Page 37 - Jewish News_August-2020

FOCUS ON YOUTH August 2020 37

It’s all about Tu B’Av!

The Hebrew word for love is aha-
va. You can see in the photo a famous
sculpture in Israel at the Israel Museum
that is a very popular
photo spot for both
tourists year-round
and Israelis on Tu
B’Av. I challenge
you to recreate
a version of this
sculpture. Upload your photo/draw-
ing and email it to me at bleinweber@
Education Corner templesinai-sarasota.org.

Try this! On August 4 & 5, spread
By Bethany Leinweber the love of Tu B’Av! Make a phone call
ow more than ever we are in to someone you haven’t spoken to in a
need of a good Jewish reason while. Create a safe, socially distanced
Nto spread the love. What bet- visit. Use the craft idea below to make
ter way than by celebrating Tu B’Av? a handmade card and flowers. Share
This year, Tu B’ Av begins on Tuesday them with family, friends, neighbors,
evening, August 4 and ends at sunset first responders, doctors, nurses or se-
on Wednesday, August 5. niors. If you are looking for someone
Tu B’Av, the 15 day of Av, is to share Tu B’Av with, email me and I
th
both an ancient and modern holiday. will connect you.
Originally a post-biblical day of joy, it and the sweet taste of honey only one
With Rosh Hashanah approaching
served as a matchmaking day for un-
married women. It gradually became a
month away, let’s prepare our minds,
Hebrew-Jewish Day of Love, slightly
bodies and souls for what we can only
we are FED resembling Valentine’s Day. The Ge- pray will be a loving, sweet new year
mara (the later, interpretive layer of
ahead! Join me on Sunday, September
the Talmud) attempts to find the origin
13 at 4:00 p.m. for a fantastic Honey
of this date as a special joyous day,
Tasting Event! Visit www.templesinai-
sarasota.org for more information.
and offers several explanations. One
Bethany Leinweber is the Director of
of them is that on this day the biblical
JFEDSRQ.ORG
gle with each other and intermarry, or
the Director of Youth Education at
Educating Jewish Minds Engaging Jewish Lives Enriching Jewish Hearts tribes of Israel were permitted to min- Outreach and Engagement as well as FED
as we say in modern times, conduct an Temple Sinai.
interfaith wedding. we are
It should be noted that Tu B’Av,
like several Jewish holidays (Passover,
Sukkot, Tu B’Shevat) begins on the
night between the 14 and 15 day of
th
th
the Hebrew month. This is the night of Educating Jewish Minds
a full moon in our lunar calendar. It is
not uncommon in ancient cultures to
link the night of a full moon with ro-
mance, love and fertility.
Tu B’Av is a popular date for Jews
to hold weddings, specifically inter- our Federation is dedicated to educating Jewish minds throughout the Sarasota-Manatee area — from Holocaust
faith weddings between a Jewish per- Yand civil rights education to Israeli history and advocacy through our Heller CRC, to reaching young children and their
parents through PJ Library, to an array of adult education offerings. We also take great pride in educating the interfaith
son and someone of another faith. In community on Jewish history and anti-Semitism.
Israel, Tu B’Av is a true day of love
READ—SING—DANCE—GATHER—GROW as people take time out of their day, a
lot like we do on Valentine’s Day, and jfedsrq.org • 941.371.4546
PJ Library has partnered with The Jewish Federation of Sarasota- show others how much they are loved.
®
Manatee to provide families raising Jewish children with the gift While it is a regular workday, music
of free, high-quality children’s books, music, and resources that and dance festivals are typically held
foster deeper engagement with Jewish life in our community. to celebrate the day. Israelis give cards Looking to

Join one of our PJ programs below and flowers to their loved ones on Tu
to start enhancing your family’s Jewish journey. B’Av. These customs are observed by Meet Other
all segments of Israeli society, whether
they consider themselves religious or
Children Ages 6 mo. thru 8 years non-religious. Though this year we will Jewish Families?
not have live music or dance festivals,
we can still spread love and kindness
as our Torah and this holiday teach us
to do.

Sign-up at JFEDSRQ.org/PJ

Children Ages 8 thru 12 years RELIGIOUS SCHOOL
SCHOLARSHIPS 2019 We can make you a shidduch (a match)!

Our Community Connectors can’t wait to meet you!
Dori and MG specialize in connecting families raising Jewish
Sign-up at pjourway.org children to each other and to Jewish experiences
in the Sarasota-Manatee community.

For more information, contact Need-based Scholarship Assistance
Andrea Eiffert
aeiffert@jfedsrq.org for Sarasota and Manatee County Students
941.552.6308 PJ Library Sarasota-Manatee is generously Let us help make religious school a reality for your child. Since
funded in part by Edie and David Chaifetz. 2013, The Jewish Federation has funded more than $251,390 to assist 646
children to attend religious schools in Sarasota and Manatee counties.
Call us to learn how your child can benefit from attending a Jewish SARASOTA COUNTY MANATEE COUNTY
Dori Goldfarb
MG Berman
religious school. DoriPJConnector@Gmail.com MGPJConnector@Gmail.com
MOVING? APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED UNTIL Know someone else who may be interested?
?
G
MOV
I
N
941.677.2184
251.303.3979
Interested?
SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 — NO EXCEPTIONS
Please contact us!
Apply Online at JFEDSRQ.org/religious-school
SPONSORED BY
Be sure THE JEWISH NEWS follows you to your new home. QUESTIONS? Contact Jeremy Lisitza
Send your new address to Bobbi at bbarger@jfedsrq.org or 941.371.4546 x0 at jlisitza@jfedsrq.org or 941.343.2113 JFEDSRQ.ORG/PJ

STRONGER TOGETHER: Coronavirus Relief Fund For more information, see page 40.