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CHAILITES
March 18, 2015
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Contact Us
Temple B'nai Chaim
Phone: 203 544-8695
Fax: 203 544-9706

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Office Manager: Kim O'Rielly
Education Manager: Jennifer Haynos
Facility Use/Rental: Kim O'Rielly 

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President, Dina Gumins

Sisterhood President, Bonnie Heft 

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Chailites News Item Submissions   

Please note that events and news for Chailites should be submitted to chailites@templebnaichaim.org by Sunday at 4:00 pm to appear on Wednesday.

TBC Events through March 26, 2015 

(Dates and times are also on the TBC website calendar)

  • Friday, March 20, 7:30: Shabbat Services
  • Saturday, March 21, 9:30 am: Torah Study
  • Saturday, March 21, 11:15 am: Bat Mitzvah of Kayla Cohen - Click here to wish Kayla Mazel Tov by making a donation to TBC in her honor!
  • Tuesday, March 24, 7:00 pm: Who is My Neighbor? (See below)
Religious School Schedule
(Dates and times are also on the TBC website calendar )
  • Thursday, March 19: Religious School in Session
  • Sunday, March 22: Religious School in Session
  • Wednesday, March 24: Religious School in Session
  • Wednesday, March 24: Confirmation Classes in Session
  • Thursday, March 25: Religious School in Session
All Things Passover

  

"So You are Planning to Lead a Seder ..."  Have you ever wondered whether what you are doing as the Seder leader is "kosher"?  Have you wondered if cutting out the names of hard to pronounce Rabbis or doing the 4 questions without the preamble or skipping right to Elijah's cup at the end of the meal is heretical? Perhaps this is the first time you are going to lead a Seder (yes, you are really going to try this...) and you realize you have a sketchy sense of where you bless and drink wine or don't drink wine. Good questions all. 

On  Sunday morning, March 29th during our school Passover activities, there will be  a parent's program that will share the best of seders and the things to avoid; answers and good discussion on all things Seder. The program will be led by 3 TBC Past Presidents, Michael Wolfman, Ken Sobel and Gerry Rakos sharing their collective years of leading small and large family seders. There will be a variety of Haggadot on display for your inspiration. The program will start  at 9:45 am and end at 11:00 am. Bring your questions, your seder plates (pictures will be taken and added to our growing catalog) and stories to share.

  

"The Best Haroset ever ..."  We are looking for the treasured foods that make Passover so special for you. Though our Community Seder meal is set, we are looking for small starter and dessert contributions to represent the breadth of eating experience. Perhaps you have a variation of fish, or of fruit compote or matzah kugel that is straight from the shtetl or the Moroccan desert. Perhaps your matzah meal chocolate torte is exceptional. Please contact Bonnie Heft at: (sisterhood@templebnaichaim.org) and let her know what you can bring to the Seder to share as an appetizer or dessert.  

 

And don't forget to ...
  • Make your reservations for the April 4 th Passover Community Seder. RSVP here!
     
  • Write up a brief summary of one of your own Passover stories, and send it to Susan Farber at membership@templebnaichaim.org. Take a look at what people have already contributed here!
     
  • Take a picture of your family Passover plate and send it in to Moses at archive@templebnaichaim.org. Pictures already received may be viewed here!

Ten Minutes of Torah with Rabbi Bearman! 


If you haven't signed on for Ten Minutes of Torah, you may have missed Rabbi Bearman's d'var on God's instructions to the Israelites for the building of the Tabernacle as recounted in Exodus. It's available online at: http://www.reformjudaism.org/learning/torah-study/vayakheil/what-records-reveal. You can also sign up to receive Ten Minutes of Torah on a regular basis here ( http://www.reformjudaism.org/sign-receive-ten-minutes-torah).

Support JFS Passover Basket Project 


Danbury Jewish Family Services (JFS) has taken up the challenge of ensuring that everyone in the Greater Danbury Jewish community is able to celebrate Passover holiday nutritiously, ritually and with pride of heritage. TBC has participated in this project for many years. Coordinating with the Danbury Jewish Family Serivces we are working to ensure that those families in need can celebrate Passover by providing grocery store gift cards and some Passover items.


For some, Passover can be a significant financial burden. This is especially true in these challenging economic times. We support this effort by providing Kosher for Passover food and grocery store gift cards so the families can make purchases on their own. JFS adds "seder" staples (wine, plate, Haggadot, etc.). This will enable recipients to have the foods they need for the Seder and to observe our traditions. Seeking donations to the Tzedaka Fund in support of this most important project. Contact: Melinda Weber at melinda@westportcompany.com 
Openings - Board of Trustees

The Nominating Committee is looking for congregants who want to get involved.  There are several openings on the Board of Trustees.

If you'd like to learn more, please send an email to David Sklar at: governance@templebnaichaim.org
B'nai Mitzvah Projects

A number of our B'nai Mitzvah students have asked to have their mitzvah projects highlighted on the TBC website. They include: Kayla Cohen, Abigail Hadar, Jimmy Curto, Grace Goldberg, Maden Herve, Jack Potash, and Drew Saumier. In some cases students are seeking help from the congregation in making their projects successful.  Please take a look by clicking here!

All students preparing for their bat and bar mitzvahs are encouraged to complete a mitzvah project profile so that information about their project can be posted on the TBC website.  Click here to view the project profile form.
whoAnd Who is My Neighbor?  Rabbi Bearman will Participate in Wi-ACT Series at Wilton Library
 
The Wilton Clergy Association, the Wilton Interfaith Action Committee (Wi-ACT), and the Wilton Library are sponsoring:  AND WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR? How Our Community Can Respond to Differences, Divisions and Conflicts. This will be a four part series that takes place on four Tuesdays - March 10, 17, 24, and 31 - from 7:00-8:30 pm at the Wilton Library. [NOTE START TIME CORRECTION!]  Register today for this exciting Community Education Opportunity! Rabbi Bearman will be participating in the fourth session (March 31) which will include a panel of local clergy.  Click here for more information.
Kabbalat Shabbat Israeli Style

On March 20, at 5:00 pm join all 14 Southern New England Israeli Young Emissaries, from Greenwich to Worcester, for a community-wide Kabbalat Shabbat.

Rabbi Josh Weinberg, President of ARZA (Association of Reform Zionists of America) will speak on "Israel: Living the Dream while Grappling with the Reality."  At Congregation B'nai Israel, 2710 Park Ave., Bridgeport.  Click here for more information.

Norwalk Emergency Shelter


Open Door Shelter - Soup Kitchen at 4 Merritt St, Norwalk 203-866-1057. We help prepare and cook dinner for over 100 Shelter clients. We work under the supervision of a chef, serve and then clean up after the meal. This is a very hands on, very satisfying volunteer effort. The only requirement is that volunteers be over 18 years of age.


We volunteer the fourth Thursday of every month. We usually have a TBC crew of about 3-4 people. The cooking starts at 3:30 pm and we work until 7:00 pm.  You can come for all of the sessions, or come early (3:30-5:30 pm) and/or come later (5:30-7:00 pm) or any time in between. 


Dates (4th Thursday of the month except dates with asterisks): March 26, April 23, May 28, June 25, July 23, August 27, September 24, October 22, November 19* & December 17*.


Contact: Melinda Weber at: socialaction@templebnaichaim.org 

Buy Grocery Cards - Help Support TBC!



Stop & Shop, Caraluzzi's, and Stew Leonard's have agreed to sell the Temple gift cards at a discount of 5-10%. Our congregants purchase the gift cards (they look just like credit cards) from the Temple at face value and use them as cash when shopping at the participating supermarkets. They may be purchased in increments of $100. Please email certificates@templebnaichaim.org if you have any questions and to purchase the cards.

Yahrzeits, March 20-March 26, 2015  
(See also the Monthly Yahrzeit List on the TBC Website.)

Sheldon Romaner Saturday 3/21/2015 father of Michele Bender
William Sampson Sunday 3/22/2015 grandfather of Micki Sampson Averick
Jerry Schlesinger Sunday 3/22/2015 father of Lynn Schlesinger
Lillian Tondow Weber Sunday 3/22/2015 mother of Donald Weber
Fritzi Radcliffe Monday 3/23/2015 aunt of Peter Czuczka
Sara Heft Tuesday 3/24/2015 mother of Mike Heft
Sam Yurman Tuesday 3/24/2015 father of Steve Yurman
Murry Erlich Wednesday 3/25/2015 father of Senia Feiner
Milton Levenson Wednesday 3/25/2015 grandfather of Elizabeth Cramer
Charles Hibscher Thursday 3/26/2015 uncle of Betty Grey
Harry Olshan Thursday 3/26/2015 father of Kenneth Olshan