A Little Bit of Magic

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

Baby It’s Cold Outside

When I was a kid growing up in Lowell, Massachusetts (when winters were really cold and the snowdrifts were over my head), we had a summer cottage on a very small lake about 15 minutes from home. In the winter, we’d bundle up, get our skates and drive out to the lake and go ice skating.

After the cold got to be too much, we’d sit on shore, rosy cheeked, and sip hot cocoa from an old fashioned thermos.

Funny how it’s the little things that make the most indelible memories. Continue reading

In Praise of Jim Nagel

The  Kiddish Committee is saddened by the loss of our faithful volunteer, Jim -familiarly called Jimmy- Nagel.

One Friday morning several years ago, Jim just showed up and continued to show up almost every week until we had to shut down kiddush  because of COVID.

Jim was a whiz in the kitchen and would do anything asked of him, even run errands. As Karen Altman, one of the kiddush volunteers said : Jimmy was such a lovely person- so genuine and warm.

Continue reading

MESH Report Mar 31, 2020

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Many thanks to Shirley and David Grill for contributing 30 takeaway meals for our MESH guests this past Tuesday evening.  The bags were prepared by the Watchung Deli and included: 27 Turkey on Rye, 3 Vegetarian Sandwiches, chips, cookies and a water bottle.  The deli delivered the sandwiches to Karen Altman, who included a note in each bag with the menu and a message from Shomrei to stay safe, healthy and to follow social distancing!  Karen brought the meals to the Salvation Army driveway where the MESH Staff removed them from her trunk and distributed them to the MESH guests who were already lined up.  Many thanks to Karen!  Continue reading

Syria Supper Club at Shomrei — a Big Success!

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Eighty (80!) people attended Shomrei’s Syria Supper Club Sukkot Dinner on October 8. The dinner featured bountiful, delicious vegetarian food prepared in Shomrei’s kitchen by three Syrian cooks who have been recently resettled in the U.S.

Rabbi Greenstein welcomed everyone in the sukkah, and then we moved inside (the weather was threatening) for the meal. It was a win-win event all around; attendees enjoyed a delicious meal and the cooks displayed their cooking talents and earned some income to help support their families. (Almost all of the proceeds of the dinner went to the cooks.) Continue reading

Cooking is underway!

John Lasiter cooking mushrooms

Cooking has started for the Shomrei Celebrates dinner this Saturday, Feb 20, honoring Aileen Grossberg. John Lasiter has planned an amazing menu for hors d’ouvres, dinner, and desert. The cooking started on Wednesday Feb 17  with the big cooking days being Thursday and Friday, Feb 18-19.  It’s great fun, with music, conversation, and chopping (lots of chopping!).  Take a peak at what’s happening in the Shomrei kitchen. Continue reading