Greenwich Reform Synagogue Newsletter 

 

 August 7, 2013                             Elul 1, 5773 
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Online Payments

authorize.net 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.

GRS Office Location

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

 
In This Issue
Facebook
Online Payments
Office Location
Calendar
Torah Portion of the Week
Happy Birthday
Tree of Life
Caring Community
GRS Staff
Join Our List
Shabbat Service
Message from Rabbi Sklarz
GRS Young Families Initiative
Religious School Registration
Brotherhood Summer Outing
Knit & Knosh
Adult Ed Summer Lecture Series
Tzedakah
Selichot
High Holy Day Schedule
Looking for Hosts
Give a Ride
Around the Community
Calendar
calendar
Friday, August 9
6:30 pm - Shabbat Service
at the home of Sandy & Steve Soule

Sunday, August 11
1:00 - Brotherhood Outing Bridgeport Bluefish Game

Friday, August 16
6:30 pm - Shabbat Service
GRS Office

Sunday, August 18
9:30 am - Adult Ed Summer Lecture - GRS Office

Friday, August 23
6:30 pm - Shabbat Service GRS Office

Sunday, August 25
9:30 am - Adult Ed Summer lecture - GRS Office

Friday, August 30
6:30 pm - Shabbat Service
GRS Office

Saturday, August 31
Selichot Dinner/Service - home of Sandy & Steve Soule 
 
Torah Portion
August 10, 2013

Shoftim

(Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9)

 

Shoftim discusses one of the most important ethics of the Israelite people - pursuing justice.  The text teaches us not only to appoint judges and leaders over the people, but that these individuals need to observe justice above everything else:  "tzedek tzedek tirdof ' Justice, Justice, shall you pursue." 

 

bday
Happy Birthday to...
Jodi Anatole
Marie Kimmel
Glenna Freeman

Tree of Life
(Etz Chaim)
Tree of Life
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.
Caring Community News
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 Laura Seltzer at laura@grs.org. 
GRS Staff

Rabbi Andrew R. Sklarz, MA, MSW, RJE

  rabbisklarz@grs.org 

 

Cantor Sabrina Lipton

sabrinalipton@grs.org  

 

Stephanie Glaser

Executive Director

stephanieglaser@grs.org

 

Eliana Hall 

Director of Education

eliana@grs.org

 

Clarita Agulay

Bookkeeper

clarita@grs.org

   

Laura Seltzer

Administrative Assistant

laura@grs.org    

 

Peter Babivskiy

Caretaker


Join Our List
Join Our Mailing List

URJ NEW LOGO

Shabbat Service at the home of
Sandy & Steve Soule
Friday, August 9, 2013, 6:30 pm 

Family Shabbat Dinner Please join Rabbi Sklarz, Cantor Lipton and our congregational family this Shabbat at the home of Sandy and Steve Soule. A light dinner will follow. CLICK HERE to RSVP.

If you would like to bring something email Sandy at sandy.soule@gmail.com.
A Message from Rabbi Sklarz 

Rabbi USE THIS ONE!
Generation J

Dear Friends,

The excitement is in the air!
Generation J, our dynamic new religious program is all the buzz.
For weeks I have been sharing with you all that is in store for our children come September,and recently the Connecticut Jewish Ledger featured an in-depth article of how we are revolutionizing Jewish education in Greenwich. If you have not seen the article, please  CLICK HERE and visit our website for registration information. Of course, if you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact our Interim Educational Director, Eliana Hall, or me.

The best is yet to come!

Rabbi Andy

Rabbi Andrew R. Sklarz, MSW, RJE 

GRS Young Families Initiative  

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

 

Religious School Registration
Is Now Open

By now, those GRS congregants with school-aged children should have received religious school registration materials in the mail.  For your convenience, you may also download these forms right here.  If you have any questions/concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Eliana Hall, Director of Education, at eliana@grs.org.
Brotherhood Summer Outing
Sunday, August 11

Youth Group Installation

 

Save the Date - Sunday, August 11, 2013

GRS Brotherhood Summer Outing

See the Bridgeport Bluefish

At beautiful Harbor Yard, Bridgeport, CT

1:05 PM

  
Join your fellow Greenwich Reform Synagogue congregants at Harbor Yard, in Bridgeport to watch the Bridgeport Bluefish play the
Camden River Sharks.  As in the past, we have reserved seats in the Harbor Club, which provides excellent outdoor seating (right behind home plate ) as well as an air-conditioned club facility for those who want to schmooze.

But wait ... There's more!!!!

In addition to the baseball game, it will be 
Jewish Heritage Day at Harbor Yard.  The Bluefish are planning several exciting cultural events to commemorate our Jewish Heritage.

Tickets are $25 (food and beverages not included).

RSVP to Stephanie Glaser or the GRS office (203-629-0018).

Make your reservations as soon as you can, as we have a limited number of tickets reserved.

Knit & Knosh
Monday, August 12 at 7:00 pm

Would you like to knot, 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 Ronnie Gurney, 123 Harbor Drive, #612, Stamford, CT 06902. 
Adult Ed Summer Lecture Series

GRS Adult Education will continue to meet during the summer. We will be showing DVD Lectures on the Book of Genesis.  The lectures will be followed each week by a brief discussion. CLICK HERE for the tentative schedule.

The Lectures should be "Stand-Alone" so come to as many or as few as you can.

If, possible, come to class with a copy of Genesis, it  will be interesting if we have several different Translations and can compare during the discussion.  However, even if you don't have a copy, please come!!!
 
We will be meeting at the GRS office 1037 East Putnam Avenue, Riverside, CT 06878 at 9:30 AM. 

Tzedakah

Thank you for your generosity...

 

Circle of Giving

  • Joel & Sherry Mallin
  • David Weisbrod 
 

GRS would like to thank Whole Foods in Greenwich for their donation of paper shopping bags to be used for our Annual High Holiday food drive. 

 

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. 

Selichot - Saturday, August 31, 2013
selichot - hhds
...Listen to the sound of the shofar, begin the Days of Awe... 
Greenwich Reform Synagogue invites you to welcome the new Jewish year 5774.  Please join us as we celebrate this beautiful evening at the home of Sandy and Stephen Soule.  Dinner will begin at 7 pm, followed by a service at
9 pm.

Please RSVP to stephanieglaser@grs.org.   
High Holy Days 2013/5774

While we await our new building, GRS has liberalized the ticket policy for non- members.  Have out-of-town relatives you would like to bring?  They get free tickets.  Does your son or daughter want to bring a college friend or two?  They get free tickets.  Is there someone local who has not been to a GRS High Holiday service before?  They get free tickets.  The only non-members who will be charged for tickets ($500 a person) are local residents who have attended GRS services previously and have not joined GRS.  We encourage you to bring guests to experience the warmth and spirit of High Holy Days at GRS.  Just register them in advance by CLICKING HERE, and we will send out the tickets.

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MAY YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES FIND BLESSINGS
IN THE NEW YEAR

EREV ROSH HASHANAH*
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 - 8 PM

ROSH HASHANAH*
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
MORNING SERVICES - 10 AM
ROSH HASHANAH LUNCHEON RECEPTION IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING MORNING SERVICE
YOUNG FAMILY SERVICE - 2 PM

ROSH HASHANAH 2ND DAY SERVICE (AT GRS OFFICE)
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 - 10 AM

KOL NIDRE*
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 - 8 PM

YOM KIPPUR*
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
MORNING SERVICES - 10 AM
YOM KIPPUR SYMPOSIUM - 1 PM
YOUNG FAMILY SERVICE - 2 PM
YIZKOR/MEMORIAL-NEILAH SERVICE - 3 PM
BREAK FAST IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING CONCLUDING SERVICE

*SERVICES TO BE HELD AT ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA CHURCH, 4 RIVERSIDE AVE., RIVERSIDE, CT

Member High Holy Day packets will be going out
within the week


Looking for Hosts for Friday Night Services

How would you like to host a Friday night Shabbat Service?  GRS would supply everything, you need only supply the walls!

 

If you have a date that would work for you, please contact Stephanie at stephanieglaser@grs.org to discuss.  

Give A Ride, Need A Ride

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.
Around the Community
The Support Group Center of Jewish Family Services of Greenwich is offering the following support groups this summer.  For more information or to register for any of the following, please visit www.jfsgreenwich.org or call Lisa Smith, LCSW, Executive Director, at 203-622-1881.

 

Ongoing Support Groups and Counseling:   

  • Divorce Support Group 
  • Bereavement Support Group
  • Stepmother Support Group
  • Caregiver Support Group
  • Empty Nesters