WRT Weekly Update - October 17, 2019                                                            This week's Torah portion 

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Shabbat Services



Connections Shabbat
Friday, October 18 at 5:45 pm
Experience the joy of Shabbat with children, parents, grandparents, siblings and friends. Designed for families with children ages eight and younger, Connections Shabbat starts with songs and stories led by our clergy, followed by an arts and crafts activity, social action project and family-friendly dinner. Children must be accompanied by an adult for this evening (no drop-offs). RSVP to Ellen.Rosenberg@wrtemple.org.

Shabbat Evening Service guest speaker Jordana Beck
Pink and Teal Shabbat/Breast and Ovarian Cancer Awareness
Friday, October 18 at 7:45 pm
Jordana Beck is a recent Breast Cancer survivor after being diagnosed with triple negative Stage 2 Breast Cancer in October 2018 while she was 11 weeks pregnant with her son. With early detection and advancements in medicine, she  and her son were able to receive the proper treatment to make sure everyone remained healthy. Read more....

For this Shabbat we partner with Sharsheret, a Jewish organization that raises awareness of breast and ovarian cancer in the Jewish community and provides support for survivors and their loved ones.

Torah Study
Saturday, October 19 at 9:00 am

Sharing Shabbat 
Saturday, October 19 at 9:00 am                                     
Upcoming at WRT
ushpizot
WRJ Ushpizot - Sukkot Harvest Luncheon and Study Session
Thursday, October 17 at 10:30 am
Cantor Kleinman will lead a prayer in the beautiful sukkah, followed by a  fascinating study session indoors. Afterwards, we will enjoy a seasonal feast of homemade harvest dishes. No charge. Please RSVP here. To volunteer to make a dish, please contact one of the chairs: Fran Osinoff at franrayo@optonline.net, Kristin Friedman at kristinwfriedman@gmail.com or Sarah Kagan at sgkagan@gmail.com.


Sukkot Men's Night Out with speaker Carl Banks
Thursday, October 17 at 7:30 pm
Young Israel of Scarsdale will host men from WRT in our fifth annual get-together during Sukkot. The evening event will feature star NY Giants linebacker and 2x Superbowl Champion Carl Banks. Come for the fun; stay for the great food.  Contact the Temple Office at receptionist@wrtemple.org to sign-up.

Simchat Torah Story Slam
Sunday, October 20 at 7:00 pm
The Jewish people are a storytelling people. At WRT's Story Slam, we will hear true stories told live by congregants (in the style of  The Moth ). We will experience the power of stories not only to entertain, but also to connect people to one another, to bring ideas to life and to move us. Featuring stories told by WRT's own Vicki Assa, Andrew Pollack, Mimi Rocah, Jeff Simon, Annie Radin, Josh Sussberg & Sheryl Spivack-Braun. 

Simchat Torah / Sh'mini Atzeret and Yizkor Service
Monday, October 21 at 10:00 am, in the Center for Jewish Life
Simchat Torah ("rejoicing of the Torah") and Sh'mini Atzeret ("the eighth day of assembly") mark the end of Sukkot, the end of the fall holiday season, and the end and recommencement of the Jewish people's annual retelling of the Torah story. Our festival morning service marks these many conclusions and new beginnings, and is followed by a Yizkor memorial service.


Yuval Harari's Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind 
Led by Yoel Magid
Tuesday, October 22 at 10:00 am
Join Yoel for a college-like exploration of some of Harari's ideas as each week we delve into major theses of this extraordinarily influential and popular book.  October classes will focus on the first two chapters  "The Cognitive Revolution" and "The Agricultural Revolution". Read more... Next class October 29.

Trip to Manitoga, the Russell Wright Design Center
Tuesday, October 22, 10:45 am
Visit the 75-acre woodland garden and home of Russell Wright, the famous American industrial designer, in Garrison, NY. Meet there or carpool from WRT. $75 tour and local lunch.  RSVP here.

Visiting Professor of the Holocaust, Samuel Kassow:
"Resisting the Nazis with Pen and Paper"
Tuesday, October 22 at 7:30 pm
WRT has engaged the noted historian  Samuel Kassow, Ph.D., to serve as a visiting professor of Holocaust studies throughout the year. Dr. Kassow is most famous for his book (which is now an award-winning film) Who Will Write Our History? - about Emanuel Ringelblum and the group of writers, scholars, and public intellectuals that he organized in the Warsaw Ghetto to resist the Nazis with pen and paper. In his first in a series of talks, 
Dr. Kassow will share Ringelblum's remarkable story. The dates of Dr. Kassow's future talks are: February 9, March 25, and April 24.


And She Said: Women's Commentaries on the Bible
Led by Ariel Milan-Polisar, WRT Rabbinic Intern
Friday, October 25 at 11:00 am
This class will use The Torah: A Women's Commentary, Nehama Leibowitz's interpretations, and Judith Plaskow's philosophy to understand important Biblical passages from the feminine and feminist perspectives. This class is for everyone-those new to Torah study and those more experienced with it.

Chai Society Shabbat Dinner and  Shabbat Service 
Friday, October 25, Dinner at 6:00 pm / Service at 7:45 pm
WRT's Chai Society honors members with 18 years or more of tenure, with a service and shabbat dinner. RSVP is required for dinner. The cost of dinner is $40 per person. Please call the Temple Office at 723-7727 to RSVP.

In recognition of the first yahrzeit of the victims who were slain at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, WRT joins the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and UJA-Federation in designating October 25-26 as #ShowUpForShabbat. Your presence at services will demonstrate that our community stands together against hate and anti-Semitism. 


Mussar, the Original Self-Help Book
Led by Sasha Baken, WRT Rabbinic Intern
Saturday, October 26 at 11:15 am
In this class, we will explore Mussar as a spiritual perspective as well as a discipline of transformative practices. Mussar asks that we engage in thoughtful interaction with our soul traits (middot). These include qualities such as humility, generosity, trust and many others. This class is for anyone seeking depth, looking to discover more about themselves, or interested in analyzing Jewish scripture with a new lens.


Auschwitz. Not Long Ago. Not Far Away.
Sunday, October 27 at 2:00 pm
Hailed as a "critic's pick" by the New York Times, this new installation at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Battery Park is quickly becoming the premier Holocaust museum exhibit in the world. WRT is organizing a congregational trip to experience the exhibit in the fall. The trip will be led by members of our clergy team, to help congregants process and debrief this powerful exhibit. Limited spaces available. Click here to register.


Cooking4HOPE
Monday, October 28 at 10:00 am
Come help prepare a meal that will be delivered to Hope Community Services, a soup kitchen in New Rochelle serving over 120 men, women and children.


TGIFF - Thank Goodness It's First Friday Shabbat
Friday, November 1 at 6:15 pm
Looking for a joyous Friday night experience? The evening begins with a 30-minute pre-neg (a nosh hosted by our Jewish Learning Lab families) and continues with a 60-minute prayer service. The evening is led by clergy and live instrumentalists with projected lyrics so you can sing along! A great evening out for families (grades 3- 6). Babysitting for aged 2- 4 and a special parallel Shabbat program for grades K-2 are available. Please RSVP to  jlladmin@wrtemple.org .

Renowned Jewish Artists in Renowned Christian Spaces
Louise Nevelson's newly restored 1977 masterwork Chapel of the Good Shepherd  in the heart of St. Peter's Church in NYC.
Saturday, November 2 at 2:15 pm
Visit the comprehensive sculptural chapel environment in the modernist landmark, now known as the Nevelson Chapel. For more information... 



ECC enrollment process for the 2020-2021 school year
ECC priority registration for children currently enrolled in our school runs from 10/28/2019 - 10/31/2019.  Temple Members whose children are not enrolled in the ECC can register on 11/1/2019. Registration will open to the public on 11/4/2019 and spaces will be available on a first come, first serve basis. An on line registration link will be provided for your convenience.

ECC Tiny Tots Playgroup and Shabbat 
Fridays weekly, 9:15-10:15 am
Any loved one is welcome to attend this simple play date event in room 2/4 that includes Shabbat and singing. There is no charge. ECC two year-olds attend with their teachers.  For more information, please contact sue.tolchin@wrtemple.org
For WRT members: If you would like to receive notifications of birth announcements and deaths within the WRT community, please email receptionist@wrtemple.org   with your full name and email address. Please specify if you would like to be added to one or both of these notification lists. 

Westchester Reform Temple is committed to the value of inclusion, and strives to make worship and programming fully accessible. Our building and bima are wheelchair accessible, and the sanctuary is equipped with assistive listening devices and large-print prayer books. ASL interpretation is available for any worship service upon request, and remote viewing of most services is available via webcasting from our website. If you need any additional accommodations to participate in a temple program, please contact Cantor Amanda Kleinman.

WJCS [Westchester Jewish Community Services] : Through the Partners in Caring Program , WRT is able to offer the support of an onsite Social Worker from WJCS, as well as offer social services to congregants in need.

UJA-Federation of NY: We are grateful for a special grant to enable and empower WRT to be the most inclusive congregation we can be. UJA-Federation also facilitates our partnership with the Jewish Deaf Resource Center,  to provide ASL interpretation on demand at services and WRT programs.

URJ [Union for Reform Judaism]: Our Reform Movement's synagogue arm; WRT is a proud member of the URJ and celebrates the leadership of URJ President, WRT Rabbi Emeritus Rick Jacobs.

HUC-JIR [Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion]: WRT supports the HUC-JIR, the official training ground for Reform Jewish professionals.

URJ North East CampsJoin us at Crane Lake Camp, Eisner Camp or 6 Points Sci-Tech for an unforgettable summer of discovery and fun. Become a better athlete, artist or scientist while making lifelong friends. Be part of a community of kindness where self-esteem blossoms and Jewish life is truly joyous.   

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