Jewish Living
Jewish American Heritage
Month
Martin: His Life, His Love, His Legacy
All Ages
Through the eyes and memories of those
closest to Dr. King, this collection of
monologues brings to life the ‘human’ side
of the man who was a real husband, father,
and dear friend. This program highlights the
friendship between Dr. King and Rabbi Abraham
Heschel, in addition to his impact on Jewish
activists like Andrew Goodman as told from the
perspective of his mother.
This program will be followed by a panel
discussion moderated by Jonathan Zur of the
Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities.
Joining the panel is author Claire Silverstein,
and local faith leaders to address the topics of
race and religion in our community.
Sunday, May 1 at 3:00 pm
$10 JCC Members
$15 non-members
Purim Carnival
Sunday, March 20th
12 - 3:00 pm
Join us for a community-wide Purim Carnival and enjoy fun and games, prizes, food and more!
All are welcome! See page 29 for details.
Mindfulness, Torah and Technology
Ages: 12 +
Ruach: Your Daily Dose of Jewish Tai Chi
This interactive class utilizes the ancient
Chinese technique of Tai Chi as an
experiential framework to explore Torah
notion of “yeshuv hadaas” or presence
of mind. Participants walk away with
practical tools to help them combat stress,
cultivate emotional intelligence, and relax.
Teachings from Chassidic and Kabbalistic
masters are seemingly woven in to this East
meets Middle-East workshop geared for
overworked Western professionals.
Spiritual Seeking in the Digital Age
The Digital Age has no doubt brought
us closer together and expanded the
reach of our knowledge. Yet our attention
spans, relationships, and quality of life
have also suffered from the extensive
proliferation of technology into our lives.
Yaakov offers his unique insight from these
global experiences, matching them with
ancient Torah wisdom, to provide a Jewish
approach to dealing with the various issues
surrounding technology.
Tuesday, February 16
Workshop begins at 6 pm
Tuesday, February 16
Workshop begins at 7:30 pm
$10 JCC Members
$12 non-members
$10 JCC Members
$12 non-members
Jewish Holidays
- Winter/Spring
2016 (5776)
Lunchtime
Learning
in
Hanukkah
December 6 - 14
Hanukkah (alternately spelled Chanukah),
meaning “dedication” in Hebrew, refers to the
joyous eight-day celebration during which Jews
commemorate the victory of the Maccabees
over the armies of Syria in 165 B.C.E. and the
subsequent liberation and “rededication” of
the Temple in Jerusalem. The modern home
celebration of Hanukkah centers around the
lighting of the hanukkiyah, a special menorah
for Hanukkah; foods prepared in oil including
latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly
doughnuts); and special songs and games.
Tu B’Shevat
January 25
Tu B’Shevat or the “New Year of the Trees” is
Jewish Arbor Day. The holiday is observed on
the 15th (tu) of the Hebrew month of Sh’vat.
Scholars believe that originally Tu BiSh’vat was
an agricultural festival, marking the emergence
of spring. In the 17th century, Kabbalists
created a ritual for Tu BiSh’vat that is similar
to a Passover seder. Today, many Jews hold a
modern version of the Tu BiSh’vat seder each
year. The holiday also has become a treeplanting festival in Israel, in which Israelis and
Jews around the world plant trees in honor or
in memory of loved ones and friends.
Purim
March 23 - 24
Purim is celebrated with a public reading—
usually in the synagogue—of the Book of Esther
27
(Megillat Esther), which tells the story of the
holiday. Under the rule of King Ahashverosh,
Haman, the king’s prime minister, plots to
exterminate all of the Jews of Persia. His plan
is foiled by Queen Esther and her cousin
Mordechai, who ultimately save the Jews of
Persia from destruction. The reading of the
megillah typically is a rowdy affair, punctuated
by booing and noise-making when Haman’s
name is read aloud.
Purim is an unusual holiday in many respects.
First, Esther is the only biblical book in which
God is not mentioned. Second, Purim, like
Hanukkah, traditionally is viewed as a minor
festival, but elevated to a major holiday as a
result of the Jewish historical experience. Over
the centuries, Haman became the embodiment
of every anti-Semite in every land where Jews
were oppressed. The significance of Purim lies
not so much in how it began, but in what it has
become: a thankful and joyous affirmation of
Jewish survival against all odds.
Passover
April 22 - 30
Pesach, known as Passover in English, is a
major Jewish spring festival, commemorating
the Exodus from Egypt over 3,000 years ago.
The ritual observance of this holiday centers
around a special home service called the
seder (meaning “order”) and a festive meal;
the prohibition of chametz (leaven); and the
eating of matzah (an unleavened bre Y
K