As the JCC gears up to celebrate our 70th anniversary Platinum Jubilee, we reflect on the immense spiritual significance of the number 70 in Judaism. We read in the Torah a few weeks ago that Jacob’s House of 70 went down to Egypt leading to the exile and eventual exodus. The Sanhedrin, Judaism’s original (arguably Originalist for our legal eagles) tribunal, consisted of 70 elders. Our Sages teach that there are 70 Faces to the Torah, meaning disparate opinions concerning interpretation can be held as valid despite seeming contradictory at first glance. The Ethics of our Ancestors teaches that 70 is the age of satiety and taking statins for cholesterol. Finally, the gematria numerical value of the Hebrew word for our beloved fermented fruit of the vine/יין adds up to, you guessed it, 70.
The theme for the anniversary party scheduled in November is The 70s. Which 70s are we referring to? As was recently pointed out by an unnamed member of the board, “Klezmer for Purim? Sounds more like the 1870s.” Whichever 70s decade you most identify with, whether the go-go Shōwa 1970s, restorative Meiji 1870s or the less well known but no less transformative An’ei and Meiwa eras of the 1770s, the last time Japan was ruled by an Empress, we will be sure to dance the night away like John Travolta in the 1977 classic Shabbat Saturday Night Fever.
Services
Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, January 27th
Services: 6:00pm
Dinner with reservation: 7:00pm
Shabbat Parshat Bo
Kiddush nominally sponsored by the JCC in honor of all previous sponsorships
Saturday, January 28th
Services: 10:00am
Kiddush: 12:00pm
Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, February 3rd
Services: 6:00pm
Dinner with reservation: 7:00pm
Shabbat Shirah/Parshat Beshalach
Kiddush Open for Sponsorship
Saturday, February 4th
Services: 10:00am
Kiddush: 12:00pm
Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, February 10th
Services: 6:00pm
Dinner with reservation: 7:00pm
Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, February 17th
Services: 6:00pm
Dinner with reservation: 7:00pm
Shabbat Shekalim/Parshat Mishpatim
Kiddush Open for Sponsorship
Saturday, February 18th
Services: 10:00am
Kiddush: 12:00pm
Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, February 24th
Services: 6:00pm
Dinner with reservation: 7:00pm
Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, March 3rd
Services: 6:00pm
Dinner with reservation: 7:00pm
Shabbat Zachor/Parshat Tetzaveh
Kiddush Open for Sponsorship
Saturday, March 4th
Services: 10:00am
Kiddush: 12:00pm
Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, March 10th
Services: 6:00pm
Dinner with reservation: 7:00pm
Events
JCC Bowling Day
Sunday, January 29th
EST Shibuya Higashiguchi Kaikan
Time: 2:00pm
An Evening with Ambassador Gilad Cohen of the Israeli Embassy
Thursday, February 16th
JCC Sanctuary
Time: 7:30pm
Registration Details
Purim with Japanese Klezmer
Festivities open for sponsorship
Monday, March 6th
Megillah Reading in the JCC Sanctuary
Time: 7:00pm
Cost: 1,000 yen
If you have an idea for an event or a topic you would like to share with others, please visit our website. https://jccjapan.jp/event-committee-inquiry/
Announcements
Mazal Tov to the Edery Family on Sholom’s Bar Mitzvah at 770 (noticing a theme yet?) Eastern Parkway. May the Bar Mitzvah go from strength to strength and receive many fountain pens on this most auspicious occasion.
Purim is nearly upon us and our house Japaneze Klezmer band Jinta-la-Mvta is booked for Monday night, March 6th. We can’t wait to celebrate Mordechai and Esther’s defeat of Haman together but to do so, we need your support. Please reply to this e-mail if you are interested in helping subsidize the night’s festivities.
This week marks the ignominious first unsponsored or more optimistically yet-to-be sponsored Kiddush in recent memory. We can be proud of the good run we had these past two years while keeping in mind that given the rotating cast of characters who attend Saturday morning services, everyone has diligently taken their turn at least once and others much more than that. Hold your heads high as we nosh on cookies and cakes this Shabbat. Future opportunities abound!
Yiddish Club with Jack Halpern: Meetings have started monthly in-person at the JCJ. Please contact Jack at jack@cjki.org if you are interested to join. All levels are welcome, from beginner to advanced. Much more than just language, the club enjoys exploring Yiddish culture as well.
Shabbat Parshat Bo
Candle Lighting: 4:44pm
Havdala: 5:44pm