Chailites 1/12/2022 - MLK Shabbat Shirah, Tu B'Shevat Seder, Volunteers Needed, and more!

CHAILITES

January 12, 2022

TBC Events Through January 20, 2022 - Virtual Only

Friday, January 14, 7:30 pm - MLK Shabbat Shirah Click here for zoom link
Saturday, January 15, 9:30 am - Torah Study Click here for zoom link
Sunday, January 16 - No Religious School
Sunday, January 16, 5:45 pm - Sisterhood Women's Tu B'shevat Sponsored with Hadassah Click here for zoom link
Wednesday, January 19, 4:30 pm - Hebrew School Click here for zoom link

COVID-19 Protocols

TBC's building is currently closed for all in person events, including services, meetings and religious school until January 29. During this period, we will continue to evaluate COVID infection rates and make any necessary adjustments. All events will take place remotely via Zoom.

Once we are back in person, we will require proof of full vaccination* for anyone entering the building. Proof of vaccination in the form of a photo or scanned copy of your vaccination card should be sent to Denise in the Temple office at officeadmin@templebnaichaim.org ASAP.

*Full vaccination is defined as follows:

Age 18 and older, two Pfizer/Moderna vaccines plus booster six months after second vaccine; or one J&J vaccine plus booster 2 months after J&J vaccine
Age 12 to 17, two vaccines
Age 5 to 11, at least one vaccine
The only exception is if an individual is medically unable to get vaccinated. In that case, a doctor’s note will be required.

Many synagogues in our area have adopted similar protocols. Like us, their primary objective is to ensure the health and safety of our communities.

We will continue to watch the infection rate closely and will keep you apprised of any changes. We thank you for your cooperation.

MLK Shabbat Shirah, Friday 7:30 pm

Join us Friday on Zoom to welcome Shabbat together as we honor the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and observe Shabbat Shira with the music of Debbie Friedman and Torah chanting from ‘Song of the Sea!’ Click here to register!!

Torah Study

Saturday, January 15 - 9:30 am (Zoom)

Our focus for the coming weeks will be Pirkei Avot, commonly translated as, the “Chapters of the Fathers” or “Ethics of the Fathers.”

For our study, we will use, Pirkei Avot: A Social Justice Commentary by Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz. The book is available to purchase from the CCAR Press Click here or from Amazon Click here.

We continue this week with Chapter 1 over Zoom. Click here for the Zoom link.

No prior knowledge of Pirkei Avot is required. Feel free to attend every session or drop in when you can!

Tu B’Shevat Seder

Sunday, January 16th, 5:45-7:30 PM

Zoom in for our Reading of the Haggadah, Music,

and Good Company

Please join the women of Norwalk Hadassah and Temple B’nai Chaim Sisterhood for our annual celebration of nature and our environment. Tu B’Shevat commemorates the “New Year for the Trees.” In the spirit of this holiday, the seder is a call to action; it is a celebration of our relationship with nature, a time of education and reflection, and an opportunity to look at our impact on the world around us and change the way we interact with our environment during the coming year.

Please RSVP by Wednesday, January 12th, to: Wendy Engel (wjengel2@optimum.net) or Sharon Sobel (ssobel@hadassah.org)

We will e-mail a copy of the Tu B’Shevat Haggadah to you, a list of the various fruits and nuts that are eaten during the service, and a recipe for a ”Seven Species” Tu B’Shevat salad. When you RSVP, please let us know if you would like to have a reading part during the Seder.

Other necessities for the service include:

Wine or grape juice - four cups, going from all white to all red
A bowl of water and towel for hand-washing
A spice assortment or scented fruit for Havdallah

ZOOM INFORMATION:

Click Here

or enter:

Meeting ID: 835 7131 2631

Passcode: 289695

Dial-In: +1 646 558 8656

(same meeting ID and password)

PANTRY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Daily Bread Food Pantry in Danbury is looking for several caring, strong volunteers to commit to a regular gig helping our team of good-natured heavy-lifters to off-load the food bank truck. The truck brings hundreds of pounds of food twice-weekly to DBFP’s doorstep.

Volunteers are urgently needed: Mondays 9:00 am – 10:30 am OR Wednesdays 9:00 am – 10:30 am…of course we would not turn away anyone who wants to work both days!

This role has become increasingly important since the pantry’s customer base has ballooned during COVID. As a team member you will become an integral part of our dedicated, growing ranks of volunteers and will make a significant difference in the lives of our neighbors in need.

Check out the pantry’s website - https://www.dailybreadfoodpantry.com - and please reach out to Debbie Landzberg if interested or if you have any questions: dlandzberg@gmail.com or 914-548-4700.

Temple B'nai Chaim

Special Congregational Meeting

January 23, 2022, 12:30 pm via Zoom

A Special Congregational Meeting will take place on Sunday, January 23, 2022 at 12:30 pm on Zoom to vote on the extension of Cantor Dunkerley's contract.

To join this meeting you will need to register on ZOOM!

This meeting will be followed by a report on the results of the survey we conducted this past Spring, presented by Bernard Whitman, founder and owner of Whitman Insight Strategies.

This is your opportunity to participate in framing TBC's future, so we urge you to attend.

A quorum of member families is required to conduct TBC business. Attendance will be taken on Zoom.

**Please make every effort to attend and participate in these critical conversations.**

Business Meeting

· Vote on the Board's recommendation to extend Cantor Dunkerley's contract

To submit your vote:

An electronic poll will open displaying the choices available
Each family has 1 vote - you will be able to make your choice and then submit. Once the vote is entered, the system will not allow you to change it or submit a second vote.
Voting will remain open throughout the call and will also remain open via email to susancfarber3@gmail.com for 15 days for us to conduct official TBC business (per the bylaws)

As the meeting will be conducted on Zoom, please use the chat function during the meeting to ask questions and we will address them within allotted discussions.

TBC Film Club

January 26, 2022 @ 7:30 pm

The next movie for the TBC Film Club is "Crescendo". When world-famous conductor Eduard Sporck (Peter Simonischek, Toni Erdmann) accepts a job to establish an Israeli-Palestinian youth orchestra, he is quickly drawn into a tempest of unsolvable problems. Having grown up in a state of war, suppression or constant risk of terrorist attacks, the young musicians from both sides are far from able to form a team. Lined up behind the two best violinists - the emancipated Palestinian Layla and the handsome Israeli Ron - form two parties who deeply mistrust each other, on and off-stage. Will Sporck succeed and make the young people forget their hatred?!

We will meet via Zoom on Wednesday, January 26 at 7:30 pm. The movie is available on Kanopy.com (click here). You can sign up for Kanopy using your library card. If you have any questions about this format please email riahmiller@hotmail.com.

Mazal Tov to Murray Siegel on the HUGE Mitzvah he did with his Bar Mitzvah, Mitzvah Project!

Murray's project was a tremendous success thanks to all who so generously donated either hats and gloves or funds to buy hats, gloves and a few warm coats! The proof is in the pictures!

On January 5th, a day TBC took care of the Dorothy Day Hospitality House aka Danbury Soup Kitchen, guests received a warm meal along with a hat and gloves. Guests will continue to receive them throughout the month of January. Thanks to Murray's project, $1030 worth of hats and gloves were purchased - on sale - so that is A LOT of gloves and hats!! Plus, there was a big collection at TBC where numerous items were donated! Murray and his family did a fabulous job taking care of all the details needed to make this happen. They had a plan for collection, distribution and for getting the word out - all of which were excellent. Murray, his family and all those who donated to this project made the world a better place - true Tikun Olam!!! The community THANKS you!

If you would still like to contribute, please click here for more information on how to donate! click here

In this issue of Chailites we thank the following individuals who generously contributed to TBC during December 2021. To everyone who has supported TBC, we offer you our most sincere thanks and heartfelt gratitude.

ARZA Dues

Stacy and Marc Barenberg

Operating Fund

Barbara Dobbin

Donation General

Network for Good: facebook fundraiser donation

PTO Donations

Stacy and Marc Barenberg

Sisterhood Donation

Peggy and Steven

Tzedakah Fund

Melinda and Don Weber

Tzedakah School Fund

TBC Religious School Students raised a total of $126.87, which was donated to various charities.

URJ Appeal

Stacy and Marc Barenberg

Chesed Fund

Michele and Judson Scruton

Sisterhood Fund

Michele and Judson Scruton

Sisterhood Honey

Peggy and Steven Zamore

Tzedakah Card Fund

Jane & Moses Alexander

Michele and Judson Scruton

Have You Ever Wanted To Learn How to Lead a Friday Night Service???

We are in need of several volunteers who would like to work with Cantor Harriet to learn how to lead a Friday night Shabbat Service! Prior experience with Hebrew or service leading is not required!

Families and friends are encouraged to learn and lead together. Practice services with the Cantor are part of the training!! Contact Cantor Harriet for more information.

The Weekly Torah Portion

B'shalach

Now When [Pharaoh] Let [the People] Go

Exodus 13:17−17:16

The Children of Israel escape across the Sea of Reeds from Pharaoh and his army, who drown when God drives back the sea. (13:17-14:31)
Moses and the Israelites sing a song praising Adonai. (15:1-21)
In the wilderness, God provides the grumbling Israelites with quails and manna. God instructs the Israelites to gather and prepare on the sixth day food needed for Shabbat. (15:22-16:36)
The people complain about the lack of water. Moses hits a rock with his rod and brings forth water. (17:1-7)
Israel defeats Amalek, Israel's eternal enemy. God vows to blot out the memory of Amalek from the world. (17:8-16) Click here to learn more .

Parkinson's Education Series for Those With Early Onset Parkinson's and Their Caregivers

Jewish Senior Services is offering a free educational series for those newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s and their caregivers with a focus on the stages of the disease and how to maintain safe mobility and minimize functional decline. This program is supported by a community grant from the Parkinson’s Foundation. Saturdays, January 15, 22, 29 & February 5 & 12, 10:00 am –11:30 am. In-person and Zoom attendance options are available. Please arrive 15 minutes early for the first session to fill out a questionnaire.

All classes take place at: Jewish Senior Services, Grasmere Adult Day Program, 4200 Park Avenue, Bridgeport, CT Park in the back of the building and enter through the Community Services entrance. If you are attending virtually, a Zoom link will be emailed to you prior to the sessions’ start times.

RSVP TO MARY AT MPRUZINSKY@JSENIORS.ORG OR 203-365-6474 BY JANUARY 10

Virtual Parenting Event with Dr. Harold Koplewicz

January 18, 7:30 pm

Federation for Jewish Philanthropy of Upper Fairfield County in partnership with Schoke Jewish Family Service is excited to announce a virtual parenting event with Dr. Harold Koplewicz in conversation with Dr. Gwen Lopez-Cohen, January 18, 2022, at 7:30 pm.

Harold Koplewicz, a world-renowned child psychiatrist and founding member of the non-profit Child Mind Institute, will discuss his new book The Scaffold Effect. Cl ick here to register.

Holocaust Remembrance Day

Holocaust and the Journey of the

Soul

January 27th @ 8:00 pm

Click here for more Information and Tickets

Virtual Upcoming Events and Save the Dates!

January 23, 11:45 am - TBC Teens Via Zoom
January 23, 12:30 pm - Special Congregational Meeting
January 26, 7:30 pm - TBC Film Club
January 30, 11:45 pm - B'nai Mitzvah Seminar
February 1, 7:30 pm - Adult Education Program - Searching for my Grandfather, I Found Myself
February 2, 2:00 pm – Dorothy Day Hospitality House - Grab & Go

See the TBC Calendar for more upcoming events.

✓ Check out the TBC Event Planning Guidelines

Yahrzeits, January 14 - 20

Zeicher tzaddik livrachah!

Friday, January 14

Mercedes Lopez grandmother of Brett Harrison

Saturday, January 15

Michael Ginson father of Louise Shames

David M. Gordon father of Todd Gordon

Leo Mellon father of Marc Mellon

David Shames father of Erv Shames

Sunday, January 16

Dr. Samuel Shauer father of Marlene Serby

Tuesday, January 18

Freda Leuin Ruben mother of Richard Ruben

Thursday, January 20

Clara Robbins grandmother of Russell Robbins

Harold P. Weber father of Donald Weber

It is traditional to light a memorial candle at home on the eve of the yahrzeit. You may also find it meaningful while kindling the yahrzeit candle to offer prayers of remembrance or reflect on your loved one’s life. Many also choose this time to make monetary donations in memory of loved ones.