May-June 2025 "The Shabbat Schmooze Family"by Marcia Muskat Concerned in 2020 about how isolating Covid lockdown felt, Co-President Rebecca Shore sought creative ways for EET members to frequently interact. Hence began the EET Shabbat Schmooze, with its different topic each week facilitated by one of the schmoozers. At the Schmooze we make friends, find support and welcome newcomers. In the words of some of the regulars, here’s what else draws us in: Schmooze is community. A safe forum to share the important stuff of our lives and to hear and support others doing the same. Elliot In joining the Schmooze each week, I have found community, friendship, thought-provoking discussions, and heart-filled connections 3,000 miles away yet as close as next…
~ For all upcoming Sisterhood events, please see the main Sisterhood page ~ May-June 2025 "Our Year in Review"by Sisterhood Leadership Team member Judith Lorber This was a busy year for the Sisterhood of East End Temple, with programs ranging from social to spiritual, all with a focus of building multiple communities within East End Temple. Some programs were women-focused, while others aimed to meet the interests of the EET community at large. All programs are inspired and created by a collaborative community of women. Reviewing Our Special Programs This Year – In March and April Birthday Fund Grant Recipients – Sisterhood transforms donations by East End Temple members in honor of their birthdays and the birthdays of loved ones,…
East End Temple Men's Club Sisterhood of East End Temple Sisterhood Programs Sisterhood Columns
March-April 2025 "Facing Our Fears"by Rebecca Shore At services for Shabbat Shira, marking the Torah portion in which the Israelites cross the Red Sea to escape slavery, EET’s Assistant Director of Congregational Learning Tehilah Eisenstadt instructed each of us to think of a moment in the past in which we were truly scared. In my stream of consciousness, I first thought to myself, “That moment is now.” As many of you have shared with me, I too am worried about the loss of — and threats to — rights and values that I hold sacred. How could I think of a moment in the past, when I am fearful of now? Ultimately, my thoughts went more granular, and I remembered…
Read the latest columns from our clergy! From the Rabbi's Study Cantor's Notes
May-June 2025 "This Year in Jerusalem" As we observed yet another Passover with hostages in Hamas captivity, we were reminded that the unfortunate and harrowing story of the Jewish people remains as alive today as it was in biblical times. As our prayer “V’hi Sh’eamda” says, “in every generation they rise up to destroy us but the Holy One, blessed be He, delivers us from their hands.” The persecution and hatred towards Jews is the oldest and most persistent of any form of hate. While this may be obvious to those who know Jewish history — slavery, exiles, pogroms, genocide, wars, etc. — and was reawakened by the tragic events of October 7, 2023, there is a more discreet, insidious…
May-June 2025 "Wherever You Go..."by Mindy Sherry, RJE As we were exiting the Covid years, October 7 happened. It is a day that changed the Jewish world forever. Educators realized we had been telling students to stay away from one another, but this was a moment when we needed each other, and we realized we had not been doing a good job teaching about peoplehood. We noticed that students did not understand how we are all connected -- Jewish peoplehood. Do you remember the song “Wherever You Go (There’s Always Someone Jewish)” by Rabbi Larry Milder? You know the song: Wherever you go, there's always someone JewishYou're never alone, when you say you're a JewSo when you're not home, and…
East End Temple has signed on to a number of “friends of the court” briefs supporting the right for inmates to sue for damages based on religious discrimination: Landor v. Louisiana Department of Corrections and Public Safety DACA State of Texas, et al. v. United States of America, et al. DACA Vidal v. Duke *DACA Amicus 2nd Circuit DACA Amicus 9th Circuit El Paso County Texas et al v Trump et al 2019.05.01 Border Wall Amicus ND-Cal 2019.08.22 Border Wall Amicus 9th Circuit DACA Amicus SCOTUS 20-828 FBI v Fagaza Amici Curiae Brief in Support of Respondents 19-71 FNU v Tanvir Brief of Amici Curiae in Support of Respondents Fuqua v Raak (CA9) Amicus Brief Loving v Morton (CA2) Amicus…
May-June 2025 “The Oft-Forgotten Celebration of Shavuot” Shavuot is one of the "Shalosh Regalim" -- pilgrimage holidays to Jerusalem, alongside the better-known Passover and Sukkot. It celebrates the receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai and the first fruits of the harvest season in Israel. But while we make time for introspection at Rosh Hashanah, self-flagellation at Yom Kippur and Chanukah lights during the darkest time of year, few Progressive Jews mark this comparably holy occasion. Why? First, it may be that other holidays mark historic occasions with which we have greater confidence. There is some (scant) archaeological evidence for the Exodus, and the Maccabees verifiably existed -- while the only records we have of Mount Sinai derive from our…
Torah portions (text only): https://www.sefaria.org/topics/category/torah-portions List of bet mitzvah prayers with Mishkan T'filah (Shabbat) page numbers For blessings/prayers, click the audio player under each title to hear the blessing/prayer sung/chanted Torah blessings: Blessing before Torah reading Blessing after Torah reading Haftarah blessings: Blessing before Haftarah reading Blessing after Haftarah reading Prayers: Adonai S'fatai (Trad.) Aleinu (1st paragraph) Aleinu-V'ne'emar (conclusion) Avot V'Imahot Barchu (Siegel) Chatsi Kaddish (Evening) Ein Kamocha-Av Harachamim Friday Night Kiddush G'vurot (with winter and summer insertions) Hallelu (Sufi) Kedusha (Shur) Ki Lekach Tov-Eitz Chayim (Trad.) Ki Mitzion/Baruch Shenatan L'dor Vador (Zim) Lecha Adonai Nisim b'Chol Yom (Morning Blessings) Shema (Pik) Shema (Trad.) Shema-Echad-Gadlu Tallit Blessing V'ahavta (first paragraph) V'ahavta (l'maan tizkeru) V'Shamru (Rothblum) Yehallelu-Hodo Al Eretz
Being a member of Sisterhood helps to create a community and a sense of belonging, connecting and growth, for the benefit of us all. By listening to you and your interests and passions, we create meaningful programs and initiatives which connect us to each other and the greater community. Your annual dues contribution is used to fund our programs, support our religious school, sponsor social justice initiatives, and so much more. If you are a member of East End Temple, your annual contribution to Sisterhood was included on your bill. Thank you for checking the box! Otherwise, we welcome your contribution or your gift of membership for a friend or family (starting at $36) through our online form. Checks are also…
Recent articles on pertinent topics by (or featuring) Rabbi Josh Stanton, Cantor Olivia Brodsky, Director of Congregational Learning Mindy Sherry and Asst. Dir. of Congregational Learning Tehilah Eisenstadt: 4/21/25 - Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA), " ‘We have fond and enduring memories’: Jewish groups respond to Pope Francis’ death" 4/20/25 - New York Daily News, "Why Jews should take Easter seriously this year" 4/15/25 - Jerusalem Post, "Building bridges at the Seder table: An enduring message of the four children - opinion" 4/11/25 - eJewish Philanthropy, "Seize the opportunities: A call for renewing Catholic-Jewish collaboration" 4/9/25 - AP News, "Passover begins soon. For many Jews, the celebrations will occur amid anxieties and divisions" YouTube (video), Rabbi Josh Stanton, "Gratitude to Faithful…
from The Ukrainian Institute of America:What can I do? Stay informed with credible sources of news like The Atlantic Council UkraineAlert. Contact your state and local representatives and let them know you support the strongest measures possible to constrain Ukraine's aggressors. Find your congressional representatives with this link. How can I help? The Afya Foundation (our partner organization for whom we have collected medical supplies for many years) has an Amazon wish list of urgently needed items. The items will be sent directly to Afya, and they are packing pallets of supplies to send to Ukraine. The World Union for Progressive Judaism has launched the Ukraine Crisis Fund to support the Ukrainian Jewish community. To learn more and/or to make a donation: https://wupj.org/give/ukraine/ HIAS…
During the last three years the Men’s Club has been rejuvenated and has established many new social events at East End Temple to appeal to a wide range of congregants and their families. Successful programs have blossomed into annual events such as weekend brunch movies with thoughtful discussions (Mel Brooks Festival, “Defiance,” “Conspiracy,” “Denial,” “Gentleman’s Agreement,” “September 5th”). We also have organized educational walking tours twice a year (Lower East Side, Greenwich Village, Chinatown, and soon Bushwick). There are parties during holidays, onegs, the hamantaschen contest during Purim, and a dim-sum brunch in Chinatown on Christmas morning. On some Thursday evenings we get together for game nights. We are sponsoring a wine tasting on April 26. There are also picnics…
We have ordered a variety of recently published books that are on display in our Helene Spring Library. The titles and prices of the books that are available to be sponsored are listed below, and we hope members will continue their tradition of donating book/s of their choice. All books will have member’s name and in honor of/memory of inscribed on the bookplate. For online payment, click here (make a donation to Sisterhood-Helene Spring Library Fund and add a note with the title of the book you would like to sponsor). If paying by check, click here for a printable form and complete the coupon at the bottom. Thank you for your generosity. [Books that are crossed out have already…
For bet mitzvah students if you're not at home, or to listen to recordings of different prayers: https://eastendtemple.org/torah-and-prayer-resources/ A word about "bet mitzvah": Last spring, following careful study, the Central Conference of American Rabbis issued a recommendation that Reform communities use the term “Bet Mitzvah.” Bet is the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet and does not have a gendered connotation. It stands for Bar, Bat, or B'Mitzvah at the same time and provides our children and their families with the flexibility not to share more of their gender identities than they would like to at their Jewish coming-of-age ceremonies. Bet also references the Hebrew word for “home,” so that the term Bet Mitzvah references the “Home of Mitzvah.” Bet mitzvah at…
The Boomers of East End Temple (BEET) is a chavurah (group) formed to build connections among the baby boomer (officially defined as born between 1946 and 1964) community. We look to schedule programs that may interest the generation who grew up through massive social changes which strongly influenced who we are today. During these programs, most of which are open to the general baby boomer community, we enjoy sharing special memories unique to our generation as well as educating and supporting each other as we continue on our current life's journeys. One of our most popular events is our intimate (members-only) Friday, Shabbat potluck dinners where we share our thoughts on a boomer-related topic, ensuring that everyone gets to know…
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[The Book of Remembrance is also available as a printable PDF] MEMORIALIZED ON THE TREE OF LIFE Anna AlmanMorris AlmanCharles BaderSamuel BeckerEsther BershonPvt. Arthur A. BierCharles BirnbaumBella CukierwarMaurice CukierwarBenjamin DimitmanIda EdelmanSamuel EdelmanDorothy A. EhrenreichAnnie L. FeinJennie GordonLouis GordonShelley Anita GorenSusan Helen GorenSamuel Gruber Max HeibergerRalph M. HolzmanIda HorowitzMorris HorowitzElla KesslerBernard R. King Myron KrugmanRose KrugmanShirley Kaplan LandauSidney LandeJacob LiebermanSarah LiebermanSamuel MaitFlora MorgensternLouis MorgensternLeonard NewmarkLucille NewmarkCelia Perlow Joseph PolanskySarah PolanskyLorence L. PollenBarnett RosalskyPesha RosalskyRose RothEmma RudingerJulius RudingerIsaac SertnerNorma SertnerNettie SperberAaron SteinRose SteinIda SussmanMamie WassermanEphraim WeissteinSarah WeissteinBilly Youchah MEMORIALIZED ON THE MEMORIAL BOARD AAllan AbramsRobert AbrahamYetta AdelmanDr. Hyman AlexanderJoseph AlexanderMildred Alexander Sarah AlexanderNorman AltszulerRita AltszulerHarry AmerRose Amer Dr. Joseph S. AmsterWanda H. AschermanAdela AusterIsrael Auster B May Hartley BarclayWade Crawford Barclay Eugene…
Thursday, April 17 at 6:00pm (in person and Zoom)Open to Sisterhood members using she/her pronouns, plus one guest (ages 13 and older)Click here to register, indicating whether you will join in person or on Zoom. Indicate name(s) of participants.Led by Cantor Brodsky, everyone participates in reading from a Haggadah written especially for us, focused on the women in the Passover story, praying in feminized Hebrew. We sing songs and dance with tambourines, honor women of valor, use a Miriam's Cup for water and place a symbolic orange on the seder plate. If attending in person, space is limited so please reserve as soon as possible and indicate your contributions to the potluck dinner or seder items. If you are not…
Virtual Community Second-Night Seder Sunday, April 13, 2025 at 5:00pm Our virtual seder is free and open to all. Everything you need to join us is on this page: how to register and receive the Zoom link, items to have in your home, an online Haggadah, and guidelines for joining our Zoom seder. Click here to register Once you are registered, you will receive an automated confirmation email with the subject line East End Temple Virtual Seder Confirmation. PLEASE KEEP THAT EMAIL: it will include your personalized Zoom link. All are welcome to register. (Please don’t forward your own Zoom link, or the other person will appear onscreen with your name.) List of suggested items to have in your…
Dear Fellow Congregants: It is thanks to the foresight and generosity of those who came before us that EET has entered its eighth decade with strength and vibrancy. We are grateful to them for establishing a spiritual home that cultivates relevant Jewish life through connected community. Now it is our turn to make certain our tradition continues for generations and that EET continues to be a beacon for downtown Jewish life. The EET Legacy Circle will bring together members like you and us, who are eager to help ensure our Jewish community’s future for generations to come by naming East End Temple as a beneficiary in their estate plans. Planned gifts of all sizes can play a significant role in…