Federation News

South Palm Beach County residents hungry for some Jewish knowledge and inspiration will fill up with the season's third and last course with Wall Street Journal's Bret Stephens at 7:00 pm on March 29, at Woodfield Country Club. Stephens is the Wall Street Journal's Deputy Editor (international) and the paper's principal columnist on foreign affairs. He is also a regular panelist on the Journal Editorial Report, a weekly political talk show carried nationally by the Fox News Channel, and previously served as editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post.

Local estate planning professionals committed to philanthropic giving and the future of the Jewish community will honor their own at the Mitzvah Society Cocktail Reception on Tuesday, March 27at 6:00 pm. The Professional Advisory Committee (PAC) of the Anne and Norman Jacobson Jewish Community Foundation of South Palm Beach County invites colleagues, friends and others who care to join them at St. Andrews Country Club in paying tribute to 2012 Mitzvah Society Honoree Donald R. Tescher, Esq.

Members of the Jewish Federations’ King David Society will have an exceptional opportunity to hear from President Bill Clinton on March 26, at The Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach. Organized by The Jewish Federations of North America, the event will begin with cocktails at 6:00 pm, followed by a conversation with President Clinton and dinner. The King David Society (KDS) is a community of philanthropists who share a passionate concern for Jewish community and set inspiring standards in philanthropic giving.

When more than 600 first through fifth grade students from Donna Klein Jewish Academy (DKJA), Hillel Day School and Torah Academy gathered on February 22^nd to learn about and practice the Jewish responsibility to take care of the people around us, it was only one component of this year’s comprehensive hands-on Chesed Day project. They learned together in Zinman Hall before decorating caps and making cuddly lap blankets for children with serious illnesses, with guidance from Middle School students. When the DKJA and Weinbaum Yeshiva High School students who began the project deliver decorated boxes full of the children’s work to recipient organizations, they’ll complete a “chesed circle” of nearly 1,000 students who will carry their lessons far into the future.

On March 1, an audience of over one hundred high students, sprinkled with some parents and grandparents, came to a screening of “Crossing the Line: The Initifada Comes to Campus.” Though hardly an infestation everywhere, anti- Israel vitriol and the specter of intimidation is occurring on too many of our college campuses.  Anyone who has a child, a grandchild in – or about to embark on this wonderful journey called college, must see this film. We need to know our own story and own our history. And we need to connect to our heritage and our destiny in whatever way we can. We need to give our children and grandchildren this gift, the gift of Jewish education. Francis Bacon said it best, “knowledge is power.”

On March 11th, phones will be once again be ringing from the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County throughout the area, with teens’ cell phones and computers abuzz, as 300 passionate Super Sunday Phone-a-thon volunteers reach out with opportunities to help meet vital needs. Super Sunday donors will see some of their dollars double, thanks to a challenge grant from the Anne & Norman Jacobson Jewish Community Foundation. In addition to making calls, tweeting, texting and FBing, volunteers will meet Jewish Olympic Gold Medalist Lenny Krayzelburg and get involved in hands-on community service projects. Children can train like Super Heroes or have fun in supervised babysitting.

The cutting-edge, hands-on philanthropists of the JWF invite women of all ages to join them in celebrating their more than $107,000 in 2012 program awards, and to hear from an Entrepreneur of the Year and a “Top 10 Most Powerful Mom,” Gilt Groupe fashion industry powerhouse Alexandra Wilkis Wilson. This year’s Granting Wishes Reception will be held at 5:00 pm on March 5, 2012, at the elegant Boca Rio Country Club.

Sinai Residences has received Provisional Certificate of Authority approval from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, a significant step in the development process for the new, not-for-profit continuing care retirement community to be located on the campus of the Jewish Federation in South Palm Beach County. The approval also allows Sinai Residences to offer Priority Club Membership. By joining the Priority Club and indicating their interest in the community, Members receive exclusive discounts and benefits.