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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, 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, April 17
NO HEBREW SCHOOL
Friday, April 19
6:30 pm - Choir/Yom Haatzmaut Shabbat Service at First Congregational Church
April anniversary blessings
Sunday, April 21
NO ADULT ED
NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL
Community Israel Celebration
Tuesday, April 23
7:00 pm - Choir rehearsal
Wednesday, April 24
4:15 pm - Hebrew School
7:30 pm - Board meeting
Friday, April 26
6:30 pm - Shabbat Service at Round Hill Community Church
Saturday, April 27
10:00 am - Alex Sklarz Bar Mitzvah (RHCC)
Sunday, April 28
9:30 am - Hebrew 102
9:30 am - Holiday Happenings
9:30 am - Religious School
10:30 am - Adult Ed Trip with Rabbi Rothman
Monday, April 29
7:00 pm - Knit & Knosh
Tuesday, April 30
7:00 pm - Choir rehearsal
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Torah Portion
April 20, 2013
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Acharay Mot-Kedoshim (Leviticus 16:1-20:27)
In this portion, God provides the instructions surrounding the Yom Kippur sacrificial service. Also included is the prohibition against consuming the blood of animals. The portion concludes with the beginning of what is called the "Holiness Code" - the guidebook to holy living.
In the Kedoshim portion God continues the message of the "Holiness Code" culminating with the commonly quoted, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." The portion makes the point that we are holy through our ritual actions, as well as our human interactions.
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Happy Birthday to...
| Justine Perloe
Rhoda Reid
Victor Romley
Juan Meyer
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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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Measuring Success Synagogue Survey
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By now you should have received an email entitled:
Please take the Greenwich Reform Synagogue Survey Today!
The email was labeled as coming from Robert Birnbaum, but actually came from synagogues@measuring-success.com. It's possible that your email system blocked that address.
Most of you received the email with no problem-in fact, Measuring Success reports quite a few have already completed the survey-but for some, the email ended up in your "spam" or "junk mail" folders.
If you didn't receive or can't find the email, or are having any trouble accessing the survey, please contact me right away at stephanieglaser@grs.org.
And please, complete the survey as soon as you can-
every response matters!
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Yom Ha'atzmaut/Choir Shabbat Service
Friday, April 19, 2013, 6:30 pm
First Congregational Church, Old Greenwich
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 Please join Rabbi Sklarz, Cantor Lipton and the GRS Choir for a musical tribute to Israel's 65th birthday!
The service will be followed by an Oneg Shabbat.
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A Message from Rabbi Sklarz
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The Boston Massacre and Israel Independence: Too Much in Common
Dear Friends,
I had intended on writing an upbeat article this morning about the 65th anniversary of Medinat Yisra'el - the State of Israel. In truth, while each year since 1948 has provided poignant reasons to celebrate what has been termed the "Miracle on the Mediterranean" the truth is, we cannot forget that Yom Ha'Atz'ma'ut - Israel Independence Day, falls a week after Yom HaShoah - Holocaust Remembrance Day, and a day after Yom HaZikaron - Israel Commemoration Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Victims of Terrorism.
While my desire was to focus on modern Israel's birthday and the celebrations planned both at GRS and Greenwich, the reality is that we are reeling from the horrors of the most recent act of terrorism, the atrocities which took place at the Boston Marathon.
As I watched a report on television, I was particularly struck by someone's comment that an event such as a bombing is something we might expect in Israel. Indeed acts of terrorism have been commonplace in modern Israel since statehood. This has become a reality throughout the globe, and our nation has increasingly fallen prey.
Last week, our Israeli emissary, Itamar, shared with our Hebrew school children the sad fact that there is not a family in Israel who has not been touched by the atrocities of war or terrorism. It was hard for many of the children to comprehend this, but growing up in the shadow of 9-11, the horrific shootings in Newtown and now the atrocity in Boston, violence and terrorism has sadly, become too commonplace and it leaves us wondering what is to occur next.
Our military, police and elected officials have been entrusted with the charge to physically combat violence, but as a holy community, we have the responsibility as a united force to create aspiritual form of resistance. This Shabbat, with our Yom Ha'Atzma'ut - Israel Independence Day service and Sunday with our town wide celebration of Israel Independence, we will affirm our faith.
Be with us, our Greenwich Reform Synagogue family, as we stand tall on Sunday, hosting our booth of the remarkable city of Tel Aviv. Come and let us honor the many victims and heroes as we stand as a symbol of all that is right in our world.
L'Shalom,
Rabbi Andy
Rabbi Andrew R. Sklarz, MA, MSW, RJE
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GRS Young Families Initiative
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 GRS is pleased to announce a new initiative beginning on July 1, aimed at young families, offering special pricing and more affordable membership and school tuition for families with young children.
Any new (non member) family with at least one adult under age 40 (excluding adult children), or at least one child in the third grade or under, are eligible to participate in this program.
If you know of anyone who has been thinking about starting their children in religious school, this is a great time for them to get in touch.
For more information or to register, CLICK HERE.
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Community-Wide Yom Ha'atzmaut Celebration, Israel at 65!
Sunday, April 21, 2013, 11 am - 2 pm
Greenwich Civic Center, 90 Harding Rd. Old Greenwich
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 Join GRS and show your pride at this joyful Israel Independence Day bash with the lead singer of the award winning Mama Doni Band. Festivities include an Israel bazaar, Gadna boot camp, Israeli hip hop class, storytelling and more. Food will be available for purchase from Kosh Bistro. For more information CLICK HERE.
WE NEED YOUR SPIRIT!
Volunteers requested to assist Rabbi Sklarz and Cantor Lipton for the GRS booth at this town-wide celebration
No experience necessary, but guaranteed to be lots of fun and a wonderful way to share GRS with the community.
Please let Rabbi Sklarz know that you will be able to participate at RabbiSklarz@grs.org or call the temple office (203-629-0018).
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Friday, April 26, 2013, 6:30 pm
Round Hill Community Church
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Following Shabbat services on Friday April 26, the GRS Sisterhood and Brotherhood are sponsoring a hearty celebratory Oneg Shabbat, in honor of Alex Sklarz becoming a Bar Mitzvah on Saturday, April 27. Please let the office know if you plan on coming so that we can plan accordingly.
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Adult Ed Cultural Trip to New Square
Chassidic Community
Sunday, April 28, 2013, 9:15 am
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 The Greenwich Reform Synagogue Adult Education committee is planning a trip to visit the New Square Chassidic Community on April 28, 2013. The trip will be led by GRS' Scholar-in-Residence, Rabbi Rothman.
- We will be met by a member of the community who will describe the community to us. New Square was founded in Rockland County, NY after World War II by the Grand Rabbi of the Skver Hasidic community, a branch of Hasidim from the village of Skver which is now in Ukraine. The members of the community adhere to a strictly orthodox way of life in a town of around 7,000 people living in a 225 acre enclave.
- We will have a guided tour of the community, visit their Mikvah, and their boys' and girls' schools if possible.
- The tour will be followed by lunch at a local restaurant a short drive from New Square.
Details - we will be meeting at the Religious School Parking lot (Stanwich School) at 9:15 am and caravanning up to New Square for arrival at 10:30 am. We expect to return to GRS after lunch at approximately 2:00 - 2:30 pm.
Dress - out of respect to the Chassidic Community, appropriate dress is required.
Women (and girls) - Dresses or skirts below the knee (no pants); Arms covered below the elbow; Modest neck line; Closed Shoes.
Men (and boys) - No jeans, shirt with collar, Yarmulke (GRS will provide them in case you don't have one).
This event is open to Members, prospective members, friends of GRS and our children. Because of the cultural nature of the trip, it will be considered an excused absence from religious school for children over 10 years old who make the trip with their parent(s).
There is no cost for this trip (aside from your lunch expenses at the restaurant).
CLICK HERE TO RSVP. We will accommodate walk-ups if we can but would appreciate your letting us know so we can make appropriate arrangements with the community. Also, let us know if you have room in your car to take others or if you need a ride (we will do our best to accommodate you based on the number of volunteer drivers we have).
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Knit & Knosh
Monday, April 29, 2013, 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 Marianne Tierney, 8 Pintail Lane, Greenwich.
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Friday, May 3, 2013, 6:30 pm
Family Shabbat Service and Dinner
First Congregational Church, Old Greenwich
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|  Please join us as we celebrate our Family Shabbat Service where we will hear our youth choir, B'nai Shir, sing, followed by dinner and an Oneg Shabbat.
Dine in style with your family and GRS friends. We will provide the main course.
CLICK HERE if you would like to attend and bring an appetizer, side dish, or dessert.
*May birthdays will be given a special birthday blessing.
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Sabrina & Friends Sing Broadway & Opera
Saturday, May 11, 2013
8:00 pm
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SE  SEATING IS LIMITED, SIGN UP NOW!
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| Tzedakah |
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Thank you for your generosity...
Rabbi's Discretionary Fund- Cyd & Josef Sieghart in honor of Alex Sklarz becoming a Bar Mitzvah
General Fund - Sandy & Stephen Soule in memory of Hermine Aborn
A contribution to GRS is a wonderful way to celebrate joyous events and commemorate meaningful occasions. If you would like to make a contribution, please send your check to GRS, 1037 E. Putnam Ave., Riverside, CT 096878 or pay ONLINE. For details on the giving opportunities available, please call the GRS office.
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Harvest Now Food Growing Project
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Harvest Now is a statewide food growing project, in need of volunteers to grow vegetable gardens in private gardens. The food is donated to the food pantry of your choice. This year Harvest Now fed 8200 people.
Four Hundred thousand people in Connecticut use food banks over the course of a year. This number increases 6% every year. If you are already growing food, perhaps you can donate a portion to your local food bank/soup kitchen
We need congregants who grow food to donate to the local food bank of their choice. For more information about this mission look at www.harvest-now.net You can contact Brooks Sumberg at bsumberg@earthlink.net, or call 203 293-4130.
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Tour de Shuls
Sunday, June 23, 2013
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The fourth annual Tour de Shuls CT will be held on Sunday, June23rd. More than simply a bike ride, Tour de Shuls is a community event to support the Camp Ramah Tikvah program and Camp Eisner and Crane Lake Chazak program. The Tikvah (Hope) and Chazak (Strength) programs serve Jewish children with developmental disabilities and other physical challenges. Participating in the Tour enables Tikvah and Chazak campers to experience the joys and
camaraderie of Jewish summer camp -- swimming, soccer, arts&crafts,
singing around the campfire, celebrating Shabbat--by providing schlarships to defray the costs of attending camp.
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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 Laura Seltzer at 203-629-0018 or laura@grs.org. |
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Around the Community
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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).
PARENTS OF LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSSEXUAL OR QUESTIONING (LGBTQ) CHILDREN: This group is for parents who are dealing with any stage of their family member's coming out process. Together, in a safe and confidential environment, we will explore the tumultuous process of accepting, understanding, and celebrating your children and their LGBTQ identities.
Eight Wednesdays, beginning March 5th, 12:30pm - 1:45pm
JFS, One Holly Hill Lane, Greenwich, Facilitated by Lisa-Loraine Smith, LCSW, Executive Director of JFS
$160 for the Group (Sliding scale fees will apply if necessary
CHILDREN OF DIVORCE GROUP (11 - 14 YEAR OLDS)
This 8-week support group is for young people in grades 6 - 8 whose lives have been impacted by divorce. These groups use age appropriate discussion, role-plays, games, and art to help teens cope with feelings of loss, anger, and sadness. Here at JFS, we encourage group members to discuss their feelings, normalize divorce as a common occurrence, and help children better understand the process of divorce. Regardless of whether the child has reacted strongly or mildly from the changes in the family, they can benefit from this experience.
Facilitated by Jan Mittleman, LCSW.
Wednesdays, 5:30pm - 6:45pm
ROSH HODESH: IT'S A GIRL THING! For 7th grade girls Mondays 7:00pm - 8:30pm 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
 Westchester Jewish Film Festival April 3-25
We're thrilled to introduce the 2013 edition of the Westchester Jewish Film Festival, with 35 programs that celebrate the diversity of the Jewish experience.
As we immersed ourselves in selecting this crop of first-rate documentaries and dramas, a theme arose: the Jewish influence on art, music, and the performing arts. So along with 14 lively discussions, this year we present six live performances- including singers, dancers, and the comedian David Steinberg, with his new stand-up show.
Many of these events sell out quickly, so get your tickets soon and don't get sold out!
Special Event Just Added! Author Eric Goldman joins us for a special evening of film clips and discussion of his book The American Jewish Story Through Cinema, Mon. April 22 at 7:30 pm.
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