Meet our Prayer Leaders for the High Holy Days: Rabbi Julie Roth, Talia Lakritz, Jacob Lipkin, Rabbi Justus Baird, Dr. Craig Eicher, Sarah Kamenetsky, and Shira Farbman Lipkin. Continue reading
Category Archives: News & Events
The Power of Selichot: A Call to Community and Reflection
As the Jewish New Year approaches, the air is filled with a sense of anticipation and hope. One of the most profound traditions during this time is Selichot, a series of prayers that prepare us for the High Holidays. Attending Selichot is an opportunity for individuals and communities to come together for reflection and connecting to each other. Continue reading
Mindfulness Amidst Conflict: Connecting To Our Inner Peace
How do you cope with the stress and anxiety brought on by global events that seem far away yet hit close to home? The wars in Israel and Ukraine have had profound global implications, and their impact is felt acutely in the United States.
For many, the emotional toll of these conflicts leads to heightened anxiety as we grapple with the uncertainty and fear that such global instability generates. Whether due to personal or cultural ties to these regions, or the intensified divisions within American society election, this sense of unease is growing. Continue reading
Shomrei Welcomes Jacob Kaplan-Lipkin, 4th Year JTS Student
Jacob Kaplan-Lipkin is a rising 4th year rabbinical student at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he is also pursuing a masters degree in Hebrew Bible. He is returning from an emotional and enriching year in Israel as a visiting student at the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary in Jerusalem. He enjoyed mentoring and learning with gap year students this past year as the Rabbinic Intern/Spiritual Advisor for the 43rd cohort of Nativ. While in Israel, Jacob also was privileged to participate in a variety of programs with Pardes, the Shalom Hartman Institute, and Hadar Israel. During his first two years of JTS rabbinical school, Jacob worked at Cornell Hillel as the Rabbinic Intern. Continue reading
Klinger Korner – August 2024
I hope everyone is having a great summer. Here at Shomrei, we celebrated the last day of camp on Friday with the Kona Ice Truck! Thank you to Aylah, Lesley, and Vanessa for another year of a wonderful summer camp. While I’ll be enjoying the quiet for the next two weeks, I will miss greeting the kids in the morning.
Meet Mustafa Laboo, Kitchen Coordinator
One of five children born in Newark, Mustafa Laboo has joined the Shomrei staff as our Kitchen Coordinator. Having lived in multiple NJ cities, he participated in a wide range of sports activities and was introduced to several different cultures. Over the years, Mustafa has worked for several NJ & NY area caterers in a variety of roles. Continue reading
Klinger Korner – July 2024
Shalom chaverim (hello friends),
As summer is underway, I wanted to share with you a few of the great things happening at Shomrei. Some are already in place, and others are coming soon. Camp is at full speed, and we enjoy having the children run around and laugh. Thank you to Aylah, Lesley, and Vanessa for running such a wonderful and creative camp. Continue reading
Celebrate Israel at the Parade in New York City!
Shomrei will be marching with MetroWest in the Salute to Israel Parade on Sunday June 2nd.
To attend, all you need to do is register directly with MetroWest at the following link: https://www.jfedgmw.org/event/celebrate-israel-parade/#register
A Fun Event — and a Great Shomrei Cause
Hello, Shomrei friends,
I’m writing to tell you about a fundraiser (and fun-raiser) in support of a wonderful organization called Family Promise, which helps families with young children in Essex County who are facing homelessness. (Some of you may remember it by its previous name, the Interfaith Hospitality Network, through which we housed hundreds of homeless families and children at Shomrei for 30 years — before Covid intervened). I’m now president of the board of Family Promise of Essex and have been inspired to watch the organization expand to serve more and more families in the face of an alarming housing crisis that has hobbled young families in particular. Last year we served over 550 families in crisis. With your help, we’ll serve more this year. Continue reading
Lets Talk About Noa Tishby’s Book: Israel – A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth
One of the privileges of living in the United States of America, is being able to have conversations about politics and/or religion without the fear of one’s life being at risk. Continue reading