March 1, 2017/5777
Rabbi Soffer leading a TILLI session on Thursday, February 16, 2017
Calendar On the Calendar








6 Adar, 5777
Torah portion:
T'rumah,
Exodus 25:1−27:19

Haftarah portion:
I Kings 5:26-6:13
 		 Friday, March 3
6:00 p.m. Sephardic Qabbalat Shabbat with Dr. Samuel Thomas and Asefa Music

Jack Kirkland Kerrigan will chant Qiddush

(Watch Live Stream)		 Saturday, March 4
9:00 a.m. Early Morning Shabbat Service and Torah Study

10:00 a.m. Thank Goodness It's Shabbat!

10:15 a.m. Shabbat Service

Jack Kirkland Kerrigan Bar Mitzvah
Are you or is someone you know celebrating a wedding? An engagement? A new baby? Do you know someone who is ill or in need of a friendly, supportive call? Please let our clergy know by emailing Melissa Carp, Executive Coordinator for Rabbi Zecher, who is more than happy to help you.
Statement on Executive Action Targeting Transgender Students
To our Temple Israel community, 

Our tradition teaches us that all human beings are created B'tzelem Elohim, in the image of God. All people deserve dignity, equity, and respect.

The withdrawal of guidance to schools to protect transgender students from discriminatory treatment by President Trump's administration represents a devastating step back for transgender civil rights and leaves us worried about LGBTQ rights.

At Temple Israel, we are committed to making sure everyone feels safe, loved, and included regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or any other identity that makes us who we are. Our goal is that each person feels surrounded by love and support. We work to ensure this on every level. We are grateful that Massachusetts already guarantees these protections. No action on the national level deters us from guaranteeing that those in our synagogue community are treated with kindness and respect. We want everyone to know that we will continue to uphold these principles of justice, kindness, and support. As always, our doors are always open for conversation and comfort. 

B'shalom,
The Temple Israel clergy
Sephardic Qabbalat Shabbat with Asefa Music
Friday, March 3, 2017 at 6:00 p.m.
The Rudolph H. and Sara G. Wyner Lecture Series and the Jewish Arts Collaborative present a Sephardic Qabbalat Shabbat with Asefa. Join Dr. Samuel Thomas and members of Asefa for a Sephardic Qabbalat Shabbat. Dr. Thomas will be also be delivering a talk, The Sephardi Piyyut: A Window into the Soul. Dr. Thomas is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and professor of ethnomusicology and Jewish studies. Followed by music, food, and Q&A.

Listen to a recording of Asefa.
A Purim Celebration for the Entire Family!
Saturday, March 11, 2017 

For Children Ages 5 and Under (Contact Rachel)
4:30 p.m. Craft, face painting, and costume contest
5:00 p.m. Puppet Show and Pizza
 Teens-Only (Contact Mike)
5:00 p.m. Purim Shul-In and Masquerade Party for 8th-12th graders
For Participants of All Ages (Contact Roberta) 
6:15 - 6:45 p.m. A Spiel: Bat Mitzvah Ceremony
6:45 - 8:45 p.m. Bat Mitzvah Party: Food, Drinks, Dancing, and Games
All ages welcome. $36 per household. $18 per individual. Registration required.		 21+
8:45 p.m. Join the full Temple Israel Clergy for a reading of the whole megillah. Bring your favorite libation to enhance the celebration!
Joshua Sobol: Playwright, Director, Author
March 24, 2017 at 6:00 p.m.
The Rose Feinberg Memorial Lecture Series and Israeli Stage present Joshua Sobol, playwright, director, and author who has written over 75 plays and directed productions in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Israel, and the United States. Sobol has won five David's Harp awards for Best Israeli Play and won the Israeli Theatre Award for Lifetime Achievement. His most famous play, Ghetto, has been performed in 24 countries.  Learn more and RSVP. 
Stepping Out 2017
Saturday, April 1, 2017
6:45 p.m. Havdalah,  7:00 p.m. Event begins
Stepping Out registration is now open! We all have a story, and together those stories make up our story: the story of Temple Israel. This year we are celebrating our rich and diverse community. Come hear personal stories from our members and support the programs and people that make us a warm, welcoming, and inclusive community. Enjoy dinner and dancing throughout the evening as you celebrate with your friends. Read more and purchase your tickets here.
Rotation Two of Awesome Exhibit  on Display
We are excited that "rotation two" of our exhibit, "Mah Norah Ha-Makom -Ha-zeh!" or "How Awesome is this Place!" is now on display in the Wyner Museum. The title comes from the Biblical passage in Genesis when the patriarch, Jacob, awakes from his dream of a ladder ascending to heaven. He recognizes the sacred nature of that location and says, "Mah Norah Ha-Makom Ha-zeh!" With this statement, we want to lift up how amazing and wonderful Temple Israel is for all of us. We hope you'll stop by to learn from and be moved by the stories of your fellow congregants.
Summer 2017 CSA Program with Buckle Farm
Join Temple Israel and the Buckle Farm for our second Community Shared Agriculture program! The Buckle Farm is a small, diversified organic vegetable farm in Unity, Maine. Read more. We need 40 sign-ups by March 31 to make this happen. Sign up online or send in a check addressed to "Buckle Farm" and contact Joan to let her know.
TIkkun Central
TIkkun Central is the umbrella for all justice and compassion activities at Temple Israel. Email Tali to be added to our weekly TIkkun Central e-newsletter, JustNews.
Book Discussion: Just Mercy: A Story of Justice & Redemption
Thursday, March 2 at 7:00 p.m.
Join us for an evening at Temple Israel to discuss and learn from Bryan Stevenson's Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption. #1 New York Times Bestseller and named one of the Best Books of the Year by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The Seattle Times, Esquire, and Time. RSVP to Tali for this event or if you would like to participate in a discussion group at another time. 
ADL's 10th Annual "A Nation of Immigrants" Community Seder
March 5. Doors open at 2:30 p.m., Seder at 3:00 p.m.
UMass Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd, Boston.
The Anti-Defamation League is hosting their 10th Annual "A Nation of Immigrants" Community Seder, officiated by our very own Rabbi Matthew Soffer.  Register here. For more information, email  Norman Abbott or call 617-406-6382.
Climate Change Film Series 
Temple Sinai, Temple Israel, and Temple Ohabei Shalom are excited to announce a climate change film and discussion series. A moderated conversation will follow each film.  There will be no charge for the series. Each showing will run from  4:00 - 6:15 p.m . Read more.
  • May 14, Temple Sinai (50 Sewall Ave, Brookline) will screen "Before the Flood."
Racial Justice Training for Boston's Jewish Community
Join Jared Jackson from Jews in All Hues in a two-part training series for Boston's Jewish Community.
  • Sunday, March 5 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. This first training will focus on personal reflection and analysis asked of us as we take on racial justice work. The session will equip participants with skills and a framework to better identify racial bias and white privilege as it emerges in ourselves, our communities, and the world.
  • Sunday, March 19 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. The second training will be action-focused, training participants in what it means to be an ally to People of Color.
RSVP. Both sessions take place at Temple Beth Zion, 1566 Beacon Street, Brookline. Temple Israel is a co-sponsor.
Center for Adult Jewish Learning at Temple Israel
Carl Steinbaum Course in Jewish History: A New and Sublime Conception of God and the Jewish Religion
The History of American Reform Judaism in 3 Acts with Rabbi Dan Judson, PhD
Mondays: March 6, 13, 20, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. (Dinner Included) 
In this class we will explore the history of American Reform Judaism from its inception in 1825 through the 20th century. We will pay particular attention to the history of Temple Israel itself and the way that its story interacts with broader themes in American Jewish history. Course Fee: $90 for Members/$120 for Non-Members.
Refuat HaNefesh V'Refuat HaGuf - Healing of the Body and the Soul
Topics in Jewish Medical Ethics  with Rabbi Lila Kagedan
Thursdays: March 9, 16, 23, 30, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Judaism has a unique perspective on medical ethical dilemmas. This course will explore issue in medical ethics with a Jewish legal lens and from a Jewish perspective. Course Fee: $60 for Members/$100 for Non-Members.
For more information on the Center for Adult Jewish Learning, please  visit our website to see our brochure and to register for classes . For more information, contact  David . 
Temple Israel Lifelong Learning Initiative (TILLI)
Final  Session of the  Winter Series
Innovations in Reform Jewish Prayer with Rabbi Elaine Zecher
Thursday, March 16
Coffee at 10:30 a.m. Study Session 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. then BYO lunch
The TILLI Winter Session will focus on how Reform Judaism is meeting the needs and challenges of contemporary life. Free and open to the public. For more information, contact Sue.
LifecycleLife Cycle Events
We mourn the loss of:
Roza Plotkin
February 22, 2017 (26 Shevat, 5777)
Mother of Meela Stone
Grandmother of Slava Menn (Rhiannon)

Adam Nessen
February 21, 2017 (25 Shevat, 5777)
Son of Peter and Beatrice Nessen
Brother of Victoria Nessen  Kohlasch

Ann Morse Cohen
February 21, 2017 (25 Shevat, 5777)
Sister of Alan Morse (Cecily)
Aunt of Rebecca Steinfield (Frank) and Nick Morse (Loren Watson)

Joseph Manello
February 17, 2017 (21 Shevat, 5777)
Living Judaism together through discovery, dynamic spirituality, and righteous impact.