A new year done right!
With the new year in full swing, the Federation is busy planning and implementing engaging and entertaining programs for you!
We started off the year with new and improved programs such as our PJ Library Pajama party, that brought over 50 kids and parents together to meet, play, dance, eat, and of course share our love for Jewish books.
We hosted our first ever FED talk and welcomed a great crowd that filled the room and left attendees inspired with ways to enrich our community by thinking ahead long-term. It didn’t hurt that we had a 5-star kosher brunch designed and served by our very own Judy Sassler!
Finally, at the end of the month was our first community Challah bake of the new year, and while at the time of writing this I can’t describe how it went just yet, I can already smell the sweet scent of dough rising and envision friends bonding over the most delectable of braided Jewish treats. I can’t wait to see what else we will be able to invite you to!
Speaking of the future, this month is in no way lacking opportunities for you to get involved in the Jewish community. One program we are hosting and partnering with is the Michiana Jewish Historical Society’s “Telling Our Stories” Workshop.
I believe this program to be of the utmost importance as we learn together how to ensure our families’ and community’s history is remembered and that we know how to properly write these stories down. I can’t tell you how many times I have had an idea for a program only to find out one of my predecessors planned something similar that I could go back to and learn from and need not make the same mistakes made then.
We will be presenting the ADL’s “State of Antisemitism” at the St. Joseph County Public Library this month. We chose to ask the library to host us in order to hopefully broaden the participation to include those outside our community, those who may be unaware of the current atmosphere and change when it comes to senseless hate.
In a similar way, last month we began to enter public schools once again with our Holocaust Speakers Bureau, and we are even working together with one local middle school to collaborate on a Yom Hashoa memorial program that involves students who are only now learning about the Holocaust. Reaching out to the greater community, in my opinion, and offering education resources is one of things I am most proud of when working at our Federation.
Finally, we have two youth programs this month, one for Camp Ideal campers, grades K-7, and one for our SaBaBaH youth group, 8th-12th. A Federation escape room is in the works with challenging group puzzles and riddles for Camp Ideal age kids, as well as a Hamantaschen bake day SaBaBaH teens. Make sure you register early, as these programs will have a max capacity!
I hope to see you soon and hear from you sooner! If you have any programs you would like to see at the Federation, or to hear about other programs coming soon, give me a call or send me an email!
Dan Ravitch
Programming Director
Phone: (574) 233-1164 x1819
Email: dravtich@thejewishfed.org