The Morris County Connection

New Years Resolutions

themorriscountyconnection — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 15:24:26 +0000

Happy 2009! As we turn the page of the secular calendar on a new year, many of us make resolutions. We’re all familiar with the standard one of course – lose weight, join a gym, quit smoking, etc. But, why not vow to try to encorporate something Jewish into your routine this year. Incorporating Jewish moments into your life is not as hard as you might think it to be.

Say a prayer before bedtime; Read the NJ Jewish News; Enroll your child in a Jewish camp, school, or afterschool program; Read Jewish stories to your children or grandchildren; Volunteer with a Jewish agency; Attend Shabbat services with your family; Donate to a Jewish organization. Our community is full of opportunities.

Please contact me if you need information to get you started on your new resolution, and as always, please feel free to ask me any questions you may have.

I look forward to seeing you around Morris County!

Pictures of Resistance Exhibit

themorriscountyconnection — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:35:40 +0000

October 15, 2008 – November 12

Alex Aidekman Family Jewish Community Campus * 901 Route 10 * Whippany

The lives of partisans depended on their ability to remain unseen, undocumented and unidentifiable. But one fighter, Faye Schulman, had a camera. Schulman’s rare collection of images captures the camaraderie, horror and loss, bravery and triumph of the rag-tag, tough partisans—some Jewish, some not—who fought the Germans and their collaborators.

A new traveling exhibition sponsored by the Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation (JPEF) poses probing questions about the life of the only known Jewish woman partisan photographer. Why did Faye Schulman become a war documentarian at great risk to her life? How did she get photographic supplies, much less develop the film? How did she manage to survive as one of the few Jewish women among the Partisans? This rare collection, never before exhibited, will be accompanied by the detailed story behind each photograph, told in first person by Faye Schulman. A video interview with her will be launched on the JPEF website. A Teacher/Student Study Guide will also accompany the exhibition.

The exhibition will be curated by Jill Vexler, Ph.D. who has extensive experience with Holocaust related exhibitions, including

Letters to Sala: A Young Woman’s Life in Nazi Labor Camps, Remembering Luboml: Images of a Jewish Community, and Oswiecim, Ospitzin, Auschwitz: Portrait of Memories, the permanent exhibition at the Auschwitz Jewish Center in Oswiecim, Poland.

Celebrate Summer: 10 Fun Family Activities with a Jewish Twist

themorriscountyconnection — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:01:28 +0000

10 Fun Family Activities (with a Jewish Twist!) Over Summer Vacation

(written by Joan Dickman Bronspiegel)

The Partnership for Jewish Learning and Life

An agency of UJC MetroWest

901 Route 10, Whippany, NJ 07981

email: jdickman@thepartnershipnj.org

Bring Jewish Learning to Life.

1. Make a “Shabbat-to-Go” Bag:

Welcome Shabbat: Pack a small bag with unbreakable candlesticks, candles, matches, grape juice, cups, and a challah cover…to take with you when you go away on vacation! Pick up a challah and Welcome Shabbat wherever you may be!

If you are art-sy, it would be a great family project to design and decorate your Family Shabbat Bag or box and a special traveling challah cover (list or illustrate all the places your bag goes!)

Say Goodbye to Shabbat: On Saturday night, watch the stars come out and count “1, 2 ,3 ” in Hebrew!. “Goodbye- Shalom” and “See your soon”—L’hit-ra-ot” … until next week!

2. Take a Jewish Field Trip:

Consider a visit to Ellis Island, The Lower East Side, The Jewish Museum, The Jewish Children’s’ Museum http://www.jcmonline.org/ , The Jewish Heritage Museum http://www.mjhnyc.org/index.htm . Listen to Jewish / Israeli music in the car!

3. Tradition! Learn to make a favorite Jewish recipe together:

Find out more about your roots! Call a grandparent and ask about your family history, family traditions. Share stories and family recipes. Learn to make chicken soup, rugelach or Sephardic haroseth! You are the link to your family’s past…and future! Create family memories for your children NOW!

4. Your Family Can Change the World

YOU can make a difference. Start a family mitzvah tradition. Visit someone who is ill, help the environment or join a group that is helping to make the world a better place- “Tikkun Olam”. Check out these organizations to start this summer http://mitzvotofmetrowest.wordpress.com/

5. Love to Read?

Read a great “Jewish” book …Do you know that MetroWest will be participating in PJ Library? If you have a child 6 months to 5½ years, be sure to watch for details to sign up for this free reading program where books are mailed directly to your home!

Parents, have you read “The Blessing of a Skinned Knee” by Wendy Mogel? Summer is a great time to read this life-changing parenting book!

6. Love Movies??

Watch “Fiddler on the Roof” or “Keeping Up With the Steins” or another “classic.” Borrow from the Waldor Library http://www.ujfmetrowest.org/page.html?ArticleID=26409 (and great books too!)

7. Are your children signed up for a Jewish Summer Camp Program?

8. Israel

Celebrate Israel’s 60^th Birthday! Wear blue and white.

Make an Israeli picnic! Buy Israeli products in your supermarket like chocolate spread or “bamba”. Make humus and Israeli salad http://judaism.about.com/od/israelirecipecollections/Israeli_Recipe_Collections.htm .

See what is happening at The Wall in Jerusalem right now! http://www.aish.com/wallcam/ Place a note in the Wall and see what time it is in Israel!

9. Teens?

Check out this great column- “30 Activities to do in 60 Minutes or Less” http://chhs.wordpress.com/2007/12/ from Central Hebrew High School.

Note: This was written for Winter Break—Now, you won’t need mittens!

10. Count Our Blessings

Hiking? Visiting a National Park? Surrounded by family? friends? A quiet moment? Take a deep breath. Appreciate our gifts in life. Thank God for all God’s creations and for our blessings of family, freedom (on July 4 and every day!), the beauty of nature. What are your blessings? Tell your children that they are a gift and a blessing. What do your children consider a “blessing” in their lives?

AND….even though summer has not even started—

Have you registered your child in a Jewish program for next Fall? Check out all the wonderful options in MetroWest for a meaningful Jewish education!! Day School, Religious School or early childhood programs for your kids. The Melton Adult Mini-School or Adult Ed (Hebrew, History…) through Rimon www.rimonnj.org for YOU!

Where will you welcome the new Jewish year 5769 and celebrate the High Holiday? Be sure to take a great family photo this summer to use for your New Year Cards! Erev Rosh HaShana is September 29, 2008!

Tot Shabbat Family Services

themorriscountyconnection — Mon, 12 May 2008 19:41:00 +0000

For Children ages 2-7.

Saturdays, September 27 * October 18 * November 15 * December 6

11-11:45am * White Meadow Temple * White Meadow Road, White Meadow Lake

Celebrate the joy of Shabbat with your children and grandchildren. Services will be led by Lisa Adler.

For more information, please contact Amy Olsen at 973-627-4500.

Holocaust Council Film Series

themorriscountyconnection — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:05:49 +0000

From Memory to History: The Holocaust Council of MetroWest’s Real to Reel film series presents another great year of programming. This year’s films, still to be determined, will be shown on the following dates:

Wednesday, September 10, 2008 * 7pm

Monday, September 22, 2008 * 7pm

Sunday, October 26, 2008 * 2pm

Sunday, November 2, 2008 * 1pm

Tuesday, November 11, 2008 * 7pm

Tuesday, November 18, 2008 * 7pm

Sunday, November 23, 2008 * 1pm

Monday, December 15, 2008 * 7pm

All films are FREE and are shown at the

Alex Aidekman Family Jewish Community Campus * 901 Rt 10, Whippany

Holocaust Lunch and Learn

themorriscountyconnection — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:02:28 +0000

The Holocaust Council of MetroWest invites you to lunch with Holocaust survivors.

Please bring a dairy lunch. We will provide drinks and cookies!!!

Fall Dates

Tuesday, September 15, 2008

Monday, October 6, 2008

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Monday, December 15, 2008

All Lunch dates meet from 12pm – 1:30pm at the

Alex Aidekman Family Jewish Community Campus * 901 Rt 10, Whippany

Grandparent’s Circle

themorriscountyconnection — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 22:09:55 +0000

The Grandparent’s Circle - October 26, November 2, 9 2008 * 10am * Lautenberg Family JCC * 901 Rt 10, Whippany.

INFORMATION SESSION on Sunday, September 14, 2008 * 10am * Lautenberg Family JCC

The Grandparent’s Circle is a FREE education and support program for grandparents whose adult children have intermarried. These grandparents often feel unsure of how they can cultivate the Jewish identities of their grandchildren, especially when it is not always clear as to whether or not those children are being raised as Jews.

The Grandparent’s Circle is a comprehensive program that offers grandparents skills and techniques to nurture, and in some cases establish, their interfaith grandchildren’s Jewish identities. It also provides participants with a supportive and open-minded environment to share their achievements, express their frustrations and acknowledge their challenges.

For more information on joining our circle, please contact theconnection@jccmetrowest.org.

Read more about The Grandparent’s Circle.

Purim Puppet Show

themorriscountyconnection — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 21:41:59 +0000

Everyone is invited to enjoy the fun of Purim with a special Puppet Show!!!! Fun for the whole family!!!

Wednesday, March 19, 2008 * 5:30-7:30pm * Hebrew Academy of Morris County * $12 advance tickets * $15 at the door.

Enjoy a pizza party, fun crafts and an incredible puppet show.

Come in your costume for a special Purim parade.

Please check out this link for more information.

The Mother’s Circle

themorriscountyconnection — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 12:39:53 +0000

The Mother’s Circle provides FREE education for non-Jewish mother’s raising Jewish children.

Find out more about when we meet on our Mother’s Circle page or at http://www.jccmetrowest.org/events_special.html.

FaceBook

themorriscountyconnection — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 03:52:57 +0000