WEEKLY NEWS
14-15 Heshvan 5780
November 12, 2019
Worship Times
Weekly Torah



Donate
THIS FRIDAY
5:30pm
Join us at 5:30pm for our monthly Tot Shabbat service. Tot Shabbat is specifically designed for families with children ages birth to age 6. Featuring a combination of age appropriate music, movement, and song, this fun, kid-friendly service is led by UVM Education Major, Allyson Tazbin, who brings her warmth, love of children, and talent to every service. If you want to know more about what Tot Shabbat is, read this informative article from the URJ:



6:30pm

Join us for this service to start the Sabbath. The service is filled with music, prayer, and reflection on this week's Torah portion. Following the service, join us for Kiddush and an Oneg in the Weisbein Social Hall.  This week, we will be celebrating our November Birthdays as well, so please join us, especially if you celebrate a birthday this month!
In This Issue

 
THIS SATURDAY

9:30am

A one-hour, peaceful chanted service, mostly in Hebrew, with a focus on the "greatest hits" of Shabbat Shacharit services, a great way to get to know the service and start your day.



10:30am

Torah study with bagels/donuts and coffee will begin at 10:30am and go until Noonish.  Our Torah  Study is a vibrant exchange of ideas about the we ekly Torah portion, bringing both traditional commentary and recent scholarship to bear on the text.  It is a lively salon style, participatory Torah study where all are welcome, and no background or Hebrew is needed.

JOIN US!

Temple Sinai's Annual Meeting
is in November this year!

Join us on
THIS SUNDAY,
NOVEMBER 17

9:15am ~ Annual Breakfast
10:00am ~ Business Meeting

The Annual Meeting Agenda, 2020 Proposed Budget, and Slate of Board Candidates were emailed to Temple Sinai Members on the evening of October 28.

We look forward to seeing you!

Membership Survey

Just a friendly reminder that it is not too late to complete the survey. Survey links were sent to all Temple Sinai members last week.  We ask that you please complete the survey by Sunday, November 17, when the link will become inactive. If you are a Temple member, and need the link resent to you, please contact the Temple Office.

Challenge (Nov. 15-22)

Temple Sinai and our Social Action Committee is challenging our members to take the 3Squares Vermont Challenge-to eat for a week (or a day) on the average benefit received by Vermonters who receive food assistance. For one person, that is $37 a week (or $5.29/day). We are doing this as we near Thanksgiving, to help us better understand what our neighbors and members on this program face in regard to food insecurity. We will also have a journals and a "Simple Meal" to conclude and reflect before Shabbat services on November 22. Click the following link for more information and to register (be sure to say you are from Temple Sinai!) 


Social Action
Opportunities

JOIN US AT A SOCIAL ACTION COMMITTEE MEETING
WE MEET NOVEMBER 14TH AT 6:00PM AND ON THE THIRD THURSDAY IN SUBSEQUENT MONTHS.
 
Questions or Concerns? 
Contact David Shiman
Chair of Social Action Committee
 


Donate to Feeding Chittenden for Thanksgiving

Deliver Meals on Christmas Day

On December 24
at Temple Sinai


Give to the new Food Shelf in our Community!

Click any of the graphics above for more information
Teacher Spotlight
Kitah Gimmel
(3rd Grade)
Danielle Levine
 
Temple Sinai Religious School is thrilled to have Danielle teaching here. She is no stranger to us, having  taught in our Chai School four or five years ago.
 
Danielle grew up in Middletown, RI with her mom and dad, Holly and Andrew, and twin sister, Melanie, who unfortunately died.  She currently lives in South Burlington with her dog, Mugsy, a Pug/Boston Terrier mix.
 
Danielle's love of teaching extends beyond our walls where she is a teacher at the Schoolhouse. Her many hobbies and interests include reading, drawing, sewing, baking, and kayaking. Some of Danielle's favorite Jewish holiday memories come from celebrating Hanukkah with her family because her mom picks a theme (like international or animals) and then all their gifts have to be related to the theme.  Her favorite theme has been fruits and vegetables because they ate so many new foods. Each night her family lights candles together (even if they have to do it by facetime) and then they play dreidel and read a picture book. One of her favorite Hanukkah books is "Herschel and the Hanukkah Goblins." Spending time with family and seeing the beautiful candles makes Hanukkah really special.  Another favorite holiday is Passover when she hosts a big seder at her school, where she loves sharing her traditions with a big group.  Danielle's favorite Jewish foods include noodle kugel, challah and latkes. 
 
Asked about a favorite Jewish memory, Danielle replied, "I spent a month in Israel and what I remember how on Shabbat, everyone stopped working and celebrated.  I loved the calm and felt so relaxed and refreshed. It has inspired me to make sure that I still observe Shabbat even here where others may be working and rushing around on Saturdays." She truly is a nature lover and spent a year working at an outdoor education center.
 
We're so lucky to have such a wonderful, talented educator here to share her love of learning with our Kitah Gimmel students. Next time you're at services and you see Danielle, come and wish her a Shabbat Shalom!

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Letter of the Week

Each week, our Religious focuses on one letter of the Hebrew Alphabet (or Alefbert)




Click HERE to view examples of words
 that begin with the letter for this week.





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Sunday Story Hour

We're thrilled that educator and popular children's entertainer, Temple Sinai member Saragail Benjamin, is leading Sunday Story Hour programs at Temple Sinai this year!
 
Once a month, we'll embrace our kids in the warmth of mishpachah (family) to create joyful first Jewish experiences.  We'll play, sing, dance, hear stories, seasoning our year with holiday celebrations and Jewish values.  A fun, wonderful way for young families to connect with each other and their heritage.  
 
For families with kids ages 1-7.  All are welcome to attend.

Watch the newsletter for details about the topic each month. Next Story Hour will be held on Sunday, December 8.
November Anniversaries & Birthdays

Join us in wishing them a wonderful day and many more!

   

  •   2 ~ Molly Nilan & Ben Eisenberg
  •   2 ~ Abby & Colin Rehkugler
  •   8 ~ Mary & Jeff Grunvald
  • 11 ~ Barbara & Bruce Hicken
  • 14 ~ Kimberley & William Chatoff
  • 23 ~ Jackie Burke & Ed Carroll
  • 23 ~ Barbara Burroughs & Joel Goldberg




 

  •   1 ~ James Laskarzewski, Linda Snider
  •   3 ~ Lawrence Chesler, Rachel Green
  •   6 ~ Deirdre Fenderson
  •   7 ~ Shel Pomerantz
  •   8 ~ Suzanne Pilcher
  •   9 ~ Jonathan Bloom, Irene Epstein,                  Daniel Weinstein
  • 11 ~ Terri Goodwin
  • 12 ~ Mary Markle
  • 14 ~ Paula Cope
  • 16 ~ Cheryl Rubin
  • 18 ~ Mary Grunvald, Gabriel Taylor-Marsh
  • 19 ~ Ali Venet
  • 21 ~ Jennifer Wright
  • 22 ~ Marie Friedman
  • 24 ~ Ken Edwards
  • 28 ~ Neil Buckley, Christina Atkin
  • 30 ~ Ilene Snow

Birthday 
Celebration  Oneg
 
CALLING ALL
 NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS!

Mark your calendars, and join us
Friday,  November 15, following the service
for a special  Oneg celebration
in honor of your birthday. 

No need to RSVP,
just come for some cake  and to CELEBRATE!
JCVT Logo
Throughout Vermont

Click the logo to view upcoming Jewish events sponsored by Jewish groups and houses of worship in VT.


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Click the image for a calendar  of upcoming events.

UVM  Miller
Center for 
Holocaust Studies



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Mission Statement
We are a diverse, egalitarian, and inclusive community of Jews and interfaith families.  We joyfully embrace Judaism as a way of life through prayer, music, social action, celebrating Jewish holidays, lifelong learning, and life cycle events.  Through these activities, we seek to promote spiritual growth, moral values, and the social welfare of our community.
 
Vision Statement
Temple Sinai strives to be a joyful, energetic, accepting, innovative, caring, and accessible faith community.  We choose to practice and teach Jewish traditions in our community, so that Jews and Judaism will continue to flourish, both in Vermont and in an ever-changing world.  We believe that support for a safe and prosperous State of Israel is an important part of our Jewish identity.