NEWSLETTERTOP

October 2018 - 5779

Volume LXVII #1

Member of the Union For Reform Judaism

978-251-8091

www.congregationshalom.org

Congregation Shalom is a Reform Jewish community committed to education, spiritual growth,  and Tikkun
Olam (healing the world).   We are proud to be an extended family of  equals - welcoming,  caring, and inclusive.   Together, we engage in religious observance,  enjoy social activities, and  pursue life-long learning.
Congregation Shalom
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Rabbi From our Rabbi rabbi

Dear Friends,
 
HIAS, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, was founded in 1881 originally to assist Jews fleeing pogroms in Russia and Eastern Europe. In the 130 years since its founding, HIAS has touched the life of nearly every Jewish family in America and now welcomes all who have fled persecution. HIAS continues to work around the world to protect refugees who have been forced to flee their homelands because of who they are, including ethnic, religious, and sexual minorities. For more than 130 years, HIAS has been helping refugees rebuild their lives in safety and dignity. HIAS has a remarkable history and if you would like to learn more you can read about it at their website: www.hias.org/history
 
HIAS, shared this meaningful reading for the High Holidays, and although I did not use it in our services, I'd like to share it with you now:
 
    At once plaintive and energizing, the shofar calls us to remember the depths of suffering that still exist in our world as we are drawn out of our complacency and into action.
    The uninterrupted call of tekiah guides our thoughts to the 68 million people around the world still making terrifying journeys away from violence and persecution to search for freedom, sometimes without an end in sight.
    The broken call of shevarim remind us of the relentless attempts over the last year to break the long tradition of welcome in our own country, to close our doors to those seeking safety on our shores.
    The staccato call of teruah pierces our hearts, its shouts calling us to action. But what will happen when the reverberation of this year's blasts stops?
    For each of us and all of us together, may the commandment to hear the shofar not end when we rise from our seats on this day.        
    May we instead continue to sound the shofar for one another, inspiring each other to take action on behalf of the world's refugees.
    May we continue to sound the shofar for those who have closed their ears to the cries of those who are most vulnerable, reminding them of our American and Jewish obligation to welcome, love, and protect the stranger.
 
HIAS is sponsoring National Refugee Shabbat on October 19-20 and Congregation Shalom will be participating at our Shabbat Services on October 19th. National Refugee Shabbat 2018 is a moment for congregations, organizations, and individuals around the country to create a Shabbat experience dedicated to refugees. This national event is a meaningful opportunity to deepen our understanding of today's global refugee crisis, connect with the Jewish movement for refugees, commit (or recommit) to taking action, and either celebrate your community's achievements in working with refugees or launch new efforts. I hope you will join us.
 
L'shalom,
  Rabbi Sig
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From our PresidentBarryTop   

Dear friends,
 
First - The membership survey is being sent by email very shortly. It will give each of you an opportunity to tell us what we are doing well, where we can improve, and where to focus our resources in the future. 
 
Next - I'd like to share something personal I spoke about at Rosh Hashanah, when I said I'd realized recently that blueberries are a fantastic metaphor for Judaism!
 
This hit me a few days after we got back from a trip. Here's what happened: we got home, I took a few days to get caught up on laundry, etc. and then I looked up the hours for blueberry picking at my favorite farm.
 
Let me interrupt my story for some background -
During the season, I go to the farm to pick every week. I really love to pick blueberries. I like being outdoors, I like knowing that the berries are local, and I like that I've got a connection to them because...I picked each one. I feel entitled to bring home as many as I want because, again, I put in the work. My family never has a problem eating as many as get picked. This was especially true when our kids were home. Years ago, like lots of parents, we'd take the kids to pick apples and blueberries. Blueberries were our family's clear choice. As the kids got older, they still wanted to eat the berries, but being dragged to the blueberry patch was not on their list of favorite things to do. I stopped picking berries, I guess, for a few years - things were busy and it wasn't worth the fight. But then, I decided to go by myself once. It was a little lonely, knowing my family didn't want to join me...though I found they were just as eager as ever to help eat them! I turned it into a challenge to see if I, by myself, could pick enough berries to satisfy the whole family. So, there I was for a half hour every week or so, picking berries. I started to spot the solo adults I'd never noticed before. These days my husband joins me more often, but I'm comfortable going by myself.
 
So, back to a couple of weeks ago. I'd caught up on laundry after our trip, checked out the picking hours at the blueberry patch, and DEVESTATING NEWS - found out the picking season had ended. I don't know which day, and maybe I'd have been able to go one last time if I'd checked right away when we got home. No way to know at this point. I have to wait until next July.
 
I find a lot of parallels between my blueberry picking and my relationship to Judaism.
  • First, the season passes by whether I'm paying attention or not. Let's be mindful of opportunities to feel part of Congregation Shalom and not unintentionally let them pass us by.
  • Next - I started going blueberry picking because I thought it would enrich my kids and, as they lost interest, I stopped too. Sound familiar? Sometimes it felt that the only connection I had with Congregation Shalom was for the sake of my kids.
  • It took me a while, but I found my way back to the blueberry bushes. If you can find your own personal reasons to come here, then you will. As a parent of teens, I had to find my own ways to connect with the temple.
  • To me, the blueberries are like the fruit to be gleaned from Judaism - perhaps it's religious or spiritual growth, maybe friendship or social ties, learning something new, or a sense of contributing to something bigger than yourself. For every person reading this, there may be a different "fruit" to glean from Judaism.
  • I may go blueberry picking alone, but if you step into our temple you are not alone. Judaism is personal, but it's also a communal experience.
 
I have to wait nearly a year for the next local ripe blueberries. Luckily for all of us, Judaism is year-round. Lots of things are happening now - new schedules of events from Sisterhood and Adult Ed and the Shalomites - but there's no season for Judaism.
 
A connection works best if both sides reach out. Congregation Shalom is looking for new ways to reach out to you. I hope my blueberry analogy might motivate you to find reasons to reach towards us.
   
L'shalom,
Joanna Myers
F rom Our Education Director     

 
 
Shalom Chaveirim,
 
מַזָּל טוֹב /congratulations! We have 17 Madrichim signed up to work in our Hebrew and Religious School programs this year. WOW!! Definitions of a 'Madrich/Madrichah' include "guide, trainer, educator, youth counselor, or supervisor".
 
When I think about Madrichim, the expression which comes to mind is 'role-model'. Madrichim offer students a bridge between more formal instruction and fun, hands-on Jewish learning. Madrichim help students explore their future goals and how they can participate actively in the Jewish community. Madrichim present students with someone to talk to, look up to, and simply enjoy learning with, and from. In their best incarnation, a Madrich or Madrichah is a peer and mentor, rolled into one.
 
Caitlyn Curry, an 11th grader, is entering her fourth year as a Madrichah in our program. She is enthusiastic about the work she does. " I decided to be a Madrichah, because when I was younger, the people who made Hebrew school fun and interesting for me were not only the teachers, but especially the Madrichim assigned to my classes." Caitlyn says when she initially considered becoming a Madrichah she was inspired by "the thought of these people [Madrichim] who always were fun to hang out with and [were] easy to connect with and learn from." Caitlyn says when she was a younger student, "Madrichim made Hebrew School way better! I wanted to have that same impact on other people."
 
Our Madrichim program speaks to the strength of Congregation Shalom Religious School and Hebrew School programming. At a time when there is so much pulling at our students' limited time, we have teens who are so willing to give of themselves to ensure younger students have a meaningful Jewish educational experience. Some Madrichim, in fact, donate half their salary back into our synagogue community, a commendable action.
 
To extend the educational goals of our Madrichim programming, Congregation Shalom has embarked upon an educational training course for our teen teachers-in-training through Gateways in Newton, which provides high quality special education services, expertise and support to enable students with diverse learning needs to succeed in Jewish educational settings and participate meaningfully in Jewish life. Our school joined a Gateways-sponsored Teen Madrichim Learning Cohort in August. An instruction session, built on a train-the-trainer model, took participants through the innovative Gateways Teen Madrichim Curriculum which, in turn, prepares teen teaching assistants to better support diverse learners in the classroom. Last month, four teachers and I attended this training and Gateways Director of Coaching and Consultation, Sherry Grossman, is advising and mentoring our school, based upon our goals to professionalize and advance our Madrichim program.
 
A generous grant from our School Committee is funding Gateways programming this year so Madrichim, supported by teaching staff, will be better coached to serve all students in new and inspiring ways. Indeed, in training sessions, we have already begun exploring the differences and similarities between learners and/or teachers. Notes Madrichah Caitlin Curry, " I have stayed with it [being a Madrichah] because I feel like I am able to stay a part of the community through the work I do on Wednesdays and I find it gives me an opportunity to learn more about working with other people, especially people younger than me. It helps me learn about myself, my own strengths and weaknesses relating to Judaism, or teaching, and it shows me where I have room to improve in my life."
  
It is our own Madrichim who will continue to motivate and stir us as we move into deeper Kavanah/Intention, reflection, and action in the coming year.
                       
                                               ***
 
There are interesting articles and links online re: Madrichim training, see:
 
 
L'Shalom,
 
Stay Tuned for More Adventures
In Jewish Learning and Engagement...
 
Dale Norman                                         

Social Justice/Social Action Committee socialaction               


Social Justice

Please join us on September 30th at 10:30 a.m. at the temple for a conversation with Kelly Jenkins on being transgender. We will hear about her personal journey and w hy "Yes on 3" matters.

Ongoing Social Action :

Table of Plenty
 
Join the Congregation volunteers at the Chelmsford Table of Plenty which serves dinner to all who walk through the door, without question, every Tuesday from 5-6 p.m.. We prep, cook and serve dinner every other month on the 3rd Tuesday. If you can volunteer sometime between 2 and 6 p.m. and you'd like to be part of this mitzvah, contact Sue McDonald at rsmegpat@concast.net. Questions? Contact us at socialjustice@congregationshalom.org.
 
Monthly Food Donations for Middlesex Transitional Living Center
 
Donate meatloaf and/or brownies and/or salad each month for the Transitional Center. Leave your donations in the cooler at the entrance to the synagogue beginning on Wednesday, October 17 starting around noon, until Thursday 10/18 until 8:00 p.m.

Future food donations will be:

Oct 17-18
Nov 14-15
Dec 19-20    
   
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Adult EducationAdultEd

Movie - Complicit: The Untold Story of Why the Roosevelt Administration Denied Safe Harbor to Jewish Refugees
With Special Guest Hans Fisher
Sunday, October 21 at 3:00 PM
 
Complicit  includes never before seen footage of the US Special Envoy Hannah Rosenthal's powerful expose of America's inadequate response to the Jewish refugee crisis.  Highlights include the 2012 US State Department ceremony in which Deputy Secretary of State William Burns makes the first ever apology to a delegation of surviving passengers from the refugee ship, SS ST Louis.
Complicit , presents rare and candid interviews with these heroic refugees who were turned away by the United States in June 1939, and returned to the US to make extraordinary contributions to American society.
Hans Fisher will be sharing his incredible story of surviving the Holocaust. He was one of 937 passengers aboard the MS St. Louis, a ship that left Germany in 1939 to escape escalating anti-semitism. Tragically, neither Cuba nor the US granted refuge to the ship's passengers, who all were forced to return to Europe on the eve of WWII.
 
Kristalnacht Commemoration Concert
The Mischlinge Exposé: A Concert with Classical Pianist Carolyn Enger
Sunday November 4 at 7:00 PM
 
Kristallnacht , literally, "Night of Crystal," is often referred to as the "Night of Broken Glass." The name refers to the wave of violent anti-Jewish pogroms which took place on November 9 and 10, 1938. This wave of violence took place throughout Germany, annexed Austria, and in areas of the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia recently occupied by German troops. As we mark this moment in our people's history, we welcome Carolyn Enger.
 
 
On-Going Adult Education Opportunities:
 
Adult Hebrew
Taking Prayer Book Hebrew  to the Next Step
Sunday mornings
If you want to feel more comfortable in services, knowing more of the vocabulary of our siddur as well as the Haggadah and Tanach, then this is the class for you! Open to all Hebrew readers, will begin our class with a reading review to reinforce the sounds of letters and vowels. Then we will dive right into the text: Aleph Isn't Enough: Hebrew For Adults Book 2. This textbook helps students to understand key vocabulary and roots as well as basic grammar. In class, we will engage in lively discussions about the meanings of the prayers, the structure of the service and more. If you are interested in learning more or participating, please rsvp to Rabbi Perry at rabbi@congregationshalom.org .
 
Spirituality Group
This group provides a wonderful forum of exploration for personal spirituality. We explore how we can enhance our own spiritual experiences and reflect about how we can enrich the quality of our life experiences and relationships.  Last year we learned that among us there is a great diversity of meanings and experiences of spirituality. If you have any questions please feel free to contact Lynne Rothstein at lynneroth12@gmail.com or Bruce Goss at  BGinNH@tds.net .
 
Café Wisdom
2nd Tuesday of every month
10:30 AM-12:00 p.m.
Café Wisdom is a monthly study group that meets on the 2nd Tuesday of each month (starting in October). This year we will continue reading discussing the book Wise Aging: Living with Joy, Resilience, & Spirit. We always welcome new people and if you are interested in learning more or on being added to the Café Wisdom mailing list, please contact Rabbi Perry at rabbi@congregationshalom.org.

As always, if you have suggestions for the Adult Ed committee, please contact us at  adulted@congregationshalom.org
   
Featured This Issue
Adult Education
October B'Nai Mitzvahs
Wanted - Newsletter Editor
Oneg Schedule
Breast Cancer Walk
Challah Orders
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Save the Date

October 21st - Adult Education Movie - See below

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GroupsBlockGroups
  
  
  



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QuickLinksQuick Links
 

Links to Our Website
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

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October B'Nai Mitzvahs
 
October 6th - Brianna Cohen
October 13th - Josalyn Newell
October 20th - Inanna Shannon

Services are open to the temple community

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Wanter: Newsletter Editor to Replace Me
 
We need a newsletter Editor to transition into my role. The time commitment is about 4 hours or less each month with most of the work happening towards the end of the month.
 
The process is that you read the articles as they come in, make edits as necessary and then put them in the template in Constant Contact, which I will train you on. I didn't know anything about CC when I started, but it's pretty easy to pick up.  A basic knowledge of computers is all that is needed to take this job, and it will add to your skills.
 
The other small responsibility of the job is to attend the Communications Committee meetings once or twice a year. 
 
Being the newsletter Editor is a nice way to stay informed about what is going on in the temple and provides an easy, valuable way to get involved.  It's definitely a "behind the scenes" job and can be done from home.  
 
If you'd like to learn more, just send an email to  
newsletter@congregationshalom.org
Thank you,

Katie Ebersman

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Preliminary Oneg Assignments 2018-1019
 
Friends,

There have been a few minor changes, so please check your Oneg assignments, listed below, and put them on the calendar.  If you cannot make your assigned date, it is up to you to try to arrange a swap with someone else. Reminders are sent out by email 3 weeks ahead of schedule, and again the week of the Oneg.

Keep in mind, we are all volunteers, and we may have made some mistakes, and will do our best to accommodate your requests.

Oct 5 - 7 pm Family Shabbat - Music w/ Sue Horowitz  -   Shuldiner*, Green & Hill, Klamka, Rodman S&I, Weinberg & Fox-Weinberg
Oct 12 - 6 pm Sunset Shabbat - Kreithen & Goldman-Kreithen*, Gross, Laider & Myers, Snyder
Oct 19 - 6 pm Tot Shabbat - Lotto, Lyman
Oct 19 - 7:15 pm Adult Shabbat - Shpiel Mizen*, Gertz, Notinger, Weintraub & Spiro
Oct 26 - 6 pm MOCA Shabbat - Music w/ Sue Horowitz - Heines*, Gilmore, Kerzner, Segal L&H, Zehngut & Frampton
Nov 2 - 7 pm Family Shabbat - Music with Ari Strasser - Grade 3 Libby & Gallagher*, Danzig A&K, Heater, Lazar, Miranda & Stewart-Miranda
Nov 9 - 6 pm MOCA Shabbat - Music by Shpiel - Howard*, Bass, Miller C&S, Valleley
Nov 16 - 6 pm Tot Shabbat - Music w/ Sue Horowitz - Ecker & Ball, Pokrovski, Skolnick
Nov 16 - 7:15 pm Adult Shabbat - Mackillop & Rabinowitz*, Boyer, Kaufman, Pitts & Rosenthal
Nov 30 - 6 pm Sunset Shabbat - Hirsch*, Indorf, Miller M&L, Orlinsky
Dec 7 - 7 pm Family/Grade 4/ Channukah Shabbat - Music w/ Ari Strasser -  Rosen*, Barskse & Barske, DiGiovanni, Jegasothy, Katz, Libby & Shannon
Dec 14 - 7 pm Adult Shabbat - Shalomite Creative Service - Boroshok*, Eskenas, Landress, Leonard & Miller, Rosenstein, Segal J&W
Dec 21 - 6 pm Sunset Shabbat - Music w/ Sue Horowitz -  Rosenberg*, Friedman, Lydon, Sedgwick
Jan 4 - 7 pm Grade 2 Family Shabbat - Music w/ Sue Horowitz  - Lischer*, Berman, Menaker, Paul & Nunn, Supple, Verbun
Jan 11 - 6 pm Sunset Shabbat - Music by Shpiel -  McHugh*, Arthur, Bass, Sevici
Jan 18 - 6 pm Sunset Shabbat - Degen*, Brown, Denly, Himelfarb
Jan 25 - 6 pm Sunset Shabbat - Music w/ Ari Strasser - Rodman P&L*, Chandler W&E, Cohen & Evans, Rosenberg & Katler
Feb 1 - 7 pm Grade 6 Family Shabbat - Music w/ Sue Horowitz - Arrington*, Berman, Cole & Evans, Schwartz, Silton
Feb 8 - 6 pm Sunset Shabbat - Music by Shpie - l Goss & Beck-Goss*, Epstein, Haas, McBride
Feb 9 - 6:30 pm Sunset Shabbat - Music w/ Sue Horowitz -  Szabo & Wexler*, Kamien, Newlon & Rothstein
Feb 15 - 6 pm Sunset Shabbat - Burton*, Brother, Holladay & Navy, Notinger
Feb 22 - 6 pm Sunset Shabbat - Green*, Friedlander, Grier, Michaud


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Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk
 
The Wonder Women are Making Strides Against Breast Cancer at the Hatch Shell in Boston on Sunday, September 30.  This is a 2 or 5 mile walk along the Charles River with a rolling start from 8 to10 a.m.

We would love to have you join us.  We will carpool and go out for brunch on Beacon Hill after the walk.  If you would like more information please contact Janet at  caringyarns@congregationshalom.org . If you cannot walk but would like to make a donation, please also contact Janet. 
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New: Weekly or 2X a month challah deliveries by OMG bakery

OMG  is a new bakery that has been able to match the sweetness of past challahs that we have used. We will have plain and raisin challahs for delivery. For those of you who were at Erev Rosh Hashanah services, you were able to taste the challah at the oneg. This is both a service to our congregants, as well as a fundraiser for the Temple.
There is a minimum order though.It is either 1 month weekly, or 2 months if you do it 2X a month, which will be on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month. Deliveries will start on October 10th. Pick up will be at the Temple on WEDNESDAYS at 4 P.M. Of course you can order as much as you want, past the minimum.

ALL checks or payments must be received the week BEFORE delivery. No exceptions. Payments can be made for one week or months at a time. Please mail checks to the Temple Attention: Anne or Challah. Click here to download the order form. If you have any questions, email me at challah@congregationshalomorg.

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Thank you

We are grateful to Trader Joe's of Nashua and Idlwilde Farms of Acton for the generous donations of flowers for high holiday arragements. - Janet Dubner  

Thank you to our extended family for your donations to Congregation Shalom when I had cataract surgery.
Your kindness and generosity are truly appreciated. - Janet Dubner

I want to express my heartfelt thanks for all the caring words of support and for the donations made by members of our Congregation Shalom family, for my hip replacement surgery. The prayers are definitely working! I am healing well. It was great to see everyone at the break fast. Hope to see you again soon. Thank you all for your thoughtfulness - Larry Mizen
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Good and Welfare

Mazel Tov to Rich and Lori Smith on the marriage of their daughter Allison to Jonathan Traub. 

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October Yahrzeits
Yahrzeits
 
October 5th
Leslie Birnbaum
Gerald M. Freedland
Mary (Strolovsky) Friedlander
Lewis Ginsberg
Henry Hirshman
Ida Kamien
Carol Kurzman
Darrel Landress
Marge Landress
Samuel Levi
Aaron Scolnick

October 12th
Nathan Brown
Phillip Elkins
Doris Friedman
Leon Katler
Steven Rothstein
Palma Speigel
Bebe Steinberg
Arleen R. Yegelwell

Otober 19th
Freida Fidler
William Grier
Gloria Levitz
Paul Mayer
Rose Snyder
Harry Starr
Lena Starr
Zoltan Szabo
George Wiener

October 26th
Celia Bass
Albert Edelstein
Rae Himelfarb
Leonore Rambach
Carole Reichert
Madeline Richards


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Our Caring Committee Can Help

The Caring Committee is always available to provide meals or transportation to those members and families who need a little help. Please don't hesitate to email Katie Wolman at caringchair@congregationshalom.org or Rabbi Perry at rabbi@congregationshalom.org , or feel free to call Katie at home.


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Newsletter Ads and You!

 

We are always looking for advertisers for the Temple newsletter. Ads can be placed at any time with special pricing for members. Ads need not be for a year so if you want to try us, we take ads for 3 months as well as six months. If you decide to continue your ad for a full year, we do pro-rate the price. As the saying goes, "Try us, you'll like us!"


 

Youth Scholarships YthScholar

Throughout the year, there are many enriching Jewish experiences available to our youth through our synagogue or the community. These include, but aren't limited to, summer camps and trips to Washington, New York, and Israel. Fortunately, there is some scholarship money available through the temple to those families in need of financial assistance for these opportunities. Please contact Margie Berenson at scholarship@congregationahalom.org with any questions and/or for an application form.


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Changed Your Address?

Notify us at: emailchange@congregationshalom.org  and we'll make sure all the right organizations at the Temple are informed. Please include your full name in your request.


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Deadline for the

November Newsletter is 

Thursday, October 18th .

Please send articles to

newsletter@congregationshalom.org.  


 

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FundraisingFundraising

AUCTION ITEMS ROLLING IN
 
Thanks to some very special 'talkers', items have been rolling in for our Online Auction.
To tantalize your taste buds, here is a partial list of restaurants: Bagel Alley, Pho 88, Burton's Grill, Bahama Breeze, Feng Shui, Taka, Seoul Kitchen, Eviva Cucina, Karma and Moonstones.
 
Some theatres are beckoning you to bid on their tickets: Greater Boston Stage Co., Palace Theatre, New Repertory Theatre and the Merrimack Repertory Theatre.
 
We have Bruins tickets, supermarket gift cards, admissions to zoos, some cooking classes, pieces of art to fill your empty walls and lots more including something from the Red Sox, but we never know what it is until it comes.
 
Even though we have huge amounts of auction items, we can always use more and that is where you come in. Do you frequent a restaurant? What about a special bakery or flower shop? Think of the possibilities, check with someone on the Fundraising Committee and then ASK for a donation!
 
The Fundraising Committee 


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Grocery Cards

THERE IS STILL TIME TO DONATE TO THE FOOD DRIVE

Thank you to all the members and guests who supported the High Holy Days food drive. We delivered hundreds of pounds of food along with grocery store gift cards to appreciative food pantries in the Chelmsford area. We will be delivering another batch of gift cards in October. If you haven't sent in your pledge yet, there is still time to make a tax-deductible donation. Please send checks to the Temple office by October 12, with Food Drive in the memo line.
 
LOOKING FOR A FEW MORE FAMILIES

Do you want to help the Temple without spending extra money or squeezing another meeting onto your calendar? There's an easy way you can help while you shop. Get grocery cards (Hannaford, Stop&Shop, Whole Foods or Donelan's) each month, and the Temple makes $7 cashback for each $100 purchased. This leads to thousands of dollars for our programs, with no extra out-of-pocket money from you. I'd like to get more families signed up for the monthly program. I'm happy to send cards to college students, too. Make it your High Holiday mitzvah to join in. Just email me an d I will get you started. Thanks so much for your support!
 
Toby Sedgwick 
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Sisterhood Snippets sisterhood

October is the perfect time to enjoy the cooler weather and changing leaves. With that in mind, we have two outdoor events scheduled this month. On Sunday afternoon October 14, we will go to LaBelle Winery in Amherst, NH for a tour and wine tasting. We plan to meet at the Temple at 1:00 p.m. for carpooling, or at the winery at 1:45 p.m. Don't miss a pleasant Shabbat Walk at Great Brook Farm in Carlisle on Saturday, October 27. We will meet in the Great Brook Farm parking lot at 10:00 a.m. Due to weather and scheduling conflicts, we may make adjustments as needed. Watch for evites with more details soon.

 
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Brotherhood News Brotherhood

The Brotherhood "kick off" event was well attended. Word has gotten around that president Cris Shuldiner's Bar B-Que is not to be missed.
 
Coming up in October, we will play poker at the temple on October 7th at 6:00 p.m. Ten bucks gets you in the game and includes pizza. The top 2-3 players will get a share of the cash. On October 17th Bob Blumstein will lead in taking down the Sukkah we set up in September. On October 21st Jerry Bass will lead a mountain hike. On October 29th David Brother will lead a group tour of the North Woodstock Station Brewery with a possible side hike. RSVP to brotherhood@congregationshalom.org so we can make our definitive plans.

  Shalomites Shalomites

On Sunday, September 16th we had our first event of the year, Freshman Kidnap, where we blindfolded and kidnapped our new Shalomite members to Kimballs! We had a great turnout with 21 Shalomites attending a fun day of mini-golf, bumper boats, and ice cream! 

Our next event will take place on October 28th where Shalomites will work together to bake apple pies at the synagogue. The pies will be donated to the Lowell Transitional Shelter. We hope we can make this event as successful as our first one!

Abby Segal


Book Group   books

The Congregation Shalom book group will resume fall meetings and invites anyone interested to attend our meetings.
   
We will be meeting on Monday October 24th at 7:30 PM at the home of Margie Berenson.
The book we will be discussing is
Sing,Unburied, Sing  by Jesmyn Ward

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iGiveiGive for Congregation Shalom
Have you ever thought how great it would be to be able to shop online at 783 different well-known stores and still donate money to Congregation Shalom?  Well, you can do that!  It's free and easy so join those of us who have been sending donations to the synagogue for years simply by shopping by first going to the iGive website once you have established the link.  Click here  to register for Congregation Shalom to automatically be the recipient cause.
  
If you make a purchase through iGive within 45 days of signing up, an extra $5.00 will go to Congregation Shalom.  If you have any questions, please contact Laura at fundraising@congregationshalom.org.
  

 

 

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Extended CommunityExtendedCommunity
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Reform Jewish Outreach Boston (RJOB) offers classes and workshops supporting interfaith couples and individuals exploring Judaism:
 
Yours, Mine & Ours for Interfaith Couples
Interfaith couples who are seriously dating, engaged, or newly married strengthen their communication around faith, family, and culture, in a short-term, small group setting.  Held October and March.
 
Introduction to Judaism
Explore a modern take on Jewish life. Engage with Jewish values, celebrations, and spirituality. Introduction to Judaism is an engaging 16-session course for anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of Jewish life through a Reform lens. Courses starting in Brookline, Boston, and Sharon/Westwood. 
 
Planning a Jewish Wedding
For Interfaith and Jewish couples. Explore the symbols of the Jewish wedding ceremony, ways to honor family traditions, and how to personalize your ceremony.  Workshops in Boston and Cambridge.
 
www.reformjudaism.org/boston   617-928-0012 RJOB@urj.org   RJOB is a program of the Union for Reform Judaism, working in partnership with URJ congregations and with the support of Combined Jewish Philanthropies. 



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Table of Plenty in Chelmsford

Free Dinner Served

Every Tuesday from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.


 

at The Senior Center in Chelmsford

 

All are welcome. No questions asked.

Also, if you know of someone who cannot get out

but would benefit from a dinner being delivered to them, please contact us.

 

For more information contact:

tableofplentyinchelmsford@gmail.com

www.tableofplentyinchelmsford.org

978-710-8328

 

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From the Visiting Nurse Association of Boston & Affiliates...

 

VNA Hospice Care needs volunteers! Hospice volunteers play a key role in helping to provide caring and compassion to patients and families facing life-limiting illness and loss. A volunteer may provide patients with company and emotional support, give the spouse, partner or other caregiver a needed break from care giving, and/or help caregivers run errands or get to and from appointments. A strong need exists for volunteers who can visit on weekdays. We also seek: musicians who would like to sing or play music quietly at the bedside of nursing home residents; Reiki practitioners who would like to offer Reiki to patients and/or caregivers; and people interested in visiting with their therapy dog. Volunteers who speak both English and a second language are also helpful. We provide volunteer training and ongoing support. Call 781-569-2888 and ask to speak to a Volunteer Coordinator for more information. Or email LPalais@vnab.org.

  


Spiritual Poetry Journal

 

"Soul-Lit" is a new on-line spiritual poetry journal. A number of entries have been from Jews and have Jewish content. Writers are encouraged to submit their own poems which have a level of spiritual content to them. Two volumes have already been published.

 

 

To check out the website, please click here.

 

Please spread the word to members of the community who are writers / poets, and who may wish to submit their own writings.

 

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