Editorial

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In this Issue

  • Upcoming New Program!! “Stroller-Fit” Fitness Class for Moms

    New Program!! “Stroller-Fit” Fitness Class for Moms

    Time: February 7, 2012 from 9:15am to 10:15am Location: Worcester JCC Gymnasium Join The PJ Library and JCC for a new exercise program at the JCC called “Stroller-Fit” starting on Tuesday, February 7th, from 9:15 am -10:15 am, for 8 weeks.  Cari-Lynn Fisher, ACE certified in pre and postnatal fitness and “Stroller-Fit”, will be offering this class to all Young Jewish Families, PJ Library members and JCC moms (of stroller age kids).  If you are a JCC member, classes are free.  If you are not a JCC member, then come try out your first class for free, then just pay [...]

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  • Upcoming JCC Author Series

    JCC Author Series

    JCC Author Series, co-sponsored by Jewish Federation of Central Mass, present: Phyllis Goldstein, author of A Convenient Hatred: The History of Antisemitism on Wednesday, February 15, 2012, 7:30 pm at the Worcester JCC, 633 Salisbury Street, Worcester, MA. From Facing History and Ourselves, a non-profit organization that helps millions of citizens of all ages confront the lessons of history, comes an approachable, well-researched narrative of the world’s oldest consistent hatred and its implications for the moral choices we make.  A Convenient Hatred:  The History of Antisemitism introduces this very particular hatred through powerful stories that allow readers to see themselves [...]

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  • News A Journey to Jewish Parenting: From Generic American to Jewish American

    A Journey to Jewish Parenting: From Generic American to Jewish American

    I was raised in a totally non-observant home. I grew up with Christmas trees, not because we were celebrating the birth of Jesus but because my Mom needed a place to hang her Elvis elves and pickle ornaments. I only went to synagogue a handful of times growing up–mostly for a cousin’s bar or bat mitzvah–and it wasn’t until high school that I paid enough attention to realize that the prayer book opened the wrong way. My Hebrew fluency consisted of “shalom” and “schmuck” (which, as my husband points out, is actually Yiddish). Needless to say, I knew nothing about [...]

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  • News New Community-Wide Interfaith Task Force Launched in Central Mass

    New Community-Wide Interfaith Task Force Launched in Central Mass

    “If the North American Jewish community still needs to be more welcoming … just consider that more than 50% of all Jewish families have multiple religions, sexual preferences and racial identities and you will see the need for us to do whatever it takes to engage them.” (Jewish Outreach Institute, NY) This past November, the Federation initiated the formation of the Jewish Central Mass Interfaith Task Force with most of our partner organizations.  Members of the task force include lay leaders and volunteers from Congregation B’nai Shalom, Beth Tikvah, Boroughs JCC, Temple Sinai, Temple Emanuel, Congregation Beth Israel, Agudat Achim, [...]

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  • News Central Mass Jewish Community Heroes

    Central Mass Jewish Community Heroes

    David Crandall and Stephen Marmor: Two Men on a Mission Dave Crandall When the opportunity arose to create and build a new JCC serving the greater “Boroughs” area, Dave Crandall was one of the first to jump into action.  A member of the original “working group”, the Boroughs JCC would not exist without Dave’s time, energy, and expertise. As Vice President of Development, his title might as well be “Vice President of Just About Everything”.  Under Dave’s leadership, the Boroughs JCC has a vibrant, dynamic web site, has an effective social media presence on Facebook and Twitter, and is highly [...]

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  • Features Meeting the Needs of an Ever-Changing Community

    Meeting the Needs of an Ever-Changing Community

    In an age when there are so many demands on people’s time and resources, the choices that one makes become critical in determining one’s values and, in turn, in sustaining the many priorities in one’s life: How many hours should I be working? How much time should I be devoting to my family? How should I be spending my free time? Should I volunteer for that organization? Should I be giving to charity? And if so, where should my charitable dollars go and what level of support is appropriate? Today you are all aware of the many charitable choices that [...]

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  • Editorial Celebrate Worcester Day: Metro-West Jewish Day School Welcomes the Central Massachusetts Community

    Celebrate Worcester Day: Metro-West Jewish Day School Welcomes the Central Massachusetts Community

    Staff, parents and board members of Metro West Jewish Day School (MWJDS) in Framingham were pleased to welcome Jewish Federation of Central Mass (JFCM) President Natalie Rudolph, and JFCM Executive Director Howard Borer to at a special event on Thursday morning, “Celebrate Worcester Day.” An effort to strengthen and broaden the two communities’ bonds, guests were greeted by the school’s new leadership, Behzad Dayanim, head of school, Renée Finn, founding chair, as well as Jody Comins, president, and board member Hope Casey, both MWJDS parents. Together with current parents from Worcester, Joy Lapidus, David Seifer, and Deborah Sinrich, the group [...]

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  • Editorial Including Those with Financial Challenges

    Including Those with Financial Challenges

    At any given time, the majority of US Jewish households are not affiliated with Jewish institutions like synagogues or JCCs. There are many reasons why, perhaps the most important being that the organized community hasn’t made a strong enough case for the meaning and value of being affiliated. There’s a subset of the unaffiliated, however, who already understand the meaning and value – or who, like most affiliated households, simply want or need the services provided – but do not affiliate because of their own personal financial situations. And the size of this subset has likely grown during the recent [...]

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