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.

Yom Kippur Services — Status Update

October 10, 2024 by •

Hello Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends, here is an update to our plans for this Friday and Saturday:
 
  • Dinner with the Rabbi tomorrow, October 11 is unfortunately cancelled due to post-hurricane travel and business closing issues.
  • Kol Nidre/Erev Yom Kippur services on Friday, October 11 at 7:30 pm will be on ZOOM ONLY for similar reasons.  We hope you have sufficient electricity and internet access to be able to join us.
  • We will update as soon as possible on the status of the Saturday, October 12 Yom Kippur schedule of services as information becomes available.
Please contact us for the link. Please take care of yourself and your loved ones and we will keep you up-to-date, and hope to see you again soon.

Kol Nidre Service — Friday Oct 11, 7:30 pm

October 10, 2024 by •

Hello Temple Beth Shalom Members and Friends, we hope you are safe and well!  Some of our members are still at their evacuation sites, and hopefully will return by tomorrow morning.  We are looking at power outage maps to see what the status is for our services, and cannot advise yet if we will have in-person services tomorrow and/or Saturday.  We have Zoom links prepared which we would use for at-home attendees, so will provide those. Please contact us for the link.

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From the Union For Reform Judaism / Reform Movement

Resources for Marking the Anniversary of October 7th

Resources for Marking the Anniversary of October 7th jemerman

Israel
Photo of two hands holding a memorial candle, with white label and a blue star of david on it
These materials include readings, interviews, and more that reflect on the year that has passed since the October 7th attacks.

Crossing the Bridge from the Particular to the Universal

Crossing the Bridge from the Particular to the Universal jemerman

Yom Kippur
Photo of a person standing at the end of a dock on a body of water with the sun setting
This year, as Jews across the globe begin to prepare for the High Holy Days, the most sacred time of year, I personally feel a sense of deep despair and fierce urgency to enter the year of 5786 embracing the particular and the universal.

Poems of Sorrow and Hope

Poems of Sorrow and Hope jemerman

Arts and Culture
Photo of a sun setting over a desert
As I wrestled with my feelings after October 7th, I found that poetry offered me an unexpected outlet. Whether reflecting on the lives lost, the joy of seeing hostages come home, or the comfort I found in our traditions, writing gave me a respite from the complex emotions I was experiencing.

Two Pockets, Two Lessons, One New Year

Two Pockets, Two Lessons, One New Year jemerman

Rosh HaShanah
Photo of a shofar, kiddish cup and old prayer book
As the shofar’s call approaches and we step into the sacred space of a new year, we are invited to hold two truths at once: that our lives matter beyond measure, and that we are but a small part of a vast and unfolding universe.