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Online Payments
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 GRS is pleased to offer our membership the option of making secure payments (via Authorize.net) of their membership dues and fees and school tuition. To begin click here.
Check back as we enhance this service in the coming weeks to include donations to more GRS funds.
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GRS Office Location
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GRS' OFFICES ARE NOW LOCATED AT
1037 E. PUTNAM AVE., RIVERSIDE, CT
PLEASE CHECK OUR CALENDAR FOR DETAILS
ALL RELIGIOUS AND HEBREW SCHOOL CLASSES
AND
SUNDAY ADULT ED CLASSES
WILL REMAIN AT
THE STANWICH ROAD LOCATION
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Calendar
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Wednesday, February 13
NO HEBREW SCHOOL
Friday, February 15
6:30 pm - Choir Shabbat Service
February anniversaries
Sunday, February 17
NO ADULT ED CLASSES
NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL
Monday, February 18
GRS OFFICES CLOSED
Tuesday, February 19
7:00 pm - Choir Rehearsal
Wednesday, February 20
4:15 pm - Hebrew School
7:30 pm - Board Meeting
Thursday, February 21
7:00 pm - Rabbi Sklarz Adult Ed Classes
Friday, February 22
6:30 pm - Purim Shabbat Service
Saturday, February 23
Adult Purim Celebration
Sunday, February 24
9:30 am - Hebrew 102
9:30 am - Religious School
9:30 am - Holiday Happenings
10:30 am - Adult Ed with Rabbi Rothman
1:00 pm - Visit to The Mews with Rabbi Sklarz & JFS
Monday, February 25
7:00 pm - Knit & Knosh
Tuesday, February 26
7:00 pm - Choir Rehearsal
Wednesday, February 27
4:15 pm - Hebrew School
Thursday, February 28
7:00 pm - Rabbi Sklarz Adult Ed Classes
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Torah Portion
February 16, 2013
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Terumah
(Exodus 25:1-27:19)
God providces the people with details on building the Holy Ark, the Tabernacle, the Menorah, the Tent, and the Altar, so that God can dwell among "the people." The gold and other materials come from the "gifts" the Egyptians gave the Israelites, as the people departed.
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Happy Birthday to...
| Michael Koelle
Annley Nirschel
Karen Beiley
Martin Nirschel
Jon Savitz
Margaret Wein
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Tree of Life
(Etz Chaim)
| Celebrate the birth of a child, the bar or bat mitzvah of a loved one, the wedding or anniversary of a cherished friend or family member, a graduation or a retirement through a permanent dedication on the GRS Tree of Life! Click here for more information and to place an order.
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Caring Community News
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Committee members provide assistance to temple members in times of need and to celebrate with them in times of joy. If you know of an ill or hospitalized member, please contact the office at (203) 629-0018.
You can help us to help each other. We encourage the participation of volunteers to keep in touch with our members through telephone calls, visits, by sending cards, etc...If you would like to be a part of this committee, please contact Denise Cooper at denise@grs.org.
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GRS Staff
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Rabbi Andrew R. Sklarz, MA, MSW, RJE
rabbisklarz@grs.org
Cantor Sabrina Lipton
sabrinalipton@grs.org
Stephanie Glaser
Executive Director
stephanieglaser@grs.org
Lisa Gittelman Udi
Director of Education
lisargudi@grs.org
Clarita Agulay
Bookkeeper
clarita@grs.org
Denise Cooper
Administrative Assistant
denise@grs.org
Laura Seltzer
Administrative Assistant
laura@grs.org
Allie Zur
Youth Advisor
orlie414@aol.com
Corinne Morrell
Relocation Assistant
relocation@grs.org
Peter Babivskiy
Caretaker
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Choir Shabbat Service
Friday, February 15, 6:30 pm
First Congregational Church, Old Greenwich
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Please join us for a Shabbat Service featuring
the GRS Choir, followed by an Oneg Shabbat.
February anniversaries will be given a special blessing!
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President's Message
A Membership Survey is Coming
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In November, I wrote about the "Plan to Make the Plan"-embarking on the process of making GRS a more effective and sustainable organization. This concept doesn't mean we don't do things well now-GRS does many things well. But there is clearly a higher level we can reach, and in truth must reach, in order to serve our community better and to achieve a level of membership growth and satisfaction that is both evidence of the quality of what we do and also assures financial stability.
There are several initiatives under way, which will be described in the weeks to come. One of the most important is a Membership Survey.
The purpose of the membership survey is to:
- Measure our performance and perceived quality
- Create benchmarks against which to measure future performance
- Provide input into our process of continuous improvement and planning
You will receive an email inviting you to take the survey in early April. The survey will be conducted on-line. I want to stress the importance of your participation. Our goal is a 100% response rate to ensure that we hear all congregant voices. The data collection, analysis, and reporting will be handled by an independent third party, Measuring Success ( http://measuring-success.com/community/ ) , a firm that has worked in the Jewish world for 10 years to develop tools to assist non-profits to measure performance.
Measuring Success will conduct the survey itself and handle all of your survey responses confidentially. GRS will receive an aggregate report of the results and will not have access to individual survey responses (unless you choose to self-identify).
If we have multiple e-mail addresses for your member unit, you are welcome to each fill out your own survey.
We encourage you to tell us what you think we're doing right, what we can improve on, and what is important to you. Your input is valuable information and we fully intend to act upon the results of this survey. If you don't tell us, we'll never know!
Thank you in advance for your participation in this important project. Please keep an eye on your email during the week of April 1st for the invitation to the membership survey.
As always, feel free to contact me with any questions or comments at rbirnbaum@grs.org.
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Purim Actors & Costumes Needed!!
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 No Purim is ever complete without a Purim shpiel (Friday, February 22)- a play of the Megillah (story of Purim). But a shpiel needs actors! We've gotten a few volunteers, but we would love more involvement! There will be no memorization of lines, as narrators will be on hand for those who are shy to speak. We also will not need much rehearsal time for us to present a short, entertaining re-enactment of the Purim story. Adults or kids who are interested, please contact Stephanie at stephanieglaser@grs.org.
Also for the Purim shpiel, children and adult costumes are needed, including dress-up clothing, funny hats, glasses and masks.
Costumes for boys/men are especially needed.
Thank you!
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Sisterhood Hamantaschen Baking
Tuesday, February 19, 11 am
At the home of Eve Goldberg
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 Once again, Leslie Dobryn has graciously agreed to coach us through the dough making, rolling, filling and baking. And once again, Eve Goldberg has graciously offered her kitchen!
Most of the baked goodies will go to the residents of The Mews Senior Living Residence on Sunday, February 24 (the Rabbi and JFS will be taking a group at 1pm), but there are always enough left for the bakers to take some home!
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CELEBRATE PURIM AT GRS!
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 MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR GREENWICH REFORM SYNAGOGUE'S FUN AND EXCITING PURIM WEEKEND!
On Friday, February 22, 2013, at 6:30 P.M., join Greenwich Reform Synagogue for a fun and musical Shabbat service and enjoy the GRS Purim Shpiel featuring GRS members and clergy. Enjoy a kid-friendly Megillah reading, hamentschen and other Purim treats. Bring a box of macaroni & cheese to use as groggers (which will all be donated to Neighbor to Neighbor Food Bank).
Free and open to the community. This event will be held in the auditorium at First Congregational Church at 108 Sound Beach Avenue in Old Greenwich, CT.
On Saturday, February 23, 2013...  On Sunday, February 24, 2013, join the Greenwich Reform Synagogue Religious School for Drum Tales - The Hearty Story of Purim, a Musical, Interactive and Inspiring Story for Children, followed by a Megillah reading and presentation, pizza lunch and Purim treats for all. This event is free and open to children of all ages accompanied by an adult. 10am-noon, at the Stanwich School, 257 Stanwich Road, Greenwich, CT. Please RSVP to Stephanie at stephanieglaser@grs.org. Please visit www.grs.org for more information about the congregation and a listing of future events. To read the Purim story click here. For some fun Purim recipes click here.
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Knit & K'nosh
Monday, February 25, 7-9 PM
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|  Would you like to knit, crochet or sew over good food and drinks, in good company?
Then, the GRS Sisterhood invites you to come and join us. We welcome knitters of any age, gender or ability! We would love to see more new faces!
Everyone is welcome, even those who just want to nosh!
At the home of JoAnn Messina
50 Church St. #4
Greenwich, CT
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| Tzedakah |
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Thank you for your generosity...
General Fund
- Nancy & Ken Duffy in memory of Walter Stark, father of Bob Stark
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Urgent Request - Gift of Life and Ezer Mizion
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Shalom from Israel.
Our son, Guy Bar-Yosef, was diagnosed with an acute form of leukemia this past April 2012. He must receive a bone marrow (=stem cell) transplant from a matching donor soon. We are turning to everyone and anyone who may be able to help.
Because of Guy's genetic lineage, we specifically seek donors with mixed genetic backgrounds. My husband's parents were, respectively, of Moroccan and Lithuanian origin, and mine hailed from Latvia (Baronovich, Russia, and nearby).
In Israel tissue typing and matching is done by "Ezer Mizion", and in the USA "Be The Match" or "Gift of Life". Healthy donors are accepted into international registries between the ages of 18-45. Blood type does not matter. There are not enough people of Sephardic origin in the international bone marrow donor registries. This is a chance to save a life!
The initial test is a simple, painless, saliva swab taken from the cheek If a match is found, he/she will be asked to come and donate blood on a given day, at a hospital in Tel Aviv. No surgical procedure is involved. Flights and all expenses will be paid.
Another way to assist is by making a monetary donation to "Ezer Mizion". Each test costs them 250 NIS ($65) to process, and they don't have the necessary budget. The website is: https://www.ezermizion.org/Donate. (Tax-deductible receipts are issued). The name of the person in whose honor the donation is being made is Guy Bar-Yosef. Tests take a few weeks to process. Therefore, time is of the essence. Please notify friends, colleagues, etc. via Facebook or other methods. We sincerely appreciate every effort made on Guy's behalf.
Guy is a much sought-after tour guide in Israel, working in Jewish education. He has led many Jewish high school and Birthright groups, as his way of interacting with youth is so very special. He is married, and the father of 5 young children who need him. He deserves any help, and we are seeking every possible avenue.
Thanks so very much. Arlene and Ami Bar-Yosef, Moshav Sittrya, Israel. Questions can be addressed to me at: arleneby@yahoo.com.
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Give A Ride, Need A Ride
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 Are you in need of a ride to services? Or, would you be willing to give someone a ride to services?
If your answer to one of these questions is 'YES', please contact Denise Cooper at 203-629-0018 or denise@grs.org. |
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Around the Community
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UJA / JCC Greenwich, UJF of Greater Stamford New Canaan and Darien, UJA/Federation of Westport Weston Wilton and Norwalk invite you to the Annual Education Symposium
to be held on Wednesday, March 6th, 2013 at the Hyatt Regency, Greenwich. Delia Ephron, Screenwriter and Author will be keynote speaker. Breakfast at 9:15 a.m. keynote address at 10 a.m. followed by a choice of three breakout sessions:
Robert Abrams will lead the discussion following the screening of the Israeli film Barriers
Funny, Relativity Doesn't Look Jewish with Dr. Steven Gimbel
Israel in the Eyes of America,-- What You Need to Know Now! With Ethan Felson
For further information e-mail Alice@ujafedgreenwich.org
Or call: UJA/JCC Greenwich call 203-552-1818.
Jewish Family Services of Greenwich is offering the following programs, support groups and volunteer opportunities (For more information or to register for any of the following, please visit www.jfsgreenwich.org or call 203-622-1881): JFS Support Groups: ($20 per session: Sliding Scale fees apply).
6 Wednesdays, beginning February 6th, 12:00 - 1:15pm.
At JFS, One Holly Hill Lane, Greenwich
Facilitated by Linda Schlapfer, LMFT
Call Lisa Smith at JFS 203-622-1881 or email llsmith@jfsgreenwich.org
ROSH HODESH: IT'S A GIRL THING!
For 7th grade girls
Mondays 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Shevat: February 25th
Adar: March 18th
Nisan: April 29th
Iyar: May 20th
Sivan: June 17th
New and Ongoing Support Groups and Counseling:
- Divorce Support Group
- Bereavement Support Group
- Parents of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual or Questioning (LGBTQ) Children
- Restarting Your Life
- Empty Nesters
- Counseling
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