Greenwich Reform Synagogue Newsletter

   

selichot - hhds    


 September 11, 2013                             Tishrei 7 , 5774
Facebook  
Like us on Facebook
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
High Holy Day Schedule
Congregational Meeting
GRS Young Families Initiative
Generation J Religious School Registration
Sukkot at GRS
Simchat Torah
Holiday Happenings
Adult Ed
Knit & Knosh
Israeli Emissaries
Around the Community
Calendar
calendar
Tuesday, September 10
7:00 pm - Choir rehearsal at GRS office

Thursday, September 12
7:00 pm - Choir rehearsal at St. Catherine of Siena
7:30 pm - Congregational Meeting, GRS Office

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

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

Thursday, September 18 
7:30 pm - Executive
Board Mtg.

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

Tuesday, September 24
3:30 pm - Hebrew School @GRS office

Wednesday, September 25
3:30 pm - Hebrew School @GRS office
7:30 pm - Board Meeting

Thursday, September 26
3:30 pm - Hebrew School @GRS office

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

Monday, September 30
7:00 pm - Knit & Knosh - home of Marcia Winpisinger 
 
Torah Portion
September 14, 2013

Yom Kippur     


 

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


Join Our List
Join Our Mailing List

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.

---------------------------------------------------

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

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
Special Meeting of the GRS Congregation
Thursday, September 12, 2013 - 7:30 pm
GRS Office 

The President of Greenwich Reform Synagogue is calling a Special Meeting of the Congregation on September 12, 2013 at 7:30 PM at the GRS office, 1037 E. Putnam Ave., Riverside, CT.

 

The purpose of the meeting is to seek Congregational approval for the purchase of property.

 

For a proxy or more information, contact stephanieglaser@grs.org. 

 

Greenwich Newcomers Info Fair
Thursday, September 12, 10 am - 1 pm 

GRS will be hosting a booth at the Greenwich Newcomers Info Fair from 10 am -1 pm tomorrow, Thursday, September 12 at the Second Congregational Church in Greenwich.  If you can spare an hour to help staff the booth, please contact the GRS office today!  Folks new to the area will be coming for a cup of coffee, to catch up with friends, and to learn about different groups around town, 
children's activities, schools, where to work out, non-profits, volunteer opportunities and much more! If you are a recent arrival in Greenwich, we hope to see you there!

 

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
First Day of Religious School - Sunday, September 22
Stanwich School Campus, 257 Stanwich Rd.

An open house and information session will be held on September 22, the first day of classes for the 2013-14 Generation J school year, beginning with a buffet breakfast at 9 am.

Everyone will have an opportunity to meet Rabbi Sklarz, Cantor Lipton, Eliana Hall (Interim Director of Ed), and members of the Education Committee.

 

Rabbi Sklarz and Eliana Hall will also be hosting an introductory meeting and information session.

 

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.
Sukkot Shabbat Service
Friday, September 20, 6:30 pm
At the home of Rabbi Andy & Susan Sklarz

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 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 b4e complete without time in the Sukkah. Come meet our Interim Educational Director Eliana Hall, who will be leading craft activities as our children decorate the Sukkah!

 

Please CLICK HERE to RSVP or contact Laura at GRS for more information.

Simchat Torah/Consecration
Shabbat Service
Friday, September 27, 6:30 pm
First Congregational Church, Old Greenwich (downstairs in the Daniels Center)


Help us unroll the Torah, share in the Religious School Consecration Ceremony, plus stay for delicious desserts!

Please CLICK HERE to RSVP or contact Laura at GRS for more information.
Holiday Happenings

2013 Holiday Happenings

  

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.

 

Knit & Knosh
Monday, September 30, 2013, 7-9 pm

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 Marcia Winpisinger, 395 Davis Avenue, Greenwich, CT.

 

Tzedakah

Thank you for your generosity...

General Fund
  • Cyd & Josef Sieghart in loving memory of Benjamin Bregman 

Circle of Giving
  • Pauline & Richard Franck
  • Cyd & Josef Sieghart 
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  06878 or pay ONLINE.  For details on the giving opportunities available, please call the GRS office.
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