Yearly Archives: 2017

The Holtzman Gallery at the JCC

Holtzman logo

Upscale fine art galleries, located in Margate City in Southern New Jersey. The galleries exhibit work from local, national and international artists. You will find sculpture, paintings, limited edition prints and 3-D art that is perfect for home or corporate display.

Upcoming Events & Art Receptions

Realism with a Touch of Impressionism Art Exhibit
Original Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor Paintings and Abstract Wood Sculpture
June 6 – July 5

Eddie Flotte, Bill Parker, Lisa Matera, Paul Papacik, Scott Troxel

Art Reception: Meet the Artists | Thursday, June 14 6-8pm
Free & Open to the Public
  

A Celebration of Interplay of the Past and Present Art Exhibit
Original Abstract Wax & Oil Paintings and other Mixed Media and Sculpture
July 7 – July 27

Evelyn Pino

Art Reception:  Meet the Artist | Wednesday, July 11 6-8pm
Free & Open to the Public

The Gallery is open to the public daily and features various artists each month.
Monday – Thursday – 5:30AM to 10PM
Friday – 5:30AM to 6PM
Saturday – 6AM to 5PM
Sunday – 6AM to 5PM
Monday: 10AM to 3PM

The gallery is dedicated to the memory of Alex Holtzman, the gallery owner’s, David Holtzman’s late father. Alex G. Holtzman was an avid painter and art collector who inspired his son to pursue a successful career in the arts.

“The Galleries are for you Dad, as you are painting up there and looking down on all of us.”
– David Holtzman

Nothing says Christmas like egg rolls, fried rice and Lo Mein!

Nothing says Christmas like egg rolls, fried rice and Lo Mein. The Katz JCC will host its 5th annual evening of Latkes, Lo Mein and Laughter featuring comedians, Michelle Tomko and Dr. Jeff on December 25 at 6:00pm.

December 25 Event

Back by popular demand after a hilarious evening last year, Michelle Tomko will once again create a night of laughter at the Milton & Betty Katz JCC. Tomko is the recipient of Atlantic City Weekly Nightlife Awards for “Best Comedian” in 2016 & 2017. She has performed everywhere from The Loony Bin in Tulsa Oklahoma to Seashore Gardens in Galloway. Her work has been seen on TMZ, WOND, NPR’s ‘It’s Only a Game’ and The City Pulse. She has appeared at Broadway Comedy Club, New York Comedy Club, Dangerfield’s, The Comedy Stop, Butch Bradley’s Comedy Hideaway, Stockton University, Resorts, The Golden Nugget, Tropicana, Taj Mahal and Showboat. There’s something for everybody as her comedy is a mixed bag of pets, people, politics and living at the shore.

Opening for Tomko will be Dr. Jeff, a hilarious Baby Boomer who grew up in Philadelphia and is a resident of both Southern Florida and Margate.  His humor appeals to his fellow Baby Boomers – and their parents who are lucky enough to be currently living in Florida.  If you have Philly roots or just enjoy great humor from the heart, you’ll be sure to enjoy his shtick.

The Jewish tradition of eating delicious Glatt Kosher Chinese food grew out of a past when all restaurants were closed on Christmas day except for Chinese restaurants.

The early bird cost is only $20 for JCC Members and $25 for guest now through December 21.  After December 21, the date increases to $25 for JCC Members and $36 for guests.  Spaces are limited.  Call or email today to reserve your spot at 609-822-1167 or email Josh Cutler at jcutler@jccatlantic.org.

Drawing Against Oblivion Exhibit & Special Event with Artist MANFRED BOCKELMANN

Milton & Betty Katz Jewish Community Center and Sara and Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center at Stockton University Present Drawing Against Oblivion

This art exhibit features charcoal portraits of children who were victims during the
Holocaust. Many of the portraits that will be on display at the JCC in Margate are linked
to Holocaust survivors and their families from Atlantic, Cape May, and Cumberland
Counties. The artist, Manfred Bockelmann, explains: “I want to get these children out of
the darkness, and I will continue to draw my portraits as long as I can.”

October 18 – November 6, 2017 Free and Open to the Public
at the Katz Jewish Community Center, 501 North Jerome Avenue, Margate, NJ 08402.
SPECIAL EVENTS:
October 19 – November 6
• Docent-led tours for school groups (grades 5 – 12 and college).
For school groups and reservations: 609-652-4699 or Gail.Rosenthal@stockton.edu Thursday, October 26 at 7:00 p.m.
• Viewing of the award-winning documentary film, Drawing against Oblivion, followed by a discussion with Manfred Bockelmann and Dr. Marion Hussong.
• Free and open to the public. Seating is on a first come, first served basis.
• For NJ Educators: 2.0 Professional Development Hours (PDH)
Monday, October 30 at 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.

Free seminar for Educators (grades 5 – 12 and college) with a guided tour of the exhibit.
For reservations: 609-652-4699 or Gail.Rosenthal@stockton.edu

Oblivion_evite

Boathouse Row Meet Author Dotty Brown

boathouse row_jcc margate 0817boathouse row_jcc margate 0817

Thursday, August 24

With slides and stories, author Dotty Brown reveals the surprising history of Philadelphia’s Boathouse Row at the Katz JCC, 501 N. Jerome Ave., Margate, N.J.
on THURS. AUG. 24 at 7 P.M.
Free. RSVP: 609-822-1167 x 0

Sugar Ray Leonard to Become ‘Main Event’ at the Katz JCC’s Sports Night

SUGAR RAY WEBSITE

SOLD OUT!

Sugar Ray Leonard, Olympian and boxing world champion will be the keynote speaker at the Third Annual Jackie & Hank Herskowitz Sports Night fundraising event on Thursday, August 17 from 7 to 10pm at the Katz JCC, 501 N. Jerome Avenue in Margate, NJ.

One of the most enthralling sports figures of our time, Sugar Ray Leonard faced the difficulties of life head-on and then swept them aside. After winning a gold medal in boxing at the 1976 Olympic Games, he turned professional to help his family defer mounting medical bills incurred because of his father’s illness. During his twenty-year professional career, Leonard also won world titles in the welterweight, junior middleweight, super middleweight, and light heavyweight divisions. He was the first boxer to win world titles in five different weight classes, a record that stands to this day.

“We’re extremely honored to have Sugar Ray Leonard here with us at our Annual Sports Night,” said Chairman of the Katz JCC Sports Night fundraising event, Jeff Herskowitz.  “Sugar Ray Leonard is one of the legendary sports icons of the 20th century whose very name epitomizes boxing and conjures the image of a champion.”

Sugar Ray Leonard will share his story, presenting a portrait of strength, courage and resilience, in and out of the ring. He’ll make a powerful case for his principles of success to making dreams come true, staying at the top and dealing with change.

The event has been named after the late Jackie & Hank Herskowitz of Margate whose philanthropy helped so many. Their philanthropic legacy will continue with the Third Annual Jackie & Hank Herskowitz Sports Night fundraising event, which raises money for its scholarship fund to further its mission to provide the children and seniors of Atlantic County, as well as the community as a whole, programs and services that enhance and enrich their lives.

General Admission for Sports Night is one ticket for $200 or two tickets for $375. Ticket packages and sponsorship opportunities are available and include a VIP Meet and Greet with Sugar Ray Leonard during the reception.

 

“Jewish Treasures of the Caribbean” Exhibition Featured at Katz JCC

“Jewish Treasures of the Caribbean”

Exhibition Featured at Katz JCC

Reception and Book Talk with photographer Wyatt Gallery July 11

Margate, NJ (June 6, 2017) –  “Jewish Treasures of The Caribbean” is on display from July 5 – July 28 and features photographs of the oldest Jewish synagogues and cemeteries in the Western Hemisphere, surprisingly located in the Caribbean, as seen through the lens of award-winning photographer Wyatt Gallery.

The traveling exhibition features more than three dozen framed photographs from the recently published book of the same title that “captures the little-known history of the Jews of the Caribbean, as seen through remaining historic sites in Barbados, Curaçao, Jamaica, Nevis, St. Croix, St. Eustatius, St. Thomas, and Suriname,” according to Gallery. “These Jewish communities date back to the mid-1600s and are home to the first synagogues and Jewish cemeteries in the Western Hemisphere.”

“Once home to the most powerful and prosperous Jewish enclaves in the Americas, these communities have significantly dwindled and only five historic synagogues remain in use today,” according to the exhibit website. “Many cemeteries with ornate gravestones carved by gifted masons reveal the ravaging effects of natural disasters, neglect, pollution, and vandalism.”

“The goal of the exhibit is to raise awareness of the need for preservation of these little-known historic sites of the legacy of Judaism.” Says the Philadelphia-born Gallery — whose tagline is “A person, not a place.”

“While photographing the devastation after the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, I realized that a similar fate could happen to any of these historic synagogues at any time,” said Gallery, who is based in New York City.

Gallery’s exhaustive survey of these remarkable sacred sites is published for the first time in “Jewish Treasures of the Caribbean” (Schiffer, 2017). The book presents more than 200 exquisite color images along with comprehensive texts that together tell the fascinating and little-known history of the earliest Jewish communities to settle in the Americas.

One scene captured in the exhibit is of tallits, or Jewish prayer shawls. Another highlights a cemetery from the 1700s on a cloudy day, and yet another shows a more densely populated cemetery from the 1600s. Some photos take you inside the synagogues to see the Sephardic architectural design and others explore ruins from the past.

Gallery first discovered one of the sites that comprise “Jewish Treasures of the Caribbean” while heading to Aruba on assignment with the New York Times. He was living in Trinidad at the time, and en route to Aruba he stopped over at Curaçao and was surprised to stumble on the oldest synagogue in the Americas.

The Times continued to send him to various islands in the Caribbean photographing travel stories, “and coincidentally I was sent to locations that were home to more of these historic synagogues,” he said.

A special reception and book talk with Wyatt Gallery will be on Tuesday, July 11 6-8pm at Katz JCC.

The month long exhibit is open during the JCC’s normal operation hours: Monday – Thursday, 5:30am – 10:00pm; Friday, 5:30am – 6:00pm; Saturday & Sunday, 7:00am – 5:00pm. Katz JCC is located at 501 N Jerome Avenue Margate, NJ 08402.

Wyatt Gallery, a native of Philadelphia and past adjunct-professor at the University of Pennsylvania, received his BFA from NYU Tisch School of The Arts in 1997 and is the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship, the PDN 30, and the ICP Infinity Award. He has published four books and his photographs are in numerous public and private collections such as the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, the George Eastman House, American Express, and Comcast.  His work has been reviewed in The New Yorker and featured in Esquire, Departures, Condé Nast Traveler, The New York Times, and Oprah’s OWN Network, amongst others.

Gallery’s past books Tent Life: Haiti and #SANDY have successfully raised over $60,000 to support communities affected by natural disasters. Wyatt is represented by Foley Gallery and Redux Pictures in New York City.

For more information on the Milton & Betty Katz Jewish Community Center, visit www.jccatlantic.org. For more information about “Jewish Treasures of the Caribbean,” contact Katz JCC Special Events Coordinator, Melissa Vola at 609-822-1167 ext. 159.

Barks at the Beach: Pet Fair & Doggie Dash!

BAB Flyer_v4

June 30, 2017

Spend the day with your pet and enjoy related events for both you and your favorite furbaby! Join us for Barks at the Beach: 1st Annual Pet Fair & Doggie Dash on Friday, June 30th 2017 10am-1pm.

Stop by the free outdoor Pet Festival at the JCC in Margate with your favorite buddy to learn something new from some of the biggest pet services and businesses in the area or join in on one of the fun, hilarious pet activities, contests and games! Did someone say obstacle course?!

Walk, jog or run in the Doggie Dash on a designated path in the beautiful, quaint shore town of Margate with plenty of water stops along the way. Lots of prizes and giveaways for all! Only $20 for each dog & human combo and $10 for any additional dog. Doggie Dash registration is at 10am and dash starts at 10:30am.

Online Registration

Doggie Dash Registration & Waiver

Barks at the Beach is a pet and family friendly event bringing together community resources, corporate partners and animal lovers alike. Sponsorship and vendor opportunities are available.

A portion of the proceeds benefit Humane Society of Ocean City.

For questions and/or sponsorship/vendor information, contact Melissa Vola at 609-822-1167 ext. 159 or mvola@jccatlantic.org.

Download the sponsorship and vendor information Barks at the Beach Sponsorship Levels.

The Magnificent Cities of Eastern Europe

THE MAGNIFICENT CITIES OF EASTERN EUROPE

November 4—18, 2017

 

The cost of this trip including roundtrip airfare from JFK is only $3,499 per person

(based on double occupancy) when registering with a $300 deposit

Payment is due in full before August 1, 2017.  Spaces are very limited.

 

Tour Locations:
2 Nights in Warsaw
2 Nights in Krakow
3 Nights in Budapest
3 Nights in Vienna
3 Nights in Prage
1 Night in Helsinki

 

 

Tour Package Includes: 

· Round-trip airfare from New York (JFK) via Finnair wide-body jet

· Airfare taxes, fees & fuel surcharges

· Intra- Europe ground transportation

· Accommodations at superior first class hotels

· 18 meals: 13 full buffet breakfasts (B) and 5 dinners (D)

· Comprehensive sightseeing tours including admission fees

· Experienced English speaking Tour Director and local guides

 

 

Itinerary: 

Day 1 –Saturday, November 4  Depart USA –
Your fascinating Eastern European tours begin this evening with an overnight flight to Warsaw.

 

Day 2 – Sunday, November 5,  Arrive Warsaw (Poland) –

Arrive in Warsaw, Poland’s capital and cultural center. You’ll be met and escorted to your centrally located deluxe hotel. Join us for a welcome dinner and briefing from the tour director.
Sofitel Victoria Hotel (D)

 

Day 3– Monday, November 6,  Warsaw –
Learn about Warsaw’s rich history on a morning tour in the Old Town with its colorful market square. Drive along the Royal Route lined with beautiful palaces and famous statues. Learn about many
historical sights including the Monument of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Afternoon at leisure to explore Warsaw.
Sofitel Victoria Hotel (B)

 

Day 4– Tuesday, November 7, Warsaw/Auschwitz/Krakow  –

Drive southbound to Czestochowa where you’ll visit the magnificent 14th century monastery at
Jasna Gora. This afternoon, an important visit to the concentration camp at Auschwitz, now a
museum honoring the victims of the Holocaust. Later, we arrive in Krakow for a sumptuous dinner.
Mercure Krakow Old Town Hotel (B,D)

 

Day 5 – Wednesday, November 8,  Krakow –
On this morning’s tour, see the Royal Wawel Castle and the Market Square. Balance of the day is at leisure to explore this charming and colorful town on your own or opt to visit Krakow synagogues and have a Klezmer music dinner concert (additional fee)
Mercure Krakow Old Town Hotel (B)

 

Day 6– Thursday, November 9, Krakow/Budapest (Hungary) –

Enjoy a scenic drive through the wooded mountains of Slovakia, down the Danube River Valley to Budapest, the delightful Hungarian capital. Dinner tonight at your hotel in the heart of the city.
Radisson Blu Beke (B,D)

 

 Day 7– Friday, November 10, Budapest

On your morning tour of Budapest your guide will introduce you to the history of the city. Enjoy a panoramic view from Fishermen’s Bastion located on Castle Hill. You’ll also see the beautiful Citadel on Mount Gellert. Afternoon at leisure along the Danube or visit the Jewish quarter for Shabbat (optional)
Radisson Blu Beke (B)

 

Day 8– Saturday, November 11 Danube Bend Excursion –
Embark on a morning excursion to the scenic Hungarian countryside. Voyage to the charming artist’s town of Szentendre, a real gem at the gateway to the picturesque Danube Bend region. Enjoy free time to explore before returning to Budapest.
Radisson Blu Beke (B)

 

Day 9– Sunday, November 12, Budapest/Vienna (Austria) –
Cross into Austria and drive to splendid Vienna. Experience the city’s glorious past on a panoramic tour taking you past Hofburg Palace and many masterpieces of Gothic architecture.
Park Royal Palace Hotel (B,D)

 

Day 10– Monday, November 13 Vienna –
A full day at leisure to explore on your own and relax in a charming Viennese café or explore Vienna’s historic Jewish quarter. A must see is the magnificent Schonbrunn Palace.
Park Royal Palace Hotel (B)

 

Day 11– Tuesday, November 14 Vienna/Prague (Czech Republic). –
Journey across the Czech border through rich farmlands to Moravia. Visit the quaint towns of Duernstein and Telc en route to Prague, one of Europe’s most vibrant cities.
Occidental Praha Five (B)

 

Day 12– Wednesday, November 15, Prague –
On this morning’s tour, visit the impressive Hradcany Castle and the Old Royal Palace.  See the 14th-century Charles Bridge and explore the charming Old Town.  Optional afternoon visit and tour of
Terezin Concentration Camp and museum (additional cost).
Occidental Praha Five (B)

 

Day 13– Thursday, November 16 Prague –
In the morning explore Prague’s fascinating Jewish Quarter, its many synagogues, memorials and museums.  Afternoon is yours to relax, enjoy one of Prague’s many cafes, or shop at the market. Tonight, celebrate at a festive dinner.
Occidental Praha Five (B, D)

 

Day 14– Friday, November 17 Prague/Helsinki (Finland) –
After breakfast, bid farewell to the beautiful cities of Eastern Europe and board a short flight to Helsinki, the charming capital of Finland, situated on the Baltic Sea. Orientation tour is included on arrival.
Scandic Hotel (B)

 

Day 15– Saturday, November 18 – Helsinki/New York –
Enjoy your leisure morning in Helsinki to explore on your own or try a real Finnish sauna! Later, transfer to the airport for your non-stop flight back to the USA. Your exciting Eastern European tours end as you touch down in New York. (B)

Itinerary subject to change.

JFS vs JCC Golf Tournament

2017 Golf Web Header

May 11th at Linwood Country Club

Now in its fourth year, the JFS vs JCC Golf Tournament has become a well-known, can’t miss community event. With JFS leading two wins to one, the JCC is hoping to tie the score by claiming this year’s winner’s trophy. Scheduled for May 11th at Linwood Country Club, this men’s and women’s competition style tournament will bring the community together for a great day of golf, contests, prizes and more.

Darren Matik will serve as JFS event co-chair for the third time, while Dan Koch will once again serve as the JCC co-chair.  Featuring specialty on-course contests, activities such as food and liquor tastings, interactive experiences such as a photo booth and more, the golf committee plans to welcome back elements that participants enjoyed plus add new and exciting aspects to the tournament.

The 2016 tournament raised $55,000 to support both Jewish Family Service and the Milton and Betty Katz Jewish Community Center; however, each year the committee would like to surpass the prior year fundraising total.  The funds raised will help JFS and the Katz JCC further their mission to provide the children and seniors of Atlantic County, as well as the community as a whole, programs and services that enhance and enrich their lives.

Tickets are $225 per golfer and sponsorship opportunities are available. To purchase tickets or sponsorships click here.

Leo B. Schoffer, Founder of Schoffer Enterprises, To Receive the Katz JCC Community Leadership Award

Aerial views of Atlantic City, New Jersey.. Photographs © 2012 Bob Krist.. www.bobkrist.com

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Leo B. Schoffer, Founder of Schoffer Enterprises will be recognized for his contributions and leadership in the local and regional communities during the Milton & Betty Katz Jewish Community Center 2017 Annual Gala on May 6th from 7 pm to 11 pm at Resorts Casino Hotel.

“Leo has made a major difference in the lives of so many through his leadership in our local Atlantic City community, the Jewish community and as a member of the Stockton and Rutgers University Board of Directors,” said Katz JCC Chief Executive Officer, Jack I. Fox.

He is the Founder of Schoffer Enterprises, specializing in industrial and commercial real estate development. Projects by Schoffer Enterprises include over one million square feet of space and have serviced many of the casino projects in Atlantic City.

He has been active in many community organizations over the years and has served as a member of the Stockton’s Board of Trustees, Rutgers University Board of Overseers, President and Chairman of the Board of Congregation Beth Judah, Chairman of the Margate City Citizens Long Term Planning Committee, Chairman of the Egg Harbor Township Economic Development Commission, President of the Atlantic City High School Athletic Hall of Fame Association, Vice President and Campaign Chairman of the Jewish Federation of Atlantic County and as a Board Member of various other institutions.

“It is exciting to recognize Leo for all of his community work,” said Gala Event Chairman and JCC President, Marc Neumann.  “Leo is a leader that leads by example and is an inspiration to everyone working with him,” Neumann added.

The Katz JCC Annual Gala is presented as an opportunity for the organization to recognize individuals who have had a positive community impact and to celebrate their business, political, philanthropic and personal achievements. In turn, the event helps the Katz JCC raise funds to further its mission to provide the children and seniors of Atlantic County, as well as the community as a whole, programs and services that enhance and enrich lives.

Tickets for the Gala are $200. Sponsorship and tribute book ads are available.

Sponsorship Opportunities

For more information on the Milton & Betty Katz Jewish Community Center, visit www.jccatlantic.org. For Gala sponsorship or ticket information, contact Katz JCC Special Events Coordinator, Melissa Vola at 609-822-1167 Ext. 159.