CHAILITES

January 31, 2024

" Thou shalt not be a victim, thou shalt not be a perpetrator, but above all, thou shalt not be a bystander.” (Yehuda Bauer)

UPCOMING EVENTS!



Friday, January 26, 8:00 am - Daily Bread Food Pantry (to volunteer, contact Jane Alexander)


Friday, February 2, 5:00 pm - Tot & Family Shabbat - click here for zoom


Tuesday, February 6, 8:00 am - Daily Bread Food Pantry (to volunteer, contact Jane Alexander)


Sunday, February 4, 2:00 pm - Confronting the Acts of Hate in our Community; To be held at the Riverbrook Regional YMCA, 404 Danbury Rd, Wilton, CT (see below!)


Friday, February 9, 6:30 pm - Shabbat Movie Night (see below!)


Click here for more TBC Special Events and Happenings!


For the full TBC calendar, click here.

click here to RSVP

SAVE THE DATE - Sunday, February 4

Speakers will include: Cantor Harriet Dunkerley (Temple B’nai Chaim), Father Reggie Norman (Our Lady of Fatima), Rachel Simon, ED (from the LGBT+ community), Sohair Omar (representative of the Muslim community) and Sarvesh Damle (representative of the Hindu Community), along with local and state representatives. Representative Jim Himes will also speak. Steve Hudspeth (Wi-ACT Steering Chair) will moderate. Participants will share their communities' sensitivities, experiences with hate incidents and the impacts these have had.


We hope this event can help lead to the creation of a coordinated system of responses to future hate incidents and also help ensure support for those who are victims of such acts.


To be held at the Riverbrook Regional YMCA, 404 Danbury Rd, Wilton, CT. More information here RSVP required.

Click pic for larger size! For More Information click here

TBCY & NFTY Israel Extravaganza for Jewish Teens, Feb. 10!

Click for poster version

Event Description:

Please join us for the day on Saturday, February 10, 2024 from 11:00 am - 4:30 pm for a fun-filled Israel Extravaganza!


SCHEDULE FOR THE DAY


  • 11:00 AM: Participant Check-In
  • 11:15 AM-11:45 AM: Ice Breaker/Mixer (Led by TBCY)
  • 11:45 AM-12:15 PM: Shacharit Service in Main Sanctuary (led by TBC Staff)
  • 12:30-1:30 PM: Lunch in the Social Hall (Layla's Falafel)
  • 1:30-2:00 PM: Choice of 3, 30-minute Electives
  • 2:15-4:15 PM: iCenter's "Amazing Israel Race!"
  • 4:30 PM: Participant Pick-Up


Click here to RSVP


Birthday wishes to our TBC family members who are celebrating birthdays in February!

Amy Arnold

Mathew Arnold

Allison Berger

Babette Bloch

Audrey Bonheim

Ella Cederbaum

Simon Curtis

Suzanne Ellenthal

Senia Erlich Feiner

Jonathan Gordon

Dina Gumins

Sam Gumins

Alice Hoffman

Ian Marceau

Mackenzie Merritt

Ella Misita

Jack Misita

Sandi Prince

Marlene Serby

Gary Wakoff

Steven West-Rosenthal

Michael Wolfman


Sponsored by the Congregation for Humanistic Judaism of Fairfield County

More information here!

Our 6th & 7th Grade Teacher, Morah Rica, owns a hair salon that has partnered with Wigs & Wishes to provide those who are losing their hair due to a cancer battle with free wigs. Morah Rica owns Yaffa Beauty by Rica, where she consults with cancer fighters to select a wig, and once it arrives, she styles it to suit, and will shave their hair (should they wish) in a way to make it a positive-as-possible and empowering experience. Along with the wig, she will often give a small care package, many of which we helped assemble last year. 


Sadly, the demand for wigs has not slowed down, and Morah Rica is in need of more care packages, so this year, the TBC Religious School is going to collect the necessities, as well as send notes, for these brave men and women to bring them some refuah shleimah.


Please see the list of items needed here and leave them in the bin at TBC.

Summer Camp Funds/Connect to Israel Funds available now


The Future Fund connects students to Israel through programs of their choice. Grants are $2000 per student. click here for more information


Summer Camp funds are available for kids who want to go to a Jewish camp. Submissions are ONLY accepted through a Rabbi or Cantor. Grants are up to $1800 per camper. click here for more information

TBC is Here For You!


If you or a family member is ill or in need of care - or if you know of someone in our community who needs help - please contact Cantor Harriet. Our Caring Committee is here to provide assistance - meals, rides to doctors' appointments or shopping.

Yahrzeits February 2 - 8

Zeicher tzaddik livrachah!


February 2, 2024

Doris Jean Custer, mother of Joni Lerner


February 3, 2024

Eleanor Muirhead, mother of Simon Curtis


February 4, 2024

Katharina Hof, grandmother of Barbara Bloom

Bernard Kanner, uncle of Jane Alexander


February 6, 2024

Arthur A. Wakoff, father of Gary Wakoff


February 8, 2024

Donald Curtis, father of Simon Curtis


February 10, 2024

Harold B. West, father of Valerie West-Rosenthal


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


Yahrzeit Memorial Plaques


When remembering loved ones who have passed away, we invite you to commemorate their lives and blessings with a memorial plaque for the TBC wall of remembrance. Ordering information is available here.






A reminder that the Federation for Jewish Philanthropy of Upper Fairfield County schedules a variety of programs that TBC members will find interesting.


ShopRaise Now for TBC!


Whether you're shopping for food or decor for your home, or anything else, we've got you covered. A portion of every purchase you make with the ShopRaise app can benefit TBC. Make today a time for giving.


More information about ShopRaise for TBC can be found here.


Contributions to TBC add up! You can shop at hundreds of stores, including Macy's, Walmart, Wayfair, Nordstrom, Petsmart, and Bed Bath & Beyond.


Handmade Kippot


The kippot are $18 each, and we will continue to use the proceeds to ship Machzorim to the community and also send the balance of the proceeds to purchase food! Please make checks payable to: Temple B'nai Chaim, with 'TBC Social Action Fund-Ugandan Jewry' in the memo line. Additional donations are welcome through the TBC Social Action Fund on the TBC Donation Page with a note indicating 'Ugandan Jewry' as the recipient.

You Can Make a Difference at TBC

Have you been thinking about making a donation to support TBC in some way? We have made it easier for you to do just that! Please check out our new Donate Now button below! Don't forget, you can sponsor and oneg, preneg or flowers for Shabbat Services.



Sponsor a TBC Oneg or Service Flowers!



TBC's B'nai Cafe is Looking for Sponsors!!

TBC is looking for sponsors for our B'nai Cafe on the following dates: 1/7, 2/4, 3/3, 4/7, 5/5. 

To sponsor, please click here!

TBC Links


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Contact Us


If you have TBC community news you'd like to share, please send the information to chailites@templebnaichaim.org!


Temple B'nai Chaim    

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 305, Georgetown, CT 06829

Phone: 203 544-8695    

Location: 82 Portland Avenue, Wilton CT 06897 (Directions)


Cantor/Educator: Cantor Harriet Dunkerley

Assistant Director of Education: Elisheva Gluck

President: June Mara  

Office Manager/Facility Use: Denise Seccurra