Chailites 10/7/2020, Simchat Torah, Consecration, More!

CHAILITES
October 7, 2020

TBC Events Through October 14

Friday, October 9, 6:30 pm - Special Family Service to Consecrate and Welcome New Learners
Saturday, October 10, 9:30 am - Torah Study Kohelet
Saturday, October 10, 11:15 am - Isabelle Kriger's Bat Mitzvah
Sunday, October 11, No Religious School
Tuesday, October 13, 7:30 pm - Adult Ed Program - Topic "Who Wrote the Bible
Wednesday, October 14, 4:30 pm - Hebrew School

Please remember that you must REGISTER for everything that you plan on attending.**

Once you click on the registration link, you will be taken to a webpage where you will enter your name and email address. Once you submit this information, you will receive a CONFIRMATION EMAIL that includes the LINK you will use to join the program and the PASSWORD that you will need to enter after clicking the link to join.

**YOU MUST SAVE THE CONFIRMATION EMAILS THAT YOU RECEIVE. THEY ARE THE ONLY PLACES WHERE THE LINKS AND PASSWORDS WILL APPEAR.**

Religious School News!

Thank you to the teachers, Madrichim, Andrea Heizler, students, and parents for making our outdoors in-person first day of Sunday School so successful. In addition to engaging their classes in a variety of interesting fun activities about the holidays, teachers took them to bring donations for the food pantry, hang their made-at-home fruit crafts and learn more about Sukkot from Cantor Harriet in the sukkah. There will be NO Sunday School on Oct. 11. Zoom classes begin at 9:30 on Oct. 18th. Teachers will be emailing the appropriate links and supplies will be delivered to homes by volunteers. We strongly encourage ALL students and their families to join Cantor Harriet and 7th graders in welcoming the K-1 to our Religious School (Consecration ceremony) at the family Shabbat/SImchat Torah Service on Friday Oct 9th at 6:30 pm.

Simchat Torah is Coming - It's Consecration Time!

On Friday, October 9 we will have a very special Family Service at 6:30 pm. (Register here!) During the service, our new learners in grades K to 1 will be welcomed and consecrated. Please join us for this very special event - particularly if you have children in Religious School. Of course, all are welcome!

Please note there will be no Tot Shabbat in October. It will resume in November.

Who Wrote the Bible?

Adult Education Session, October 13, 7:30 pm

TBC member Stephen Davis will reprise his thought-provoking overview of the theory that the Torah as we know it was actually compiled from several earlier sources (the "textual hypothesis"). If you've ever wondered what people meant when they talked about the "J" text or puzzled over why the Torah has two creation stories, two Flood stories and three versions of the Ten Commandments, Zoom in and find out

TBC Book Club

October 26th @ 7:30 pm via Zoom

The TBC Book Group will be reading The Hilltop by Assaf Gavron. We will meet October 26th at 7:30 pm via Zoom. This award-winning novel about life in a West Bank settlement has been hailed as "brilliant" (The New York Times Book Review) and "The Great Israeli Novel [in which] Gavron stakes his claim to be Israel's Jonathan Franzen."

We hope you will join us for what should prove to be an interesting discussion.

In Our Community ...

If you have TBC community news you'd like to share, please send the information to chailites@templebnaichaim.org!

The Jewish Film Festival of Fairfield

Thursday 10/15 through Sunday 11/22

The 19th season of the Jewish Film Festival of Fairfield County is going VIRTUAL! Mark your calendar for six weeks of award-winning films, October 15 - November 22, featuring Q&A's with film directors, producers and expert speakers each Sunday at 12 p.m. via Zoom. For more information click here!

Sisterhood’s Rosh Chodesh Honors

Ruth Bader Ginsburg - Sunday October 18 th at 5 PM

Rosh Chodesh means "head of the new (moon)" marking the start of the new lunar month. According to legend, this holiday was a reward given to the women of Israel because they refused to surrender their jewelry for the creation of the golden calf. Traditionally each month on Rosh Chodesh women cease work and chores. At TBC Sisterhood, this gives us the opportunity to converse, catch up with each other’s news, and refresh. This month we honor our sister Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we discuss how Judaic principles informed her work and share how her life has touched us. This promises to be fun and meaningful.... perhaps make this your first Rosh Chodesh. Then come back for more! Register here .

Bennett Center for Judaic Studies

The Bennett Center offers lectures and programs on Jewish themes, some free and some for a small fee. For more information please click here.

The Weekly Torah Portion

Sh'mini Atzeret - Simchat Torah

Deuteronomy 33:1–34:12, Genesis 1:1–2:3

On Simchat Torah, the day on which we literally celebrate the Torah, we read the very end of Deuteronomy and the very beginning of Genesis. In the final verses of Torah, we read Moses’ blessing of the Israelites, offered before the prophet dies. Moses then ascends Mount Nebo, from which he sees the Promised Land and takes his final breath. God buries Moses and we are told there will never be another prophet like him. From this passage, we immediately begin our new cycle of Torah reading with the story of creation from the beginning of Genesis. And we create a new year of studying Torah. While each year we return to the same verses, it is we who are different. With each passing year, we grow and change, celebrate and mourn. And it is as if we are reading these sacred words for the very first time. Click here to learn more

Dorothy Day Hospitality House

TBC now staffs the Dorothy Day Hospitality House aka Danbury Soup Kitchen the first Wednesday of each month. We provide about 80 meals each afternoon with COVID precautions followed. Everyone who comes to the door is welcomed with no questions asked. All work at Dorothy House is done by volunteers — there is no paid staff. At this time, we need about 4 people to take care of each day.

Dorothy Day Hospitality House is based on the Houses of Hospitality founded by Dorothy Day during the Great Depression. Dorothy Day Hospitality House is not formally affiliated with any religious organization, and people of all faiths participate in their work.

Contact: Peggy Zamore …peggyz18@gmail.com

Women of Reform Judaism Northeast District:

Virtual Convention on November 6th and 7th

The Women of Reform Judaism Northeast District invites you, your friends and family, to "Celebrating Our Stories" at our first Virtual Convention on November 6th and 7th. We are presenting a full schedule of events, including guest speakers, workshops, Shabbat services, Torah study, Havdalah, and the installation of our new Executive Committee.

TBC congregants will be extremely well represented: Sharon Sobel will be installed as WRJ NE District President; Bonnie Heft will be installed as the NE District Area Director; Deborah List will be conducting one of the seminars; Valerie West Rosenthal designed the logo for the event, and our own Cantor Harriet will be leading the Havdalah service!

Show original message. Because of the generosity of our sponsors and donors, WRJ NE is able to offer this exciting event at no cost to our attendees.

The registration links are open and ready for your consideration:

Click here to go to the 2020 Virtual WRJ NE Convention registration form (https://form.jotform.com/202598151287057)

For more information about the many donation and sponsorship opportunities click here, (https://women-of-reform-judaism-northeast-district-convention-2020.square.site/)

Please free to forward them to sisterhood and women's group members, and all those who would like to be part of our involved, active, and joyous community for this special weekend.

For this issue of Chailites we are thanking the following individuals who have generously contributed to TBC during September 2020.

To everyone who has supported TBC, we offer you our most sincere thanks and heartfelt gratitude.

ARZA Dues

Beth Blumenthal & Ronald Corwin

Jeffrey Busch & Stephen Davis

Gregg Feldman & Lynn Schlesinger

Nancy Gade

Kathy and Todd Gordon

Men's Club

Beth Blumenthal & Ronald Corwin

Thomas Dubin & Pamela Klem

Gregg Feldman & Lynn Schlesinger

Kathy and Todd Gordon

Sisterhood

Brooke Zykan Bernstein

Beth Blumenthal & Ronald Corwin

Iris Busch

Thomas Dubin & Pamela Klem

Gregg Feldman & Lynn Schlesinger

Nancy Gade

Kathy and Todd Gordon

Ronnie Ross

Operating Fund

Nathan Blumberg

Thomas Dubin & Pamela Klem

Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Pfeffer

High Holyday Appeal

Doris and Lew Bender

Janice Berger

Brooke Zykan Bernstein

Nathan Blumberg

Victor Borden

Zelda Brenner

Ken Brown

Jeffrey Busch & Stephen Davis

Rudy Escalante & Diane Berenbaum

Mr. and Mrs. Ron Frei

David Fried

Jocelyn Futado

Jeanne and Lloyd Goldberg

Jonathan Gordon & Cortney Davis

Bonnie Heft

Joe Kropf & Irene Rosenberg

Charles Landau & Kimberly Yonkers

June Mara

Ria and Bruce Miller

Fran Ostendorft

Sandi and Russ Prince

Amanda Robbins

Conor Rubin

Sharon and Ken Sobel

Jennifer and Alan Spirer

Michael Tartell

Karen and Ross Tartell

Terry and Marty Ullman

Meryll and Michael Wolfman

Memorial Book

Stacy and Marc Barenberg

Brooke Zykan Bernstein

Beth Blumenthal & Ronald Corwin

Gregg Feldman & Lynn Schlesinger

Kathy and Todd Gordon

Susan and Aaron Hollander

Year End Appeal

Susan and Mitchell Farber

PTO Donations

Beth Blumenthal & Ronald Corwin

Thomas Dubin & Pamela Klem

Gregg Feldman & Lynn Schlesinger

Nancy Gade

Kathy and Todd Gordon

Alice Learman

Religious School

Alexander Family Foundation

Sisterhood Donation

Thomas Dubin & Pamela Klem

Rabbi Lippman Kesher

Thomas Dubin & Pamela Klem

Tzedakah Fund

Alexander Family Foundation

Jeffrey Busch & Stephen Davis

Iris Busch

Barbara Dobbin

Bonnie Heft

Joe Kropf & Irene Rosenberg

Ria and Bruce Miller

Russell Robbins & Valerie Rosenson

Karen and Ross Tartell

Melinda and Don Weber

Meryll and Michael Wolfman

URJ Appeal

Beth Blumenthal & Ronald Corwin

Beth and Scott Brown

Jeffrey Busch & Stephen Davis

Thomas Dubin & Pamela Klem

Gregg Feldman & Lynn Schlesinger

Nancy Gade

Kathy and Todd Gordon

Shalach Manot

Thomas Dubin & Pamela Klem

June Mara

Memorial Plaques

Susan and Mitchell Farber

Cantor's Fund Card

Jeffrey Busch & Stephen Davis

Debra and Dennis Case

Susan and Mitchell Farber

Bonnie Heft

Karen and Ross Tartell

Melinda and Don Weber

Kesher Fund Card

Alexander Family Foundation

Thomas Dubin & Pamela Klem

Rabbi Disc Fund Card

Susan and Mitchell Farber

Sisterhood Fund Card

Thomas Dubin & Pamela Klem

Sisterhood Honey

Brooke Zykan Bernstein

Jeffrey Busch & Stephen Davis

Debra and Dennis Case

Thomas Dubin & Pamela Klem

Susan and Mitchell Farber

Jonathan Gordon & Cortney Davis

Joe Kropf & Irene Rosenberg

June Mara

Marc Mellon & Babette Bloch

Ria and Bruce Miller

Wendy and Mac Nadel

Russell Robbins & Valerie Rosenson

Sharon and Ken Sobel

Rachel and Joe Sondheimer

Jennifer and Alan Spirer

Melinda and Don Weber

Tzedakah Fund Card

Alexander Family Foundation

Oneg/Flower Donation

Alexander Family Foundation

Don't Forget Chai Greeting Cards!

Chai Greeting Cards are an opportunity for our members to reach out to one another during times of illness, struggle or bereavement. The cards have a modern, yet warm look and feel and include a heartfelt message and space for personalization. Click here to see examples. Or - Click here to send a card! If you have any questions, please email cards@templebnaichaim.org.

Condolence Card - This card contains a message of condolence for those who have lost a loved one. $36 each, with the donation going to your choice of the Rabbi's Discretionary Fund, Cantor's Discretionary Fund or the Kesher/Caring Fund.

Mazel Tov Card - This card contains a message of congratulations for those celebrating a happy occasion. $54 each, with the donation going to the Operating Fund, Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund, Cantor’s Discretionary Fund, Religious School Fund, Shalom Rav (music) Fund, Sisterhood Fund, Tzedakah (social action) Fund or Youth Fund.

Mi Shebeirach Card - This card contains a message of caring and support for someone struggling with illness or other challenges. $18 each, with the donation going to the Kesher/Caring Fund.

Yahrzeit Memorial Plaques at TBC

During this challenging time, we know that many of us are thinking of loved ones who have passed away. We invite you to commemorate the lives and blessings of your loved ones with a memorial plaque. A special service of dedication for the entire community will be scheduled at TBC when that again becomes possible. Ordering information is available here.