Greetings!
I know the Boston Marathon isn't until this coming Monday, but last weekend felt like a marathon for the Beth Tikvah community as we crammed the weekend with activity. We started the weekend with a warm and spiritual Shabbat morning service. Then that evening our Israeli emissary, Aviv, shared with us traditions from home at the Mimouna, a traditional Moroccan celebration of the end of Pesach. Thank you to the Sharon family for opening your home to the community and a special thank you to Aviv and Miri for all the wonderful and beautiful food you made for the celebration. I don't think the pictures I took did it justice.
The next day Beth Tikvah and Congregation Bnai Shalom joined forces for Mitzvah Day. Hundreds of volunteers gave their time to help the greater community. I think Cindy Avergon said it best in her weekly Highlights and Happenings (the religious school newsletter):
"Yesterday our Synagogue Family joined together with Congregation B'nai Shalom, and in one single day, empowered by equal parts of joy and determination, we started to improve the world. From one end of the Synagogue to the other, rooms were filled with men, women, and children of all ages who came together with one goal in mind - to give to others. Thank you to all of you who participated in our Mitzvah Day activities. We are a community of warm hearts and loving hands. One day a year we congregate together and we make magic happen. Thank you for being a part of it!"
Mitzvah Day volunteers collected thousands of pounds of food for the Marlborough Food Pantry, cooked meals for Rachel's Table, shopped for Families in Transition and so much more. This was posted on the Community Harvest's Facebook page:
Yesterday we received our largest Dimes for Dinners donation this year! Congregation B'nai Shalom worked with Beth Tikvah Synagogue and collected $418.83. That is 60 tubes, and enough to provide 60 people all the servings of fruits and veggies they need for a whole week. What an extraordinary effort, andwe are so thankful!!
This year we did something different for Mitzvah Day; our kitah zayen (7th grade students) created a Mitzvah Day project. They chose PAWS for People and the Worcester Animal Rescue League to be the beneficiaries of their project. With help from some of their fellow Beth Tikvah students, they raised over $120 at a bake sale that morning and collected pet food and supplies for the animal shelter. In addition, the students arranged for Molly Secrest to attend with her therapy dog, Harbour Grace, quite the highlight of the day! I am so proud of all the work our students did putting this project together. Their enthusiasm was very contagious. Thank you to Lisa Volpigno for guiding the students and helping them through the process of picking, planning, and executing such a successful project.
It's been a while since we've had a Ladies Night at the Movies and Dinner. So, instead of waiting for the next regularly scheduled evening, we are going this Monday evening to see "Lady in Gold" starring Helen Mirren at the Westborough Regal Cinema. The movie is at 7:25PM. Some of us will meet at Pizzaria Uno's for dinner at 6:00 PM. If you would like to join us for dinner and/or the movie, please send me an email. Also, don't forget that this Sunday is the Central Massachusetts Jewish Film Festival encore presentations of "Above and Beyond: The Birth of the Israeli Air Force" and "Deli Man: The Movie". Both films will be screened at St. John's High School on Sunday April 19th. I hope to see you there. Please let me know if you are interested in carpooling.
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Kvell and Tell |
Beth Tikvah extends our heartfelt Mazel Tov to Bob and Joyce Siegel on the occasion of the birth of their grandson, Asher Richard Siegel. A mazel tov goes out as well to Asher's parents, Betsy and Ben Siegel. May Asher be a source of blessing to his entire family!
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Our son Abe Katz will be going for a joint MBA and master's in public policy at Duke/UNC in the fall. This past weekend, he and his girlfriend Morandi lined up an apartment, she had a job interview, they were hosted at a seder, and went to Shabbat morning services (not as great as BTS, Abe comments). They will be leaving South Dakota in June - Abe will have been there four years. We nearly had him in Cambridge, but he chose the NC programs over Harvard's Kennedy School. At least he and Morandi will be in this time zone! - Molly Secrest
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Bridging the Gap: A Mother-Daughter Program for Post-Bat Mitzvah Girls and their Mothers.
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Mayyim Hayyim Living Waters Community Mikveh in Newton is offering a two-part experience for post-bat mitzvah girls in 7th - 12th grade and their mothers. Here are the details, and a flyer:
Who will like it? Girls and moms who want to enjoy two relaxed, engaging Sunday late afternoons exploring their families' unique traditions and history, learning new rituals to use at special times, and creating beautiful, artistic pieces as permanent keepsakes of the program.
When is it? Sundays, May 3 & 17, 4:30 - 7:00pm (light dinner included)
Why? We created Bridging the Gap to fulfill the desire of families who participated in our pre-bat mitzvah mother-daughter program (Beneath the Surface) for more, similar programming. It's open to all families including alumnae of Beneath the Surface.
What have people said about it? "It was lovely, welcoming, intimate; a chance to connect with my daughter and a great learning experience." "I had a great time and I really bonded with my mother; we will have good memories of it and do some of the things we learned there when we are at home."
Is it expensive? The suggested fee is $90 per family; scholarship monies are available to help any family participate comfortably. The program is supported by The Miriam Fund.
Deadline to sign up? April 26.
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Religious School Fiield Trip to Mayyim Hayyim |
On Sunday, May 10th, there will be a field trip to Mayyim Hayyim (the mikvah in Newton). Mayyim Hayyim is a state of the art contemporary mikvah. It serves not only as a mikvah, but as an institute for Jewish education, rituals, spiritual life, the arts, and traditions. We will be leaving Beth Tikvah at 9:00, and return prior to 12:00. The students, chaperones and families who attend will be participating in an educational program about mikvaot, and the part they play in Jewish life historically and today.
We are opening this field trip to the Beth Tikvah community. If you would like to join the students and their families for this educational visit to Mayyim Hayyim, please email me.
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Lobby Greeter Sign-ups
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We only have a few more Sundays of religious school left this year. We still need volunteers to be a greeter in our lobby on those Sunday mornings. Beth Tikvah takes pride in being warm and welcoming. Having greeters in the lobby on Sunday mornings helps foster that ideal. If you haven't volunteered yet this year, please use the sign-up genius link to pick your preferred Sunday morning. Of course those who have volunteered are always welcome to volunteer for more Sundays.
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Youth Group
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More Youth Group events to come. Check the calendar for updates. Contact Abbe with any questions.
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Membership
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Membership in a synagogue is an important decision. Beth Tikvah Synagogue is a growing congregation that enjoys the sharing of Jewish rituals and customs, a superior Religious School, and of course, fun and socializing. If you are not currently a member, and would like to be, please fill out and send in this membership form to:
Beth Tikvah Synagogue
PO Box 1042
Westborough, MA 01581
ATTN: Benita Amsden, Membership
For information on our dues, please click here.
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Shabbat Shalom, EJ Dotts President Beth Tikvah Synagogue [email protected] |
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Upcoming Events
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