A Message from our Director
|
|
Dear Families,
I am spending an unhealthy amount of time on Facebook these days, trying to connect to the outside world. I came across a title in my newsfeed recently that caught my attention,
The Parents are Not Okay
(an opinion piece from the Globe and Mail, one of Canada's national newspapers). I thought to myself, that is something I have to stop and read. The piece begins, "
As families across Canada move into another extended period of suspended life, it is time to pause and acknowledge that many of them are not okay
." (Many of us are caught up in a swirl that makes even pausing difficult some days.) This idea of pausing to acknowledge that we are 'not okay', and that that is okay, is a powerful one. It is understandable or even expected to be 'not okay' given what we are living through. We have been dealt a lot these past months. Some of us more than others. It is okay not to be okay. Nothing is normal so why should we be?
The piece goes on to call on our kids' schools and our workplaces to give us a break. But until that happens we need manage our own expectations of ourselves. An experienced rabbi and teacher of mine in rabbinical school once told me, when you enter the rabbinate some weeks will be so crazy that you won't be able to give everything the attention it deserves. So tell yourselves that sometimes "good enough" is enough. As someone who gives my all to every project and task and who puts pressure on myself always to do excellent work this was an important lesson for me to learn then and even more so now.
We are all operating on less than full mental, physical, emotional and psychological capacities. Not to mention without our usual supports and for many of us with more limited financial resources. So 'good enough' is okay, breaking down crying is okay, shutting ourselves in the bathroom for a quiet moment is okay. We parents are 'not okay' but doing the best we can each day with what we've got is good enough.
With love and blessings,
Rabbi Janice Elster
|
|
Online Offerings for Families
|
|
THIS WEEK
Please note Sha'Boker Tov and Parsha Play have finished for the year.
Thursday, May 21
B Mitzvah 2020-2021 Parent Orientation
Friday, May 22
Sha’Baby
(For Ages 0-5)
Kabbalat Shabbat Services
Saturday, May 23
Shabbat Morning Services
ANNOUNCEMENTS & UPCOMING EVENTS
Interested in Booking a B Mitzvah with Romemu?
At Romemu, we offer a program of study and exploration that creates a meaningful journey for the student and family. We are now booking for 2021 & 2022.
To learn more about our program or to choose your date, contact B Mitzvah Coordinator Mika Yaakoba-Zohar at
mika@romemu.org
.
Final Seekers Family Shabbat
Saturday, May 30 @ 10AM-12:15PM on
Zoom
Save the date for our last Seekers Family Shabbat, where we will come together for an educational and interactive family service led by Rabbi Elster and Carla Friend. We will then split into breakout groups for Torah learning, before coming back together for a sweet kiddush. All ages welcome.
Hassidic Bedtime Stories with Rabbi Mira - New Episode!
Every few weeks we will add a new story for you to listen anytime. These are perfect for bed time or other quiet moments for kids of all ages! Narrated by our own Rabbi Mira Rivera and underscored by her husband Jerome Korman.
Click here
to listen to the new story on Soundcloud.
To view a comprehensive list of all Romemu Online Programs click
here
.
|
|
Registration for Seekers 2020-2021 is now open! Click here to view and complete our
Seekers enrollment form
on ShulCloud. Please note that you must be a member (see details below) and list your children in your ShulCloud account in order to submit the form.
If you have any questions about Seekers, or require tuition assistance, please contact Rabbi Elster at
janice@romemu.org
.
We are looking forward to continuing to grow with you as a community of Seekers.
|
|
Romemu is a spiritual home that welcomes all to pray together, learn together, celebrate together, grieve together and build bonds of friendship and caring that give meaning to our lives… especially in these times. Whether you have been at Romemu’s physical home in New York City, or whether you simply feel at home with Romemu online, we welcome you to join us. Welcome home.
If you have been a member of Romemu before, click
here
and then “Forgot Your Password?” to access your portal and renew your membership for the next year.
If you have NEVER been a member of Romemu before, click
here
to join for the first time.
|
|
VIRTUAL PROGRAMS FOR FAMILIES
In an effort to support families with young children who are quarantined or selecting to do less socializing through playdates or community classes, UJA-Federation of NY, PJ Library, the Foundation for Jewish Camp and The Jewish Education Project have come together to aggregate a collection of high-quality Jewish activities and content that families can engage in together at home:
https://pjlibrary.org/familyactivities
The
PJ Library Facebook Page
is hosting a daily schedule of live readings, craft demonstrations and sing-a-longs, virtual field trips, and more for kids. Including resources and activities for at home.
Join
Eliana Light Sunday mornings at 11 AM
EDT, or any time at all through the replay, for Worldwide Synagogue Sing! Music, Prayer, and Torah for school-age kiddos. Last week over 500 folks join in.
Click here
to join.
Are you and/or your teens interested in volunteering?
Find ideas for how youth can help during the COVID crisis
here
.
PASTORAL & COMMUNITY CARE
To arrange for a
Pastoral Care consult
, please contact
eleanor@romemu.org
.
For pastoral emergencies, such as a death in the family, please email
emergencies@romemu.org
or call (212) 580-4294, press 1, and leave a message.
Do you need grocery/meal/errand help? Can you offer to help with that?
Please contact
hesed@romemu.org.
Are you or a family member sick and want to be listed on our public
refuah shleyma
list at services? Are you or a family member sick and want private support/prayer from clergy?
If you or anyone you know is experiencing violence in their home there is help available. Contact one of these organizations for support:
GOVERNMENT RESOURCES
For information on unemployment insurance benefits, economic impact payments, SNAP benefits, housing help, and much more,
click here
.
If your NYC public school student needs a device for remote learning, visit
here
.
FOOD RESOURCES
Individuals who experience food insecurity may need to prepare for quarantine or shutdowns. They should consider going to a digital pantry or ordering food to be delivered. You do not need to be a citizen to receive services at a food bank.
|
|
Romemu | (212) 580-4294 | romemu.org
The Romemu Campus
| Corner of 105 St. & Amsterdam Ave.
Romemu Center
| 176 West 105 Street
Romemu @ West End Presbyterian Church
| 165 West 105 Street
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
