October 2023

Fellow Congregants,

The High Holidays are behind us, and the new year has begun.  We are starting off with a packed schedule for October:  We have our annual Sukkah Hop and Pizza in the Hut for Sukkot. We’ll be dancing with our Sefer Torahs on both the evening and morning of Simchat Torah.  Adults and children will both have fun at Game Night. We’ve got Israeli Dance and Mah Jongg classes starting up. Our families are going to the Turtleback Zoo to “pack the ark” for parashat Noah.  We’ve got the Rabbi’s Torah class and “Ripped from the Headlines” discussions.  We’ve got the Women’s Jewish Journey Group.  We’ve got a special kiddush to honor the people that volunteered their time to help at the High Holidays and throughout the past year. And we’ve got services for Shabbat, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah.

The program we’re most excited about is our new Family Friday Night Experience. It aims to be a fun, accessible Jewish experience for the whole family (you don’t need to have kids to join us, and non-Jewish spouses are welcome). We will start with a 30-minute Kabbalat Shabbat service, including some prayers in English. We’ll be using a special translated and transliterated siddur, so that everyone can follow along. After services, we’ll have dinner together, with some rituals and songs. We think that this will be inspiring, educational and enjoyable experience for all ages.    

The Family Friday Night Experience will happen at 6pm on the second Friday of every month (except this November, and in summer months when we have Shabbat on the Beach).  The first one is on October 13^th.   Please join us and encourage your friends and family members to try it out.

As Bernie mentioned in his Rosh Hashannah speech, we need each of you to come out to our events to be the seed that helps us grow. Please pick at least one thing from our packed calendar and join us!

We also ask that you help keep us financially stable. If you can, please increase your Commitment pledge this year. Inflation is eating away at our reserves, and we need your help to sustain our upward trajectory. If you’ve already returned your Commitment card, we ask that you please fulfill your pledge as early as possible, so that we have the funds available as expenses arise.

If you are interested in being a sponsor for any of our programs (including our new Family Friday Night Experience), please let the office know.

Chag Sameach!

Co-Presidents Bernie Rosenfeld & Howard Sislin

As always, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected], or leave a message for us with the office, and we will call you back.