Heritage Florida Jewish News - Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish new year and the start of new things. With the turn of the seasons from summer to fall, it's a great time for thoughts and introspection. This time of year also happens to mark my one-year anniversary leading The Roth Family JCC community.

It's been a rollercoaster of a year for all of us-from the lows of three fake bomb threats phoned in within two weeks-to the highs of seeing our community rally around the JCC family in support. We saw members dressing themselves and their children in homemade "I Heart #MyJCC" t-shirts, we saw dozens (if not hundreds) of hands raised in the air offering to volunteer, and we saw $428,274 donated by more than 900 donors in a 24-hour period on March 8-9. Your overwhelming support this year is the surest testament we can imagine that The Roth Family JCC was, is, and will be here for your family-then, now, and always.

As we look ahead to 5778, we are excited for all the new things our JCC is bringing to the community:

• The first issue of J Life, our new Jewish community magazine, has just arrived in mailboxes, and with it a new quarterly look at our wonderful and diverse community. It's free to subscribe, so sign up now at orlandojcc.org/jlife so you don't miss the December issue.

• This fall, our new co-ed youth sports offerings will provide a new opportunity to play sports, have fun, and engage with peers. The new or new-again programs include soccer for children ages 2 through grade 2, basketball for pre-K through grade 9, and flag football for grades 5-8.

• Our renewed emphasis on the cultural arts includes the inaugural Central Florida Jewish Book Festival on Sunday, Oct. 29, featuring five authors and four exciting new books. One of the authors is UCF alum and former intern at our JCC, Jen Glantz! You can learn more and buy tickets at orlandojcc.org/bookfest.

• This summer, we launched a new partnership with Theatre South Playhouse, whose professional teaching artists are empowering our children and teens on-stage and off. Catch our next youth theater show produced in partnership with Theatre South, "I Wanna Be Annie," Dec. 4-5.

• Kacie Zemel, our newly promoted Youth and Camp director, brings new energy and excitement to our youth and camp programming. If you haven't met Kacie, make sure to introduce yourself-she'll get you excited about the future of our year-round youth programming and summer-time Camp J.

So as we head into 5778, I want to wish everybody a Shanah Tovah U'metukah-a good and sweet year. We're excited for what other new things 5778 will bring to The Roth Family JCC and the Central Florida Jewish community.

L'Shalom,

Keith Dvorchik, CEO