Dear Friend,
This is the time of the year to wish all our members, friends and supporters a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous Chinese New Year of the Rabbit!
Ending the year of the Water Tiger, which is seen as a symbol of strength, braveness and exorcising evils, the 2023 Lunar New Year is set to welcome the Year of the Rabbit.
The Rabbit is the fourth animal in the zodiac sequence of 12, and is seen as the luckiest. People born in the year of the Rabbit are believed to be vigilant, witty, quick-minded and ingenious. The animal is also said to signify mercy, elegance and beauty.
With that said, let us all pray and work together towards making this a Rabbit year of peace, reconciliation, good health and prosperity.
Reminder to all that we are now back to work after the New Year holidays! Normal business hours have resumed – Open everyday except on Sabbath (Fridays and Saturdays).
This reminds me of a joke…
A Jewish Chocolate manufacturer near Chinatown made a mistake this Chinese New Year!
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Jeffrey D Schwartz Jewish Community Center and the JTCA (Jewish Taiwan Cultural Exchange Association) has become the Patron Sponsor of the Community Service Center in Taipei
Who is The Center
Mission, Vision & Values
The Community Services Center provides outreach and early intervention through counseling, life skills program, cross-cultural education and information to meet the needs of the international community in Taipei.
The Community Services Center is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1987 to offer support services to the international and third culture communities in Taiwan. Our services and programs include:
● English language Counseling, including Crisis Response
● Programs and Education, including ‘Survival Chinese’
● Information and Referral Services
● Newcomer Orientation Programs
● Cross-Cultural Training for the Workplace
● English Language Publications: Centered on Taipei; Taipei Escapes 1 and 2, Taiwan 101, Taiwan A to Z and more
● The majority of the Center’s services are offered in English. We welcome all members of the international and third culture communities regardless of race, nationality, or religion.
Why did the JCC/JTCA partner with the Community Service Center?
Basically both organizations in their own ways promote education, understanding, helping and building a strong community as core values. Although the JCC is essentially a Jewish organization it still reaches out to the Jewish Public as well as other groups in society. We feel the better we all understand each other and get along, we will then together make the commitment it takes to build a thriving community where all the members are supportive of each other in spite of any cultural or religious differences.
See the 9 core values of Judaism :
● Trustworthiness- EMUNAH. Be honest • Don’t deceive, cheat or steal • Be reliable — do what you say you’ll do • Have the courage…
● Respect- KAVOD…
● Responsibility- ACHRAYUT…
● Fairness- TZEDEK…
● Caring- CHESED…
● Community- KEHILLAH…
● Kindness/Warmth/Positivity SEVER PANIM YAFOT…
● Role Modelling- DUGMA EESHEET…
● Repairing the world- Tikkum Olum, a concept in Judaism, which refers to various forms of action intended to repair and improve the world through actions. The term is understood in modern America as the idea that Jews are called upon to make the world more just, peaceful, tolerant, and equal, through acts of charity, kindness, and political action.
Therefore, we felt supporting and working with the Community Center follows our moral mandate as Jews and persons that serve the society as a whole. We look forward to joint efforts in the future that serve the overall public in Taiwan in as many ways as possible. Please check the The Center website to better understand the important services they provide citizens of Taiwan.
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The Chief Rabbi of Israel will visit Taipei
EXCITING NEWS: The Chief Rabbi of Israel will visit Taipei in February at the Invitation of the JTCA and the Chabad. Along with him will be the Senior Rabbi from New York Chabad Headquarters as well as Over 12 Rabbis from Various Jewish Communities Across Asia.
The purpose of this visit is to have an official dedication of our new beautiful and meaningful Jewish Community Center. They will also hold a very important annual Rabbi Summit in Taipei for the first time in Taiwan’s history. We are so proud to host the Chief Rabbi and appreciate his presence in our small community. This reconfirms the approval and recognition by the Chief Rabbi in Israel, as well as the Chabad Chief Rabbi of New York, of the hard work and accomplishments of the JCC and the JTCA in working with the Chabad to build a strong, important and out reaching presence in Taiwan.
That evening, there will also be many Taiwan Government officials present, so that we can convey our thanks and gratitude to the Taiwan government for welcoming and supporting all Jews and Jewish endeavors in this free bastion of democracy on the beautiful island of Taiwan .
Stay tuned for more announcements about this visit in future newsletters.
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Interview with Israeli International News Channel i24NEWS and YNetNews
Earlier last month we were delighted to welcome both Yoseph Haddad (i24NEWS) and Emily Schrader (YNetNews) to a visit with JCC founder Jeffrey D. Schwartz. We appreciate the opportunity to connect with other Jewish communities worldwide, and hope to continue to strengthen the global bond between us.
Click here to watch the full video
Click here to read the full article
Now that Taiwan has opened up its borders to the world, we look forward to meeting with other global media outlets. We welcome you all to a visit at the Jeffrey D. Schwartz Jewish Community Center!
Reservations for museum tours are welcome.
Click here for more information
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U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Research Interview
Bénédicte Williams, of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum located in Washington D.C., visited the JCC for a discussion with founder Jeffrey D. Schwartz regarding her latest research. The two enjoyed coffee and conversations surrounding what the Holocaust means in Taiwan.
We are so glad to have provided Bénédicte with our insights and knowledge into how the Taiwanese understand the Holocaust, and we hope to continue to increase awareness on this topic in our community. We hope you enjoyed your time at the JCC and hope you return to visit us again in the near future!
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Come Celebrate Your Birthday With Us This Year
Don’t forget our decadent kosher birthday cakes available from the Kosher Culinary Lab. You do not want to miss out on this deliciousness! Select your favorite cake flavor (chocolate, vanilla, or orange), and we will layer it with homemade fruit preserves and vanilla custard.
Check out our menu below! All cakes are custom made to order (please order 3 days in advance).
In closing today’s newsletter, both NaTang and I would like to thank you for your continued support, and wish you all the best in the year of the Rabbit! May good health, good fortune, and good luck surround you this new year. Happy Chinese New Year from the JCC to you!
Warm Regards,
Jeffrey D. Schwartz & NaTang
Co-founders, Jewish Taiwan Cultural Association
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Join us!
Join the JCC! We welcome everyone who shares in our vision and mission to join us. You’ll enjoy priority year-round access to the JCC, as well as discounts on events and services. Membership prices are kept low thanks to a generous subsidy provided by the Jewish Taiwan Cultural Association (JTCA).
