April 2025

The Temple Emanu-El Auction, which was started by our hard-working First Vice President John Murphy and which became our largest fundraiser for many years, ran its course. We changed that format to a fancier gala-type Starry Night Dinner Dance but that quickly lost its momentum after three years.

This month, the most important message I must convey to you is on behalf John, who has convened a new Terri Goldsmith Golf Tournament Committee made up of congregants who either love to play golf or loved and miss Terri Goldsmith who left a legacy of engaging and memorable Jewish education lessons for our youth and generously shared her time, effort, and enthusiastic spirit to us. The committee has been planning what will hopefully become a successful annual event for our Temple.

We are trying something new with this golf tournament. We are partnering with a worthy cause, Yale New Haven Health Smilow Cancer Hospital in Terri’s honor. We hope to inspire people we know outside our Temple to participate as golf tournament sponsors, players, diners, or raffle item donors. Please pass along the website link to folks you know to help spread the word: www.terrigoldsmith-golf.com

And John is requesting all our hands on deck. It requires a team effort. If you are available to help as an event volunteer on Monday, May 5th, please let John know.

I remember someone once asking me, “Why are we always fundraising?” The answer is 1) Fundraising is how we try to balance the budget, to close the gap that is left by insufficient income from pledges; 2) We have fun as a Temple family while pitching in to keep us whole; and 3) Why not? We always want to find more ways to gather.

We will also be bringing back the Progressive Dinner in June, a way for people to gather in intimate groups in each other’s home, with three venues to visit for appetizers, main entrée, and then culminate in a larger dessert gathering. If you are interested in being an appetizers or main entrée host, please let me know.

Thanks again to Sam Winograd, our Religious Practices VP, who has been our Temple’s resident playwright of the Purim Schpiel. The Community Purim event on March 13 was a huge success no doubt due to the fun play he wrote, directed and produced. And thanks to his fantastic cast and crew! He always finds an entertaining way to tie in the show with current events. And thanks again to Barbara Senges for donating all the Kosher hamantaschen. What a fun evening!

Thanks also to Janine Sitko and Barbara Wolfe for chairing the Mishloach Manot Purim Bag program one last time this year, and to Byrne Blumer and Emma Zelken, who shadowed them so they can run this important fundraiser next year. You are all sweet gifts to our community!

Chag Pesach Sameach and see you at the golf driving range,
Armi

 

Board Meeting Highlights

  1. The Deli Day raised $1,756 in proceeds and the Mishloach Manot Purim Bag fundraiser raised $6,954. Both benefit the Essential Services Fund, allowing our Temple to close the budget gap.
  2. Rabbi Marc led a group of our Kadima teens in a trip to Washington, DC, where they learned how to apply their Jewish values into action.
  3. Religious School Director Lisa Marcus and teacher Violet Greenmoor planned a special in-house Religious School Retreat for faculty, students and their families who learned and participated in multi-age group activities.
  4. All Temple Emanu-El congregants are urged to vote REFORM in the World Zionist Congress. See Karen Bloustine for details.
  5. The Board of Trustees empowered members of the Executive Committee to begin lease renewal negotiations with Congregation Beth El.