As violence in Israel this week flared to its worst level in seven years, we are reminded of the words of Psalm 122: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May there be wellbeing within your ramparts, peace within your citadels.”
The Psalm imagines the architecture of defense -- ramparts and citadels -- resting in peace and quietude. Like the prophet Isaiah’s vision of a world in which “swords shall be turned into plowshares, spears into pruning hooks,” the Psalm imagines a world transformed -- in which neighbor can live at peace with neighbor. May it be so in our time.
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In-Person Shabbat on WRT Campus
If you would like to attend the May 21 service in person, please RSVP here by Tuesday, May 18, at 5:00 pm, to help us plan for you. Please wait for confirmation that seating is available for you, which you will receive by 12:00 noon on Friday, May 21, before making your final plans.
Weather permitting, WRT's on-site Shabbat services will be held outdoors, so please dress appropriately. The service will be held indoors only in the event of bad weather, in the main Sanctuary (or Beit Am with live-streaming if the Sanctuary space is filled due to social distancing requirements). For health reasons, attendees must wear masks and maintain social distancing during all services held on WRT's campus, both outside or indoors.
Please RSVP here by Tuesday, May 18, at 5:00 pm.
Please notify the office at receptionist@wrtemple.org if your plans change at the last minute or if there are changes to your health after you submit this form.
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Shabbat Evening Service - Consecration of Confirmands
Friday, May 14 at 6:15 pm
Join us for Shabbat Service, which will include blessings for our Confirmation Class of 5781.
Our evening Kabbalat Shabbat worship takes place every Friday at 6:15 pm. Participate alongside fellow congregants via Zoom (passcode: Shabbat). Or join us on any of our live-streaming platforms: Facebook, YouTube, or StreamSpot. For those who RSVP-ed in advance for this week's service, we look forward to seeing you in person.
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Torah Study
Saturday, May 15 at 9:00 am (via Zoom)
Each Shabbat morning we gather informally to read and discuss the week’s Torah portion. The morning begins with a brief Shabbat service at which mourners who wish to say Kaddish are warmly welcomed. The group is led by volunteers, with clergy participation. No prior experience with Torah is necessary.
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Mishna: The Building Blocks of Jewish Life
Led by Rabbi Jonathan Blake
Thursday, May 13 at 10:15 am (via Zoom)
Rabbi Blake will continues his series about The Mishna, compiled in the 3rd Century, which reflects generations of Rabbinic teaching. It touches on everything we presently do as Jews: how we organize calendar observances; how we pray; how we eat; how we approach birth, death, marriage, and divorce; and a whole lot more. Click here to register for login information.
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Morgan & Marjorie Miller Scholar-in-Residence Program, and Tribute to Marcy R. Harris
Sunday, May 16
2:30pm -- Presentation by Dr. Andrew Rehfeld
4:00pm -- Tribute to Marcy R. Harris
Meeting ID: 948 9511 0033
Passcode: scholar
The entire WRT community is invited to join us for an afternoon of learning as we honor Marcy R. Harris for her four years of service as WRT's synagogue president. Thanks to the generosity to the Morgan & Marjorie Miller Scholar-in-Residence Fund, our guest presenter will be Dr. Andrew Rehfeld, president of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion -- where Marcy serves as Vice Chair of the Eastern Region Board of Advisors.
We will celebrate Marcy's accomplishments, thank her for her leadership, and continue to dedicate ourselves as a congregation to the highest caliber of Jewish learning through Dr. Rehfeld's teaching.
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Tikkun Leil Shavuot 5781/2021
Sunday, May 16 at 7:30 pm (via Zoom)
Meeting ID: 813 1494 2469
Passcode: 142061
Join clergy and congregants from local synagogues in a night of learning and celebration for the night of Shavuot, our Spring Festival of Revelation. The event will be hosted by Scarsdale Synagogue Temples Tremont & Emanu-El via Zoom.
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Evening Book Group
Tuesday, May 18 at 7:30 pm (via Zoom)
This month's book discussion will be "S.S. Officer's Armchair" by Daniel Lee. Once a month, the group meets for review and discussion on the month’s selected title. For more login information, please contact Lenore Rosenbaum at papoobeads@optonline.net.
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Shabbat Service - Men's Club Brotherhood Award presentation
Friday, May 21 at 6:15 pm
The Men’s Club Brotherhood Award is presented to a congregant who volunteers and performs community service at WRT and in the larger community. The WRT Men’s Club is pleased to announce the honoree for our 2021 Brotherhood Award is our congregant Lisa Messinger.
Lisa has been a long-time leader and volunteer in many community organizations and Jewish organizations in New York and throughout North America. Lisa served as president of WRT from 2009-2013.
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Exclusive Israel Briefing from Jerusalem with Isaac Herzog
Sunday, May 23 at 10:00 am
Join UJA-Federation and Westchester Reform Temple for an insider’s look at Israel with Isaac Herzog, chair of the Jewish Agency for Israel. Mr. Herzog will be live from Jerusalem, in conversation with UJA President Amy A.B. Bressman. Together they’ll explore the impact of the pandemic in Israel, ties between Israel and American Jews, aliyah and more and take questions. Register here.
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WRT Annual Meeting
Tuesday, May 25 at 8:00 pm
The Annual Meeting provides an opportunity for the entire congregation to come together to reflect on the past year and plan ahead for WRT's continued enrichment and growth. There will be time for questions and answers, approval and installation of new trustees and officers, including a new Temple president, and words of farewell to outgoing trustees and officers. We also will vote on a budget for fiscal year 2021-2022.
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Great Israeli Poets with Professor Rachel Korazim, Ph.D.
Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2:00 pm (via Zoom)
Renowned Professor of Israeli Literature, Dr. Rachel Korazim, presents the great Israeli poets. Class taught in English, featuring performances by Israeli musicians.
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G’milut Chasadim (Acts of Kindness) |
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COVID Vaccine Information Help for Seniors
Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corp has partnered with the Westchester County Department of Health to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to homebound Scarsdale residents 18 years of age or older, free of charge. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, please contact SVAC either by phone at 914.722.2288 or by email usingcovid@scarsdalevac.com.
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ECC Summer PlayPlace
Registration for our Summer Play Place 7 week program, June 28 - August 13, 2021, is now open. Contact Ellen.Rosenberg@wrtemple.org for more details.
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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.
Online Learning
Looking for other ways to connect with and learn from your clergy? We are happy to share recordings of our adult education classes and other engaging experiences on WRT's very own YouTube Channel - please click here.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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URJ North East Camps: Join 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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