C ommunity
COMMUNITYCALENDAR FRIDAY, DEC. 31
Parsha for Life
Join Rabbi Alexander Coleman,
Jewish educator and psychotherapist
at the Institute for Jewish Ethics, at
9 a.m. for a weekly journey through
the Torah portion of the week with
eternal lessons on personal growth
and spirituality. Go to ijethics.org/
weekly-torah-portion.html to receive
the Zoom link and password.

Geography of Summer
What is the history of the summer
vacation? How does it apply to the
Jewish community? Why, where and
how do we travel? What is a Jewish
“staycation”? Reform Congregation
Keneseth Israel’s Temple Judea
Museum 2021 fall exhibition “The
Geography of Summer” is open.

Visit the gallery in person at 8339
Old York Road, Elkins Park, or follow
the exhibition on the Temple Judea
Museum Facebook page and
on YouTube.

SUNDAY, JAN. 2
Genealogy Lecture
Join the Jewish Genealogical
and Archival Society of Greater
Philadelphia at 1:30 p.m. for a lecture
by Gil Bardige, a genealogist for
more than 40 years with 14 years
of experience in DNA. This meeting
is for members only. Check the
website for complete membership
information: jgasgp.org. Contact
membership@jgasgp.org for
more information.

Writing Course
In the Briya Project’s Sh’ma – Hear
Your Inner Voice weekly course of
eight, two-hour class sessions from
6-8 p.m., we gather on Zoom for
moments of ritual and writing, to
harness our creative spirits, seek our
artistic voices and let them speak
out. The course continues until
Jan. 16. Contact talia@briyaproject.

com for more information.

MONDAY, JAN. 3
Mahjong Game
Melrose B’nai Israel Emanu-El
Sisterhood invites the community
to join our weekly friendly mahjong
game at 7 p.m. Cost is $36 per
year or free with MBIEE Sisterhood
membership. For more information,
call 215-635-1505 or email office@
mbiee.org. 8339 Old York Road,
Elkins Park.

TUESDAY, JAN. 4
Text Study
Join Beth Sholom Congregation
Rabbi David Glanzberg-Krainin at
8 p.m. for a close reading of Avivah
Gottlieb Zornberg’s work “Moses: A
Human Life,” which reveals Moses
as far from perfect — a very human
man, riddled with insecurities,
anxieties and uncertain of his faith.

8231 Old York Road, Elkins Park.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 5
Mahjong Class
Old York Road Temple-Beth Am
presents weekly beginner mahjong
classes until Jan. 19 from 6:45-9 p.m.

$80. Contact Gail Stein at
aplusteacherus@gmail.com or
215-947-2203 for registration.

971 Old York Road, Abington.

THURSDAY, JAN. 6
Book Talk
Har Zion Temple Sisterhood and
Department of Lifelong Learning
present the Open A Book … Open
Your Mind series via Zoom. Each
event will cost $18. At 7 p.m., author
Sam Apple will discuss “Ravenous.”
For more information and to
register, email openabook@
harziontemple.org l
What’s going on in Jewish Philadelphia?
Submit an event or browse our online calendar to find out what’s happening
at local synagogues, community organizations and venues!
Submit: listings@jewishexponent.com • Online: jewishexponent.com/events/
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM COMMUNITYBRIEFS
JNF-USA Names JNFuture Leader
JEWISH NATIONAL FUND-USA named Sean Siegel as its
new JNFuture Campaign Exec in Philadelphia.

While attending Pace University in New York, Siegel became
the founding president of Students Supporting Israel and served
on the national SSI committee for two years, eventually serving
on the SSI board of directors.

Siegel said his devotion to Israel started after a life-changing
Birthright trip.

“At that point, Israel became my life, my love, my passion.

I knew I wanted to dedicate every waking minute to supporting
our homeland,” he said.

JNF-USA is a philanthropic organization for Israel that
Sean Siegel
supports environmental and nation-building activities in Israel’s
Courtesy of Jewish National Fund-USA
north and south. The organization is developing new communi-
ties in the Galilee and Negev, connecting the next generation to Israel, and creating infrastructure
and programs that support ecology, individuals with special needs and heritage site preservation.

Maccabi Games to Return in 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic
caused the Maccabi Games to
be canceled in 2020 and 2021,
but the competition is slated to
resume from July 31 through
Aug. 5 at the Lawrence Family
JCC on the Jacobs Family
Campus in San Diego.

Team Philadelphia announced
it will be participating and
that tryout information will be
coming soon.

Available sports include
16U boys soccer, 16U girls
soccer, 16U boys basketball,
The 16U girls soccer team in 2018
Courtesy of Michael Keitz
16U girls basketball, 16U ice
hockey, boys and girls tennis,
swimming, golf and dance.

The cost will be $2,000, inclusive of airlines, uniforms and swag. Scholarships are available.

For more information, contact Barrie Mittica at bmittica@phillyjcc.com.

Red Cross Says Blood Donations at Critical Level
The American Red Cross said blood supply levels are at historic lows — at a time of year when
donations are typically lower than at other times of the year.

Potential donors are urged to schedule an appointment now by using the Red Cross Blood
Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

If there is not an immediate opportunity available, donors are asked to make an appointment
in the days and weeks ahead.

All who donate through Jan. 2 will receive a Red Cross long-sleeved T-shirt while supplies last.

Those who give blood, platelets or plasma in January will automatically be entered for a chance
to win a getaway to Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles. In addition, donors will be also be automati-
cally entered to win a home theater package and a $500 e-gift card.

Fencing Academy of Philadelphia Offers Classes at Kaiserman JCC
The Fencing Academy of Philadelphia will offer two winter beginner-level courses for children 8-17
at the Kaiserman JCC starting on Jan. 4.

Children 8-12 will have classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30-5:30 p.m. and 9-10 a.m.

on Sundays.

Children 13-17 will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30-7:30 p.m. and Sundays from
11 a.m. to noon.

For details, visit fencefap.com. l
JEWISH EXPONENT
DECEMBER 30, 2021
17