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Federation year in review 2024

By Reporter staff

The Jewish Federation of Greater Binghamton held or co-sponsored more than 20 in-person and virtual events during 2024. “This has been another robust year of programming,” said Shelley Hubal, executive director of the Federation. “Events ranged from commemorations of the October 7th tragedy and all that followed, to Holocaust commemorations, security classes, and fun gatherings that I hope brought meaning and joy to the lives of people in our community. We are looking forward to an exciting 2025.” 

  • The Binghamton Jewish Film Fest held a virtual showing of the documentary “The Narrow Bridge.” A discussion of the film was moderated by Dr. Terence M. Keane, Ph.D., director of the Behavioral Science Division of the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, on January 7.
  • The Federation held a virtual gathering on January 14 to commemorate the 100th day of captivity of the hostages taken during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack in Israel.
  • The Federation held a Zoom event “Conversations about the Day After” with David Rittberg, senior director at the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, on January 31. Rittberg discussed life after the October 7 attack on Israel.
  • The Binghamton Jewish Film Fest held a virtual showing of “Our Almost Completely True Love Story.” On February 4, a discussion of the film was moderated by Richard Mattson, an associate professor and director of the undergraduate program in psychology at Binghamton University.
  • The Federation sponsored a community hockey event at a Binghamton Black Bears game on February 24.
  • The Binghamton Jewish Film Fest held a virtual showing of “March’ 68.” A virtual discussion of the film was moderated by Ben Kasper, professor emeritus at SUNY Broome, on March 17. 
  • The Federation held a “Stop the Bleed” and a “Security Update” program on March 27. The program was presented by United Health Services Trauma Services. 
  • The Federation sponsored a two-hour virtual tour of the Auschwitz concentration camp for the sophomore class at Susquehanna Valley High School on April 29. The tour was part of the Federation’s community outreach, which seeks to educate the local community about Judaism, antisemitism and the Holocaust.
  • The Federation held a Yom Hashoah commemoration on May 2. The event was co-sponsored by Beth David Synagogue, Hillel at Binghamton, Temple Israel and Temple Concord. It began with readings of psalms and poems followed by testimony from survivor Samuel (Shmuel) Rind. 
  • The Federation held a Security Tabletop event on May 21.
  • The Federation, in conjunction with the PJ Library and Hillel Academy of Broome County, held a Shabbat in the Park event on June 28 that was open to all families with young children. It included Shabbat refreshments, music and storytelling.
  • The Federation held a vigil/program on August 8. The event started with a vigil featuring area rabbis and the reading of the names of the hostages held by Hamas, and then concluded with a one-hour long presentation by Eitan and Varda Morell, whose son, IDF Staff Sgt. Maoz Morell, was wounded on February 15 while fighting in Gaza and died on February 19 at the age of 22.
  • The Federation held a “Guardian/Greeter Safety Training” on August 27. Mark Henderson, the director of community security for the Jewish Community Federation of Greater Rochester, led the session.
  • The Federation held a Campaign 2025 kick-off event on September 8. The event included a brunch and talk by author Joan Leegant called “Israel’s multi-culture: it’s not just the Ashkenazim and Sephardim anymore – and never was.”
  • The Federation held a memorial service at the Holocaust Memorial Monument in the Temple Israel Cemetery on October 6. More than 30 people attended the event.
  • Federation co-sponsored the annual Pauline and Philip Piaker Memorial Lecture with Chabad Center on October 29 that featured Orit Mark Ettinger, who told her life story and the lessons she’s learned in a presentation titled “Broken Ray of Light; Finding the Light through the Darkness.”
  • The Binghamton Jewish Film Fest held a virtual showing of the film “Martha Liebermann: A Stolen Life.” Andrea Kastner, M.F.A., lecturer in the Department of Art and Design at Binghamton University, moderated a Zoom discussion of the film on November 10.
  • The Federation co-sponsored with local synagogues the Global Day of Jewish Learning event, which was held on November 17.
  • The Binghamton Jewish Film Fest held a virtual showing of the film “All About the Levkoviches.” Bill Simons, Ph.D., professor emeritus of American history at SUNY Oneonta, moderated a Zoom discussion of the film on December 8.
  • The Federation held a PJ Library “Discover Hanukkah” event on December 15 at the Discovery Center.