Sisterhood Speaks (September 2015)

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 new message24 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!

Ann Speyer Sisterhood President new message24