Editor Note: Carol is a former president of Nutley Hebrew Congregation
Time flies when you are where you belong!
On July 1, 2024, the Nutley Hebrew Congregation will have been part of Congregation Shomrei Emunah for 30 years, a milestone worthy of a history lesson in how our merger came about. I am sure everyone knows the phrase: It is not what you know but who you know. This was very true in our case. Continue reading
With approximately forty-five other Shomrei members, Bruce and I attended the Musical Taste of Shabbat hosted by Ken Bannerman and Judy Wildman last Friday evening at their beautiful home.
The Service was glorious and memorable. Judy led the service, while Ken played the bass and Merrill Silver played the piano. We all sang the wonderful Kabbalat Shabbat songs, led by Judy, including Mizmor Shir, Lechu Neranina, etc. The music was so very wonderful! Continue reading
A new social group called Boomers has been formed at Shomrei Emunah whose purpose is to encourage social, supportive and informational opportunities for Shomrei Community Boomer members and their friends. Activities will be aimed at the Baby Boomer generation, and, while membership is intended for fellow Baby Boomers, participation in activities will be fluid and open to all. Subgroups and activities might consist of groups for hiking, lectures, meet-and-greets, theater, and widows/widowers, as well as opportunities to connect/reconnect with people and events at Shomrei. Activities will be determined by the group. Continue reading
Come for services and stay for kiddush. Continue reading
What’s sweeter than a new baby? Shomrei welcomed 4 day old Esther Hirsch to the congregation with an in-house catered kiddush on Shabbat, November 19.
Babies come when they are ready so the kiddush volunteers didn’t find out about Esther’s birth until late Wednesday afternoon. We did a quick pivot, abandoning the planned kiddush menu, and substituting a custom menu requested by Esther’s parents, Josh Hirsch and Jenny Leon. Continue reading
My name is Carol Katzman. I am a long-time member of Shomrei Emunah, and my volunteer efforts focus around maintaining our cemeteries. Every year when we read Parsahat Chayei Sarah, which talks about Abraham purchasing a burial cave for Sarah, I like to include a reminder in Shomrei Week about purchasing burial plots through Shomrei Emunah. This year in particular, I want to emphasize that after 5 years of research, the Shomrei Emunah Cemetery Association is able to help members in need of interfaith burials. This is one more way our community can be inclusive of interfaith families. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions.
More information is available on the Shomrei website: https://www.shomrei.org/cemetery.asp
Thank you to the outstanding help in preparing and cleaning up last Shabbat’s special kiddush honoring Rabbi Julie.
Led by Aileen Grossberg kudos go to food preparers Barbara Gollob, Beryl Hiller, Carol Katzman, Zen Lucey, and Lindsay Sag.
The clean up crew included Andy Ely, Rachel Kanter, and Rabbi Julie ably helped by our wonderful custodian Javier.
A special THANK YOU to Michael and Lindsey Sag, Andy Ely and Rachel Kanter, Matt Purdy and Dale Russakoff for sponsoring this kiddush. Continue reading
Holly and her mother-in-law stopping in to say thank you
A sincere thanks to those who volunteered to help prepare and set-up Olyvia Hahn’s bat mitzvah kiddush. Continue reading
Do you remember the folktale about the shoemaker and the elves who secretly helped out the shoemaker or the stories of Elijah who provided beautifully set tables for poor, but righteous folk?
We have our own not-so-secret elves at Shomrei who on this past Saturday were out in full force at Teddy Goldman’s bar mitzvah as the social hall morphed from sanctuary to banquet hall in less than twenty minutes. Continue reading
On Friday, March 25, the Shomrei kitchen was abuzz with the sound of knives on cutting boards and the voices of volunteers making new friends.