As part of continuing to build our community, we thought we take the time to introduce our Board of Directors.
Please meet your JCM Board member of the week, Simon Vojdani
Simon Vojdani has served as a regular donor, past president of the JCM board of directors and as the treasurer for many years. He helped found JCM in its grassroots stage and has been a backbone of its operations ever since.
For almost 30 years he owned the 5 Palms Restaurant on Keawakapu Beach and is now the current owner of the Kula Lodge & Restaurant as well as the Kula Marketplace on Maui.
Originally from Iran, Simon immigrated to the United States in 1969 where he completed his Master’s Degree in Engineering from UC Berkeley and became the President of the Specialty Restaurants Corporation, where he built and operated 92 fine dining restaurants nationwide.
He moved to Maui in 1995 with his wife, Victoria, and children Stephanie and Zack who have been a large part of the Jewish community on Maui and have been supporting JCM along with their father since day one. Simon’s commitment, generosity and support of our synagogue and local community has been a major blessing over the years. He has been notorious for funding synagogue events such as Pesach, our annual Yom Kippur break fast, many Shabbat dinners and other lavish spreads as well as helped fund our sanctuary expansion and donated many needed items and funding to our Shul. We are highly appreciative of his dedication to JCM’s history and longevity.
Special Shabbat Morning Service tomorrow: Saturday, June 10 from 9:30-11:30am
We will be welcomming Stephanie Vojdani with a Torah reading after her conversion this week. Please help us make a minyan. Followed by a Kiddush
Weekly Torah Portion - Behaalotecha Knowing When to Ask for Help
And Moses said to the Eternal, “Why have You ... laid the burden of all this people upon me? Did I produce all these people, did I engender them, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom as a caregiver carries an infant,’ to the land that You have promised on oath to their fathers? I cannot carry all this people by myself, for it is too much for me. If You would deal thus with me, kill me rather, I beg You, and let me see no more of my wretchedness!” (Numbers 11:11-15).
Moses has a breakdown as the leader of the people. He complains to the Eternal that he can no longer carry the burden of the people any longer. He idealizes dying as he feels that he is psychologically at his wits end. What ends up helping him is the Eternal appointing seventy elders to spread the responsibility to that Moses will not feel so weighed down. Lay leadership is vital for the success of both the leader and the congregation itself.
We all have been at that moment in our lives when we do not think we can carry on. We reach a breaking point after putting in too much effort which encourages others to step back and think that someone else will do the work.
It is imperative that we ask ourselves the following: Where do we take on too much responsibility for others and not let them stand on their own two feet? Do we have a responsibility to ask others to step up and help?
I would affirm this with all my strength. We have to wake up and see the people in our lives who have taken responsiblity for the community and ask how we can be of help; so that they do not burn out, or worse.
This requires that we be aware of how others are doing. Feel the pulse of the leaders in your life. Ask how they are doing and what you can do to take on a bit. The leader must also accept that others will take responsibility. Instead of responding with anger when Joshua tells Moses of Eldad and Medad joining the Prophetic Corps, Moses responds, "Would that all the Eternal's people were prophets, that the Eternal put the divine spirit upon them!”
If you don't give today, how can we be here tomorrow?
You may not need us every day, or even every week. But when you want us, you need us to be here.
Please give a gift to JCM. We rely solely on donations/memberships to pay our bills, our salaries, and programming. Your gift now will ensure that our dynamic leadership team has the resources we need to be here for you and your Maui Jewish community.
Give with joy, give with pride, give today.
P.S. We're not spending money and using resources to send out letters, this is this our ask and our reminder to you that we do not exist without you.
Important Notice regarding the JCM Office & Services Kalo will be out of the office from June 6th to the 20th She is contactable via email: kalo@mauijews.org
JCM will be closed with no Shabbat services or office hours from Tuesday, June 13th until Tuesday, June 20th.
Friday evening Shabbat services will resume on Friday, July 7 at 6:30pm Stay tuned for when Saturday morning services will be held.
Israeli Folk Dancing Sunday, May 28, from 3:00pm - 5:00pm Led by Paula Wolk at JCM Ages 16+
All are welcome to join us. Come learn some Israeli Folk dances.
Talmud Torah 5783 (2022-2023) has ended. Thank you to all the teachers, parents and children who have participated this year. Stay tuned for details about Talmud Torah 5784 (2023-2024)
Our Mission: Our school seeks to inspire children to develop a rich Jewish life through a love of pluralistic learning and developing friendships in a diverse community.
Kabbalat Shabbat 6:30pm Live at JCM & on Zoom
Saturday, June 10
Shabbat Morning Service A special service to welcome Stephanie Vojdani after her affirmation ceremony this week. Services will be followed by a tasty Kiddush. 9:30am Live at JCM & on Zoom
Sunday, June 11
Israeli Folk Dance 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Refuah Schleima- Prayer For Healing
Click Hereif you or a loved one would like to be added for a prayer for healing each week. No names will be read aloud without permission... names can be said privately by the rabbi.
JCM is here to support you and your loved ones, please let us know how we can help.
Yahrzeits June 4 - June 10
Aida Ebbers Etta Janis George Isaac Hannah Isaac Henry Kotkins Jean (Singer) Needle Jerry Botknecht Joseph Sussman Katrina Bellak Lillian Judd Mitchell Andrew Climan Morton Solondz Murray I., M.D. Neustadter Murray Lefton Nettie Wasserman Rachel Edelhertz Samuel Kirey Sheldon Joseph Miller Wilson P. Rappoport
Join us for services on Friday and Saturday to recite Mourner's Kaddish
The Jewish Congregation of Maui Beit Shalom Synagogue Kihei, HI 96753
The mission of the Jewish Congregation of Maui is to support and inspire Jewish religious and cultural practices for Maui residents and visitors, provide and encourage Jewish education and life cycle services, and engage the Jewish community with religious services, classes, and events.
