January-February 2026
“Report on the Consultation on Conscience”
by Rebecca Shore
In December, East End Temple congregant Joan Beranbaum and I attended the Consultation on Conscience hosted in Washington, D.C. by the Religious Action Center of the Reform Movement (the “RAC”). With 400 other members of Reform congregations, we listened, learned, shared, collaborated, and planned how to build social justice in our communities and work on the issues that are impacting our country and communities. We heard from the leaders of the Reform Movement including Rabbi Rick Jacobs, Rabbi David Saperstein, and Rabbi Jonah Pesner, and we heard from leaders outside the Reform Movement leadership.
Speakers like reverend and professor Cornell Brooks (former president of the NAACP), Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde (who spoke with courage at the prayer service in the National Cathedral before the inauguration), and Representatives Jamie Raskin and Don Bacon, among many other leaders, talked to us about the need to protect the rights and values that we hold so deeply, both for ourselves, for the Jewish community, and for all of those in our community. They spoke powerfully about the need for multi-faith collaboration – even when we do not agree on everything but do agree on any of the issues we hold dear to protect human dignity and democratic values.
We attended presentations and discussions on immigration and the need to protect immigrants and migrants; creating and ensuring belonging for the LGBTQ+ community; the fight to maintain the separation of church and state; and antisemitism. Leaders of ARZA and the Israel Religious Action Center spoke to us about the most recent World Zionist Congress and how the Reform Movement is working for Reform Jewish values in Israel. We prayed, we sang, and we danced together in the joy of being in community to work toward the deeply Jewish values of Tikkun Olam (healing the world) and Tzedek, Tzedek Tirdof (justice, justice, shall you pursue). We were conscious of the hard work ahead, with the willingness and energy to take up that work.
Tragically, the Consultation on Conscience was not held in a vacuum, as the horrible massacres at Brown University and Bondi Beach occurred the same weekend. As we gathered to light the many Chanukah menorahs, each of us was aware that we were doing so not just for ourselves, but for those who were killed and injured. There was an understanding that we need to raise our lights higher, to fight harder to repair the world, and to fulfill the work that we had discussed all weekend.
In the upcoming weeks, you will be hearing about work that RAC-NY will be doing to protect immigrants and migrants, and what you can do in your own communities. You will also be hearing about other ways to engage in critical social justice work. I invite you to join in these efforts to make this country and world, and our New York community, a better place.
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November-December 2025
“Our Messy Magical Miracle”
by Brian Lifsec
There’s a moment during Erev Yom Kippur (Kol Nidrei), usually approaching hour two, when I wonder how we all keep doing this. Not the fasting or the praying, but the showing up. Again and again, year after year, for one another.
East End Temple is far from perfect. The sound system fails, the door sticks, and every new idea arrives without quite enough people to support it. But after years of sitting through services, meetings, and one too many finance committee debates, I’ve realized that our messy is the magic. The sacred lives in the small stuff, the repairs we can afford, the hugs in the lobby, the shared eye-rolls, the way someone always brings wine or cookies when we need it most.
On the Sabbath, Cantor Olivia’s voice rises, Rabbi Josh smiles that “I promise this won’t go long” smile, and suddenly the chaos quiets. For a moment, everything feels held, fragile, human, holy.
We joke about running on caffeine and guilt, but really, we run on care… the stubborn, unglamorous kind that shows up early, stays late, and still believes in something. If not God, then each other.
Maybe that’s what keeps me coming back. Not faith in the divine, but faith in the people around me, their persistence, their humor, their kindness. East End Temple isn’t about certainty; it’s about community. And that, I’ve learned, is miracle enough.
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September-October 2025
“Welcome Back to Community”
by Rebecca Shore
Typically, this first Templet column of the fall is one of welcome back after the summer, a hope that each of us enjoyed a relaxing and restorative few months, and anticipation for the High Holy Days, fall colors, the start of school, and the return to routine.
This year feels different. Many of us are coming back not just from time away, but from a summer of deep conversations and shared concern. The questions we’ve been asking each other: “How are you? How was your summer?” have often been followed by a pause, and then: “Comparatively speaking, I’m doing well… but I’m worried.”
It’s a reminder that this season is not just about resuming our schedules, it’s about finding strength, meaning, and connection in uncertain times. We have heard concerns about what is happening in our country, New York City, and Israel. We have heard a need to take action as a community, a desire to become more engaged, and requests for learning and understanding.
We hope that the fall at East End Temple will bring you opportunities to engage in discussions, learning, and action. Our Social Justice group is identifying projects and campaigns in which to engage directly. If you want to connect directly with our Social Justice efforts, please reach out. If you want to engage with social justice leaders throughout the country, I invite you to join me in Washington, DC in December for the URJ’s Religious Action Center’s Consultation on Conscience [register here] to discuss how to take action on all of the issues facing country, democracy, Israel, and our Jewish community.
If you are worried about antisemitism, we have two upcoming programs: on September 18, we are co-sponsoring a program at Temple Shaaray Tefila on “Defending Democracy, Protecting Community and Building Solidarity Against Antisemitism” and on October 21, the ADL will be speaking at EET on “Open Hearts and Open Minds.” Our revamped adult education programs are robust, vibrant, and accessible to congregants of all ages. We urge you to sign up, learn, and connect with members of our community.
None of the issues facing our world today are one-sided, and our tradition is built on discourse, dialogue, and respectful debate. Throughout the fall, our clergy and staff will be facilitating those discussions, so that we can understand differing perspectives and the range of viewpoints, not with the goal of reaching agreement, but with the goal of acceptance and respect for diverse views.
Finally, we need each of you — we hope that this will be the year that you will take an extra step into congregational leadership. Volunteer to usher, to plan a program, or to participate in programming you have not done previously. If you have a particular skill or expertise that you would like to share with the congregation, please let us know. And, as our capital campaign gets underway, please contribute [click here] to make our facilities strong and more accessible for the future.
So, we welcome you back from the summer! We hope that you were able to have a restorative summer, and that you took time to care for yourself and your loved ones. As we look to the fall, we wish you each a healthy new year, filled with community, engagement, enrichment, and connection. L’shanah tovah!
“Our Home, Our Legacy… L’dor Vador“
by Brian Lifsec and Rebecca Shore
East End Temple has always been more than a building… It is where we celebrate milestones, support one another in times of need, and gather to bring meaning and joy into our lives. Our sanctuary holds our prayers, our social hall echoes with laughter, and our classrooms nurture the curiosity of our children. This is where we have built not only a congregation, but a family.
As your co-presidents, we have, like so many before us, felt this truth in a deeply personal way. Between our two families, we’ve celebrated five bet mitzvahs here. Each one of us have had similar memories that were formative, not just as a ceremony, but as a moment that shaped our children, grounding them in Jewish values, community, and a sense of belonging that will stay with them for life. These memories are etched into the very walls of East End Temple, reminding us that this space has been a partner in raising our families.
As we look to the future, we are launching a capital campaign to ensure that this sacred home remains strong for the next generation. The walls that have witnessed so many life events now need our care. Together, we will preserve and renew our space so that it continues to reflect the warmth, values, and love of the community within it. This campaign is our chance to give back to the place that has given us so much, and to create a legacy that our children and grandchildren will inherit with pride. More information coming soon.
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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 the night I summited Mount Kilimanjaro in 2003. The climb from 17,000 feet to 19,000 started at 2:00am, and within an hour, all of our flashlights were dead. In pitch darkness, thin air, and freezing temperatures, we were climbing up 2,000 feet in elevation. I was nervous, most of all about not being able to see what was in front of me, or on either side.
Tehilah concluded by noting that each of us was here, in the sanctuary, meaning that we in some way survived each of our moments of fear. I survived my climb in the darkness by putting one foot in front of the other, trusting that going forward would eventually get me to my goal, even if I could not see it. As I walked, to keep calm, I sang to myself the prayers of an entire Shabbat service, and then the melodies from the High Holy Days. When the t’filah in my head concluded, I sang the soundtrack to “Phantom of the Opera.” As the sun rose, the soundtrack ended, and I could see the summit and the final steps I needed to take.
During this time in history, while many of you are worried, I hope that you are able to put one foot in front of the other, and find moments of comfort, whether it is attending services, being in community, singing tunes that have meaning, or attending programs. Our special EET community, clergy, and staff are here for you. And if you are looking to take action, we have many ways to do so, from our Social Justice group, to learning about social justice campaigns and actions by the Reform Movement at rac.org, to supporting the Reform Jewish Voice in Israel by voting in the elections of the World Zionist Congress this spring at vote4reform.org.
May each of us survive our moments of fear, and ultimately see the sun rise on our goals.
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January-February 2025
“Building A Community of Purpose”
by Brian Lifsec
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 our place 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.