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WRT AT A GLANCE
Scroll down for details about these events and our regular classes
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Kabbalat Shabbat Service & Discussion Featuring Israel Nitzan, fmr. Acting Consul General of Israel in New York
Friday, March 21, 6:15 pm
Israel Nitzan served for five years as Deputy Consul General & Acting Consul General of Israel in New York. He has spent the last 22 years working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel, gaining expertise in diplomacy, foreign relations, foreign policy, strategic planning, and relationship building.
During Friday services, our distinguished guest will offer reflections on this critical moment for Israel, and in the history of the US-Israel relationship. This will be followed by a special Oneg and presentation with Q&A between Rabbi Blake and Mr. Nitzan.
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Sharing Shabbat
Saturday, March 22 at 9:00 am (in-person 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!
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Torah Study
Saturday, March 22 at 9:00 am (in-person at WRT 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.
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In case you missed it:
March 14, 2025 | Calves To The Left Of Me, Heifers To The Right | Rabbi Jonathan Blake
| | Programs and Special Events | | |
Once every five years, we have the right and civic duty as Diaspora Jews to cast our votes and make our Reform voices heard in the World Zionist Congress (WZC) election.
Voting is now open for the 2025 WZC. By choosing the Vote Reform slate, you are voting for your values. The Reform representatives you send to the WZC will help set policies and a $1 billion annual budget that affects Jews around the world.
When you Vote Reform, you are:
- Taking a stand for a secure and democratic Israel
- Protecting the rights of your children and your children’s children to be recognized as Jewish in Israel – a right that our ultra-orthodox opponents in this election are trying to take away
- Choosing the representatives who will champion Reform values
Please commit today to casting your ballot for Vote Reform from March 10 through May 4. Sign up now to receive your reminder to vote.
WRT has a goal of submitting 527 votes in the WZC election. After you submit your vote, take an extra minute to make your vote count towards our goal by completing this exit poll: https://urj.tfaforms.net/1686
Learn more HERE.
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Chair Yoga Series at WRT
Thursday, March 20 at 2:00 pm
RSVP via email to receptionist@wrtemple.org or call the temple office at 914-723-7727.
This chair yoga series is sponsored by WRT’s Caring Community. Kindly consider a donation so that the Caring Community can continue to bring programs like this one to our congregation. You can donate HERE.
Upcoming dates: March 27, April 10, 17 & 24
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Meditation with Norm Goldstein
Friday, March 21 at 11:00 am (in the CJL Living Room)
Many of us are aware that mindfulness and meditation have become increasingly present in people’s lives as a set of tools to navigate stress, increase calmness and clarity, and to promote joy. We at WRT are excited to be continuing our Meditation Lab, which utilizes Judaism as a context for meditation and explores Jewish meditative techniques. While each of us continues to navigate our emotions and responses to the ongoing crisis in Israel and Gaza, we will also continue to use meditation as a way of creating more space in our hearts and minds.
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Special Architectural Tour of WRT
Friday, March 21 at 5:30 pm
To learn about the architectural vision behind WRT’s sanctuary, join Yoel Magid at the entrance to the Sanctuary on March 21 at 5:30 (before services). Yoel worked closely with the architects and can help explain their vision. Time permitting, we will also tour what remains of Marcel Bruer’s original design of WRT.
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Spousal Bereavement Group
Wednesday, March 26 at 11:30 am (in-person)
These Support Groups are for those in mourning over a loss, 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 & Family Therapist from Westchester Jewish Community Services), and Cantor Laura Stein, LMSW, a social worker specializing in spiritual care.
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American Jewish Series with Dr. Joellyn Zollman
Sponsored by the MRJ
Wednesday, March 26 from 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm (Via Zoom)
March 26th: How Eastern European Jewish immigrants shaped American Jewish culture -including politics, arts, and food.
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Exploring the Passover Haggadah with Cantor Kleinman
Thursdays, March 27, April 3 & April 10 10:15 am - 11:45 am (via Zoom)
Prepare to lead your family’s Passover seder! Join Cantor Kleinman for an exploration of the magid section of the Passover Haggadah (the section retelling the story of the Exodus from Egypt). Using classical rabbinic commentaries, we’ll delve into the history and interpretation of some of the Haggdah’s most well-known passages, such as The Four Questions, The Four Children, and the famous story of the five rabbis who stayed up all night retelling the story of the Exodus.
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Cooking4HOPE, Hot Meals
Monday, March 31, 10:00 am – 12:00 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. Please consider volunteering for a leadership role in Cooking4Hope. Contact sharon.stiefel@wrtemple.org to volunteer or learn more. Cooking4HOPE is funded by WRT’s Food and Housing Insecurity Fund, so please continue to support these efforts by contributing to the Fund.
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WRJ's Women Seder
Thursday, April 3 at 6:00 pm
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Begin Shabbat on April 4 at 5:30 p.m. with a special Pre-Neg, as we share food and drink and connect with each other before Services. Make our experiment a success, as we envision new ways to enrich our Shabbat experience at WRT. All are welcome. (There will be no Oneg on this day)
Kabbalat Shabbat featuring American Friends of NATAL
Friday, April 4 at 6:15 pm
As our beneficiary for this year’s Spring Celebration, we invite you to learn more about NATAL: Israel Trauma and Resiliency Center which offers hope, healing, and strength to Israelis in their greatest times of need, transforming lives through round-the-clock care and support for those affected by trauma and PTSD.
Please join us for a special and engaging Kabbalat Service with Maayan Aviv, Executive Director of American Friends of NATAL, to learn more about NATAL's mission, and the important work being done here and in Israel.
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Bake Sale, Ali Arnold’s Lo Ta’amod Project
Sunday, April 6, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm (back parking lot of Westchester Reform Temple)
Support Ali Arnold’s Bake Sale to raise money for The Lustgarten Foundation for pancreatic cancer research as part of her lo ta’amod project. During Covid, Ali spent countless hours baking her grandmother’s recipes.
In memory of her grandmother recently passed from pancreatic cancer, Ali wanted to combine her passion for baking with her grandmother’s as her mitzvah project. Please come and support at the back parking lot of WRT!
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Cantor's Sing Along - Broadway Favorites with a Jewish Twist!
Sunday April 6, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Join the cantors for happy hour at WRT. We will sing songs from your favorite Broadway shows that have a Jewish connection. Bring a friend, meet new friends and enjoy wine and snacks. This will be an evening full of fun and musical talent!
There is no cost to attend; however, you must register in advance. Please RSVP below.
For any questions please contact Lori Gertzog.
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The MRJ’s “World of Passover Celebrations” Seder
Tuesday, April 8 at 7:00 pm
Join us for the MRJ’s 3rd Annual “World of Passover Celebrations” Seder. Led by Rabbi Jonathan Blake and Cantor Isaac Sonett-Assor, we will explore Passover traditions, songs, stories, and of course, cuisine from all around the Jewish world. We will celebrate the diverse faces of our WRT family and our global Jewish community as well as the common threads that bind us together. Everyone associated with WRT is welcome.
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Inspired Giving
It is only through the generosity of our members that we are able to fully carry out our mission, attract and retain world-class staff, uphold the highest standards of learning and worship and offer engaging and innovative ways to experience Jewish Life. We hope you will consider making a gift to WRT's Inspired Giving Annual Fund.
| | Visit the Early Childhood Center (ECC) | |  | | 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 receptionist@wrtemple.org 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.
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