At the end of the Sisterhood March Musical Meeting, many in attendance were ready for encores. Well, we’ve arranged it! On May 19, Sisterhood will hold its Annual Meeting. Beginning at 6:30 p.m. we will enjoy desserts and social time. After a brief business meeting to elect the new board and pass the budget, we will enjoy the music of Alexandra and Ben and then Ginny Katz will perform with her group, Charter Oak Flutes. Please let us know that you are coming so that we can set up the tables and make sure there are enough desserts! You can call the temple and leave a message or email me
Sisterhood New Year Greeting for 5777/2016
Sisterhood is planning for this fall’s New Year’s Greeting. The New Year’s Greeting is a fundraiser for Sisterhood. This brings the Temple Sinai community together. The New Year’s Greeting card will be mailed out in August with the High Holy Day tickets, wishing all a L’Shana Tova. To be listed in the greeting, the cost is $5.00. Please contact Phyllis DeMaine by July 1 if you would like to be added or make changes in the New Year’s Greeting.
Calendar Ends
After many years, the Sisterhood Board has decided to discontinue publishing the Sisterhood of Temple Sinai Calendar. We thank all our advertisers, our purchasers, and those who supported us with listings of their special dates. We have found that with changing technologies, very few people are using a paper wall calendar, so we are moving on.
Rummage Sale Thanks
The Sisterhood Spring Rummage Sale was another success. Many thanks go to our generous congregation for all their donations. We would like to thank the following volunteers who worked very hard to help set up, sell, and clean up. Our sale was successful. (Apologies to anyone whom we may have missed.)
Stu Winograd
Ann Speyer
Jane Weisberg
Phyllis DeMaine
Jonna Gerken
Jacqueline Sturm
Miriam Kramer
Roz Spiegelman
Beth Mendelsohn
Laurel Pierce
Myra Wishnick
Cindy Fenton
Cynthia Naiman
Bernice Black
Sherry Waitsman
Marilyn Winograd
Lisa Johnson
Cheryl Scheinblum
Phyllis Marie Battisti
Rose Ulan
Gail Slusarski
Elizabeth Roth
Ed Pawlak
Temple Sinai 7th Graders
A special thanks to Joyce Sturm and Aurel Mucka for all their help with preparation of the sale.
Spring has arrived and Sisterhood is busy. It is so busy that we are cancelling the April 15 Shabbat dinner.
April will bring us the Passover Seder and the Temple’s 60th Birthday Gala. After much discussion, the Sisterhood Board felt that three dinners in three weeks would be too many. We hope that everyone will attend services on Friday, April 29, at 7:30 p.m. when we honor past Presidents of Temple Sinai and of The Sisterhood of Temple Sinai.
We hope to reschedule the Fourth Annual Shabbat Dinner when we are all a bit less busy.
We wish everyone a wonderful, meaningful Passover and we wish Temple Sinai Mazel Tov on it’s 60th Anniversary!
Sisterhood members are invited to a very special evening of music lead by our wonderful pianist, Nina Miller, on Thursday evening, March 10, at 7:00 p.m. Pianist Nina will play for us and Impressario Nina has gathered together other congregant musicians to present this special evening of many types of music. I quote from Nina’s notes to me:
“The strength of our congregation is in doing things together, therefore the evening will showcase not just my playing, but others unknown to the most of us stars. Not to reveal too much, the Sisterhood and congregants who attend will listen to flute, recorder and vocalists.”
The styles of music will be varied, from religious to modern to classical, keeping the music flowing from many different directions. Kindly RSVP or please call the temple office, 860/561-1055 so we can set a place for you!
4th Annual Shabbat Dinner
The Annual Shabbat Dinner menu offers a full dinner which begins after the 6:00 p.m. Friday night service on April 15. Come join the congregation as we enjoy a meal of traditional kugel, roasted vegetables, salads, rotisserie chicken, challah and, of course, dessert. The cost for the meal is $12.50 per person. The food will be home made in the temple kitchen by the wonderful cooking crew of the Sisterhood. After dinner, we will celebrate Shabbat with traditional Shabbat blessings and songs.
Please watch for a reservation coupon in the April bulletin. We will need RSVP by April 10. We hope to gather members of the whole congregation together, young and less young, for this very special dinner.
So often I hear, “Sisterhood sounds good, but I don’t have time”. Even if you don’t have time, there’s another way to support women and Judaism. As a Sisterhood member, part of your membership dues goes to support the work of Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ). Reform Judaism has been a leader in the Jewish world in including women as full participants. We ordained the first female rabbis and cantors; our prayer books were among the earliest to be gender neutral. The work of WRJ goes on through lobbying, through funding, through support for special projects, here and around the world. So, join us for $30 and support the following:
Civil Rights: WRJ has led the Reform movement in support of racial equality, LBGTQ equality, the rights of people with disabilities, public education, immigration reform, gun violence prevention, employment rights, and criminal justice.
Economic Justice: As Reform Jewish women, WRJ takes pride in advocating for the most vulnerable. Jewish tradition compels us to work to end hunger, homelessness and poverty, and to encourage short and long-term solutions to economic injustice.
Environment: As Jewish women, we heed our tradition’s teachings to cherish the earth. WRJ is committed to safeguarding our natural resources, supporting research to repair damage from the past, and finding solutions for a sustainable future.
Women’s Rights: WRJ takes pride in its history of advocacy for women’s equality in the rabbinate, in the workplace, and in our society, raising voices for women’s suffrage and reproductive rights, and has taken a stand to end violence against women.
interfaith: Throughout our hundred years, WRJ has worked in conjunction with a variety of faith groups to promote mutual respect for our different traditions and to strengthen our work by joining together to accomplish shared goals.
israel & Global Affairs: WRJ is committed to supporting international peace efforts, human rights, and global health and development initiatives along with supporting the State of Israel, working to advance religious pluralism, and the peace process.
jewish Life: As a community of Jewish women, WRJ is committed to strengthening Jewish practice and family life, and to ensuring that our Reform movement continues to thrive for generations and generations to come.
Religious Freedom: WRJ celebrates the values of religious freedom that have allowed the Jewish community to thrive in North America and also strives to ensure religious pluralism internationally, so that all may freely practice their beliefs.
Happy New Year to all from the Sisterhood! Out with the old and in with the new. But before we send the old away, I’d like to thank everyone who helped make our December events a success!
The Super Supper and Silent Auction was a success because of the over 30 people who volunteered to cook, who solicited gift cards and donations, brought other donations, made phone calls, sorted the donations, set up everything and then cleared it up in the end. And, of course, we needed our guests who supported the auction! The evening was lots of fun and a great success.
In December over twenty Sisterhood members wrapped books and other items at Barnes & Noble. We earned tips for the Sisterhood. We thank Barnes & Noble for the opportunity to raise funds there and a big thank you to those whose nimble fingers did the wrapping!
So, on to the new year! Here’s the upcoming calendar so that you can reserve the dates. Hope to see you there!
Thursday, March 10, 7:00 p.m.—Sisterhood Meeting and a speaker
Sunday. & Monday, April 3 & 4—Sisterhood’s Spring Rummage Sale (Rummage will be dropped off on Sunday, April 3, beginning at 8:30 a.m.)
Friday, April 15, 6:00 p.m.—Sisterhood Shabbat Dinner following services
Thursday, May 19, 6:00 p.m.—Sisterhood Annual Meeting & Dinner
Friday, June 10, 6:00 pm.— Sisterhood Installation and Volunteer Appreciation dinner.
Plan on an evening out on Saturday, December 12. Everyone is invited to the Super Supper and Silent Auction at Temple Sinai! The evening will begin at 6 p.m. Homemade sauce and pasta, salad, bread, and, of course, desserts will be on the buffet table. Five dollars get you a plate for all you can eat!
Shortly after 6 p.m., the bidding will begin. Sisterhood has been collecting donations of gift cards, museum passes, jewelry, hand crafted items, household items, decorative items, and art works for a Silent Auction! Items will begin bidding below their real values to start the fun. Each item will have a place to write your name and bid on it.
While you enjoy your dinner, check on your favorite item to make sure you’re still the winner! Bidding will close at 7:30 p.m. and we will announce the winners. You can then bring your item to our cashiers (we take checks and cash) and bring it home with you.
And before you go, stop by our baked goods table and pick up a goody to go!
Sisterhood has done all the work preparing this evening. All we need to add to it is you! Please invite your friends to come with you; let us know you are coming so we can get ready for a great evening. Email us or call the temple (860) 561-1055 by Tuesday, December 8.
Hear Ye! Hear Ye! All members of Temple Sinai, young and old, are invited to a fine evening out!
On Saturday, December 12, at 6:00 p.m, the Sisterhood cooking crew will offer a home cooked pasta dinner and Silent Auction. Bring your family, bring your friends! This is open to everyone! The dinner is bargain priced, at $5 a person, because we want you to feel free to bid on our wonderful auction items.
The auction items will be on several tables: decorative and useful home goods, gift certificates, crafts and home made items and finally, home baked goods, wrapped and ready to take home with you. Of course, if you have something you would like to donate to one of the tables, please let me know by December 8
We want to put the fun into fundraiser, so plan on coming to the Social Hall on Saturday, December 12! Be part of our silent auction and Super Saturday Supper!
Suddenly it’s October and the holidays are nearly past. September brought the annual rush for Sisterhood of sending out calendars and New Year’s greetings, providing the break-fast for Yom Kippur, decorating the bima for Succot and checking on the flags for Simchat Torah, soon to come. Now it’s time to look ahead to autumn activities and the month of October.
On Thursday, October 22, Sisterhood will hold its annual Paid Up Membership dinner at 6:00 p.m. in the Social Hall. This special evening is for Sisterhood members who have paid their membership dues for 2015–2016. Our membership dues offer a basic membership for $30, the Sarah level. If you are able to contribute a bit more to support Sisterhood’s services to the temple, we hope you will join at the Miriam level for $36 or, better yet, the Golda level for $48. The different levels of support offer flexibility so that most women of Temple Sinai can participate. You can either mail a check to Sisterhood of Temple Sinai at the temple, or bring your dues on the evening of October 22. Whether you have the time to contribute to working on a specific project, or you just want to come to the social events, or you are so busy you choose to be a financial supporter, your membership is valued.
The program for the Paid Up Membership Dinner includes a buffet dinner and speaker for the evening. Our guest speaker will be Sarah Wesley Lemire, who writes the “Family Column” for Hartford Magazine. There is no cost for the dinner, but we need to order food in advance, so please let us now that you’re coming by Monday, October 12. You can either speak with the telephone tree caller who contacts you, or email Sisterhood
Our other October event is the Fall Rummage Sale, October 25 & 26. If you have lightly used clothing, small appliances and household items, books or other media, please bring them to the temple on Sunday morning, October 25, from 8:30-11:00 a.m. (If you can sort clothing into the categories of male, female, or children’s it is a big help to those of us doing setup.) We will greet you at the curb and bring your donations inside. Be sure to pick up a tax deduction receipt before you drive off. Our doors open at noon for the sale. Come and shop. There are great bargains to be had!
We have a busy year ahead. We are looking forward to seeing old friends and making new ones. We especially welcome new members to join the Sisterhood!
Welcome back from summertime. Hope it was full of days to relax, days to enjoy the sun, the beach and Connecticut’s beautiful outdoors. Hope you’re well rested and ready for a new year of Sisterhood activities!
Our first major Sisterhood meeting will take place October 22. The Paid Up Membership Dinner will bring together members of Sisterhood for dinner at 6:00 p.m., followed by our guest speaker, Sarah Wesley Lemire, who writes the “Family Column” for Hartford Magazine. Information on RSVP will be in the October bulletin, but mark your calendar now to save the date.
And speaking of dates, the last weekend of October is the Fall Rummage Sale. Please think of this as your main source to donate gently used clothing, smaller household items and electrical appliances as you do your autumn cleaning. Bring your bags to the temple on Sunday morning, October 25 and we’ll help unload them. We can sell them that afternoon and on Monday, October 26, to support Temple Sinai. Of course, Sisterhood will continue its support of Temple Sinai throughout the year, providing the Yom Kippur break-fast, onegs for Shabbat, candles, wine, financial support, holiday celebrations, the Sisterhood Garden and many other services.
In order to do so, we run activities which are fund raisers throughout the year. We sell honey for the New Year, run two Rummage Sales, offer a distinctive Temple Sinai Calendar, wrap for tips at Barnes and Noble in December, print Sisterhood Tributes in the bulletin, and several other fund raisers. We run the Judaica Shop in the lobby of Temple Sinai. This year we are hoping to add a Pasta Dinner and Silent Auction in December.
Sisterhood is always happy to welcome new volunteers to help out with these activities. Email me at and I’ll make sure there’s a place for you to fit in, help out and make new friends!
Sisterhood serves as more than a fund raising organization, though. Do you know that Sisterhood now sponsors three Rosh Chodesh groups? These smaller women’s groups vary in their focus. Some discuss issues, some focus on book discussions; some are more social in nature. Some meet in each other’s homes, some meet at the temple. They offer a path to growing friendship and support for each other. If you would like to be included in forming a fourth group, please go to the temple’s website at https://sinaict.org/organizations/sisterhood/rosh-chodesh-groups and click the yellow envelope icon to send an email.
There are many reasons to join the Sisterhood of Temple Sinai. Whether you have a lot of time or primarily can be a financial supporter, either is welcome. There are three levels of membership available so that you can pick your level of support. They are named for women of valor in the Jewish community. The first level, called Sarah, will be $30; the second, Miriam, will be $36; and the third, named for Golda, will be $48. This new system of choice will enable Sisterhood to avoid raising its dues, while offering an opportunity to contribute a bit more as your wishes guide you.
Whatever you choose, we welcome you or welcome you back to the New Year of Sisterhood!
Sisterhood is speeding into spring! Since last month’s bulletin was written, we have had:
A fascinating talk by Judy Dworin about the work she does in dance with incarcerated women
A very successful get together with the Sisterhood of Kol Haverim which resulted in hundreds of gift bags full of toiletries being prepared for distribution to the homeless via Charter Oak Cultural Center
The Spring Rummage Sale with so many wonderful volunteers
The 3rd Annual Shabbat Dinner
We now look at the last two months of spring and we see more events:
May 3, 9 a.m. Mitzvah Day/Garden Day
May 21, 6 p.m. Annual Meeting and Dinner with speaker
None of these events would take place if not for our wonderful volunteers. It is this spirit of working together that forms our community, our Sisterhood. As the 2014 – 2015 season draws to a close, I want to thank all of you who have stepped up and given your time, energy and yes, financial support to create a vibrant Sisterhood. It is because of you that we are able to give ongoing support to Temple Sinai. Have a wonderful summer, and we’ll see you again in September!
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Sisterhood Speaks (May–June 2016)
May 18, 2016 by urjnetworkadmin • Sisterhood Speaks 0 Comments
At the end of the Sisterhood March Musical Meeting, many in attendance were ready for encores. Well, we’ve arranged it! On May 19, Sisterhood will hold its Annual Meeting. Beginning at 6:30 p.m. we will enjoy desserts and social time. After a brief business meeting to elect the new board and pass the budget, we will enjoy the music of Alexandra and Ben and then Ginny Katz will perform with her group, Charter Oak Flutes. Please let us know that you are coming so that we can set up the tables and make sure there are enough desserts! You can call the temple and leave a message or email me
Sisterhood New Year Greeting for 5777/2016
Sisterhood is planning for this fall’s New Year’s Greeting. The New Year’s Greeting is a fundraiser for Sisterhood. This brings the Temple Sinai community together. The New Year’s Greeting card will be mailed out in August with the High Holy Day tickets, wishing all a L’Shana Tova. To be listed in the greeting, the cost is $5.00. Please contact Phyllis DeMaine by July 1 if you would like to be added or make changes in the New Year’s Greeting.
Calendar Ends
After many years, the Sisterhood Board has decided to discontinue publishing the Sisterhood of Temple Sinai Calendar. We thank all our advertisers, our purchasers, and those who supported us with listings of their special dates. We have found that with changing technologies, very few people are using a paper wall calendar, so we are moving on.
Rummage Sale Thanks
The Sisterhood Spring Rummage Sale was another success. Many thanks go to our generous congregation for all their donations. We would like to thank the following volunteers who worked very hard to help set up, sell, and clean up. Our sale was successful. (Apologies to anyone whom we may have missed.)
A special thanks to Joyce Sturm and Aurel Mucka for all their help with preparation of the sale.
Sincerely
Ann Speyer, Sisterhood President