December 28, 2023 / 16 Tevet 5784 | |
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Included in This Newsletter
Shabbat Service - 1/5
Tu b’Shevat Wine & Cheese - 1/19
Weekly D'var Torah
Photos from Longest Night Event
NEW Class Starting Soon
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Happy New Year and a blessed 2024 for all. Let us hope for a year of the peace, tolerance and mutual respect on which our faith and community are based. | | |
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NEW CLASS COMING - REGISTRATION OPEN!
Please save the dates for Rabbi David's new class, Pirkei Avot: Ethics and the Jewish Wisdom Tradition" at 7:30pm - 9:00pm on the following Wednesdays:
February 7
February 21
March 6
March 27
April 10
May 8
May 29
The class is free for members and $120 for non-members. Classes will be recorded in case you miss one and posted on our website.
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Soul Spa is open to all. The sessions are recorded and can be accessed by clicking the link below.
Soul Spa is free for members and non-members alike. Optional donations are always welcome and appreciated and can be made by clicking here.
You may drop in as frequently or as infrequently, as you like. Please click here for the weekly Zoom link and for recordings of previous discussions.
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Mitzvah & Mysticism: The Hidden Spirituality of Common Rituals with Rabbi David. Classes will be recorded in case you miss one. Please register if you're interested in being on the email list for this class. The class is free for members and $120 for non-members. | | |
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D'var Torah by Rabbi David
Parashat Vayehi 5784 (2023)
Like You're Dying
We live our lives as if we are immortal. We imagine death to be such a downer – so depressive, so scary – that we spend our lives trying to outrun it, or pretending it away. Or in death's shadow we become fatalistic, disconnected. Yet our awareness that all earthly life must die is an unceasing wellspring of wisdom, power and meaning. This week's final Torah portion of the Book of Genesis, our Book of Beginnings, aims directly here. Read more...
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There are two additional places where you can read current and past Divrei Torah and other posts by Rabbi David. Check them out!
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The Blog on our website gives you a chance to read and re-read the Rabbi's posts.
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Our Facebook page, has been under utilized for many years, but now, the Rabbi has revitalized it by posting his blog posts there too. If you are a Facebook user, please be sure to "like", "follow" and/or share the Congregation Shir Ami Facebook page.
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Interfaith Council "The Longest Night" Event
On December 21st, Rabbi David offered clarion-call words of blessing at the Interfaith Council of Southwestern Connecticut's "Longest Night" memorial tribute, honoring the homeless, the voiceless and the unseen who died on our local streets in the year 2023.
The Interfaith Council unites faith leaders and faith communities in common cause on matters of spirit-infused care and advocacy. Read more....
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Nov/Dec Issue of
Greenwich Jewish News
Please click here to read the digital version. Please see Shir Ami articles on pages 8, 17, 19, 20 and 21.
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Nov/Dec Issue of
New Jewish Voice
Please click here to read the latest digital version.
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Deep South Trip: Rabbi David is working on details for a trip to the Deep South in the spring. More details will follow. Please email us to let us know if you are interested.
Email us to indicate your interest in the Deep South Trip. Please put "Trip Interest" in the subject line.
Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah: This will be an awesome opportunity for those with interest.
Email us to indicate if you're interested in being part of an Adult B-Mitzvah cohort. Please put "Adult B-Mitzvah" in the subject line.
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Blessings for a Happy Birthday to all of our members with late November/December birthdays:
Susan Kreiger - 12/17
Karen Meisel - 12/18
Larry Nadel - 12/29
Stanley Gratt - 12/31
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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 [email protected] 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 names.
You are not required to make a donation but if you chose to, you may do so on 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.
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2023-2024 Membership Drive Continues | |
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For those of you who are not yet Members but are considering joining Shir Ami, we warmly welcome you!
The Benefits of Membership:
Being a Member of Shir Ami, 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 where there is something for everybody
- participate in rituals, group trips and events reserved for members
- have access to our wonderful clergy for pastoral care
- recognize our loved ones who have passed during our Yizkor service each year
We hope you will join our community at Congregation Shir Ami. The Membership Policy has details on dues, benefits, events, life-cycle and pastoral care and general involvement in congregational life. And if you already are a member, it's a good time to revisit the policy and refresh your memory on why you joined.
If you are interested and would like to know more, please look for membership information which can be found 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 if you have any questions or would like to speak with an officer or our clergy, [email protected]
All are welcome to join our community!
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For a full listing of all local events of Jewish interest visit the websites for:
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If you're only receiving the newsletter monthly and would like to receive it weekly, please click the link above to edit your email preference. | | |
CongregationShirAmi.org
203-900-7976
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