Staying Connected at RS
Having trouble connecting to Zoom? Contact Mindy Harris.
Click here to read the March/April eBulletin
We learn in the Torah this week that when Moses descends from revelation at Mt Sinai, Keren Or, "rays of light" radiate from his face. The extraordinary inspiration that came forth from this one leader has served as a foundation for the entire Jewish People. And...most of us are not Moses! So we must remember, each on our own path, to find our own power and purpose. How grateful I am to have visiting our congregation next week, two guests who have so profoundly discovered how to use their power to do God's work here on earth. Through the field of cooking, Julia Turshen shapes a more equitable table. Through lived experience, Marra Gad guides us to deepen a sense of belonging in congregational life. Both will inspire us!

-Rodeph Shalom Clergy
Cook & Connect with Chef Julia Turshen-- and Support RS
Sunday, March 7 from 6:30-8:00pm EST

Join award-winning chef Julia Turshen for a chat and cooking demo. Julia is the bestselling author of critically acclaimed cookbooks including Now & Again, Feed the Resistance, Small Victories, and her newest release, Simply Julia. She hosts the podcast ‘Keep Calm and Cook On.’ She is the founder of Equity At The Table (EATT), an inclusive digital directory of women and non-binary individuals in food. Register here.

Thank you to the Joseph W. Rosenbluth Fund for sponsoring the Cook & Connect Series.
The Story of a Mixed-Race Jewish Girl with Author Marra B. Gad
Thursday, March 11 at 7:00pm EST

Marra B. Gad will speak about her memoir, The Color of Love: The Story of a Mixed-Race Jewish Girl, winner of the 2020 Midwest Book Award for Autobiography. She is an independent writer/producer for film and television and an award-winning author. A grateful child of adoption, Miss Gad speaks internationally about her own transracial adoption in 1970, and her experiences being Black/White biracial and Jewish through the lens of her memoir.

Register here. If you have any questions, please contact Mindy Harris.

Thank you to the Behrend Lecture Fund for sponsoring this event.
Celebrate Passover with Rodeph Shalom
Congregational Second Night Seder
Sunday, March 28 at 5:30pm
Celebrate the second night of Passover virtually with your Rodeph Shalom community. Click here for a list of items needed for the seder so you can start planning! Register here.

pRiSm hosts a Virtual Social Justice Seder
Thursday, April 1 at 6:00pm
Join pRiSm to reflect upon our moral obligation to fight for the liberation of all. pRiSm works to strengthen Jewish LGBTQIA+ life and identity at RS and in the world and strives to create an inclusive congregation through education, advocacy, and celebration.
Stay tuned for RSVP information!

Passover Festival Service with Yizkor
Saturday, April 3 at 10:45am
Join us virtually for the Passover Festival Morning Service and Yizkor.

ConnectRS: Help Wish Members a Happy Passover
Please help reach out to our community by making phone calls to RS members between March 22 through April 2. Call congregants on behalf of RS to wish a Happy Passover, check in to see how they’re doing, and ask what they might need from our RS community. A script and information will be provided. Contact Melissa Erlick.
Join Together for Shabbat & Torah Study
To enter the service, click the blue links below.
Friday evening Shabbat services are also livestreamed on the RS Facebook & YouTube.
Friday, March 5, 6:00pm
Saturday, March 6, 9:15am
with Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell
Upcoming Connection Group Events
Click the blue links to learn more.
Friday, March 5, 7:30pm
Saturday, March 6, 9:30am
Tuesday, March 9, 6:00pm
Breaking Bread on Broad: Keep Food Cold & Hearts Warm--Need for a New Refrigerator
Donated perishable food is stored in the RS refrigerators. Since food is received in advance of distribution, BBoB is dependent on these refrigerators to provide fresh produce to our families. Unfortunately, one of these refrigerators has died and needs to be replaced. If you are able, please consider a donation toward the cost of the new refrigerator. Please make your donation to the BBoB Fund, indicating that the donation should be directed toward the cost of the new refrigerator. Thank you! 

Our diaper drive is on-going, because our babies' needs are on-going too! We have received only one third of the diapers we currently need. Please consider a donation to the diaper drive on our BBoB gift registry. No family should have to choose between diapers and food! Our goal is to help with both. Contact bbob@rodephshalom.org for questions.
COVID-19 Vaccine Registration Information
We are exploring matching congregants who need help navigating the COVID-19 vaccination tregistration process online. To connect with a volunteer resource, or to sign up to be a volunteer, contact Melissa Erlick.

For Philadelphia residents: Sign up here to reserve your place in line for the vaccine

For Pennsylvania residents: For vaccine information, click here

For New Jersey residents: To complete your vaccine registration, click here. You can find more information on covid19.nj.gov/vaccine.
Upcoming Virtual Opportunities to Engage
Click the blue links to join each Zoom event.

Friday, March 5
4:30pm: Weekly Meditation; Computer password: 4ULVxX; Phone password: 060386
6:00pm: Shabbat Evening Service; Computer password: 8mBtzy; Phone password: 036011
7:30pm: Seasoned Solos Virtual Gathering; Computer password: u4U6Qg; Phone password: 780514

Saturday, March 6
9:15am: Torah Study (with Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell); Parashat Ki Tisa; Computer password: DS9zSM; Phone password: 564723
9:30am: Tot Shabbat; Computer password: Mc7Cyw; Phone password: 578257
10:45am: Shabbat Morning Service; Bat Mitzvah of Maddie Cohen; Computer password: Maddie; Phone password: 714881

Sunday, March 7
9:30am: Berkman Mercaz Limud in session
6:30pm: Cook & Connect with Julia Turshen; RSVP here

Monday, March 8
8:00pm: Adult Beginner Hebrew

Tuesday, March 9
6:00pm: Torah Queeries; Computer password: jX7NEc; Phone password: 181922

Wednesday, March 10
7:00am: Volunteer for Breaking Bread on Broad; Contact bbob@rodephshalom.org
8:30am: Morning Minyan with Mourner's Kaddish; RSVP to Tomas Isakowitz for Zoom information
4:30pm: Midweek Hebrew
6:00pm: Introduction to Judaism
7:00pm: RS Women Meeting; Register here

Thursday, March 11
7:00pm: The Story of a Mixed-Race Jewish Girl with Marra B. Gad; Register here

Friday, March 12
4:30pm: Weekly Meditation; Computer password: 4ULVxX; Phone password: 060386
6:00pm: Shabbat Evening Service; Computer password: 8mBtzy; Phone password: 036011
7:30pm: Seasoned Solos Virtual Gathering; Computer password: u4U6Qg; Phone password: 780514

Saturday, March 13
9:15am: Torah Study (with Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell); Parashat Vayak'heil P'kudei; Computer password: DS9zSM; Phone password: 564723
9:45am: Shabbat Morning Service; Bat Mitzvah of Meital Frankel; Computer password: Meital; Phone password: 368761
11:30am: Shabbat Morning Service; Bar Mitzvah of Dylan Howe; Computer password: Dylan; Phone password: 565560

Sunday, March 14
9:30am: Berkman Mercaz Limud in session
Our Condolences to the Family & Friends of
  • Ilene Melnick, sister of Rick (Kay) Braun and aunt of Rachel and Jaclyn
Mazel Tov
  • Elijah Erlichman, son of Julia Erlichman and nephew of Caren Erlichman, on his Bar Mitzvah
For Congregants Experiencing Financial Distress
The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia has created a Congregational Rabbis COVID-19 Emergency Fund to provide aid to our congregants and community members who are in need of financial assistance. This is to aid those suffering from the current pandemic. The funds are intended to help those in need of food, medical assistance, rent/mortgage payments and/or medical expenses. If you or a community member is in need of help, please contact one of our clergy or Jeff Katz.
In the Community
Jewish Federation's Super Sunday (and Saturday Night Too!)
Saturday & Sunday March 6 & 7
Saturday night Havdalah, 7:30-8:30pm with Joey Weisenberg of Hadar's Rising Song Institute
After Havdalah, schmooze in a Schmooze & Share Room hosted by community members. On Sunday, answer the call to make a gift to Jewish Federation. Drop off a bag of food to one of the five Mitzvah Food Pantries across the community. Click here for more details and to register.

Women’s Health Forum
Sunday March 7 from 3:00- 5:00pm
During this virtual forum presented by Jewish Federation, learn from experts in women’s health and feel rejuvenated through guided meditation and yoga. As a participant, choose two of the following topics for breakout workshops: Nutrition, Menopause & Beyond, and Ritual & Healing. Click here to register.

Parkinsingers Virtual Rehearsals
Mondays from 4:00-5:30pm
The Parkinsingers Choir unites people with Parkinson's Disease, care-partners, and friends in a community dedicated to making music of the highest quality in a welcoming environment. Contact Marjorie Samoff.

Red Cross Blood Drive in Our Neighborhood
For information on nearby blood drives, click here, and contact Kristin McKale with questions.
Congregation Rodeph Shalom | rodephshalom.org