What's Happening in West Orange Synagogues?

Now that Pesach is over and the weather is finally warming up we are continuing to work hard and plan exciting and educational programs for our members here are Congregation AABJ&D. 

The AABJ&D Food Drive was a huge success. Our community stepped up and donated a ton of kosher food that was brought to the kosher food pantry in South Orange. Kudos to everyone who participated and made it such a success! 

This was a fun filled month for our Youth Department. Dovi and Daniella offered a very successful Pre-Pesach lunch, movie and crafts for our youth department which our parents all loved and took advantage of the opportunity to drop their children off while preparing for the holiday. Our weekly Shabbat morning groups are a huge success and

continue to get better and better each and every week. The onegs are a huge hit and the children enjoy all of the fun activities. Our Youth Department is planning two big trips this coming spring, a Newark Bears baseball game with fireworks and a viewing of the Little Mermaid at the Paper Mill Playhouse. We are all looking forward and counting down the days! 

Now that Spring is in full swing it is time to start thinking about the summer for your children. Camp Shemesh at Congregation AABJ&D is a warm, loving and fun camp for preschool children ages 2-5. Our awesome camp director Sura is hard at working preparing and interviewing all of our great counselor applicants. 

Our Adult Education Department has been very busy planning successful, enjoyable and educational programs for us all. We look forward to hosting Rabbi Meir Goldvicht. Rav Meir Goldvicht, a prominent Israeli scholar, educator, and a Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva University's Mazer School of Talmudic Studies, is the head of the Stone Beit Medrash Program. Rav Goldvicht joined YU as a Rosh Yeshiva at Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) and the Mazer Yeshiva Program. He received semicha from the renowned rabbinic authorities: Rabbi Zalman Nehemia Goldberg in 1980, and HaRav HaGaon Betzallel Zolti, zt"l, chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, and HaRav Ovadyah Yosef,

HaRav HaRashi of Israel. Rav Goldvicht has been a Ram at Yeshiva Kerem B'Yavneh, and has given shiurim extensively at Stern College, all over the metropolitan area, and in Israel. 

Our Yom Hashoa Program, this past Monday night was an inspirational one featuring Bernard and Henry Schanzer. We were given a historical perspective of before, during and after the Holocaust - from personal experience and studies. The Schanzer brothers and their sister were born in Belgium and later moved to southern France. In 1942, roundups sent family members to Auschwitz, where their father perished. The children and their mother were hidden by righteous gentiles and survived the war. The Schanzer brothers and their mother emigrated to the United States and their sister went to Israel. 

Together on Tuesday, is successfully providing great programs for our seniors. The program meets every Tuesday. The programs are social, intellectual and educational. Knowledgeable speakers on Judaism, current events, politics and the arts are invited. One needn't be a member of the congregation in order to participate.

For more information about our program or schedule or any other information contact Seniors Coordinator, Debbie Druce at (973) 736-1407 x240 or email her at srstot@gmail.com. 

On March 9 we hosted our 47th Shul Dinner at the Wilshire Grand Hotel where Shari & David Cherna were presented with the Honoree award, Rose & Gary Scharlat were given the Rabbi Alvin & Marylin Marcus Keter Shem Tov Award, Rachel & Joel Segal received the Young Leadership Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award was given to our very own Mickey Weiss. 

If you missed out on our last blood drive, which had an overwhelming amount of people who came out, make sure to give the gift of life - Donate Blood at our next Blood Drive, here at Congregation AABJ&D on Sunday, April 21, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. 

AABJ&D was chosen to host this year’s boys Chai Lifeline/Camp Simcha Shabbaton! This is our chance to give children with life threatening illnesses the unique opportunity to enjoy a fun filled weekend that allows them to put their illness aside and just be kids. We look forward to this amazing and unforgettable event. 

If you ever find yourself with some free time and want to learn a little torah, please feel free to listen to Rabbi Zwickler’s Web Dvar, which can be found on the homepage of our website, www.aabjd.org, just click on the Web Dvar banner to access. Please feel free to browse our website for any upcoming events that may spark your interest. 

We are busy gearing up and preparing for a busy Shavuot, filled with many classes and programs! Looking forward to a relaxing, spiritual and fun filled Yom Tov shared with family, friends and the entire community.