Jewish Community Center of West Hempstead

Rabbi, Cantor, Fellow congregants and those who join us for prayers welcome to the JCC.

Taken right from SESAME STREET the word for the day is ACTIVE.

A simple word yet so important.

Active is key. 

We are THE most active synagogue in SOUTHWEST NASSAU.  We have programming and activities that are bar none; the envy of other local groups Jewish as well a non Jewish. We have been proactive and continue to sponsor many different and varied programs all week long.

As I have said previously there is no shame in going from youth groups to senior groups as long as we fill the programs.  Our Rabbi continues to teach to packed houses in the MINI UNIVERSITY and our book groups are all well attended. We continue to run our book fairs as a fundraiser and have done real well as long as you participate. Thank you HELENE FASTMAN.

We have started to take trips with packed busses and we look forward to continuing these as well. Now thanks to two of our new members we are hosting our newest cultural event, THE FALL CONCERT, featuring our own Audrey Schneider and Arbie Orenstein, two accomplished music professionals. We look forward to our congregation support and participation in making this event a true success. We continue to average over 50 people each and every SHABBAT, and congregations much larger than ours do not get this attendance unless they have a simcha. Activities that has been our key and I look forward to more special programming.

Our  BULLETIN and   WEB PAGES, TWITTER, FACEBOOK all of our electronic media headed by our Bulletin editor SETH BYKOFSKY, whose humor and passion in taking our temple out of the DARK AGES and into the 21st century has been monumental. Thank you SETH.

WE are also REACTIVE.  I am  proud to say that in the last 18 months we are one of the few congregations  to BOAST that we have NEW MEMBERS, some from other organizations, some who have been unaffiliated for many years, and some who have returned to our temple seeking solace, religion and our caring family. I not only welcome you to our temple, I thank you for having faith in us to fulfill your religious needs.

We have started some new traditions in conjunction with neighboring congregations. JOINT PROGRAMMING.  Whether we are here at the JCC or at other venues, the idea of shared programs for the common good has worked wonderfully. This has enabled us to go from 65 to 85 people for our YOM HASHOAH PROGRAM to over 225 people in a combined community event. It was tremendous to have this many people in one room, and we look forward to sharing and joining more often toward a common good. Thank you LARRY ROSENBERG.

And now the bad news. The INACTIVE.

Those of you have just heard about all the things that have been going on here at THE JCC and you are sitting here and saying to yourself, “how have  I missed those events. How didn’t I participate in the bus trip, the BBQ, the Succot dinner? Why wasn’t I at the Yom Hashoah program? Where was I when the Rabbi gave his class, how did I stay home and not come to the Sisterhood program on Early TV comedians that had over 50 people in attendance. WHERE was I when all of this was taking place?” We would like to know that as well. We offer the programs for almost no expense and these programs are all quality events.

PLEASE, PLEASE. ALL WE ASK IS THAT YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE EVENTS, COME ON DOWN AND JOIN US.

And now, the toughest part of my State of the Temple message. When I took office a little over a year ago, I begged, pleaded and urged every congregant to not pass on as we cannot afford the loss and I hate going to funerals and shiva calls. Well, I am sad to say that we lost some dear family members this past year. In fact, we had the worst year in the history of the JCC.

A few of those who passed this year our Flower and Plant LADY and my dear friend BARBARA KLEIDMAN. Our perennial Sunday minyan man ED ROTH. A quiet but faithful friend SAM HALPERN. And even from Israel the family that sponsored the CHAVURAH  PRORAM, WALTER MILLARD, and one of  the original 50 families MAL LUTCHEN, and our beloved MOISHE ROTH. Just to name a few.

We wish all of our families who suffered losses this past year that they suffer no more adversity in the New Year. I mention these people for a reason. They left a void in many things that go on here at the JCC. Moishe in particular.

He wore so many kippahs in our daily life it has taken a multitude of people to do his job. From laining torah, making sure we have minyans, resetting the religious goods of our congregation, setting our weekly kiddishes, making sure that shiva houses are prepared for daily prayers to changing the bulletin board and setting the memorial plaques each month for those observing yarzheit, we are still finding out about all the things he did for us. But I take this moment to thank the many people who have quietly stepped up and have taken on many of the tasks that MOISHE did. We still have room for more volunteers every Friday and Shabbot in setting up for our wonderful Kiddishes led by MADDY SCHWARTZ. In order for us to take this active role in our community WE NEED YOU! Please come forward and give us a few minutes of your time, especially for the minyans.

In closing, I continue to thank the congregation that has given me its confidence and strength to take our great temple to new heights; to our religious leaders who have guided me on the righteous path; my board of directors and committee chair people who make me look good.

To my wife and children who have permitted me to take the time from them to work for the JCC, my real home away from home.

And finally, to our building staff our one and only SAM WALKER and STEVE PINA, and of course the true hard workers of our temple, ADDIE and TORI.

I wish each and every one you a healthy happy new year and the strength to keep doing what we do SO WELL,  Making the JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF WEST HEMPSTEAD so great. Exactly what our name says, the CENTER of the JEWISH COMMUNITY. How great is that?

Good Yom Tov!