Martin Luther King Day will be observed at Kukui Grove Center main stage on January 18, 2010 from 11am-1pm. The Jewish Community of Kauai will be reading prayers on peace and leading the singing of “Sim Shalom”.All are welcome to join me as I represent the Jewish Community of Kauai. For more information call 808-639-0283 or email me at dale@kauaijewishcommunity.com.
JCK Members' New Comedy Show
Cass and Nellie Foster are relatively new members of our Kauai Jewish Community. They are also two of the six founders of a new theatrical company on Kauai, Oceanside Productions.Their first show, a 90-minute comedy, "The Complete History of America: abridged" will open in February (date not yet announced) at the Aston at Makaiwa and run every Thursday and Friday evening.You can learn more about the company and the show by visiting their website. Tickets will be available on the site mid January.Comments.
Minyan Needed
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.