Rabbi Michael D. Howald

Cantor Suzanne Bernstein

Bryn Biren, Russell Kaminsky

Co-Presidents

MAY 2025

Iyar- Sivan 5785

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SHABBATON

JIMMY MAX

GALA INFORMATION

SISTERHOOD DINNER

SHREDDING EVENT

ONEG SPONSORSHIP

CERTIFICATES

TREE OF LIFE

Shabbat Morning*

Torah Study at 10:00 a.m. followed by Services at 11:00 a.m.

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Passcode: 778943

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As the end of our religious school year approaches, my mind always turns to the High Holy Days. The amount of preparation required to get ready for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is astonishing, as anyone on the ritual committee or in the choir can confirm. Cantor and I need to edit and finalize orders of service, the ritual committee needs to determine and allocate honors, Cantor and the choir need to determine and rehearse prayers and musical arrangements, and, on my part, I need to write and re-write sermons. I take the sermons I deliver on the High Holy Days very seriously and this year more than ever because, dear readers, this coming High Holy Days will be my last as your spiritual leader.

It hurts more than a little to acknowledge in writing like this, but the time has come. I look forward to my impeding retirement in June of 2026 with a combined sense of sadness and anticipation. Sadness that my time as your rabbi is drawing to its close, but also expectation about what the next chapter of my life will hold. Serving this congregation has been one of the greatest honors of my life yet even the best of times must eventually end. For that reason, I am particularly determined that my last High Holiday sermons with Temple Israel will be appropriate for this moment in the history of our people and meaningful for this milestone in my life and in the record of this congregation. For that reason, I am asking you to write and call me in the next two months and tell me what you want to hear about this Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

My colleagues are already asking about books to read, podcasts to listen to and ideas to consider in getting ready for the year 5786. I have eagerly followed the responses to their inquiries on social media. Now I want to hear from you! What topics would you recommend, what thought-provoking books have you read, what thinkers do you follow that would lead themselves to the themes of renewal, reflection, and repentance of the High Holy Days? Beyond that, what issues relevant to this congregation would you like to hear about? I only give four sermons during the High Holy Days so I cannot address every idea on the upcoming Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Nevertheless, I hope the answers you provide will provide a rich source of topics to explore through sermons, bulletin articles and adult learning that will last all through my last year.

If you have an idea, a book, a podcast, maybe a poem or a piece of music to suggest as a topic for the upcoming High Holy Days, please contact me at my Temple email (rabbi@templeisraelsiny.org) or at the Temple (718-727-2231). Your concerns and ideas matter to me and I am eager to hear from you! 

Kol tuv, all the best from my family to yours!

Bryn Biren

Russell Kaminsky

       When we began the Presidency on June 1, 2024, May 2025 looked a long way off. And now, here we are, this is our final message, ending our term as Co-Presidents. We can say without a doubt that it has been an honor to be the leaders of Temple Israel.  This has been made especially clear to us when non-members have attended our Bat/Bar Mitzvah services and have marveled at the command of the bimah that each child has. The training given by Rabbi Howald, Cantor Bernstein and the many teachers along the way is something we are very proud of.

       We have led the congregation during the time period that benefitted from the incredibly generous contribution of the Avis Foundation. Comments from family and non-members during our festival and life cycle events let us know that we have young families, we have programs that attract young families and also educate our faithful and dedicated congregants. Our Shabbat Family Service is vibrant, signaling hope for our synagogue’s future. This is not the case throughout the United States, where temple membership is declining. We have something special here.

      This past year has seen change, most evident in the new relationship that we have with the Jewish Community Center. Major upgrades have been made to our building, DOE pre-K 3 and pre-K 4 classes flourish each of the weekdays, and we look forward to a relationship with the JCC that extends for a 10-year period, and beyond. 

      We have also worked to officially have Temple Israel recognized on the NY State Register of Historic Places. This is the US official list of properties worthy of preservation. We are currently waiting to hear if we will be nationally recognized as well.

      Temple Israel is a unique place, providing festival, Sisterhood, Brotherhood, educational, and social activities throughout the year.

     During our term we were saddened to lose our dear friend and benefactor, Dr. Ron Avis. He has had a profound effect on each of us and on the congregation. There will never be another Ron.

     We leave our positions knowing that we have given the Temple our very best effort. We have worked every day to make this the best Reform synagogue that it could be. We wish the new leadership the very best in guiding our very special synagogue into a successful future!

Sincerely,

Bryn Biren & Russell Kaminsky

Co-Presidents

The recent independent film “Between Two Temples,” about a cantor in upstate New York, resonated with me on several levels, starting with, of course, that the story was about a cantor. The synagogue scenes were shot in Congregation Emanuel of the Hudson Valley, a vibrant, heimish (homey) Reform temple in Kingston, NY, about a 30 minute drive south on the NY State Thruway from my temple and home in Catskill. The film’s director, Nathan Silver, grew up across the Hudson River in Rhinebeck. Some of my cantorial colleges were unhappy with the comic aspects of the film, but I really liked how the film captures the quirky Jewish life of rural communities. 

And of course the title itself, “Between Two Temples,” hit home for me since I myself am between two temples: Temple Israel of Catskill, and Temple Israel of Staten Island. (Actually I am between three temples, since I also still tutor bnai mitzvah students in Manhattan, but that congregation is not called Temple Israel.)

Both of my Temple Israels are small congregations that play a big role in the lives of their members, offering connection, inspiration and comfort. Both of my Temple Israels have caring, compassionate rabbis that I am privileged to know as colleagues, mentors and friends. 

I want to express my deep gratitude to the Sisterhood for inviting Rabbi Zoe B. Żak to come downstate from Temple Israel of Catskill to be part of the Sisterhood Shabbaton. I hope that you will be as inspired by the soulful, prayerful singing of Rabbi Żak as I have been. My story is different than the fictional cantor of Nathan Silver’s film, because I feel truly blessed to be “between two temples.” 

One more thank you to the leadership of Sisterhood! At the Shabbaton two years ago, with Sisterhood’s support, my daughter Miryam Coppersmith and I presented a workshop version of Women of Chelm” based on a book by former Staten Islander and dear friend, Jenny Tango. Since then, Miryam and I have continued to obsess about the women and world of Chelm. Now we are ready to take the Women of Chelm on the road, to a performance space in the Westbeth Artist Housing complex where Jenny, who turns 99 years young this year, lives with her husband, Robert Bunkin. The show has changed quite a bit since the workshop format we presented in the social hall in 2023. We invite any bold travelers to revisit Chelm with us in the West Village of Manhattan on Mother’s Day weekend: Saturday, 5/10, 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, 5/11, 2:00 p.m. Click on the link for information and tickets, and please share the link with everyone you know, and everyone you don’t know! 

https://events.humanitix.com/women-of-chelm

Chelm lives! 

Cantor Suzanne Bernstein 

Friday, 5/2

Any children who would like to learn a special song should come at 6:30 p.m. for the 7 p.m. family service.  

Sunday, 5/4

  10-11:00 a.m. - Sr. Choir rehearsal for 5/16 service

Friday, 5/16

6:45 p.m.: Sr. Choir warm-up for 7:30 Shabbat service

__________

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

Join us as we celebate Shabbat and Shavuot

with our friends at

The Brielle

on Friday, May 30th at 3:30 pm.

All are welcome.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

MAY 2025

IYAR-SIVAN 5785

For calendar updates please check the Temple website.

To print or download a copy of this calendar, click here.

MAZEL TOV TO:

BARBARA FEIGELMAN on the marriage of her daughter JILL to RAMEZ KALFROUNI ;

ZOFIA POLLAK, mother of CLAIRE GUTTSMAN, on her 100th birthday; 

AMANDA STRANIERE an honoree at the Nancy Avis L'Dor V'Dor luncheon at the JCC; 

RONI SCHORR and family on the birth of her grandson, STUART DAWSON SCHORR , to Adena Ruchames and Joshua Schorr.

GET WELL WISHES TO:

LARRY HANIBAL recovering from surgery.

CONDOLENCES TO:

JUDY LEE on the loss of her brother-in-law, ROBERT BRUCE SLANEY 

THINKING OF YOU:

RUSSELL KAMINSKY, LUIGIA WIESNER

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

May 2, 2025

Jennie Blumenthal* 

Abraham Cohen *

Naomi Newhouse Jablons*

Sonia Outman

Erwin Badrian

Joel Chernoff

James Gamble

Frances Reiss

Julius Schneider

Benjamin Sherman

Arnold Wells*

Ettie Berman*

Sidney Holzman

Rebecca Lauren Lipsitz*

Elizabeth Greenfield

Clara Hershenson

Clara Schneider

Gary Singer

Sally Berger*

Stuart Feigelman

Louis Melniker

Michael Duskin*

Katherine Marks* 

And we remember from the Holocaust:

Maria Weinajzal

Brukha Zylbersztajn

Franklin Seidler

Jean Arnien

Robert Riedeli

May 9, 2025

Rose Kitoff*

Beatrice Kutell

Edith Marks

Solomon Nison

Anna Siegel

Alan Bernard Sostek

Harriette Duskin*

Alma Rothwein Jacobs*

Clara Silverberg*

Muriel Trachman *

Richard Litkofsky *

Barry Nadel *

Ida Shenman *

Milton Eisen *

Fay Schaefer *

Esther Goldman Dumont 

Ada Lauter *

Beatrice Lachman *

Jeffrey Cohen 

And we remember from the Holocaust:

Boris Perelman

Isidor Drach

Juliane Spreisser

David Feldstein

Yitzhak Tiger

May 16, 2025

Augusta Berman Sostek 

Dorothy M. Melniker *

Dr. A.  Milton Jacobs *

Rea Silberberg

Ernest Beck 

Harold B. Blach 

Roslyn Klein 

Gertrude Gross*

Craig Lawrence Horn *

Suzanne Nadel *

Evelyn Orland 

Dora Wolchok

Deidre Sostek 

Florence Hurkin *

Murray Gold *

And we remember from the Holocaust:

Karoline Skopek

Zeev Bergman

Martin Rewald

Bronislawa Bielecka

Sarah Aizen

May 23, 2025

Charlotte A. Braverman *

Rose Lipson 

Seymour G. Gollubier *

William Grodman 

Itta Berlyand 

Ane Sussman *

Edith Gamoran

Etta Rabin *

Irene F. Carducci *

Iris Mushnick 

Dr. H. Edward Marshon *

Rita Feldstein *

Ruth Lewis 

William Brill *

Marilyn Tanzer

Fred Feigelman

Carole Lachman *

Irving Cohen *

Anna Katy Silverman *

Burton Cohen *

And we remember from the Holocaust:

Rayzel Band

Constant Buyl

Anna Gross

Eugen Schnapp

Joan Vass

May 30, 2025

Leon Grossman 

Robert Selig 

Peter Nash *

Beatrice V Dubrin Morse *

James A. Meyers *

Lee Pessah *

Eugenia Gavarlynsh

Ben Harris 

David Manger *

Eleanor Ecker *

Jesse Silverman *

Shirley Wolinitz-Sacoff *

Samuel Elrich 

And we remember from the Holocaust:

Ferenc Grosz

Wincene Boniecki

Leo Sager

Rafaelne Kohn

Mano Paskesz

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. 

DEDICATE A LEAF ON OUR

TREE OF LIFE

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DON'T FORGET TO BRING YOUR BOOKS FOR DONATION!

TEMPLE ISRAEL BENEFITS FINANCIALLY!

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, along with your full annual commitment for the year.

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

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.

Shabbat shalom!  Thank you all for coming here today for my Bar Mitzvah.  My parsha comes from the Book of Exodus, Chapter 39, verses 1-14.  My verses describe the garments that Aaron, the High Priest and Moses’ brother, will wear when officiating in the Temple.  The Torah was kept in the Arc at the Holy Temple, that is how important the Temple was and how important the job of High Priest was.  The High Priest’s garments were not ordinary pieces of clothing! They are made from beautiful yarns of different colors and from precious metals and stones.  My verses primarily describe the making of breastplate that the High Priest would wear, that is made of gold and inset with precious and semi-precious stones, as “stones of remembrance” of the 12 tribes of Israel for the next generation.  By wearing this, Aaron represents the 12 Tribes of Israel. The 12 tribes are named for our forefather Jacob’s 12 sons.  These stones on the breastplate remind us, and the High Priest, that offerings and prayers celebrate and worship G-d, and honor our forefathers.  Aaron’s priestly tasks are bigger than even he is, and our prayers and G-d is bigger than we are.   

I chose these verses because I felt it was important to focus on clothing the High Priest would wear when leading rituals and sacrifices in the Temple.  When acting as High Priest, Aaron represents the entire People of Israel and G-d instructed moses that the High Priest’s garments should reflect well on  both himself and the Israelites;  G-d specifically instructed Moses on how to make these garments and ornaments.  If clothes make the man, or the Bar Mitzvah boy, then Aaron’s clothing makes the High Priest. 

When Aaron acts as High Priest his conduct and his appearance reflect on Israel as a whole.  In a similar way, when I play sports and wear the team uniform, my conduct reflects not just on me, but also on my teammates, my coaches, my school or my club.  My coaches expect me to exhibit good sportsmanship during every game and to make sure my uniform is clean and properly worn.  When I play on a soccer field, or on a basketball court, I am expected to act and dress in ways that spectators are not required to.  In other words, when I put on a uniform, I am expected to show a higher level of conduct and appearance than in my ordinary life. 

The holy vestments sanctify and ornament the High Priest to show the raised esteem of the Temple.  This honor distinguishes the High Priest from everybody else and the holy garments signify glory and beauty, more particularly the glory and beauty of HaShem.  It is due to the wearer, not the clothing; the clothing  simply matches the outside to the inside and Aaron’s high position.  And it is a reminder that the priest must act in a certain way and be an example to the people.   

We may not have the Holy Temple right now to pray and worship in, or a High Priest leading sacrifices, but we all have the chance to honor those who take on special responsibilities in our own society, such as those who are in the armed services.  My Mitzvah project was focused on collecting blankets and towels for homeless veterans.  This helped me honor those who wore the special uniform in their endeavors to protect our freedoms and hold themselves to a higher standard.  But as anyone in the military knows, every uniform has to be perfect and worn correctly.  This is not pride, but humility- wearing the special garments or a uniform shows care, attention to detail, and discipline.  

There are a variety of settings in our everyday life where we are expected to dress and act with more formality then when we go to the gym to the movies.  For example, when I come to services at Temple Israel, I wear a button down shirt and nice pants.  I do this because the sanctuary is a place of prayer and I believe that wearing more formal clothes honors the purpose of the service.  When I now wear my tallit with the similar colors, I am also reminded of the care and beauty of prayer.  In the same way, Aaron wears beautiful garments and precious metals and stones to give honor to the rituals he leads in the holiest place in the Israelite camp. Dressing up takes more time and the clothes aren’t always comfortable, but sometimes we have to show respect to get respect in return.   

Finally, I am thankful for my parents for supporting me.  I thank my grandparents for loving me unconditionally.  I am grateful to my family for being here today to share this day with me. I am particularly grateful to my brothers for always pushing me to try harder and challenge myself, and making fun of me in the process, which makes me try harder so that I can prove them wrong.  I have fun with all of them, but they also teach me things along the way without even realizing it.  I also thank all of those who donated blankets and towels and garments for my mitzvah project.  

Thank you also to the congregation of Temple Israel for making this community possible.  Thank you Rabbi and thank you Cantor for teaching me and preparing me for this day.  

Shabbat Shalom!  

As the year winds down for many of our Temple committees, Sisterhood remains busy.

Our new Slate of Officers is in place to be elected at our May 18^th General Membership Meeting.

We are gearing up for our 5^th Annual Shabbaton on Saturday, May 3^rd. And we are planning another wonderful End-of-Year Celebration for our members which will take place on Tuesday, June 17^th.

Over the course of the past month, Sisterhood hosted 87 people at the Jennifer Straniere Memorial Community Seder.  We are grateful to the small, but mighty group of helpers who assisted with setting up the social hall in the days prior to the Seder.  We are grateful to Esther Magid, Bryn Biren, Karen Gross, Nina Rohan, Anita & Bob Zuckerberg, Shariann Ganz, Linda & Alan Brill.  The list of items used for the rituals included in the seder, in addition to place settings, makes this task enormous.  Every pair of hands and every minute of help was greatly appreciated.  Thank you to Siegel Family for their dedication and organization of this annual event.

We fulfilled our pledged commitment of a $3000 monetary donation to the Temple, in addition to covering the costs of all kitchen supplies, paper goods, tablecloths and laundry expenses.  Sisterhood membership dues and support of all our fundraisers enables us to do this.  We encourage all Trustees to support our Temple Auxiliary organizations by paying their dues and participating in our fundraising activities.

Thank you to Maxine Cohen who spearheaded our collection of supermarket gift cards and monetary donations for the JCC’s Passover Food Pantry.  This year we were able to donate $750 with your support.

On the last day of Passover, we hosted a bring-a-dish to share luncheon following the Festival Yizkor Service.  Thank you to all who contributed and all the helping hands, led by Shariann Ganz.  A special thank you to Bob and Anita Zuckerberg who transported all our leftovers from the Seder and the luncheon to Project Hospitality and to Jesse Siegel who arranged it.

We look forward to having the support of all the members of the Board of Trustees with their presence at this year’s Shabbaton.  The service will be led by Rabbi Howald and Cantor Bernstein along with our special guest, Rabbi Zoe B. Zak from Temple Israel Catskill.  There will be a wonderful Israeli style luncheon following the service with an enjoyable program presented by Rabbi Zak and Cantor Bernstein.  Sisterhood members will participate in the service.  For questions, contact committee chairs Sue Freedman, Judy Lee and Pamela Rogozin.  We ask everyone who attends to bring a donation of a feminine hygiene product for the women of Project Hospitality.  Rabbi Zak’s book, “The Cook and the Rabbi” will be available for purchase.

Please join us at our last formal meeting of the year on Sunday, May 18^th at 10:00 a.m.  After our meeting, which will include the election of our Officers and Directors for next year, we will have some time just to catch up with each other and informally talk about ideas for our Installation Service, Fundraising  and Social Action Projects for next year, as well as social activities.  Your input is important.  Please help us continue to keep our Sisterhood relevant and active.

Please come celebrate another successful year of Sisterhood of Temple Isael on Tuesday, June 17 at The Staaten. We hope see you there. Please see the flyer below for details.



We are grateful to all those who assist us at onegs, chair our committees, do the mailings, shop for our supplies, schelp boxes and bags and bottles, and continue to make sure that Sisterhood and all its activities run smoothly and seamlessly.  There’s a lot of work that goes into every single event and activity, most of which goes unnoticed by those who attend or participate.  We notice!  Thank you to all our Sisterhood members and friends of Sisterhood who do the work!

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

We want to wish all Temple members and their families a most joyous Spring season and hope you all had a delicious and inspirational Seder with your loved ones.

The Yellow Yom Ha ‘Shoah candles were delivered to Temple members’  homes by Brotherhood volunteers. We lit these candles on Wednesday night, April 23, to promote Holocaust awareness as well as commemorating the events of Oct 7, 2023. Thank you to all those who participated in this program and who have already made their donations.

Please note: The tickets we reserved for the May 4^th Jewish Heritage Day baseball game at the FerryHawk stadium were returned due to the FerryHawks moving the event to Thursday evening May 22, which is the night the Temple is having its Congregational Meeting.

We will be joining the Sisterhood on Sunday morning May 18^th, 10:00 AM for a joint breakfast to be followed by a Brotherhood general meeting in the sanctuary to select our officers and plan our program and activities for 25/26 year.

On Sunday, June 22 at 12PM all members of Brotherhood are invited to a paid-up luncheon at Z-One restaurant on Richmond Avenue near Victory Blvd. Please be reminded that all new Temple members are automatically Brotherhood members their first year and are welcome to join us for this event.

Finally, Brotherhood’s annual BBQ will be held in July, date and time to be announced.  Please watch for the announcement and plan to join us for this most enjoyable event.

On behalf of Brotherhood,

Bob Zuckerberg

Alan Siegel

As our school year comes to a close, we would like to thank our hard-working teachers, Brianna Levinsky, Emily Levkovich, Gabriella Rubin, Brooke Lopez, and of course Rabbi Howald, for providing our children with an immersive educational experience.  

Our last session of the year is being held on Sunday, May 4th. At 11am we will host a Stepping Up Ceremony. Each student will read a personal reflection of their time on class, and then will be presented with a certificate of achievement. The Stepping Up Ceremony will be followed by a visit from the Ice Cream Truck! 

If any parents are interested in joining the Religious School Committee, or would like to consider joining our teaching staff for the coming year, please contact either of us at msbiren78@aol.com or feliciaholtzman@gmail.com 

Thank you for a wonderful year!

Sincerely, 

Brooke Lopez & Felicia Otto

Religious School Committee Co-Chairs

We are sorry if your name was inadvertently omitted. Please contact the Temple Office to update your membership information.

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.

Spring is on the way and our Temple activities are in full “bloom”.

A joint event with Hillel and Temple Israel scheduled for Monday, March 31st at Temple Israel had to be postponed. A new date will be set for the Fall. The focus of this event is to bring young professionals within the age ranges of 21-36 to our Temple. 

The Buddy program continues to be a great success. We are working on a date for the next event.

Sarah continues to work closely with the Website consultant.

The Annual Kavod reception was held on Friday, April 4^th at 5:30 and was enjoyed by all. Rabbi Howald and Bryn discussed the history of Kavod and how it started at our Temple.

Looking forward to the Temple Gala on June 1^st.

Respectfully submitted,

Sandy Mazzucco

Membership Committee

1. Vote Reform! It’s time to stand up for our Reform values and vote in the World Zionist Congress election today. By voting for the Vote Reform slate, you are standing up for a democratic and secure Israel and against stripping Reform Jews of their rights and funding. Voting is open from March 10 – May 4. 
2. Urge Congress to pass the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act to limit immigration enforcement in houses of worship, schools, and hospitals.
3. As we celebrate Black Maternal Health Week, urge Congress to support the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act to address the Black maternal health crisis.
4. Join a Justice Circle! Justice Circles are small groups that meet virtually or in person to learn, share ideas, and take action on urgent issues like immigrant justice, reproductive freedom, and LGBTQ+ equality.
5. Urge Congress to cosponsor H.R. 40 to establish a federal commission to examine the enduring legacy of slavery and develop reparations proposals for African American descendants of enslaved people.
6. Save the date! Consultation on Conscience on Friday, December 12- Monday, December 15. We are excited to announce the return of the RAC's flagship social justice conference, the Consultation on Conscience! This 4-day immersive event will be held outside of Washington, D.C. Registration will open soon and spaces are limited!
7. As the federal government escalates attacks on LGBTQ+ people, especially transgender youth, urge your governor and state legislators to protect and expand LGBTQ+ rights in your state.
8. Make a special Post-Passover gift! By making a gift to the RAC, you provide critical resources to protect the most vulnerable, advocate for justice nationwide, and strengthen our nine state projects.

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 May

A reminder again! 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 hope you enjoyed your Passover seder. If anyone is interested in creating their own Haggadah, you can reach out to Terry, as she has created her own Haggadah and would be glad to help you create your own.

We are hoping that many of you will stay connected during the summer and perhaps create a time with the other children. If you have any thoughts of things you might like to do over the summer, and could use our help, reach out to either of us.

We are also hoping to have more families join our wonderful temple. If you know anyone who might be interested, let them reach out to us any time.



Sincerely,

Bryn Biren and Terry Baver

MsBunny7@aol.com

terryqbaver@gmail.com

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!!!!

Many thanks to Mark Meyer for making April an exciting month with his talks on

Sculpture in Art, Architecture as Art, What To Look For In A Painting,  and How Your Tools Affect Your Paintings.  

Thanks to Judy Lee for leading our Book Discussion on “The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store” by James McBride.

Looking Ahead

On Tuesday, May 6, 7:30-8:30, on Zoom, our new member, Michael Smook, will help us learn about—

‘RAOUL WALLENBERG-RIGHTEOUS GENTILE”, and his life saving accomplishments during the Holocaust.  Against overwhelming odds Wallenberg succeeded in saving the lives of 100,000 Jews, in the struggle to persevere and survive in the face of the Nazis’ genocidal plans.  Check email for the Zoom link!

Our speaker, Michael Smook, was a retired municipal health administrator, continues to share his knowledge and speaking ability with many non-profit organizations, both connected to Judaism and to society in general.  He is a docent at the Eldridge Street Museum.

RSVP-judithpessah@gmail.com.

On Tuesday, May 27, at 7:30, on Zoom, Gabriella Rubin will continue her “Elemental, A Virtual Poetry Workshop” with a presentation, “THE INFINITE-SPACE AND THE STARS”.

To receive the Zoom link, RSVP to Bryn, msbunny@aol.com.  (Avis Foundation)

Book Discussion- On Tuesday, June 10 at 7:30, we will talk about “THE TWO FAMILY HOUSE” by Lynda Loigman.  This is the story of two Jewish families living in apartments, one above the other, and the bond between the two mothers.   Please start reading this gripping multigenerational story.  RSVP-Judy Lee, at aninformedsource@aol.com.

If you wish to learn about Judaism and be entertained, on your own, click on https://www.youtube.com/@FriedaVizelBrooklyn  , for some interesting presentations.

Judith Pessah & Judy Lee

Adult Learning Committee Chairperson

Please join the FUNdraising Committee Wednesday June 11, 2025 at Jimmy Max from noon to 11pm to raise some dough for Temple Israel.

Please see attached flyer.

Rhonda Trontz-Allen, Karen Frey-Gamoran, Lissa Winchel

Co-Chairs

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...