• JCC Maccabi ArtsFest Host Families Needed
• New Orleans only Jewish day school is holding a post katrina fundraiser to help keep its doors open
• Jan 23-Feb 27 - The Keep the Day Job Jewish Jam Band (KDJJJB)
• Feb 17 - Zehava Friedman YESHIVA DAY
• Feb 17 - An evening of Sephardic Films - Three Sephardic films from the renowned Maa’le film school
• Feb 17-18 - Presidents Day Study Retreat
• Luxury Passover in Exotic China
• Jewish Chauffeur Company in the United Kingdom
• Lisa Gershowitz Flynn, has leukemia and Needs Your Help

Dear Friends in the Jewish Community,

My co-Chair, Enid Leiss and I are delighted to have been asked to Co-chair the Housing committeee for the

We have the large task of finding about 175 homes for 250 teens from Israel, Russia and all over the United States while they are at George Mason University in Fairfax Virginia for the festival. We cannot do this without your help!

The teen artists will learn from adult Artists-in-Residents for a week. Areas covered will include: Rock band, graphic design, dance, voice, poetry writing, etc. It's a fantastic opportunity for Jewish artisitic teens as the event has been modeled upon the very popular JCC Maccabi Games.

Enid and I have created the following guidelines for those who are interested in hosting. There will be mandatory host family orientations at the JCCNV on JUNE 2 and MAY 18 from 7:30-9 pm.

As soon as our registration site goes "live" in mid-February you will be able to register yourself as a housing volunteer. Thanks again for helping make this JCC Maccabi ARTSFEST 2008 the best EVER!

Sarah Schultz and Enid Liess
Housing Co-Chairs

*Before JCC Maccabi ArtsFest ***

Before ArtsFest begins, you will receive a printout with the name and delegation of each of your artists. Please understand that we have been as attentive as possible to special requests when matching Host Families to artists. When you receive the names of your visiting artists, you will need to call your guests and welcome them in advance. You might want to inquire about favorite foods, dietary restrictions, specific medical information and anything else that will help make their stay more enjoyable.

*Sleeping Accommodations ***

Our wonderful teens travel in pairs into a home together. We do guarantee that you will have teens of the same sex staying in your home. Artists/teens are expecting “reasonable” sleeping accommodations, meaning a separate sleeping space for each artist (i.e. separate bed, cot or air mattress). Artists cannot share a bed. If you have a question regarding your sleeping accommodations, please call e-mail either of us.

*Host Family Night ***

Our artists come from all over the country and world. On Host Family Night, you can help us show off all that is great about our area. Whether it’s a night out on the town, or spending time with you and your family at home or together with another Host Family...you can’t go wrong. But if you’re looking for ideas here are a few:

• Dinner at your home or out at a restaurant of your artists’ favorite cuisine.
  
  
• A “block” party with other host families.
  
  
• Go bowling, play miniature golf or stay home and rent a movie.
  
  
• Remember, artists must be under your supervision on this evening.
  

*Meals ***

You will be responsible for the following meals:

• *Breakfast *on Monday - Friday.
  
  
• *Dinner *on Sunday prior to Opening Ceremonies and Monday for Host Family Night.
  
  
• ***All lunches and other dinners are provided by JCC Maccabi ArtsFest. *
  

JCC Maccabi ArtsFest also provide snacks for the artists. Most likely, artists will want snacks upon their arrival back at your home after the evening events. Pretzels, fruit, cheese, cereal, etc. will be fine.

*Driving ***

• You are welcome to carpool with other Host Families to get the artists to/from pick up or drop-off points. Please make sure that the number of passengers does not exceed the number of seatbelts. *Drivers of carpools must be credentialed and 21 years of age or older. *
  
  
• *No *visiting artists may drive during the week of JCC Maccabi ArtsFest, regardless of whether or not they have a driver’s license. *NO EXCEPTIONS! *
  
  
• Even if you have a child in JCC Maccabi ArtsFest of driving age, you may not permit visiting artists to ride in a car driven by your child.
  

Register as a Host Family Volunteer

www.artsfestfairfax.com/host_families.php
To become a host family volunteer, please contact:
Karen Stern • KarenS@jccnv.org • (703) 537-3029

For general inquiries, contact:
Aliza Bear, ArtsFest Fairfax Director • AlizaB@jccnv.org • (703) 537-3033

Please browse our website at www.jewtodo.com where you can purchase raffle tickets and win really cool prizes, and you'll be helping our students keep their school open.After katrina only 8,000 Jewish family's returned out of 15,000, therefore we are asking for any help we can get from every Jewish community nation wide. Thank you in advance and please pass this email on to others.

Al Schwarzenberg
New Orleans, Louisiana
(formally Rockville, MD)