The first global virtual gathering of Jewish grandparents in partnership with JCVT

Last day to register: January 19, 2026
KEYNOTE: What Parents Want Grandparents to Know About Raising Kids Today

Clinical psychologist and social media megastar Dr. Becky Kennedy shares essential insights on navigating modern family dynamics – bridging the gap between generations with empathy and understanding.

10 Expert Sessions

Topics that matter most — from long-distance grandparenting to navigating interfaith families to keeping Jewish traditions alive. You choose what interests you.

Small-Group Conversations

Ensuring the virtual feels personal by getting to know the people who share your interests (20–24 max); opportunity to stay connected after the event.

Access to Recordings

Option to view recordings of the sessions you were not able to attend. 

Sessions and Schedule

Israeli folkdance is a joyous folk art form that is easy to start and difficult to stop. It draws from many cultures and expresses itself in dances that range in complexity and speed. See this article for more information.

Join hosts Adele, Lani and Mitch and a friendly group of people that gathers periodically on Zoom or in person to enjoy the folkdances of Israel!

A fundraiser for humanitarian aid in Israel and Palestine. A partnership between communities, volunteers bake and sell bread in the community kitchens to benefit these medical relief organizations:

United Hatzalah: first responders in Israel
Palestine Children’s Relief Fund: medical care for children in Gaza and West Bank

Our goal is to partner with a diverse groups of interfaith congregations on this project. This date will include Ohavi Zedek and Burlington Friends Meeting, as well as other invited local congregations. If your house of worship church, synagogue or mosque is interested in participating, please contact us.

Bread (challah, pita, gluten-free oat) will be baked in the OZ kitchen from 12pm – 6pm and available for pick-up in the evening or the following day in Burlington or Richmond. Volunteers are also needed during the following time slots: Noon – 1:30pm, 1:30pm – 3pm, and 3pm – 5pm.

Purchase Bread / Sign Up to Volunteer Here

Musical Shabbat and special talk by Rabbi Michael Cohen. After the service, stay for a catered oneg (RSVP below) and Q&A with Rabbi Cohen.

6-7:15pm Musical Shabbat Service with special talk by Rabbi Michael Cohen

7:15-8:30pm Catered Oneg Dinner and Q&A with Rabbi Michael Cohen. Menu highlights: Rubbed Salmon and Winter Salads

30 years ago the doors of the Arava Institute opend on Kibbutz Ketura. Since then it has brought together Israelis (Jews & Arabs), Palestinians, Jordanians, Moroccans and other college age students from around the world to study and live together.

Register by January 19

Each JCOGS Tikkun Olam committee or initiative is being encouraged to identify or lead a project that reflects their passions, connections, and interests, while fostering collaboration within the broader community whenever possible, and some have already begun. We are looking to address all of the topics generated in our plan for this calendar year! It’s a chance for the whole JCOGS community to come together in service and honor Dr. King’s legacy.

If you’d like to get involved, email jcogs@jcogs.org with your ideas, interests, or ways you can help. Once you email, we can get you connected with a project or initiative. You don’t need to attend in person—any contribution counts!

9:00 AM-12:00 PM | UCC Morrisville
Prep Activities for Homelessness Awareness Day 
1:00–2:30 PM | UCC Morrisville
Community Hospitality – Share lunch and music as part of the UCC resource center
2:30–5:00 PM | JCOGS
Chesed (Kindness in Action) – Visits, calls, and care-based outreach
Cook for Lamoille Community House – Prepare meals for neighbors in need
Cooking & Baking with Kids – Family-friendly service
Draft Dodgers – Make door/window draft stoppers to use or donate (collection box in JCOGS lobby for scrap material donations) 
Tikkun Ha’Bayit – Clean-up and small repairs around JCOGS
USCRI Donations Sorting – Support refugees & immigrants—see below for items needed
Rainbow Coalition Art Project – Create blessing cards for our youth

5:00–6:15 PM | JCOGS
Community Soup Supper – Vegetarian soups, bread, and dessert, with brief clergy reflections on Dr. King's Letter from Birmingham Jail.
Come for one project or stay all day.

Join the folks from Beth Jacob Synagogue for a nature snowshoe walk on one of the many trails at North Branch Nature Center. Learn about native animals of the area, learn back tracking skills, and enjoy the immersion in nature during this Tu B'Shvat season.

*This is a snowshoe trail, not a walking trail. The use of shoes is prohibited on these trails.

In partnership with PJ Library in Vermont

Please join us for International Folk Dancing at the RJC. Come and dance, or you can enjoy sitting and watching. Please bring clean, dry shoes for dancing.

For more information, please get in touch with Judy.

Join Rabbi Tobie Weisman of YFL Creating Soulful Journeys in Cultivating Spiritual Attunement is the third of 8 monthly sessions, we will explore how Torah (Jewish wisdom) frames time as a sacred dimension of Jewish life, engaging classical and modern sources to examine how days, seasons, and cycles shape consciousness, community, and covenant. Together we will consider how marking time with awareness can nurture balance, resilience, and joy. You can sign up for all 8 sessions or just one at a time.

Israeli folkdance is a joyous folk art form that is easy to start and difficult to stop. It draws from many cultures and expresses itself in dances that range in complexity and speed. See this article for more information.

Join hosts Adele, Lani and Mitch and a friendly friendly group of people that gathers periodically on Zoom or in person to enjoy the folkdances of Israel!

We mostly dance around a circle so no partner is required. We have a large repertoire of beginner-friendly dances. New dancers are encouraged to come at the beginning of the session to benefit from instruction. Please wear shoes with clean soles.

This program is free with an optional donation.

Register Here

Annual Asian Food and Movie Night on December 25, 2025!

Requested in 2023 as well, this nostalgic film captures the essence of the small, tradition-steeped town of Anatevka, Russia, where Jews and Russians coexist in a delicate balance. Come relax, dine, and sing along!

Food will be ordered from Capitol Pho in Montpelier with selections listed below. Beth Jacob will provide all dishware and beverages.

Registration is required. We hope to see you!

Join CBE for Latkes and Lights and Shabbat to celebrate the last night of Chanukah. Bring your menorahs and candles and your favorite latkes to share. Fun for the whole family.

Come skate with JCOGS at Waterbury Ice for a celebration with our Mad River neighbor

Brattleboro Area Jewish Community (BAJC) invites you to join us as we celebrate the festival of Hanukkah.

This joyous celebration will feature

• Klezmer music & dancing with A Glezele Tey

• menorah lighting

• latke contest

• traditional treats & refreshments

• PJ Library book nook for kids and families!

Donation of $10-$20 per adult will be accepted at the door. (Larger donations appreciated!)
Additional donations of $5 per child will be most welcome!

A Glezele Tey (Yiddish for “a little glass of tea”) invites you into their living room for a little glass of tea from the samovar, bringing audiences into an intimate and enthralling world of klezmer, Yiddish folk song, and tkhines (traditional Ashkenazi prayers centering the experiences of women, trans, and gender non-conforming people, set to new melodies). Drawing from old recordings and contemporary culture rooted in the Eastern European Jewish diaspora, A Glezele Tey’s music is an act of deep care—rooted in community gathering, lineage, and ritual. We raise our collective voices to move through grief, inspire action, and build a frayer velt (a freer world). ​A Glezele Tey is comprised of acclaimed klezmer musicians and composers Ariel Shapiro, Rachel Leader, and Richie Barshay. For more information on this group go here.

Gather with our northern community at United Church in Greensboro for Hanukkah music with Rabbi David, a fabulous potluck, basking in the glow of the seventh candle. Bring your favorite menorah and a creative vegetarian dish to share as we celebrate the Festival of Lights together in the Northeast Kingdom. All are welcome!

Shabbat service for families with children ages birth to 7 years

Join us for our service in person and on ZOOM.

There will be a short service to say kaddish, followed by dinner!

Please bring your menorah and candles so we can light them all together.

Please bring a brisket or latkes or a side dish to share!

No Registration necessary! Just join us!

Come celebrate the Festival of Lights at our Community Chanukah Musical Celebration

featuring our own Jason Weinberger along with Cantor Scott Buckner

Enjoy a Pizza Dinner! Sufganiyot! Chanukah Games!Jason Weinberger stands out among musicians of his generation for his wholly contemporary approach to the programming, presentation, and performance of ensemble music. Jason is currently Artistic Director of Iowa's pioneering ensemble wcfsymphony. When Jason is not in lowa for concerts and symphony activities or traveling for guest conducting he resides in Winhall, Vermont where he teaches at Israel Congregation's Hebrew School and coaches alpine ski racing at Stratton Mountain.

Come celebrate the Festival of Lights with the famous JCOGS Iron Chef Competition! Enter with an amazing dish prepared with the secret ingredient* or come hungry and vote. Fantastic prizes from local businesses. Bring your family menorah as we light up the dark together. Dreidel games, latkes, and song.

Join the celebration of Chanukah at the Vermont Statehouse

We’ll gather together outdoors to light the first candle of Hanukkah with song and intention followed by noshing and shmoozing indoors. Open to all.

Join us Sunday, December 14th at 4:30 PM to light our beautiful TWELVE FOOT Menorah. We’ll be giving out light up Chanukah sticks to all the kids (and adults too!) to light up the night as we sing our favorite Chanukah songs and display our huge Jewish pride for all to see!

Once the Menorah is lit we will head indoors to the Black Cap Cafe for a grand Chanukah party. We’ll have all the highlights from years past: crafts, music, games, drinks, chocolate coins and more.

There will be donuts, latkes, spiced apple cider, and new this year: A HOT COCOA BAR- hot cocoa with all the toppings!

Join us for a Potluck with latkes, children's games and

live music by the RJC Klezmer Band!

For more information please contact office@rutlandjewishcenter.org

Music and dancing with Lewis Franco & the Missing Cats, crafts, and dreidel games! Fun for all ages! Potluck: bring your favorite latke, spread or vegetarian dish of choice!

This event is FREE but food donation items appreciated for the food pantry!

Please RSVP

Congregational Hanukkah party, open to everyone, all ages

Join Temple Sinai for a Young Families Hanukkah Party! This festive holiday program is designed to engage young children and their families. Snacks and social time are included!

Join us to celebrate Hanukkah!

Email Aimee Hutton at aimee.hutton@templesinaivt.org for more information.

Register Here