Celebration and Commemoration

(Published Mar 29, 2018)

Chag Pesach Sameach (Happy Passover) to all JCC members and neighbors in our community. Soon we will be commemorating Yom HaShoah (Apr 12) or Holocaust Memorial Day and Yom HaZikaron (Apr 18) Israel Memorial Day for fallen soldiers. Part of Jewish culture is to acknowledge and learn from the solemn and balance it with celebration. So, it is unique to Israel that we follow serious memorial days by a day of celebration, in this case Yom HaAtzma’ut (Apr 19), or Israel Independence Day.

This year, we are celebrating Israel’s 70th year on April 22 as part of our Earth Day Community Celebration. We will host the founder of an eco-Jewish kibbutz in Israel who will lead groups in building geodesic domes. More details about the day are at JCCindy.org/earth-day.

We hope you’ve noticed the posts about Israel on our social media—70 Facts in 70 Days. Israel is an important touchstone for Jewish people around the globe, the place where Jewish values are manifested. Jews can be one people and one nation, no matter our country of origin or residence.

It is fitting that a day that honors environmental stewardship mirrors one of the core Jewish values of tikkun olam, or repairing the world. And that on that day we also honor Israel, the place that inspires, protects and preserves Jewish culture I invite you, your friends, family and co-workers to join us for the day on Sunday, April 22 to learn more about the preservation and sustainability of our earth and to celebrate a culture and place committed to upholding those values.

B’shalom,

Eric H. Kohler