“How Synagogues Become Central to Andrea Viders’ Life“ by Marcia Muskat
Whenever Andrea moves into a new town, her first stop is the local synagogue. Having grown up in Freeport, Long Island in the 1970s — a town with few Jewish families — the local Reform temple was a place of joy and connection for the Viders family.
Though non-observant, Andrea’s middle and high school years at a modern Orthodox day school were also integral. She took a 1983-84 gap year at Hebrew University’s Mechina studies program for students from around the world. Andrea’s visit at the East Jerusalem home of a Palestinian classmate was eye-opening.
In 1988, Andrea graduated with a BS in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell. She then worked as a labor representative for hospital doctors. Missing Israel’s globalism, Andrea graduated in 1994 with a Master’s in International Affairs from Columbia University. She worked for a variety of international and non-governmental organizations, focusing on labor and community development.
In 2004, Andrea married Andrew Seiz, whom she had met in graduate school. For nine years they took up residence in Hong Kong, giving birth to Ethan in 2005 and Elora in 2009. Andrea volunteered with a refugee organization and learned Mandarin.
Hong Kong’s progressive synagogue became a centerpiece of their family’s life. Andrea taught at the Hebrew school. She also helped plan the congregation’s trip to Israel and MitzvahDay, which matched congregants to local organizations for a day of service.
In 2018, Ethan’s EET bar mitzvah was an international affair, extraordinaire. Friends and family flew in from everywhere. Today, in keeping with Andrea’s for-the-people vitae, she involves herself in EET Social Justice initiatives that advocate for immigrants’ and voters’ rights. As co-chair of Sisterhood’s Birthday Fund, Andrea supports organizations that improve the lives of NY women and girls. Once again, a synagogue becomes central to Andrea Viders’ life.
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November-December 2024
“Jeffrey Hahn Shows Up“ by Marcia Muskat
EET’s Men’s Club President Jeffrey Hahn hails from White Plains, New York. While Jeffrey’s family did not practice a strict Judaism, they were proudly Jewish. And while Jeffrey frowned upon the game of ‘Who had the biggest bet mitzvah party?’ and ‘Who got the most gifts?,’ Jeffrey followed in Judaism’s tradition of showing up for friends’ mitzvot.
In 1984, a starry-eyed Jeffrey entered the hallowed Ivy League’s halls of Cornell University. With his head for math and philosophy and his gift for photography intact, whenever Jeffrey found himself in the role of explaining real-world marketing and sales, his teaching skills became apparent to his colleagues. And to his young daughters, Emily and Olivia, now ages 25 and 22.
Jeffrey would not be the first to parlay a career in business economics into teaching high school mathematics. And now, 25 years later and retired from the classroom, Jeffrey is a private tutor to high school students who struggle in large class settings. He is also a press-credentialed street photographer (instagram @8n8photoarts) who captures shots from the Lower East Side to East Harlem. And he’s a NY poll worker.
Moreover, Jeffrey was just married at EET to Board Certified Holistic Nurse Faye White-Willinger. He is a dedicated house spouse to Faye and her son, Robert, a University of Massachusetts-Amherst neuropsychology student and a 2017 bar mitzvah. Jeffrey and Faye are also studying to become bet mitzvah.
So, in an era when people are spending more time online, the men of EET Men’s Club get people to show up. To build Sukkot. To march in the Israel Day Parade. And so much more, because showing up is what Jeffrey Hahn does.
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September-October 2024
Faye White-Willinger… Doing What Comes Naturally by Marcia Muskat
Faye was raised a non-practicing Catholic in Milwaukee. During Faye’s freshman year at U Penn (Nursing ’88-BSN), she found herself close with lots of Jewish friends and their holiday traditions. In 2003, Faye married Jewish. And much to her mother-in-law’s delight, felt the need to raise her children Jewish.
Union Temple of Prospect Heights, Brooklyn (now part of Congregation Beth Elohim/CBE) became pivotal. Faye was so active in the Religious School that she eventually co-chaired and directed (hiring Mindy Sherry). Adding to the momentum, Faye “audited” RS classes, studied Torah and sang Hebrew prayers alongside her son, Robert. And when Faye needed people most – during her separation from Robert’s dad and her bout with several serious illnesses – Faye couldn’t help but think of Union Temple as family and of herself as Jewish. In 2013, in the presence of a three-rabbi beit din, Faye converted to Judaism.
Earlier that year, Faye and Robert went camping at Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in Hillsdale, NY. As beshert would have it, they pitched their tent next to Jeff Hahn, a nice Jewish guy from Westchester County. In 2017, one month before Robert’s bar mitzvah, Faye and Robert invited Jeff to come live with them. This past June, Rabbi Josh did the honors at Faye and Jeff’s wedding.
Robert is active in Hillel at U Mass Amherst, where he studies neuropsychology in hopes of becoming a doctor. Faye is Board Certified in Holistic Nursing and Travel Health, keeping NYU/Langone international travelers safe. Jeff is retired as a H.S./college math instructor and is a current math tutor and volunteer poll worker. And because a nurse’s day is never done, Jeff is their family’s “house-spouse,” keeping everything together at home.
At EET, Faye loves singing with the choir. Jeff loves schmoozing with the Men’s Club. And all things being equal, loves doing what comes naturally.
“Winter Is Upon Us Once Again: Setting the Restart Button“ by Sisterhood Leadership Team member and Community Development Co-Lead Fern Stampleman
Making its yearly return to Sisterhood programming on Sunday, January 12, is Session #1 of the Rosh Chodesh Women’s Study and Discussion Group,in person and on Zoom. Featuring the last of the Genesis matriarchs, Session #1 is “A Tale of Two Sisters: It Begins At The Well.” Our ever-popular impromptu schmooze/potluck breakfast starts us off! Co-leaders Elissa Macklin and Laurie Treuhaft and I are excited to explore the life and times of Rachel and Leah. We look forward to the insightful surprises fellow inquirers can’t help but bring to the table. You are always welcome to bring a friend. NO prior knowledge required. Background information emailed in advance of each time we meet. Session #2: February 2.
Stitch-A-Thon also returns on January 12, open to everyone who can or wants to stitch. Participants help needy New Yorkers keep warm with hand-made hats and scarves. Donated yarns may be picked up at the Temple office. Next session, February 2, following Rosh Chodesh. Program Lead: Fran Kolin.
In addition, Fran will begin interviews in January for “Claim Your Hebrew Name,” a program initiated by her last year! To make an appointment, contact Fran at: thekolins611@yahoo.com
On January 15, Ellen Ettinger, program lead for Getting to Know OurCommunity, hosts Susan Schwalb, an artist recognized as one of the foremost experts in silverpoint and metalpoint drawing. We had the pleasure of viewing Susan’s work when it was exhibited in East End Temple’s Social Hall. Then, on February 5, Tehilah Eisenstadt, Assistant Director of Congregational Learning at East End Temple, will be Ellen’s guest talking about her life, education, experiences, and interests.
For more details about these programs, or to contact program leads, and more, check out our Sisterhood page
Wishing everyone a Happy secular New Year and a Happy Chanukah as we light all nine candles on January 1. May the light we bring into the world now, strengthen and sustain us throughout 2025.
Food For Families by Celia Vimont
Our 2024-25 Food For Families season has been a great success so far. In November we made 1,577 meals and in December we made 1,794 meals. All meals are picked up by City Harvest trucks and distributed to hungry New Yorkers that day.
We will be taking a break in January, and we’ll be back February 2 for our next session, followed by March 2 and 30. Advance sign-up is required (https://signup.com/go/ZEeEpgn). All participants must be age 12 or older (ages 12-15 must be accompanied by an adult) and everyone must wear a mask. Each participant should bring at least five loaves of whole wheat sliced bread (six loaves per person would be greatly appreciated) and 20 pieces of large fruit (preferably apples and oranges) and wear a hat to comply with Department of Health regulations. Food For Families is a great way for teens to get community service credits.
I am delighted to announce that our 11th annual Help Our Library Grow Initiative is now underway. This initiative enables us to add new, well reviewed books to our collection, and we are enthusiastic about the books being offered. We are grateful to the many members whose generous donations have enriched our collection in the past, and we hope the tradition will continue. The initiative provides a wonderful opportunity to donate a book in someone’s honor or memory, and every donated book will have a bookplate with donor’s name and in honor of/in memory of, inscribed on the bookplate. All the books will be displayed in the library. Please see the complete list of titles, author, price, and donation form with payment instructions. A list is also posted on the temple bulletin board downstairs. Thank you in advance for your generosity.
Our 21st annual Helene Spring Library Event, always a highlight of the year, will take place Sunday, March 16, 2025 at 2:00pm. Elizabeth Graver, our featured author, is a 2024 National Jewish Book Award winner for her outstanding novel, Kantika, which she will discuss at our event. It is a multi-generational saga of a Sephardic family forced to flee a wealthy elitist life in Istanbul after unimaginable loss, and they must travel to Barcelona, Havana, and finally to Queens, New York. It is a tale that explores loss, displacement, endurance, and family as home, a story of reinvention, healing, and love. The main character, self-reliant Rebecca Cohen, ties the story together with her tenacity through grief and multiple challenges, yet holds the family together maintaining its faith and traditions. We will be selling copies of the book that Elizabeth will sign at our dessert reception. Save the date, Sunday, March 16, 2025 at 2:00pm for this not-to-be missed event.
Judaica Shop by Fran Kolin
In the coldest days of the winter, the Sisterhood Judaica Shop takes on the special task of giving out free yarn to knitters and crocheters who turn it into hats and scarves for New York’s needy. If you have those skills, we invite you to get busy and create warm winter accessories for our Cold Weather Project. Stop by The Shop to collect some yarn and do a mitzvah – and join us for our in-person Stitch-A-Thon when we knit together on 1/12, 2/2 and 3/2, 1:00-3:00pm. Also, get ready for our Hamantashen Sale for Purim (3/13-14) — you can place your orders now right HERE!
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November-December 2024
Make Sisterhood Part of Your New Year: 5785 by Sisterhood Leadership Team member Marcia Muskat
For the fourth year in a row, Sisterhood member Rachel Shapiro took the lead at September’s Welcome Back Family Event. As present as ever, Rachel had everyone — young and not so young alike — creating personal vision boards that spoke to their New Year’s hopes and dreams. And the pizza, compliments of the EET Men’s Club, certainly didn’t disappoint.
As you contemplate your hopes and dreams for the New Year, make Sisterhood part of your New Year, starting with:
Meeting Our Leadership… Sisterhood Board meetings 6:30pm Nov. 6 & Dec. 11 Come to Sisterhood meetings to help plan programs, pick up leadership skills and make new friends. Sisterhood members are always welcome.
Mah Jongg Fun and Games… Weekday Learn & Play 11:00am, Nov. 7 & 14, Dec. 5 & 12 Learn the game or find people to play with at twice monthly Thursday morning games. Sunday Mah Jongg Fund Raiser 10:00am Dec.15 Win top-score prizes at the 2nd annual 4-hour special Mah Jongg event with brunch. Buy raffles for causes worth supporting. Evening Mah Jongg Game 7:00pm Jan. 22 By special request from many of our players, an evening of Mah Jongg is coming your way.
Partake in Social Action… Food For Families 11:30pm Oct. 27, Nov. 17 & Dec. 8 Be part of a community (ages 12 and up, 12 -15 accompanied by an adult) that makes meals to feed hungry New Yorkers, a labor of love for more than 30 years.
Meet the Community… Getting To Know Our Community (Zoom) 12:00-pm Dec. 4 Tune into our first interview of the season with Dr. Louise Klebanoff, a general neurologist who has served as Vice Chair of Clinical Operations for the Department of Neurology at Weill Cornell. Louise will share her thoughts about neurology, medicine and her love of all things NYC.
For more information and to register for our events, go to the Sisterhood page of the EET website
The Sisterhood of East End Temple
Belong. Connect. Grow. Member of
Food For Families by Celia Vimont
Thank you to all our volunteers who helped us kick off a successful start to the 2024-25 Food For Families season on September 29. We made 1716 meals that were picked up by a City Harvest truck and distributed to hungry New Yorkers that day.
Our next Food For Families session will be on Sunday, October 27, please note new time: 11:30am to 1:30pm. Advance sign-up is required (https://signup.com/go/ZEeEpgn). All participants must be age 12 or older (ages 12-15 must be accompanied by an adult) and everyone must wear a mask. Each participant should bring at least five loaves of whole wheat sliced bread (six loaves per person would be greatly appreciated) and 20 pieces of fruit (preferably apples and oranges) and wear a hat to comply with Department of Health regulations. Future dates are: Nov. 17, Dec. 8, Jan. 12, Feb. 2 and March 2. Food For Families is a great way for teens to get community service credits.
I am delighted to announce that I have confirmed noted award-winning author, Elizabeth Graver, as the featured speaker for our 21st Helene Spring Library Event, March 16, 2025. Elizabeth is a 2024 National Jewish Book Award winner for her outstanding novel Kantika, which she will discuss at our event. The novel is a beautifully written multi-generational saga that follows a Sephardic family in the early 20th century as they move from Istanbul, where they have been a wealthy privileged part of the Sephardic elite but now find themselves victims of unexpected, unimaginable loss, to Barcelona, to Havana, and finally to Queens, New York. It is a tale that explores loss, displacement, endurance, and family as home, a story of reinvention, healing, and love. The main character, self-reliant Rebecca Cohen, ties the story together with her tenacity, through grief and hope, as she faces multiple challenges yet manages to hold the family together and maintain its faith and traditions. We have a copy of Kantika in our library, and we will sell copies of the book that Elizabeth will sign at our reception. I look forward to hearing her share her exceptional novel, and I know she will be warmly welcomed.
Judaica Shop by Fran Kolin
In the darkest part of the year, Chanukah gives us the chance to enjoy more light as we kindle the Chanukah candles! Sisterhood’s Judaica Shop will be prepared with many lovely candle options for your celebrations. We will have dreidels, chanukiyahs, small puzzles, decorations, and chocolate gelt to enhance your holiday experiences. We will also have a new 16-Piece Wood Chanukah Play Set, featuring a printed table scene, frying pan, latke, jelly doughnut, wooden gelt, dreidel, menorah, and nine candles. Come take a look, and shop The Shop!
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September-October 2024
L’Shanah Tovah – Connections, Collaborations, Leadership, and Giving by Sisterhood Leadership Team member and Programming Lead Suellen Eshed
What a summer it’s been! In June, the Sisterhood of East End Temple leadership was represented at the Women of Reform Judaism Fried Leadership Conference in New Orleans. It was inspirational to sing, pray and learn with hundreds of women dedicated to Sisterhood, Spirituality and Social Justice.In July, our Sisterhood held a dinner to celebrate our accomplishments. The leadership team then began working on strategic planning, while reviewing our new leadership model.
We chose two recipients of our Birthday Fund, where donations made in honor of a birthday are given to a local NYC organization dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls. We are giving $2,800 to two organizations: Girl Scouts Of America Troop 6000, a unique program serving families living in NY’s shelter system, providing weekly meetings where girls make friends, earn badges and learn skills at no cost; and City Living NY, which supports and empowers 21-year-olds who have “aged out” of the NY foster care system, with mental health counseling, safe furnished apartments, and college and job assistance.
This year, Andrea Viders joins Jodi Malcom as Birthday Fund Co-Director, focusing on recipient selection and organizing meetings between our donors and recipients to hear about the people that benefited from their outreach.
Our Annual Welcome Back Family Event will take place on Sunday, September 15, led by Rachel Gibbs-Shapiro, with snacks provided by Men’s Club. Join our fun-filled workshop where we’ll be building a collage-based vision board to help us make change – for ourselves or our families. See more information on our main Sisterhood page.
Mah Jongg is back, with twice monthly daytime games on Thursdays, starting September 5. All levels are welcome, and lessons are offered by our volunteers, led by Marcia Muskat. Learn now so that you can win prizes in our Morning of Mah Jongg coming up in December. Be part of this growing community!
By listening to one another’s voices, we collaborate, create leaders and come together in multiple communities. Check out our upcoming programs here.
The Sisterhood of East End Temple
Belong. Connect. Grow. Member of
Food For Families
by Celia Vimont
Come join us as we start a new season of Food For Families on Sunday, September 29 from noon to 2:00pm. We will make sandwiches to be distributed by City Harvest to feed hungry New Yorkers. The need is great: according to City Harvest, nearly 1.3 million New Yorkers are struggling to feed themselves and their families and one in four children in New York City are experiencing food insecurity.
Advance sign-up will be required (look for the link and details in the eblast). All participants must be age 12 or older (ages 12-15 must be accompanied by an adult) and everyone must wear a mask. Each participant should bring at least five loaves of whole wheat sliced bread (six loaves per person would be greatly appreciated) and 20 pieces of fruit (preferably apples and oranges) and wear a hat to comply with Department of Health regulations.
Future dates for Food For Families areOctober 27, November 17, December 8, January 12, February 2 and March 2.
As fall and the New Year approach, we have been busy readying our Helene Spring Library with new displays of books about the High Holy Days, in order to provide temple members with an opportunity to enhance understanding and to provide food for thought and conversation on the High Holy Days experience. We hope you will take the time to explore the many offerings. In addition, several new books in other genres have been purchased during the summer and are ready to be borrowed for a three-week period. One title of timely interest is Uncomfortable Conversations with a Jew, by Emmanuel Acho and Noa Tishby. Published this spring, the book is a thought-provoking investigation into antisemitism that connects the dots between the tropes and hatred of the past to our current complicated moment. Another new novel, a historical fiction that has received high praise, is The Goddess of Warsaw by Lisa Barr. It is a haunting tale of the cost of survival, sacrifice, and the long-denied secrets of the past. Having read it, I can attest to its impact.
Looking ahead, a moving anthology, On Being Jewish Now, edited by author and publisher Zibby Owens, will be published November 1, and it will be a valuable addition to our collection. It is a compilation of essays by 75 Jewish authors about what it means to be Jewish since the tragedy of October 7. As Lynda Loigman, a recent Helene Spring Library Event featured author, stated, “It’s a collection of emotional, funny, sad, traumatic, and inspiring essays about what it means to be Jewish, how Jewish life has changed since October 7th, and the bonds and culture that our group shares.” All the proceeds will be donated to Artists Against Antisemitism, founded in the aftermath of October 7 by a group of Jewish authors.
Wishing everyone L’ Shanah Tovah!
Judaica Shop
by Fran Kolin
Shanah Tovah EET friends! Sisterhood’s Judaica Shop has all sorts of interesting things to add to your Jewish experience. Novels from past Library Event guest speakers, items to enhance your home, Jewish content board books for children, mezuzot, even Sisterhood’s own cookbook is available for purchase when the office is open. We also have many colors of free yarn for you to pick up and knit or crochet into hats and scarves for New York’s needy. We collect these items year-round, so there is no rush. Come take a look, and shop The Shop!
Rabbi Josh’s reflections on Jewish elected officials highlight an important aspect of Jewish civic life, our ability to lead and contribute in meaningful ways. But leadership is not confined to public office or political engagement. At East End Temple, leadership happens every day within our community, in ways both seen and unseen.
Leadership begins with the choices we make about how we show up for one another. It’s in the volunteer who organizes a food drive, the parent who mentors a teen through their bet mitzvah journey, or the member who steps forward to lead a new initiative. Each act of participation strengthens our community and reminds us that leadership is about taking responsibility for the well-being of others.
As a congregation, we are uniquely positioned to inspire this kind of purpose-driven engagement. Our tradition teaches us that we don’t need to wait for others to solve the challenges we see around us. Whether addressing inequities in our city, supporting causes that matter to our members, or simply building a sanctuary of understanding in a complicated world, we all have a role to play in shaping the community we want to see.
East End Temple has long been a space where big ideas and collective action come to life. But just as democracy requires vigilance and renewal, so too does the work of building a vibrant synagogue. Let us commit to showing up not just for the rituals and celebrations that sustain us, but for the hard work of listening, collaborating, and creating a future that reflects our shared values.
Leadership, like community, is a practice. May we continue to practice it with care and courage.
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November-December 2024
“The Difference Between Welcoming and Belonging“ by Rebecca Shore
I recently was alerted to a powerful distinction between “welcoming” and “belonging” within congregations. During a call with leaders of the URJ’s Religious Action Center, it was suggested that congregations should evolve from being “welcoming” and “inclusive” to fostering a deeper sense of belonging for all congregants.
As I thought about this concept, I started researching the differences between the terms. What I discovered was that the movement from welcoming to belonging is a progression from actions conveyed to feelings held. As Rachel Hall wrote for the URJ, “when we ‘welcome,’ we often unintentionally convey that it is ourplace to welcome or decide who is welcome” (Welcoming vs. Belonging: A Key Step in Making Our Communities Diverse and Whole, 2021). Inclusion focuses on actions and behaviors of leaders, and belonging focuses on the feelings that a congregant has.
Like the eight ladders of tzedakah, the progression from welcoming to belonging carries with it varying levels of intent and impact. Our goal should be to ensure that all congregants feel like they belong, like this is their home and community, and that they are equally members of our community. We should always be welcoming; we should always be inclusive; and ultimately, we should all feel like we belong equally.
This is the challenge for each of us for the next year: to create a community in which all feel like they belong. What does belonging look like for you? What do you need to feel like you belong? What can we do to create a feeling of belonging among all in our community? Throughout the year, Brian and I, and the Board of Trustees will be working toward this goal, and we hope that you will take the steps into our community, so that this congregation belongs to you as much as you belong to the congregation.
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September-October 2024
Extending Our Reach: Living Our Values Through Action by Co-President Brian Lifsec
At East End Temple, our community is strongly committed to social justice and helping those in need, guided by our faith’s teachings of compassion and integrity. As we approach significant moments in our religious calendar, I want to highlight how our collaboration with other organizations and houses of worship to support New York’s newest immigrants reflects these core values.
This letter follows my earlier communication where I emphasized “broadening outreach” as a key focus for our temple. We are excited to share that our temple has been awarded the Pathways Trailblazer Award from HIAS, the world’s oldest and only Jewish refugee organization, for our outstanding work in helping refugees, asylum seekers, and forcibly displaced people.
As we prepare for the High Holy Days, a time for introspection, repentance, and renewal, this reflection feels particularly meaningful. The themes of unity, community, and responsibility that mark this season closely align with our efforts to assist immigrants, feed the hungry, and continue working with other business- and faith-based organizations.
In addition to welcoming new New Yorkers, our community is also committed to promoting democracy across the country. We are actively working with the Religious Action Center and other organizations in nonpartisan efforts to protect voter access. Through our DemocRACy Circle monthly gatherings, congregants from all backgrounds come together to write postcards, make phone calls, and discuss issues impacting the upcoming election.
Our recent analysis by the Strategic Planning Committee and Board identified our core strengths and ambitions, focusing on vibrancy, impact, and fiscal stability. This led to key areas of focus: deepening connections, broadening outreach, increasing impact, and supporting growth while maintaining fiscal prudence. Our work exemplifies these priorities, showing how we can extend our reach while staying true to our values.
As we observe the High Holy Days, let’s renew our commitment to these ideals. Our collective efforts to support New York’s newest residents and protect democratic values not only transform lives but also strengthen the bonds within our community. At East End Temple, we will continue to champion the common good, striving to create a more just and compassionate world for all.
Just because our name is the “Mens” Club, our events are not just for ‘men-bers’ but to the entire community, all families and friends.
The Men’s Club was glad to host many events last fall such as:
Game Night
Walking tour of Chinatown
The first movie brunch was the Mel Brooks Film Festival. The second was “Defiance,” a drama about rebel fighters known as the Partisans during the Holocaust. We have conversations following.
Christmas Dim Sum Luncheon at the Golden Unicorn To follow a Jewish tradition, we filled 2 large tables with families of all ages eating Chinese food.
Other spring events are listed below. Hope to see you!
Game Night #2 Thursday, February 6 at 6:30-8:00pm (in person) More fun and games with Men’s Club!
Movie Brunch #3 Saturday, March 1, 10:30am-12:30pm (in person) Join us for brunch, a movie (TBD) and discussion.
3rd Annual Hamantaschen Contest Friday, March 14 after Shabbat services May the most delicious hamantaschen win! Contestants home-bake their own. Anyone who shows up tries every entry and votes for the best. Prizes and calories. Let us know if you are baking for instructions (mensclub@eastendtemple.org).
Docent-Led Tour of the Museum of Jewish Heritage Sunday, March 23 at 11:15am Co-sponsored by the EET Men’s Club and the Sisterhood of East End Temple. Join family and friends for a guided tour of the Museum of Jewish Heritage, New York’s contribution to the global responsibility to never forget. The Museum is committed to the crucial mission of educating diverse visitors about Jewish life before, during, and after the Holocaust. Our tour will include the exhibits “What Hate Can Do” and “Courage to Act.” Limited spots available and, to comply with security measures, advance sign-up is required by February 18, 2025. $25 per adult / $15 for children (age 12 and up).
Pillows for Passover Thursday, April 10 at 6:30pm (in person) Create a personalized pillow to recline on at your seder! Patrick and Faye will bring their sewing machines, and hand sewing is encouraged, to help you design your own pillow! RSVP to mensclub@eastendtemple.org
Dad’s Night Out Thursday April 24 at 6:30pm ~ at Seven Sins Bar, 293 3rd Avenue (& 23rd St.) ~ Men’s Club invites the Religious School dads to Seven Sins for drinks & appetizers.
Red Wine Tasting and Reception Saturday Apr. 26 from 4:30-6:30pm, must be age 21+ Who said wine tasting is not a spectator sport? Do you think you have the best bottle of red wine which costs under $20 dollars? Are you willing to put it to the ultimate test — the judges at EET? We are seeking up to six contestants for a wine tasting. We are also inviting people 21 or older to witness this train wreck of a wine tasting and to enjoy different wines at a reception with cheeses, breads, crackers, fruit and nuts supplied by the Men’s Club. Contestants attend free of charge except for the cost of a bottle of wine. The cost for the wine reception, including wine and food is $20. Prizes will be awarded for the best wines as judged blindly by four judges with absolutely no qualifications. For complete details and to sign up, please contact Peter Walker at paw1227@gmail.com.
Spring Picnic with the Sisterhood of East End Temple Sunday, May 4 at 11:00am More details coming soon!
Spring Walking Tour — Bushwick, Brooklyn Sunday, May 11, 12:00-1:30pm, followed by lunch This Brooklyn neighborhood is known for the artists’ street art and murals. Meet at Jefferson St. subway station (L-line). $20/adult, $12 children. RSVP to mensclub@eastendtemple.org
Israel Day Parade Sunday, May 18 from 11:30am-4:00pm Join our EET delegation to march in the parade.
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 something about each other.
The Sisterhood of East End Temple welcomes anyone who identifies as female, nonbinary or gender-fluid. Consistent with our longstanding legacy of women’s empowerment, whenever the words “woman” or “women” appear, we understand them to include all of these individuals. We listen to the voices of our membership, promoting their interests, passions, ideas, and concerns, and develop communities, friendships, and leaders.
Together we engage in tikkun olam by producing timely and relevant programming, fundraising, and advocating for social justice, while nurturing our spiritual and intellectual growth and the life of the congregation, leaders, and the community at large.
This philosophy aligns with our affiliate, Women of Reform Judaism.
~ To read the latest columns and messages from Sisterhood, please see the Sisterhood Columns page ~
2024-2025 Programs
We offer a number of programs in different formats — in person, on Zoom and hybrid. Unless otherwise stated, the entire community, friends and family, is welcome to join us! Please send any questions and RSVPs to sisterhood@eastendtemple.org, except where noted.
Ongoing Programs
Food For Families Sundays at 12:00pm: Feb. 2, March 2, March 30 For over 30 years, multiple generations of our community have made meals to feed hungry New Yorkers. Advance sign-up will be required (look for the link in an upcoming eblast). All participants must be age 12 or older (ages 12-15 must be accompanied by an adult). Each participant should bring five loaves of whole wheat bread and 16 pieces of fruit (preferably apples and oranges) and wear a hat to comply with Department of Health regulations.
Mah Jongg Weekday — Play/Learn in Person Select Thursdays from 11:00am to 1:00pm: Jan. 23; Feb. 13, 20; March 13, 27; April 3, 10; May 8, 22 Interested in learning to play mah jongg or finding players? Cash donation of $5 to play, $15 for a lesson. Coffee, tea and snacks available. Please register or let us know your interest by completing this form
Shake Your Soul — The Yoga of Dance (in person) Tuesdays from 10:30-11:30am, starting November 12 Relax your nervous system, energize your body, and awaken the soul through a powerful, fluid dance repertoire set to world music. Participants are encouraged to listen to, feel and move to the music, either by following the moves offered, or tuning into themselves. It incorporates yoga breathing, mindfulness, qi gong, dance movements, partner exercises using mirroring/reflecting, movement dialogue, and group circle movements as well. It’s a fun way to exercise and form authentic connections.
Bring water and a yoga mat, and wear sneakers and comfortable clothing.
$10 suggested donation per class
Getting to Know Our Community — Monthly Wednesdays Lunchtime Speaker Series(Zoom) 12:00-1:00pm: Feb. 5, March 5, April 2 Bring your lunch and join us as we introduce a fascinating member of our community. Speakers to be announced.
Feb. 5: Tehilah Eisenstadt is busy working in our East End Temple community this year sharing her knowledge, spirit, and expertise in Judaism. Join us and learn all about her life, education, experiences, and interests.
March 5: Jamie Silver, a New York City transplant from Cleveland, Ohio, is a Partner and Chief Commercial Officer at an $8B fixed income hedge fund. When she is not spending her free time angel investing in women-owned companies, Jamie is an active parent in the religious school and loves to host her friends and family, eating, drinking and being merry.
Claim Your Hebrew Name — beginning in January 2025 Do you have a Hebrew name? Have your children been named yet? Have a Hebrew Name you want to change? Now in its second year, the Sisterhood of East End Temple, under the leadership of Fran Kolin, can help guide you through the process, which can be as simple or as elaborate as you wish. Simple, as in choosing a Hebrew name you like that may start with the same letter as your English name. Elaborate, as in researching your family history, visiting the graves of your loved ones, or choosing the name of a figure in the Torah that you admire. And, on Friday, April 25 at a special Simchat Shabbat service, you will be invited, with other newly named members, to stand on the bimah and receive a blessing from the clergy, the congratulations of your fellow congregants, and your certificate signed by the clergy. Please email Fran Kolin at thekolins611@yahoo.com to set up a meeting after the secular new year.
“Dante’s Vision of Rachel and Leah,” Dante Gabriel Rossetti 1855
Rosh Chodesh Study and Discussion: “The Genesis Finale” (in person and via Zoom) Sundays at 10:30am: Feb. 2, March 2, March 30 Rosh Chodesh, “the head of the month,” is the phase of the lunar cycle when the first sliver of moon appears, a time for renewal. Talmudic and modern-day interpretations connect the holiday to women. As such, Rosh Chodesh has been marked as a time for women to gather, study and pray (click here for more information).
Please join us this season for an in-depth exploration of the ”Leah v’Rachel” or “Rachel v’Leah” debate. NOTE: In the Amidah, “Leah v’Rachel” appears in Gates of Prayer (c. 1994) but in the current Mishkan T’filah (c. 2007), it’s Rachel v. Leah. Why? Fern Stampleman, Elissa Macklin and Laurie Treuhaft lead discussion, we all participate and, if you join in person, we share a potluck brunch.
No prior knowledge necessary! Reading materials will be emailed to registrants as needed.
Stitch-A-Thon Sundays at 1:00pm: Jan. 12, Feb. 2, March 2 (in person) Gather for a while with other stitchers. Show off your latest projects; get help from our experts; make a hat or scarf for our Cold Weather Project for donating to New York’s needy.
Sisterhood Board Meetings (Sisterhood members only) Wednesdays at 6:30pm: Jan. 29, March 12, April 23, June 4 (Zoom) All Sisterhood members are invited to join our bi-monthly board meetings when we review programs and social action initiatives, discuss how we can support each other and the EET community, and hear guest speakers on meaningful topics. RSVP requested to sisterhood@eastendtemple.org.
Scheduled Programs
Hamantaschen For Purim Mid-February We continue to sell boxes of yummy hamantaschen in time for Purim. These sales help us supply hamantaschen for the Religious School, Oneg Shabbats and Shalach Manot (“And they should make them days of feasting and joy, and sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor” (Esther 9:22).) More information to come.
Meet the Recipients of the 2024 Sisterhood Birthday Fund Annual Grant Sunday, March 9 at 11:00am (in person and via Zoom) Join us for a presentation and discussion with representatives from City Living NY and Girl Scouts of Greater New York’s Troop 6000. Each organization serves vulnerable girls and young women in NYC.
Liz Northcutt, LMSW, Founder and Executive Director of City Living NY, and Brenaisha Henry, Program Delivery Manager of Troop 6000, will talk to us about their valuable work and the importance of our Birthday Fund donations. Refreshments will be served for those who will be joining us in person.
— Click here to register, indicating whether you are attending in person or via Zoom.
Macaroons For Pesach Mid-March Watch for reminders of sales of delicious chocolate covered macaroons in time for Passover.
Helene Spring Library Event Sunday, March 16 at 2:00pm Our featured speaker for our 21st Helene Spring Library Event will be Elizabeth Graver. Elizabeth is a 2024 National Jewish Book Award winner for her outstanding novel Kantika, which she will discuss at our event. The novel is a beautifully written multi-generational saga that follows a Sephardic family in the early 20th century as they move from Istanbul, where they have been a wealthy privileged part of the Sephardic elite but now find themselves victims of unexpected, unimaginable loss, to Barcelona, to Havana, and finally to Queens, New York. It is a tale that explores loss, displacement, endurance, and family as home, a story of reinvention, healing, and love. The main character, self-reliant Rebecca Cohen, ties the story together with her tenacity, through grief and hope, as she faces multiple challenges yet manages to hold the family together and maintain its faith and traditions. We have a copy of Kantika in our library, and we will sell copies of the book that Elizabeth will sign at our reception.
Sisterhood Shabbat (in person and Livestream) Friday, March 21 at 6:15pm — more information coming soon
Docent-Led Tour of the Museum of Jewish Heritage Sunday, March 23 at 11:15am Co-sponsored by the Sisterhood of East End Temple and the EET Men’s Club Join family and friends for a guided tour of the Museum of Jewish Heritage, New York’s contribution to the global responsibility to never forget. The Museum is committed to the crucial mission of educating diverse visitors about Jewish life before, during, and after the Holocaust. Our tour will include the exhibits “What Hate Can Do” and “Courage to Act.” Limited spots available and, to comply with security measures, advance sign-up is required by February 18, 2025. $25 per adult / $15 for children (age 12 and up). — Click here to register
Lilith Seder Thursday, April 17 at 6:00pm Sisterhood members, plus one guest, are welcome (ages 13 and up) Join us for our annual potluck seder! Everyone participates in reading from a Haggadah written especially for the Sisterhood of East End Temple, focused on the women’s role in the Passover story, including prayers using feminized Hebrew. We sing songs written by Debbie Friedman, dance with tambourines, honor women of valor, use a Miriam’s Cup for water and place a symbolic orange on the seder plate.
Pre-registration required (coming soon)
Celebration of New Hebrew Names Friday, April 25 at 6:15pm Join us for a special Simchat Shabbat service where we will honor those who worked with Fran Kolin over the year to obtain a new Hebrew name. Join in special prayers and songs, led by our clergy, as these honorees are called up to the bimah for special blessings and a certificate.
Nechama (Comfort) Post-Abortion Care Packing Saturday, April 26 at 2:00pm Spend Shabbat doing a mitzvah! Fill bags with comfort supplies which will be delivered to women who have had an abortion. More details to come.
Spring Picnic With Men’s Club Sunday, May 4 from 11:00am-2:00pm Details to come.
Engaging in tikkun olam – our fundraising and advocacy programs Sisterhood supports a number of worthy causes for those in need as well as temple staff, clergy and building projects. If you are interested in donating to any of our funds and/or honoring a loved one, please refer to the Contribute page.
Birthday Fund In its 13th year, this outreach fund is supported by donations honoring Sisterhood member birthdays, the birthdays of their loved ones, and other life events. Monies are directed to local organizations selected annually that support the lives of women and girls. Jodi Malcom is joined this year by Andrea Viders, who will reach out to our members and research meaningful recipients. Recently, donations were given to the Girl Scouts Of Great New York Troop 6000, a unique program serving families living in NY’s shelter system, providing weekly meetings where girls make friends, earn badges and learn skills at no cost, and to City Living NY, which supports and empowers 21-year-olds who have “aged out” of the NY foster care system with mental health counseling, safe furnished apartments, and college and job assistance.
Food For Families Funds Led by a team of Sisterhood women for over 30 years, we gather to make meals to feed hungry New Yorkers, which are picked up and distributed by City Harvest. Donations to these funds are used to buy the meal-making ingredients and materials.
Helene Spring Library Fund A jewel of the temple, our library houses an extensive collection from which temple members may browse and borrow. Named for one of EET’s founding members, who is both a past temple president and Sisterhood president, we raise funds to keep our library beautiful and well-stocked.
Sisterhood Leadership Development Fund We are dedicated to creating leaders who can develop programs to enhance our EET community and to raise funds to support meaningful projects. Women of Reform Judaism, along with other leadership organizations, provides us with access to many development tools, from conferences to training presentations. Monies in this fund will be used to take advantage of those tools in order to support the enhancement of leadership skills of current Sisterhood members and to develop future Sisterhood leaders.
East End Temple’s Young Professionals meet monthly for Shabbat services and a dinner conversation, connect for Jewish holidays, and gather socially at each other’s homes. This growing constituency is comprised of people who want to be Jewishly involved, Jews by choice, people in relationship with Jews, and those who are Jewishly interested and seeking meaning amid busy lives.
Get connected
Email Rabbi Josh Stanton, jstanton@eastendtemple.org. And to receive the EET Weekly Eblast so you are up-to-date with what’s going on across the Temple, send your email to EET office at info@eastendtemple.org.
Our
mission is to cultivate relevant Jewish life through connected
community. We seek to expand avenues into Torah (Jewish learning and
practice), God (all forms of spiritual connection) and the Jewish people
(locally and globally) to help one another live lives of meaning.
We do this through:
Our Diversity: Betzelem Elohim, In the Image of God
We
welcome all in the Jewish community: young and old; single, partnered
and married; LGBT and straight; interfaith families; Jewish-born or
converted; those with and without mental and physical disabilities;
financially struggling or well-off. If you choose us, we choose you.
Our Accessibility: My House Shall be a House of Prayer for All People
We encourage full participation, enfranchisement and leadership through education and relationship-building.
Our Intimacy: Face to Face
We strive to know and care for one another through the cultivation of relationships between and among members.
Our Giving and Receiving: As Your Heart is so Inclined
We
aspire to a high quality of synagogue life, and give of time and
resources to create that quality. Our members who derive the most from
their East End Temple experience are often those who give the most.
Tikkun Olam (Hebrew for “world repair”) has come to connote social action and the pursuit of social justice.
Highlights
Interfaith support and collaboration with Middle Collegiate Church, one of the oldest continuous Protestant churches in North America, following a devastating fire
Sisterhood‘s Food For Families fed thousands of hungry New Yorkers
Engaged in Keshet training to improve equality of the LGBTQIA+ community
Provided direct assistance to 208 asylum-seeking families in Chinatown
EET Eastside Schleppers, a volunteer apartment set-up team, works with Ruth’s Refuge to move donated household items, including furniture, for the newest New Yorkers. For more information, email info@eastendtemple.org.
Team TLC-NYC is a grassroots organization providing basic needs and support to asylum seekers and migrants. Volunteer info here, or donate here.
Repair the World is an organization the helps Jewish communities to pursue making this world a better place, with volunteer opportunities for kids and adults. Find a local project here.
Support Israel
The East End Temple Board of Trustees has vetted and recommends the following organizations in supporting Israel.
Growing up, Cantor Brodsky was touched by liturgical music and recognized it as an accessible and powerful means of connecting with her heritage and community. She believes strongly in the transcendent nature of music, and its unparalleled ability to both convey and evoke emotion and spirituality.
Influenced by the musical styles of both Reform and Conservative cantors, as well as her background in both Musical Theatre and Classical music, Cantor Brodsky recognizes that the musical preferences of our community are as diverse as the people of whom it is composed. Cantor Brodsky makes a concerted effort to keep the music of Shabbat and Holiday services eclectic, participatory, and engaging. With a combination of folk, contemporary, classical compositions and chazzanut, she hopes that everyone will hear music that speaks to their souls and accentuates the meaning of our liturgy.
Enjoy our newsletter, Templet. Stay up to date on the latest events, activities and stories at East End Temple. You can download earlier editions of Templet by clicking the links below. (Newer editions of Templet are fully digital and are emailed to our members.)
We are grateful for your support. Tzedakah, or charity, fulfills some of Judaism’s strongest traditions. It also powers the activities and well-being of East End Temple. You may make a contribution in honor of a person or an event, in memory of someone, or just because you care about the EET community.
HOW TO GIVE
Click on the following links for convenient ways to support East End Temple:
Members, please click here. If you would like to contribute by check, please mail to: East End Temple, 245 E. 17th St., New York, NY, 10003, or to East End Temple, P.O. Box 418, Montvale, NJ 07645. Please note the fund on the memo line.
Guests, please click here to complete the necessary information to process a contribution. A description of our giving opportunities is listed below.
WHERE TO GIVE
TEMPLE FUNDS
KOL NIDREI 5785 APPEAL: helps ensure future growth of East End Temple
CANTOR’S DISCRETIONARY FUND: used for charitable giving, enrichment of the congregation and community. $36.00 minimum
EL EMET FUND: helps beautify and maintain our temple, underwrite holiday festivities, projects. In honor of a simchah, a mishebeirach, yahrzeits. $10.00 minimum
EET’s TOMORROW: helps ensure future growth in all temple life. No minimum
HAMERMESH MUSIC FUND: provides special music programs and resource materials. $18.00 minimum
LEONARD AND HELENE SPRING MEMORIAL FUND: Dedicated to providing safety and comfort-based enhancements for the sanctuary and throughout the temple building. Materials that aid the physically and mentally challenged are the focus of this fund. $18.00 minimum
RABBI’S DISCRETIONARY FUND: used for charitable giving, enrichment of the congregation and community. $36.00 minimum
SARA A. SPENCER CHILDREN’S EDUCATIONAL FUND: provides educational materials for the Religious School. $18.00 minimum
SECURITY FUND: provides necessary funding for security measures at East End Temple. $18.00 minimum
SIMCHAT SHABBAT FUND: provides musical Shabbatot and diverse community programs. $54.00 minimum
SOCIAL JUSTICE FUND: used to provide service to those in need in our neighborhood, city, nation, and world. No minimum
Legacy Circle
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 sustaining our Temple. If you have already included EET in your estate plans, as we each have, please email Judith or simply send this form back to the temple office.
And if you are thinking about including EET in your estate plans, we would love to talk further with you. Please feel free to contact either of us or Rabbi Josh Stanton (jstanton@eastendtemple.org) for a confidential discussion. We are truly grateful for your consideration.
L’Dor V’Dor, From Generation to Generation
L’shalom, Rebecca Shore and Brian Lifsec, Co-Presidents Judith Sussman, Chair, The East End Temple Legacy Circle
For the following gift/naming opportunities, please contact the EET office via phone or email:
Floral (Flowers for the service)
$100
Kehilla Plaque on Sanctuary Lobby Wall
$5,000 min.
Memorial Board Plaque
$720
Oneg/Collation
$400 / $250
Simcha Tree Leaf
$234
HIGH HOLY DAYS (HHD) purchases/giving: HHD Pledge, HHD Ticket (Member), HHD Ticket (Non-Members), Yizkor.
SISTERHOOD PROGRAMS
Donations to one of the Sisterhood-sponsored programs can now be made online, using one of the above links, under HOW TO GIVE. However, if you prefer to send a paper check, please make your check payable to EET Sisterhood, indicate the name of the fund(s) and send it to the temple office. Your canceled check is your receipt.
FOOD FOR FAMILIES: Led by a team of Sisterhood women for almost 30 years, we gather to make meals to feed hungry New Yorkers, which are picked up and distributed by City Harvest. Donations to these funds are used to buy the meal-making ingredients and materials. $18 minimum
FOOD FOR FAMILIES DAY SPONSOR: Contribution designates you as sponsor for the day. $360 minimum
HELENE SPRING LIBRARY FUND: helps purchase new and archival books, library equipment and additional materials for our library. $18 minimum
SISTERHOOD BIRTHDAY FUND: contributes to a social action fund benefiting women and girls to be selected annually. $18 minimum
All contributions to East End Temple or Sisterhood will be acknowledged to the person(s) for whom you make a donation, as well as noted in our monthly newsletter, Templet.
Shira with Shira is a group of congregants who sing with our fabulous Cantor, Shira Ginsburg. We have several sessions about three times a year (not unlike the approach to adult ed), and we occasionally sing at services, the annual Holocaust Observance in the City, and the like.
The next sessions of Shira with Shira will take place in November, on three successive Tuesdays, the 5th, 12th and 19th. We rehearse in the sanctuary from 6:30 to 7:45 pm, and we will be preparing for a joint interfaith Thanksgiving service on November 26 with singers from the Village Temple. We hope you can join us.
Singing with Shira with Shira is an opportunity to spend time with Cantor Shira and up to as many as ten or more congregants who love to sing and learn about singing with the Cantor.
