Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center
—A Synagogue and Center of Excellence

 by Mark Gordon, President
    Dr. Amir Baron, Executive Vice President      
Special to EN&V

As the New Year 5765 is welcomed by Jews around the world, Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center President, Mark Gordon, is looking back and looking forward.  This is “a time to reflect on the past year and review our achievements and accomplishments, and also a time to make resolutions resolving to improve ourselves and to focus on our future goals.”

“The success of the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center is a collective effort of each and every member. They possess the vision and understanding of the need to build a magnificent synagogue and school in this fast growing Jewish community,” said William W. Landa, Chairman of the Board.

As the new academic year started, the Tauber Academy, under the leadership of Miriam Rube, Headmaster, is full to capacity and has gained the finest reputation for their Judaic and secular programs of excellence. Over 350 children from early childhood department to Jr. High are experiencing the beauty of our tradition and heritage and strengthening their Jewish identity. This is our assurance for Jewish continuity, said Dr. Amir Baron, Executive Vice President. Dr. Baron added that “Jewish education is not a luxury item but a necessity as the commandment, and thou shall teach them diligently unto thy children…”Deuteronomy 6:4-9.

Rabbi Barry J. Konovitch, spiritual leader of the Synagogue, explained, “Jewish people consider themselves to be people of the Book, and we always stress the importance of education and building academies of learning. The Shma Yisroel, the reaffirmation of faith of the Jewish people, precedes the Veshinanta levaneha, the commandment to teach the children.”
This year marks an historical milestone in Jewish chronology. In 2004, we celebrate the 60-year anniversary of the liberation of Europe from Nazi Germany’s war against our people. For this reason, the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center is expanding our holocaust memorial, to include new documentation and first-hand video testimonies. We invite all of you to be a part of this great tribute to all the silent heroes who fought so hard to overcome one of humankind’s darkest hours.

This year will also mark the 10th anniversary of the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Those of us who had the privilege to meet him or to observe his rise to power knew then and there that we were witnesses to greatness and to history. As a result of his efforts and to honor his legacy of peace, we at the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center stand shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters in Israel. We do so by ensuring that the twin pillars of continuity and affiliation are strengthened, by providing a world-class facility to our members. Also, many members of our Center are deeply involved with organizations such as, Greater Miami Jewish Federation/UJA, Israel Bonds, Jewish National Fund, ADL, and AIPAC, to name a few.

In this New Year, the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center is once again enhancing the community experience by bringing to Aventura giants in culture, politics and the arts.  This winter we are proud to welcome back our good friend the Honorable Shimon Peres. Also joining us will be Prof. Alan Dershowitz from Harvard Law School and author of the The Case for Israel. From Israel, we will welcome Foreign Minister Sylvan Shalom in his first visit to Aventura, as well as Ambassador Alon Pinkus.

For those of you who have not visited our synagogue and our memorial, we invite you to do so. Our door is always open to the community. To those of you who are members, we look forward to seeing you very soon. Finally, it is important to remember that our numbers do matter, for as American Jews, we play a unique role in ensuring that to the rest of the world…Israel will always stand as a beacon of freedom and democracy in a region where the opposite is true.

To become a part of the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center family, contact the Synagogue office at 305-935-0666.  For information on the Tauber School, contact the school at 305-931-0010.
 
 
 
PHOTO IDS
 
1. Rabbi Barry J. Konovitch and Cantor Moshe Schulhof
2. Stained glass window, depicting To Life for Peace, dedicated by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Haime
3.  Book fair at the Tauber Academy with President Amy Chafetz and students
4. Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center
5. The Honorable Shimon Peres presents the Leadership Award / The Guardian of Israel to Mr. Mark Gordon, President of the synagogue
6. Mayor Jeffrey Perlow, Chairman of the School Board, Rabbi Konovitch and students with the Shofar