Shabbat Nov 22-23

November 20, 2024 by •

Hello Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends!  Shabbat always comes, and we have another opportunity to worship, learn, talk, and of course eat together!  Shabbat begins this Friday, November 22 at 7:30 pm with a traditional service led by Rabbi Herzfeld and with Meryl Crews cantorial accompaniment.  The service will be held at our synagogue and simultaneously on Zoom.  The next morning, Saturday November 23 at 9:30 we have Torah Study, which is always fun and illuminating.  Rabbi Herzfeld will teach us on Zoom to a group at the synagogue building, where we will enjoy a light brunch.  If you’re unable to come to our site in Winter Haven for either event, contact us for the Zoom link.

Dinner with the Rabbi — Fri Nov 22, 5 pm

November 17, 2024 by • ,

Dinner with the Rabbi 

Enjoy your Shabbat meal with Rabbi Herzfeld, take the opportunity to chat with the Host and the Rabbi.

November 22nd at 5:00 pm

Host: Bert Devorsetz

Outback Steakhouse

170 Cypress Gardens Blvd,

Winter Haven, FL 33880

R.S.V.P. by November 20th to:  lorrainemixter@aol.com

Or text or call: 863-409-8509

Bert & Dottie and the Rabbi look forward to dining with you.

Host Dinner with the Rabbi

November 15, 2024 by • ,

Dinner with the Rabbi 

Be the Host and enjoy a meal with Rabbi Herzfeld.

You choose the restaurant (from the many options in Winter Haven, or your home)

November  22nd 

Restaurant of your choosing

The Rabbi is looking forward to dining with you and getting to know you better.

Sign up to host the Rabbi by contacting

Lorraine Mixter at: lorrainemixter@aol.com

or 863-409-8509

Member-Led Service — Sat Nov 9, 11:00 am

November 8, 2024 by •

Hello Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends, in continuing to meet our goals of a varied schedule and engaging activities for our Congregation and Guests, we have a Saturday Morning Shabbat service for you this weekend on November 9 at 11:00 am.  Our Past President, Joseph Rodriguez will lead the service.

November 2024 Chai Lites

October 31, 2024 by • ,

Hello Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends, we are so impressed and grateful that our contributors and Editor got the Chai Lites together for you so quickly!  See what your synagogue’s members, Board, and Brotherhood/Sisterhood have been up to and what is coming in November/December.

2024NovChai Lites

Shabbat Oct 25-26

October 23, 2024 by •

Hello Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends, this week we celebrate THREE holidays: this week we observe the end of Sukkot, the beginning of Simchat Torah, and of course it will be Shabbat!  This Friday, October 25 at 7:30 pm we will have a traditional Shabbat service along with celebration of the Torah, and conclude with shaking the lulav and etrog and kiddush in the sukkah, weather permitting.  All of those are certainly best in person at the synagogue, but the Zoom option as always will be available. Please contact us for the link.

We will begin a trial of Torah Study in a hybrid format as well, to give our congregation and guests the best of both worlds!  So if you prefer to learn with us in person, we will be meeting and broadcasting from the synagogue on Saturday, October 26 at 9:30 am.  Come on down and have a coffee and nosh with us while we get our study on!  And again, if Zoom works better for you at this time, it will be available, just contact us for the link.

Chai Lites Editor Needs Your Pieces Now

October 22, 2024 by •

Hello Temple Beth Shalom Members, in order to get the Chai Lites to you for next month in a timely manner, we need your items now.  Lots of people to thank for bringing us through Hurricane Milton and the High Holidays together!  Please send your columns, updates, photos, messages of thanks, and any other items to Lorraine Mixter at lorrainemixter@aol.com by Friday, October 25.

Dinner with the Rabbi

October 22, 2024 by •

Enjoy a meal with Rabbi Herzfeld, and the Host Lorraine Mixter.

Take this opportunity to chat with the Rabbi and his host.

Friday, October 25th at 5:30 pm

   Olive Garden Restaurante

  405 Cypress Gardens Blvd, Winter Haven, FL 33880

R.S.V.P. by Thursday, October 24th to:  lorrainemixter@aol.com

Or text or call: 863-409-8509

Lorraine and the Rabbi look forward to dining with you.

2024 Membership Directory

October 17, 2024 by • ,

Shana Tovah Temple Beth Shalom Congregation!  After a great deal of patience and effort, the 2024 Directory is available.  Copies will be printed for you to pick up at the synagogue building.  Many thanks to the following:

  • Our media Editor and President, Lorraine Mixter, for coordinating all of the contributors and following this project through to completion.
  • Lorraine Mixter, Rabbi Herzfeld, and Past President Joseph Rodriguez for contributing pieces of writing,
  • All of the members and business owners who submitted ads.
  • Meryl Crews for printing copies.
  • And our multi-talented and hard-working tech expert, Ethan Feldman, for updating the layout and content.

Yom Kippur Services Update — Sat Oct 12, 10:30 am

October 11, 2024 by •

Hello Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends, it was delightful to see so many of you on tonight’s Zoom Kol Nidre service.  These times show what strength and love we have among us.  We are pleased to report that minutes before the start of tonight’s service we saw that power was restored to our synagogue building, so in-person services will be onstarting with the Yom Kippur Morning Service at 10:30 am.  There will be a break after the Morning Service, and at 3:00 pm we will return for our customary discussion period — Rabbi Herzfeld will lead a viewing of the October 7 Memorial program, In Memory and Hope.  The afternoon services follows immediately at 4:00 pm, then the Stone Service, Yizkor, Neilah, and finally the Break the Fast prepared by Trish Safer (thank you Trish!).  These activities will also be viewable live on Zoom if you are unable to come to the building for whatever reason, please contact us for the link.

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From the Union For Reform Judaism / Reform Movement

For Some of Us the Holidays Are Just…Hard

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