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Message from the Vice Chairman
Dear Friends,
As we approach the end of 2008, I wish to take this
opportunity to thank you for your support of HudsonJewish and its activities in
this, our first complete calendar year of existence. It is remarkable that so much positive change
has occurred in so little time, and this would not have been possible without your
support and enthusiasm. Thank you.
This will be another exciting month in the Jewish community
of Hudson County.
Our first local issue of The Jewish State will be hitting the streets
this week. Hudson County
has not had a Jewish newspaper in decades, and HudsonJewish is proud to have
partnered with The Jewish State to bring one here. Copies should be easy to find, but remember
to contact HudsonJewish if you'd like to arrange a discounted home
subscription.
We hope to see you this Wednesday evening (December 3, 7PM) for the Holocaust studies
program for Jersey City Middle School students.
HudsonJewish believes that it is important to have a strong relationship
with our non-Jewish neighbors, and that the greater the Jewish presence at this
event, the better. Several of the students -- none of them Jewish -- recently returned from a trip to study what happened in Europe
during World War II, and will be discussing the horrors of the Holocaust along with
an accompanying film from their travels.
Surely, there will be an opportunity for great insight from our Jewish
community. Please attend, and encourage
others to do the same. A note on this event appears below.
I would be remiss if I failed to acknowledge the connection between the Holocaust program and the barbaric events in Mumbai last week. What
can we, in Hudson
County, learn from those outrageous acts of terrorism and murder? We can learn that no
Jewish community, no matter how small, is immune from being
targeted. Please join us, along with local dignitaries and rabbis, at the memorial service being held by Hoboken Chabad House this coming Thursday, December 4, at 8PM at the
Hoboken Boys & Girls Club. A notice appears below.
Because tragedy can strike where, and when, it is least
expected, please take a moment to note of the name and telephone number of the synagogue
nearest to you. Even if you are not
currently affiliated with a shul, the information could be good to have handy. A directory of synagogues is listed on the HudsonJewish website.
Finally, and to end on a positive note, on December 28th, HudsonJewish will proudly
present the second annual "Hanukkah on the Hudson!" at the Bayonne Jewish Community Center. Last year's event was an enormous success, and we
are anticipating a similar turnout this year.
There will be live music, food, activities for children, and, of course,
great company. Honorees from eight local
synagogues will each light candles on our community menorah. Come join the fun, and bring friends!
In closing, I look forward to seeing you all in the coming weeks and months -- under good
circumstances, I hope. Please make sure to
pick up The Jewish State this week!
Shalom,
Dr. Neil Davis
Vice Chairman, HudsonJewish
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Holocaust Education Program in Jersey City |
| Local Students to Report on Trip to Germany & Eastern Europe, Participate in Panel Discussion, Wednesday, December 3, 7PM
With the recent events in Mumbai as fresh reminders that anti-Semitism is still a concrete threat to Jewish life worldwide, HudsonJewish is promoting a Holocaust studies program presented by the Jersey City Board of Education, on Wednesday, December 3, at 7:00 PM at Jersey City Middle School 4.
Jersey City School District Language and Arts supervisor June Chang will lead the program, along with several Middle School students, about the trip they took this past summer to Germany, Poland
and the Czech Republic to study the atrocities committed against European Jews during World War II. Mr.
Chang and his students will present a film that they made about their experience. The program will also include a panel discussion.
HudsonJewish recommends this program as an important
opportunity to build understanding among Jews and non-Jews throughout our
diverse region. If you or someone you know has World War II experiences, or parents or grandparents who survived the atrocities in Europe, this is an appropriate opportunity to share those experiences with the students.
Details
The film and discussion will take place at the Jersey City Middle School 4 ,
107 Bright Street
between Jersey and Montgomery. Middle School 4 is accessible via Light Rail (Jersey Avenue station) and PATH (Grove Street station). Attendees are encouraged to arrive early. For more information contact HudsonJewish Trustee Raylie Dunkel, who is helping raise awareness of this important event in the Jewish and non-Jewish community. Raylie@HudsonJewish.org. |
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Memorial to the Slain in Mumbai |
| Chabad to Sponsor Special Public Prayer Service in Hoboken Thursday, December 4
Rabbi Moshe Schapiro of the Hoboken Chabad House has asked HudsonJewish to share the following message to the entire community:
Jews around the world are shocked at tragic loss of life from the terror attacks at the Chabad House in Mumbai, India. With news that Rabbi Gavriel Noach Holtzberg and his wife, Rivka, as well as seven other Jews and many innocent non-Jews, were among the murdered, we are encouraging action to memorialize the lives that were lost.
Gabi and Rivky were in Mumbai as Chabad emissaries since 2003. Two years ago
they moved their operations from a hotel to the five-story "Nariman
House." Their Chabad House served as a home-away-from-home for many Israeli
backpackers and other international tourists, as well as the small local Jewish
community. The care and devotion with which they served all who visited was
legendary. Everyone knew they could count on the Chabad House for a warm kosher
meal, a prayer service or a Torah class, and sometimes even a place to sleep.
The tragedy in Mumbai has united the worldwide Jewish community like never
before; the heartening expressions of care emanating from all walks and
denominations of Jewish life are astounding. Since these horrific events, Jews
around the world have been resolving to perform Mitzvahs in memory of the
Holtzbergs and the other unfortunate victims.
Darkness can only prevail in the absence of light, and we battle darkness by
kindling a small light, which grows to a much greater flame. The smallest
Mitzvah we perform can have world altering effects in the face of darkness. And
the more Mitzvahs we do, the further we eradicate evil and darkness. The Jewish world has the ability to harness its great unifying power.
Let's use it for the positive.
EVERYONE is invited to join Chabad for a memorial service for Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg
this Thursday, December 4 at 8:00 PM at the Boys and Girls Club, 123 Jefferson Street Hoboken.
A special video presentation is being prepared for this evening. For more information call Rabbi Moshe Schapiro, 201-386-5222 or email: rabbi@chabadhoboken.com. |
"Hanukkah on the Hudson!" December 28 at BJCC
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Second Annual All-Community Celebration
"Hanukkah on the Hudson!" will take place this year on  Sunday, December 28, from 1-5PM. Starting with a children's event at 1PM, the celebration will include a live band, Israeli dancing, refreshments, and the traditional lighting of the 8-branch Hanukkah menorah. Community members from throughout the region will be honored for their volunteerism at the ceremony to be led by Rabbi Gordon Gladstone.
The event will be at the Bayonne Jewish Community Center, 1050 Kennedy Boulevard. On-street parking is available, or else take a brisk walk from the Light Rail. Admission: $12 in advance, $15 at the door. (Children 2-12 $8 in advance, $10 at the door. Under 2 free). Make checks to "Bayonne JCC."
 Advance registration is strongly requested because we had overflow turnout last year, at what was a first-of-its kind event in Hudson County. For further information contact Caren at the Bayonne JCC at 201-436-6900 or Michelle Levine, Secretary@HudsonJewish.org. If you have not attended a Jewish event in the area, "Hanukkah on the Hudson!" is a wonderful way to meet other people and get connected with the community in a festive atmosphere. |
Connecting Our Community -- Another Synagogue Joins the HudsonJewish Effort!
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Temple Israel Community Center/Congregation Heichal Yisrael serves northern Hudson County
HudsonJewish is
pleased to welcome Temple Israel Community Center/Congregation Heichal
Yisrael of Cliffside Park to the HudsonJewish effort. The latest congregation to support HudsonJewish, TICC/Heichal Yisrael is a Conservative synagogue led by Rabbi
Shammai Engelmayer. Located nearby the new waterfront developments of
northern Hudson County, the synagogue is one of two organizations in the
HudsonJewish circle that are not technically within Hudson County.
However, TICC/Heichal Yisrael recognizes
the benefits of cooperating with neighboring shuls to reach out to
newcomers and to collaborate on issues of common interest. We welcome
Rabbi Engelmayer and his congregation to HudsonJewish and hope to see them at "Hanukkah on the Hudson!"
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HudsonJewish Board Elections Results
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The Hudson Jewish Community Forum, A New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation ("HudsonJewish") held its second annual elections at its November 17 Board of Trustees meeting. The following community volunteers were elected to two-year Trustee positions:
- Trustee Seat 2: Michelle Levine, Bayonne. (Reelected. Ms. Levine currently serves as Secretary of HudsonJewish. She is a member of Congregation Ohav Zedek of Bayonne and serves on the board of the Bayonne JCC).
- Trustee Seat 4: Yael Israel, Jersey City. (Reelected. Ms. Israel currently serves as Treasurer of HudsonJewish. She is a member of Conregation B'nai Jacob of Jersey City).
- Trustee Seat 6: Matt Meistrich, Hoboken. (Elected to newly created Trustee Seat. Mr. Meistrich previously served as Honorary Trustee of HudsonJewish. He is a member of United Synagogue of Hoboken, where he serves on the board).
- Trustee Seat 7: Jeffrey Bernstein, Esq., North Bergen (Elected to newly created Trustee Seat. Mr. Bernstein previously served as Honorary Trustee of HudsonJewish He is a member of Congregation Beth Abraham of North Bergen where he serves on the presidium).
In addition, HudsonJewish is very pleased to announce the election as Honorary Trustee of its first clergy member, Rabbi Clifford Miller. Rabbi Miller, the leader of Temple Emanu-El of Bayonne, has served the community since 1987 and is a well-known figure in Bayonne. In addition, he serves as librarian at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. Formerly a captain in the United States Air Force, Rabbi Miller served as Jewish chaplain to US forces in Laos, Cambodia and Nepal and as rabbi of the Strategic Air Command. A fill biography of Rabbi Miller is available on the Temple Emanu-El website: Rabbi Clifford Miller - Temple Emanu-El of Bayonne.
The Board welcomes all of its new members and encourages others to seek out opportunities to get involved in community-wide activities.
The HudsonJewish by-laws are posted on the "About" section of the HudsonJewish website; we encourage all organizations to adopt similarly transparent governance practices. |
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December - Early January Events
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To post your own organization's events to the HudsonJewish community calendar, email Honorary Trustee Jessica Lemmon (Jessica@HudsonJewish.org) for a username and password. Posting events is the best way to avoid scheduling conflicts and broadcast your events (and existence) to the community. Dates/times/locations may change, so check the online calendar for updates. Post by the 25th of the prior month for inclusion. We try to include selected events for the six weeks following publication, on or around the first of each month.
Tuesday, December 2, 6-10PM: NCJW Hoboken/Hudson - Dinner & Shopping
Tuesday, December 2, 7-9PM: Ohav Zedek & Bayonne JCC Rosh Chodesh Program.
Wednesday, December 3, 7-9PM. Holocaust education program sponsored by Jersey City Public Schools. Jersey City School District Language and Arts supervisor June Chang
and his students will present a film that they made about their experience visiting Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic, followed by panel discussion. See above for further information on this event and why it could be an important opportunity to build inter-community understanding in our area. (Location: Jersey City Middle School 4,
107 Bright Street
between Jersey and Montgomery, Jersey Avenue Light Rail; Grove Street PATH Station). Contact HudsonJewish Trustee Raylie Dunkel: Raylie@HudsonJewish.org.
December 21-29: Hanukkah!
Sunday, December 21: United Synagogue of Hoboken Hanukkah Celebration.
Sunday, December 21, 5-7PM: Chanuka Community Lighting. Join Chabad House of Hoboken and local dignitaries at Hoboken City Hall, 94 Washington Street. Children's event begins at 3:30.
Sunday, December 21, 3-10PM: Latke/Vodka Pre-Party and Matisyahu Concert. Join Jewish Young Adults of Hoboken/Hudson for an afternoon of celebration and an evening of music. Hoboken location for post-prandial imbibition TBD, cost $10/person, followed by PATH train to NYC to hear Matisyahu at Webster Hall, cost $35. (Kindly purchase your own tickets via Ticketmaster)
Wednesday, December 24, 7:45-10PM: Chabad House Wine and Cheese Tasting at the Boys and Girls Club of Hoboken, 123 Jefferson Street. For more information contact ChabadHoboken@gmail.com.
Friday evening, December 26, 6-10PM: Chanukah Shabbat at Temple Beth Am of Bayonne.
Sunday, December 28, 1-5PM: "Hanukkah on the Hudson!". Community/family program featuring a live band, Jewish/Israeli music, Israeli dancing, children's activities, light refreshments, and community candle-lighting honoring members of Jewish organizations throughout Hudson County. For more information consult the HudsonJewish calendar or contact Caren at the BJCC: 201-436-6900 or Michelle Levine, Secretary@HudsonJewish.org. |
Save the Dates!
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Friday, January 9: United Synagogue of Hoboken's "My Jewish Neighborhood" welcomes the community to USH members' homes for Shabbat
dinner. (USH seeks additional hosts and facilitators. Contact Karen
at: Neighborhood@HobokenSynagogue.org.
Friday, January 16, 7:45-9PM: Temple Beth-El of Jersey City, 24th Annual Kabbalat Shabbat Service and Memorial to Dr. Martin Luther King. Speaker: noted author, physician and lecturer, Dr. Robert L. Johnson, Dean of the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey. For more information contact Rabbi Kenneth Brickman, RAVKLB@aol.com.
Saturday night, January 24, 2009, time TBD: Temple Beth-El of Jersey City Havdalah and "Jazz Jam!".
Saturday night, February 28, 8-10PM: Third Annual USH Casino Night in Hoboken.
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Chanukah Gifts for Ethiopian Jewish Children in Israel
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"8th Night of Chanukah" Program Sponsored by North American Conference on Ethiopian Jewry
Hundreds of
Ethiopian Jewish children will
receive all the schoolbooks and workbooks they need for an entire year, due to
the "8th Night of Chanukah" program run by the North American
Conference on Ethiopian Jewry (NACOEJ). The program is part of NACOEJ's
larger "Limudiah" program which
provides intensive after-school educational instruction for about 1,200
Ethiopian-Israeli children. Each gift of
$36 to NACOEJ enables the purchase of schoolbooks for at least two
Ethiopian-Israeli children for one full year while honoring a child in the United States. The American recipient, chosen by the donor,
receives a handsome personalized 8th Night of
Chanukah certificate as a memento of "the best night of all".
To participate in the "8th Night of
Chanukah" program or for more information about NACOEJ programs in Ethiopia and Israel, contact NACOEJ, 132 Nassau Street,
Suite 412, New York, NY 10038.
Phone: 212-233-5200 x 232; fax: 212-233-5243; e-mail: Melanie, mrifkin@nacoej.org. |
| Recognizing Our Generous Contributors |
Founded in 2007, HudsonJewish is a grass-roots, volunteer effort to nurture and support Jewish life in the Hudson County area by connecting Jewish people with each other and with the institutions that serve the community. A list of contributors is published on the HudsonJewish website at: HudsonJewish - Donors. Add your name to the list of community supporters by contributing online or by check to:HudsonJewish, PO Box 225, Jersey City, NJ 07303
Contributions may be made in honor (or in memory) of loved ones, friends, or special occasions. Contributions will be acknowledged on the website; indicate whether you prefer to donate anonymously.
100% of Donations Support Local Jewish Programs
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Do you know someone who wants to stay in the loop but lacks email? Annual subscriptions to the print version of this newsletter are available by sending name, address and check for $36 to:
HudsonJewish
P.O. Box 225
Jersey City, NJ 07303 | |
The Hudson Jewish Community Forum ("HudsonJewish") is a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation. Our mission is to nurture and support Jewish life in Hudson County, New Jersey.
HudsonJewish: Connecting Our Community
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