Host Dinner with the Rabbi February 14 or March 14

January 31, 2025 by • , ,

Dinner with the Rabbi is Back

Be the Host and enjoy a meal with Rabbi Herzfeld.

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

February 14th  or March 14th  

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

Baruch Dayan haEmet: Jacki Korn

January 29, 2025 by •

Dear Temple Beth Shalom Congregation, it is with great sadness that we tell you of the passing of our friend, Jacki Korn.  Jacki had a long journey through illness and recovery and passed on January 27.  We are grateful for the time we had with Jacki and our Mah Jongg players cherished good times with her over the years.  Please keep your thoughts with her devoted husband, Irv, as he travels to family out-of-state where Jacki will be laid to rest.  May Jacki’s memory be for a blessing.

Mourner’s Kaddish for Everyday
By Debra Cash

Build me up of memory
loving and angry, tender and honest.
Let my loss build me a heart of wisdom,
compassion for the world’s many losses
Each hour is mortal
and each hour is eternal
and each hour is our testament.
May I create worthy memories
all the days of my life.

Baruch Dayan haEmet: Donald Maize

January 28, 2025 by •

Dear Temple Beth Shalom Congregation, we are sad to share with you that we lost one of our newest friends, Mr. Donald Maize.  Mr. Maize came to us in July 2023 with an open heart and we wish we had more time to know him.  This world released him to eternity on January 24.  President Lorraine Mixter will be leading his service with his family on tomorrow, January 29 at 11:00 am in the Temple Beth Shalom section at Rolling Hills Cemetery in Winter Haven.  Please come if you can to say goodbye to Mr. Maize and give support to his family and Temple Beth Shalom; it will be a mitzvah and a kindness.

 

 

There are stars
whose light reaches the earth only after they themselves have disintegrated
and are no more.

 

 

And there are people
whose scintillating memory lights the world after they have passed from it.

 

 

These lights –
which shine in the darkest night – are those which illumine for us the path.

 

       —Hannah Senesh

 

Yesh kokhavim
she’oram magi’a artzah rak ka’asher heym atzmam avdu v’eynam.

 

 

Yesh anashim
she-ziv zikhram me’ir ka’asher heym atzmam eynam yoter bitokheynu.

 

 

Orot eyleh –
ha-mavhikim bi-kheshkat ha-laila – heym shemarim la’adam et orot ha-derekh.

 

  יֵשׁ כּוֹכָבִים

שֶׁאוֹרָם מַגִּיעַ אַרְצָה רַק כְּאַשֵּׁר הֵם עַצְמָם אָבְדוּ וְאֵינָם

יֵשׁ אֲנָשִׁים

שֶׁזִּיו זִכְרָם מֵאִיר כְּאַשֵּׁר הֵם עַצְמָם אֵינָם יוֹתֵר בְּתוֹכֵנוּ

אוֹרוֹת אֵלֶּה

הַמַּבְהִיקִים בַּחֲשֵׁכַת הַלַּיְלָה –הֵם שֶׁמַּרְאִים לָאָדָם אֶת אוֹרוֹת הַדֶּרֶךְְ

Member-Led Shabbat Service — Sat Jan 25, 10:30 am

January 23, 2025 by •

Hello Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends, it’s cold outside, but Member-Led Shabbat services make it feel like Summer!  Our Board Vice President, Bert Devorsetz, kindly offered to lead a Shabbat service in our building on this coming Saturday, January 25 at 10:30 am.  Come on out and enjoy the service, and say hello to Bert.

Shabbat Jan 17-18

January 15, 2025 by •

Hello Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends, it is still cool outside, but the light and friendship of our synagogue are always warm!  We meet again for Shabbat services with Rabbi Herzfeld on Friday, January 17 at 7:30 pm.  We will enjoy our traditional Shabbat service with Meryl Crews’ vocal accompaniment.  You can attend with us in the building, and the service will be available via the Zoom link. Please contact us for the Zoom link. Remember if there are names you wish to have added to the Mi Shebeirach list, send them to Secretary Margo Fleisher at margosfb@hotmail.com, or 863-873-8969. 

 
Torah Study follows on Saturday, January 18 at its later time, 10:00 am.  We will again meet in the synagogue building, but will also be available through the same Zoom link. Please contact us for the Zoom link.

Dinner with the Rabbi — Fri Jan 17, 5:30 pm

January 11, 2025 by • ,

Dinner with the Rabbi 

Enjoy a meal with Rabbi Herzfeld, and the Hosts Arlene Greenberg & LeeAnn Martinez

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

Friday, January 17th at 5:30 pm

   Carrabba’s Italian Grill

  910 3rd St SW, Winter Haven, FL 33880

R.S.V.P. by Thursday, January 16th to:  lorrainemixter@aol.com

or text or call: 863-409-8509

Arlene, Lee Ann and the Rabbi look forward to dining with you.

January 2025 Chai Lites

January 3, 2025 by • ,

Happy New Year Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends!  In between cooking latkes, working with our Board and membership event planners, celebrating Chanukah, and among many other things, our Editor and President, Lorraine Mixter prepared a lovely issue of the Chai Lites!  We are thankful to her and grateful also to our many talented contributors.

2025JanChai Lites

Shabbat/Chanukah — Dec 27-28

December 25, 2024 by • , , ,

Chag Chanukah Sameach Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends!  We light the first candle in our homes tonight at sundown.  It will be the third night of Chanukah when we meet this Friday, December 27, and we will light the three candles together.  Our Board members and their helpers have a lovely dinner planned to start at 6:00 pm.  If you plan to come to dinner but have not advised the planners, let Lorraine Mixter at lorrainemixter@aol.com know ASAP.

 
Along with delicious food and friendship, we will have songs and an entertaining skit Beverly Lerner authored to share with you.  After dinner and singing, we will have a short, traditional Shabbat service.  The service will be on Zoom as well as in the sanctuary, for anyone unable to make it in for the on-site festivities.
 
Your Secretary, Margo Fleisher, took over the Mi Shebeirach list so you can send any additions to her at margosfb@hotmail.com or 863-873-8969.
 
We are trying a later time for our hybrid on-site/Zoom Torah Study session.  Torah Study will meet on Saturday, December 28 at 10:00 am.  The Zoom link will work for both the service and the Torah Study. Contact us for the link. 

Hanukah Celebration Friday Dec 27, 6 pm

December 15, 2024 by • ,

Get Ready To Light The Candles! 

  Hanukah Celebration

Learn about Jewish resistance and survival.

Gather at the table with friends, songs, a Chanukah play and lots of food to eat.

Bring your menorah for the candle lighting. We will provide the candles.

Dinner is followed by a play written by

 our resident author, Beverly Lerner.

Friday evening, December 27th at 6:00 pm

 Dinner will be catered by Love Bird Almost Famous

Fried or Grilled Chicken, Vegetables, Potato Latkes, Drinks and Dessert.

Hanukah Gelt and Dreidels included!

Members $12.00. Non-Members and Guests $15.00.

No cost for children five and under.

Please RSVP no later than December 22th.

Your check is your reservation. Send your check to Temple Beth Shalom

P.O. Box 313, Winter Haven, FL 33882

For more information or for reservations: lorrainemixter@aol.com

863-409-8509

Member-Led Service — Sat Dec 14, 11:00 am

December 12, 2024 by •

Hello Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends, you can keep your congregational spirit warm this season by attending this Saturday’s Member-Led Shabbat Service with our esteemed President, Lorraine Mixter on December 14 at 11:00 am.  This service will be in-person only (no Zoom).  It is sure to be another lovely and meaningful experience.  The group plans to meet for lunch after the service at Azteca in Winter Haven for all who are interested.

«‹ 3 4 5 6›»

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