Annual Highlights 2010-2011/5771

Annual Highlights 2010-2011 /5771

5771 witnessed an event in the history of BJ that the word “highlight” does not do justice to; it deserves a spotlight here at the beginning of our annual highlights.

This event, of course, was the successful campaign to purchase BJ’s original Community House on 89th Street.

This enormous accomplishment was made possible only by the devotion and commitment of our amazing community. It is just one of many BJ accomplishments, as detailed in the pages that follow, but it is of special significance for our future. This building, directly connected to the 88th Street Sanctuary, our spiritual center, will once again be a hub of BJ activity, where celebratory, educational, ritual, volunteer, meeting, and administration activities will go on under the same roof.

Next year at this time we hope to be sharing with you the renovation plan and a projected date for moving in.

Yasher Koah.

Roly, Marcelo, Felicia, and Ari

BEKEF .............................................................................................................................................................................

This year Bekef, BJ’s initiative to organize social activities for 35+ singles and couples (both members and nonmembers) sponsored numerous events, including a collaboration with the JCC in Manhattan.

• A Shabbat singles dinner was attended by more than 90 people.

• Tze’irim and Bekef teamed up to hold a brunch and a Shabbat dinner attended by over 80 people each.

• A walk on the Coney Island boardwalk, and a group tour to the Museum at Eldridge Street and walk through the Lower East Side were organized.

• Various lectures were held at the JCC in Manhattan as part of a collaboration between Bekef and the JCC’s 40s & 50s group.

BIKKUR HOLIM .............................................................................................................................................................................

Bikkur Holim, the committee for visiting the sick, had an exceptional year of growth, outreach, and training; it also increased the levels of support, assistance, and loving-kindness provided to fellow BJ members at times of great need.

Committee members: • visited more than 50 BJ members who were suffering from or recovering from illness, providing assistance with practical tasks such as meals, shopping, and errands; • visited ten BJ members who were in the hospital; • escorted 25 members to services and medical appointments; • made calls to members and their families on the Mi Sheberakh list; • made Shabbat calls to home-bound congregants; • wrote and e-mailed the quarterly newsletter Hadashot to 150 Bikkur Holim members and BJ staff; • attended the annual Bikkur Holim Conference of the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services; • sponsored a teaching for the entire community titled “The Gift of Grief: Finding Peace, Transformation and Renewed Life After Great Sorrow,” which was attended by over 50 people; • coordinated with International House to provide volunteer Tze’irim escorts for a musical performance at the Jewish Home and Hospital; • planned a curriculum for the Hebrew School children to acquaint them with Bikkur Holim.

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COMMUNICATIONS .............................................................................................................................................................................

The BJ website content was enhanced, BJ print publications improved, and a new online Toolkit for BJ leadership was developed.

• The BJ website was enhanced by the full incorporation of the previously separate Tze’irim site, which reduced demands on Tze’irim volunteers and made the group’s programming more visible. All BJ CD’s and piyutim became available for streaming, as did Divrei Torah, beginning with those of 2011. The staff page added photographs of all staff members including their contact information. New content includes: Events of Interest; Holiday Information; New Members; Visitors’ Welcome; BJ in the News; and slide shows of the BJ Israel trip, teen trips, and Purim celebrations.

• A complete site redesign, with the goal of making this wonderful content more accessible, is scheduled to launch in the Fall of 2011.

• The bimonthly Kol Hadash began featuring more and increasingly diverse contributions by and about members and in September 2010 began publishing in color.

• An online Toolkit for BJ volunteer leadership was developed, making valuable and interactive resources available to this group more effectively and efficiently.

• The BJ photo archive on Flickr has swelled to over 8,000 photos with the cooperation and assistance of BJ staff and several volunteer professional photographers.

• The Capital Campaign was publicized on the website and via email to the community.

• A graphic designer joined the communications team, greatly increasing our ability to create dynamic and high-quality print and online brochures, flyers, and other materials.

• The private BJ LinkedIn Group, the public BJ Facebook page, and the “bjnyc” Twitter feed continued to draw new participants and followers and to present BJ and its activities to the larger world through social media.

DEVELOPMENT .............................................................................................................................................................................

The Development Department has worked hard to bridge an anticipated shortfall in funding. It is with immense gratitude to the generous members of this congregation that we have met and exceeded our fundraising goals for this year.

• The Kol Nidre Annual Appeal surpassed its goal by almost 10%, raising $1.85 million with the participation of over 60% of our membership.

• We have raised an additional $290,000 this year through additional donations to various funds that support the many BJ programs highlighted in this brochure.

• 76% of this incredible congregation came together to collectively raise $22 million to purchase the 89th Street building.

EMPLOYMENT HELP .............................................................................................................................................................................

The BJ Mastermind group continued addressing the needs of community members who have become under- or unemployed.

• More than 100 members participated in the second BJ Networking event and continued to network in ensuing months.

• More than 200 members attended the UJA-Federation Initiative of Connect2Care events, including lectures and a job fair assisted by BJ staff and volunteers.

• The private LinkedIn group for BJ members grew to over 520 members who are sharing employment opportunities (over 400 this year) and other job assistance.

• The BJ Mastermind group, which supports members with their businesses, continued to meet.

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HEVRA KADISHA .............................................................................................................................................................................

The Hevra Kadisha Committee, which comforts mourners, provided important services to members who are dealing with the loss of a loved one. The committee used new technologies to improve its coordination.

• BJ volunteers offered support to 52 families in mourning.

• Shiva minyanim for 25 families were organized, and Hevra Kadisha volunteers attended minyanim for seven different families.

• Before Pesah, members called 65 mourners who had lost someone since the previous Pesah; members also called mourners at the end of the Shloshim period.

• Tahara was performed by teams of men and women for four BJ members and family members.

• 50 Hevra Kadisha members attended the Annual Zayin Adar Appreciation dinner, in memory of Helen Radin, z”l. The program, a discussion co-sponsored with the Interfaith Committee and titled “Those Left Behind,” drew over 100 community members.

• Hevra Kadisha sponsored a viewing of the movie Departures. This film about Japanese traditions concerning death won the 2009 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. More than 30 members attended.

INTERFAITH .............................................................................................................................................................................

Dedicated to interfaith understanding, collaboration, and action, the Interfaith Committee expanded opportunities for interfaith dialogue and education.

• Reviving the annual interfaith classes, the Interfaith Committee offered a Comparative Literature class taught by two professors from the New School. Discussions were based on readings from the early foundational texts of Christianity and Judaism.

• The Interfaith Music Feast built community among 150 Jews, Muslims, and Christians from BJ, SPSA, West Park Presbyterian Church, ASMA Society, and the Muslim Consultative Network.

• Coordinated by West Side congregations, the annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service drew over 200 people to a touching multifaith service.

• Jewish and Muslim women gathered for a winter Rosh Hodesh celebration of food, texts, and intimate conversation.

• Members participated with Christian and Muslim groups in a tour of the “Three Faiths” exhibit at the New York Public Library.

• Visiting student groups interacted with BJ members in interreligious dialogue.

ISRAEL .................................................................................................................

The BJ Israel Steering Committee continued its focus on strengthening the synagogue’s connection with Israel and engaging with Israelis about critical political and social issues. Engagement with Israelis is essential to providing us with the necessary tools to take stances on the following issues: the future of Zionism; peace between Israelis and Palestinians; and social change within Israel.

Over 1,000 people attended the following Israel-related events: • Film screenings of “My Brother” (at BJ) and “Okef Lod” (at the JCC as part of The Other Israel Film Festival) followed by discussions with the filmmakers, Yulie Cohen and Orna Raviv, respectively.

• A panel discussion representing diverse viewpoints, “Loving Israel, Debating Israel: Between Debate, Democracy and Delegitimization.”

• The Yom Hazikaron/ Yom Ha’Atzma’ut commemoration and celebration with Israeli photographer Gil Lavi, which included a showing of his work and a festive dinner.

• 20th Anniversary of Operation Solomon with guest speaker Dr. Rick Hodes, an American doctor who was responsible for the care of 25,000 Ethiopians during that Operation.

• Birthright Shabbat with co-founder Michael Steinhard speaking about the Birthright program at a Friday night dinner.

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ISRAEL, continued from page 4 • The Israel Day Parade, with its theme “In Tune with ISRAEL!” for which BJ’s contingent wore T-shirts with the theme “BJ—Playing Judaism’s Soundtrack.”

LIFE-CYCLE EVENTS .........................................................................................................................

It has been a year filled with both joyous and sad occasions for our community.

We strive to support our members through all their life-cycle events and to make sure members feel connected to their community.

• A BJ onesie and Shabbat dinners were sent to 14 families who had babies.

• Naming ceremonies were conducted for four new babies of BJ members.

• Five couples had Auf Rufs during Shabbat morning services.

• BJ Rabbis officiated at 13 wedding ceremonies.

• 88th Street was rented for five weddings and 20 b’nai mitzvah.

• Notices to the community were sent regarding the deaths and shiva arrangements for 52 members and extended family members, and the BJ Rabbis officiated at the funerals for 10 of these. As detailed under Hevra Kadisha, this group of volunteers provided substantial assistance to these families in mourning.

• A group was created to cook a month’s worth of Shabbat meals for families with new babies. Twenty people volunteered to cook and deliver.

LIMUD .............................................................................................................................................................................

This year we had the privilege of learning from our Rabbis, from visiting scholars, and from one another during classes, workshops, and retreats.

• BJ Rabbis and MTM Fellows taught multisession classes on topics including: Abraham Joshua Heschel’s Heavenly Torah; The Rabbinic Mind and Imagination: Pirke deRabbi Eliezer; Stories of the Talmudic Rabbis; and Parashat Hashavu’a.

• Visiting scholars Daniel Matt and Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller gave the Divrei Torah and taught on Shabbat afternoons.

• Book readings and discussions were led by Tom Segev, Adina Hoffman, Peter Cole, and Rabbi David Silber.

• Rabbi Marcelo facilitated at six Beit Midrash Salons for more than 250 members at members’ homes on themes focused on Israel.

• The seven Men’s Havurah gatherings featured guest speakers David Weiser, Ron Taffel, Esther Perel, Yulie Cohen, Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller, J.J. Goldberg, and Robert Pollack.

• Rabbis Felicia and Michelle led 78 women in a weekend of prayer and study during the BJ women’s retreat at the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center in Connecticut.

MEMBERSHIP ....................................................................................................

Serving as a web of connection that runs through the BJ community, the Membership Department and the Membership Steering Committee and its Teams support all aspects of community life.

• Membership reached 1,860 households, with a total of 3,800 people (2,800 adults, 1,000 children).

• Over 1,600 households renewed their memberships from last year.

• 220 new member households joined, including 50 who took advantage of the special introductory rate for first-time members ages 20 to 29.

• In the third year of its five-year strategic plan, the Membership Steering Committee continued to expand its teams and incorporate new volunteers.

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MEMBERSHIP, continued from page 5 • The committee coordinated two museum gatherings, including private tours of the Museum at Eldridge Street and the Museum of Jewish Heritage, for Steering Committee and Team members to get to know one another.

• The New Members Team greeted new members of our community by calling to welcome them and invite them to events tailored to acquaint them with BJ. • In the fall and winter, the committee hosted a large New Member Shabbat dinner and convened three New Member Orientation Programs attended by 120 new members.

• Throughout the year, new members participated in events highlighted in a calendar titled “A Taste of BJ,” crafted by the New Members Team. These events included cooking for the BJ/SPSA shelter, serving at the lunch program, attending morning minyanim, meeting with the Men’s Havurah, experiencing Rosh Hodesh, and other BJ activities.

• The Current Members Team honored members of the community through special aliyot for women who became B’not Torah at BJ and couples who met and/or married at BJ. • Capturing Our Stories, a major new project to record an archive the oral history of BJ, was initiated in response to focus group input. A team of more than 10 people worked to develop a strategic plan.

• The new group Mekusharim, meaning “connections,” was initiated this year for our older adult members. Three large events drew over 200 members ranging in age from 54 to 88. The premiere event was a screening of “Yoo-Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg,” followed by discussion groups based on neighborhoods where people were raised. The next event featured a panel discussion about foods of the Lower East Side with the author of 97 Orchard.

The team also coordinated smaller events with the mission of creating meaningful connections.

• The Former Members Team reached out to lapsed members and surveyed non-renewing members in an effort to better meet the needs of the community.

• The Education and Communications Team compiled a BJspeak Glossary, which defines Hebrew and Yiddish terms commonly heard within our community. This glossary will be an invaluable resource, facilitating countless conversations.

The team also began other new initiatives including a Yashar Koah column in the Kol Jeshurun, aimed at highlighting members’ recent achievements.

• A new team of volunteers named “Kabbalat Panim: A BJ Host Welcomes You” was created and now receives visiting groups on Friday night with an introductory presentation about the various customs of our synagogue. This presentation enables visitors to fully engage in our Kabbalat Shabbat service and become comfortable, active participants.

PRAYER SERVICES .............................................................................................................................................................................

Prayer is one of the central activities at B’nai Jeshurun, reflecting our need to praise, to thank, to question, and to wrestle with God. Under the direction of our Rabbis and Hazzan, BJ offered its inspiring services and drew large numbers of worshippers to our community.

• BJ’s Shabbat services (Friday night services, the Family Kabbalat Shabbat services, the Saturday morning Shabbat services, and the Children’s Services) were attended by more than 1,500 people weekly.

• During the High Holy Days, more than 4,500 prayed together at three adult services and services for families at four locations.

• More than 150 people participated in Children’s Services each week.

• Junior Congregation services were held twice a month during the school year and were regularly attended by 100 to 200 people.

• Over 150 members, including 68 b’nai mitzvah, chanted Torah and Haftarah during the year.

• BJ’s Morning Minyan, led by volunteers, our Marshall T. Meyer Rabbinic Fellow, and our rabbinic and cantorial interns, met daily and, with the help of postcards (and now emails) to members about morning minyan, included participation from a broad cross-section of the community.

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PRAYER SERVICES, continued from page 6 • There were 17 Shabbat Community Minha services.

• Services were held for all holy days and special days including Selihot, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, Simhat Torah, Purim, Pesah, Yom HaShoah, Yom Ha’atzmaut, Shavuot, and Tisha Be-Av. • The Invitation to Piyut – North America retreat was held in November for 80 rabbis, cantors, synagogue musicians and educators from the US, Canada and Israel. Participants explored piyutim (liturgical poems) from all over the world and discussed issues related to prayer and the leading of prayer.

• The inaugural BJ Musicians’ retreat gave service leaders an opportunity to work through the structure of the prayer services and to play old and new music.

PROGRAMMING ..........................................................................................................

A wide array of interesting, joyful programming took place, mostly of the musical, educational, and gastronomic varieties, attracting capacity crowds.

• Five community Shabbat dinners were held, including a dinner with Teacherin-Residence Daniel Matt; a musically inspired Hanukkah dinner featuring Hazzan Ari Priven and Cantorial Intern Shoshi Rosenbaum; a dinner with Teacher-in-Residence Chaim Seidler-Feller; and a Yom Ha’atzmaut dinner with Birthright Israel and Michael Steinhardt.

• Four Tze’irim dinners began with a sit-down Shabbat dinner for 90 people each, followed by z’mirot and singing with the BJ Musicians and MTM Fellow.

• 41 community Kiddushim were held: • Kiddushim took place in honor of Board Members, BJ Bikkur Holim volunteers, B’not Torah, people who met and/or got married at BJ, all BJ volunteers, BJ Teen Shabbat, and Roma’s 20 years of service at BJ. • Kiddushim were held in honor of b’nai mitzvah, baby namings, and significant anniversaries and birthdays.

• Study sessions met, led by B’not Torah at BJ and the CSA farmers.

• BJ members held 15 home-hosted dinners welcoming over 100 members for Shabbat.

• Two meetings of BJ Committee Chairs were held to provide workshops about leadership development and for leaders to share best practices.

• Tours of the Heschel School building were held in honor of BJ’s reacquisition of its community home and were attended by over 250 people.

• Music of Piyutim filled the sanctuary at a concert featuring BJ Musicians in honor of the 25th anniversary of the renewal of BJ; the event was attended by over 350 people.

• Over 600 participants enjoyed the Purim service and party.

• The Second Night Pesah Community Seder was attended by 140 people.

• A Yom HaShoah program, with the traditional reading of the names, was attended by 250 people.

• The Yom Hazikaron/Yom Ha’atzmaut program was attended by 200 people.

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SOCIAL ACTION/SOCIAL JUSTICE .............................................................................................................................................................................

The Social Action/Social Justice Department creates opportunities for congregants to respond effectively with a Jewish voice to social injustices in our local, national, and global communities and to develop meaningful relationships with our neighbors. Our main initiatives include the following: • BJ Reads • 40 volunteers served 45 children and provided a “Birthday Book” to each child in the program.

• BJ/Ralph Bunche School Partnership • Ten volunteers did literacy work weekly with 20 children from the 1st through 4th grades.

• BJ/SPSA Homeless Shelter • 150 volunteers hosted and fed 10-15 homeless guests per night, five nights per week, at BJ and the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew.

• The shelter increased its advocacy role with governmental and other organizations to push the city to maintain vital services for our homeless guests through involvement with the Emergency Shelter Network • The shelter sponsored Shabbat lunches for volunteers and a joint Sukkot celebration with the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew to build interfaith connections.

• BJ Hazorim Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program • The CSA successfully concluded its first season and launched its second year with added fruit shares. BJ’s partnership with Free Bird Farm in Palatine Bridge, NY, provides pastured eggs and fresh, organic produce over 100 people from the BJ community and surrounding neighbors from June to November.

• CSA members contribute two two-hour work shifts during the season. These shifts are community-based activities that offer evening volunteer opportunities for BJ members and families.

• Diverse programming addressing food justice issues and community building was offered to the community, including text study, cooking demonstrations, and a celebratory Shabbat dinner using all local, organic produce.

• Through the Hazon CSA Network of over 50 Jewish CSAs, BJ accessed educational resources and training materials and participated in the annual Hazon Food Conference.

• Judith Bernstein Lunch Program • 40 volunteers served homemade sit-down lunches to about 100 guests every Thursday and, for the second year in a row, served kosher meals during Passover.

• The program was highlighted in a CBS production called “Faith in Action” because of its involvement with the Youth Service Opportunity Project (YSOP).

• Volunteers furthered their Jewish learning with teachings from the BJ Rabbis and Marshall T. Meyer Rabbinic Fellows.

• BJ Responds • Hosted two blood drives and obtained donations from approximately 100 people.

• BJ teens planned and fundraised for the 2011 AIDS Walk NYC in Central Park and 20 teens attended a workshop on AIDS/ HIV with volunteers from the organization Gay Men’s Health Crisis.

• 25 BJ members took part in the Hazon New York Jewish Environmental Bike Ride on the BJ Revolutionaries Team, raising $29,259 to support Hazon beneficiaries.

• 40 BJ members walked in the Komen Breast Cancer Race for the Cure, raising $7,000.

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SOCIAL ACTION/SOCIAL JUSTICE, continued from page 8 • Panim el Panim: Community Organizing and Advocacy Initiative • Members met with local public officials to build relationships and ask for progress on our issues.

• Over 20 BJ members participated in leadership skills training, relational meetings, conversation facilitation, and community organizing methods.

• Panim el Panim hosted a Community Wide Listening Campaign that included three Community Cafés attended by 180 members and facilitated by 28 leaders. Two new issues areas emerged as a result of the community input in these cafés: Aging in New York and Economic Justice.

• Marriage Equality Hevra (MEH) • 130 community members made up the largest group at the 7th Annual Wedding March across the Brooklyn Bridge and marched in support of Marriage Equality with hundreds of other city residents.

• 20 BJ leaders facilitated groups of New York State residents making lobby visits to New York State Senators in Albany on Equality and Justice Day. • 286 congregants signed the Keshet Jewish Community Pledge to Save Lives that asked us to commit to treat everyone with dignity and respect and to take action if you see someone being bullied. 15% of the signatures were obtained by a bnai mitzvah student.

• Leaders have established connections with rabbis at two synagogues in Staten Island to engage them in Marriage Equality advocacy. The senator from Staten Island is a pivotal vote on this issue.

• Manhattan Together • 10 leaders attended a Metro IAF Assembly on behalf of Manhattan Together and BJ at St. Paul’s Baptist Church in Brooklyn where accomplishments were shared, goals were set for senior issues in all five boroughs, and we heard from Congressman Anthony D. Weiner, Senator Charles E. Shumer and Former Chancellor of New York City Public Schools Cathy Black. There were over 1,000 members of New York City congregations in attendance.

• BJ members were on the national planning team for the 10% Is Enough campaign through Manhattan Together and were active participants in the campaign actions both locally and in Washington, D.C. • BJ members helped to write a senior survey distributed to hundreds of New York City residents to identify ways to improve the quality of life for older adults. BJ leaders are facilitating conversations with the New York City Academy of Medicine on the Aging Friendly City campaign.

• At the Community Cafés this spring we felt a palpable sense of anxiety in our congregation around many issues related to aging, taking care of aging parents, navigating benefits and services, accessibility to public spaces and transportation, and the ability to retire and live with dignity after work. As a result, we formed an Aging in New York Exploratory Team to research these issues and develop a local and actionable advocacy campaign over the next 6 months.

• Affordable Housing Campaign Working Group • A campaign called New York Tenants’ Tales was launched, based on the StoryCorps model. It will be conducting video interviews of tenants living in rent regulated housing, and in doing so, putting faces and individual stories on the issue of affordable housing preservation. Members plan to use them strategically with the press, at events where elected officials are held accountable, and with coalition partners to galvanize support for affordable housing in New York City.

• The team is working with citywide advocacy groups as part of the Real Rent Reform Campaign to support state legislation to repeal vacancy decontrol and reform the New York City Rent Guidelines Board, to further the goal of housing preservation.

• Domestic Workers’ Rights—BJ Employers for Justice Campaign • The Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights, for which the group has strongly advocated, passed in New York State in the summer of 2010.

• 30 members of the BJ Employers for Justice group committed to supporting the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights and have pledged to provide a salary increase or specific additional employment benefits for the person who works in their homes.

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SOCIAL ACTION/SOCIAL JUSTICE, continued from page 9 • High Interest Debt/Predatory Lending Exploratory Team • A BJ Usury/Predatory Lending Exploratory Team formed to reach out to interested BJ members and hear personal stories about those struggling with high interest debt.

• BJ members shared many stories and concerns at the Community Cafés this spring that reflected an interest in economic justice and struggles with unemployment and other economic pressures. The Economic Justice Exploratory will research issues including living wages, unemployment, ethical banking practices, high interest debt, financial education needs for BJ members and much more in order to assess what campaign options are viable. We hope to develop a specific campaign over the next 6 months.

TZE’IRIM .............................................................................................................................................................................

This year Tze’irim established itself as a solid community of singles and couples in their 20s and 30s. Our wide variety of programs continue to attract people from all over the Upper West Side and NYC. • Membership and Engagement • 1,306 people are currently subscribed to the Tze’irim weekly email list, a 30% increase over last year.

• Tze’irim was integrated into the main BJ website and began using the BJ email format.

• Tze’irim increased its presence and networking on Facebook.

• Work on the development of new leadership came to fruition with a new executive team.

• Tze’irim went through a careful process of studying and choosing its three core values: kavannah, kehillah, and hakhnasat orhim.

• Shabbat, Holidays, and Social Programs • Shabbat dinners were held monthly in Frankel Hall with 80-150 people in attendance at each.

The dinners were filled with song, good food, and great community helping to engage new Tze’irim participants.

• Tze’irim hosted a Friday night of learning with Shlomo Molla from the Israeli Knesset.

• Tze’irim hosted three Shabbat lunches and organized three home-hosted Shabbat meals.

• Throughout the summer, Tze’irim hosted Shabbat afternoon picnics filled with singing, food, Ultimate Frisbee, and outreach to many new members.

• TZ outdoors organized kayaking and trips to see the Staten Island Yankees and Shakespeare in the Park.

• Holiday programming including home-hosted Rosh Hashanah dinners, a Sukkah Dessert Party, a pre-Simhat Torah and Pre-Purim L’Hayim, and Hanukkah and Passover bar nights.

• Social events this year included ice-skating in Bryant Park, a Hanukkah party, dessert in the sukkah, Maimuna, a movie night, and more.

• Rabbi Felicia taught a two-part series on Shabbat at home.

• Tze’irim co-sponsored the annual Sukkahfest retreat and hosted two separate meditation and yoga opportunities.

• Social Action/Social Justice • Members of Tze’irim continued to be involved with Habitat for Humanity Builds.

• Tze’irim began a new program to cook for the elderly and continued its monthly cooking for the shelter.

• Tze’irim engaged several new SA/SJ leaders.

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USHERING .............................................................................................................................................................................

Our volunteer ushers ensured a safe and welcoming environment for our members and visitors at services.

• More than 200 ushers donated their time at all of BJ’s Shabbat, festival, and Yamim Nora’im services.

• Ushers helped BJ to welcome over 100 groups from all over the world.

YOUTH AND FAMILY EDUCATION .............................................................................................................................................................................

The Youth and Family Education Department had an exciting year, including retreats, Junior Congregation, a growing Bim Bam program, Hebrew School, holiday celebrations, and teen service learning trips.

• Shabbat and HoLidays • More than 150 people participated in Children’s Services each week.

• Junior Congregation services were held twice a month during the school year and were regularly attended by 100 to 200 people.

• 35 children, grades 3-8, participated in the first ever Hanukkah play, written and directed by Michael Kelberg and Jerry Korman.

• The BJ Purim Carnival was a smash hit, followed by the Purim play, written and directed by Michael Kelberg and Jerry Korman, and both were attended by more than 300 people.

• Community • Twelve 7th-graders met monthly for a second year of Rosh Hodesh: It’s a Girl Thing! to celebrate the new moon and explore issues of feminism, adolescence, and Jewish identity.

• Moms of the Rosh Hodesh: It’s a Girl Thing! group met twice to build community among the parents.

• BJ’s elementary school students and their families cooked dozens of meals for the homeless shelter.

• BJ participated in The Brotherhood, a six-session pilot program (which will continue in the fall), where teenage boys explored issues of adolescent Jewish masculinity.

• Young Families • Bim Bam, a pre-Shabbat class for babies and toddlers, brought together 50 families with young children to celebrate Shabbat on Friday mornings.

• Over 150 families took part in various Young Families activities, including holiday celebrations and monthly Tot Shabbat services and dinners.

• Through a partnership with PJ Library, 183 families received Jewish children’s books in their homes each month for free.

• Storahtelling presented a creative, interactive Torah service nine times in Children’s Services.

• Hebrew School • Over 60 families gathered for class Shabbat dinners at BJ. • Two BJHS teachers participated in LOMED, a year-long professional development program focused on developing rich and meaningful lesson plans, and the entire staff met monthly in follow-up learning sessions.

• Hebrew School students prepared for all the holidays: they commemorated Yom HaShoah, celebrated Yom Ha’atzmaut, prepared for Pesah through a Model Seder and Haroset Tasting Competition, and enjoyed a sneak peek at the Hanukkah play. continued on back page

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YOUTH AND FAMILY EDUCATION, continued from page 11 • Hebrew School students performed community service at many places this year, including the Atria, the West Side Campaign Against Hunger, and the Jewish Home and Hospital.

• During weekly tefillah and at Junior Congregation, over 200 Hebrew School students learned to lead prayers.

• Parents learned together about the Jewish calendar, Pesah, and chanting from the Torah.

• Together with over 85 BJHS parents and children, we spent a rich Shabbat at Isabella Freedman Retreat Center for our fourth Hebrew School Family “Reach for Shabbat” Retreat.

• B’nai Mitzvah • More than 200 families with children in grades 4, 5, and 6 engaged in community learning together as part of the B’nai Mitzvah Family Learning Programs on Shabbat mornings and afternoons.

• BJ partnered with Storahtelling to create Family Learning Programs focusing on the d’var Torah preparation process using Storahtelling’s methods.

• The Mitzvah Fair hosted 25 groups and organizations from the BJ and Jewish community; more than 100 students from grades 5, 6, and 7 attended with their parents.

• 70 students became Bar/Bat Mitzvah.

• The annual B’nai Mitzvah retreat was attended by 15 students from BJHS and day schools at Camp Ramah in Nyack.

• Teens • More than 20 teenage Ozrim served as assistants in the Hebrew School and at children’s services.

• 25 8th- and 9th-graders participated in a service learning program, cosponsored by BJ and Jewish Funds for Justice, to visit and rebuild New Orleans.

• 21 10th-, 11th-, and 12th-graders engaged in service learning program, cosponsored by BJ and Visions Service Adventures, to help build a community center in San Luis, Dominican Republic.

• The third cohort in BJ’s Teen Leadership Track had nine participants.

• Teen Shabbat was led by over 30 teenagers.

• 15 teens and five parents participated in a Midnight Run, packaging food and collecting clothing and toiletries, and then traveling by van and parents’ cars around the Upper West Side on a prescheduled route and with a Midnight Run volunteer to distribute packages to people living on the streets.

• BJ’s Teen Leadership Track led all of the planning and fundraising efforts to participate in AIDS Walk New York for the entire BJ community.

PHOTO CREDITS Cover, clockwise from top: Max Orenstein, Dara Schaefer, Max Orenstein. 3: Jacob Shemkovitz. 4: Belinda Lasky. 5: Denise Waxman, Lilli Platt. 6: Belinda Lasky. 7: Max Orenstein, Max Orenstein. 8: Ariel Schneider. 9: Ariel Schneider. 10: Jason Fruithandler. 11: Denise Waxman. 12: Emily Walsh.

2109 Broadway, Suite 203, New York, NY 10023-2106 tel: 212.787.7600 fax: 212.496.7600 web: www.bj.org

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