Shirley Grill sends word that IHN (Interfaith Hospitality Network) is looking for some last minute help. (see below). IHN feeds and houses homeless families in Montclair.
Meals can be cooked at home and do not need to be kosher. Please contact Angie (see below) Continue reading
Yasher Koach to Shirley Grill and Dale Russakoff (Shomrei IHN Co-Chairs) and the multitudes of volunteers who worked so hard to host homeless families for two weeks in our shul! As part of The Interfaith Hospitality Network of Essex County, Shomrei takes a turn hosting homeless families. Twice per year, usually for one a week interval, Shomrei’s volunteers provide housing, food, childcare and companionship to the families.
This time there was a “hitch”. When notification came from IHN that another religious community had not been lined-up to take the families immediately after our week, Shirley and Dale rolled their sleeves up even higher and got to work. They organized an additional week of volunteers from our community and the wider IHN community.
New pdf/print version of Kol Emunah
We’re going full digital!
Starting in January of 2015, Kol Emunah will no longer be widely circulated in the printed format. The online blog (KolEmunah.net) has become the new “Voice of Shomrei Emunah”. Congregants without online access will continue to receive a monthly printed version by mail (of the snail variety) which will automatically be generated from information on the blog.
Each month a pdf of the print version will also be made available in ShomreiWeek.
Going digital will save Shomrei thousands of dollars in printing and postage.
Filmmaker Gaylen Ross
Filmmaker Gaylen Ross spoke to a crowd of 65 people at Shomrei Emunah on Sunday evening after the screening of her film Killing Kasztner.
Congregation Shomrei Emunah and Montclair State University co-sponsored the free screening as part of the Rescue in Budapest: Raoul Wallenberg commemorative program series which continues until December 18.
Immersion: Loss, click to enlarge
We welcome Rachel to the Kol Emunah masthead! The blog graphic is a detail of her work Immersion: Loss. From time to time, we will be featuring a Shomrei artist on our blog in both the masthead and on the featured artist page. If you are an artist at Shomrei or know one who would like to be featured, let me know.
Immersion: Loss
Vintage tallit, cotton, ribbon.
Many ceremonies have been written using a mikveh for new and inventive rituals.
“Immersion: Loss” is a spiritual mikveh and is to be used when getting to a mikveh is not possible or desired. Its use marks that time in life when you are faced with the knowledge that something important has ended. Prayers are recited that ask, plead and thank God for the strength and understanding to emerge from the loss renewed.
Vicki Compter Lefkowitz, Tsipi Taube and Adrienne Lasiter
The Shomrei Book Fair was a success! Scores of bookmarks were created by kids. Aileen Grossberg gave an interesting talk. Sara Birnbaum mad-libbed along. Heather Brown read to the little ones. Snacks were snacked! Rabbi David Greenstein even explained the Zohar on one foot.
Best of all loads of books were purchased by the Shomrei Community and over $800 was raised for the benefit of the JLC (Hebrew School) and the Shomrei Preschool.
Yasher Koach to organizers Tsipi Taube and Adrienne Lasiter and their committee: Sara Hollander Birnbaum, Heather Brown, Shirley Grill, Vicki Compter Lefkowitz, Lisa Pendola, Lynne Tapper, Renata Worob and June Zimmerman!
Shomrei Emunah’s Annual Progressive Dinner is around the corner!
Saturday, February 22
7:00pm for dinner
9:00pm for desert
Join old friends and new for a relaxing evening of fun and good conversation.
First have dinner at a fellow Shomrei member’s home
and then join everyone for dessert at the home of Elisa & Robert Bildner.
RSVP to Sarita Eisenberg at email hidden; JavaScript is required.
We need RSVPs by February 9 so that we can match guests and hosts.
(We need a few more hosts so please let us know if you’re available!)