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September Chai Lites!

September 1, 2025 by • ,

Hello Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends, the September Chai Lites are here to bring you all the way into 5786!  Our Past President and Past Editor, Lorraine Mixter, once again did a beautiful job in just a little time.  Arlene Greenberg is our behind-the-scenes photojournalist who submitted all of the lovely pictures from the Meet and Greet with Rabbi Guyster last month.  

 
This issue is your opportunity to respond to all that is calling in these significant times — to support your synagogue,  congregation, and community with your time, resources, and acts.  Don’t wait to:
  • Confirm your attendance at the September 13 Selichot Dinner and Service
  • Confirm your attendance on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and tell us how you will help us bring in the New Year and make our Day of Atonement its most meaningful.  Rabbi Guyster calls you to the bimah to contribute to the services however you can.  
  • Join our congregation and one or more committees!
We are inspired by how so many on our Board and in our congregation and community have stepped forward in the last challenging year and can’t wait to share the holidays with you.

Selichot Dinner and Service — Sat Sept 13, 6 PM

August 22, 2025 by • ,

Hello Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends, a correction on the flyer for our Selichot Dinner and Service with Rabbi Guyster on Saturday, September 13 at 6:00 pm — the dinner prices are corrected ($12 for Members, $15 for Non–Members).  Looking forward to this event with you!

Selichot Dinner 5786 with Rabbi Guyster

September 13, 2025

6 pm

Pasta Dinner

Variety of pastas and sauces

Salad

Bread

Dessert

$12 members

$15 non-members

Please RSVP by September 5th to:

Lorraine Mixter at: 863-409-8509 or lorrainemixter@aol.com

Please send your check to;

P.O. Box 313, Winter Haven Florida 33882-0313

OR thru Zelle to: web@templebethshalompolk.org

Meet Rabbi Will Guyster — Sun Aug 24, 11:00 am

August 13, 2025 by • ,

Dear Members and Friends, Temple Beth Shalom has a new Rabbi!  Please join us on Sunday, August 24 at 10:45 am.  There will be a presentation by the Board and Rabbi Guyster at 11:00 am, with light lunch to follow.

August 2025 Chai Lites

July 31, 2025 by • ,

Hello Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends, there’s so much for you to see in the August Chai Lites!  You just have to look inside for information on the upcoming Brotherhood/Sisterhood meeting and bagels (Sunday, August 3 at 10 am), the new picture of Bexleigh Feldman (she is a cutie!), announcement about our Meet and Greet with Rabbi Guyster on August 24, lay services, and more!  Thanks once again to Past President and Past Editor Lorraine Mixter for preparing another fantastic newsletter, and for all your contributions.

2025AugChai Lites

July 2025 Chai Lites

July 1, 2025 by • ,

Hello Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends, the July 2025 issue of the Chai Lites is here!  The last month was a difficult one with more sadness than we wanted for the start of our Summer, but because of all of you we also had much sweetness.  We so appreciate Lorraine Mixter for jumping in to prepare this issue while Ethan took time with his family, and we thank her and all of you for filling the newsletter with the things that make us smile and keep us together.

2025JulyChai Lites

June 2025 Chai Lites

June 3, 2025 by • ,

Dear Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends, join us in thanking Ethan Feldman for preparing this significant issue of the Chai Lites, and his first one as our new Editor.  He did a great job in organizing and sharing our memories of Rabbi Herzfeld upon his retirement.  He also had to make edits upon our receiving the news we never wanted, the unfortunate and sudden passing of our president and friend, Joseph Rodriguez.  Please see Joseph’s last column.

2025JuneChaiLites

Dinner with the Rabbi — Fri May 30, 6 PM

May 7, 2025 by • ,

May 2025 Chai Lites

May 1, 2025 by • ,

Hello Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends, the May 2025 Chai Lites issue is here!  Thank you everyone for getting that content in so quickly.  Lorraine Mixter did a lovely job with our newsletter as Editor these last many years, and consistently got us the news we needed and the updates from our friends.  She is passing on the Editor duties to one of our new Board Trustees, Ethan Feldman, and with his talents it is sure to continue to be a pleasure to read.

2025MayChai Lites

In Recognition of Rabbi Herzfeld’s Service to TBS

April 30, 2025 by • ,

Dear Temple Beth Shalom Congregation, by now you would have heard of the retirement of our longest-serving rabbi, Garson Herzfeld.  Rabbi Herzfeld had the longest term, consecutively or not, with Temple Beth Shalom of any rabbi since our congregation formed 40 years ago.  By a lot.  If you ask Rabbi Herzfeld why or how he came to be with us this length of time when so many others found better opportunities or more convenience, or something else to do; when there were so many stressors (economic challenges, hurricanes, personal illnesses, miles to travel, problems to solve, family changes, Covid)…he might say because he valued our little, warm Jewish community and our relationships.  We might say the same.

 
Rabbi Herzfeld’s last service with us will be on Friday, May 30, and we will have dinner in his honor.  We hope you will join us then.  
 
We would like to prepare a meaningful gift for Rabbi Herzfeld, with a contribution from each of you to remember us.  We’ll compile a booklet of any of the stories, photos, messages, acknowledgements, anything you will share about Rabbi’s time with us.  What did he teach you?  What was unique about his services, Torah Study, holidays?  What is a fond memory?  Please collect and email as much as you can to us by Friday, May 16 so we can prepare the gift for the end of the month.

Baruch Dayan haEmet: Morton Levine

April 8, 2025 by • ,

Dear Temple Beth Shalom Congregation, this morning we learned of the passing of our longtime member and friend to us all, Mr. Morton Levine.  Funeral services are planned for this Wednesday, April 9 at Rolling Hills Cemetery.  To extend your support to the family and for more funeral details, you can reach Morty’s daughter, Mona, at 678-683-4110.

 
 

At the rising sun and at its going down; We remember them.
At the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter; We remember them.
At the opening of the buds and in the rebirth of spring; We remember them.
At the blueness of the skies and in the warmth of summer; We remember them.
At the rustling of the leaves and in the beauty of the autumn; We remember them.
At the beginning of the year and when it ends; We remember them.
As long as we live, they too will live, for they are now a part of us as We remember them.

When we are weary and in need of strength; We remember them.
When we are lost and sick at heart; We remember them.
When we have decisions that are difficult to make; We remember them.
When we have joy we crave to share; We remember them.
When we have achievements that are based on theirs; We remember them.
For as long as we live, they too will live, for they are now a part of us as, We remember them.

‘We Remember Them’ by Sylvan Kamens & Rabbi Jack Riemer

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