Categories
Announcement

Upcoming

  • Friday, March 15, 5:30pm: Kabbalat Shabbat and Ma’ariv services
  • Saturday, March 16:
    • 9:30am: Shabbat morning services
    • 12:15pm: Kiddush
    • 8:15pm: Havdalah (Zoom only)
  • Sunday, March 17, 5:00 – 7:00 PM: TI Pizza Meet & Greet
  • Tuesday, March 19, 5:30pm: Minchah service
  • Friday, March 22, 5:30pm: Kabbalat Shabbat and Ma’ariv services
  • Saturday, March 23:
    • 9:30am: Shabbat morning services
    • 12:15pm: Kiddush
    • 8:15pm: Havdalah (Zoom only)
  • Sunday, March 24, 10am: PURIM Celebration with Megilllah Reading

Synagogue Life

Categories
Event

Hamantashen Baking!

Wednesday, March 20th, 1:00 – 3:00pm

Purim will be here soon (Sunday March 24th). We are looking for volunteers to come on help make the delicious Purim treat. Please email the office if you are able to participate.

Categories
Event

Purim Celebration and Megillah Reading!

By order of Queen Esther, come one, come all to the Temple Israel Purim Celebration and Megillah Reading!

Sunday, March 24, 2024 (14 Adar II 5784)
10:00 AM, TI Sanctuary

Purim is a time of joy and celebration. Wear your Purim costume finery proudly and fulfill the mitzvah of hearing the reading of “the whole megillah”, featuring TI congregants and BU Hillel students reading from the scroll, a bit of fun, and refreshments!

Categories
Education

Rabbi Friedman‘s

D’Var Torah, Mishpatim, 5784 (2/10/2024)

is now available.

Categories
Event

Save the Date

Temple Israel’s Chocolate Seder

Sunday, April 14, 2024, 5:00pm

More information to follow

Categories
Announcement

March 2024

Letter from the Rabbi

Dear Temple Israel Community,

Happy March! 

     This year, March brings us to the festival of Purim, one of the most joyous, celebratory and fun days of the Jewish calendar! Towards the end of March, we will celebrate together and in partnership with Hillel at Binghamton with a joyous Sunday morning Megillah reading and meal! I hope you will all be able to join us on March 24th at 10 AM for this great event. 

     Traditional ways of celebrating Purim include dressing in masks and costumes, sending gifts of food to our friends, giving gifts to people experiencing poverty, hosting festive meals and eating Hamentashen. Yet, the centerpiece of the celebration of Purim is the communal reading of Megillat Esther – the book of Esther.

     In this odd book of the Bible, we do not find any mention of the name of G-d. Yet, we do find a familiar narrative arc through which we can sense the mysterious workings of the Godly. There was an evil effort to kill the Jewish people which was defeated in an apparently miraculous sequence of events. In generation after generation, our people have found inspiration in this story to overcome times of intense hatred and animosity. 

     As we continue to find ourselves in a time of acute concern for our brothers and sisters in the land of Israel, this story may take on a unique resonance this year. Strikingly, the way that the villainous Haman describes the Jewish people could be understood as a positive description of the unique character of our people in Esther 3,8:

     There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the other peoples in all states and countries and their religion is different from any others. 

     While Haman believed that our people’s difference was a cause for our destruction, the Megillah implies (in my eyes) that the ways in which we are different make us stronger. Our dispersal throughout the world has enabled us to survive tyrants and foolish kings since ancient times and to even find reasons to celebrate and rejoice together.

     So while we enter March still marred in the darkness and tragedy of ongoing war in our ancient homeland, our holy day of Purim offers us an opportunity to celebrate and rejoice in this dispersed, diasporic community of Temple Israel.

     Please, join us this month for our Purim celebration and for our regular Shabbat celebrations and be in touch if you would appreciate my support with the events of your life. 

Rabbi Micah R. Friedman

הרב מיכה שמחה פרידמן 

Categories
Announcement

March 2024

Letter from the President

Dear Members and Friends of Temple Israel,

     While our concerns for the welfare and hope for release of the hostages still held captive by the Hamas terrorists remain top of mind, the growing humanitarian crisis precipitated by that atrocity is horrific. We hope that the leaders of all sides, with guidance and support of other world leaders, will somehow be able to eke out a peaceful resolution. Though none of us have ready answers or foresee an easy solution, many find solace in our traditional prayer services, and some seek guidance from our Rabbi, who makes his counsel readily available. Our weekly Shabbat services now include a prayer for the hostages authored by Rabbi Friedman, and our collective Mishebayrach for the sick goes out to all affected by this tragedy.

     February, usually quiet, was still a busy month at our synagogue, with a full slate of services, a few classes and programs in-person and on zoom, and, unfortunately, several funerals. Our calendar is filling up for March, with joint TI/TC Adult Ed, Jewish Quest for Wisdom, and a Pizza Meet & Greet focused on engaging newer members. We are pleased to see that an ever-increasing number of you are visiting our improved website: TempleIsraelVestal.org.  There you can find news of upcoming and recent events, Rabbi Friedman’s sermons, a link to our on-line calendar, and, from time-to-time, hidden gems from the archives or other sources. Please bookmark the website so that it becomes your go-to source for the latest information. Of course, we will also maintain our weekly “Upcoming” email as a convenient summary of significant items in the week ahead, our monthly Bulletin to recap, and our text alert system for brief messages in the case of singular or urgent notices.

      I would like to particularly express my appreciation to our Caring Community and our Ritual Committee for their ceaseless efforts on behalf of our community. Visiting the ill and shut-in is truly a mitzvah, and during the winter months there are fewer locals available to depend on, so if you are interested in joining this group, please contact Rita Bleier or Judy Simons.  The Ritual Committee helps Rabbi Friedman organize service leadership and ensures that all runs smoothly, whether the Rabbi is here or away. Special thanks to Howard Schwartz, Steve Gilbert, Dave Channin, Richard Schneierson, Mark Hubal, and others who take to the bimah whenever needed.

     Once again, I thank each of you for  your timely fulfillment of your Dues commitments, and for your many other donations, of whatever size. A financial gift can recognize a yahrtzeit, send speedy-recovery wishes, or mark the celebration or anniversary of a simcha. It’s a nice way to mark the event and help your synagogue at the same time. Most important, we seek your participation in our services, classes, and affairs. If you’d like to volunteer, you are welcome. If you would like us to offer a specific class or program, let us know. The Pizza Meet & Greet on March 17th would be a perfect opportunity to broach new ideas.

     The Rabbis tell us to BE HAPPY in Adar, and in 5784, we have two months of Adar, so TWO chances to BE HAPPY!

b’shalom,
Art

Arthur B. Siegel
President – Temple Israel

Categories
Education

From the Temple Israel Library

March 2024

by Ann Cohen

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About Us

Welcome

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