CHAILITES
January 13, 2021
TBC Events Through January 21, 2021

  • Friday, January 15, 7:30 pm - Shabbat Torah Service
  • Saturday, January 16, 9:30 am - Torah Study
  • Sunday, January 17, - No Religious School
  • Tuesday, January 19, 5:30 pm - COVID-19 Moment of Unity and Remembrance
  • Wednesday, January 20, 4:15 pm - Hebrew School

For events that require registration:

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.**

For this issue of Chailites we thank the following individuals who have generously contributed to TBC during December 2020.

To everyone who has supported TBC, we offer you our most sincere thanks and heartfelt gratitude.
Cantor's Disc. Fund
Alexander Family Foundation Doris and Lew Bender Suzanne and Harvey Kramer Joe Kropf & Irene Rosenberg Ria and Bruce Miller
Karen and Ross Tartell

High Holiday Appeal
Anita Lindsey

Kesher Fund Card
Alexander Family Foundation

Memorial Book
Gladys and Jerry O'Neil
Operating Fund
Alexander Family Foundation Tamir Friedman
David Rolle
Jill & Ira Rothstein
Louise and Erv Shames Karen and Ross Tartell

Religious School
Alexander Family Foundation

Sisterhood Dues
Gladys and Jerry O'Neil

Sisterhood Honey
Gladys and Jerry O'Neil
Tzedakah Fund
Alexander Family Foundation Debra and Dennis Case
Mr. and Mrs. Kim Cuniberti Barbara Dobbin
Mr. Corey Greenberg
Ms. Laurie Noe
Ronnie Ross
Mark Silverman
Karen and Ross Tartell
Peggy and Steven Zamore
Welcoming Shabbat Together
Torah Service - January 15 at 7:30pm

During this week's Shabbat Torah Service Bonnie Heft will be chanting Torah. Please join us to welcome Shabbat and support Bonnie. To register, click here.
Inaugural COVID-19 Memorial
January 19 at 5:30 pm

President-elect Joe Biden is planning a lighting ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to honor those killed by the coronavirus. The Presidential Inaugural Committee will hold the event the evening of January 19th at 5:30 pm and invites communities around the country to join Washington in lighting up buildings and ringing church bells at 5:30 p.m. in a “national moment of unity and remembrance.”
Healing, Hope, Action: The Capitol Insurgency
Where Do We Go From Here?

This was the subject of a panel discussion webinar held by URJ on Wednesday, 1/13. The panel discussed how we got to the point of the insurrection on January 6th and what we can do to heal our national fabric. The consensus was that we each can play a role, starting in our own communities. Over the coming weeks, TBC will be including resources in Chailites to help direct our efforts to support social justice, equity and inclusion.

If you would like to watch the webinar, you can go to www.facebook.com/urjorg/live. You do not need to have a Facebook account.
Celebrating Tu B'Shvat

Tu B'Shvat falls on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat. It is also called Rosh HaShanah La'Ilanot, literally 'New Year of the Trees'. In contemporary Israel, the day is celebrated as an ecological awareness day, and trees are planted in celebration. 


TBC Religious School
Celebrates Tu B'Shvat
January 24

The TBC Religious School will be celebrating Tu B’Shvat in person, safely socially distanced outside at TBC on Sunday morning January 24th! Watch for more details in next week’s Chailites!
Mitzvah Hero Awards January 31 at 4:00 pm

Honoring our very own Steve West-Rosenthal!
This is a new feature of Chailites. Each month, we will offer our congratulations to congregants who are celebrating a birthday that month.

Happy birthday wishes to our TBC family members who are celebrating a birthday in January.
Baxter Barenberg
Olivia Beckman
Lew Bender
Sarah Bennett
Jeffrey Busch
Jorden Busch
Josh Crandall
Nicole Dolcimascolo
Greg Fennessey
Sima Goldberg
Margery Grey
Lou Grey
Zhena Hadar
Tyler Hadar
Ethan Heft
Susan Hollander
Jason Katz
Benjamin Lewson
Morgan Nadel
Nathaniel Nevas
Maxwell Nevas
Olivia Newfield
Jill Paul
Roland Paul
Valerie Rosenson
Gregory Ruben
Nan Ruben
Noah Rudnicki
Adam Schrag
Phoebe Schrag
Elizabeth Scruton
Scott Semel
Louise Shames
Simon Sondheimer
The Weekly Torah Portion
Va-eira
I (God) Appeared [to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob]
Exodus 6:2−9:35 

  • Despite God's message that they will be redeemed from slavery, the Israelites' spirits remain crushed. God instructs Moses and Aaron to deliver the Israelites from the land of Egypt. (6:2-13)
  • The genealogy of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and their descendants is recorded. (6:14-25)
  • Moses and Aaron perform a miracle with a snake and relate to Pharaoh God's message to let the Israelites leave Egypt. (7:8-13)
  • The first seven plagues occur. God hardens Pharaoh's heart, and Pharaoh rescinds each offer to let the Israelites go. (7:14-9:35) Click here to learn more
Join with TBC to Support Wi-ACT's
Cystic Fibrosis Initiative!

Temple B'nai Chaim members have participated each year in Wilton Interfaith Action Committee's Rise Against Hunger meal packing event to provide food to hungry children around the world.

This year Wi-ACT has had to change its focus because of the pandemic. Instead Wi-ACT is requesting donations of gift cards for food for local families in the tri-state area with children suffering from Cystic Fibrosis. We'd love to see TBC family members engaged in this work, including having children write notes to recipients and prepare decorative envelopes to hold the gift cards. We believe this experience will engage children in ways similar to the meal-packaging event and underscore the significance of working to meet the needs of others whatever the challenges. Click here for more information!
Online COVID-19 Vaccine Registration Portal
for Residents Age 75 and Older

Connecticut's online vaccine registration portal is now available for residents aged 75 and up. Click here to access the portal and schedule your appointment. 

Appointments for those 75 and up are available as of Monday, January 18th, unless there is an open same-day appointment available prior to Monday. If there is an open same-day appointment, you may schedule that appointment. Please honor these instructions provided by the Governor to allow Phase 1A medical emergency workers to obtain the vaccine through the weekend. 

You may schedule at any location in any community.
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.
Learn to Read Hebrew
URJ Program Begins March 14, 2021

Get started with the aleph-bet and learn Hebrew along with your children or grandchildren? Familiarity with Hebrew can be a key to feeling at home in the Jewish community. Learn the shapes and sounds of the Hebrew alphabet, with a warm and supportive educator to guide you and a group of classmates for practicing together. Recognize and understand common Hebrew words and phrases that are often heard in Reform congregations and in Jewish prayer. Perfect for Intro to Judaism alumni and other adults, this course assumes no prior Hebrew experience. Ten one-hour sessions, $180.


Upcoming Events and Save the Dates! 

Friday, January 22, 7:30 pm
Torah Shabbat Click here to register

Saturday, January 23, 9:30 am

Sunday, January 24
Religious School Celebrates Tu B'Shvat

Wednesday, January 27, 5:00 pm
Sisterhood Tu'BShvat Seder with Hadassah

Friday, January 29, 7:30 pm
Welcoming Shabbat Together Click here to register

Saturday, January 30, 9:30 am

Wednesday, February 3, 2:00 pm
Dorothy Day Hospitality House

Friday, February 5, 5:00 pm

Friday, February 5, 6:30 pm
Family Service Welcoming Shabbat Together Click here to register

See the TBC Calendar for more upcoming events
✓ Check out the TBC Event Planning Guidelines
Yahrzeits, January 15-21
  Zeicher tzaddik livrachah!

Friday, January 15, 2021
Michael Ginson, father of Louise Shames
David M. Gordon, father of Todd Gordon
Leo Mellon, father of Marc Mellon
David Shames, father of Erv Shames

Saturday, January 16, 2021
Dr. Samuel Shauer, father of Marlene Serby

Monday, January 18, 2021
Freda Leuin Ruben, mother of Richard Ruben
Lena Seigerman, grandmother of Michele Bennett

Wednesday, January 20, 2021
Rose Prentiss, grandmother of Valerie Rosenson
Harold P. Weber, father of Donald Weber
 
It is traditional to light a memorial candle on the eve of the yahrzeit at home and to recite Kaddish when lighting the yahrzeit candle. It is also a custom to make donations in memory of loved ones around the time.
Help Support TBC
Contact Us

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

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 305, Georgetown, CT 06829
Phone: 203 544-8695    
Location: 82 Portland Avenue, Wilton CT 06897 (Directions)

Cantor/Educator: Cantor Harriet Dunkerley 
President: June Mara   Office Manager/Facility Use: Denise Seccurra