JFOC Winter 2024 Magazine

Winter 2024
LET OUR
PEOPLE GO!
jewishoceancounty.org/israelresponse

Thank you to our sponsors for the Community of Caring celebration!
Thank you for helping us honor our Heroes Against Hate.
GOLD SPONSOR
Dennis & Shelly Newman
SILVER SPONSOR
Manny & Annabel Lindenbaum
BRONZE SPONSORS
Mitchel & Debra Alpert • Cantors Daniel & Ruth Green
PATRON SPONSORS
Jay & Lauren Gordon • Harold & Elaine Isaacson • OceanFirst Bank
William & Barbara Schulman • Anise Singer
Jewish Federation of Ocean County Heroes Against Hate Upstanders
2 Ocean JPages

ICONIC HIGHLIGHTS
Our Community of Caring event celebrates our year long efforts, we
strive to always be a community of caring. The icons in the logo represent
some of our efforts and highlight connections we make happen.
Check out some of JFCS's 2024 goals. Help us
reach our $165,000 2024 match for Holocaust
survivors services - www.jewishoceancounty.org/
donate.
PJ Library's mission is to help people connect
to Jewish values, traditions, and culture, while
building vibrant Jewish communities. Parents and
Grandparents help us by filling out a quick survey.
It's on our PJ page www.jewishoceancounty.org/
pj-library,
Page 10 highlights some of the work being done
by organizations we support with our Israel
Emergency Campaign. Our Israel Emergency
Campaign has an updated goal of $180,000,
help us get there by donating at www.
jewishoceancounty.org/israelresponse.
Our efforts to combat hate of all kinds continues
with partners both new and old. See highlights on
page 6.
Proud to have again sponsored SuperSoul
organized by One Ocean County and cosponsored
with Rotary of Toms River. Here are
some pictures from an incredible program that
provides food, clothing, necessities, haircuts,
dignity and a Super Bowl party for the homeless.
A few of the over 100
hostages still held in
Gaza by Hamas...
Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, is a dual US
- Israeli citizen having emigrated to Israel
with his family at age 7. He was about to
start a 2-year trip around the world, but was
abducted from the Supernova music festival.
He and others were in a shelter that Hamas
were throwing in grenades and Hersh lost part
of his arm before being abducted.
Daniel Perez was last seen and heard from
on the morning of October 7. The 22-year-old
resident of the community of Yad Binyamin in
central Israel is the son of Rabbi Doron Perez,
the head of the World Mizrachi movement.
Daniel is an active runner, athlete, and ardent
supporter of the Liverpool soccer team. His
family has organized a weekly run where
supporters show their solidarity with the
family and implore that Daniel be released.
Amiram Cooper, an 85-year-old grandfather
of nine, is one of the founders of Kibbutz
Nir Oz. His wife Nurit was one of the first
hostages released in a deal. He is a poet
and composer and is described as a lover
of peace and a man of ideas. On the 25th
anniversary of the kibbutz’s founding in 1980,
he composed a poem entitled Love Song.
Kaid Farhan Elkadi lives in a Bedouin
ommunity in southern Israel. On the morning
of October 7, he was abducted from Kibbutz
Magen where he was guarding a packaging
facility. The 53-year-old is married and is the
father of 11 children.
Edan Alexander is a 19-year-old lone soldier
who was born in Tel Aviv but grew up in
Tenafly, New Jersey. After high school, he
returned to Israel to join the Golani Brigade of
the IDF. He is an avid swimmer and loves Thai
and Japanese foods. His mother says that he
is “a great all-American kid." He had plans to
attend college in the United States and study
business.
Arbel Yehud, 28, a third-generation resident
of Kibbutz Nir Oz, was taken captive along
with her brother, Dolev, and her boyfriend,
Ariel Cunio. Although many women have
been released by Hamas, Arbel has not.
Winter 2024 3

WHAT YOU MADE POSSIBLE –
FEDERATION IMPACT IN 2023
$97,000 *
*not including in-kind donations
$26K
$11K
$10,000
ISRAEL
EMERGENCY
CAMPAIGN
$35,000
Core/Long-standing
Partnerships
JFNA – $15,000
JDC – $10,000
COMMUNITY-WIDE PROGRAMS
$16,000
JAFI – $10,000
$49,700
Targeted Grants
Lev Echad – $7,500
FOOD INSECURITY
AT HOME
—&— JEWS AROUND THE WORLD
$5,000 $5,000
Dror – $3,600
Lone Soldier – $2,500
Koby Mandel – $5,000
Zaka – $2,500
Lev Otef – $5,000
Brothers & Sisters for Israel – $5,000
COMMUNITY
SPONSORSHIPS
$3,000
SUPPORT FOR JFNA EFFORTS
$7,250
CORE SUPPORT FOR JEWS
in need around the world
TARGETED OVERSEAS GRANTS
$10,000
$10,000
Shalom Hartman Institute – $2,500
Bring Them Home Now – $1,500
Bring Hirsh Home – $1,000
Crossroads* – $3,600
Shutaf *– $5,000
Kfar Silver* – $2,500
Derech Eretz* – $2,500
*Ongoing Partners
4 Ocean JPages

Let Our People Go!
As we approach Passover, the theme of this JPages is on
Let Our People Go. As of the writing of this column, there
are 134 hostages who have been missing and abused for
150 days. Too long.
We don't want this state of ongoing war and missing
hostages to become our new normal. While we, individually
and collectively, cannot solve these problems - we can
each do our part. Remember the hostages every day. Wear
your yellow, or blue, ribbons. Send notes to our leaders
and elected officials not to forget. Call your loved ones in
Israel to check in and let them know you care. Continue
to contribute to our Israel Emergency Campaign, to help
support our extended family in Israel still grieving and
suffering.
Let's recognize the complexity of the situation without
giving up on the situation. It's a hard balance, I know.
That's why I want to share a teaching offered by Rachel
Goldberg-Polin, mother of Hersh Goldberg-Polin…one of
the hostages.
She spoke about why we take 3 steps back at the end of
the Shemona Esreh, the Amida or 18 blessings which is at
the core of most Jewish religious services, before saying
Oseh Shalom, a prayer for peace.
Rachel also referenced the fractured landscape in Israeli
society before October 7th, one which is also becoming
more present again today.
She relates a commentary from Rabbi Menachem
BenTzion Sacks who explains that before we can ask for
peace, we have to create space for it. So we have to back
up and create an empty space. And we have to turn to our
left and say there are textures and flavors and voices more
to the left of me…and then we have to turn to the right
and say that there are people who observe more to the
right of me or who have a different worldview – and only
then can we look forward and truthfully in earnest ask God
to give us peace.
We are in such a difficult place that we as a people need
to be able to acknowledge people who are different than
we are before we as a people can have a peaceful place for
ourselves.
There is more to what Rachel said, which I encourage to
you to see and listen to on our website, but I think this is
an important message for those in Israel and those in our
community and in this country as well.
Keith Krivitzky, Managing Director
www.jewishoceancounty.org/israelupdate
Community Yom Hashoah Holocaust Remembrance Event
Sunday, May 5, 2024 at 5:30PM
Congregation B'nai Israel • 1488 Old Freehold Road, Toms River, NJ
A Service of Remembrance featuring Holocaust
Survivor Memoirs: An Interview
Open to the entire community. Students are encouraged to attend. Security will be present
during the event. Co-Sponsored by: Beth Am Shalom • Congregation Ahavat Olam •
Congregation B'nai Israel • Temple Beth Or • Jewish Federation of Ocean County
Winter 2024 5

Combatting Hate
Our efforts to combat hate of all kinds is an effort in partnerships. We work closely with the
Ocean County Prosecutor's office, OC College, OC Cultural and Heritage Commission, and
Chhange. We're also proud to provide services from JFed Security and Secure Community
Network to keep our community safe.
We sponsored educators from Manchester,
Barnegat, and Point Pleasant who attended
the professional development art workshop
on Confronting Propaganda: Your Message
Matters - we can't wait to see the results!
Upcoming programs for students include Chhange's
annual Colloquium that builds on that theme and our
fourth Student Leadership Conference.
We've also been helping with the Toms
River branch of the Ocean County Library
to organize a series of programs to combat
hate. They had Manny Lindenbaum speak
to an audience of 150 and have next scheduled
May 7th at 6:30pm Combatting Hate: “America & the
Holocaust” and then 3 Holocaust survivors to speak
on July 23rd at 6:30pm. Look for more information
coming soon.
Our Managing Director, Keith Krivitzky
spoke about the current Israel - Hamas
Conflict at Ocean County College on
February 7th. He addressed a packed room
and the students had great questions. Some
of his presentation can be seen on our website: www.
jewishoceancounty.org/combatting-hate.
If you need to report an incident there is a
form on our website that goes directly to
both SCN and JFed Security.
Your Name Here!
Sponsor the Jewish Federation
and these JPages.
6 Ocean JPages

Two Years On: Jewish Federations' Continued Aid for the
Ukraine Crisis
As we approach the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of
Ukraine, Jewish Federations of North America reflect on the
work of our system to ensure that Ukraine's most vulnerable
Jews receive the help they need to survive.
When Russia invaded on February 24, 2022, Jewish
Federations were uniquely positioned to respond immediately
and effectively to the crisis because of our long presence in
the region supporting our partners in Ukraine and neighboring
countries.
To date, Jewish Federations have collectively raised and
distributed $96.1 million for humanitarian aid and relief
for Ukrainians, focused on emergency operational costs,
temporary housing and transportation for evacuations,
security, humanitarian support, trauma and medical relief, and
immigration and absorption in Israel.
This vital aid has helped 507,000 Ukrainians who remained
in their country, including internally displaced women and
children who have been reluctant to leave behind their family
members who were required to join the army.
Our efforts include:
• Providing medical care to 130,000 people;
• Distributing 354 tons of clothing;
• Training 4,000 medical and mental healthcare
professionals;
• Delivering 702,000 meals;
• Providing mental health services to 30,121 people;
• Helping 180,000 Ukrainians find refuge in the United
States through our advocacy efforts; and
• Supporting 91,925 in making aliyah.
In addition, Jewish Federations have completed nearly 200
Russian- and Ukrainian-speaking Jewish volunteer placements
on the Ukraine border and in neighboring countries through our
volunteer hub. The Federations system have also played a lead
role in refugee resettlement efforts in North America, through
advocacy and support to local service agencies that have
welcomed displaced Ukrainians into their Jewish communities.
"The Jewish communal infrastructure of support and rescue
has been tested these past few years more seriously than any
time since World War II. Our ability to maintain historic levels
of response to multiple crises over a long period of time has
proven the necessity and strength of the Jewish Federation
system,” said Eric Fingerhut, President and CEO of Jewish
Federations of North America.
“Even while Israel's war with Hamas and recovery from the
trauma of the October 7th massacre has been a central priority
for Jewish Federations, the Jewish community in Ukraine still
needs our support.
“We are determined to continue providing what is needed
alongside our core partners, the Jewish Agency, JDC, and
World ORT, whether it's in the form of humanitarian aid,
refugee relief and resettlement, supporting Aliya, or providing
ongoing education and Jewish communal activities for children
and families in the war zones.”
CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS IN UKRAINE
WWW.JEWISHOCEANCOUNTY.ORG/UKRAINE
Winter 2024 7

$54/person • $100/couple
To purchase tickets or to become a sponsor this event, visit www.jewishoceancounty.org/letsconnect.
AND CHAMPAGNE BRUNCH
SUNDAY | APRIL 14 | 11:00AM
CLARION HOTEL, RT 37 TOMS RIVER, NJ
BECOME A SPONSOR AND TICKETS ARE INCLUDED!
Sponsorships and Purchase Tickets - www.jewishoceancounty.org/letsconnect
8 Ocean JPages

2024 Sponsorship Opportunities & Benefits
FULL SERIES ANNUAL SPONSORSHIPS
Gold Sponsor: $5,000 – Includes tickets for events and a full page ad in Ocean JPages
Silver Sponsor: $2,750 – Includes tickets for events and a half page ad in Ocean JPages
Bronze Sponsor: $1,500 – Includes tickets for events and a quarter page ad in Ocean JPages
Patron Sponsor: $1,000 – Includes tickets for events and name listing in Ocean JPages
All sponsorship levels are listed in multiple issues of the Jewish Journal and featured on our website, in community emails and social media.
WWW.JEWISHOCEANCOUNTY.ORG/SPONSORSHIPS
The deadline to be in the next issue of the Jewish Journal is the first Thursday of each month
Full Series Discount Sponsor Level: Gold@$5000 Silver@$2750 Bronze@$1500 Patron@$1000
(Gold, Silver and Bronze Sponsors, please email camera-ready logo to sharron@ocjf.org)
Single Event – Fill in
Sponsor Level: Gold@$1800 Silver@$1000 Bronze@$540 Patron@$360
(Gold, Silver and Bronze Sponsors, please email camera-ready logo to sharron@ocjf.org)
Send form to: Jewish Federation of Ocean County · 1235A Route 70 · Lakewood, NJ 08701 · 732-363-0530
Winter 2024 9

Our Impact in Israel
We’ve disbursed two rounds of grants to provide
immediate assistance in the ongoing Israel-Hamas
conflict. Our goal is to make a difference meeting needs
and helping those who may be overlooked. Here are some
highlights of the work being done.
Lev Echad
A grant to their Aid Headquarters for assistance
to the abductees families: “We established a
very professional team that provides the families
emotional support and financial support. We are
currently helping 150 families of the hostages.
Supporting one family costs $1600 per month.”
Lev Otef
This grassroots program is providing ongoing
activities to the evacuees in cities across Israel,
building on their proven approach of uniting body,
spirit, and mindfulness to help people feel more
control over their lives.
Shalom Hartman Institute
This think tank is playing an increasingly important
role in helping process what is going on through the
lens of Israel-Diaspora relations and the importance
of Israel as the Nation State of the Jewish People.
Dror
Providing Therapeutic Emotional-Educational
Support, Establishing Makeshift Schools and Day
Care Centers for Thousands of Evacuee Children and
Families. They are working with 28,000 evacuees.
Brothers and Sisters for Israel
A community-driven organization born from the
shared commitment of thousands of volunteers
who, since October 7th, have united to redefine civil
assistance in Israel.
More updates on the impact our grants are helping
to enable at – www.jewishoceancounty.org/impact.
War updates are given three times a week at –
www.jewishoceancounty.org/israelupdate.
10 Ocean JPages

Congratulations
to the
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
Dennis and Shelly Newman
Winter 2024 11

JFCS
2024
GOALS
675
HOURS OF
COUNSELING
JFCS counseling services are supported by the
Ocean County Office of Senior Services – they
have partnered with the Monmouth County
Office of Aging to provide new programs:
3150
HOURS OF PERSONAL CARE AND HOUSEKEEPING
FOR HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS
Healthy Hop is a free transportation
service in Ocean and Monmouth
County, NJ, designed to help seniors
aged 60 years and older get to their
medical appointments without any
stress or worry. With this service,
seniors can simply call when they are
ready to go, and arrangements are made for an Uber, Lyft, or local taxi service to pick
them up and take them to their appointment. No need to book ahead or worry about
transportation logistics. To use this service, seniors must pre-register by filling out a
brief application.
Handy Andy is a volunteer handyman service in Ocean
and Monmouth County, NJ, designed to assist seniors
aged 60 and older in aging gracefully in their own homes.
Seniors can call when they need assistance with minor
repairs, and a volunteer will visit their home. For those
who are homebound, please note that seniors will be
responsible for purchasing materials needed for the
repairs. Seniors can easily register by completing a brief
application over the phone.
Both of these services are being administered by
Caregiver Volunteers at 732-505-2273.
We want to thank our Board
members for all their contributions
to our community.
JEWISH FEDERATION OF OCEAN COUNTY
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Michael Berman (Vice Chair)
Carol Brichke (Past Chair)
Helen Cocuzza
Cyndy Friedland
Richard Gaines
Fran Gimpel
Jarrod Kaufman
Rachael Kaufman (Vice Chair)
Peter Kitay
Lorna Klein
Alan Krupnick
Pamela Ligorski (Vice Chair)
Annabel Lindenbaum (Chair)
Larry Mandel
Shelly Newman (Secretary)
David Rosen (Treasurer)
Lauren Rosen
Randi Rozovsky
Barbara Schulman
Anise Singer
Mona Sternbach
JEWISH FEDERATION OF OCEAN COUNTY STAFF
Keith Krivitzky
Managing Director
Sharron Greenberg
Development & Program Manager
Rita Sason
Director of JFCS
Laurie Salka
JFCS Holocaust Survivor
Services Coordinator
Beth Gottesman
Administrative Assistant
Drew Staffenberg
Strategic Consultant
Holocaust Survivor Spotlight
Keep an eye out, an homage to the New York Times project, we'll
be featuring our local survivors over the next few months…
Pictured: Married Survivors, HB (wife)
and JB (husband). They are both 86
years old. She was born in Poland and
he was born in Belgium. They moved to
Ocean County from Brooklyn 6 months
ago to be near family.
Words of wisdom: Children should follow
the examples they were raised with.
INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP
COUNSELING AVAILABLE
GRIEF AFTER LOSS
MONDAYS AT 1:00PM
CAREGIVERS SUPPORT GROUP
1ST THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH AT 7:30PM
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO
REGISTER CONTACT JFCS AT 732-363-8010.
Funded in part by a grant
from the Ocean County
Board of Commissioners
12 Ocean JPages

Voice of Peace
As we see struggles around the world, we wanted
to share some wisdom from an exchange between
Natan Sharansky and Alexei Navalny.
I understand that I am not the first, but I really want
to become the last, or at least one of the last, of those
who are forced to endure this. Your book gives hope
because the similarity between the two systems
— the Soviet Union and Putin's Russia—their
ideological resemblance, the hypocrisy that serves
as the very basis of their essence, and the continuity
from the former to the latter — all this guarantees an
equally inevitable collapse. Like the one we witnessed.
The most important thing is to arrive at the correct
conclusions, so that this state of lies and hypocrisy
does not enter a new cycle. In the preface of the 1991
edition you write that dissidents in prisons have kept
the “virus of freedom” and it is important to prevent
the KGB from inventing a vaccine against it. Alas,
they have invented it. But in the current situation,
it is not them who are to blame, but us, who naively
thought that there was no going back to the old ways.
And for the sake of good, it's okay to rig elections
a little bit here, or influence the courts a little bit
there, and stifle the press a bit over here. These little
things, and the belief that it is possible to modernize
authoritarianism, are the ingredients of this vaccine.
Nonetheless, the “virus of freedom” is far from
being eradicated. It is no longer tens or hundreds
as before, but tens and hundreds of thousands who
are not scared to speak out for freedom and against
the war5, despite the threats. Hundreds of them are
in prisons, but I am confident that they will not be
broken and they will not give up.
Here, I copied it for myself from the book: L'Shana
Haba'ah B'Yerushalayim.
Yours,
Aleksei
In prison I discovered that in addition to the law of
universal gravitation of particles there is also a law
of universal gravitation of souls. By remaining a free
person in prison, you, Aleksei, influence the souls of
millions of people worldwide.
Natan Sharansky
Winter 2024 13

MAIMONIDES
SOCIETY
JOIN OCEAN COUNTY'S MAIMONIDES SOCIETY
OR TURN TO ONE OF OUR LOCAL DOCS!
Named for Rabbi Moses ben Maimon
(also known as Maimonides or Rambam,
perhaps the most famous Jewish physician
of all time) the Jewish Federation of Ocean
County Maimonides Society is the place
for physicians, surgeons, dentists and
other healthcare professionals – people
dedicated to healing the sick and
committed to the notion of tikkun olam
(repairing the world).
FEATURED MAIMONIDES DOCTOR:
Dr. Ira Haimowitz
PEDIATRIC AFFILIATES
MEMBERSHIP:
$180 – Membership with JFOC's physician directory listing
$360 – Membership and 1/8 page ad in Ocean JPages
$540 – Membership and 1/4 page ad in Ocean JPages
$1000 Maimonides Honor Society – Entire practice listed in the
JFOC's physician directory and 1/2 page ad in Ocean JPages
www.jewishoceancounty.org/maimonides
14 Ocean JPages

Our Rabbis Share Wisdom
Before Passover
Purim – We celebrate our survival. Pesach – We celebrate our freedom.
We need both – survival and freedom. We need survival as a Jewish
people in order to exist and to appreciate our Jewish freedom. We need
freedom in order to appreciate and celebrate our survival as a Jewish
people. Haman in Persia wanted to commit genocide and kill all of the
Jews, all of us, and we avoided that catastrophe and also fought back in
self-defense in the few instances in which we were attacked. Pharoah in
Egypt wanted to continue to enslave all of the Israelites, all of us, and we
gained our freedom from slavery. Today, there are those who attack us
– physically and spiritually. We defend ourselves against these attacks –
physical and spiritual – in self-defense and in living our Judaism proudly
and freely. Hopefully, by the time you read this, the remaining hostages
in Gaza will be freed. Let My People Go!
Rabbi Robert Rubin
Temple Beth Or, Brick, NJ
Let my people go.
In the Haggadah we read that “In every generation they rise up against
us to destroy us”. If only this were not true. But history proves it to be
so. Just as our ancestors were forced to overcome the evil inclinations of
men and women, so too are we confronted. Jews have been enslaved,
marked for extermination, expelled, converted, despised, reviled, spat
upon, and held hostage. How have we survived? How will we survive this
latest insult and injury to our people? How will the hostages be freed and
how will we rise above the evil that surrounds us? We will do it because
in every generation we have also had strong individuals who stood up
against evil.
Some might say that the exodus from Egypt began when God, through
Moses, said to Pharaoh: “Let My people go.” In truth it began when
individuals took steps to stop the evil. It began when Moses said yes to
God's request that Moses be the redeemer. It began when the midwives
refused to kill the Hebrew babies. It began when Pharaoh's daughter
saved Moses in the Nile. Yes, God brought the plagues, hardened
Pharaoh's heart, split the Sea of Reeds, and closed the sea on the
Egyptian army. And, yes, God had a plan. But the story moved on the
ground, and was energized, by the individuals who took action. The
Torah, and our history, tells us that any one of us can be the person to
bring about the release of the hostages and/or to be the agent of change.
Have faith, have hope, and have strength.
May the hostages have been released by the time this is published.
Rabbi Michael Jay
JCC of LBI
“In every generation, a person is obligated
to show themself as if they had left Egypt:
for Gd did not redeem only our ancestors,
but even us as well.” Each year around
the Passover table we are reminded that
we too left Egypt. Together as a people,
we ventured into the unknown of the
desert and trusted each other and G-d
with our fate. It was this faith that allowed
us to leave Egypt, and together as one,
reach our homeland. But this was not the
story of our ancestors alone, this is our
story. The story of our peoplehood and
togetherness. The story of what we can
accomplish as a community. The story
of the power of unity. This Passover, as
we retell the story, we know that it is not
just our ancestors who left Egypt, but it
is our generation as well, every day when
we come together. It can be felt when
we come together to support the needs
in Israel – the needs of our people, our
brothers and sisters. It can be felt when
we unify to support Jewish communities
around the world – whether in Ukraine,
Morocco, or Argentina. It can be felt
when we rally to build the security
infrastructure necessary to protect our
day schools or synagogues from violent
antisemitism. And, it can be felt when
we advocate for the most pressing and
critical needs of our Jewish communities
across North America. This Passover,
we ask how you will ensure that in every
generation, including ours, the Jewish
community remains strong and united.
Let my people go. Let my people go.
Let my people go. This Passover, as we
gather around our table with family, we
know that there are still 130 hostages in
captivity unable to join their family for
the Seder. This Passover, as we dip our
parsley in salt water in symbolism of the
tears of our people, we cry for those still
held captive. This Passover, as we ask the
four questions, our hearts break because
there is no question more relevant than
a simple “why?” This Passover, as we
recall life in Egypt, we know we will do
everything possible to bring the hostages
to freedom and help support our brothers
and sisters in Israel. This Passover, we
demand freedom for our people being
held in captivity by Hamas.
Winter 2024 15

Winter 2024
SUNDAY | APRIL 14 | 11:00AM
CLARION HOTEL, RT 37 TOMS RIVER, NJ
$54/person • $100/couple
To purchase tickets or to become a sponsor this event, visit www.jewishoceancounty.org/letsconnect.