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Documentary on Gaza evacuation Dec. 6

It is the summer of 2005, and the Israeli army is preparing to evacuate 8,500 settlers from Gaza. "There is no enemy. There is no victim," one soldier stated. Awarded Best Documentary at the 2007 Slamdance Film Festival, "Unsettled" presents this pivotal event in Israeli history through the eyes of six young people. Three are settlers determined to stay. Two are soldiers with differing feelings about the order to evict Jews from their homes. One is an activist whose sister was killed by a terrorist bombing. These 20-something surfers, soldiers, and settlers are barely out of their adolescence, yet they occupy center stage in a national drama.

The driving narrative style and songs by Matisyahu propel this dramatic story forward as a young generation faces a defining moment. The Jewish Forward wrote, "Director Adam Hootnick has managed to pull off the improbable: a film about the conflict that is intellectually complex, emotionally taut, and wholly without prejudice."

"Unsettled" will screen on Dec. 6 at 8 p.m. at Highland Park Conservative Temple - Congregation Anshe Emeth, 201 South Third Ave., in Highland Park. The film runs 80 minutes and is in Hebrew and English with English subtitles. After the film, Azzan Yadin, associate professor of Jewish Studies at Rutgers University, will provide a broader social and cultural context in which to understand the film's subjects and their views.

This film screening and talk are open to the public at no charge, with a $5 donation suggested but not required. Additional screenings in the series include "Sisai" (Saturday, January 17, 8 p.m.), "HotHouse" (Saturday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m.), "The Shop on Main Street" (Saturday, March 7, 8 p.m.), and "A Slim Peace" (Saturday, May 2, 9 p.m.).

For more information, contact Udi Shorr at (732) 819-9850. For more information about Highland Park Conservative Temple - Congregation Anshe Emeth, visit www.hpct-cae.org, or call (732) 545-6482. Mailing address: 201 South Third Avenue, Highland Park, N.J. 08904.

Ahuva Gray coming to Marlboro Nov. 15

Monmouth Torah Links along with Shalom Torah Academy present an evening with Ahuva Gray, an African American convert to Judaism, on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 8 p.m. Gray has lectured to audiences around the world, describing her spiritual transformation from a Christian minister and travel agent to an observant Jew living in Israel.

A descendent of sharecroppers with roots in the deep south, Gray's story is an inspiration to many. She is the author of two books: an autobiographical work called "My Sister the Jew" (Targum/Feldheim 2001) and a collection of personal stories, "Gifts of a Stranger" (Targum/Feldheim 2004).

The program will be held at Shalom Torah Academy, 70 Amboy Road, Morganville, and will include a full kosher dairy dinner. Suggested donation is $20.

Monmouth Torah Links (www.monmouthtorahlinks.org) is an educational organization based in Marlboro that offers programming for Jews of all ages and backgrounds, including Adult Education and a Sunday Hebrew School for children.

The program is open to the community, RSVP appreciated. For more information, please call (732) 377-9551 or send an email to info@monmouthtorahlinks.org.

B'nai Israel welcomes Big Jeff Nov. 16

Congregation B'nai Israel of Basking Ridge and the Weintal Preschool are thrilled to announce that award-winning singer/songwriter, Big Jeff will be performing on Sunday, Nov. 16. The concert begins at 2:30 p.m. at 40 Whitenack Road in Basking Ridge. The performance is open to the public and tickets are available in advance at Congregation B'nai Israel or by calling Terri Crosbie, Weintal Preschool Director at (908) 204-1294. Admission is $8 per person (over age 2). There will be snacks and drinks available for purchase.

"Big Jeff" DeSmedt has been sharing his folksy rocking musical fun at preschools, parties, libraries, and festivals for more than 10 years. He has released four children's music CDs and a concert video DVD. His debut recording, "Big Jeff," won a 2004 Children's Music Web Award for classic preschool recording.

Big Jeff began writing songs for his daughter when she was 2 years old, and he started playing for children at the New Jersey daycare center where he worked as an aide and school bus driver. As his popularity grew, he transitioned into a full-time career as a children's musician. He now tours nationally and performs regularly at numerous venues throughout New Jersey and the greater New York metropolitan area.

The performance will benefit the Weintal Preschool, which offers classes for children ages two through 5 years old, as well as afternoon enrichment and early childhood education classes. The preschool is a warm, nurturing environment where children are encouraged to learn through play. The Weintal Preschool offers bright, large classrooms with experienced teachers and developmentally appropriate curriculum. The school is open to children of all religious beliefs.

Congregation B'nai Israel, an egalitarian Conservative synagogue in the Somerset Hills, is a center for spiritual growth in the Jewish tradition. For more information about CBI and the Weintal Preschool, please call (908) 204-1412.

Green convention for synagogue leaders

With the economy in decline and New Jersey demographics in flux, the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism's New Jersey Region is offering a wealth of information to help synagogue leaders weather the storms. A total of 16 workshops, seminars, and panel discussions on the theme "Leaner, Greener, Focused on the Future" will be presented at the Region's biennial convention Sunday, Nov. 16, at B'nai Shalom in West Orange.

"When the convention was in the early stages of planning our goal was to be a conduit for helping our synagogues do what they do, better," said Lisa Harris Glass, executive director of USCJ's New Jersey Region. "A look at our course schedule will show that we have done our best to address many facets of synagogue life. Interestingly, though the convention was planned well before the current economic crisis, many of our offerings address budget, fundraising, and sustainable energy issues."

The program covers a wide array of topics, including welcoming interfaith families, using podcasts, YouTube, Facebook and other means of modern communication, greening the congregation, encouraging young leaders, and developing sustainable synagogue budgets. In addition, two modules of the region's highly successful Si Schwartz Leadership Institute will be given, one on volunteer organization dynamics and one on defining needs and expectations of volunteer engagement.

Also at the convention, the Norman Glikin Awards for Synagogue Excellence will be presented to the 18 winning congregations, and participants in the Commerce Bank United Synagogue Affinity Program will receive their checks. Harvey Rosen of Teaneck will be installed for a second term as president of the Region, and several members of the Region's Executive Board will also take office. Dr. Raymond Goldstein, international president of United Synagogue, is the installing officer.

The nominees, their position/term, and synagogue affiliation are as follows:

Students at the Congregation Knesseth Israel Religious School in Bound Brook are jumping at the chance to fight heart disease and stroke, our nation's No. 1 and No. 3 killers. On Nov. 16 at the temple, 229 Mountain Ave., Bound Brook, the school will hold its first Jump Rope For Heart event for our annual Mitzvah Day.

Students will jump rope to raise funds for the American Heart Association, which funds cardiovascular disease research and public and professional education programs. They will raise money in honor of Michael Barr's memory, a past president of the temple who passed away last year of heart disease.

Jump Rope For Heart is co-sponsored by the American Heart Association and the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

The average heart beats 100,000 times each day. One of the best ways to take care of your heart is to make exercise a regular part of your everyday life. Jump Rope For Heart teaches students how exercise benefits the heart and shows students that volunteering can be fun and beneficial to the whole community. They learn how they can make a difference by providing important community service and having a great time at this fun-filled family event.

Money raised by the event will go to fund potentially lifesaving research and educational and community programs. Please help our students help others. When a student asks you to be a sponsor, support Jump Rope For Heart with whatever you can afford to give. If you would like to help more, call your nearest American Heart Association office or call 1-800-AHA-USA1 (1-800-242-8721).

There's a new chef in town - and she's kosher!

Sandy Stollar, of The Kosher Tomato, isn't your typical personal chef.

Not only does she cook meals for the week, like a traditional personal chef - but her services also include private instruction, small dinner (or lunch) parties, meal preparation, and consulting.

Chef Sandy travels almost anywhere in the tri-state area. She starts by having a consultation with you about your needs, likes, and dislikes. On the day of your cook date, she shops for the groceries, cooks, and when she's done, you'll find your kitchen just as you left it but filled with the aroma of delicious meals.

Trained at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., Chef Sandy has been cooking for the last 10 years. Some of her sample dishes include seared cod with mango salsa, butternut squash, and apple soup; sticky pomegranate chicken; and molten chocolate cakes with strawberries and vanilla ice cream. "My services are great for newlyweds, new or expectant moms, busy professionals, anyone on a diet, and even bachelors" Stollar said. The Kosher Tomato also offers gift certificates, perfect for the upcoming holidays.

Eating meals prepared by a personal chef is not only healthier than dining out, it can also be just as, if not more, affordable. "When you factor in the cost of the meal, the tip, and the time involved in going out to eat, going out to eat is not very time- or cost-efficient," Stollar said. "With a personal chef you can have dinner at home with your family again. I want to be the practical option for busy families, especially during these tough economic times"

Her passion for food and commitment to service has already generated many clients eager for her cooking. If you are interested in contacting Chef Sandy Stollar, she can be reached at (917) 822-7706 or Sandy@thekoshertomato.com. Her Web site is www.thekoshertomato.com.

North American MASA committee established

North America established a North American MASA Committee that will market and fundraise for MASA - Israel Journey, a joint project of the government of Israel and the Jewish Agency to recruit Jewish young adults around the world to spend a semester or year studying, volunteering, or interning in Israel. The committee, comprised of two-dozen lay leaders from across the United States and Canada, held its first meeting in New York City on Oct. 23. The group will work to fundraise, market, and recruit for MASA within their communities and will work with their local federations to raise awareness and increase financial support.

"MASA is the opportunity for this young generation of Jews to develop a deep bond with Israel," said Arlene Kaufman, immediate past president of the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County and chairperson of the committee. "The experience carries through a lifetime and creates a person who has an indelible connection to Israel and strongly identify as a Jew."

Alongside the North American Committee, an international board for MASA is being set up to help MASA make deeper inroads in Jewish communities worldwide, where Kaufman will serve as co-chair.

MASA was established in 2004 as a joint project by the Jewish Agency and the Prime Minister's Office under Ariel Sharon to create incentive for thousands of young adults from all streams of Judaism to spend a semester to a year in Israel studying, volunteering, or interning in more than 150 approved programs. This academic year, 9,000 Jewish youth between 18 and 30 from around the world, more than 5,000 of them from North America, are participating in MASA programs. The goal of MASA is to increase the current number of Jewish youth studying from abroad or working in Israel to 15,000 per year.

To encourage young adults, MASA provides grants for all applicants from $2,000 to $4,500 for working or studying in Israel for at least five months; MASA's funding comes from the Government of Israel and from the Jewish Agency, through the generous support of United Jewish Communities/the Federations of North America and Keren Hayesod-UIA.

For more information please contact Jacob Dallal, director of public relations at (212) 339-6064 or (646) 644-1205 or via e-mail at jacobd@jafi.org.

American Jewry's relationship with Abraham Lincoln lecture Dec. 4

The Jewish Historical Society of Central Jersey will present a lecture by Dr. Gary P. Zola on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. at Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple, 222 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick.

The subject of the lecture, "He Was One of Us - American Jewry's Relationship to Abraham Lincoln," anticipates the bicentennial anniversary in February 2009 of the birth of Abraham Lincoln.

Gary Phillip Zola is a historian of American Jewry and serves as the executive director of The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives and associate professor of the American Jewish Experience at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, the American Jewish Archives is the world's largest free-standing research center dedicated solely to the study of American Jewish history.

In his academic capacity, Zola edits The Marcus Center's award-winning biannual publication, The American Jewish Archives Journal - one of only two academic periodicals focusing on the total historical experience of American Jewry. In 2006, Zola became the first American rabbi to receive appointment to the Advisory Council of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.

Zola was the organizer and chair of the congressionally recognized Commission for Commemorating 350 Years of American Jewish History, a historic collaboration of the Library of Congress, the National Archives and Records Administration, the American Jewish Historical Society and The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives.

The lecture is free and open to the public. For more information call the JHSCJ office at (732) 249-4894.

'Mom's the Word' comedy Nov. 13 at Beth-El in Hillsborough

The Cultural Arts Committee of Temple Beth-El presents "Mom's the Word." This cabaret-style musical comedy show will be performed at Temple Beth-El located at 67 US Highway 206 in Hillsborough on Thursday, Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. Prior to the show, all patrons will enjoy a wine and cheese reception that will start at 7:30 p.m.

"Mom's the Word" is a new musical cabaret-style comedy about the challenges of motherhood. The new show was created by and stars some of the original cast members of "Momsense," which performed across the tri-state area for six years. "Mom's the Word" premiered in January 2007, and has already appeared at venues across New Jersey, Long Island, Westchester, Connecticut, and Manhattan to enthusiastic crowds.

"Mom's the Word" turns a comic eye on the ups and downs of parenthood through song. The show will cover such topics as dirty diapers, tantrums, sibling rivalry, finding a reliable babysitter, overscheduled extra-curricular activities, and much, much more. Based on the real-life experiences of its creators, "Mom's the Word" lets its audience laugh at the things that frequently drive parents, and especially mothers, crazy.

"All adults will be able to appreciate the show," according to Simona Rivkin, the cultural arts chairperson bringing the show to central New Jersey. "As adults, we have been in one of these situations, either as a child or parent. These are the typical challenges we all face in life and you can take solace that you are not alone (although at the time it may seem that way)." The Temple Beth-El Cultural Arts Committee also sponsors a variety of other events throughout the year including Israeli Dancing and a Jewish Film Series.

For more information regarding this event, please contact Simona Rivkin at (908) 369-7884 or email her at Bakerec@comcast.net.