Chailites 11/18/2020, Congregational Meeting Thursday, More!

CHAILITES

November 18, 2020

TBC Events Through November 25

Thursday, November 19, 7:30 pm - Semi Annual Congregational Meeting
Friday, November 20, 7:30 pm - TBC's First "Torah Shabbat"
Saturday, November 21, 9:30 am -Torah Study
Sunday, November 22, 9:30 am - All School Tefllah celebration, Blessing of Gratitude and Blessing for our Animal Friends (Everyone is welcome)
Sunday, November 22, 11:30 am - TBC Teens
Wednesday, November 25 - No Hebrew School

Please remember that you must REGISTER for everything that you plan on attending.**

Once you click on the registration link, you will be taken to a webpage where you will enter your name and email address. Once you submit this information, you will receive a CONFIRMATION EMAIL that includes the LINK you will use to join the program and the PASSWORD that you will need to enter after clicking the link to join.

**YOU MUST SAVE THE CONFIRMATION EMAILS THAT YOU RECEIVE. THEY ARE THE ONLY PLACES WHERE THE LINKS AND PASSWORDS WILL APPEAR.**

We Need Your Participation

in TBC's Semi-Annual Congregational Meeting

Thursday, November 19 - 7:30 pm

If you are a TBC member in good standing, please join us for our Semi-Annual Congregational meeting on Thursday, November 19 at 7:30 pm on Zoom. We need your participation to conduct important TBC business and to plan for our future. You must register to participate. To view the agenda and reports, click here. To register, click here.

Torah Shabbat

Please be sure to join us this Friday, November 20 at 7:30 pm for our first “Torah Shabbat”! In order for all of us to have the opportunity to fulfill the mitzvah of hearing Torah read, moving forward, we will be chanting Torah at Shabbat services on the third Friday of each month.

We would love for YOU to be involved! Please click here to sign up to chant 3-6 verses of Torah or to chant the blessings during a future service. A list of dates is provided on the sign up sheet!

TBC Book Group

Tuesday, December 1 - 7:30 pm

For this book group session, we will be discussing Man's Search for Meaning, by Victor Frankl. This 1946 book chronicles Victor Frankl's experiences as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps during World War II, and describes his psychotherapeutic method, which involved identifying a purpose in life to feel positive about, and then immersively imagining that outcome. Click here to register.

We need YOU as part of our Dorothy Day Crew

Wednesday, December 2,

2:00-4:30, RSVP

We're now covering the 1st Wednesday of each month.

This will be our third venture at Dorothy Day - with the COVID protection system in place. Last week we had a fabulous crew. Bev Hunt and Ronnie Ross did a spectacular job and we all felt safe in the new, protective set up. Don and Melinda Weber made the sandwiches.

Here's the set up - just to refresh your memory: Guests are served “grab and go” bags from behind a table placed lengthwise at the kitchen door. No guests are to enter the kitchen at any time – even to use the bathroom.

All volunteers wear masks and gloves at all times and observe social distancing. Crews provide the sandwiches- if needed - and then pack the bags with the sandwiches and assorted other things like fruit and cookies. To volunteer please contact: Peggy Zamore at peggyz18@gmail.com.

__________________________

Our Daily Bread aka Danbury Food Pantry: Sign Up - The need for volunteers is huge! Here’s the link: https://signup.com/go/TcpKUft

The food pantry is now working in a very different way. For years crews from various organizations, including ours, had been assigned days to cover the food distribution. They have now gone to an online sign up system. They are serving many more people and enabling food pick up much more often. The need for food in Danbury is HUGE!!!

If you're interested in donating food, you can check out their website for details.

https://www.dailybreadfoodpantry.com

Tot Shabbat

Friday, December 4 - 5:00 pm

Please join Cantor Harriet at 5pm for an amazing Tot Shabbat experience! Children ages 5 or 6 and younger along with their families are invited to welcome Shabbat together with singing, dancing, special guests and even some challah and soup making! Get ready for a fun and participatory 20-25 minutes of music, learning and laughs as we greet Shabbat together!

Then, stick around if you like or, if you didn't make Tot Shabbat, please join us at 6:30 pm for our Shabbat Family Service! It's the first Friday of the month and you know what that means???? A fun, participatory family-friendly Shabbat service with prayers, liturgy and music put together especially with children ages 7-17 in mind, and suitable for all! Please join Cantor Harriet as we welcome Shabbat together. Remember to bring a smile and your favorite dancing shoes! Click here to register

TBC's NEW

Baby Grand Piano...

TBC recently had an amazing opportunity thrust upon us to purchase a beautiful Baby Grand Piano in excellent condition for just $2,000. The piano could easily sell for $5,000 to $7,000. We just couldn't pass up this amazing opportunity. The piano will enable all of us to share in its beautiful sound. And we are so fortunate to have John Dunkerley to play it for us.

The Cantor paid for the piano out of her discretionary fund. Let's replenish her fund so she can use it for other, pastoral and social action purposes. We are hoping to raise $3,000 to cover the purchase price, moving expenses and tuning. To make a donation, please click here.

"Chanukah Chavdalah" Under the Stars

Saturday, December 12th 4 - 5:30 PM.

TBC Parking Lot

Let us gather for some safe, socially-distanced merriment! Bundle up your family for Havdalah and 3rd night Hanukkah lighting. Joyous songs will follow, led by Cantor Harriet Dunkerley. Details: You will be directed to park near the street side of our lot in every other spot. You are welcome to bring Havdalah sets, your Hannukah menorah and a little table if you wish to kindle. We suggest chairs, blankets, hot beverages, etc - anything to keep you and the kids /grandkids comfy and warm. MASKS ARE REQUIRED. Due to Covid restrictions, our building remains closed, so we cannot provide bathrooms or latkes.

RSVP quickly for EACH person in your family/group. We are limiting this event to 50 people in total. Come, let's celebrate Hanukkah together!! Click here to RSVP

Wilton Library

Zooming Hanukkah Hoopla

Stories and Fun!

Special Guest Cantor Harriet

Thursday, December 17, 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Join the Wilton Library, alongside special guest Cantor Harriet Dunkerley, on Zoom for a fun afternoon all about the festival of lights. You will learn about the holiday, hear stories, do a craft and get the opportunity to see a variety of menorahs. If you have a menorah at home, feel free to have it on hand to share. Registration required. Once you are registered you will be contacted to pick up your kit containing craft supplies and some fun Hanukkah treats. Zoom link will be sent out the day of the program. For children in grades Kindergarten and up. Click here to register.

In Our Community ...

If you have TBC community news you'd like to share, please send the information to chailites@templebnaichaim.org!

The Jewish Film Festival of Fairfield

Thursday 10/15 through Sunday 11/22

The 19th season of the Jewish Film Festival of Fairfield County is going VIRTUAL! Mark your calendar for six weeks of award-winning films, October 15 - November 22, featuring Q&A's with film directors, producers and expert speakers each Sunday at 12 p.m. via Zoom. For more information click here!

Bennett Center for Judaic Studies

The Bennett Center offers lectures and programs on Jewish themes, some free and some for a small fee. For more information please click here.

The Weekly Torah Portion

Tol'dot

The Generations [of Isaac]

Genesis 25:19−28:9

Rebekah has twins, Esau and Jacob. (25:19-26)
Esau gives Jacob his birthright in exchange for some stew. (25:27-34)
King Abimelech is led to think that Rebekah is Isaac's sister and later finds out that she is really his wife. (26:1-16)
Isaac plans to bless Esau, his firstborn. Rebekah and Jacob deceive Isaac so that Jacob receives the blessing. (27:1-29)
Esau threatens to kill Jacob, who then flees to Haran. (27:30-45). click here to learn more

Don't Forget to Use AmazonSmile!

TBC has signed up for AmazonSmile. When you shop there, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to Temple Bnai Chaim. Support TBC every time you shop. Sign up at this special URL for TBC members: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/13-3249895

You shop ... Amazon gives to Temple B'nai Chaim. It's as easy as that! Support TBC by starting your shopping at AmazonSmile!

Yahrzeit Memorial Plaques at TBC

During this challenging time, we know that many of us are thinking of loved ones who have passed away. We invite you to commemorate the lives and blessings of your loved ones with a memorial plaque. A special service of dedication for the entire community will be scheduled at TBC when that again becomes possible. Ordering information is available here.