Jewish Teens Looking for Community Service? Check Out the Chai Center
The Jewish youth and Jewish teenagers typically look for community service opportunities before they make their bar and bat mitzvah. That’s definitely wonderful and we always encourage that, but wouldn’t it be nice to get involved just for the sake of wanting to help others? Volunteering has many benefits. Firstly, you will feel amazing knowing you’ve helped out people in need. That should be all the reason, but it’s also a way to get more involved with the community and to meet new people –both young people your age and others from the area you may have never met otherwise.
The Chai Center offers plenty of ways to get involved. One way is to join the Friendship Circle, which we’ve discussed before. Next month the Chai Center is holding an event for teens to assemble gift baskets for future events. Although registration for this event was needed by last Friday, this will certainly not be the last special opportunity they will offer. Check their website weekly to learn about new events. Of course, please feel free to stop by any time and speak with the staff. They can always point you in the right direction. Get involved and feel good knowing you have helped those in need.
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Purim in the Jungle
You can always count on the Chai Center for all the Jewish holidays, big or small. They are all special and meaningful in their own way and you can celebrate with the rest of the community. Purim is coming up in just a few weeks and naturally the Chai Center has something fun happening. Purim celebrates the Jewish people of ancient Persia escaping destruction from a plot by Haman. Purim has a more national character than a religious one, like Hanukkah.
There are a few reasons to why donning costumes has become one of the customs. Some say the custom of masquerading originated among Italian Jews in the 15th century and eventually spread to Middle Eastern countries in the 19th century. Another reason given is that it is a way of emulating God who “disguised” himself behind natural events, as told in the Purim story.
The Chai Center will be celebrating Purim on Wednesday, March 7 at 5:30. The celebration is presented by the Jungle Animal Show. Children are encouraged to dress up in your favorite animal or jungle costume. After the Megillah reading there will be a hot buffet, face painting, and costume masquerade. It’s guaranteed to be a fun time for the Jewish youth so join the Long Island Jewish Center!
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The JLI International Fellowship Program
Jewish teenagers have a lot wonderful opportunities to make a difference in the community. The Chai Center offers the International Fellowship Program which can eventually lead to a college scholarship. The program is intended for high school students and lasts the duration of the entire school year. Not only will teenagers gain valuable life skills that they can apply to everyday life, they can truly make a difference in the lives of other people. But they won’t just be joined by other Jewish teenagers from the neighborhood. They will be joined from other teens around the world.
The program combines community service and social interaction. Students interested in business, politics, education, and even the arts can benefit greatly from the lessons the program has to offer. All that’s required is a few hours a week and true dedication to helping others. At the end of the program, students will be eligible to win a scholarship to the college of their choice or put it towards Israel-education courses.
Jewish teenagers should not pass up such an experience. The program is guaranteed to have a positive effect on your teens. Teach them now about leadership and they can be leaders for life.
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$10,000 Grand Prize Raffle at the Chai Center
Looking for an easy way to potentially earn some extra money? How does $10,000 sound? It sure sounds good to me! The Chai Center has had some awesome events before but I think it’s safe to say that this one takes the cake. The Chai Center is holding a raffle drawing of epic proportions. The grand prize is $10,000! But if you’re not fortunate enough to win that main prize, there are other goodies to be had. 2nd prize is a diamond ruby ring (valued at $1,300), 3rd prize is a 2 hour flight instruction (valued at $300), and 4th prize is a Keurig coffee maker. Not too shabby if you ask me.
How do you enter? It’s simple. Tickets can be purchased at the Long Island Jewish Center or you can visit them online at TheChaiCenter.com/raffle. The price of 1 ticket is $36, 5 tickets for $99, 10 tickets for $180, and 20 tickets for $360. Sometimes you have to spend money to earn money, but it will be well worth it, especially if you win. The drawing will not be held until Sunday, July 8th so you have plenty of time to pool together some money.
Look for more great events and sign up your kids for Hebrew school at the Chai Center.
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Help the Chai Center Simply by Shopping at Amazon
Amazon is, simply put, the best place to shop online. They have anything and everything you could ever need or dream about owning. A good amount of stuff you probably do need for your home and the rest is just nice to own. It’s easy to browse and locate items. The prices are always great, too. Sometimes I’ve saved nearly 50% off the retail price of items. And let’s not forget that when you spend over $25, you automatically receive free shipping. Everything is shipped quickly anyway, as long as it’s sent from Amazon’s warehouse and not an authorized dealer.
Now your shopping experience can be put towards even better use. When you click the Amazon link located on the Chai Center’s website, a percentage of your purchase will benefit the Long Island Jewish Center. It’s as simple as clicking the link. You don’t need to spend a certain amount or fill out any forms. Just click and shop! An extra 5-10% of your purchase will be donated. So make sure you spread the word to all your friends and family members. Shopping online just got way better!
For more information about this and to learn more about special events and Hebrew School, visit TheChaiCenter.com.
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Winter Camp During President’s Week
January is just flying by. In exactly one month, all the kids will be enjoying yet another vacation while we continue the daily grind. Most parents probably have off that Monday for President’s Day, but your kids might need looking after the rest of the week. The Long Island Jewish Center is offering Winter Camp from February 20-24th, which saves you the trouble of finding someone to mind the children.
Your little ones can expect arts & crafts, sports, field trips, baking, and so much more. Bottom line, they’ll be kept busy. Why have them sit in front of the TV all week when they could have some fun with other children? Keep their minds and bodies active during winter recess! The sessions begin each day at 9:30 am and last until 2:30 pm, except on Friday when the camp ends at 12:30 pm. All children ages 2-8 are welcome to join us. Members only pay $200 for all five days. Non-members pay $250. Be sure to register though –it is required for all participants.
For more information about programs for the Jewish youth and Jewish preschool, be sure to visit the ChaiCenter.com each week for updates on upcoming events.
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The Mitzvah Volunteer Project
Ariella’s Friendship Circle is at it again. And by “it” I mean doing awesome things for the community at the Long Island Jewish Center! The Friendship Circle will launch the Mitzvah Volunteer Project beginning in March. The project will give volunteers an opportunity to learn more about those will disabilities. Those who participate will not only learn about the various types of disabilities, but how to properly interact with people who have special needs.
The Chai Center says, “The Mitzvah Project will teach the art of giving, volunteering and making a difference in the world today.” The Project is intended for those ages 11-13 and qualifies as a Mitzvah project and community service hours. It’s a wonderful opportunity for our children to learn about those who may seem different from themselves. It teaches them the sensitivity necessary for interacting with persons of special needs.
The Project will be every Monday in March from 7-8:30 pm. Please contact the Friendship Circle to find out more information and to let them know you wish to participate in the project. Not only is it a chance to prepare for your bat or bar mitzvah, it’s a chance to give back to the community and to make a difference in someone’s life.
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Bar/Bat Mitzvah Training
Bar and bat mitzvah are a special time in every young Jewish person’s life. It is the age where one becomes responsible for his or her actions, when you alone are responsible for following Jewish law, tradition, and ethics. But you cannot just show up to synagogue and expect to participate in the ritual. No, there is much preparation and study involved beforehand. Children should attend Hebrew school and learn to read the Torah.
There is only so much you can do to prepare your children at home. Signing them up for classes is highly recommended so they feel ready when the ceremony approaches. The Chai Center is happy to announce training courses. Currently there is a training course for a bat mitzvah that will occur on three consecutive Sundays, beginning this month. The sessions are mandatory for both mother and daughter to attend. The dates are January 22, January 29, and February 5 and will be an hour and fifteen minutes long, right after Hebrew school at 11:45 am.
Some of the topics that will be covered include Shabbat candles, Challah baking, Jewish education in the home, and modesty and Judaism. Register today and look out for bar mitzvah courses as well.
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Continuing Your Education at the Chai Center
A person much wiser than myself said, “To learn is to live.” That couldn’t be more accurate. What kind of life would it be without knowledge? Of course we’re here to love one another and to form relationships with people and with G-d, but we must enrich ourselves as well. You’re never too old to learn and that’s why the Long Island Jewish Center offers classes for adults, most of which are free.
The classes are aimed to not just be educational, but to be motivating, inspiring, and interactive. It’s not meant to be like your high school biology course. We want you to walk away from the classes feeling better than when you came in and to learn something brand new that you can utilize in everyday life. And you never have to feel obligated to go to every class. You can go to as many, or as few, as you would like. Some of the classes include Kabbalah classes, Torah studies, and Jewish law. There is something for everyone each day of the week.
Head over to TheChaiCenter.com to find out the time and dates of the classes and to learn a bit more about what you can expect.
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Hebrew School for Special Needs Children
You might think that it’s not even possible to send your child to Hebrew school if he or she has special needs. Worry no more, because that’s definitely not the case if you come to the Chai Center. The Chai Center is very proud to offer Hebrew school to children who might have autism or other learning disabilities. All of the teachers are certified in Special Education so you can expect a comfortable learning environment. The class sizes are also small so we can meet the demands of each child. There is even additional assistance to ensure that children participate.
Not only will your child learn about Jewish holidays and traditions, there will be sensory activities, music and movement classes, helpful visuals, and an overall fun environment to make the learning process that much easier. Best of all the Hebrew school is available for any Jewish family regardless of affiliation or level of observance. Because we understand your child’s needs, the Chai Center strives to make the classes hands on, interactive, and fun for the children.
To learn more about the Special Needs Hebrew school, along with other events and class offered, visit TheChaiCenter.com.
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