Shul News & Notes
Shul’s Membership Windfall For New Families/Individuals Continues
Many people choose to join our shul after the High Holidays. As an incentive to join now, the shul is making the following offer: Any individual or family joining between now and the end of the year will pay the new rate — $1,000 for families; $650 for individuals — for the remainder of this year, and will be paid-up members through 2024. In other words, pay dues for 12 months and get up to 17.
Interested? Know people interested? Email Sara Bloom at citigreenport@gmail.com.
Edible East End Magazine Gets Wind Of 300-400 Latkes. It’s A Story.
It didn’t take long for Edible East End Magazine to jump on the story as soon as the editors heard that our own Deborah Pittorino was going to provide 300-400 latkes for the shul’s Hanukkah party on Dec. 10. Before you could say “eggs and potatoes, please,” the magazine had set up a photo session at our shul, where the rabbi, the president, the writer and the photographer all pitched in to help Deborah turn out a sample batch of latkes so the feature story, fully illustrated, could appear in December’s holiday issue.
Turns out Rabbi Gadi is a champ potato grater, and the prez knows her way around cracking eggs without dropping bits of shell into the batter. As for the writer and photographer, they too were pressed into service between interviewing and snapping shots of the action. Chef Deborah was the chief fryer.
The result? Well, once the photos were taken, the workers got to dine on the products of their labors, topped with sour cream, thoughtfully purchased for the occasion by the chef, and applesauce cooked up by the chef the night before. In fact, what might have turned out to be a Bud vs. Bud Light-type of contest was actually won by combining the two toppings — a dab of sour cream crowned with applesauce.
How you choose to sauce your latkes at the Dec. 10 Hanukkah event is up to you, of course, but you can take it from this writer, the combo is mighty good.
Question: How will Deborah will turn out 300-400 latkes? Answer: Lots of help — from CAST clients, who are learning how to use veggies and ingredients unfamiliar to them, like celeriac and sweet potatoes and some other secret ingredients Deborah slips into her latke batter. So a few days before our Hanukkah event, the shul kitchen will be humming with activity, and all of us can indulge in the tasty results — and all the fun plans — to come at the event.
See you there. SMBloom photos
Plans Underway For Annual Shul Hanukkah Party On Sunday, Dec. 10 It Ain’t Just Latkes…
The annual shul Hanukkah party is jam-packed with fun stuff to see, to do and, of course, to eat. Let’s get to the major question right here at the get-go: Will there be latkes? You bet. Chef Deborah Pittorino has promised 300-400 latkes for the party. And that ain’t all.
Also on the menu: jelly-filled doughnuts (sufganiot), hot cider, coffee, tea and cold drinks, plus applesauce and sour cream for the latkes.
What else? Thanks to the hard work of Madelyn Rothman, Roberta Garris and Nina Neimark, we will have a Silent Auction — a hybrid event for the first time (if we can get the technology right) with a whole roster of new offerings that include some “life experiences” that you can share with friends. No hints. Everybody will get the news at the same time to keep the bidding fair. More information to come — when the Silent Auction will launch and how it will work.
And there’s more… You may have heard rumors about a film — a short presentation about the history and current activities at our shul, presented by members of the congregation. Alley Leinwebber of Brightwood Productions has interviewed our people, and is in the process of editing the material before the final cut is made. The big news is that Alley is planning to have the short film ready for viewing at the Hanukkah event. We’ll lower the screen in the community room, and cheer on our film stars as they talk about the shul. No hints. Come and see.
Of course, it all starts at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10, in Mitchell Park, when we will light the public menorah, recite the traditional prayers and sing the traditional songs before heading back to the shul and the hundreds of hot latkes — plus schmoozing, holiday music, and all of the above — awaiting our arrival.
Wow! How’s that for a fun-filled night? Told ya. It ain’t just latkes.
And by the way…
Get your Hanukkah goodies at the shul’s Gift Shop — menorah, candles, choco coins, dreidels — plus, of course, items for home and for giving. Email ctigreenport@gmail.com with a message for Sara Bloom.
High Holiday Matching Gift Campaign 2023 Seeks 100% Participation
A Message From The Fundraising Chairperson
“Have you given?”
Your donation to our 2023 High Holiday Gift Campaign suddenly takes on an urgency amid global implications that we could not have imagined in past years. Strengthening the infrastructure of Jewish institutions and the hallmarks of Jewish life, means securing our own Jewish community on the east end of Long Island.
We need you to make that happen. If you have not yet given, remember that our Leadership Donors have already given almost 20% more than last year, making it possible for us to match your gift 2:1.
Please reach deeper. Consider the possibilities…and donate now.
To Build a Sukkah Takes Many Hands And Handfuls Of Moral Support
The prayer books hardly had been collected and stored away for next year’s High Holiday services when Adrianne Greenberg called together the volunteer builders. On a spring-like afternoon, the crew hauled the components up the stairs from the basement and spread them out on the lawn in Andrew Levin Park. It was time for the annual building of the Sukkah. Mark Solomon drew the plan, the boys figured out which pieces went where, and some of the crew provided moral support — and treats from the kitchen. Thanks to Madelyn and Ron Rothman, Nancy and Dan Torchio, Liz and Bill Adams, Rabbi Gadi, Sara Bloom, Mark, Adrianne, and Dawn Teyuca who decorated — for a job well done.
And then came the rain. And more rain. Until finally on Sunday, Oct. 1, there was sun, and the Sukkah had dried out sufficiently so that folks arriving could shake the lulav and etrog, and enjoy a delightful lunch in the Sukkah. Perfect.
And on Oct. 11, they took it all down, and stored it carefully, ready for Sukkot 5785.
Photos by Liz Adams, Sara Bloom, and Mark Solomon
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