STAND UP FOR ISRAEL AS A JEWISH, DEMOCRATIC STATE

Rabbi Blake recently returned from a trip to Israel where he joined over 250 Reform Rabbis from around the world in meeting with Knesset officials, Jewish leaders, and in joining with hundreds of thousands of Israelis who are peacefully protesting a recent set of initiatives that would undermine a pillar of Israeli democracy, which is its independent judiciary. Supporters of Israel who care about the preservation of its democratic institutions, representing a broad swath of Israelis and her allies, from across the political spectrum from right-of-center to left-of-center, have denounced these proposed “reforms” as a harmful lurch away from democracy that would undercut Israel’s credibility, security, and economic vibrancy. 

Following his trip, Rabbi Blake offered remarks and a slideshow of powerful images, during Shabbat services at WRT on March 3rd. The presentation can be viewed on the video below.

WRT joins with our Reform Movement partners and the Israel Religious Action Center in making it easy to express your support for Israel as the world’s only Jewish State and the Middle East’s only democracy. Click on this link to reach out to Knesset leaders to convey your words. You can also adapt the language provided here to contact your local and national elected officials in Congress. 

Together, we will stand with Israel and for democracy. 

Shabbat and Holiday Services

Tot Shabbat

Friday, March 17 at 5:30 pm

Experience the joy of Shabbat with children, parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends. Designed for families with children of preschool age and younger, Tot Shabbat starts with songs and stories led by our clergy, followed by a family-friendly dinner. Children must be accompanied by an adult for this service (no drop-offs). 

Shabbat Service - Humanitarian Mission to Ukraine: A Year Lookback

Shabbat Service, Friday, March 17 at 6:15 pm

The March 17, 2023 Shabbat service will mark the 1-year anniversary of Rabbi Jonathan Blake’s visit to Poland with UJA-Federation of NY, and comes close to the 1-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine. During this Shabbat evening service, Rabbi Blake will reflect on his experiences and highlight Afya’s work in addressing the humanitarian crisis both inside Ukraine and serving refugees in bordering countries. Danielle Butin, the founding CEO of AFYA, and Max Grudin, a Ukrainian immigrant and Afya volunteer, will join Rabbi Blake on the bimah.  

We invite you to celebrate a special moment with us.

Would you like to celebrate a special occasion for your family? Consider sharing it with the congregation by sponsoring an Oneg following Friday night services at WRT.

Torah Study

Saturday, March 18 at 9:00 am (in-person in the Sifriyah or Zoom) 

Each Shabbat morning we gather informally to read and discuss the week’s Torah portion. The morning begins with a brief Shabbat service at which mourners who wish to say Kaddish are warmly welcomed. The group is led by volunteers, with clergy participation. No prior experience with Torah is necessary.  

Sharing Shabbat

Saturday, March 18 at 9:00 am (in the CJL)

Our engaging, musical Shabbat service for children in Grades K-6 and their families is open to the congregation and community. This weekly service is led by our clergy and followed by engaging learning and conversation organized by cohort – a special JLL curricular experience for the children, and time for the adults to concurrently study, share stories, and ask questions together with a member of the clergy team. All are welcome!

Programs and Special Events

Adult Learning: Introduction to Talmud

Thursday, March 16 at 10:15 am (Zoom)

Join Rabbi Blake and fellow learners for a weekly deep dive into the spiritually nourishing and intellectually challenging world of the Babylonian Talmud. For this midwinter learning series, we will explore signature Talmudic passages that shed light on Jewish philosophy, ethics, observance, and law, with a focus on the content and form of rabbinic thought and debate. No prior text/Hebrew experience is required. All are welcome.

MRJ's Not Your Zayde's Seder: A Worldly Celebration 

Thursday, March 16 at 6:00 pm

Join us for a Passover Seder sponsored by the Men of Reform Judaism and led by Rabbi Jonathan Blake and Cantorial Intern Isaac Sonnet-Assor. We will introduce Passover traditions, foods and music from Jewish communities around the world. Open to all WRT members. *Please RSVP by Tuesday, March 14.

Rosh Chodesh 5783

Led by Cantor Amanda Kleinman and Cantor Danielle Rodnizki

Tuesday, March 21 at 11:30 am (Zoom)

Join our cantors and a diverse group of women for a monthly, midday infusion of study and sharing as we mark each new month on the Hebrew calendar. We will come together as a community to celebrate happy occasions, and to hold space for one another in times of challenge or healing.

Evening Book Group

Tuesday, March 21 at 7:30 pm (Zoom)

This month's title for discussion is The Women of Rothschild by Natalie Livingstone. Are you interested in joining the evening book group? The book group meets once a month via Zoom for review and discussion on the month’s selected title. For more information and Zoom link, please contact Lenore Rosenbaum at [email protected].

Spousal Bereavement Group

Wednesday, March 22 at 11:30 am (onsite)

This Support Group meets to create community for those in mourning over the loss of a spouse, and to help find comfort and process feelings of loss through caring discussion and in sacred Jewish context.

Led by Jane Slevin, LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist from Westchester Jewish Community Services), and Cantor Laura Stein, LMSW, a social worker who specializes in spiritual care. 

KICKING UP YOUR SEDER A NOTCH with WRJ

Led by Rabbi Harra Person, Chief Executive Officer Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), Author of Mishkan HaSeder

Thursday, March 23 at 7:30 pm (on-site in the CJL or Zoom)

Join us for a spiritual kick off to Judaism's favorite holiday. Rabbi Person will lead us in thoughtful discussion dealing with what's on our plates. We will nosh, share recipes and explore together! An informal fun filled kick off for the Passover season! You may attend in-person in the WRT CJL or join via Zoom.

Please take a COVD test before you attend.

Parental Bereavement Group

Wednesday, March 29 at 11:30 am (onsite)

This Support Group meets to create community for those in mourning over the loss of a loved one. Led by Jane Slevin, LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist from Westchester Jewish Community Services), and Cantor Laura Stein, LMSW, a social worker who specializes in spiritual care. 

"Our Cup Runneth Over”(if only the pouring would stop--we would take a sip and clean up the mess!) A Women’s Passover Seder  

Thursday, March 30, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm, Westchester Reform Temple

Led by our Senior Cantor Amanda Kleinman, Cantor Danielle Rodnizki, Rabbi Sasha Baken and Rabbi Leah Citrin. Featuring our multi-generational Timbrels Choir. Hosted by Women of Reform Judaism with honored guests from the Scarsdale-Hartsdale Interfaith Council.

Catered by Standing Room Only.  All meals are gluten-free. Everything is nut-free.

Please click below to RSVP by March 27th.

2 Amazing WRT Trips to Israel for WRT Congregants ages 6+

Run by J²Adventures, we will offer an adult-only trip led by Rabbi Blake, and a family trip led by Cantor Kleinman, with special moments of gathering all together as a WRT community in Israel. These 12-day trips (including travel days), December 20-31, 2023, will provide memories for a lifetime. Please note that Adults and Families will register separately, even though both groups are traveling at the same time.

Registration is now open! Watch the information session here.

Tikkun Olam (Repair of the World)

The Mitzvah of Mishloach Manot

Thank you to everyone who donated breakfast items for the WRT Mishloach Manot project. Because of your generosity, we donated approximately 240 breakfast bags (assembled by JLL and ECC students), full size cereal boxes, and breakfast bars to Feeding Westchester. The breakfast bags are distributed by Feeding Westchester to local schools and nursing homes.

Welcome the Stranger: Refugee Resettlement

Sunday, March 26, 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm, Westchester Reform Temple

Representatives from Westchester Jewish Coalition for Immigration and HIAS will join Rabbi Jonathan Blake, Rabbi Sasha Baken, and Sharon Stiefel in discussing the process and volunteer opportunities for refugee resettlement. A light lunch will be served. Please rsvp no later than March 24 to [email protected].  

Scarsdale Food Scrap Recycling Drive

Sunday, March 26, 9 am – 12 pm and Thursday, March 30, 8:30 am – 9:45 am, Westchester Reform Temple



Stop by WRT where volunteers will be offering the opportunity to register for Scarsdale curbside residential food scrap pickup and purchase a village-approved bin. You can also learn more about food scrap recycling, as well as WRT and the Reform Movement’s commitment to sustainability. Visit the Scarsdale Village Food Scrap Recycling/Food Scrap Composting site to learn more, to register, or to purchase your bin.  

Cooking4HOPE - Hot Meals

Monday, March 27, 10 am - 12 pm, Westchester Reform Temple Kitchen

Sign up to join other members of the WRT community to cook a hot dinner, make sandwiches, and pack sandwich bags for HOPE Community Services. You can also sign up to bake desserts to be included in the sandwich bags, to shop for groceries, or to deliver the sandwiches to HOPE.  Sign up here.

The Opportunity to Connect with Other Congregants Begins with a Mitzvah

With a new year comes renewed opportunity to participate in the life of our community. WRT is a source of meaning and connection for our congregants.

Would you consider one of the following mitzvot which requires nothing more than your caring presence and a little bit of your time:

• Signing up to serve as a Greeter for a Shabbat service in 2023? 
• Offering to deliver a yahrzeit candle package on the first yahrzeit to a bereaved family?
• Volunteering for the Caring Community to write notes, connect with other congregants, or assist with programming.

Please contact [email protected] to let us know of your interest.

WRT's music series for the 2022-2023 calendar year.

We know that music has immense power to connect us, lift us up, and inspire us, and what better way to be in community than to experience the beauty of music with fellow congregants and leading Jewish artists, cantors, and composers! To discover our wonderful artists in this series, please visit the website, https://bit.ly/3MSTYfV

Visit the Jewish Learning Lab (JLL)

For WRT members: If you would like to receive notifications of birth announcements and deaths within the WRT community, please email [email protected] with your full name and email address. Please specify if you would like to be added to one or both of these notification lists.  

For more information about Inclusion at WRT, click here.

For more information about Our Jewish World, click here.