Member-Led Sukkot Service — Fri Oct 10, 6:30 PM

October 6, 2025 by •

Dear Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends, we have many thanks for the Brotherhood/Sisterhood for quickly organizing a group to decorate our Sukkah, and now we invite you to enjoy it with them, the congregation, and our larger community in a brief member-led Sukkot service on Friday, October 10 at 6:30 pm.  Weather permitting, please join us in the Sukkah to make blessings and shake the lulav and etrog.  The group is headed to Outback Steakhouse for dinner after the service if you would like to join that as well.

TOMORROW/Sun Oct 5, 12 PM — ALL HANDS NEEDED FOR SUKKAH DECORATING

October 4, 2025 by •

Hello Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends, the Brotherhood/Sisterhood is leading a Sukkah decorating session at our location tomorrow/Sunday, October 5 at 12:00 pm, weather permitting.  Great if you have decorations and branches or palm fronds from your yard you can share.  If you don’t feel up to climbing or walking around in the grass, we can definitely use your help sorting, repairing, and making decorations and just sharing your good vibes.  This is a great activity for our young members and friends, so bring the kids!

Next Service — Sat Oct 25, 9:30 am

October 3, 2025 by •

Hello Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends, it was such a wonderful time with you on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur!  We have a terrific community because of you.  We had such a good talk on Yom Kippur that we asked the participants if they’d like a format like that the next time we meet.  After polling the group and checking with Rabbi Guyster on his schedule, we determined that our next best opportunity will be Saturday, October 25 — so we will cancel the service on Friday night the 24th and meet Saturday morning, October 25 at 9:30 am for a Shabbat service and Torah Study we’re sure will be friendly, interactive, and illuminating as was our meeting this week. We will have any updates as the date approaches.

October 2025 Chai Lites

October 1, 2025 by • ,

Gmar Chatimah Tovah again Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends!  Our intrepid Editors, Lorraine Mixter and Ethan Feldman compiled a lovely issue of the Chai Lites before Yom Kippur for you.  It was wonderful to see so many of you on Rosh Hashanah, and we look forward to having you with us again this week.

2025Oct Chai Lites

Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur — Wed Oct 1, Thurs Oct 2

September 30, 2025 by •

G’mar Chatimah Tovah Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends!  The High Holidays continue with this week’s Kol Nidre/Erev Yom Kippur service this Wednesday, October 1 at 7:00 pm.  The Yom Kippur Morning Service follows at 10:00 am on Thursday, October 2.  We return on Thursday afternoon for the Yom Kippur Afternoon Service at 4:00 pm, followed by Yiskor and Neilah.  

 
If you are participating in the Break Fast after services on Thursday and if you have not done so already, reach out to our Break Fast Coordinator, Sharon Johnson at 516-241-4512 or Wb2LfY@msn.com.
 
All services on Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur will also be available on Zoom, please contact us for the link.

Time to Build the Chai Lites!

September 28, 2025 by • ,

Shana Tovah Temple Beth Shalom!  It’s a new year, a new month approaches, so it is time to build a new issue of the Chai Lites!  We need your help to bring it in for October and Yom Kippur.  Our experienced editors, Lorraine Mixter and Ethan Feldman await your updates, messages, columns, photos, and articles.  Please send them to lorrainemixter@aol.com by October 1 so they can get it going for us.

Yom Kippur Break Fast Coordinator Needed

September 24, 2025 by • ,

Happy New Year Temple Beth Shalom Members!  An update, we had a need and Sharon Johnson stepped forward — thank you Sharon!  If you are attending the Break Fast after Yom Kippur services and you have not checked in with Sharon yet, please contact her and let her know what you will contribute.  Sharon is at 516-241-4512 or Wb2LfY@msn.com.

Baruch Dayan haEmet: Gerald Heyman

September 22, 2025 by •

Dear Temple Beth Shalom Congregation, we received the sad news today that our cherished member and friend, Jerry Heyman, after a long illness passed into eternity last night.  His loving kindness endured through all.  We remember Jerry as a dedicated longtime member of Temple Beth Shalom, often as a participant on our Board and a cheerful presence at many of our services and activities.  He was an important part of us through our synagogue’s busiest years and contributed much with his gentle intelligence and positive attitude.  His smile and encouragement will be dearly missed.  

 
What though the radiance
Which was once so bright
Be now for ever taken from my sight,
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass,
Of glory in the flower,
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind;
In the primal sympathy
Which having been must ever be;
In the soothing thoughts that spring
Out of human suffering;
In the faith that looks through death,
In years that bring the philosophic mind.
                                                                                                                                                   Splendour in the Grass by William Wordsworth

Joseph Rodriguez Memorial Page

September 22, 2025 by •

Good afternoon Temple Beth Shalom Congregation, we appreciate Joseph Rodriguez’ daughter, Lauren Hisey, for sharing Joseph’s memorial page with us to view.  It’s lovely to see Joseph’s photo as we remember him, and to read about all of his accomplishments and organizations to which he contributed, including ours.  These and his family are his legacy.  May his memory continue to be as a blessing.

Rosh Hashanah — Mon Sept 22-Tues Sept 23

September 20, 2025 by •

Shabbat Shalom and L’Shana Tova Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends!  We have information on the upcoming Rosh Hashanahservices for you.  Our observance begins with Erev Rosh Hashanah on this Monday, September 22 at 7:00 pm.  The Rosh Hashanah Morning Service follows at 10 am on Tuesday, September 23.  We hope to see everybody from our community, if not in our synagogue building, then on Zoom (contact us for the link — it works for both Erev Rosh Hashanahand Rosh Hashanah).

 
Rabbi Guyster sends his best holiday wishes to you and very much wants to see you.  He encourages you in the spirit of the season to wear white to the services and no animal materials (no leather or suede shoes, belts, etc. — so comfortable shoes it is!).  He has a white kippah for anyone who would like to wear one.
 
Also to help bring us to the meaning of the season, Rabbi Guyster is teaching us this song he introduced to us in August: https://youtu.be/mek6uox2bG0?si=Ev3cfpsXUeK5KOv2.  It is a lovely melody and easy to learn, since it is a single phrase, repeated.  It is just what we need in these times to find peace through all that is happening in the world and all that we care about, and balance with all that is good.  There is Hebrew and transliteration, and all you have to learn is:

Ozi V’Zimrat Yah
Va Y’Hi-Li L’Yishua
We are going to sing it on Monday night until we hear everybody!  We hope this begins a sweet New Year for you.
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From the Union For Reform Judaism / Reform Movement

From Scared to Sacred: Healing Our Collective Trauma in the New Year

From Scared to Sacred: Healing Our Collective Trauma in the New Year jemerman

Israel Peace and Security
Photo of six hands making the shape of a heart
Rabbi Rick Schechter reflects on the effects of prolonged, ongoing trauma and how the values of compassion and gratitude offer a path to communal and individual healing.

Two Years Later: Memory and Meaning on October 7th

Two Years Later: Memory and Meaning on October 7th jemerman

Israel
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Two years after the October 7th attacks, Rabbi Josh Weinberg shares five lessons drawn from Jewish wisdom and challenges us to transform collective grief into purpose.

Resources for Marking the Anniversary of October 7th

Resources for Marking the Anniversary of October 7th jemerman

Israel Peace and Security
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These materials include readings, interviews, and more that reflect on the year that has passed since the October 7th attacks.

Discovering Israel, Adventure, and Growth at Heller High

Discovering Israel, Adventure, and Growth at Heller High jemerman

teens
Photo of students posing with the AHAVA sign in Israel
As the leaves begin to turn in North America and young people return to school, some teens in grades 10-12 have embarked on a back-to-school trek that spans oceans and time zones. These teens have elected to spend a semester in the URJ Heller High program at Alexander Muss High School in Hod HaSharon, Israel.