Dear Friend,
We were thrilled to celebrate a wonderful simcha (“happy occasion”) yesterday at the JCC: the Bar Mitzvah ceremony of Itay Caspi.
Itay was called to the bimah to read the final part of this week’s Torah portion, which tells the story of when Moses delivered his last and most impactful speech to the Israelites before entering the Promised Land. In his speech he reminded the Israelites to love G-d and follow His commandments.
In addition to reading from the Torah for the first time, as a touching symbol of the passing on of the ancient traditions and values of the Jewish people to the next generation, Itay wore the very same tallit (prayer shawl) that belonged to his great grandfather.
We were delighted to welcome Itay’s grandmother, who flew all the way from Israel to celebrate this very special occasion. After saying the blessing over the challah and the wine, Itay’s parents Omer and Galit blessed Itay and shared some touching stories. Itay then delivered an inspiring speech, following by the cutting of his Bar Mitzvah cake, which was shaped like a Torah scroll.
We then enjoyed a festive lunch with 60 friends and family members in the ballroom. This was the first Bar Mitzvah ceremony and celebration we have held at the JCC. We were so delighted to have shared this momentous occasion with Itay and his family.
Mazel Tov, Itay!
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Special Announcement: JTCA Makes 5-Year Financial Commitment to the New Chiang Ching-Kuo Presidential Library
NaTang and I are pleased to share a very special announcement that reflects our deep and enduring commitment to Taiwan: The Jewish Taiwan Cultural Association has made a financial commitment of NT$5 million over the next five years to support the brand-new Chiang Ching-Kuo Memorial Presidential Library. Developed by the Chiang-Ching Kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange, this is the very first presidential library in Taiwan
One of the missions of the new center and library is to support research initiatives that focus on topics pertaining to contemporary Chinese history. To this end, the Library has established research partnerships with some of the world’s premier academic institutions including Harvard’s Yenching Center, Stanford’s Hoover Institution, and Taiwan’s Academia Sinica. The JTCA’s financial commitment will support joint research initiatives carried out by the Chiang-Ching Kuo Library and these institutions.
The Library, situated on a beautiful campus, features a library, conference center, and several meeting rooms, and will serve as a convening place for scholarly events.
In recognition of this donation, the Library has named myself and the JTCA as one of a handful of founding “Friends of the Library.” I am proud to join some of Taiwan’s most prominent business leaders that include Morris Chang of TSMC and Terry Kou of Foxconn. The Library is chaired by our good friend Dr. Frederick Chien, former Minister of the Control Yuan and former Minister of Foreign Affairs. Dr. Chien joined our opening ceremony event at the JCC in December last year.
Ever since my first trip to Taiwan back in my college days, when I fell in love with the language and culture of this wonderful place and decided to major in Chinese, I have benefited both personally and professionally from the warm embrace and strong support that I have received here. As an expression of our deep gratitude to Taiwan and its wonderful people and government, I am delighted to be able to give back by supporting the Library and its initiatives.
Chiang Ching-Kuo was one of the political leaders who initiated the democratic movement in Taiwan, and helped Taiwan make a remarkably peaceful transition from martial law to a full-fledged democracy. As Jews who cherish the values of freedom and democracy, values that were inspired by the laws set forth in the Hebrew Bible more than 3,300 years ago, we felt that our support for this initiative represents our commitment to upholding and promoting these essential values in Taiwan.
We made this donation on behalf of the Jewish Taiwan Cultural Association, and on behalf of the Jewish community in Taiwan. In doing so, we are pleased that the JTCA and the broader Jewish community can play a role in the promotion of democratic values and freedom in Taiwan.
For more information about the Foundation and the Library, visit their website here.
Watch the entire opening ceremony that took place on January 22 on YouTube here.
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Save the date: Rosh Hashanah 5783
Later this month we will open up registration for our first Rosh Hashanah banquet at the JCC, which will be held on the evening of Sunday, September 25th. This is just a reminder to mark this on your calendar and “save the date”! We’ll share more information in forthcoming newsletters.
We hope you enjoy the rest of the summer, and we look forward to seeing you again at the JCC!
Warm regards,
Jeffrey D. Schwartz & NaTang
Co-founders, Jewish Taiwan Cultural Association
