Shabbat Reminder 9/15/23

JEWISH COMMUNITY

CENTER OF

LONG BEACH ISLAND

E-LETTER

September 15, 2023

29 Elul 5783

CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR WEBSITE

A MESSAGE FROM THE RABBI

For the last 28 days, every morning other than Shabbat, we have been blowing the Shofar. Why do we blow the Shofar in the month of Elul? We blow it because we need to be woken up every day to the importance of the task at hand. Our tradition tells us to take stock of our lives during Elul. It demands that we see where we’ve been, where we are, and where we would like to be. The Shofar forces us to pay attention; we must turn our heads when it sounds. Indeed, I am certain that there is a genetic marker in our DNA that connects us to the sound.

There are three basic notes that we blow on the Shofar.

We start with a Tekiah - one long blast.

This is followed by Shevarim - a set of 3 small blasts /or Teruah - a set of 9 very short blasts - or sometimes both - 3 blasts followed by 9 staccato blasts.

And then to round out the pattern,

we have Tekiah - one long blast again.

Why these notes in this order? There are several explanations.

The Shnei Luhot Habrit [Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz] (17^th century),

interpreted the blasts corresponding to the stages in the process of teshuvah (repentance.)

Tekiah - we start out whole.

Shevarim - we break ourselves down.

Teruah - sometimes we are utterly shattered.

And Tekiah - we emerge whole again.

The 20th century mystic and religious Zionist known as Rav Kook

gives another explanation:

Tekiah - the world was created complete.

Shevarim - human beings, and natural forces, have broken and shattered the world.

Teruah - sometimes it seems broken beyond repair.

But- Tekiah - with God’s help, we can rebuild it again and make it whole.

Remember that this year, because it is Shabbat, we will not be blowing the Shofar on the first day of Rosh Hashana. We will be sounding the Shofar on Sunday. First in the sanctuary during services, and then during Tashlich at the Spray Beach Yacht Club.

We are at an ending which means we are also at a new beginning.

Hear. Listen. Pay attention. Take note. Take heed.

So much work to do.

May 5784 bring us each what we need.

Shabbat Shalom and Shannah Tovah U’metukah – Rabbi Michael S. Jay

Candle Lighting time

Erev Rosh Hashanah

Friday evening

September 15, 2023

6:47 pm

Saturday evening

September 16, 2023

8:14 pm

(So. Ocean County)

ALL ARE WELCOME

Join the Congregation at the

Spray Beach Yacht Club to hear the Shofar and to do Tashlich.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

AT 12:15.

DON'T FORGET TO BRING SOME BREAD.

HERE IS THE HIGH HOLIDAY SERVICE SCHEDULE

.WEEKDAY

SERVICES

Sunday - Thursday

Ma'ariv Service

NO SERVICE 9/17

7:30 PM

Here is your invitation from Rabbi Jay to

join Zoom services:

MA'ARIV

Monday- Friday

Shacharit Service

8:15 AM

Sunday at 9:00 AM

Here is your invitation from Rabbi Jay to

join Zoom services:

SHACHARIT

Tashlich is a remarkable ceremony – symbolic and concrete all at the same time. Through this ritual, we express not only our desire to be free from sin but our continuing hope that we will be forgiven for past misdeeds. On the afternoon of the first day of Rosh Hashanah – or on the second day if the first day is Shabbat – it is customary to go to a flowing body of water and to recite prayers while “casting” our sins (represented by bread crumbs) into the water. As we read in Micah: “You will cast (tashlich) all your sins into the depths of the sea” (7:19). By performing tashlich, we signify our hope that God will overlook our failings during the past year and grant us favor in the year to come.

ALL ARE WELCOME TO JOIN THE CONGREGATION AT THE SPRAY BEACH YACHT CLUB FOR THE JCC TASHLICH SERVICE ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 AT 12:15. DON'T FORGET TO BRING SOME BREAD.

HERE IS A SIMPLE BUT MEANINGFUL PRAYER FOR AN INDIVIDUAL OR FAMILY TO RECITE.

A Prayer for Tashlich

Here I am again

Ready to let go of my mistakes.

Help me to release myself

From all the ways I’ve missed the mark.

Help me to stop carrying

The baggage of my poor choices.

As I cast this bread upon the waters

Lift my troubles off my shoulders.

Help me to know that last year is over, Washed away like crumbs in the current.

Open my heart to blessing and gratitude. Renew my soul as the dew renews the grasses.

THIS WEEK'S ACTIVITIES

PICKLEBALL, MAH JONGG & CANASTA

RESUME BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 26TH

NEW PROGRAMS WITH PJP

Thanks to our membership in the PJP we were able to enjoy a variety of programs last year. Here are the new programming lists. We will send out a Reminder and Link prior to each event. No need to register in advance.

LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON THE NEXT PROGRAM:

Thursday, October 26 @ 8:30 PM

Itzhak Brook “A Physician’s Personal Account of the Yom Kippur War”

PJP Series "What Jews Think”

2023-2024

SEE PROGRAM DETAILS HERE

PJP Travel Programs

2023-2024

SEE PROGRAM DETAILS HERE

To Order your Shirts or Caps, Click Here

To pay by credit card on the JCC Website

If you would like to order a paver for this 2023 installation, please fill out the form ( click below ) and return it to the JCC office with payment.

CLICK HERE FOR THE PAVER WORK SHEET

CONGREGATION NEWS

The following names will be read by the Rabbi on Friday evening:

Barbara Goldstein

Elizabeth Greene

Dr. Irving Young

Alfonso Muscente

Abram Plon

Frieda Baker

Howard Brody

Melvin Leistner

Katie Shrensel*

Muriel Nelson Stein

Ann Taub

Herbert Klosk

Martin Reiff*

Morris Treiber*

Irma Golden*

Henry Levitt

Muriel Powitz*

Sandy Rifkin

Isadore Brecher

Helen Koseff*

Leon Segal

Dorothy Sherry*

Ida Steinberg

We encourage you to join us on the day of your loved one’s yahrzeit. In the morning, the service is about ½ hour beginning at 8:15 and in the evening at 7:30 until about 7:45. Rabbi will be glad to say the traditional El Malei Rachamim prayer for you, which is recited during the funeral, going up to the grave of the departed, Yizkor remembrance day and other occasions on which the memory of the dead is recalled. You are also welcome to share with the minyan some special memories of your loved one.

CLICK HERE FOR EVENING SERVICE

CLICK HERE FOR MORNING SERVICE

Marcia Babbitt Gonsalves

September 16

Ann Newman

September 18

Mark Chazin

September 22

Rabbi Paula Drill

September 22

Cliff Farin

September 22

Suzanne Katz-Kinzler

September 22

Ruthellen Rubin

September 22

Ken & Karen Foreman

September 16

34^th Anniversary

Paul & Joyce Levine

September 17

28^th Anniversary

Peter & Dana Langerman

September 22

38^th Anniversary

SHARE YOUR NEWS

AND PICTURES

CONTACT:

rvalen1963@aol.com

CARING COMMITTEE

This committee acts as a support system for congregation members facing illness and other personal situations that need to be addressed.

Please contact Chairperson,

Debby Schweighardt

if you are in need of assistance or if you know of a JCC member that needs our help. 973-634-5349

Lisa & Don Abramson on the birth of their grandson

YOU CAN NOW FILL OUT A GIVING FORM AND PAY ON LINE IN ONE SIMPLE PROCESS.

Go to jccoflbi.org - community - forms

GIVING OPPORTUNITIES

PAVERS

Inscribe a paver at the front entrance to the building

8" X 4", 8" X 8" and 12" X 12"

SEE UPDATED ORDER FORM:

PAVER FORM

Become a permanent part of the JCC landscape.

Purchase a personalized paving stone

in honor of your family or in memory of a loved one.

Please contact Diane Hoffman

with your order or with any questions:

dihoff1@aol.com

PRAYER BOOKS

There are still High Holiday Prayer Books and Chumashim available to be purchased in memory or honor of someone or something. The cost of a Prayer Book is $72 each and $120 for an Eitz Hayim Chumash. The donation includes an affirmation sticker in the book and an acknowledgement letter or letters.

See Order form here: Prayer Book

TRIBUTES

SEND ONE OF OUR TRIBUTES IN HONOR OR IN MEMORY OF

See order form here: TRIBUTES

TREE OF LIFE

Add a leaf (leaves) to our beautiful Tree of Life located in the Social Hall. See the order form here: TREE OF LIFE

Bronze Leaf $90

Silver Leaf $126

Gold :Leaf $180

ENDOWMENT FUND

Herb and Selma z”l Shapiro established the first individual Endowment Fund in memory of his father, as part of the JCC’s Endowment Fund portfolio.

Since then, three additional individual Endowment Funds have been established. Other members are encouraged to also provide for the future of our JCC by establishing similar funds. Please consider adding to this number.

A donation of at least $50,000 to the endowment fund will allow the donor to name one of the funds as the donor wishes. All such named funds will be joined together to be part of the Endowment Fund portfolio.

Endowment funds are necessary to ensure the continuation and well being of our congregation. All members are encouraged to help this important effort by contributing to this portfolio, whether as a specific named individual fund, or as a general donation. The donation can be spread over one, two, or three years, and can be paid via check, donation of appreciated stock, wills, or from the RMD of your IRA or 401K account. Your gift to the fund can be sent to the JCC Office. Please mark your check accordingly.

YAHRZEIT PLAQUES

Space is available for memorial plaques on the yahrzeit boards in the Sanctuary.

Here is the order form:

YAHRZEIT

KOL HAKAVOD

Please consider being a part of this campaign to supplement the clergy needs of our congregation. This is a separate, voluntary commitment and is additional to our low annual dues obligation. HERE IS THE LINK TO BRING UP THE DONATION FORM KOL HAKAVOD

2023 MEMBERSHIP FORMS

Your support is so important to the continued success of the JCC.

Here is form for renewal:

RENEW NOW

And if you have been reading our Shabbat Reminder and other communications and have not yet joined our congregation, here is the new member form:

JOIN NOW

JCC FUNDS

Your gift to the JCC supports our Clergy, our Congregation and the Community.

ENDOWMENT FUND

This fund was established to assure the continuity of our JCC, and our ability to continue providing a full-service congregation to serve the Jewish people of the area. While a donation of any amount is encouraged, a donation of at least $50,000 allows the donor to name a special or specific Endowment Fund in memory or honor of a specific person event, or family.

GENERAL FUND

Donations to this fund are not earmarked but placed in the general administrative account. Donations to this fund can be in honor or memory of a person, event, or family.

KOL HAKAVOD FUND

Donations to this campaign supplement the clergy needs of our congregation.

RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND

This fund, managed by the rabbi, allows donors to enable the rabbi to do the work of tzedakah in response to the needs of individuals, organizations and the community.

ZENA & JERRY JAY KIDDISH FUND

The Zena and Jerry Jay Kiddush Fund was established in memory of Rabbi Jay's parents to help provide funds for our Saturday morning kiddushes.