News & Conference Information from AJFCA for March 18, 2011

Sharsheret, a national organization of cancer survivors dedicated to the challenges facing young Jewish women living with breast cancer, is hosting a teleconference and webinar, The Whole Picture: A Holistic Approach to Breast Health and Breast Cancer, Wednesday, on June 1^st, 8:00 pm EST. This national teleconference and webinar will focus on integrating holistic interventions into the lives of Jewish women living with or at high risk for breast cancer. Panelists include Oncologist Dr. Mitchell Gaynor, Registered Dietitian Lisa Goldberg, and Neurologist Dr. Sharon Herzfeld. For more information and to register, email events@sharsheret.org.

Sharsheret also offers free Train the Trainer sessions and networking teleconferences for support group facilitators and program coordinators. You can learn about the unique issues of young Jewish women facing breast cancer and helpful tips and strategies to develop successful programs in your community.

Upcoming sessions involving member AJFCA agencies include:

Sharsheret Supports Milwaukee: Train the Trainer Webinar, Tuesday, March 22^nd, 11:00am (EST) and Thursday, March 24^th, 10:00am (EST).
Sharsheret Supports Baltimore: Train the Trainer Webinar, Thursday, April 7^th, 12:00pm (EST).

For more information and to schedule a Train the Trainer session, email Link Program Coordinator Adina Fleischmann.

D'Var Torah

Lee I. Sherman
President & CEO

Shabbat Zachor by its very name, taken from the Haftorah and special Torah reading, is infused with the notion of memory. On this second of the four special Shabbatot which precede Pesach, and the one immediately preceding Purim, we are instructed by the Torah reading (Deutoronomy 25:17-19) to both remember what Amalek did to us and to blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. The Haftorah helps us to resolve this apparent paradox.

The special Torah reading describes the vicious Amalekite attack targeting the weak and defenseless among the children of Isarel soon after they had left Egypt. In the Haftorah, God, through the prophet Samuel, commands King Saul to avenge the Amalekite's earlier offense by annihilating all of the Amalekites, including their king and property. Saul organizes an army and destoryed much of Amalek, but he spared King Agog and the most valuable of their property.

For failing to fulfill the command of God to destroy totally Amalek, an infuriated Samuel tells Saul that his rule over Israel would end. Although Saul argues that he captured King Agog and only spared the best of the flocks at his soldiers' requests so they could be used as sacrifices, Samuel responds that obedience to God's command is better than sacrifice.

Saul failed to follow the message of the Torah reading and remember what Amalek did to us, as well as to eradicated the memory of Amalek. By allowing King Agog to survive, even for a brief time, the link of Amalek continued and leads to the Purim story and Haman, for he too was an Amalekite. Moreover, when we are instructed to remember what Amalek did to us, it is so we will remember their deeds and methods, and not behave the same way. Saul however went too close to the Amalekite methodology. He killed the most powerless and spared the strong, thus paralleling the story from the Torah, rather than responding to it as God commands.

For us, as we celebrate Purim and follow Mordechai's declarations to send mishloach manot to friends and relatives, and to give tzedakah, we beccome the opposite of the Amalek. We support and protect the powerless, not attack them. We build a community, not destroy one. And in our actions we wipe out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Purim Sameach

2011 AJFCA Annual Conference Update

"Thriving in the New Frontier"

Ann Zeller

Director of Meetings & Conferences

Host Community Dinner Reception, plus so much more....

Our conference attendees are cordially invited by Jewish Family Service Calgary to join them at the Host Community Welcome Event at Heritage Park Historical Village on Sunday evening.

Buses will leave the Westin Hotel between 5:45pm-6:00pm and will arrive inside Heritage Park at the Wainwright Hotel for an exciting evening, to include a cocktail reception; "family style" dinner; greeting from Mayor Naheed Nenshi of Calgary; time to mingle with one another; walk through Heritage Park; and tour of The Little Synagogue on the Prairie. Buses will begin leaving Heritage Park at 9:15pm to return to the Westin.

Lou the Mountie encourages you to attend!

If you are planning to attend the AJFCA Annual Conference this year, you have already made a great decision.

As a reminder, the conference and registration information is now available for you to download, pre-registration is required for the host community event: CONFERENCE & REGISTRATION.

How to Find the Best U.S. Cell Phone Plans for Calling in Canada

Millions of individuals in North America use cell phones as a primary means of telecommunication. Canada's close proximity with the United States means many Canadians or U.S. residents' travel between the two countries. Cell phone users may have difficulty avoiding expensive roaming charges when using their cell phones to make calls in Canada. Learn how to find the best U.S. cell phone plans that allow you to make calls in Canada.

1. Understand the basics of cell phone roaming in Canada. When traveling over the Canada-U.S. border, your U.S. cell phone switches from its U.S. network to the Canadian cell phone network with which your U.S. cell phone service provider has a partnership deal. While your U.S. cell phone will still function while visiting Canada, you may be charged excessive roaming fees by your U.S. cell phone plan.

2. Determine your cell phone calling habits. Keep track of how you use your cell phone and how many cell phone minutes you use. Also, keep track of the times that you make cell phone calls (many cell phone plans charge different prices for calls made after a certain time, or on the weekends). How you use your cell phone will determine which U.S. plan affords you the best price while vacationing in Canada.

3. Research your U.S. cell phone options. Contact your current cell phone service provider to find how they treat your cell phone plan while you are in Canada. Some cell phone service providers, such as Verizon, have North American plans that allow you to make calls in both Canada and the U.S. without paying roaming fees.

4. Consider purchasing a short-term Canadian cell phone plan if you are planning to make many calls in Canada and your U.S. cell phone plan does not give you sufficient flexibility when traveling outside of the United States. Some of the larger Canadian cell phone providers include Rogers, Bell, Fido and Telus. Contact each of these Canadian cell phone companies and research the cost of their no-contract plans.

Program Update

Lisa Budlow

Director of Programs

Announcing: the 2011 Goodman Award Winner:

Patient Partners, a program of

JFS of Washtenaw County (Ann Arbor, Michigan)

AJFCA would like to extend congratulations to JFS of Washtenaw County, our 2011 Goodman Award winner. Their program, Patient Partners, represents an innovative blend of engaging senior volunteers and addressing an important need in the older adult community. Patient Partners enlists volunteers to accompany clients not only to medical appointmens but through the appointment. Volunteers meet with the clients before the appointment to help prepare questions, drive with them to the appointment and assist the elders through discussions with the doctors, helping them take notes for future reference. JFS of Washtenaw County will be presenting a workshop at our conference in Calgary describing this creative program and giving tips for replicating it in your community.

The panel of judges had a truly difficult time chosing from among the group of excellent submissions this year. All of the submissons will be featured in materials distributed at the Annual Conference and will be featured on AJFCA's new website after the Conference.

AJFCA's Inaugural TrailBlazer Submissions Due Next Friday

A reminder to all agencies to submit nominations for AJFCA's Inaugural AJFCA TrailBlazer Award, which will be presented to one professional and one volunteer leader at this year's conference in Calgary. Each of the award winners will receive a complimentary registration to AJFCA's 2012 Annual Conference in Houston.

Submissions are due to me by Friday, March 25^th. If you need an extra copy of the submission guidelines, please email me.

Leadership/Young Leadership Submissions Due Next Friday

Also due to me by Friday, March 25^th are submissions for Leadership Awards honoring professional and volunteer leaders who have received awards from your agencies this year. Please see the attached guidelines for submissions.

News from Washington, DC

Shelley Rood

Washington Director

Jewish Federations Organizes Relief for Victims of Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan, Hawaii and the Pacific

The Jewish Federations of North America has opened an emergency relief fund to provide aid and support to the victims of the 8.9 magnitude earthquake and ensuing tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, and to help those in other affected zones such as Hawaii and the U.S. mainland's West Coast.

The JFNA Emergency Committee will be conducting a needs-assessment process in the coming days, in association with partners including the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, to determine the short- and long-term needs arising from this disaster and how to best allocate funds raised. JFNA will continue to monitor and report on this process.

Learn more about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Hawaii and the Pacific and how to help .