The Sisterhood is an auxiliary group interested in sharing their talents and energy, while connecting with other women in the Temple Emanu-El community through intellectual, spiritual and social activities.
Upcoming Sisterhood Events
As I compose this article, we are looking forward to our annual Sisterhood Service on Friday, February 28. A very large thank you to Eileen for organizing this special service. As a special treat this year, the Baking Club is providing the “goodies” for the oneg. Our second Rosh Chodesh in January was a great success and we are looking forward to our third on Thursday, February 27. Thank you to Hazzan Sherry for all her hard work in creating and leading these inspiring programs.
Thank you to all of our Sisterhood members who helped with the Shabbat Oneg on February 14- Arlene Bohn, Michele Snitkin, Judi Glickstein, Debra Wool, Anne Cohn, Armi Rowe, and Lorraine Viesz. Thank you to Iris Freeman for all her hard work in selling Mahjongg Cards which earn a healthy rebate for Sisterhood’s efforts at Temple Emanu-El.
There are two special events coming up this month that I would like to highlight.
The first will take place at 1:00PM on Sunday, March 16 at Temple Emanu-El. Yahav, our Israeli Emissary, will be speaking to us about the many aspects of Israel’s colorful culture and answer questions posed to her about life in Israel. Please RSVP to me at professeur38@me.com by Wednesday, March 12.
The second event, I described to you in the February Bulletin. Sisterhood is sponsoring Sheryl Faye Presents Historical Women – Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Sunday, March 30 at 2:00PM at Temple Emanu-El. This program is open to the entire Jewish Community. There is no charge for this program, but a suggested donation of $10 is appreciated. Please RSVP to me at professeur38@me.com by Wednesday, March 25.
OTHER UPCOMING MARCH EVENTS
- Tuesday, March 11 – Book Club at the home of Nancy Trostler at 6:30PM.
We are reading the “Librarian of Burned Books” - Thursday, March 27 – Rosh Chodesh at 1:00PM
- Movie Club – Date to be determined
APRIL EVENTS
- Tuesday, April 15 – Book Club at the home of Janet Weiss.
We are reading “The Room on Rue Amelie” - Monday, April 28 – Rosh Chodesh at 1:00PM at the Temple
- Wednesday, April 30 at 7:30PM at Garde in New London – “Menopause 2”
Tickets are still available. Email Eileen Shapiro at esfinallyhasemail@comcast.net - Date to be Determined – Movie Club
SAVE THESE SUMMER DATES
RSVP date extended to May 15
- Wednesday, June 4 at 2:00PM – “Ragtime” at Goodspeed
- Wednesday, August 13 at 2:00PM – “All Shook Up” at Goodspeed
Hope to see you around our events!
– Barbara
The Sisterhood Membership Drive for 2024-25 is ongoing.
Click the link below for the membership letter.
24 25 TE Sisterhood Membership Letter Final
Our Sisterhood Membership continues to grow. As of October 1, 2024 our membership roster has 95 women! It is never too late to join us. I know that many of you are very busy with your families and other organizations and volunteer work. Some of you I have spoken with express the concern that “you will be asked to do something if you become a member”. Please know that membership in Sisterhood provides you the opportunity to join together and meet other Temple women and participate in any or all of Sisterhood activities. Volunteering to help out with something is not a requirement.
Join Some Fun Groups!
Weekly Walking Group
Our Walking Group continues to walk (weather permitting), usually on Wednesday and Thursday at 10 am. We often walk at the Niantic Boardwalk, and sometimes places such as the Connecticut College Arboretum, and Harkness. If you are interested, please let Debra know by emailing debrawool@gmail.com.
Sisterhood Book Club
The Sisterhood Book Club continues to grow. Everyone enjoys meeting in the homes of members. We have worked out the “technical” problems of Zoom if you can not make it in person.
For upcoming Book Club meetings please see the Upcoming Events listing in Barbara’s note above. If you are interested in being added to the Book Club list, please email Suzanne Crawford at suzm.crawford@outlook.com. Don’t forget to email Barbara at professeur38@me.com, if you would like the Zoom link.
Temple Emanu-El Gift Shop
We continue to expand offerings at the gift shop which are available by appointment. You can contact Anne to schedule an appointment at Judaicashop@tewaterford.org, or contact the Temple Office. Come in and look at our wide array of Judaica items. There is no sales tax, and our prices are cheaper than retail stores. Profits go to support your congregation and community. Anne is also willing to special order items for you, and has a wide array of items that can be ordered from a variety of vendors. If it’s jewelry you are looking for, she have a catalog full of beautiful items to order. This small Judaica company ships right out and the items are gorgeous and very well priced. Also, there is always wonderful new products coming in!
For those of you who have visited Florence, Italy, you may have toured the old synagogue of Florence. A reminder of your trip is now in our gift shop. A beautiful mezuzah that depicts that synagogue is also in our gift shop.
Visit and see all the fun items for Passover. Lots of things to entertain the kids at your table.
Also remember to look at the Modern Tribe website. We can send you a link that will earn the synagogue 5% back to our synagogue.
Thanks to everyone for continuing to support our shop!
– Anne
Mah Jongg
I cannot thank you all enough for your support in placing and soliciting Mahjongg card orders. We achieved our largest order yet (and I’ve been doing this for over 20 years)!!! I know how much time and effort is involved in collecting the information and payments from your fellow mahj enthusiasts. While every individual purchase helped, the huge impact made by folks who encouraged friends, family, and community groups to place their orders through Sisterhood gave us a phenomenal boost. This list includes people who have moved away, people who learned how to play at Temple Emanu-El years ago and now share their knowledge with outside groups, and some who were never members but came to one of our tournaments and now choose to gather orders for us. This is SO APPRECIATED!
I did order a few extra cards, so if you find someone wanting one, let me know.
Iris Freeman
ifreegang@aol.com
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Save the date: Spring MahJongg Tournament –
Tuesday, June 10th, 2025
Full Day, Breakfast, Home-made Lunch, Cash Prizes, Beginner to Advanced – we have a place for you all!
Sisterhood Board – Our Officers:
President: Barbara Senges
Treasurer: Jennifer Zettler
Corresponding Secretary: Gail Schor
Recording Secretary: Debra Wool
Membership: Nancy Trostler and Linda Barnett
Book Club: Suzanne Crawford
Movie Club: Eileen Shapiro
Judaica Shop: Anne Cohn
Publicity: Sue Fornara & Susan Rosen
Social Justice Moira Ross
Do you have any ideas for a Sisterhood program? Maybe you have a skill you would like to share. We are always looking for suggestions! Some other programs we discussed were a drawing class on Zoom, as well as a program in person at Smith Acres in Niantic in the spring. If you have any suggestions or special talents, please let us know. It’s always fun to try something new.
WRJ Programs
We have mentioned all of the on-line programming available through our umbrella organization, WRJ. If you check their website, wrj.org, you will see their calendar filled with speakers, tours, etc. Hope you can take advantage of some of their programs.
RECENT ACTIVITIES & EVENTS INCLUDE:
What a great year we have had!
- Book Club (seven) – Thanks to our new Book Club Chair, Suzanne Crawford, for organizing and encouraging our return to in-home/hybrid book clubs.
- Walking Group – Thanks to Debra Wool for coordinating each week.
- Membership Kick–Off Event, Membership Drive, End of Year Dinner– Many, Many, Thanks to Jennifer Zettler!
- Safe Futures 4K, Dignity Grows, Learn Decoupage and Do a Mitzvah and Panel Discussion on Book Banning – Thanks to Moira Ross, Social Justice Chair.
- Two successful Mahjongg Tournaments – Thanks to Iris Freeman and Robbin Alpert for making these all-day events happen. Iris also sells Mahjongg cards for the benefit of Sisterhood each year, which adds around 1,500 dollars to our coffers. Also thanks to Iris and Robbin for offering a series of “How To Play” lessons and a twice monthly Mahjongg group at the Temple.
- Judaica Shop Chanukah Fair – Thanks to Anne Cohn
- Trivia Night, Evening at Smith’s Acres,Steel Magnolias at Niantic Playhouse, South Pacific at the Goodspeed, Movie Club, Trip to Audubon Society and Griswold Museum – Barbara Senges, Debra Wool and Merrill Mazzella.
- Assembly and Distribution of Holiday Bags for “Friendly Visitors Program” – Thanks to Eileen Shapiro for organizing and all our members who assisted.
- Designing and Planting Gardens at Safe Futures – Thanks to Cecile Feldman and her crew.
- Sisterhood Service – Thanks to Eileen Shapiro for organizing
Friendly Visitor Program Bags
On Monday, March 18 at 10:00AM, we once again gathered in the Social Hall to assemble Purim bags for the Friendly Visitor Program. On Monday, April 15 we assembled Passover Bags.
Thank you to Eileen Shapiro for helping to coordinate the Friendly Visitor Program along with JFEC. Sisterhood helped to assemble and distribute Chanukah, Purim, Passover & Rosh Hashanah bags to residents in our community who are in nursing homes and independent living facilities.
Trivia Night
We have had some great trivia nights! Our last Trivia Event was on Zoom in January 2025, and was a fun evening! Thanks to Barbara for coming up with great questions!
In April we made our yearly visit to Smith’s Acres in Niantic. Thank you to Merrill for once again organizing this fun outing. This year we filled an oval planter with herbs and pansies.
In March at the Temple, we learned the art of decoupage while performing an important mitzvah. Alaina Roberge from Alaina’s Arts in Waterford guided us through the decoupage of a vase. We donated these vases, filled with spring flowers to the Friendly Visitor Program for the residents of local care facilities.
We have hosted multiple Mah Jongg Tournaments. We host players from all across the northeast for a fun-filled day of Mahj. Thanks to all who have participated and all who help make these events happen. A special thank you to Iris and Robbin!
The Kick-Off Dinner on October 12, 2024 was a huge success! We had forty-eight women attending and a great time was had by all. Thanks to our Membership Chair, Jennifer Zettler, for planning and implementing this incredible evening. The food was delicious and plentiful. In fact, we had so much left over that we sold “doggy bags” for $18 and we will be donating $225 to help Israel. The twelve women who stayed to play “Bunco” really enjoyed it. Hopefully, later in the year, we can hold a Bunco Night or Afternoon where more of you can participate.
Above: End-of-Year Sisterhood Dinner – May 18, 2023
Planting at Safe Futures!
Smith’s Acres Greenhouse
We made a Succulent Cocktail Glass and enjoyed pizza and wine!
Contact the Sisterhood
Related Pages:
Get Involved
Brotherhood
Social Action News