January 30, 2025 / 30 Tevet 5785

February Newsletter

Included in This Newsletter

Tu B'Shevat Seder - 2/7

Shabbat Service - 2/21

Register for Winter Classes

Rabbi's Corner

Weekly D'var Torah

Social Action

Spotlight Calendar


Members and guests are always welcome to attend our Shir Ami services, classes and special events (fees may apply)



February


Soul Spa - Meet the Midrash (virtual)

Saturdays, February 1, 8, 15 and 22 (continues weekly through June 2025)

10:00 AM


Unlocking the Jewish Prayer Book Class (virtual)

Sundays, February 2, 9, 16 and 23

5:00 PM


Age-ing to Sage-ing: A Revolutionary Approach to Getting Older (virtual)

Tuesdays, February 4 and 18 - additional date added

7:00 PM


Shabbat Service/Tu B’Shevat Seder

(in person)

Friday, February 7

7:00 PM



Board Meeting (virtual)

Monday, February 10

7:00 PM


Shabbat Service (in person)

Friday, February 21

7:00 PM



March


Soul Spa - Meet the Midrash (virtual)

Saturdays, March 1, 8, 15 and 22 (continues weekly through June 2025)

10:00 AM


Unlocking the Jewish Prayer Book Class (virtual)

Sundays, March 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30

5:00 PM


Age-ing to Sage-ing: A Revolutionary Approach to Getting Older (virtual)

Tuesday, March 4 - additional date added

7:00 PM


Shabbat Service (in person)

Friday, March 7

7:00 PM - Details to follow


Board Meeting (virtual)

Monday, March 10

7:00 PM


Purim Celebration (in person)

Friday, March 14

6:00 PM - Details to follow


Shabbat Service (in person)

Friday, March 28

7:00 PM - Details to follow



2024-2025 Calendar is now available on our website

Click here

Contact Us:


Email Address

shirami.info@gmail.com.info@gmail.com


Website

www.congregationshirami.org


Donations and Payments

congregationshirami.org/donate.html


Mailing Address

1273 E. Putnam Ave

​PO Box 312

Riverside, CT 06878

To Make Donations or Payments:


To make donations or register for classes or events, please visit our website's donation page.


congregationshirami.org/donate.html

Shabbat Service/Tu B’Shevat Seder

Friday, February 7

7:00 PM

Deadline to Register is Feb. 1


Whatever the groundhog says, it's spring! – well, spiritually speaking. Come "live" to Shir Ami for a mash-up of a musical Shabbat with a four-course Tu B'Shevat "wine and cheese" seder heralding the start of spiritual spring and celebrating Judaism's deep tie to the global environment. Together we'll see the sap begin to rise in nature, and in ourselves, as we launch Judaism's three-moon journey from Tu B'Shevat to Purim to Passover.


As this is a sit-down event with wine and cheese pairings and tastings, space is limited and registration will be on a first come, first served basis.


This is the final opportunity to sign up, as registration closes on February 1st to allow for planning and purchasing. The cost is $36.00 per person to cover expenses.

Register for February 7 Tu B'Shevat Seder 

Shabbat Service

Friday, February 21

7:00 PM


Please join us for a community-led Shabbat Service. Come worship together with prayer books in hand as we collectively lead each other through the core components of a Friday night service. The evening is designed to be informal, participatory, and engaging. We’ll conclude the month of Shevat and lead into the month of Adar and Passover with song and dance.


Thanks to Ronny and Ira Kaplan for sponsoring the Oneg.

Register for February 21 Shabbat

SHIR AMI NEEDS YOU


We’ve enjoyed some phenomenal activities (Purim, the beach and outdoor services, Chanukah Live, the Tu B’shevat seder), to name a few, but we need your help if these are to continue. While we are more than willing to lend a hand, new chairs are needed to organize and oversee each of the upcoming major programs. The next notable event is the Second Passover Seder on Sunday, April 13th.


Please reach out to Fran Pribish, faprib807@gmail.com or 203-249-8796 with any questions or to express your willingness to lead the Seder Committee.


With thanks and gratitude,

Jackie, Abby and Fran

Rabbi's Corner - February 2025

Prelude to Spring


Happy February, Shir Ami.


After a cold, dark and bleak January, February ushers in the first hints of spring. 


Even now, the first almond blossoms are starting to blossom in Israel. It's time for Tu b'Shevat, Judaism's start of spiritual spring.


If you're not ready, if it feels too early to matter, that's exactly the point. Read more...

Weekly D'var Torah

D'var Torah by Rabbi David

Parashat Bo (5785)


Come to Narcissist


We all have emotional and psychological vested interests in seeming externally to be our best selves. Most of us, we hope, respond to these impulses by actually trying to be our best selves in the world. Our insides aspire to match our outsides.


For others, the optics of manipulated perception are the primary reality or even only reality they recognize or allow others to see.


The effects on communities and society can be brutal, and we must stand up to them.

Read more...

Shir Ami Classes

Soul Spa is open to all.


Our Torah study each Shabbat morning has become a mainstay of our programming. As we examine the parashat each week under Rabbi David's guidance and questioning, our sacred writings become more familiar, the stories clearer, and the teachings more meaningful.



Soul Spa is free for members and non-members alike. You may drop in frequently or infrequently, as you like. Please click here to find the weekly Zoom link and for recordings of previous discussions.

Register for Soul Spa - Meet The Midrash

Please note this class is continuing on Tuesdays, 2/4, 2/18 and 3/4.

Please purchase the book, From Age-ing to Sage-ing. The edition we're using is this one. You will also find the Zoom link on the website landing page the day of the class.

Register for From Age-ing To Sage-ing
Register for Unlocking the Jewish Prayer Book


Social Action

Morning Mitzvah for JFS-Stamford


Shir Ami volunteers participate monthly in a "Morning Mitzvah" at JFS in Stamford. We do a variety of things from packing toiletries, putting spices in jars, writing notes to newcomers, stocking or pulling groceries from the shelf for those in need, etc. This is a 10 am - 12 noon activity once per month on Wednesdays.


Please let Ronny Kaplan know if you are able to participate in our next date on February 19th, by emailing her at ronnykaplan@snet.net or by calling 203.249.0602. We aim to have a group of 3 to 5 but this week we had an enthusiastic group of 6 - Thank you to Ronny for organizing this and to Marie, Susan N, Jackie, Fran, Susan K for coming to help out this month!

Community News

November/December Issue of

Greenwich Jewish News


Please click here to read the digital version. See page 8 for an article about Shir Ami classes and page 10 for an article about Rabbi David's selection to a premier Jewish spirituality program.

February/March Issue of

New Jewish Voice


Please click here to read the latest digital version.

Blessings and Simchas


Blessings for a Happy Birthday to our members with late January/February birthdays:


Matt Rosen - 1/30

Larry Polansky - 2/1

Jess Rosen - 2/2

Mark Heller - 2/3

Michael Gorski - 2/4

Robert Schwartz - 2/12

Anne Gorski - 2/15

Jan Raymond - 2/17

Phil Rosen - 2/17

In our weekly Blessing and Simchas, we invite members to offer congratulations on a special event in someone’s life, blessings for healing, or to remember a loved one.


If you make a special donation and would like to share it in the newsletter’s “Blessings and Simchas," let us know by emailing shirami.info@gmail.com with the subject line, "Blessings and Simchas" no later than 9:00 AM on Monday. Be sure to include the wording for how you want the donation and the donor to be recognized, including your name, the occasion and the recipient's name(s).


If you choose to make a donation, you may do so by visiting our website's donation page or by mailing a check to Congregation Shir Ami, 1273 East Putnam Avenue, P.O. Box 312, Riverside, CT 06870-9998. 

Membership

We warmly welcome you to join our community at Congregation Shir Ami. 


Please visit our Membership Page where you can find:

  • Membership Letter - from our Shir Ami Officers
  • Membership Form - easy-to-fill out online or print
  • Membership Policy - details on dues, benefits and more


Membership allows you special access to:

  • practice our faith together and learn from the Torah and each other
  • help shape our community
  • support Shir Ami's mission
  • find inspiration in our diverse offerings of services, classes and events.
  • participate in rituals, group trips and member events
  • have access to our wonderful clergy for pastoral care and life cycle events
  • recognize our loved ones who have passed during our Yizkor service each year


As with most faith-based organizations, membership dues fuel everything we do and account for only 65% of our annual budget. Full dues payments and additional contributions are always appreciated. If an alternate arrangement is needed, please contact Co-Presidents Jackie Marschall at jackiea.broadcast@gmail.com or Marie Orsini Rosen at morsinirosen@gmail.com.


If you are interested and would like to know more, please find membership information on our website’s membership page. The easy-to-fill-out form may be completed online and submitted with a button, or can be printed out and sent to our mailing address: Congregation Shir Ami, 1273 E Putnam Ave, PO Box 312, Riverside, CT 06878.


Contact us at shirami.info@gmail.com if you have any questions or would like to speak with an officer or our clergy.

All are welcome to join our community!

Other Community Websites
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CongregationShirAmi.org
203-900-7976
shirami.info@gmail.com
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