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Dear RTFH Family,
On Friday, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz shared at services that anti-Semitic acts make up the majority of hate crimes in New York. The hatred against Jews is not a relic of years past, but something still tragically current.
This coming Shabbat, we’ll reflect on the Holocaust and Yom HaShoah through song, poetry, and prayer. Reflecting on how the past informs our present, Temple teenager Alyssa Lazarus will share about her trip to Eastern Europe last summer and the power of visiting Concentration Camps and the remnants of Jewish life.
Join your Jewish community for strength, connection, and the ability to face the world today.
L’shalom,
Rabbi Mark
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Shabbat and Yom HaShoah Commemoration Evening Services
Friday, April 25 at 7:00pm
Join us In-Person for community, prayer, and connection.
Temple teenager Alyssa Lazarus will be our guest speaker.
Services are also livestreamed at rtfh.org/live and on YouTube.
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Yom HaShoah at RTFH
Friday, April 25 at 7:00pm
The legacy of the Holocaust still permeates our lives 80 years after its tragedy. Join RTFH at Shabbat Evening Services as we reflect on our memories and past and build towards our future. Temple member Alyssa Lazarus will share her experiences as a Jewish teenager visiting Eastern Europe, including the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps.
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Tyler Bogard is celebrating his Bar Mitzvah!
Saturday, April 26th at 10:30 am
Mazel Tov to Tyler and his parents, Rosanne and Josh.
The RTFH congregation is invited to join Saturday morning services via livestream
at rtfh.org/live or on YouTube.
Tyler had the incredible honor of working with the organization From the Depths for his Mitzvah Project. The 'From the Depths' organization is dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust and honoring its survivors and those righteous among the nations. The project holds deep meaning for Tyler because of my great-grandmother, Praobabcia Ana, and great-grandfather, Djadjek Henryk, and their story of survival during the Holocaust. Tyler admired strength and resilience and is one of his greatest inspirations. Tyler wanted to do something meaningful to honor their legacy and the stories of many others who endured the same horrors. Alongside his mom, Tyler met and learned from remarkable survivors like Sami Steigman and Asher Matathias. Tyler shared how life changing working with 'From the Depths' organization and plan to carry forward his grandparents legacy.
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Join Cantor Emily, Gina Drangel, Henry Drangel, Rabbi Mark Kaiserman and Virginia Weiner, along with our adult and junior choirs!
Enjoy songs based in verses, stories, and concepts of Torah, to celebrate our year of writing a new scroll! Selections from musical theater; Yiddish, Sephardic and Mizrachi traditions; and contemporary choral repertoire; all accompanied with a jazzy feel by our own Nitzan Gavrieli, Bonnie McAlvin, Marc Pollack, and other musicians.
Register here
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Last Chance to Write a Letter in the Torah!
Sunday, May 4
Our final scribe date is Sunday, May 4. Make your gift today! Help RTFH write our very own Torah and ensure a strong, vibrant future for our Temple community.
If you have already donated to write a letter, make sure you have signed up for your
letter-writing time per Rabbi’s email. Contact Rabbi Kaiserman with any questions.
Add Your Name Now
Thank you, Temple Family, for your generous support.
We’re celebrating your contributions with a digital display in the Upper Lobby.
See your name and photo featured on the video loop, on our website, or in person!
(Donations as of 4/15/25)
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Friday 4/25 -Shabbat Evening Service commemorating Yom HaShoah at 7:00 pm
Sunday 4/27 - Celebrating the Torah in Song: 30th Anniversary Concert at 5:00 pm
Thursday 5/1 -Men’s Study at 7:30 pm
Friday 5/2 -Shabbat Reshon (K/1st Grade, Temple Tots) at 6:15 pm
Tuesday 5/6 -Women’s Connection (WoCO) at 7:30 pm
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Register for our upcoming Glass Paint and Sip night!
Tuesday, May 6th
7pm - WoCo Business Meeting
7:30-9:00pm - Glass Paint and Sip!
Supplies needed: 8x10 picture frame with a GLASS insert
Paint and brushes provided (If you're unable to bring a picture frame, we can provide one for $10, indicate so on the RSVP form linked below.)
RSVP HERE so we can buy enough paint & if needed, frames!
Join us in the ballroom as we paint, sip, and discuss "The Torah of our Mothers" from Lilith Magazine! We'll provide a simple, Judaic-themed design for you to trace and paint on glass or you're welcome to bring in another design that inspires you.
*If painting will be difficult for you or it's not your preferred creative outlet, bring your own craft to work on during our time together!
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King David Comes!
Torah Study has arrived at the fascinating stories for King David. This is the perfect time to join in! Join Torah Study on Zoom each Saturday from 9-10 am as we begin the Book of I Samuel.
Friendship. Romance. Lust for power. Infidelity. Betrayal. God.
The Book of Samuel beats any contemporary soap opera in its intrigue and emotion. Explore the richness of these tales that shaped the Jewish people in one of the most memorable parts of the Tanakh.
No previous reading or knowledge needed. Join any time.
Study with us on Zoom:
https://zoom.us/j/703706086?pwd=empYdzZNVWU3cGtuQTRkVTU3d1huZz09
Phone Dial-in: 1-646-558-8656
Member ID: 703-706-086
Password: Numbers36
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VOTE REFORM in the WZC
It’s time to stand up for our Reform values and vote in the World Zionist Congress (WZC) election today. Visit www.zionistelection.org to vote or www.vote4reform.org to learn more.
By voting for the Vote Reform slate, you are standing up for a democratic and secure Israel and against our opponents who want to strip Reform Jews of their rights and funding. Billions of dollars are at stake!
Voting is open only until May 4. Any American Jewish adult (18 or older) can vote.
Vote Reform today!
After voting, please let us know you voted at rtfh.org/israel
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Temple Tots Parents for Shabbat
All Temple Tots and one parent are invited as our guests this Shabbat Reshon. Please use this link to reserve your seat.
Temple Tots Families Register Here
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April is Earth Month!
Donate your old, gently worn, or new sneakers to help the earth...and RTFH!
Your pre-loved sneakers of ALL SIZES accepted through May 2, 2025
*Soccer, baseball, and golf cleats with rubber or plastic bottoms (not metal)
are accepted too!
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Welcome to Our
Spring Temple Tots Season!
Saturdays: May 17, and June 21, 10:00 am.
Join your friends! As usual, we’ll celebrate Shabbat together with song and story, movement, a craft, and snack.
If not already registered, you can register HERE.
We hope to see you there!
Cantor Emily, Rabbi Mark, and the Temple Tots Team
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Music Together at RTFH!
We are so thrilled to be in our RTFH home with our beloved
Music Together®️program! for Babies through 8 yr olds
Enroll Today!
MusicTogetherwithMusicandMe.com
718-229-0033
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Birthday Connection
Acknowledge someone's special day by sponsoring a birthday greeting!
Each month, a list of Temple members celebrating birthdays is posted to the RTFH Birthday Connection. Simply click on the link, create or login to your Member's Account, and fill out the online form. Women's Connection will send that person a personalized Happy Birthday greeting to everyone who donated in their honor. At only $1 per greeting, Birthday Connection is an easy way to manage a monthly mitzvah for everyone on your list!
Hard copies of Birthday Connection lists with instructions are available below and in plastic hanging bins in the lobby of the temple near the coat room or use the link below.
Send Birthday Wishes
Birthday Connection-April
Birthday Connection-May
Birthday Connection-June
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Spearheaded by the Israel Support and Action Committee (ISAAC), our congregation supports Israel by giving to The Shiloni Project, a grassroots organization formed to meet the needs of displaced families and soldiers.
Please give generously by clicking here.
See the Israel page of our new website for more details.
| | We're thrilled to have RTFH as our newest school base offering full time childcare education for children aged 2-5 years old | | |
Thank you for your support of The Reform Temple of Forest Hills
We welcome you to learn more about our Temple at our new website www.rtfh.org
To donate, click “Donate" at the top of the page or go directly to rtfh.org/donate
·Choose to make a donation in honor or in memory of a friend or family member, and the recipient will immediately receive a warm email notifying them of your donation.
·Yahrzeit Fund: send a donation in memory of loved ones, and a private note is instantly sent to the recipient!
· The Temple Office will provide tax benefit letters after the end of the year fully detailing your donations.
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