Chairman's Message

Dear Friends,

What a pleasure it was to meet so many of you at our "Hanukah on the Hudson" party at the Bayonne JCC on December 11th!  Over 300 people from all over Hudson County attended, including more than 50 children, who gave new meaning to the word "nachas."

At least 10 local synagogues were represented -- a concrete demonstration that HudsonJewish is already having a positive effect on community-wide cooperation.  Too many people deserve thanks to mention individually, but three groups deserve special mention:  the staff and volunteers of the JCC, the HudsonJewish donors who underwrote the event, and Hoboken's inimitably eclectic band, "The Gordys" for performing pro bono.  Photos of "Hanukah on the Hudson" and the Jersey Journal's full-page article on the milestone event are posted on the HudsonJewish website.

December also marked another milestone in the life of our growing community:  the establishment of the Hudson Jewish Community Forum, A New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation.  (We'll continue to do business as "HudsonJewish").  Having a corporate form will facilitate a number of things, including recognition of donations as tax-deductible contributions.  Our initial Board of Trustees consists of:

Chairman:          Adam S. Weiss (Mount Sinai and USH)

Vice Chairman:   Dr. Neil L. Davis (Mount Sinai) 

Treasurer:         Yael Israel (B'nai Jacob)

Secretary:         Michelle E. Levine (Ohav Zedek and Bayonne JCC)

Trustee:            Raylie Dunkel (B'nai Jacob)

Assisting the Board are the following volunteers whose service on the ad hoc HudsonJewish Working Group made all of this possible:

Lawrence P. Gutterman        (Beth Am and Beth-El of Jersey City)

Annette Shandolow-Hassell   (Beth El of North Bergen)

John Kristal                        (Mount Sinai)

Claudia Lefas                      (Mount Sinai)

Alan Lemmon                      (B'nai Jacob)

Jessica Lemmon                  (B'nai Jacob)

Asaf Maman                       (Mount Sinai)

Joshua Parkhurst                 (Beth-El of Jersey City)

Volunteers are still needed to help with publicity, fundraising and events, so please contact us if you would like to get involved, especially if you're not a member of another Jewish organization already!

In closing, I extend an invitation:  beginning Friday, February 1, HudsonJewish will sponsor a rotating Shabbat dinner to take place at a different synagogue every month.  We hope that these dinners will provide an opportunity for people in the community to get to know each other better and to welcome any newcomers who seek to learn about Jewish life in our area.  The first dinner will be on Friday, February 1 at United Synagogue of Hoboken following Kabbalat Shabbat services.  More information is on the HudsonJewish.org website at: www.HudsonJewish.org.

As always, your comments and feedback are welcome!

L'hitraot,
Adam (Adam@HudsonJewish.org) 

Invitation to Nominate Honorary Trustees

To help steer a course for the future, HudsonJewish extends an invitation to all local Jewish organizations to nominate Honorary Trustees to advise the Board:

1.  Each local synagogue:  one rabbi or other person designated as the synagogue's religious leader, and one senior administrative official (such as president, vice president or board member) of each such synagogue's governing body.

2.  Each Jewish educational organization, or Jewish organization established for the purpose of establishing a Jewish educational organization, within Hudson County:  one senior educational official (such as the principal or education director) and one senior administrative official (such as the president, vice president or board member) of such organization's governing body.

3.  Each Jewish social service, social, or recreational organization in Hudson County:  one senior official (such as the president, vice president or board member) of such organization's governing body.

4.  The United Jewish Communities of MetroWest New Jersey, and the UJA Federation of Northern New Jersey: the highest elected official, or the designee of such official.

5.  The Network of Independent Communities of the United Jewish Communities:  one official.

We hope that this invitation sends a strong message of inclusiveness and openness to the entire community as we pursue our mission:  to nurture and support Jewish religious, cultural and institutional life in Hudson County, New Jersey.  To underscore our message of openness, a copy of the HudsonJewish by-laws are posted on our home page at HudsonJewish By-laws.

We Made the Jewish Standard's List of Newsmakers of 2007!

For the first time in its 75-year history, the New Jersey Jewish Standard named an entire community to its annual list of newsmakers:  The Jewish Community of Hudson County!  Rabbi Robert Scheinberg, religious leader of United Synagogue of Hoboken, was also named a Newsmaker of 2007 for his work on the New Jersey Death Penalty Study Commission.  See: Jewish Standard Newsmakers 2007.

The Hudson Jewish Community Forum next meets February 7

The purpose of the Forum is to involve the entire Jewish community in discussions of community planning, allocation of funds raised, and other matters of common concern to the local Jewish population of Hudson County.  The Forum meets approximately bi-monthly and all dates are posted on the HudsonJewish calendar.  All are welcome to attend, and participating donors are invited to express their views on any matter.  (The minimum annual contribution to be a participating donor is $36).

The next Forum meeting will be held on Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 7:30PM at Congregation B'nai Jacob, 176 West Side Avenue in Jersey City.  An agenda will be posted on the HudsonJewish calendar.  We will conclude with an open microphone, as always.

Jewish Day School Discussion

The Jewish Day School exploratory group is in the process of preparing a survey for interested parents.  Contact us if you would like to be included in the survey: Info@HudsonJewish.org.  More information on the school discussion is available on the HudsonJewish Bulletin Board.

HudsonJewish Bulletin Board

Over 50 people have already registered on the HudsonJewish Bulletin Board.  Postings have ranged from queries about local synagogues to help wanteds to information on local kosher resources.  Let us know if you have an idea for a new topic or require assistance in using the Bulletin Board to its full potential. See: Bulletin Board
 

Grupo Latino-Judío / Hispanoparlante:  Contact group for local Latin American Jews

If you have roots in the Spanish-speaking world, or would like to participate in Latin American Jewish events, please post a comment about yourself on the "Grupo Hispanoparlante" section of the HudsonJewish Bulletin Board.  We anticipate holding our first event in early 2008.

Reviews of Local Synagogues:  A Guide for the Perplexed

Just as the Zagat™ guide offers helpful restaurant reviews, HudsonJewish is pleased to publish a primer on local Hudson County synagogues, entitled "A Guide for the Perplexed."  A PDF is available for download on the HudsonJewish home page.  The document is still a work in progress, and the most recent version includes 4 synagogue reviews.  We hope to add the remaining synagogues soon.  If you would like to write a review, please contact us at: Info@HudsonJewish.org.  Alternatively, you can post your comments to the appropriate synagogue section of the HudsonJewish Bulletin Board.
 

Upcoming Presentation:  "Outreach Philosophy of Chabad"

Rabbi Ephraim Simon of the Chabad House of Teaneck will share thoughts on how Chabad's philosophy of outreach to unaffiliated Jews makes the Chabad-Lubavitch movement one of the most dynamic forces in Jewish life today.

However one feels about Chabad, all Jewish communities can learn from its approach to Jewish outreach.  Rabbi Simon's presentation and the follow-up discussion could be an excellent way to learn what Chabad can teach everyone about connecting people with Jewish life.  The event takes place on Wednesday, January 16 at 7:30PM, at the UJA Federation of Northern New Jersey, 111 Kinderkamack Road, River Edge, NJ.  For more information, e-mail Nickie Falk:  nickief@ujannj.org.  Or, telephone 201-488-6800, ext.254.

The NNJ Federation primarily covers Bergen and Passaic Counties, but it also includes the communities of northern Hudson County.  The NNJ Federation has graciously invited representatives from all of Hudson County to attend this valuable series.  The Membership Affinity Group serves as a forum for organization leaders and members to learn how to build and energize their communities.

Kabbalat Shabbat and Memorial Service for Dr. Martin Luther King, January 18

For the twenty-third consecutive year, Temple Beth-El of Jersey City honors the memory of civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a special Shabbat service and oneg open to the entire community.  New Jersey State Senator Sandra Cunningham will be honored on the occasion.  As she has done for two decades, Ethel Pesin, a long-time member of the Beth-El community, will light Shabbat candles. The whole community is invited to share in this event.  All are welcome.  (Friday, January 18, 2008, 7:45PM, at Temple Beth-El of Jersey City, 2419 Kennedy Blvd.  Parking is available at the Bank of America lot across the street).

Monthly Community-wide Friday Night Shabbat Dinner

The first of our monthly community-wide Friday night Shabbat dinners will take place on Friday, February 1, 2008, at United Synagogue of Hoboken.  Whether you are a newcomer or a long-timer in the community, this is a perfect opportunity to make new connections or renew old ones!  Kabbalat Shabbat services at 7PM, followed by dinner at 8:30PM.  $25/adult, $10/children 2-12, free/children under 2. 

Reservations  Dinner@HudsonJewish.org.

We hope that, over time, all local synagogues will take turns hosting these dinners.  A directory of local synagogues is available at: Hudson Jewish Resource Directory

Upcoming Events

Are your organization's events posted on the community calendar?  If not, your group and our whole community could be missing out.  (Also, if your meetings are not posted, it's difficult to avoid scheduling conflicts).  The following events were posted to the HudsonJewish online calendar as of January 1, 2008: HudsonJewish Calendar for January 2008.

January 2008

Thursday, 1/17/08, 7:45PM:  Israeli Dancing at USH

Thursday, 1/17/08, 8PM:  Bayonne JCC Board of Directors Meeting

Friday, 1/18/08, 7:45PM:  Kabbalat Shabbat and Memorial Service for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Temple Beth-El of Jersey City

Saturday night, 1/19/08, 7:30PM:  Tu BiShvat Celebration at Temple Emanu-el of Bayonne.  Adult puppet show, wine tasting, chocolate fountain, and more

Monday, 1/21/08, 6PM:  Tu BiShvat Seder and Pancake Dinner at USH

Thursday, 1/24/08, 7:45PM:  Israeli Dancing at USH

Friday, 1/25/08, 9PM:  JYAH Potluck dinner

Monday, 1/28/08, 8PM:  Hadassah Board Meeting at Bayonne JCC

 
Thursday, 1/31/08, 7:45PM: Israeli Dancing at USH

February 2008 Preview

Friday, 2/1/08, 7PM:  HudsonJewish Rotating Friday Night Dinner at United Synagogue of Hoboken.  (Services start at 7PM; dinner at 8:30PM).  Reserve places by emailing Dinner@HudsonJewish.org)

Saturday night, 2/2/08, 7:30PM:  USH Film Series "A Cantor's Tale" at Stevens Institute, Burchard Auditorium

Sunday, 2/3/08:  Note:  the HudsonJewish Super Bowl event has been cancelled

Monday, 2/4/08, 6:30PM:  JYAH event at Café Michelina's in Hoboken

Thursday, 2/7/08, 7:30PM:  Hudson Jewish Community Forum convenes this month at Congregation B'nai Jacob, 176 West Side Avenue in Jersey City.  Agenda to be posted on HudsonJewish website.  Open microphone

Saturday night, 2/9/08, 7PM:  JYAH event - comedy night at National Comedy Theatre on 36th Street in NYC

Sunday, 2/10/08, 10:30AM:  "Israel at 60:  The Historical Photos of David Rubinger" at USH

          Save the Dates!

• Upcoming community-wide Friday night kabbalat Shabbat and dinners:  Friday, February 29 and March 28.  Locations and times to be announced.
  

• Saturday night, March 8, at 7:30PM:  United Synagogue of Hoboken's ever-popular Cabaret Night, featuring live entertainment, to be held at the Hoboken Elk's Club.  Proceeds to benefit USH and The Jubilee Center.  Consult the HudsonJewish calendar for updates as the date approaches.

To confirm details and for more information on upcoming events, consult the HudsonJewish Monthly Calendar.

Conclusion

Whatever your Jewish background and interests may be, our growing local Jewish community has a place for you!  For more information on Jewish life in Hudson County, visit the HudsonJewish website at www.HudsonJewish.org.