Page 12 - Jewish News_04-2021

5 A Momentum in time level. Simone Knego and Julie Wright
12A April 2021 FEDERATION NEWS

By Gisele Pintchuck, Momentum Community Leader
place again in 2018 and 2019, including
n 2008, eight Jewish women from
different walks of life, affiliations,
a group of fathers in the fall of 2019 led
Halbert are past Momentum partic-
ipants who are working on creating
by Julie’s husband, Dr. Joshua Green.
Iobservance and ages came together
opportunities for rich and meaningful
A total of 64 local mothers and fathers
to make a difference. Their goal was to
to empower and inspire women with
future participants.
perience of a Momentum trip.
the rich beauty of their Jewish heritage,
Simone is a former Federation
In 2020, as recruitment was un-
EASY create a program that would offer ways have experienced the life-changing ex- engagement here at home for past and
board member and has also served as
derway and a new group of women
and MOMentum was born.
anxiously waited for their summer ex-
Momentum is a global movement
with a focus to inspire women to trans-
perience in Israel, the news of the pan-
form themselves, their families, their
demic halted all travel plans and their
STEPS communities and the world. Its flagship trip was postponed to Fall 2021.
program, the MOMentum Year-Long
While we waited for news to come
that Momentum trips were coming
Journey, empowers women to connect
take action and foster unity, without
available from the national organiza-
How To Stay to Jewish values, engage with Israel, back, rich virtual programming became
uniformity. It includes a profound,
tion to new and past participants. The
Up-To-Date personal and highly subsidized eight- Momentum Boost, a 30-minute daily
series offered a variety of topics, includ-
day experience in Israel, during which
On Your women explore the Jewish homeland, ing parenting, relationships, health and
wellness. Additional virtual gatherings
take in inspiring Jewish wisdom and
Jewish join a global Jewish sisterhood. Back with Momentum leaders and special (credit: Bridget Lopez Photography)
Simone Knego
home, women channel their energy and
guest speakers offered inspiring and re-
Community passion personally, professionally and assuring doses of Jewish values during co-chair of The Jewish Federations of
communally, and continue their jour-
North America’s Young Leadership
a time of isolation and uncertainty.
The good news is that Israel is the
1 FREQUENTLY ney through educational and leadership leading nation in vaccination per capi- Cabinet. She has recently published
programs.
her first book, titled The Extraordinary
Formerly known as the Jewish
UnOrdinary You, and has taken an ac-
ta, and there is positive data on the de-
Women’s Renaissance Project (JWRP), crease of contamination, morbidity and tive role as a public speaker around the
Momentum extended its Israel trip
hospitalizations after a third of the Is-
country. “Our experience in Israel had
Social Media: While we don’t always
post hourly, we do post often. What do we program to fathers with MoMENtum, raeli population was vaccinated. It gives an immense impact on us. Julie and I
post? Time-sensitive news, alerts, items of and by the time the program celebrat- the world the hope that there is light at want to strengthen and deepen the con-
interest, and more. Follow us on Facebook, ed its 10 anniversary, Momentum had the end of the tunnel, and soon we will nection that Momentum participants
th
Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and more!
Find us by searching for “JFEDSRQ.” reached 15,000 participants worldwide. be able to travel to Israel again. Israel develop on their trips,” said Simone.
The Jewish Federation of Sara- is lifting restrictions on most commerce Julie recently joined our Federation
2 DAILY sota-Manatee became a Momentum and public activity by opening malls, board as the Education Policy Chair of
partner organization in 2017 and took
markets and museums with required
its first group of 17 mothers to Israel proof of vaccination.
Website JFEDSRQ.org under the leadership of Julie Green, a While we continue to monitor the
Whether you’re on your desk- former Federation board member. “This news regarding 2021 Israel trips, Mo-
top, laptop or smartphone, the journey is a gift to yourself as a per- mentum is hard at work with Israeli
Federation website, has everything above and
below (and more) right at your fingertips. Keep son, a woman and a mom. The classes counterparts, including Israel’s Minis-
our event calendars in your bookmarks bar for and conversations we all brought back try of Health, in the planning of future
event information in a click. also became a gift to our families. I call trips under comprehensive Covid-19
3 BI-WEEKLY the Momentum trips a “Journey of the guidelines and criteria.
Soul,” said Julie.
Locally, our Momentum program
With the success of the first trip and
has gained two co-chairs who are com-
its year-long programming, trips took mitted to taking the initiative to the next
Federation Eblast: Julie Wright Halbert
Receive timely Federation our Heller CRC and brings a wealth of
news, topics, and more, in experience in Jewish communal lead-
your email every Tuesday ership and expertise as a national edu-
and Friday by subscribing to the bi-weekly
newsletter, the Federation eBlast. cation attorney. “Our goal is to inspire
4 MONTHLY our Jewish community and to practice
and be inspired, to deeply connect with
Tikkun Olam and make this world a
better place for us, our families and all
FEDERATION NEWS L ’Shana Tova! humanity, starting right here at home,”
FROM THE BOARD AND STAFF OF
The Jewish News: The Celebrating Years The Jewish
50
Celebrating Jewish Life in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Israel and the World
P U B L I S H E D B Y
Federation
OF SARASOTA-MANATEE
publication that brings the 25 Jewish Happenings Staff Report programming for the 2020-21 season added Julie.
THE LARRY & MARY GREENSPON
FAMILY CAMPUS FOR JEWISH LIFE
13 Community Focus
September 2020 - Elul 5780 / Tishrei 5781 www.jfedsrq.org Volume 50, Number 8
20 Jewish Interest
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Federation to offer all virtual
39 Commentary
43 Focus on Youth
he Jewish Federation of Sara-
Jewish community right to your Where your dollars go: 4 cases that continue to climb in Flori- would have to be in effect to feel ‹ ‹ event. All answers clearly showed Simone and Julie recently hosted a
sota-Manatee has made the dif-
47 Life Cycle
38 Israel & the Jewish World Tficult decision that all programs
door event for the coming Fall-Winter
2020-21 season?
Chief Executive Officer Howard Tev-
for the 2020-21 season will be virtual.
As you can see, an overwhelming
reluctance on the part of the com-
lowitz says, “In an effort to keep the
majority would not feel comfortable
munity.
attending or thought it was too soon to
tell.
community safe, we feel we have no
lightening. Here are a few:
important!”
choice but to make this decision. The
Many of the comments were en-
health of our Federation family is too
Other questions included at
I will not be attending in the fore-
In addition to the Coronavirus
what capacity one would attend an
in-person event, what conditions
asking, but no, no and NO!!!
seeable future. Very glad you are
door every month with news, taken to a new level 12 answered by more than 550 re- event (i.e., masks, sanitizers, etc.) 4.0 % 9 .5 % sider, no indoor events should be virtual get-together as a reunion for all
comfortable to attend an in-person
American Friends of
With an older population to con-
da, Tevlowitz points to the results of
our recent event survey, which clearly
Leket Israel
showed the community is not ready to
attend in-person events for the foresee-
planned until there is a vaccine.
and when would you see yourself
and films you’ve provided.
Appreciate the varied programs
able future. “We have heard you loud
ready to come out to an in-person
and clear,” says Tevlowitz.
continued on page 2
The event survey sent out
LEVEL OF COMFORT TO ATTEND INDOOR EVENTS
via email and social media, was
SURVEY RESULTS
3 .2 %
feedback about our current virtual
Lechlechallah – Challah baking
spondents. They were asked for 57 .2
programming and questioned about
%
.2 Percent Will avoid attending in-
how comfortable one would feel at-
57door events for the foreseeable future
events, and more. Get your FREE Temple Beth Sholom Catering: 16 time to let us know their thoughts. 26.1 26 soon to tell 3 attending indoor events .2 Percent Have no concern about past participants as well as those wait-
tending in-person events this com-
ing season. We are so grateful that
so many in our community took the
.0 Percent Would be nervous,
4 but may still attend indoor events
The pie chart at right shows the
answer to the main question: What is
9federal/state guidelines are strictly followed
%
.5 Percent Will attend so long as CDC/
your level of comfort attending an in-
.1 Percent Think that it is too
Keeping connected and
subscription today! reflect the views of, or serve as endorsement 46 of synagogues make much-needed up- was overwhelming. The committee mittee focused its efforts on fulfilling ing for their trip in 2021. During their
kosher with Shabbat meals
Federation awards 2 nd phase of COVID-19
n April of this year, The Jewish
assistance to area Jewish organizations
Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
to provide virtual ser-
visual systems in order
Ibegan raising funds to provide
By Kim Adler, Chief Operating Officer, and Stacey Gillman, Stronger Together Granting Chair
vices and programs for
COVID-19 relief to Jewish organiza-
tions in our two-county area. As of
our community mem-
and safe school year
has contributed more than $330,000 to
this printing, our generous community
The Gan plans an exciting
bers, many of whom are
our Stronger Together effort, including
isolated and alone due to
the pandemic.
a $100,000 matching grant from our
board-restricted fund.
In July, the Stron-
PAID POLITICAL
ger Together Granting
ADVERTISEMENT
5 YEARLY Annual voluntary subscription: $25 NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE MANASOTA FL PERMIT 167 PAID fall. After much deliberation, the com- See our ad on page 3A for $157,660 in grants for the follow- time together, the group spoke about
DISCLAIMER
uted close to $70,000 of those dollars
Committee met to re-
Readers may recall that we distrib-
This issue of The Jewish News contains a paid
view applications for the second phase
to eight Jewish organizations and syna-
political advertisement. The ad does not
gogues in early June to support Food
of the granting process. The response
by, the staff or leadership of The Jewish
Security and Health/Wellness pro-
gramming, including helping a number
was available to distribute, which was
received requests totaling more than
those grants that address Food Secu-
Federation of Sarasota-Manatee.
grades to their technology and audio-
for this phase. The committee recom-
rity and Health/Wellness programming
concerning as the plan was to make a
A publication of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee
third phase of grants available in early
mended and received Board approval
ing programs:
The Larry & Mary Greenspon Family Campus for Jewish Life
Klingenstein Jewish Center, 580 McIntosh Rd., Sarasota, FL 34232
continued on page 2
BUY • SELL • CONSIGN • REPAIR
1484 Main Street | Sarasota FL 34236 | 941.312.5566 | www.zemil.net
the many opportunities to reconnect,
engage with our community and sup-
FREE
VOLUME 2 | 2020-2021 port each other. “There are so many
ShalomSRQ: Your resource UPDATED activities that connect us! Whether we
guide to everything Jewish in DISCOVER ALL THINGS JEWISH Sarasota-Manatee
INSIDE
Sarasota-Manatee. Keep it on FIND THE LOCATIONS are together to listen to a guest speaker,
Synagogues, Food, Culture & More
LEARN ABOUT YOUR FEDERATION
History, Programs & More
On the Detailed Map Locator
hand to quickly find Jewish SHALOMSRQ.org A PUBLICATION OF try a recipe for the holidays or network
goods, services and organizations. about our career and businesses, the
Request to be on the mailing list! support we can give each other is limit-
less,” agreed Simone and Julie.
Find and Subscribe at As for future trips, our Jewish Fed-
JFEDSRQ.org/Media-Channels eration is excited to resume recruitment
for both women’s and men’s groups to
return to Israel this coming fall.
For more information about dates,
requirements and applications, please
contact me at gpintchuck@jfedrsrq.org
or 941.706.0029.