I've been thinking a lot about this first interaction between Rabbi Cytron-Walker on Saturday morning. Read more...

Shabbat Evening Services (live streamed)

With the advice of the medical experts on our Reopening Task Force, we are taking some additional precautions to provide for the health and safety of our community. As a result, our Friday Night services will be brought to you online only, until the end of January. We hope to resume in-person services again very soon.  Join us on any of our live-streaming platforms: Facebook, YouTube, or StreamSpot. 

Torah Study

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. 

Please join this webinar with Anat Hoffman, Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC) and Chair of the Board of Women of the Wall, and Advocate Orly Erez-Likhovski, Director of IRAC. The speakers will present and discuss the question asked “is the Israeli Government walking away from the agreement on an egalitarian prayer space at the Kotel?” Register here for link.

Join Cantor Rodnizki for a special digital tribute concert by Bat Ella commemorating 11 years since the passing of Debbie Friedman (z"l). Bat Ella, an Israeli singer and a friend of Debbie, took Debbie's creative English interpretations of sacred text and translated her lyrics back into Hebrew. Watch the video for a preview. Please contact Lori Gertzog with any questions: lori.gertzog@gmail.com

The Word Mavens, Joyce Eisenberg & Ellen Scolnic, will entertain and share with you with their humorous, fact‑filled stories, Yiddishisms, beloved traditions and little-known facts they uncovered while writing their best-selling Dictionary of Jewish Words and their book of stories, The Whole Spiel: Funny essays about digital nudniks, seder selfies and chicken soup memories. Click here to register.

This Support Group meets to create community for those in mourning over the loss of a parent, and to help find comfort and process feelings of loss through caring discussion and in sacred Jewish context. Led by Jane Slevin, LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist from Westchester Jewish Community Services), and Cantor Laura Stein, LMSW, a social worker who specializes in spiritual care. Please RSVP to Suzanne.Saperstein@wrtemple.org.

Join Cantor Rodnizki and a diverse group of women for a monthly, midday infusion of community, ritual, sharing, and study as we mark each new month on the Hebrew calendar. This year, Rosh Chodesh will include opportunities to learn in the style of our “And She Said” class, to celebrate happy occasions, and to hold space for one another in times of challenge or healing. To be added to the email list and receive the Zoom link, please email Suzanne.Saperstein@wrtemple.org.

Saturday, February 5 at 7:30 pm (via Zoom) 

Join Cantor Rodnizki, WRJ and friends, as we bid farewell to Shabbat with one of Judaism’s most beautiful rituals, the ceremony of Havdalah. As the symbols of Havdalah engage our senses and its beautiful melodies feed our souls, we’ll explore how this brief but powerful ritual can nourish our spirits for the week ahead. All are welcome. Click here to RSVP.

Thanks to more than 40 volunteer families and friends, we packed 1376 lunch and snack bags for our special MLK Loving Our Neighbor initiative. Our bakers prepared about 1000 baked goods as well. These numbers were more than twice our average weekly “productivity” on a meaningful day for all of us to walk the talk in celebrating MLK Jr.

With your help in supporting WRT’s Hungry and Homeless Fund or in volunteering to pack, bake or shop for supplies, we can continue through the coming cold months. New packers and bakers can sign up with Debra Kolodner (debra.kolodner@gmail.com) to receive our weekly email; new shoppers can volunteer by writing to Yoel.magid@gmail.com. Next week we will report on our efforts to make our lunch bags healthier and more nutritious.

Registration is now ongoing for everyone.

For additional information, please contact Ellen.Rosenberg@wrtemple.org.

Please see the JLL Eblast for details. Questions? Email JLLAdmin@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. 

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.

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 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.