Shalom Friends,
I hope your gatherings and reflections during the High Holidays have you refreshed and ready for the new year. Our program directors are busy creating incredible experiences for you and your family in the coming months and I am thrilled to share some of the wonderful developments happening at our JCA.
Groundbreaking for Renovations
We will officially break ground for the Building Our Future Together expansion project at 10 am on Sunday, November 3. Leaders from the JCA, our campaign co-chairs, agency stakeholders, and city officials will join us in support of this prestigious project designed to enhance our facilities and create a more vibrant space for our entire community.
Stay tuned for updates as we progress. Your support will make a difference as we continue fundraising and planning for many incredible changes to our campus. Visit jcajax.org/campaign to learn more about our project. Mark your calendars to join us at the JCA on Thu, Nov 21, we will have a Town Hall meeting to share progress and more details about renovations happening throughout campus.
Cultural Arts Festival
The Jacksonville Jewish Cultural Arts Festival presented by the JCA began at the end of October and Comedians Joel Chasnoff and Benji Lovitt made us laugh until our sides hurt! Among our favorite traditions at the JCA, our beloved celebration of Jewish art, films, and literature will showcase a variety of events that celebrate our rich heritage in every corner of Jacksonville.
The Cultural Arts Festival’s Jewish Pop-Up Market happens on Sun, Nov 3 at 11 am in its new location at the Northbank Riverwalk Artists Square (RAM). There will be food, music, entertainment, and plenty of crafters to shop from – so make plans to meet us and get a head start on your holiday shopping.
With nearly three weeks of programming, you do not want to miss our lineup of festival events! As always, it promises to be a fantastic opportunity to gather and appreciate the diverse cultural expressions that define us. Visit jcajax.org/jcafest to buy your tickets; we cannot wait to celebrate!
Celebrating 50 Years of Preschool
I was honored to join our preschool alumni, families, and friends, as we celebrated a half-century of our Michele Block Gan Yeladim Preschool & Kindergarten with the people who made it happen.
Thanks to our Alumni Coordinator Theresa Levy and Development Director Kendall Sisisky Valliere, hundreds came to our party at the end of October to reminisce about their Gan days. It filled me with pride to meet former teachers, students, and school friends, and to see firsthand how our school nurtures young children while fostering a love of learning and a sense of community among the families who come here.
As construction begins on campus in the next few weeks, please pardon our progress. If you have questions about any of our construction plans or would like more information on how you can support Building Our Future Together and the efforts to renovate and expand our JCA, please email me at adam.chaskin@jcajax.org.
This is truly an exciting time for our JCA, I cannot thank you enough for being an integral part of our community.
Adam Chaskin
CEO
