Temple News
Social Action Update – 7/23/2020
Five Ways You Can Get Involved To Make A Difference In Our Community
Reform Judaism’s beliefs grow from the Hebrew Prophets’ calls for social justice. We are to do what we can to make those values manifest and real in our community. Here are four things you can get involved with or attend with Temple Sinai to make a difference:
- Anti-Racism Book Group
- Speaker Evan Traylor
- Help Get Out the Vote
- Support the South Burlington Food Shelf
- Get Involved With Our Social Action/Tikkun Olam Committee
Chaverim News – July 15, 2020
MASK MAKING CONTINUES
Chaverim’s small, but dedicated mask making army continues their sewing. To date we have made 1170 masks. Chances are, by the time you read this, the count will have changed! At this time most of our efforts are for Howard Mental Health. They have approximately 1500 employees and so far we’ve made 400 masks for them.
Thanks to Barb Hicken for securing a donation of mask kits from Vermont Teddy Bear Company for us. This is a big help in our efforts to make the world safer one mask at a time!
GRANDPARENTING AT A DISTANCE
Staying in touch with my grandchildren has been a big challenge during COVID and will continue to be challenging for some time to come, I imagine. I’m thankful for Skype, Zoom and Facetime calls which have enabled us to stay in touch. Now if someone would just invent “Hug- a-Vision,” I’d be happy. A newly acquired friend was telling me about JEWISH GRANDPARENTS NETWORK and how it’s been helpful to her during COVID in maintaining contact with her grandkids. I checked it out and it has some wonderful resources. I invite all you grandparents to check it out, if you’re not familiar with it.
Another resource this friend mentioned was the Caribu app. You can video chat with kids and it integrates stories and other fun things. It’s free. I’ll be checking it out this week and will update you on my experience with it in coming weeks.
CALLING CHICKS WITH STICKS
Chaverim is reigniting the knitting group at Temple. Henceforth, we shall be known as the KNITZVAH CREW. If you knit or crochet, consider joining us to create items to be donated to various local organizations. If you’re interested in joining us, please contact the Temple office. I hope to have a virtual meeting of the group sometime in August so we can decide where we want our efforts to go for Fall/Winter 2020.
UPCOMING EVENTS
We are working on putting together a Family Game Night for some time in August. More details to follow.
We also are hoping to start an Interfaith Women’s Book Group with women of the Jewish, Christian and Islamic faith to explore each other’s faith systems and our experiences. This would a non-political group. Hopefully, it will be a vehicle for great understanding and friendship between our groups. If you’re interested in such a group, let us know. I hope we can do this face to face rather than via Zoom. Our email address is chaverim@templesinaivt.org
As always, if you or someone you know is in need of support with meals, transportation or a phone call, let us know. You can email us or leave a message on the Temple phone, 802-862-5125, and we’ll be in touch. Stay safe. And wear your mask, please!
Do Something!
On Wednesday of this week, Xusana Davis, VT Director of Racial Equity, was asked to respond to the following question, “What can Vermonters do right now?” Her answer, “Do Something.”
Sometimes we feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the challenge before us. A simple step, large or small, can get us going. Acting begets more acting.
Consider this medium.com list of 75 ways in which you might act. Choose one (or more!) or create your own action.
Important Announcement – School Opening Delayed
September 14, 2020 by templesinai • Religious School, Temple News •
Shalom Mishpachot/Dear Families:
“The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry'”
We had a run through with the teaching staff and things did not go well. Rather than begin a new school year with technical problems, we are going to take more time to work them out.
This week we will work on the tech issues and next Thursday (Sept. 24), we will have a technical run through with all of our Religious School families to make sure everything is working. We won’t have regular class, just a chance to see if you can all get into the assembly and your classes. It will be a great opportunity for you and your child to meet your teachers and iron out all the glitches.
Then, if everything is good, we will begin school in earnest on October 1st.
Watch your email and the weekly announcements for all the updates. And, as always, feel free to call, text, or email me with any concerns or suggestions.
Shanah tovah,
Morah Judy