September 2023 Vol. 2 Issue 7 THE PJC PRESS THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE PERRINEVILLE JEWISH CENTER Inside this issue Important Dates Erev Rosh Hashanah September 15, 2023 Rosh Hashanah — September 16-17 LEV Academy Starts September 21 Erev Yom Kippur (Kol Nidre) - September 24 Yom Kippur — September 25 Erev Sukkot — September 29 Sukkot — September 30—October 7 Candle-Lighting Times www.pjcmillstone.org Follow us and SHARE on social media A Word From Our Rabbi……... 3 President’s Perspective……….. 4 Education Director’s Thoughts……. 5 Book Club News 7 Announcements……………….. 8 Question of the Month………... 12 Job Available…………… 13 Friday Sept 8 Sept 15 Sept 22 Sept 29 7:01 pm 6:49 pm 6:37 pm 6:26 pm Oct 6 Oct 13 Oct 20 Oct 27 Nov 3 6:14 pm 6:03 pm 5:53 pm 5:43 pm 5:35 pm
2 2023 Board of Directors & Staff Senior Rabbi Sheldon Schevelowitz Executive Assistant Open President Jeff Ziner Vice President Open Secretary Doris Entin Treasurer Lori Feibus Trustees Rebecca Aaronson Lynn Bender Larry Cohen Michele Rabinowitz Jonathan Schwartz Janice Weiss Micah Zahler Education Director Inbar Robbins Partnership Committee Inbar Robbins, Chair Rebecca Aaronson Adrienne Fein Cindy Perchaluk Michele Rabinowitz Cemetery Committee Sylvia Hadad, Honorary Chair Larry Cohen Inbar Robbins Jeff Ziner Micah Zahler Fundraising Committee Micah Zahler, Chair Inbar Robbins Cindy Perchaluk Ritual Committee Jonathan Schwartz Good & Welfare Committee Doris Entin Linda Warren PJC Press Staff Cindy Perchaluk Buildings & Grounds Peter Scipilliti Contact Us! Main: 732-334-8774 https://www.pjcmillstone.org/contact-us Inbar Robbins: [email protected] Office Hours Every Tuesday 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (no appointment needed) All other days book appointment by visiting https://calendly.com/pjcmillstone
3 A Word From Our Rabbi A Person al Message From Rabbi Schevelowitz May I take this early opportunity to wish everyone a Shana Tova and the best for the coming New Year. The world at large is experiencing monumental changes. There is climate change, severe weather attacks, war in the Ukraine and terror attacks on Israel, among other issues. The High Holidays give us an opportunity to reflect and reach out to G-d and to spend time in spirituality and prayer. We are taught, through messages to us by our prophets, that faith and prayer can return us to a state of normalcy. Such is our belief. As Rabbi of PJC over the course of 35 years, I have seen many changes, not only in the world, but in the Synagogue membership as well. From the egg farmers and Holocaust survivors to the suburbanites and presently members of the 55 plus communities. There have been trial and error moments, joys and sorrows and we have persevered through all. We have the opportunity to make this year a banner year. Let us all work together to succeed. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns. Let us truly make this a Shana Tova! On behalf of myself Sarah and the children may you all be blessed with only joys and no sorrows. Once again Shana Tova to all!
4 President’s Perspective, By Jeff Ziner Welcome to this edition of the PJC Press. I’m hoping you enjoy this edition and provide us some feedback. To start with, I first want to give the Robbins family all our best wishes as Rich is on the mend to recovery. Rich, who has been PJC President for over the past five years, and Inbar have been invaluable members of PJC since they joined so many years ago. I know it’s not easy when all of sudden life events turn the world upside down. Let’s wish them all the best and a speedy recovery. For those of you who don’t know me let’s start with a little introduction. My family and I have been a members of PJC since the late 1990’s. I’ve been on the PJC board for a good portion of that time serving various board positions from the Building and Grounds committee lead, to being a past President and Vice President (several different times). One thing I have learn over the years, is that it’s not easy trying to manage a Shul - it really takes a team of volunteers, board and nonboard members, who can dedicate a few hours a month. Compromise is the key – since everyone knows when you get five Jewish people in a room, you wind up with a minimum of six different opinions. With that in thought in mind, I would like to personally thank today’s Board for stepping up and filling in the necessary blanks to keep PJC running during this time. Your exceptional volunteerism has made this unexpected transition a lot smoother. This issue is the holiday issue – so let’s talk about the holidays. Rosh Hashanah represents a time of renewed optimism. The past Jewish calendar year has just ended, and we survived another year in the Good Book. We go to Shul for the next three most important high holiday days of the year, say a few avinu malkeinus, and voila, we feel our obligation is now completed. Soon after we may get together with family for a small feast or eat a couple of apples with honey, and/or possibly watch a little football on the television. This may or may not be true for some American Jews. But for the majority of us across the country this is most likely the case, at least for those who even do attend a high holiday service – many don’t. But this is not what PJC is all about. Judaism is more than just religious services on three days in a calendar year. We, at PJC, strive to create a Jewish community. It’s about bringing together people of all ages in the area, young and old alike. We try really hard to create programming we find might be of interest to our congregants, etc. At the end of the day, it’s up to you to support your Shul because if you don’t, then there is no Shul for you to attend for those three days in the year. So, please support PJC in any manner you see fit, whether it’s attending an event, attending a Friday Night or Shabbat morning service or even a donation. Whatever you do, do it with chutzpah. Be a part of a community. Because at the end of the day – who will support the Jew if we cannot support ourselves? And with that, I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year, L’Shana Tova, and hope to see you in the building as much as possible.
5 Education Director Thoughts —by Inbar Robbins What can we learn from Walt Disney World It’s the Sunday before Labor Day and my family and I just returned from our trip to Florida, which for us can never be complete without a trip to Disney World. Gone are the days of riding Dumbo or Winnie the Pooh, replaced by new thrill rides such as new Tron ride at Magic Kingdom and Guardians of the Galaxy at EPCOT. We’ve done Disney for the last 18 years watching our kids eagerly await the next trip to be tall enough to ride Space Mountain or Test Track. But this trip got me thinking. It’s the same park, with some new attractions sprinkled in every couple of years. So what draws people, couples, families of all ages, socio-economic backgrounds and cultures to the Happiest Place on Earth and what can synagogues and religious schoolssl learn from this time tested, globally beloved institution? The first lesson our community can learn from Disney is to appeal to multiple demographics. For as long as anyone can remember, PJC has been a multi-generational institution finding ways to bridge the generational gap and learn from and with one another. How can our synagogue build an institution that speaks to such a wide range of consumers? The second lesson is learning the value of making Judaism accessible. Beyond physical accessibility like ramps or handicap accessibility for those that need it, how else can we make being part of a Jewish community more accessible to younger families whose needs vary greatly from the senior community? How do we remove the stigma of those who do not attend often for a variety of reasons from those who attend regularly? How do we make the financial barrier that so often plays a crucial role in the decision to join or maintain one’s membership less of a barrier? How do we continue to change with the times to make being part of Jewish community something we want to do rather than something we feel we are forced to do? The final lesson is possibly the hardest one…understanding and embracing the concept of celebration. In Disney, it’s a celebration every day with parades and firework displays, people of all ages toting pins stating they are celebrating a birthday, an anniversary, engagement, graduation, or just celebrating life! In many ways, this is exactly what Shabbat is – a celebration of something different, something holy, a time to get away from the everyday labors of life and enjoy the simple things – family, friendships, the simplicity of just taking a walk or sharing a meal with others. Judaism is full of things to celebrate that go above and beyond the Bar/Bat Mitzvah and holidays. In his book, The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons learned from 15 years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company, Bob Iger identifies the four ways Jewish communities can learn from Disney (https:// ejewishphilanthropy.com/four-lessons-for-the-jewishcommunity-from-disneys-ceo/): #1 Innovate or Die – “Taking great risks and pushing himself and his team to think entirely differently about their business. It meant taking an honest look at the company’s failings and admitting that others were producing better quality entertainment than they were…The options are either do it differently or lose the chance to do it at all…. Sometimes it feels like the Jewish community treats innovation as a trendy, nice option. But the important truth is that innovation is a necessity for survival, and if we don’t do it differently, we will lose our chance to do it at all.” #2 Lead with Courage – “When the stakes are high, we can end up leading with fear as a protective instinct. Fear compels us to build a bulwark against whatever we believe is threatening us…This is important for the Jewish community to be particularly mindful of now. Not only do we have our internal challenges of Jews opting out of affiliating with our nation and faith, we are faced with increasing external challenges like the troubling rise in global anti-Semitism. This can push us into a fearful place. But leading with fear is defensive and can result in doubling down on the tried and true old models, which are insufficient for our brave new world…The Jewish community has a choice. We can let our fears lead the way, or we can lead courageously and proactively and embrace the changes already at our doorstep. We can unleash our collective creativity to do things better and more boldly than ever before.” #3 Swing for the Fences – “It’s natural to fear failure and to set goals that are modest and achievable, but Iger reminds us, “Long shots aren’t usually as long as they seem. With enough thoughtfulness and commitment, the boldest ideas can be executed.” We need to embrace innovation and lead with courage to be able to start swinging for the fences, shooting for the moon and setting our sights on ambitious goals. Because there is a lot that we need to do and now is not the time to think small.” #4 Ordinary People Can Do Extraordinary Things – “The Jewish community has all of the human resources we need to address our myriad of challenges. We just need to believe in ourselves and our extraordinary capabilities and be relentlessly motivated to make change happen. Believing in our superpowers will force us to look within and recognize that we alone must do what needs to get done.” This has been a challenging summer. The idea that a new Rabbi was stepping in, one that was part of the senior community and seemed more Conservadox was worrisome for parents. This put in jeopardy the already small number of students we have at LEV Academy. The retention of Rabbi Schevelowitz was a saving grace for many whose kids were looking at Bar/ Bat Mitzvah over the next 12-15 months. But the future of the rest of our students is still uncertain. Despite the strength of our program we are dealing with forces outside of our control but some that are well within our purview. Based on Bob Iger’s four strategies above, I am drawn to #1 and 2 – Innovate or Die and Lead with Courage – take chances and look outside the box for new ways to grow our incredible school program. Losing LEV Academy would be devastating to PJC as a whole – not just the families who still have younger children in the program, but
6 Education Directory thoughts (cont’d from pg. 6) to be able to perpetuate PJC into the future. We need young families and we need to look to new and innovative ways to attract them. We need the support from our senior community and for all our membership to understand that innovation is the only way we survive. What does that look like? How do we accomplish this? The staff and I are committed to working together with our parents, students and the PJC community to figure all that out over the course of the coming year. It may look very different from what we’re used to, but that’s ok because that is what we need, the courage to take a chance to affect change that benefits us all in the long run. LEV Academy strives to do all we can for our students and families when they are in the building but also when we are outside the four walls of PJC. The key to one of the first lessons I mentioned at the start of this article is one word…RELATIONSHIPS. Relationships begin the minute one picks up the phone to inquire about our program, it continues with that same person being there to meet an individual or family and having them and others join you for their first service. It’s providing a Shabbat “busy box” for families with toddlers to keep them busy during the service. It’s sitting down to a meal and getting to know one another as fellow people, seeing what we have in common and what makes us unique and building upon those foundations. It’s making sure families have programs and materials that make sense to them – which is what we strive to do with our family services which are designed and geared towards our younger families but that encourage and invite all other members to participate and encourage our students and their families and allow for all the above to happen organically. It’s developing a sense of trust in leadership and knowing that we will always have your back and do whatever we can to support you and your child. It’s understanding that life happens and we must learn to roll with the punches and know that our community will help guide us through it. It's about celebrating even the smallest achievement with great fanfare and using that as a building block to attain the next goal…that’s our parade and fireworks and the smiles on our students faces and the retelling of that one moment to their parents is all the reward we as clergy, administrators, teachers and members of the Jewish community need to know that just like Disney, LEV Academy can, at least for a small part of the day, be someone’s most magical place on earth! We look forward to another fantastic year ahead and in working with you all to innovate, grow and change the way we bring LEV Academy to the Jewish community around us.
7 The latest historical novel from New York Times bestselling author Lisa See, inspired by the true story of a woman physician from 15th-century China—perfect for fans of See’s classic Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and The Island of Sea Women. The PJC book club will be reading this book. We will come together on October 4, 2023 at 7:00 pm A "sublimely creepy" psychological thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover (Tarryn Fisher, New York Times bestselling author). Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish. The PJC book club will be reading this book. We will come together on November 15, 2023 at 7:00 pm To share our thoughts and feelings via ZOOM. Please join us. Please contact Michele ( Rabinowitz) at [email protected] in order to get the link for the zoom meeting. We are a great group with interesting and sometimes diverse ideas.
8 Holiday Announcements High Holiday Service Times Fri. Sept 15,2023- Candle Lighting Time 6:49PM Rosh Hashana Evening Services 6:30 p.m. Sat. Sept 16,2023 & Sunday Sept 17,2023 Rosh Hashana Day 1,Day 2- Morning Services -Shacharit-9 a.m. Torah Reading ,Sermon, Shofar (Sunday only) Musaf 10 a.m. The Family Service to follow the Regular Service at 1:00 p.m.(On Saturday Only) Fri. Sept 22, 2023-Candle Lighting Time 6:37PM Services 7:00 PM Sat. Sept 23, 2023 Services 9:30 PM Sunday Evening Sept 24, 2023- Yom Kippur Evening Light Candles and Fast Begins 6:34 PM Kol Nidre Service 6:45 PM Monday Sept 25,2023- Yom Kippur- Morning Services: Shacharit 9 a.m. Torah Reading, Yiskor, Musaf 10 a.m. Mincha & Neilah -5:30 p.m. Fast ends 7:30 p.m.
9 We would like to thank Doris Entin for sharing her delicious Cinnamon Apple Cake recipe. Just in time for the Holidays!! If You have a recipe you would like to share please send it to [email protected]. Cinnamon Apple Cake 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine or butter 3 eggs 28 squares Cinnamon Grahams finely crushed (about 2 cups) 1 medium apple, peeled, cored, and diced optional - 3/4 cup planters walnuts chopped powdered sugar Blend -sugar, margarine, and eggs in bowl with spoon. Stir in graham crumbs, apple and walnuts until blended Spread -batter into greased 8x8x2 baking pan Bake-at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until firm to the touch. Cool -completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into square and sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving Holiday Desert Cinnamon Apple Cake
10 Announcements Upcoming Events you will want to attend: October 2 - Law and Order - a continuation of the program which was successful in the spring. Mark Bender and Mark Kreisler will show an episode of Law and Order SVU which has a Jewish theme. A discussion will follow the viewing. We will serve light refreshments in the Sukkah. RSVP - Mark Bender - [email protected] November 5 - We will view a movie and a facilitator will lead a discussion. More on this to come. November 19 - Interfaith Thanksgiving service Millstone has an Interfaith Council which is composed of PJC, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, and the United Presbyterian Church. Every year the three religious groups get together and have an Interfaith Thanksgiving Service. Two years ago, PJC hosted the event. Last year, it was held at the Presbyterian Church. This year, the service will be held at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. It is a wonderful, warm non-denominational service with all three religions represented. We will be asking our members to donate groceries for a food bank to be collected before the service. Keep watching the PJC Press/Constant Contact for more information. December 3 - Family Chanukah party. We will look into entertainment which will appeal to all - young and not so young. Looking into getting the donut truck back!
11 For more information or to book a date Contact Lori Feibus [email protected] or call 732.334.8774 P.O. Box 308 Perrineville, NJ 08535 ~ www.pjcmillstone.org **All food items must be Kosher** Announcements (Cont’d from pg. 11)
12 There are many committees and groups that work year round to provide our partnership with the many things they come to expect, want and need as partners of synagogue. But that work becomes ever more challenging when we don’t know what engages and draws people to want to participate in Jewish life. In this new segment, we will be posting a question in every issue that we hope will give us some clear insights into what makes the congregation tick! Your answers can be anonymous or not. You can email your answers to [email protected], mail it back to us, drop it off at the building when you come for services and/or events or call and speak to Lynn Bender directly! The goal is to encourage a dialogue that fosters a shared investment in Perrineville Jewish Center and to ensure that every voice is heard and accounted for. __________________________________(Tear Here)________________________________________ Question #3 How do you spend your time where you think other members might enjoy? Answer _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ Name___________________________________(optional)
13 Non-Profit Administrator – Part Time ~20 hours/week - 75% Work from home Perrineville, NJ 08535 Primary Responsibilities • Oversee communications with membership including ○ Weekly Constant Contact updates ○ Social media, website, and email updates • Serve as a resource for board and volunteer committees • Engage volunteers providing support where applicable • Coordinate efforts of committees to optimize volunteer’s effectiveness • Liaise among committees and Board of Directors • Provide on-site supervision for repair and maintenance vendors • Coordinate scheduling of activities for all groups • Serve as the central purchasing agent • Monitor and oversee security cameras and alarm system Skills-Must have • Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher) • Constant Contact email administration • Zoom administration and management • Good communication and people skills Skills-Nice to have • Manage expenses and budgets • Logistics planning for programs/events • Canva design software • ShulCloud Synagogue Administration Send resume or CV to Larry Cohen - [email protected] Salary: $20k—$25k Job at PJC: Shul Administrator
14 TREE OF LIFE LEAF ORDER FORM Thank you for choosing to honor your friend or family member with the purchase of a leaf on the Perrineville Jewish Center Tree of Life. This wonderful gift will honor that special person for many years to come. Please complete the following with the words you want inscribed on your leaf (Please Note: you are responsible for proofing this information.) the name of the person you are honoring will be written in all CAPITAL LETTERS, and we recommend that it be placed on the center line. For reasons of style and space we will use the “&” instead of the word “and”. The wording will be automatically centered within each line on the leaf by the engraver. Please Print Clearly Line 1 – Maximum recommended*: 17 spaces Line 2 – Maximum recommended: 23 spaces Line 3 – Maximum recommended: 25 spaces – Name of Honoree(s) in ALL CAPS suggested Line 4: Maximum recommended: 23 spaces Line 5: Maximum recommended; 17 spaces – If using a date, we recommend putting it here Ordered by: _________________________________________________________________ Contact Phone:_______________________________________________________________ PRICE PER LEAF $100 Name & Address:_____________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Date Order Placed:_____________ Date Leaf Received:___________________ Date Leaf Installed:_____________ By:___________________________________ This recommendation is based on the optimal size of the engraver’s letters. Choosing to exceed this number may result in text that is extremely difficult to read and/or unattractive in appearance. Donors may choose to do this at their own risk. Replacement leaves and engravings will be done at the donor’s expense