Update from The Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey • March 2017 • Volume 5
Strengthening the Jewish community locally and around the world
The Federation is the unifying thread, connecting people & partners to strengthen the community If only there were unlimited dollars to help all in need, obvious solutions for every challenge, and an overabundance of volunteers to meet the needs of the vulnerable. If only the work of making the world a better place required only a snap of the fingers. While these might seem modern concerns, our sages addressed them ages ago: “It is not your responsibility to finish the work of perfecting the world, but you are not free to desist from it either.” Rabbi Tarfon, Pirke Avot 2:21 Instead of focusing on “if only,” the Jewish Federation follows the rabbi’s advice, and focuses on perfecting the world in increments, well aware that the work is ongoing, and best accomplished by leveraging funds, connections, and community partnerships. Because it is at the center of the Jewish community, threading one part to another, the Federation has a positive impact on more lives in more places than any other Jewish organization. Intent on helping Jewish family in need and enabling as many people as possible to find their connection to Jewish community, the Federation initiates and supports programs that improve lives locally, in Israel, and elsewhere around the globe. This newsletter focuses on some of the people and partnerships that have accepted the rabbi’s challenge and together are repairing the worlds of so many, here in the heart of New Jersey and beyond. ing the engthen tr s n o s e y. riv ration th ommunit The Fede c of the Jewish c fabri
Focus on thriving together “Our diversity is a strength.” Jeff Schwartz has made that statement in almost every public and private forum since becoming president of the Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey.
gogues and their local Federations. Active in the Federation for many years, Jeff sees the merger of the Middlesex and Monmouth Federations as almost complete. “Our financials are aligned, our missions
have coalesced, the visions are in sync. We have a strong leadership team. We’re bringing in dollars from more donors and leveraging more hen ollars go w d n o ti ra e d strategic solutions re Fe and t-hand whe e for at-risk Jeff saw firs an Israeli Youth Hom and partnerships, children. he visited immigrant which means we can do more good Jeff is far more focused on the for more people in need. connections between people than “The one thing that is left is more any labels that might separate personal integration. We need them. Raised in a Conservative more opportunities in casual synagogue, Jeff drifted toward settings for people in the area to davening with his Orthodox talk with each other and come to friends, yet led the youth group appreciate each other’s strengths.” of the local Reform synagogue. During one of the group’s conclaves in the early ‘70s, they had a telephone conversation with a Refusenik, a Russian Jew who had been denied the right to emigrate to Israel. He says that experience hooked him on social action and He’s looking forward to events that, community service. Those same commitments kept him active in the “bring people together in interesting venues where they can hear Boy Scouts through high school, interesting speakers, have plenty of and continue to inform his thinking. time to mingle, and have fun.” He and his wife, Marcia, have two Jeff firmly believes in the power children and two grandchildren. He’s thrilled that their daughter and of personal relationships. He is the vice president of a family-owned her husband as well as their son business begun in WWII, now in its and his fiancée are active in their third generation. respective neighborhood syna-
He sees the county lines as artificial divisions. “It’s true that the Federation covers a large area. We are fortunate, though. Through the Federation, we have the opportunity to serve the world-wide Jewish community as well as the vulnerable in our own backyard.” He strongly believes the Federation is “the place to be for everyone who wants to build a better, stronger, more welcoming community celebrating the diversity of Jewish life.”
“...We need more opportunities in casual settings for people in the area to talk with each other and come to appreciate each other’s strengths.” He added, “The serious business of Tikkun Olam, repairing the world, is a reward unto itself. But the joy we experience while working toward our goals as a team should always complement the underlying, sacred nature of our task. Knowing each other, appreciating each other, and enjoying each other, we can truly thrive together.”
Focus on rescue You live in Haifa. Your child has wandered off the hiking trail. You spot his hoodie on a bush. Who do you call first? ZAKA might seem an unlikely choice. Best known as the first responders at any terror incident, ZAKA has become the “go-to” first aide, search, and rescue resource in Israel and internationally. It now has specialized teams to handle different situations, including a canine unit to lead searches for anyone from a missing child to a wandering Alzheimer’s sufferer to people caught in an earthquake.
Their canine program also offers at-risk teens an opportunity to change their lives by helping to train the dogs. Whether involved with drugs or living in abusive situations, these teens often are distrusting and disconnected from society. ZAK A dogs guide their ha
ndlers in man y
ways.
In order to train a dog, a ZAKA teen must accept the discipline of routine. While learning to take care of the dogs, they learn to take better care of themselves. Along the way, they learn about trust, how to work with a group, experience achievement, and develop skills that can lead to job opportunities.
In its nine years, this program has helped more than 4,000 teens, and the teams now go on joint exercises with the IDF’s elite Oketz canine unit. Which is why, when someone in Israel is missing, the call goes out to ZAKA. It’s also why the Federation has fine-tuned its overseas grant-making strategy, to directly support this and other Israeli programs helping diverse populations of people in Israel who are in need.
Focus on raising a child Jewishly A generation ago, first-time parents relied on Dr. Spock’s “Baby and Child Care,” which began with the comforting sentence, “You know more than you think you do.” By sentence three, it was clear that only he had the answer to any question. In contrast, Kveller.com, a website for Jewish parents and grandparents, states, “There is no one way to parent Jewishly,” and relies on its community to provide answers. This Federation recently became one of Kveller’s few “local” sites, joining Baltimore, New York, Detroit, and Chicago, in helping parents find resources about parenting Jewish children. One of the most widely shared blogs is Maurie Backman’s “Just Because I’m Busy Doesn’t Mean I’m Mad at You!” A working wife and mother, Maurie is on the Federation’s board, and she’s a member of Aberdeen’s Temple Beth Ahm. Check out kveller.com/location/mmc.
Focus on service Sarah Cehelyk and Maya Kurzman met when they joined JTeam Teen Philanthropy, one of the Federation’s teen leadership development programs, to learn how to make a difference.
tively, wanted to find a way to work together.
tion’s JTeam – to people with special needs: Horsing Around With Yachad.
Maya said, “One of the aspects of JTeam and the entire Jewish Federation that I admire so much is
Now, during Yachad’s monthly visits to Special Strides’ 200-acre farm, individuals ride horses, go on
As part of their JTeam activities, each had to research an area social
service program, and then explain to the rest of the group why the program they chose deserved financial support. Sarah chose Yachad, a national program with an East Brunswick chapter that encourages inclusion of people with special needs in Jewish community activities and programs. Maya chose Special Strides, a therapeutic equine center in Monroe that also works with special needs individuals and families. While both Yachad and Special Strides are Federation partners, neither one knew of the other. Sarah and Maya, from East Brunswick and Marlboro, respec-
Donate
. nthropists Teen Phila m a e T J e Th
that it empowers us to think out Horsing Around W ith Yacha d at Spe of the box, to break away from the cial Strid es . norm.” cart rides, groom horses, and play Sarah added, “We were excited in the balance park, supervised by about our programs, and licensed therapists. thought that maybe we could combine the two in some way, and get more money for them.” These clever teens introduced Tobey Karpel, Coordinator of Yachad’s East Brunswick chapter, to Laurie Landy, Founder and Director of Special Strides, and came up with an entirely new offering available for free – thanks to a grant from the Federa-
Your gift helps people in need and makes the community stronger. Whether you make an annual pledge, create a legacy for future generations, pledge by phone or mail, your donation makes a difference – in the heart of New Jersey, in Israel, and around the world. Contact 732-588-1800 or jewishheartnj.org/donate
Participate Meet new people, gain new perspectives, and have fun at programs in our area. Find them at jewishheartnj.org/calendar
For Tobey, the collaboration has introduced Yachad to families that might not otherwise have known about their programs, which include Mom’s night out and siblings gatherings. Laurie is thrilled that Special Strides is expanding its reach and helping more people with special needs strengthen their bodies and their ability to communicate. These teens leveraged partnerships, dollars, and contacts to make the most of a service opportunity.
You ARE the community! Volunteer Together, we care for people in need, advocate for Israel, and strengthen the Jewish future. On March 19, volunteer at J-SERVE to work with teens on the international day of Jewish youth service. For details and other volunteer opportunities, contact lauras@jewishheartnj.org or 732-588-1800.
Focus on understanding Two of the Federation’s lesserknown partners, both focused on improving understanding and respect for all, are having a huge impact on middle schoolers.
Just as DPEC has become well known for the journey to Washington, the Center for Holocaust, Human
Daniel Pearl Education Center, housed within East
Brunswick’s Congregation B’nai Shalom, is named in memory of the Wall Street Journal Southeast Asia Bureau Chief who, in 2002, was murdered in Pakistan. Each winter for the past 12 years, the synagogue’s bar/bat mitzvah class and the eighth-graders of nearby St. Bartholomew School have spent a day in Washington, DC. Their stops include the US Holocaust Memorial and Museum as well as the Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Vietnam Memorials. They also hear from Holocaust survivors and Vietnam War veterans. Andrew Boyarsky, President and Founder of DPEC, said the purpose of the Federation-supported trip is to reinforce DPEC teachings of respect for others as well as understanding the physical and emotional toll of hatred. “St. Bartholomew’s has been part of the trip since its inception. It just made sense. Other churches have joined us, from time to time. But the participation of St. Bartholomew’s has been a constant and valued piece of the program.” According to Mrs. Ann Wierzbicki, R.N., M.A.E./Ed.S, St. Bartholomew School Principal, the trip “has always been a positive learning experience for our students.”
exhibit” in the spring.
Daniel Pe
arl
Rumson Vera Ridoux, 7th & 8th graders are using journals Rumson’s Supervia to expre ss their fe nd art sor of Curriculum, elin about ste reotypin gs g. Instruction, and
Rights and Genocide Education at Brookdale Community College (Chhange), in Lincroft, has been primarily known by schools throughout the state for its annual Colloquium, at which more than 2500 middle and high schoolers hear from area experts about issues such as racism and genocide, and interact with Holocaust survivors and descendants of the Armenian Genocide. Recently, Dr. John Bormann, Superintendent of Rumson schools, contacted Chhange, looking for resources to help introduce conversations in the classroom about racism and stereotyping. “We went to Chhange expecting to get some books to guide us. Instead we were offered a complete menu of options to augment our curriculum,” he said. Seventh and eighth graders have been reading books such as “I Am Malalah” as well as the diaries of young Holocaust survivors, and will be attending Chhange’s “Anne Frank
Assessment, has been fascinated with how the students have reacted to blank journals Susan Stein, an educator/artist working with Chhange, gave them. She said, “These journals are very precious to the students. They write down their own thoughts knowing whatever they write is completely private. And it has spider-webbed out, from English Language Arts to History to our Arts program. They’ve used the diaries they’ve read to mentor their own journals. Art is showing up in the journals, too.” Dale Daniels, Chhange’s Executive Director, confirmed that Rumson has approached Chhange about continuing the collaboration next year. Meanwhile, Chhange has been working with other school districts interested, in Dr. Bormann’s words, “in having conversations about conflict and diversity within the classroom. Because conflict will occur. What matters, as we have learned from Chhange, is how bystanders respond.”
Federation Leadership Jeffrey Schwartz PRESIDENT Amy Mallet 1ST VICE PRESIDENT Michelle Fields 2ND VICE PRESIDENT
Focus on voices In the last several months, the Federation has received more feedback than usual from community members unhappy about the Federation’s position — or lack of one – on issues in the public domain. These have sparked important conversations about what is and who speaks for the community. This Jewish community speaks with many voices. Every one of the more than 100,000 Jewish voices in the heart of NJ is equal, and is needed to repair
Murray Katz TREASURER Cheryl Markbreiter SECRETARY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Joel Krinsky Naomi Lasky Adrienne Ross Jeffrey Schwartz Roy Tanzman Keith Krivitzky CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Susan Antman EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
the world (tikkun olam), promote justice (tzedakah), and perform acts of loving kindness (chesed). These timeless Jewish values, upon which all the Federation’s efforts are grounded, form common threads that bind us as a community. That’s why the Federation seeks to engage all voices in constructive conversations, encourage education, and promote vibrant gathering places – virtual and physical – for the exchange of ideas, including:
• Workshops preparing students to deal with anti-Semitism on campus; • Access to JerusalemU, an online resource for Israel education and engagement;
• Sponsored speakers, films, forums, and workshops; • Interactions with interfaith neighbors; • and New Jersey Jewish News (NJJN).
230 Old Bridge Turnpike South River, NJ 08882 Phone: (732) 588-1800
As of last fall, the NJJN is published by Jewish Week Media Group, which also publishes the New York Jewish Week. When it broke with tradition last year and endorsed a presidential candidate, some readers were outraged, some delighted, and most were surprised. The editorial content of the independently published NJJN neither reflects the views of, nor is controlled by, the Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey. However, the Federation is committed to supporting the paper as a gathering place where all voices and views can be respected and reflected. As Federation President Jeff Schwartz says of community, “Our diversity is our strength.” The paper now has a dedicated mailbox, heart@njjewishnews.com, providing all organizations and individuals in the community a direct line to the editor through which to submit news, story ideas, event photos, letters to the editor, opinion pieces, and feedback. In their own voices. The Federation will continue to work with partners, such as NJJN, to ensure the varied voices of the community are welcome in every gathering place, so this community continues thriving together.