Shul News & Notes
October & November 2026 Programs
The Ritual/Programs Committee is pleased to announce several special programs for October and November. We hope you’ll join us!
Friday Night Oneg Talks
Fridays at 8:30 PM, following services
October 16 — Tom Schlichter
Fall Fishing on the North Fork
October 23 — Alex Wolkoff
How Afraid of AI Do We Need to Be?
October 30 — Rabbi Robert L. Wolkoff
Report from Israel
November 6 — Sonia Spar
How Can We Do Tikkun Olam in Our Community?
Sonia Spar is the 2026 Champion of Diversity for
Suffolk County Legislative District 1.
November 20 — Peggy Lauber
Birds Without Borders
Additional Programs
Wednesday, October 7 at 7:30 PM
Rabbi Robert L. Wolkoff
Poetry, Prayer, and Perspective: Three Years Since October 7
Wednesday, November 4 at 6:00 PM
First Wednesday Pizza & Movie Night
Movie title TBA
Monday, November 9 at 6:00 PM
Rabbi Robert L. Wolkoff
The Hijacking of Kristallnacht
Sunday, November 22 at 11:00 AM
Brunch & Lecture with Rabbi Robert L. Wolkoff
Love, Fear, and Pomegranates: Some Aspects of Biblical Ecology
Judaism A–Z
Interested in hosting a small study session in your home?
Choose a Jewish topic and a time that works for you. Please contact Rabbi Wolkoff if you would like to host.
Click on the calendar below to download a printable October–November 2026 calendar featuring all of our upcoming programs and special events.
Keep it handy as a quick reference throughout the fall.
We look forward to seeing you at these upcoming programs!
New Classes Begin Next Week + Special Oct. 7 Program
We are pleased to announce that Rabbi Robert L. Wolkoff will begin teaching two regular weekly classes starting next week.
Wednesdays at 12 Noon — Parsha and Poetry
Although most of the Torah looks like prose, it is as tightly packed with meaning as poetry. Using the work of modern poets, we will seek to understand the nuances and complexities of the weekly Torah text.
Thursdays at 4:00 PM — Introduction to the Siddur
Our prayer services are among the most consistently attended activities in our community—and the least understood. This class will explore three central questions: Why do we pray? What do we pray? How do we pray? We will look at the meaning, structure, pronunciation, melodies, and ruach of Jewish prayer.
Also This Week
Wednesday, October 7 at 7:30 PM
Poetry, Prayer, and Perspective: 3 Years Since Oct. 7
Please join us for this special evening program
in addition to our new weekly classes.
All programs are hybrid—in person and on Zoom.
We hope you’ll join us for these new opportunities to learn, reflect, and connect.
Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
Services led by our very special guest,
Cantor Shiya Ribowsky
Cantor Ribowsky has served the Jewish community as a cantor for nearly four decades. He is a master of the traditional Ashkenazi cantorial style, which will be featured throughout our upcoming Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah services.
During these services, we will include the special prayer for rain, Geshem, one of our most dramatic liturgical compositions, as well as Yizkor, whose melodies already tug on our heartstrings even when not sung by a master.
And then we have the hakafot, when we circle the sanctuary with the Torah on Simchat Torah.
What a treat to be led by such an artist!
Join Us This Friday Night
Friday evening will also include a special presentation by Rabbi Wolkoff.
For several years, Rabbi Wolkoff has been trying to make sense of the path on which G-d has led him. The result is a spiritual autobiography in which he shares the spiritual lessons he has learned through life experience.
You heard one example on Yom Kippur, when Rabbi Wolkoff shared the spiritual lesson he derived from the death of his mother, z”l.
This Friday night, Rabbi Wolkoff will share another story—the title story from the book:
“The Peculiar Compassion of G-d;
or Why Did G-d Create Sand Gnats?”
Please join us for Friday night services at 7:30 p.m., with Rabbi Wolkoff’s story to follow at approximately 8:30 p.m.
Service Schedule
Friday, October 2 • 7:30 PM
Shabbat and Shemini Atzeret evening service
Followed at approximately 8:30 PM by Rabbi Wolkoff’s special story and reflection
Saturday, October 3 • 9:30 AM
Shabbat and Shemini Atzeret morning service
Including Yizkor and Geshem (Prayer for Rain in Israel)
Saturday, October 3 • 7:30 PM
Simchat Torah evening service and celebration
We hope you will join us for this special weekend of prayer, music, reflection, storytelling, and celebration.
Friday Night Services & a Special Reflection from Rabbi Wolkoff
Join Us This Friday Night
For several years, Rabbi Wolkoff has been trying to make sense of the path on which G-d has led him. The result is a spiritual autobiography in which Rabbi Wolkoff shares the spiritual lessons he has learned through life experience.
You heard one example on Yom Kippur, when Rabbi Wolkoff shared the spiritual lesson he derived from the death of his mother, z”l.
This Friday night, Rabbi Wolkoff will share another story—the title story from the book:
“The Peculiar Compassion of G-d; or Why Did G-d Create Sand Gnats?”
We invite you to join us for Friday night services at 7:30 p.m.,
with Rabbi Wolkoff’s story to follow at approximately 8:30 p.m.
We hope you will join us for this special evening of prayer, reflection, and storytelling.
Sukkot Update: Sukkah Building Canceled — Pizza & Ushpizin Wednesday at 6 PM
With regret, and due to the continued wet weather, we are canceling the sukkah building scheduled for 2:00 p.m. today.
Instead, please join us Wednesday, September 30 at 6:00 p.m. in the CTI Community Room for an evening of pizza and a movie as we gather together for Sukkot.
Pizza & Ushpizin
Wednesday, September 30
6:00 p.m.
CTI Community Room
We’ll enjoy pizza together and watch Ushpizin (The Guests), a warm and engaging film set during Sukkot in Jerusalem.
Get Social