Rabbi Michael D. Howald
Cantor Suzanne Bernstein
Bryn Biren, Russell Kaminsky
Co-Presidents
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Temple Israel’s Electronic Bulletin
E-Shalom
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APRIL 2025
Nisan-Iyar 5785
| | “Shalom, Welcome to Temple Israel....” is a phrase taught to us by Carole Lachman, a beloved, long-time congregant and bulletin editor who died in 2002. We named our bulletin in her honor and worked to realize her vision of Temple Israel as a community that welcomes the stranger and lets no one stand alone. This new version of the bulletin maintains our tradition of communicating with our Temple Israel family and continues to forward Carole’s vision, love and devotion for our synagogue. | | CLICK ON ANY OF THESE IMAGES TO PRINT OR DOWNLOAD FLYERS WHICH CAN ALSO BE FOUND ELSEWHERE IN THIS BULLETIN. | | FAMILY SHABBAT MORNING SERVICE | | JEWISH HERITAGE DAY AT THE FERRYHAWKS | | |
Erev Shabbat Services take place IN PERSON. Live-stream links, for those unable to join us, will be e-mailed to all congregants, along with the Friday night Progam, every Friday. The Zoom link for Saturday morning Torah Study and Services can be found below. (Please check weekly News and Notes and the Friday Night Program for any updates or changes.)
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Shabbat Morning*
Torah Study at 10:00 a.m. followed by Services at 11:00 a.m.
Meeting ID: 878 5582 6129
Passcode: 778943
| | **PLEASE CHECK NEWS & NOTES AND THE FRIDAY NIGHT PROGRAM E-MAILS FOR STREAMING LINKS FOR FRIDAY NIGHTS AND FOR ANY CHANGES REGARDING STREAMING AND/OR ZOOM LINKS. | | MOST FLYERS IN THIS BULLETIN CAN BE PRNTED OR DOWNLOADED BY CLICKING DIRECTLY ON THE FLYER. | | |
AN ELECTRONIC VERSION OR COPY OF
MISHKAN T'FILAH
MAY BE PURCHASED FROM CCAR
| | |
AN ELECTRONIC VERSION OR COPY OF
MISHKAN T'FILAH FOR YOUTH
MAY BE PURCHASED FROM CCAR
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A Message from
Rabbi Michael D. Howald
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This month we celebrate Passover once again. Although each family has its own cherished traditions of Pesah, the one thing that unifies all Jews, no matter where they celebrate is the Haggadah, the book that brings us around the seder table. We may prefer the 5-minute version when we have infants and toddlers at home, or the Hogwarts or Star Wars Haggadah when our children become readers or a more traditional Haggadah when our guests are primarily adults but, no matter the seder, we need a written guide to ensure that we are all on the same page when we celebrate Passover. The versions we have may have been published recently but the framework of the Haggadah goes back all the way to the Second Temple period (516 BCE – 70 CE). The Haggadah, accordingly, is older than the first written siddur (prayer book) and perhaps even older than some of the books in the Hebrew Bible.
The name “Haggadah” in Hebrew literally means “the story” or “the legend.” The book has this simple title because it retells the foundation story of the Jewish people as set forth in the Book of Exodus. In the going out from Egypt and in the long trek across the desert, former slaves became a people, and the Haggadah asks us each year to imagine ourselves as if we had made that same journey. A large part of the story the Haggadah tells, however, comes from long after the Exodus from Egypt. The rabbis quoted in the Haggadah, like Rabbi Gamaliel and Rabbi Akiva, for instance, lived during the Greek and Roman periods. Since the last Tanna (first generation of the ancient rabbis) mentioned in the traditional Haggadah died around 170 CE, many scholars believe that the traditional text must have been written no earlier than the late second century of the Common Era. Some attribute its first writing in a form we would recognize to Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, the compiler and editor of the Mishnah, the first written compendium of Jewish law, which was also finished in the late second century CE. No one, even today, however, knows for sure, which sages or sages of the past can claim credit for bringing the Haggadah into being.
Over the next centuries, various parts of the Haggadah were added and modified until it started to be printed as part of prayer books meant to include an entire year of holidays. Only in the latter half of the medieval period do we get any mention or evidence of separate texts produced just for the Passover seder. Some 30 years after the invention of the printing press in the middle of the 15th century, we finally get our first printed Haggadot, books devoted entirely to the rituals of the seder. We have never looked back.
From the first printed versions of the Haggadah in around 1480, the Jewish people have produced ever more variety. The Jewish Book Council estimates there are at least 3,000 different versions of the Haggadah in print and that does not include the proliferation of digital versions which abound in every corner of the Internet. Some of us have a favorite Haggadah and they see hard usage, as their wine and soups stains attest. Others prefer to use a different Haggadah each year in the hopes of making the text new, even for older guests at the seder table. Whatever text you choose, and in whatever way you choose to celebrate Passover, our family wishes you all a Zissen Pesach, a sweet and joyous Passover!
| | A Message from the Co-Presidents | |
We are constantly brainstorming to think of religious services, holiday festivals, family activities and classes that will appeal to our congregants. What makes it a challenge is that we have such a diverse group of members. We have adults who have been members of Temple Israel for more than forty years. We also have adult members who are not even forty years old. How do we appeal to everyone?
This year the Membership Committee has worked with the Religious School to create the Temple Israel Buddies. This has been an early Sunday morning get together for people of all ages. They share breakfast, are given a topic or two to discuss and have a few minutes to work on a craft project. Then they attend the family religious service in our sanctuary. The program is very successful and is being refined as we go. The point is that 70-year-olds are coming and getting to know 7-year-olds. We are having fun and sharing intergenerational experiences.
On Saturday morning, April 5th we will have a Shabbat morning service which will include the reading of Torah. All families are invited. Congregants of all ages are invited. There will be breakfast to begin the morning. (RSVP for breakfast to JSiegel23@aol.com). What a great time to come together to bond and worship? Be part of our Temple community that day.
The Avis Foundation has offered adult learning programs on Zoom for many years. In the past months we have had the pleasure of teens joining the class. A new generation adds depth and new outlook to the programming.
The point of this message is that we are encouraging you to step out of your comfort zone and attend an event that you might have overlooked in the past. Get to know the older or younger members of Temple Israel. Broaden your synagogue experience and possibly make some new friends.
Sincerely,
Bryn Biren & Russell Kaminsky
Co-Presidents
| | Thank you to the brave and talented Purimspielers who brought A Completely Unknown Megillah to the Temple Israel bimah: | |
Standing (L-R): Shari, Ben, Josh, Sal, Anne, Judy, Rabbi, Cantor
Seated: Bryn, Freda, Abby, Brooke, Evelyn, Nora, Sarah
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Additional Purim photos and videos can be found here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ePw-UW_nDQaKLx4R3E98NUeW_FdLAOWl
Thank you to Anne Young, and Sam and Silvia Gornstein for sharing their memories of the American Conference of Cantors trip to Argentina at our Shabbat service on March 21. The final concert of our tour is available on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/rswyZq4uK4U?si=8QxYCKOOAvxsKikN
Wishing everyone a sweet and meaningful celebration of Passover,
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Sunday, 4/6
10-11:15 a.m. - Sr. Choir rehearsal
12-12:30 Jr. Choir rehearsal
Friday, 4/18
3:30 p.m.: Shabbat/Passover Sing-along at the Brielle - All welcome!
6:45 p.m.: Sr. Choir warm-up for 7:30 Shabbat service
Save these dates in May!
Saturday, 5/3: Shabbaton with Rabbi Howald and Cantor Bernstein, with special guest, Rabbi Zoe B. Zak of Temple Israel in Catskill, co-author of "The Cook and the Rabbi."
Saturday, 5/10, 7:30 p.m. and 5/11, 2:00 p.m.: Cantor Bernstein and Miryam Coppersmith present Jenny Tango's "Women of Chelm" in the community room at
Westbeth Artist Housing, 55 Bethune Street, NYC
| | Last month at The Brielle. | |
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
APRIL 2025
NISAN-IYAR 5785
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MAZEL TOV TO:
REMY SMITH and FAMILY as her son Jonathan DeVito is called to the Torah as a Bar Mitzvah.
GET WELL WISHES TO:
ARLINE BRONZAFT, mother of ROBIN HOWALD.
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Good & Welfare and your privacy.........
We feel it is a congregation's sacred duty to provide support to its congregants. Some of our tools are pastoral care provided by Rabbi Howald and notifying your friends in the congregation when you have a happy Mazel Tov occasion or your family is burdened with illness or loss. We are willing to publish this information in our Good & Welfare e-mails and for Rabbi to contact you, but we need your help.
When contacting the office or Rabbi about these events, please let us know if you wish the information sent out to the congregation or if it should remain confidential. WE WILL NOT PUBLISH INFORMATION AS A PRESIDENTIAL DONATION OR A "SUDDEN & SERIOUS" EMAIL UNLESS WE ARE TOLD THAT IT IS OK TO DO SO. If you are having a friend or family member contact us, please let them know your wishes.
A reminder: Please do not leave family emergency information only on Rabbi Howald's or Lara's office voice mail as these are not checked during non-office hours. For a family emergency, please call Rabbi's special line -- (718) 447-5810
Thank you
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April 4, 2025
Helen O’Krepke
Dr. Hyman Poritz*
Gilda Schuster
Estelle Dichter*
Steve Nison
Louis Siegel*
Max Maruch*
Aida Josel Brouse*
Paul Leder
Edith Miller
Daral Neiman
Theodore Paul Ruskin
Florence Soloff*
Edward Marcus *
Florence Sigmund
Emanuel Sugerman
Alan Trontz
Sidney Sheren*
Stanley Benjamin*
Norman Smook
Helene Sparber*
And we remember from the Holocaust:
Hersh-Aba Lipszyc
Yitzhak Hampel
Karl Glabokar
Roger Sillere
Istvan Politzer
April 11, 2025
Mitchell Gordon*
David Gornstein
Esther Burger*
David Feldhamer*
Earl Gross
Betty Liebowitz *
Murray Mazer
Albert V Rosen *
Ira Bankofsky *
Sol Lubin
Benjamin Adler
Clara Vinocur
Michael Doria
Frances Friedman
Ruth Kosnitsky-Feigelman
David Behar *
Paul Martin Gross *
Sara Pappert
And we remember from the Holocaust:
Fela Winer
Morne Kovacs
Alfred Grosz
Robert Delafoy
Benjamin Berman
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April 18, 2025
Herman Schnittman *
Albert David Soren *
Helene Sparber
Evelyn (Lynne) Benjamin *
Dora Selmon
Mary Goldberg *
Edythe Kahn
Hy Schorr
Philip Marcus
Shirley Shapiro *
Seymour Barris
Dora Flaum
Glenda Kalish
Bertha Schlefstein *
Etylda Berkowicz*
Klara Berkowicz*
Abrham Pollak*
Marcus Pollak*
Rosa Pollak*
Sofia Pollak*
Charles Ira Salzberg
Rubin Sheren *
Franklin Joseph Stein *
And we remember from the Holocaust:
Shmuel Lipszyc
Sophia Zeppa Krammer
Hermine Adorian
Hermina Hafner
Itzhak Eisenkraft
April 25, 2025
Rhea Greenspan
Maurice Scher *
Estelle Gootenberg *
Larry Littman
Bert Meyerberg *
Malvina Goldberg *
Murray Lee *
Samuel Richter *
Cornelius Bregoff *
Ethel Gershansky
Edith Gloates *
Irving Smith
Carl Berkowicz
Sallie Klaw *
Dr. Benson Bodell
Joseph Kerstein *
Rose Schneider
Minnie Pepperman
And we remember from the Holocaust:
Mordechai Tennenhaus
Zala Hampel
Rachel winter
Joachim Fein
Litman Zylbersztajn
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* These names are on our Memorial Wall.
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EREV SHABBAT SERVICES
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Friday, April 4
Service at 7:00 p.m.
In Person and
via Live-Stream
(link to be sent via e-mail)
ONEG SPONSORED IN HONOR OF SHABBAT BY THE SOBOL FAMILY ON THE OCCASION OF MICHAEL'S BIRTHDAY AND BY
THOSE CELEBRATING BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES IN APRIL.
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Friday, April 11
Service at 7:30 p.m.
ON ZOOM
PLEASE CHECK E-MAIL COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE LINK
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Friday, April 18
ADULT CHOIR SINGS
Service at 7:30 p.m.
In Person and
via Live-Stream
(link to be sent via e-mail)
KOSHER FOR PASSOVER ONEG SPONSORED IN HONOR OF SHABBAT SISTERHOOD
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Friday, APRIL 25
Service at 7:30 p.m.
In Person and
via Live-Stream
(link to be sent via e-mail)
ONEG SPONSORED IN HONOR OF SHABBAT BY SISTERHOOD
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*SATURDAY MORNING
TORAH STUDY
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Torah Study
Saturdays at
10:00 a.m.
Service to follow at 11:00 a.m.
| | | ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND DONATIONS MADE EASY! | |
The Advance Payment Program allows members to pay in advance for Friday night program ads. Members usually deposit $100 (or less in some cases) and when an ad is placed, $5 is deducted. When the balance gets low (usually to about $10) an e-mail is sent reminding the member that they should consider adding money to their account.
You may, if you wish, pay in advance for Friday night program announcements. For more details contact the Temple office or contact Deanna Feder at dfeder19@aol.com to set up an account.
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DEDICATE A LEAF ON OUR
TREE OF LIFE
| | Click on the image below. | | |
DON'T FORGET TO BRING YOUR BOOKS FOR DONATION!
TEMPLE ISRAEL BENEFITS FINANCIALLY!
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Dear Fellow Congregants,
Looking forward to the Spring season and your continued participation in the many events that are planned for the remainder of the year. As you can appreciate, our Temple ‘home’ has been maintained so that it will continue to be a welcoming site for our Congregants. As such, there are expenditures associated with this on-going effort.
Please review you records to ensure that your Annual Commitment is up to date. In addition to your annual commitment, be mindful that the Temple’s Building Fund of $1100 per member is scheduled to be honored during the first four years of membership. If there were to be a ‘life-cycle event’ prior to that timeframe, it is required that the submission of the Building Fund be completed before that event takes place.
Should you need any assistance or clarification regarding this matter, please feel free to contact me either through the Temple office or directly: Jackie @ 347-631-9802. Thank you in advance for your on-going commitment to Temple Israel. We are grateful for your continued support.
Jacqueline Rabinowitz
Financial Secretary
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Please consider becoming a member of our
KAVOD SOCIETY.
It helps to make membership available to all our families. Speak to our Financial Secretary to upgrade your membership.
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Happy Passover to all.
April is a busy month for the Ritual Committee.
Friday Night Services on April 4th will be at 7:00 PM. This will not be a Family Service. The Oneg will be sponsored by the Judith and Jordan Sobol in honor of Shabbat on the occasion of Michael Sobol’s Birthday and by Congregants who are celebrating April Birthdays and Anniversaries. The Family Shabbat Service will take place on Saturday morning, April 5th at 10:30 AM. This will provide more opportunities for our children and young families to experience a traditional Saturday morning Shabbat Torah Service. Rabbi has issued a letter to all School Parents urging them to attend with their students. The Service will be preceded by a Bagel Breakfast. The flyer for this service can be found in the lobby and in all temple communications. All are welcome, but we ask that you RSVP if you plan to join us for bagels!
The April 11th Erev Shabbat Service will be on Zoom. The Jennifer Straniere Memorial Seder will be held on Saturday April12th at 6:00 PM. The first day of Passover Service will be on Sunday April 13th at 10:30AM on Zoom. Saturday, April 19th the Passover Yizkor Service will be at Temple at 10:30AM, followed by a KFP Dairy Dish Luncheon.
The Yom Hashoah observance will take place on Thursday, April 24th at 7:00 PM at the Temple. The Committee is currently working with Shelly Mitchell to present a program. Ms. Mitchell is currently performing a show “Talking with Angels”. The Show honors Gitta Mallasz who sheltered over 100 Jewish women and children from the Nazis in a military factory, and chronicles the “angelic guidance” experienced by some of those there. We hope to see all Temple members at this Observance.
Six of our students have been called to Torah as B’Nai Mitzvah so far this year. Sydney Weinberg (9/21/24), Jordan Padilla (11/2/24), Elliott Lee (11/16/24), Charlie Baver (1/25/25), Elliot Rachman (2/15/25) and Jonathan DeVito (3/29/25). We congratulate each of the students and their families. Upcoming dates are:
ISABELLA MICHAEL- 5/17/25
ADINA SUSSMAN- 5/24/25
NATHANIEL SCHWARTZ- 5/31/25
HARRY PALLEY- 10/11/25
FREDA LOPEZ- 1/17/26
ANDREW BERGER- 2/21/26
ALEX SHERER- 11/14/26
This year we had a different version of the Megillah provided by Rabbi Howald which was read on Erev Purim, March 13, 2025. We had 16 Congregant individuals and families who volunteered to be readers, they were: Josh Baver, Marnie Blit, Deanna Feder, Ma’ayan Feldman, Judy Lee, Sal Mazzola, Jordan Padilla, Blanche Ricci, Pamela Rogozin, Sarah and Evelyn Sarfati, Jodi Siegel, Rian Silverman and Nolan Buono, Inez Singer, Remy Smith, Shari Stein Ballow and Rhonda Trontz-Allen. Thank you to all our volunteers. The Purim Spiel was wonderful. Thanks to Cantor Bernstein, Brooke Lopez and all the actors, singers and dancers.
Confirmation will be held on Erev Shavout, June 1, 2025 at 6 PM. The Confirmands are Sophia Pappas and Oren Shagenov. The Ritual Chairs have already met with the Confirmation Families to assist them with the requirements of the Service.
Chad Rachman, Nina Rohan, Jodi Siegel
Co-Chairs
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Thank you to the following congregants for their assistance with ushering during services or for honoring the Congregation with their presence on the Bimah in March:
Josh Baver, Bryn Biren, Marnie Blit, Jonathan DeVito,
Deanna Feder, Russell Kaminsky, Cheryl Levine, Aron Michaeli, Geraldine Michaeli, Felicia Otto, Jackie Rabinowitz, Nina Rohan,
Jodi Siegel and Judith Sobol.
.
Nina Rohan
Ushering Chair
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Set in 1943 Hungary, Talking with Angels tells the gripping true story of Gitta Mallasz, a courageous young woman who defied the horrors of the Holocaust. By posing as a Nazi officer, she sheltered her friends and over 100 Jewish women and children in a military sweatshop. For her heroic acts, Gitta was honored in 2012 by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations.
Amid the unimaginable darkness, one of Gitta’s colleagues began speaking in a voice that was not her own. Over 17 months, they meticulously recorded these channeled messages in their journals. Years later, Gitta published these writings as the book Talking with Angels, which has since been translated into 26 languages.
Join us for a presentation by Shelley Mitchell, who adpated Talking With Angels and stars in the production.
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How amazing were this year’s Shalach Manot gifts? (Even if we do say so ourselves!)
We are so grateful to the 58 families who generously helped Sisterhood fulfill the mitzvah of giving gifts and tzedakah by becoming sponsors this year. With their kind support, we were able to give every family who attended the Megillah Reading and Purim Shpiel a lovely gift bag, and we were able to give generous donations to the World Jewish Congress, UJA Federation and Birthright Israel. Our incredible Shalach Manot team, headed by Linda Hanibal, Blanche Ricci and Deanna Feder outdo themselves every year. Thank you also to our Purim Elves who carefully wrap hamentashen, unpack boxes, package gift bags, organize distribution, deal with all the recyclables and make sure that everything is just perfect for all our congregants. We are grateful to the entire Hanibal Family, Karen Gross, Libby Gershansky, Nina & Jim Rohan, Shariann Ganz, Inez Singer and Jodi & Alan Siegel. We hope everyone enjoyed Purim at Temple Israel.
Our trip to view the Anne Frank Exhibit at the Center for Jewish History was powerful and heart-breaking. We had the opportunity to immerse ourselves in a full-scale recreation of the secret annex where Anne Frank and her family hid, just as it would have looked during their period of hiding. We explored Anne’s life and the Holocaust through possessions, furniture, letters, and, of course, the diary, along with other artifacts and an incredibly detailed multimedia presentation. We are so grateful to Judy Lee for making all the necessary arrangements so that we could share this important experience together.
We are getting ready to host the annual Jennifer Straniere Memorial Community Seder on April 12th.
The proposed Sisterhood Slate of Officers for the 2025-2026 will be presented at our meeting, to be voted on in May.
We invite you to join us at our 5th Annual Sisterhood Shabbaton….not-for-women-only! Please see the flyer below and make your reservations for what promises to be a lovely day filled with spirituality, lots of good food and an wonderfully interesting and enjoyable program. We thank Sue Freedman, Judy Lee and Pamela Rogozin for spearheading this event.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Sunday, March 30 – Sisterhood General Membership Meeting with Program and Mini Sampled Sale - 10 a.m. at Temple
Thursday, April 10-Set up for Passover Seder – 10:00 a.m.
Saturday, April 12- Jennifer Straniere Memorial Community Seder- 6:00 pm
Saturday, May 3- Sisterhood Shabbaton
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In sisterhood,
Jodi Siegel and Shariann Ganz
Sisterhood Co-Presidents
| | Click on the form below to print! | |
ALL ARE WELCOME! PLEASE JOIN US!
SISTERHOOD MEMBERSHIP IS NOT REQUIRED!
| | Brotherhood at Temple Israel continues….Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow |
Congratulations to all who participated in the Purim Shpiel and made it a joyous occasion.
We also want to thank all the congregants who participated in our very successful Wagner College Theatre Program. The November show was “City of Angels” and the March show was “Once Upon a Mattress”. We hope to have next season’s schedule available in May.
Please be reminded that Brotherhood will be sponsoring the Yom Ha’Shoah Yellow Candle memorial project. Candles will be available to all Temple members for use on Erev Yom Ha’ Shoah, April 23rd. Please participate in this program to honor the recent release of some of the Israeli hostages as well as commemorating the events of October 7th, 2023.
We have reserved tickets to the Sunday afternoon, May 4th, Jewish Heritage Day baseball game at the S.I. FerryHawk stadium in Saint George. Activities will include singing the Israeli Nation Anthem, “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” in Yiddish, children of all ages running the bases after the game, cultural presentations, and the Israeli baseball team signing autographs before the game. Please refer to the promotional flyer included in this bulletin.
We have started planning for our annual BBQ this summer (date and time to be announced), as well as our co-sponsorship with Sisterhood for our annual Bingo Evening this coming Fall.
Brotherhood also extends its condolence to Temple members who have recently lost loved ones.
We will be sponsoring a membership breakfast later in the Spring. Your attendance and participation is encouraged.
Please accept our best wishes for a Chag Pesach Sameach.
Bob Zuckerberg & Alan Siegel
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Happy April and Happy Passover! Our school’s got a lot going on at the moment!
The month kicks off with a busy Sunday, April 6th at school. Our School Model Passover Seder takes place at 11:00am. From 10:00am-12:00pm (before and after the seder)
we are hosting a book signing with author Alanna Hutt, who is mom to 2 new students this year. Alanna wrote a children’s book titled Miggy's Playground and this book is beautifully illustrated with messages about self love and acceptance. School will have books for sale and Alanna will be signing books! Books are $25 and a portion of each book purchased will be donated back to our school! See the attached flyer.
Following our Tzedakah collections for Elliot Rachman's Bar Mitzvah project, Songs of Love and Jonathan DeVito's Bar Mitzvah project, for Homeless Veterans, we are getting ready to collect tzedakah for Adina Sussman’s Bat Mitzvah project, which is helping to fund a special needs baseball field at Snug Harbor Little League.
On Saturday, April 5th we are looking forward to enjoying a Saturday morning Shabbat service as our April Family Service. All students are encouraged and welcome to attend and a Bagel Breakfast is provided by the Ritual Committee prior to the 10:30am service. Please note that this Saturday morning service is in lieu of our Friday night Family service this month. (Please RSVP to JSiegel23@aol.com if you are planning to be there early for bagels!)
See you at Temple!
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Felicia Otto
Religious School Committee Co-Chair
| | We are sorry if your name was inadvertently omitted. Please contact the Temple Office to update your membership information. | |
The Sisterhood of Temple Israel would like to help you celebrate birthdays and anniversaries for you and your family.
You can share the joy of Shabbat and your birthday and/or anniversary by helping to sponsor an Oneg Shabbat on the Friday evening when we celebrate birthdays and anniversaries for that month.
In addition to sponsoring the Oneg, the names of those celebrating appear in the Friday night program and celebrants are invited to the Bimah.
A contribution of $10 for birthdays and $18 for anniversaries is suggested to honor your special occasion and help the Temple at the same time.
Letters are sent out early in the month prior and payment would be appreciated before the first Friday of the month of the celebration.
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IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SPONSORING AN ONEG, PLEASE COMPLETE THE FLYER BELOW AT LEAST ONE MONTH IN ADVANCE OF THE DATE YOU ARE REQUESTING.
SUBMIT YOUR COMPLETED FORM TO SISTERHOOD VIA THE SISTERHOOD MAILBOX, OR GIVE IT DIRECTLY TO
SISTERHOOD CO-PRESIDENT SHARIANN GANZ.
YOU WILL THEN BE CONTACTED BY A SISTERHOOD REPRESENTATIVE WHO WILL HAPPILY ASSIST YOU WITH ALL THE ARRANGEMENTS & DETAILS.
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The Membership Committee met on February 28th, 2025, via Zoom.
A joint event with Hillel and Temple Israel had been changed to Monday, March 31st at Temple Israel. The focus was to bring young professionals within the age ranges of 21-36 to our Temple. Due to the timing of this month’s Board report submission, an update regarding the event will be done in next month’s Board Report.
The Buddy program held on Sunday, March 7th at 5:30 prior to the Shabbat family service was very successful with an increase in children and Temple Congregation volunteers attending each time. We are working on a date for the next Buddy Program.
Sarah has been working closely with the Website consultant to continue proceeding forward.
The Annual Kavod reception has been scheduled for Friday, April 4th at 5:30. Invitations have been mailed. A subcommittee is working on finalizing the evening’s program.
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Respectfully submitted,
Sandy Mazzucco
Membership Committee
| | Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by the devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area. For those who want to help, we encourage you to view the resources and donation page from the Jewish Federation Los Angeles. | | |
Temple Israel Sisterhood Judaica Shop
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EVERY HOLIDAY
EVERY LIFE CYCLE
EVERY SIMCHA
Just what you need and just what they want!
The only place on Staten Island for all your Jewish gifts.
Special Orders available.
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Contact Blanche Ricci at branchtr.ricci@gmail.com
if you are interested in any Judaica Shop items.
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Bryn Biren
Terry Baver
Avis Foundation Trustees
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The mission of the Dr. Ronald Avis Foundation for Temple Israel Reform Congregation is:
…. to provide financial support for young families seeking membership in Temple Israel, and to attract new young families by providing learning opportunities, family programming, and social justice initiatives.
***********************************************************
Welcome to April
We had to change two of our plans for this coming month.
So..we want to let you know of other events! Bryn is being honored at the Staten Island Advance on May 15th, and we are SO proud!! And June 1 is our Temple Gala. We hope you consider coming to it all.
We continue to look forward to seeing you all at the children’s services on the first of every month. We hope you all attend with your lovely children! On Saturday, April 5th, we are having a wonderful Saturday morning service for all the children. And there will be a wonderful bagel Breakfast at 9:30 before the 10:30 service. If you are planning to join us early for the breakfast, please RSVP to JSiegel23@aol.com.
As we have said before, it is important that you all think of joining one of our committees at our temple. We are all volunteers! If you have any thoughts of what you would like to do for our temple, or ideas about things our families and children could experience, reach out to us any time!
We are also very hopeful that other families join our temple. If you know any families who might be interested, please talk with them and let us know!
Sincerely,
Bryn Biren and Terry Baver
MsBunny7@aol.com
terryqbaver@gmail.com
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The story of the Dr. Ronald Avis Foundation for Temple Israel
Dr. Avis originally provided our wonderful Foundation to cover a portion of the membership cost for the first 6 years for young families with young children. Our congregation had been diminishing and he was looking for a way to help us all begin to grow. After meeting with Bryn and Terry a few times, more money was added so the families would also have the opportunities to experience programs for their children. Many wonderful events have been set up for the young families including museum visits, Chanukah cookie designs, a Challah class, a program at the Staten Island Holocaust Center, and many other experiences. The foundation has also helped cover the cost of the religious school teachers.
But then!!!! Covid happened!!!!!!
So the decision was made to use a portion of the foundation money to help all the temple members. The Avis Foundation began to create the zoom classes for the adults in our congregation. These classes are continuing and the foundation covers the costs of them all. The Avis Foundation also covered the cost of the 75th anniversary event. And the foundation is now working with Judy Pessah and the Adult Education Committee to help cover the cost of all the events and classes for the adults in the congregation.
So: Our entire congregation has benefitted from the generosity of the Foundation. Thank you RON!!!!
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Many thanks to Lyssa Harvey and Rachel Barnett, authors of “ Kugels and Collards” for their intriguing presentation — SOUTHERN COOKING AND TRADITIONS.
In March we also were fascinated by Gabriella Rubin’s program, “Elemental”, A Virtual Poetry Workshop.
Thanks to the Avis Foundation for these exciting presentations.
Looking Ahead
Mark Meyer will be conducting four ART TALKS during the month of April, on Zoom, thanks to the AVIS FOUNDATION.
The dates are Tuesdays April 1,8,22,29, at 7:30 PM.
Topics to be covered are Sculpture in Art, Architecture as Art, What to look for in a painting, How do your tools effect your paintings? It is going to be an exciting month!
RSVP to Bryn Biren, msbunny7@aol.com
On Wednesday, April 9, (revised date) at 7:30, on Zoom, BOOK DISCUSSION—“The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store” by James McBride. This is the story about Black and Jewish residents in a neighborhood called Chicken Hill in Pottstown, Pa. in the 1920’s and 1930”s. Check out, online, James McBride’s background. It will enlighten your reading!
Please RSVP to Judy Lee, aninformedsource@aol.com, so we can send you the Zoom information.
On Tuesday, May 6, 7:30-8:30, our new member, Michael Smook, will help us learn about—
‘RAOUL WALLENBERG-RIGHTEOUS GENTILE”, and his life saving accomplishments during World War II.
More information on Michael’s interesting approach to this topic will follow.
We are working on Adult Learning plans. We would appreciate it if you thought along with us. Please tell us what you are eager to learn about, suggest what you yourself may be able to teach us, and let us know of people who can present learning programs to us.
We would love to have you help us make arrangements for our programs. Please tell the “Judys”and Bryn and Terry, if you would ‘love” to join
If you wish to learn about Judaism and be entertained, on your own, click on https://www.you tube.com/@FriedaVizelBrooklyn, for some interesting presentations. (Thanks to Fern Barris for the information.)
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Judith Pessah & Judy Lee
Adult Learning Committee Chairperson
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Contributions to Temple Israel as tributes, dedications or memorials are welcome and are published in the weekly Shabbat program.
Donations can be dedicated to the general Temple Israel Fund or to any of the following specific funds:
- Adult Education Fund
- The Jeffrey Ganz Building Preservation Fund
- Caring Community Fund
- Carole Lachman Memorial Fund
- Choir Fund
- Confirmation Fund
-
Estelle A. Gootenberg Memorial Fund (for Torah Repair/ Restoration)
-
Gerald J. Lustig Memorial Fund (for Ark & Ark Doors)
- Liheyot Fund
- Membership Fund
- Maurice Schlefstein Fund for Minor Repairs and
- Prayerbook Fund
- Rabbi Marcus Kramer Memorial Library Fund
- Shoah Education Fund
- Scholarship Fund
- Rabbi Michael D. Howald Fund for Social Action and Tikkun Olam
A $5.00 minimum donation is requested for these funds. Checks for donations to any of these funds should be made payable to Temple Israel.
PRAYERBOOKS may be dedicated in honor or memory of a special person or occasion. For specific prayerbooks and donation amounts, look for the Prayerbook icons found in this bulletin
Please make checks for Donations to the RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND payable to that fund.
Donations in any amount may be made to SISTERHOOD OF TEMPLE ISRAEL or BROTHERHOOD OF TEMPLE ISRAEL with checks made payable directly to the affiliate organization.
For a leaf on the TREE OF LIFE in honor of a simcha, please scroll down.
For permanent MEMORIAL PLAQUES on our Family Memorial Wall or Original Memorial Wall, please call the Temple office at 718-727-2231.
To see list of all recent
Tributes and Program
Donations to Funds...
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CLICK ON THIS ICON TO TAKE YOU THERE!
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CONTACT INFORMATION
718-727-2231
tmplisrael@aol.com
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