Visiting family would like to have a short service and recite Kaddish on Friday, Jan. 22, 2010. Visiting Poipu area.Please contact Naomi Spinack if you can make yourself available. Her phone number is (206) 200-6259.Thank you.
KEO Outreach Reported in Garden Island
JCK's Christmas Dinner at KEO was featured in The Garden Island newspaper on Sunday, January 3, page A6. In case you didn't see it, the article appears below with permission from writer, Vera Benedek.Dinner Served to HomelessMost would agree that under ideal circumstances, Christmas dinner is best enjoyed at home, surrounded by family and friends, savoring course after course of delicious homemade food. But when the key ingredient – a home – is missing, Kauai’s homeless don’t have to go without the rest of the Christmas traditions.For the third year in a row, the Jewish Community of Kauai (JCK) has organized the preparation and serving of Christmas dinner to clients of the Kauai Economic Opportunity’s Mana’olana Emergency Homeless Shelter and Transitional Housing program.Organized by Dr. Lisa Splittstoesser, Jewish Community members prepared the multi-course dinner, complete with four turkeys, a ham, a brisket, mashed potatoes, stuffing, dinner rolls, salad, a green-bean casserole and other side dishes, several desserts, and a selection of juices and sodas. There was enough food contributed for Mana’olana residents to enjoy seconds and thirds and still have leftovers for the days to come.Mana’olana is equipped with a kitchen that includes a big enough refrigerator to hold the leftovers and residents of the 19-bed emergency shelter have access to the kitchen daily from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. The facility serves approximately 540 individuals annually.Because Christmas is not a holiday observed and celebrated by Jews the way it is by Christians, the Jewish Community saw this as an opportunity to help Mana’olana residents and staff enjoy Christmas with a special Christmas meal.In addition to the meal, Jewish Community members also decorated the facility with festive Christmas decorations, and distributed Christmas gifts for the children of the shelter families.Before serving the dinner, JCK’s Marty Kahn introduced the volunteers and taught the residents a Hebrew song called “Shalom, Haverim,” which means “Peace, Friends.” A little later, as residents were enjoying their meal, they were entertained by guest flutist Gigi Shanley, who came to play Christmas carols for them.(The Garden Island, Sunday, January 3, 2010, by Vera Benedek).
2010 Community Calendar and Events Now Online
Many services, events and holidays have been added to our new website calendar.Wishing each and every community member and their loved ones a Happy, Healthy New Year.
Thank You JCK!
We had our 3rd annual successful Christmas dinner at KEO, feeding about 25 people in the homeless shelter and transitional housing. There was an abundance of food for everyone and gifts for the children. This could not have been possible without the generous donations of our Jewish community.Thank you to all who participated in this wonderful mitzvah:Susan Storm, Judy Rachap, Debra and Ernie Blachowiak, Barbara and Richard Levine, Nancy Golden, The Winston Family (Sandee, Lance, Emily, Blake and Jillian), Dale Rosenfeld, Micki and Bill Evslin, Rob Kvidt and Jeff Tucker, Lenore and Bob Klass, Carole and Marty Kahn, Trudy and Don Schoenfeld, The Quinn Family (Andrea, Pat, Theo, and Malia), Sally Wilson, Vicki Goldberg, Russ Josephson and Vera Benedek, Sara Silverman, Mike, Malia and Chiyako Splittstoesser, and Gigi Shanley.
Volunteers Needed for JCK's KEO Christmas Dinner
If you like to cook we need your help. It's the perfect chance to channel your inner Julia Child.This Friday, December 25, the JCK community is preparing a Christmas dinner for the homeless shelter and transitional housing families at Kauai Economic Opportunity (KEO).As of today, we're in need of volunteers to make one more turkey, stuffing, gravy and dessert. If you can help, let Lisa Splittstoesser know what you can bring.All food is prepared at your home and dropped off at 4:30pm, Friday, December 25, at KEO in Lihue. Before you start cooking contact Lisa by phone at 634-7006 or email lsplitts@yahoo.com.If you'd like to help in other ways, we still need more children's gifts to be dropped off (unwrapped).Comments.
Orin Hatch's Hannukah Song
JCK Throws Chanukah Bash
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJoYnMkeUYMWe had a terrific Chanukah party this year with about 60 adults and children. It began with a short Shabbat service led by yours truly, followed by the kinder lighting the candles and all chanting the blessings.Latkes were perfect (thanks Sandy- Fresh From the Garden), challah and desserts were enjoyed by all.Carol Pescaia read an enchanting Chanukah story to the kids after which they decorated Chanukah cookies pre-made by Lisa Splittstoesser and Andrea (Icing on the Cake) Quinn.The evening ended too soon with all looking forward to next year's Chanukah festival.Chag Urim Sameach
Video by Jeff
Chanukah Greetings
JCK Chanukah ShabbatAs a reminder, we will be celebrating with a special party and look forward to your attending:
- Friday night, December 11, 6pm.
- St. Michaels, Lihue.
- Click on the highlighted link above for all of the details and cost.
- Latkes and beverages will be provided. Please bring a potluck dessert.
- Reminder: Please bring canned food for the food outreach program. We're collecting gifts for the children at KEO's Christmas dinner; you may bring an unwrapped gift to our party if you wish.
Regency Puakea Chanukah PartyJCK is again helping sponsor the 2nd annual Chanukah party for the residents, families and friends of seniors living at Regency Puakea in Puhi. All are welcome!Here are the details:
- 2pm Sunday December 13 at Regency Puakea.
- Children from the Jewish Community will join with residents in games and candle-lighting.
- Latkes are being provided by Regency Puakea.
JCK's KEO Christmas Dinner
The Jewish Community of Kauai is again providing a Christmas dinner at Kauai Economic Opportunity (KEO) for the homeless shelter and transitional housing families. The event will take place on December 25th and we still need volunteers to help cook turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, and green beans. The food may be cooked at home and delivered around 4:30pm to KEO for the dinner.We are also collecting gifts for the children there -- you may bring an unwrapped gift to this Friday's Chanukah party if you wish to donate to a great cause.You may contact me via e-mail at lsplitts@yahoo.com or cell phone at 634-7006.Please comment here.
Community Chanukah Celebration
Please join us in celebrating Chanukah on December 11, 2009, from 6-7:30PM at St. Michael’s in Lihue.Marty will lead a short Shabbat service, and then we’ll light the menorahs and enjoy potatoes latkes. Please bring your menorahs so we can light them all together and create a beautiful beacon of unity. We will have candles available.We ask that you bring a pot luck dessert to share, as well as a donation of $10/$5 for children. Although JCK has in past years covered the cost of the Chanukah party, we are not able to do so this year; your donation will help defray the cost.If you plan to attend, please RSVP no later than December 8 in email or by phone: Carol 651-8623 or Marty 652-7297.Chanukah is the Feast of Lights or the Feast of Dedication. The celebration comes from the story of the Maccabees in 165 BC. After a three-year struggle led by Judah Maccabee, the Jews in Judea defeated the Syrian tyrant Antiochus and held festivities in the newly rededicated Temple in Jerusalem. According to legend, when the Jews cleaned the temple of Syrian idols, they found only one small cruse of oil to light the holy lamp, but miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days, enough time to get more holy oil. That is why we light candles for eight nights and remember the miracle that happened there. It is also a way for us to commemorate religious freedom and tolerance today.
A Word of Thanks
Todah rabah to Rabbi Mark Shapiro, for leading our congregation during the High Holidays this year. The results of our web survey indicated that 80% of the people who responded voted the services good to excellent. An 80% satisfaction result from our community is quite unusual.Here's my note of thanks to Rabbi Mark and his response to us.Dear Rabbi Mark,I want to express our sincere thanks for leading the congregation on Kauai for the High Holidays this year. I really enjoyed Rosh Hashanah services and it was regrettable I was on the mainland for Yom Kippur. From all of the feedback I've received, you were warmly received by our diverse congregation. From all past experience, that is no small thing! Blessings to you and Hanna for a healthy and happy new year.Shalom,Marty Dear Marty:Thanks for your nice note.Hanna and I enjoyed our time on Kauai, and especially meeting the people who were very warm and hospitable.We spent a wonderful morning with quite a few children of the congregation--or those who are connected in one way or another. The food was great and so were the beaches. Our Israeli friends loved everything, and I even convinced Sharon to talk to the congregation about Israel during the Yom Kippur break.Regards to the other folks in leadership and of course to your family.With affection,Mark Stanley Shapiro
New Kitchen Korner
New Community Food Section on JCK's website.Together with our technology guys, Rob and Jeff, I've undertaken a new feature on our website, which I've affectionately named "Kitchen Korner." This is a compendium of community recipes.As always one good thing leads to another and so with us. If congregants are willing and interested in sharing kitchen hints and recipes and such things as places to buy special ingredients , we will add these to the Kitchen Korner.I've started by adding the four recipes below, and looking forward to adding many more:
- Turkey Gumbo Soup
- Citrus/ginger Cranberry Sauce
- Spicy Cranberry Sauce
- Noodle Kugel
As we acquire more recipes we'll proceed to put them into categories such as Holidays (Passover, Chanukah, High Holidays, etc.), and of course just plain easy local foods. So put on your thinking caps and start sending them online or email them to me via the Kitchen Korner page.Todah Rabah - Thanks for supporting our efforts.Other JCK food news:1. Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Announcing The one and only Hawaii finalist in the Pillsbury BAKE OFF:ILLUSTRIOUS BAKER - LENORE KLASS(Bob Klass - Official Taster)Her winning and obviously fabulous recipe will appear in our Kitchen Korner. Look forBanana Peanut Butter Cream Tarts.2. Be prepared! Chanukah starts 12/11!!!If you have any holiday recipes to share, especially of our most favorite food, potato latkes, please submit them online or email them to me via the Kitchen Korner page.3. High Holidays food review.The Jewish Community was treated to a beautiful "Break the Fast" catered by Sandra Jennings and supplemented by generous members of the community. Our sincere thanks to Diane Chait, Nellie Foster, Greg Meyers, Kuulei Johnson, Icing on the Cake and of course for her constant help, Esther Soloman.By request, Diane offered to share her delicious Noodle Kugel recipe with us and it is now on the Web Site.I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Click here to add your comment.