Greenwich Reform Synagogue Newsletter 

  

Happy New Year  


 September 4, 2013                             Elul 29 , 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
Calendar
Torah Portion of the Week
Happy Birthday
Tree of Life
Caring Community
GRS Staff
High Holy Day Schedule
Shabbat Service
GRS Young Families Initiative
Generation J Religious School Registration
Adult Ed Summer Lecture Series
Sukkot at GRS
Holiday Happenings
Give a Ride
Around the Community
Calendar
calendar
Wednesday, September 4
8:00 pm - Erev Rosh Hashanah Service at St. Catherine of Siena

Thursday, September 5
10:00 am - Rosh Hashanah Service at St. Catherine of Siena

Friday, September 6
10:00 am - Rosh Hashanah Service at GRS office.
6:30 pm - Shabbat Service at GRS office

Tuesday, September 10
7:00 pm - Choir rehearsal at GRS office

Thursday, September 12
7:00 pm - Choir rehearsal at St. Catherine of Siena

Friday, September 13
8:00 pm - Kol Nidre service at St. Catherine of Siena

Saturday, September 14
10:00 am - Yom Kippur service

Friday, September 20
6:30 pm - Succot Service & Dinner @ Rabbi's house
July/August/September birthdays

Sunday, September 22
9:00 am - Breakfast
9:30 am - 1st day of Religious School

Friday, September 27
6:30 pm - Simchat Torah Service
July/August/September anniversaries @ First Congregational Church, Old Greenwich

Sunday, September 29 
9:00 am - Breakfast
9:30 am - Religious School
 
Torah Portion
September 7, 2013

Ha'Azinu    

(Deuteronomy 32:1-52)

 

Moses recites a poem, which tells the history of the Israelite people.  In the midst of the poem, he speaks of a time when God's presence will be hidden from them.  He explains that only when we return to God, will God's presence be restored. 

 

bday
Happy Birthday to...
Joyce Nathan
Bradford Powell
Richard Lewine
Richard Adler
Erin Beiley
Peter Hut
Shelly Kaplan
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


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URJ NEW LOGO

High Holy Days 2013/5774
St. Catherines 9-13-13
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


Shabbat Service at the GRS Office
1037 E. Putnam Ave., Riverside, 2nd Floor 
Friday, September 6, 2013, 6:30 pm 

Please join Rabbi Sklarz for Shabbat service at 6:30 pm in the GRS office Sanctuary.
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

 

Generation J - Exploring Judaism Together
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.
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. 

Sukkot at GRS:  What a celebration in store for all!

sukkot lulav etro On Friday, September 20, at 6:30, a Sukkot extravaganza for folks of all ages will take place at the home and Sukkah of Rabbi Andy and Susan Sklarz!  

 

Together we will experience the joy of the fall festival, with a sumptuous barbecue style dinner, and an upbeat family Sukkot service, which will include July - September birthdays (gifts will be presented to all children 13 and younger).

   

Of course, no celebration of Sukkot would be complete without time in the Sukkah. Come meet our (interim for 2013-14) Educational Director Eliana Hall, who will be leading craft activities as our children decorate the Sukkah!

 

Holiday Happenings

Hol Happ 2013

 

  

Adult Ed - Fall 2013

Beginning after the High Holy Days,  Rabbi Robert Rothman, our Scholar in Residence, will continue his exposition of the history of anti-Semitism in the 20th and 21st century.  In addition, throughout the year, we will also discuss current issues impacting on Judaism, the holidays, and other subjects of interest to the group.  Rabbi Rothman,
D.H.L., D.D., Ph.D., is the Rabbi Emeritus of Rye Community Synagogue. He is widely published and has been our Scholar in Residence for many years.  He is a retired Navy Chaplain with the rank of Commander.

The Sunday Study Group meets during the second hour of Religious School throughout the year (10:30).  While we generally have a topic for the year, each class is designed to be a stand-alone session, so come to as many as you wish.  During the first few sessions we will also discuss with Rabbi Rothman what we want to take up next. All are welcome.

 

Welcome to our new Israeli Emissaries

Dear Greenwich Community,

We are Dana and Tav, the new Young Israeli Emissaries.

You can't imagine how excited we are to be coming to your community and thankful about the wonderful opportunity you are giving us. 

 

We can't wait to meet you and get to know you! We have heard wonderful things about Greenwich and the terrific Jewish community.

 

We hope you are as excited as we are! 

 

See you soon,  

 

Tav and Dana

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  

 

JFS Rosh Hodesh It's a Girl Thing 7thGrade Program
Begins in October!Once a month, 7th grade girls get together to talk, be heard, think, discover, eat, listen, create - and hang out with other Jewish girls their own age.  Through creative mediums like art, drama, cooking and small discussions, Rosh Hodesh:  It's a Girl Thing provides a forum for girls to come together and learn about themselves, Judaism and discuss topics most relevant to them today. This enormously successful program was created to build self-esteem, Jewish identity, leadership skills and friendships by using core Jewish values to navigate our world and the dangerous messages that affect a young girl's perception of body image, friendship, competition and family.

 

The groups are held monthly on Mondays from 7:00- 8:30pm at Temple Sholom in Greenwich and are led by Belana Warmflash, MSW.  Fee: $180, sliding scale available upon request.  Save these Dates: October 7, November 4, December 9, January 6, February 3, March 3, April 7, May 5, and June 2.

 

To register please email Lisa Goldberg at   lmgoldberg@jfsgreenwich.org or call 203 622 1881.

 

 

NEW!   REVERSAL OF FORTUNE  

Financial challenges bring with them stressors that can affect everything in your life  -  your relationships, your self-esteem, your outlook, and even your marriage. In these tough economic times, you are not alone. Talk with others facing similar situations in a confidential environment.  Come and share your thoughts, get some ideas, tips and real life strategies to cope with the practical as well as the emotional issues associated with reversals of fortune.   Facilitated by Mary Karlan, LMSW,  6 Tuesdays beginning October 8th, from 5:30pm - 6:30pm. NO CHARGE!   Please call Mary at JFS 203-622-1881 or email her at mkarlan@jfsgreenwich.org