Sisterhood

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Community

Belong. Connect. Grow.

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.

Click here to join Sisterhood today!

Click here for a gallery and a review of our 2024-2025 programs

~ To read the latest columns and messages from Sisterhood, please see the Sisterhood Columns page ~

2025-2026 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

Sisterhood Board Meetings
Wednesdays at 5:30pm (via Zoom except where noted): Dec. 3, Jan. 14, Mar. 4, Apr. 22, June 10 (end of year meeting, in person)
All Sisterhood members are invited to learn about, and participate in, our plans for the year.  

Food For Families
Sundays at 11:30am: Nov. 9, Dec. 7, Jan. 11, Feb. 1, March 8
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 six loaves of whole wheat bread and 20 pieces of fruit (preferably apples and oranges) and wear a hat to comply with Department of Health regulations.

Mah Jongg Weekday Mornings — Play/Learn in Person
Select Thursdays from 11:00am to 1:00pm: Nov. 13, 20; Dec. 11, 18; Jan. 15, 29; Feb. 12, 26; March 12, 26; April 16, 30; May 7, 14
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 by completing this form.

Mah Jongg Weekday Evenings — Play/Learn in Person (NEW!)
Select Thursdays from 7:00-9:00pm: Nov. 6, Dec. 4 (more dates to come in 2026)
Interested in learning to play mah jongg or finding players? Cash donation of $10 to play, $15 for a lesson. Coffee, tea and snacks available. Please register by completing this form.

Shake Your Soul — The Yoga of Dance (in person)
Tuesdays from 10:30-11:30am — Nov. 11, 18; Dec. 2, 9, 16; Jan. 13 (future dates TBD)
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. Led by Ronni Aronow, Registered Somatic Movement Therapist and Educator (RSMT/E), and a certified Shake Your Soul: The Yoga of Dance Facilitator. 

  • 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)
Wednesdays from 12:00-1:00pm: Dec. 3, Jan. 21, Feb. 4, March 4, April 15
Check weekly eblast for Zoom link
Bring your lunch and join us as we introduce a fascinating member of our community.  Speakers to be announced.

December 3 — Nicola Kraus, Best-Selling Author
A native New Yorker and graduate of the Chapin School and NYU, Nicola Kraus co-authored The Nanny Diaries, which became an international #1 best-seller and movie starring Scarlett Johansson. In 2015 she co-founded the creative consulting firm The Finished Thought, which helps the next generation of aspiring authors find their voice and audience. The Best We Could Hope For is her first solo novel.

January 21 — Nancy Eder, Art Historian Raising Two Autistic Sons
Nancy Eder is a graduate of New York University, a lecturer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and an art history professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology. She is the mother of two young adult autistic sons. In her spare time, she likes to read literature, and nap!

Claim Your Hebrew Name
January through April
Do you have a Hebrew name? Have your children been named yet? Have a Hebrew Name you want to change? Now in its third year, the Sisterhood of East End Temple, under the leadership of Fran Kolin, can help guide you through the process, whether looking at Hebrew names that may start with the same letter as your family member’s name, 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 24 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.

Rosh Chodesh Potluck Brunch, Study and Discussion — The Book of Esther (in person and via Zoom)
Sundays at 10:00am in person or 10:30am on Zoom: Jan. 11, Feb. 1, March 8, April 12
Rosh Chodesh, “the head of the month,” has been marked as a time for women to gather, study and pray (click here for more information). Renew your interest in biblical women!  Join us as we take a deep dive into a story of intrigue, reversals and heroism in The Book of Esther. ” ‘And who knows, perhaps you have attained to royal position for just such a crisis?’ said Mordechai to the Queen” (Esther 4:14).

Stitch-A-Thon
Sundays at 1:00pm: Jan. 11, Feb. 1, March 8
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.

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).) 

Meet the Recipients of our 2025 Birthday Fund Grant
Improving The Lives of NYC Women and Girls 
Saturday, February 28, 2:30pm in person (3:00pm via Zoom)
Warm up with hot chocolate and bagels and share a winter afternoon with leaders from The Alex House Project, The Arthur Project, and Footsteps. Sisterhood distributed Birthday Fund donations to these NYC organizations for programs that focus on adolescent mental health, healthy relationships, and empowerment.

Macaroons For Pesach
Mid-March
Watch for reminders of sales of delicious chocolate covered macaroons in time for Passover.

A Day of Mah Jongg
Sunday, March 15
Details to come.

Sisterhood Shabbat: Building Community and Friendship 
Friday, March 27 at 6:15pm (in person and online)
Throughout its 75+ years, the Sisterhood of East End Temple has partnered with, and supported, multiple EET communities, clergy and staff, to ensure the continuity of our “temple family.” Through listening, participating, and collaborating, we develop meaningful programs which give to the needy, inspire spirituality and create friendships.  Come hear some of the stories of the women of EET who dedicate themselves to these ideals and participate in a community-wide candle lighting.  Through prayer, song and good food, we will celebrate and honor the ways in which we work together to create connections with each other and the entire community. 

Lilith Seder
Thursday, April 8, 2026 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

Helene Spring Library Event 
Sunday, April 19 at 2:00pm
We invite a featured speaker to talk about their book, followed by a Q&A, book signing/sale and homemade dessert buffet.  More details about the speaker to come.

Celebration of New Hebrew Names
Friday, April 24 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.

Purple Bag Packing for Post-Abortion Comfort (Nechama)
Saturday, May 2 (Time TBA)
Join us for a replay of our program to pack backpacks with post-abortion comfort supplies.  More details to come.

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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
The Birthday Fund was started in 2012 by Sisterhood Board Member Jodi Malcom and supported by Sisterhood leadership and members. Its mission is to support non-profit organizations that improve the lives of women and girls in New York City. Less than 2 percent of charitable giving nationwide goes to women and girls despite continuing gender inequities. Generously supported by East End Temple members to honor their birthdays and the birthdays of loved ones, Sisterhood transforms individual and family donations into annual grants of $500-$2,500. Birthday gifts become acts of giving, not receiving, and more meaningful as they are transformed into active outreach by our community. 

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.