Shul News & Notes
The Book Circle Selection Offers View Of History Through Fiction
The shul’s Book Circle group has chosen My Mother’s Secret: A Novel of the Jewish Autonomous Region by Alina Adams as its October selection, to be discussed on Thursday, Oct. 12, 3:30 p.m., in the shul’s community room.
For this novel, the author has drawn on her own experience as a Jewish refugee from Odessa, USSR, as she provides readers a glimpse into the world’s first Jewish Autonomous Region. The novel is rooted in detailed research about a little known chapter of Soviet and Jewish history.
The Book Circle meets monthly to explore works by Jewish writers and topics meaningful to Jewish readers. For more information, email ctigreenport@gmail.com with a message for Susan Rosenstreich, coordinator of the group.
Shul Offers Membership Windfall For New Families And Individuals
Many people choose to join our shul midway through the year, or even after the High Holidays, which leaves only a few months until dues are due again. Not fair, we said. So here’s the deal: 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, but 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.
The Big Red Barrel Is Back; We Filled It With Cans For CAST
Once again, our shul has responded with enthusiasm to a call for charity, this time a campaign called “Cans For CAST.” We asked all those joining us for Yom Kippur services to bring a can or other nonperishable item, and to deposit the food in the big red barrel stationed at the ramp entry door. And people did, filling the barrel and making it a back-breaker for CAST volunteers to drag it away.
The “Cans For Cast” campaign is based on a worldwide movement to feed the hungry as part of the annual observance of Yom Kippur, often referred to as the “Fast of Isaiah,” the Biblical prophet who said, “And if you spend yourself in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.”
Feeling the effects of hunger on a fast day, worshippers will be reminded of those who struggle to nourish their families.
The barrel will remain in place beyond Yom Kippur and throughout the High Holidays, ending on Oct. 7 with the Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah/Yizkor services, from 9:30-11:30 a.m. in the sanctuary.
In addition to overseeing the shul-inspired “Cans For Cast” campaign, the Tikkun Olam Group continues to maintain beds of vegetables and herbs at Common Ground and donate the harvest to CAST. The shul thanks Veronica Kaliski, Susan Rosenstreich, Madelyn Rothman, and Cookie Slade for their volunteer efforts on behalf of our shul for the benefit of CAST clients.
CAST is currently accepting donations of gently-used fall and winter clothing, and household items. At this time, please no books, CDs, DVDs, board games or puzzles. Hours are M, W, F: 9-12 and 1-4.
Amaya Liuba Rakhman
The Shofar announces with great joy the birth day of Amaya Liuba Rakhman on July 24, 2023, to Joshua and Antonia Rakhman.
Amaya joins her sister Ava, who received her Hebrew name, Chava, in our shul on Oct. 16, 2022.
Josh is our shul’s High Holidays guard, who greets all of us on our way to services. Mazel tov to the Rakhman family.
Friendships And Fun Abound In ‘Joyfully Jewish’ Summer Program
The “Joyfully Jewish” summer program for children ages 5 to 10 wrapped up on Saturday, August 19, the conclusion of a four-session Shabbat morning initiative by Ann Hurwitz, chair of the shul’s Education Committee. In addition to learning about Jewishness, the youngsters made new friends and looked forward to being together on the four Saturday mornings.
Dawn Teyuca, an early childhood educational professional, led the program, which focused on experiences that prepared the children to become active participants in Jewish life — holidays and observances, blessings and prayers, stories, the Hebrew language, and togetherness with other Jewish children here on the North Fork.
Clearly one of the highlights for the children was an invitation to participate in the morning’s Torah Service. When Rabbi Gadi invited the children to the bimah for an Aliyah, it was a race to see who could get there first. Members and guests in the sanctuary enjoyed sharing the children’s enthusiasm. On the bimah, the children clustered around Rabbi Gadi and, with him, recited the blessings before and after the Torah reading.
“Rabbi Gadi, Dawn Teyuca and myself were pleased with the way the program developed and the children’s response to it. We were delighted with the children’s active engagement both in their special space and in the sanctuary,” said Ann Hurwitz.
Parents interested in enrolling their children for next summer’s “Joyfully Jewish” program can email ctigreenport@gmail.com with a message for Ann Hurwitz.
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