritas Jason Smith Aaron Stark Rachel Stark Talor Stayer Robert Stern Logan Stern Joshua Stevens Carly Stevens Hannah Stone
Lauren T avar Sydney Teitelbaum Emily Teitelbaum Mason Teitelbaum Ariella Tesler Elliana Tesler Alec Tompkins Brandon Trager Eden Trager Elli Trager Brooke Trager Jacob Unger Andrew Vining Kyle Vining Sara Wasserman Arielle Wajsman Alexander Wajsman David Walker Rachael Warfield Erin Weintraub Rachael Weston Zach Whiteley Sam Whitman Sarah Wilde Parker Wilf David Wilf Jonah Willens Gabriel Willens Shea Beth Williams David Williams Michael Wohl MitchellWohl Rachel Wolf Jacob Wolfson Alex Wolfson Jared Wolfson Allison Wolfson EvanWolpoff Joseph Yarish Samuel Yarish Tania Yegelwel Scott Youker Steven Youker Reesa Zaifert Jeremy Zaifert Brooke Zimmerman Leah Zimmerman Samantha Zimmerman Alyssa Zunic Ashley Zunic
SAVING ONE LIFE AT A TIME By Karen McCants, Jewish accident is a struggle. She not knowing about Family and Community cannot care for herself; she what’s next for Jessica Services cannot care for her child; and all of the money she saved continues. Traumatized by the accident, she
Jessica is a 20-year-old prior to the accident has experiences fl ashbacks, mother to a 6-month-old dissipated, leaving Jessica so we have referred her baby girl. Recently, she had a struggling fi nancially. to Dupont Counseling tire blowout on I-295 causing Jessica reached out to JFCS Group for therapy. her truck to fl ip numerous for support. We assisted her With the additional times, ejecting her before with rent and utilities, and help of a Financial landing on her. helped her fi le for disability. Assistance Specialist,
Amazingly, physicians were Jessica cannot stand or walk Jessica is working hard able to repair her neck by without pain, and may never to make a plan for fusing her vertebral column be able to work again, leaving success. With her together. However, recovery her to worry about future commitment to her daughter would be a long road. The fi nancial stability. and her recovery, combined accident severed the nerves in Thankfully, things are with JFCS’s wraparound her left arm causing her to looking up. Her 16-year-old services, she has begun to lose complete use of that arm. sister moved in with her to build a bridge from trauma to
Jessica is a miracle. assist her with the baby. This hope. However, life after the was helpful, but the strain of Many people are struggling
during this unprecedented time. JFCS is here to help the entire community through diffi cult times. If you or someone you know are experiencing a fi nancial hardship, contact us today at 904-448-1933. We can help.
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OUR NEW NORMAL By Rabbi Fisch, Etz Chaim the health of the community in any way. The values that The COVID-19 era has turned our world upside down, and few areas in life have been unaff ected. One of the casualties of the virus has of course, been congregational life. Our shul made the painful but necessary step in March to close our doors as the virus began to gain a foothold in American life. Our synagogue assembled a blue-ribbon task force comprised of medical experts, rabbis, and other members with Michael Boylan, our city councilman, as an advisor. The task force’s mission was to study the reopening of Etz Chaim safely and responsibly and have been driving every decision have been our commitment to the sanctity of human life and the importance of having daily prayer service in our community. The task force has an extraordinary job to balance these values as we created a space to have daily and Shabbos Minyan safely and responsibly. The approach of the task force was to reopen the shul in a phased and gradual manner. The fi rst step was to have a Minyan for Mincha outdoors in which everyone was wearing a mask and in a socially distanced manner. We transitioned to inside the that it doesn’t compromise NORMAL, cont. on pg. 46
By Rachel Sandler, Jewish Community Alliance
The Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning is the largest pluralistic adult Jewish Education network in the world. This fall, the program, with over 35,000 graduates, will come to Jacksonville for a series of courses at the Jewish Community Alliance.
The Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning was founded in 1980 for those seeking a more meaningful Jewish life. There are 50 Melton schools around the world with international headquarters at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and national offi ce in New York City.
The Melton School is for adult students from all knowledge levels and backgrounds. It provides interactive Jewish study in an open, transdenominational and intellectually stimulating environment and distinguishes itself through high-quality
Life-long Jewish educator Harvey Leven, who began his career in Jacksonville as the educational/youth director of The Temple, is directing Melton in Jax.
materials which are a combination of ancient and modern texts to connect Jewish values and ideas. Another distinguishing factor is the ability of talented instructors to engage with higher level questioning to make a meaningful community of learners.
The inaugural classes for Melton in Jax include Bereshit (Genesis): From Adam to Abraham – The First Twenty Generations and Jewish Medical Ethics: A 21st Century Discussion. The Jewish Community Alliance is excited to partner with The Temple, Jacksonville Jewish Center and Etz Chaim Synagogue with funding grants from Dr. Lawrence and Kathy Kanter and Dena Wirt. For more information, please visit jcajax.org/jewish.
ABOUT MELTON IN JAX
Do you crave to take your understanding of Judaism beyond what you learned in Hebrew School?
Would you thrive in a classroom with an amazing instructor who will open up for you the richness of Jewish texts?
Would you delight in hearing a variety of Jewish viewpoints?
If you responded “yes” to any of these questions, then Melton in Jax is for you!
Melton is now registering adult students. During its inaugural year, Melton in Jax will off er two ten-week courses in both the fall and winter semesters. Classes run for 90 minutes. Afternoon and evening options are off ered.
The fall semester begins October 13. Each class is taught by amazing Jewish educators, who will keep you engrossed, as you explore new aspects of Judaism.
Directing Melton in Jax is life-long Jewish educator Harvey Leven, who began his career in Jacksonville as the educational/youth director of The Temple.
Discounts are available for members of our partner organizations and for the fi rst seven registrants for each class.
Register at events.org/ MeltonJAX. Need-based scholarship assistance is available. Reach out to Harvey Leven at mishpacha5@aol.com with any questions. 11
JFCS BOARD FOCUS: STEVEN NEIHAUS, DVM
Dr. Neihaus is a Chicago area native and came to the surgery department of Capital Veterinary Specialists in May 2015. He attended the University of Florida in Gainesville for his undergraduate education. After graduating from the University Of Illinois College Of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Neihaus spent a year as a general practitioner before going on to complete a rotating internship at the Animal Emergency and Referral Center (now Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners) in Northbrook, Illinois. During his residency at Affi liated Veterinary Specialists under Dr. Robert Goring, Dr. Neihaus published multiple research papers, presented at national veterinary conferences and was the recipient of the prestigious Clinical Research Award at the American College of Veterinary Surgeons Residents Forum.
Dr. Neihaus’ professional interests include minimally invasive surgery (arthroscopy and laparoscopy), oncologic surgery and soft tissue reconstruction, and complex orthopedic and fracture repair. As a dedicated member of his community, Dr. Neihaus also enjoys giving back. Dr. Neihaus donates his time and surgical skills to help special needs cases from various rescue organizations around the country. Dr. Neihaus is a member of the Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncologists, Veterinary Orthopedic Society, and local and national veterinary medical associations.
Dr. Neihaus and his wife, who is also a veterinarian, live in the Mandarin area with their three children and Cavalier King Charles By Jill Abel, Jewish Federation and Foundation of Northeast Florida Jewish Federation of Northeast Florida Israel Partnership is excited to have Janet Goldstein and Rona Siegel as educators for our Israel Partnership One2One English Program Spaniel, Louie. When not at work, Dr. Neihaus enjoys fi shing, boating, playing and coaching ice hockey, and cheering on his favorite sports teams—the Chicago this summer. This program pairs American educators from our Southeast Communities with Israeli middle school students from the Hadera-Eiron Region. Our amazing educators will be helping their students develop confi dence in their English speaking while also Bears, Blackhawks and the Florida Gators.
JFCS welcomes you and looks forward to working
LEARNING ENGLISH WITH ONE2ONE
with you! developing vocabulary and conversational skills. We are thrilled to have nine educators from our Southeast Consortium paired with 24 students in Israel. We hope to continue this program in the fall with more American educators and more Israeli students.
AN INTERSECTION WITH PUBLIC HEALTH: OUR FAITH CAN GET US THROUGH
By Kari Bell, River Garden Senior Services
Faith is known to help individuals cope with times of stress, reduce anxiety and fi nd hope. As the pandemic persists, we went to Leslie Held, Chaplain at River Garden, for some fi rst-hand information about how she is helping families and residents work through this diffi cult time.
How are things going at River Garden?
We remain a community of faith while adopting mitigation strategies to prevent the spread of the virus. It’s an intersection of faith with public health and our Administration at River Garden has seen to it to implement strict protocols and procedures to keep everyone safe and provide as much support as possible. Their vigilance has brought confi dence and reassurance to both residents and staff .
What are some suggestions for coping with the hardship of not seeing family and friends?
While a necessity, it is especially diffi cult to prohibit family visits at this time. Face-to-face visits communicate more connectedness and aff ection. Actually seeing someone reduces the feelings of loneliness and lifts our spirits. Facetime and Zoom visits have become a blessing. Although many still make daily phone calls, the video visits have added another dimension. Multiple family members are able to join the visits, even grandchildren living overseas.
Can you highlight a specifi c example?
In one recent Zoom visit, a resident enjoyed a virtual tour of her grandchild’s fi rst home. The grandmother was ecstatic to see her heirloom pieces of furniture being given new life with the next generation. Celebrations of birthdays, weddings and Bat Mitzvahs have occurred; but another particulary unique Zoom visit included a video at a cemetery where a spouse had been buried, giving the wife time to grieve her loss. These are all intimate, meaningful occasions that allow our residents to participate in family life.
What are you doing to help residents bolster their faith during this time?
Now that religious services have temporarily been curtailed, we are off ering live streaming directly to the rooms. I also devote additional time to personal visits during which I provide spiritual and emotional support, and frequently discuss faith. I encourage people to refl ect on their lives, express concerns and use their beliefs to bring them hope. The reading of psalms, off ering of prayers or simply holding of hands also provides comfort as they struggle with this new normal.
Do you have any summarizing words of encouragement?
As we adjust to physical restrictions, it is of utmost importance to remember we have the capacity for resilience. I am encouraged that we are seeing spiritual closeness. During times of tribulations we have the opportunity to grow closer to a higher power. People use their beliefs in a way that make them hopeful. Prayers can help reignite
faith, purpose and the meaning of life. It is a privilege to listen to residents and patients share their stories, and while not necessarily religious, it is our own spiritual journeys that help us better understand something greater than ourselves.
SO LONG, FAREWELL, L’HITRAOT
I took a job at the Jewish Federation and Foundation of Jacksonville seven years ago. It was the only job off er I got when I was moving home to Jacksonville after college.
“What is a Jewish Federation?” my friends would ask when I told them where I worked.
At fi rst, I didn’t really know how to describe it. Being a lapsed Episcopalian, Judaism was all mystery to me. But my family and friends’ curiosity forced me to learn quickly and soon I was able to tell them what exactly tzedakah was, and that Chanukah wasn’t “Jewish Christmas,” it was something much more meaningful.
Chances are if you’re reading this, I’ve probably handed you a nametag at an event, helped you process a grant to your favorite charity, sent you an email about a board meeting or chaperoned your teens and their Israeli friends for an overnight trip to Universal Studios. These may seem like small things, but they were all important to me. My trajectory from Administrative Assistant to Associate Director of Administration and Planned Giving wasn’t always easy or straightforward, but having the privilege to work with people who always saw my potential gave me the confi dence to keep pushing my own limits.
I’m proud of the skills I’ve mastered in my time at Federation. Every little task has helped me to become a better, stronger version of my professional self. Who knew the shy girl that would barely speak at staff meetings would end up organizing and running
them? Federation is a place where I found my voice and where I learned about the critical works that the Jewish Federation supports both at home and abroad. It’s also where I learned about not only the importance of today, but the hard work of guaranteeing tomorrow.
Federation is also a place that helped me fi nd myself. In March 2019, after many years of participating as staff in our Partnership2Gether activities, I was lucky enough to go to Israel for the very fi rst time. The experience changed me forever, and to make a very long story short, I converted to Judaism on July 5, 2020 through Congregation Ahavath Chesed with Cantor Carrie Barry. As I said before—my trajectory wasn’t always easy or straightforward. Of all the things anyone could have assumed and of all the things I could have learned— this was by far my greatest surprise and my most cherished accomplishment.
There simply aren’t enough column inches for me to tell my story in full. Suffi ce it to say that I have ended my time at Federation as a completely diff erent person than the quiet Episcopalian who started there. The person I am today is someone a little bit braver, a little bit louder and a little bit smarter.
So what is a Jewish Federation? Many things—a school, a business, a charity, a network, an agency, but most of all, it’s a home.
Thank you to the Jewish Federation and Foundation for giving me a home for seven years, for providing a place where I could grow and discover and for believing in the woman I was and the one I have become. My next great adventure is only possible because of your love and support.
Todah rabah!
