By Chava Maimon
In early December, the JLEAP* program held its Chanukah Kickoff Event at the Weinstein JCC that included an awesome magic show and exciting activities.
The many people who helped make this event a tremendous success included Chaviva and Miri David, Leah Fried, and additional Shaarei Torah students, Judy Lessin, Naava Plotnick, RTA students, and the RTA student council.
On Dec. 14, KBI co-sponsored (along with many other co-sponsors) the Community Chanukah Concert that was hosted by Congregation Beth Ahabah.
The following Shabbat evening marked KBI’s first monthly Winter Friday Night Oneg (get together). Many thanks to the Rakofsky family for hosting the event.
A large turnout was treated to singing, learning, and a variety of tasty desserts!
In late December and early January, KBI and the Richmond Jewish Learning Experience (RJLE – led by Rabbi Don Cantor) partnered to present two classes entitled Clarity and Complexity: Lessons from the Sanhedrin and The Book of Exodus: Eponym or Epilogue? Breakfast accompanied the classes. (See an article on Page xx)
The entire Richmond Jewish community is invited to attend KBI’s free monthly gourmet Gold Kiddush after Shabbat day services (approximately 10:45 a.m.).
Come eat, talk, and enjoy!
For the first Shabbat in January, for example, the Gold kiddush was in honor of the KBI merger with Young Israel of Richmond (approx. one year ago), in memory of David Peck z”l (who helped oversee the merger), and to welcome a “new-to-us” high quality Sefer Torah (donated originally by the Grandis family) into the KBI synagogue.
A huge shout-out to caterer Amy Beth Lehman. To learn of upcoming Gold Kiddush dates, please contact the KBI office at 804-288-7953.
At the time of this writing, the A Taste of Israel, co-sponsored by KBI, was an event scheduled for Jan. 14 at the Weinstein JCC. All proceeds support the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond’s Israel Emergency Campaign. (See photos in Federation/Community)
The highlights include Israeli cuisine and bakery, Israeli goods, art, jewelry, and Judaica, activities like writing letters of support to Israeli families and the IDF, and more. See Page 5 for more.
KBI has also continued to encourage community members to contact elected officials to push for efforts to help secure the release of Israeli hostages, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who grew up in the Richmond community before making aliyah (moving to Israel) with his family.
Hersh’s parents have directly requested that the community contact elected officials to push for the release of all hostages. May peace within Israel be swiftly secured.
*Jewish Learning Enrichment and Play – a partnership with KBI, the Jewish Community Federation of Richmond, Weinstein JCC, Rudlin Torah Academy, Jewish Student Union, and PJ Library
