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The Chronicle the Community Newspaper of the Jewish Council of North Central Florida The Chronicle The Community Newspaper of the Jewish Council of North Central Florida Summer 2017 Kayitz 5777 JCNCF Looks Forward to Another Busy Program Year By Virginia Brissette Hirshik to Ethiopian Jewish villages in 1981 service for the Gainesville community President & CEO, JCNCF and has spent the last 40 years working will include many projects that benefit The summer issue of The Chronicle tirelessly on their behalf. partner charities in North Central Flori- is always a treat to produce. Since its Be sure to save the date for Sunday, da and beyond. production occurs after most of our October 29 when JCNCF will celebrate We’re also excited about our project regular program year has passed, we the Jaffa Institute’s 35th Anniversary. to collect and display artifacts related have more time to create a 16 page is- Since the late 1990s, the Jewish com- to families of local Holocaust survivors, sue filled with photos and “thank yous” munity of North Central Florida has which will be exhibited as part of the to the many sponsors, volunteers and enjoyed a close relationship with this JCNCF’s annual Yom HaShoah commu- community partners who made some Israeli social service agency which pro- nity remembrance in April 2018. Look of our recent events possible. The Jew- vides critical educational, recreation- for more information about this year- ish Council is grateful to these individ- al and social enrichment programs long project on page 4. uals, organizations and businesses for for greater Tel Aviv’s most vulnerable We hope you have enjoyed JCNCF’s their support. populations. We look forward to the community offerings this year. Our suc- We’re also including some previews opportunity to honor their work and cessful programs are made possible by of events and programs scheduled for those in this community whom have the relationships we have developed, the fall. Mark your calendar for the supported their mission. Check out our the resources we have shared and the weekend of October 22, when JCNCF feature article on the Jaffa Institute on generous support from our donors. To welcomes Barbara Ribakove Gordon, pages 8 and 9. all those whom have donated to our Founder and Executive Director of the JCNCF’s Mitzvah Day is slated for Sun- Annual Campaign, thank you for help- North American Conference on Ethi- day, November 19, so start collecting ing us build the wonderful, dynamic opian Jewry. Ms. Gordon traveled to those hotel toiletries as you travel this Jewish community of North Central Ethiopia on the first American mission summer! As always, our annual day of Florida! Tikkun Olam with the Freeman Family By William Alford and care, Stop Children’s Cancer. Since to great joy and great adversity ... and Assistant Director, JCNCF its formation in 1981, Stop Children’s how one event can change a perspec- This February, at the Sixth Annual Cancer has raised over $7 million dol- tive or destiny. Gainesville Spirit Awards, the Freeman lars to fund pediatric cancer research. This thought took hold after Laurel family was honored with the Lifetime Those funds have have also provided recounted to me the curious story of Achievement Award for hard work ded- seed money for many grant proposals how she and Howard met. It was 1964 icated to helping others. As many of attracting exponentially more fund- and they were both living in South Flor- you may know, the Freeman family are ing and expanding the impact of this ida. Howard, who was born in Miami the founders of a local nonprofit with home-grown mission committed to the and grew up in West Palm Beach would a massive reach in medical research prevention, control and cure of cancer soon be attending the University of in children. Florida. Laurel’s mother, a single mom, I sat down with Laurel Freeman to had relocated to the West Palm area discuss the story of how this organiza- in 1960 to be closer to Laurel’s grand- tion was born from tragic circumstanc- mother. es. We discussed how it has grown into One afternoon, Laurel’s mother saw a beautiful and flourishing legacy that an interview with the young Howard her daughter Bonnie had envisioned; Freeman on a local TV program. He which the whole Freeman family has was being highlighted for his academ- continued. I left our meeting with a ic achievements and impending col- deeper understanding of the uniquely lege career. She was impressed by the personal and inspiring origins of their young man’s respect and gratitude to- nonprofit. I was also left pondering the wards his parents. She was also moved complexity of the paths that lead us Continued on pages 10 and 11 Page 2 - The Chronicle Summer 2017 Together we can do extraordinary things! We are grateful to all of the advertisers who support The Chronicle. Advertising income only covers part of the monthly cost of publication. If you enjoy reading The Chronicle, please consider making a donation toJCNCF . I am/We are pleased to pledge/donate the following amount to support Jewish life in North Central Florida while also maintaining support for international Jewish needs. To make your donation securely online with a credit card, go to www.jcncf.org. Please call or email the JCNCF office for instructions on how to donate stock or to make your gift directly to The Jewish Federations of North America. Contact us at 352.371.3846 or at [email protected]. Name ____________________________Email ____________________________Phone________________________ Street __________________________________City _______________________ State ________ Zip____________ Signature ______________________________________ Pledged $____________________ Enclosed ____________ JCNCF Mission Statement As set forth in the Articles of Incorporation, the JCNCF Submissions Policy has been formed to operate and engage in philanthrop- ic, cultural, and other group activities for charitable News and announcements of events that are of interest and open to the and educational purposes that shall contribute to the entire Jewish community will be included as space allows. The times and welfare of the Jewish community of North Central Flor- places of regular and special Jewish religious events, as well as Jewish or- ida and other Jewish communities around the world. ganizational events, will be placed in the Chronicle’s monthly community calendar. Please submit original material of 500 words or less, not pub- The Chronicle lished or to be published elsewhere, along with photos of interest to the is published 10 times per year by the community. Submissions may be e-mailed in Word document format to Jewish Council of North Central Florida, Inc. [email protected]; or dropped off at the Jewish Council of North Cen- PO Box 357936 tral Florida office. Please submit photos in high resolution with a caption Gainesville, FL 32635-7936 identifying the subject and all people depicted. JCNCF reserves the right office: 352.371.3846 to edit all submissions. The Chronicle does not publish letters to the edi- www.JCNCF.org - [email protected] tor. The Chronicle is produced for the community by JCNCF The Chronicle and the Jewish Council do not endorse the goods staff and volunteers. The opinions expressed are those of the and services advertised in these pages, and make no representation as to contributors and are not necessarily representative of the the kashrut of the food, products, and services in such advertising. Jewish Council Board of Directors or supporters. If you have any questions, email [email protected] or call The entire contents of The Chronicle are 352.371.3846. copyright © 2017 by the Jewish Council All submissions are due on or before of North Central Florida. the 10th of the month prior to publication. The Board & Staff of the Jewish Council of North Central Florida Board Officers Board Members Vice President Rosalie Bandyopadhyay Joanne Block Anna Jordan Past President Dawn Burgess-Krop Steve Bobroff Joanne Hirschtritt Licht Stuart Cohn Myrna Niems Treasurer: Adam Smith President & CEO Harvey Goldstein Scott Tomar Secretary: Nadav Katz Virginia Brissette Hirshik Assistant Director Abe Goldman Ken Wald Steve Slutsky Campaign Chair: William Alford Richard Howard Sharon Hirshik Kayitz 5777 The Chronicle - Page 3 Thank You to All Who Attended JCNCF’s Israel Day Celebration at Sholom Park of Ocala. Thank you To Rabbi Ze’ev Harari of Temple Beth Shalom for leading the Ha’Zikaron service. Thank you to Ken Colen and the Board and Staff of Sholom Park. And a Special Thank You to All Who Volunteered. From Gainesville: Hadar Bilitzer, Cindy & Jordan Dern, Russ Hirshik, Robert & Anna Jordan, Nadav Katz & Alisha Kinman, Debby Kinman-Ford, Steve Slutsky, Ken Wald & Robin West. From Ocala: Sheila Cohen, Richard Cooperman, Judy Donnenberg, Julie Dowd Rochlin, Shelly Lebowitz, Elaine Morrison, Sonia Peterson, and Ted Schivmmer Thank you to the Appleton Museum of Art for providing the Art of the Hamsa arts and crafts station. Thank you to our vendors: Aviant Party Rentals, Chutzpah!, Greg and Liz Carlew from Leapin’ Lizard’s Delicious Bites, Ed Ellett Insurance, Fabulous Faces Entertainment, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. Page 4 - The Chronicle Summer 2017 Yom HaShoah Committee to Collect Artifacts By Robin West, Rebecca Jefferson and Katalin Rac The JCNCF Holocaust Remembrance program scheduled for Sun- day, April 15, 2018 will feature Arlene Stein, author of Reluctant Wit- nesses. The child of survivors, Stein will discuss how members of the “second generation” have helped to preserve their family memories and expand Holocaust awareness. For next year’s commemoration, the Yom HaShoah committee is also planning an exhibit and a panel discussion with local second generation members. If you are a survivor or a relative of a survivor, we need your help! The committee hopes to create a memorial exhibit, to open on April 8, 2018 at the Isser and Rae Price Library of Judaica at the University of Florida.
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