Shul News & Notes
Attention Amazon Shoppers: You Buy, The Shul Benefits
We’ve all heard of Amazon.com, and probably most of us, at one time or another, have shopped its thousands of products and connected with the conglomerate’s many hundreds of affiliate members. But buried inside all those big numbers is a small idea that can make a difference — yes, a little difference — but remember: Mighty oaks from little acorns grow.
Here’s how it works: Congregation Tifereth Israel is now registered as a charity with an Amazon program called AmazonSmile, meaning that Amazon will donate 0.5% (half a percent) of the price of eligible purchases to the charity of your choice. If you would like to select our shul as your charity of choice (and we certainly hope you will), the shul will benefit — by a little bit — from your purchase. The Shofar is not recommending that you shop at Amazon, but should you choose to do so, and should you choose our shul as a charity within the AmazonSmile program, your purchase could be one of those little acorns from which mighty oaks grow.
Visit https://smile.amazon.com/ch/11-3192561
Agree to support Congregation Tifereth Israel
Shop as usual
The AmazonSmile program was suggested by Adrianne Greenberg and put into operation by the shul’s Fundraising Committee, which thanks readers for considering this opportunity to help our shul at no additional cost to them.
CAST, The Shul’s Designated Charity, Needs School Supplies
Shul members responded generously to the CAST (Community Action Southold Town) request a few months ago for personal items, including infant and child necessities. Many thanks to all who participated.
Now, the need is for school supplies, especially backpacks for our local kids. And to fill those backpacks, CAST is suggesting donations of calculators, colored pencils, composition books, crayons, dividers, dry erase markers, erasers, folders, glue/glue sticks, graph paper, highlighters, index cards, loose leaf binders/paper, markers, paperclips, pencil boxes/cases, pencil sharpeners, pencils, pens, post-its, protractors, rulers, scissors, spiral notebooks and USB flash drives.
Because our shul is currently closed, you can deliver your donations to the CAST office at 316 Front Street, Greenport, or any of the following locations: local libraries, local banks, Mullen Motors, Fitness Advantage, The Giving Room, Greenport Harbor Brewing Co., Southold Town Hall, Staples. Be sure to call before delivering as hours are irregular, and closings are possible.
CAST’s School Supply Drive ends on August 19. Thank you for participating.
Book Circle Selection Traces A Family of Sephardic Jews
The August meeting of the Book Circle will take place on Wednesday, the 19th, at noon, on Zoom. The novel selected, Family Papers: A Sephardic Journey Through the 20th Century, by Sarah Abrevaya Stein, documents a family’s history through the letters that kept them connected.
The work was named one of the best books of 2019 by The Economist, a New York Times Book Review editors’ choice, and a National Jewish Book Award finalist. The prizewinning Sephardic historian Sarah Abrevaya Stein uses the family’s correspondence to tell the story of their journey across the arc of a century and the breadth of the globe. They wrote because they were family, held together by the papers.
The Book Circle meets each month to explore books on Jewish themes and Jewish writers. For more information, call the shul at 631-477-0232 and leave a message for Susan Rosenstreich, coordinator of the group.
Shul Members Respond Generously To 2020 Virtual Journal
When the idea of a virtual journal was first proposed by the shul’s Fundraising Committee, lively debate gave the committee pause. Should we? Shouldn’t we? Would members and friends and our cadre of commercial advertisers support it?
The committee needn’t have worried. The 2020 Virtual Journal is a resounding success, as all will see when it is posted online early in August. The Shofar has learned that advertisers were enthusiastic about the benefits package that accompanied inclusion in the journal, including postings on Facebook, Instagram, and a year-long presence on a Shofar list of supporters. Other incentives that motivated advertisers, members and friends is the reach of a virtual publication, which is far beyond that of a print publication. Reach, after all, is free — with no production costs — and also virtually unlimited as it travels across the globe.
If readers have missed the deadline yet still want to be included, The Shofar was assured that late-arriving ads could be inserted within the pages of the journal, to enjoy the benefits of participation for the remainder of the online run. Those interested in adding their voices to the 2020 Virtual Journal can respond to adsforctijournal@gmail.com.
Can You Help Spread Ground Cover At Andrew Levin Park?
Shul members Tom Byrne, Adrianne Greenberg and Veronica Kaliski have been carrying on Sy Brittman’s work at Andrew Levin Park, and the results are stunning, as a meandering stroll through the park will attest. In fact, as we seek out ways to lift our spirits during the Covid crisis, you might consider a visit to the park a mental health break.
Now comes this request from the green thumbers: ground cover. Perhaps you have some areas on your own property dense with ivy or pachysandra or mazus. How about thinning your crop a bit and donating the harvest to the park. Sure, the planters could purchase ground cover, but your contributions will save money and provide the satisfaction that you’ve donated to a beautiful project.
Those with ground cover to spare can call the shul at 631-477-0232, and leave a message for Adrianne or Veronica.