VCJC News & Notes 9/24/2026

Van Cortlandt Jewish Center

News and Notes

Here's this week's edition of the VCJC News and Notes email. We hope you enjoy it and find it useful!

May you be inscribed in the book of life

Shabbos & Sukkot schedule

Shabbos information is, as always, available on our website, both in the information sidebar and the events calendar.

Here are the times you need:  

Shabbos candles Friday 9/25/26 @ 6:29 pm

Mincha/Mariv Friday 9/25/26 @ 6:35 pm

Shabbos morning / Sukkot day 1 services 9/26/26 8:40 pm

Mincha/Mariv 9/26/26 6:20 pm

Candle lighting 9/26/26 after @ 7:31 pm

Sukkot – Day 2 Shacharit 9/27/26 8:40 am

Sukkot – Day 2 – Mincha/Maariv 9/27/26 6:35 pm

Yom Tov ends 7:29 pm

If you require an aliyah or would like to lead services, read from the torah or haftorah, please speak to one of the gabbaim.

Shabbos parsha

Parashat Sukkot

This week’s Torah portion is Parashat Sukkot (read on 26 September 2026).

Sukkot (Hebrew: סוכות, sukkot, also called the Feast of Tabernacles or Feast of Booths) is a Biblical holiday beginning on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei (late September to late October). It is one of the three Pilgrimage Festivals (Shalosh Regalim) on which Jews were commanded to make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem. The holiday commemorates both the autumn harvest season and the Israelites’ forty-year journey through the desert after the Exodus from Egypt. Modern observances include festive meals in a sukkah (a temporary booth) and rituals with the four species: palm, myrtle, willow, and etrog.

Celebrate Sukkot with the Van Cortlandt Jewish Center

- Dinner in the Sukkah on September 30

Enjoy a Kosher Chinese buffet dinner with your fellow community members

Weds., September 30th 6:30PM

Rain Date: Thurs., October 1st 6:30PM

In the Van Cortlandt Jewish Center Sukkah

3880 Sedgwick Ave

Bronx, NY 10463

$20.00 per Person

$30.00 to be a Sponsor

Reminders and Announcements

Yizkor donations

It is customary to make a charitable donation in conjunction with Yizkor.  If you wish to donate to VCJC as part of your Yizkor observance this past Yom Kippur, it can be done in person at the office, by check, or online through our website

• The Van Cortlandt Jewish Center Jewish History Book Club

  
  

  We are excited to announce the formation of the Van Cortlandt Jewish Center Jewish History Book Club. 

  Are you Interested in reading books on Jewish history and discussing them with fellow members of your community?
  For more information, or if you have already heard enough and want to join, visit the office during regular hours or call 718-884-6105 or email educationcommittee@vcjewishcenter.org

  
  

• Save the date: Kristallnacht observance and lecture, Sunday Nov. 8

  
  

  The Van Cortlandt Jewish Center will be holding its annual Kristallnacht Commemoration Program with speaker Larry Hartstein.  More info to follow. 
  
  

• 10 minutes of learning a day

  
  

  
  

  Free Online Video Classes on the Talmud: 10 Minutes a day brought to you by the Orthodox Union. Get a background lesson on the entire Talmud in 40 weeks. No Hebrew knowledge required. Click on the Link Below for more information.

  https://talmuddaily.org/?utm_source=ou&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=launch26&utm_content=full-list

  
  

• What works for you?
  Please Help Us Plan for Events
  We have created a survey, the Van Cortlandt Jewish Center Community Event Planning Survey, to help us set the direction for our activities.  We’d really appreciate your taking a few minutes to fill it in. Here’s the link: SURVEY
  
  

• The VCJC Chavurah
  The VCJC Chavurah meets every Tuesday Night at 7:30 PM.  All are welcome to join us as we continue to learn together.

  No cost to attend and no prior experience is needed.

  If you are interested in learning torah with a group of fellow members of your community, but want more details, contact the VCJC office at 718-884-6105 or info@vcjewishcenter.org, or speak to Stuart Harris or Matthew Hartstein after davening on Shabbat morning.
  
  

• VCJC Merch!

  We now have merchandise available with the VCJC logo and, in some cases, sayings.  We have shirts, hats, mugs, refrigerator magnets, and tote bags. These are provided through a Print On Demand (POD) model - so you pick what you like and order it.  It is then made to order and shipped directly to you.
  You can see an overview and some additional information on our VCJC Shop page.  You can go directly to the store itself to see all the things available, select sizes and colors, and get ready to flaunt your association with VCJC.

  
  

• VCJC is now active on social media - follow us!
  We have launched both a Facebook page and an Instagram page.  Both have a nice amount of content already and we are planning both regular posts and a greater variety going forward.  Please take a look and follow us! Links are below.

  
  

• You can do it! Give VCJC a boost!  Leave a (positive) review for us on Google
  -->You can do this!  We know you can! YES, YOU!

  The VCJC is working to build and grow for its next century in Van Cortlandt Village.  If you have had a good experience with us or recognize our value to the community, please consider telling the world about it.  Go to our Google Business Profile and leave a review.  Thanks!  

Please help with information about buildings

As part of rebuilding the membership and congregation, the Board of Trustees would like your help. There are a lot of either new or renovated buildings being put up in our catchment area. We would like to seek the cooperation of the owners / developers of those properties in publicizing these opportunities to live near an orthodox synagogue.  If you are aware of any of these buildings, please provide what information you can about them.  This could include the address, any contact information that might be posted, and any information about the building itself (size, type, etc.). Additionally, if you are aware of vacancies in existing buildings or of houses for sale, please let us know about that as well.

Our mailing address is:
Van Cortlandt Jewish Center
3880 Sedgwick Ave
Bronx, NY 10463