Dear Friends,
If there’s one thing the last two years have taught us, it’s that we are all in this together. Events on one side of the world can deeply impact us, even when they seem far away.
For Jews, we share an unbreakable bond with Jewish communities everywhere, whether through family ties woven over generations of wandering, or through our shared belief that “All Israel are responsible for one another.” This sense of connection carries both responsibility and joy.
Personally, I love visiting Jewish communities, whether across the U.S. or abroad, and seeing how each one expresses its unique spirit. From the Pittsburgh JCC during the Maccabi Games to the New Orleans JCC on my summer road trip, each visit reminds me that, though our communities may look different, we are all part of one vibrant, global family.
This is what we call Peoplehood, the powerful idea of unity that binds us together as one people. It finds expression through our shared culture, creativity, and sense of belonging.
With this in mind, I’m excited to share two initiatives that reflect this spirit of connection within our JCC community:
1. Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning
We’re thrilled to be bringing back the Melton School to our JCC this winter, a global program developed by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem that offers rich, thought-provoking courses on Jewish ideas, texts, and values. It’s a wonderful opportunity to explore Jewish learning in a warm, engaging environment right here at the Kaiserman JCC. Let us know through email if you would like to be alerted when registration for our pilot courses open!
2. JCC Global Partnership Initiative
We are also joining forces with JCC Global in a partnership with JCCs from Ukraine (Sumy and Poltava) and Israel (Matnas Pardesia). Together, we will build relationships, share traditions, and create meaningful connections. This initiative offers a unique chance to meet Jews from around the world—communities that may seem far away, yet feel so familiar. If you’re interested in taking part, please reach out to me directly.
As we face growing antisemitism around the world, one of our most powerful responses is to strengthen our connections, with each other, with our heritage, and with our global Jewish family. These programs offer us the opportunity to do just that: to learn, to connect, and to reaffirm our shared sense of belonging.
B’shalom,
Rabbi Moriah SimonHazani
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