Hello all.
It seems like so much has happened since my last message…not the least of which was the remnants of Harvey coming through our area. While I was out of town, as I understand it, there was some pretty rough weather and, consequently, the UNA game was postponed until Friday which impacted quite a few of our members. (Many thanks to Buddy Bernstein for holding services despite all the last minute changes!) And, of course, that came right at the beginning of the Labor Day weekend so it seems like forever since I have seen any of you! I hope everyone was able to relax and enjoy at least part of the weekend and felt appreciated for all their years in the workforce! But, the weekend is over and it is time to get back to all the things we have going on at the Temple!
An Afternoon with Mystery Author Debra H. Goldstein
Other than services, of course, the next big thing we have on our agenda is a book talk and signing by Jewish author Debra Goldstein from Birmingham, Alabama. This event will be hosted jointly by Temple B’nai Israel and the Florence Public Library and will be held on Sunday, September 17, 2017 at 2 pm at the Library. The Temple will host light refreshments following the book talk at the Library. Please plan to attend!
To give you a little background: Debra Goldstein is a former judge and litigator turned author, and she travels all over the country and throughout the South to speak at venues including Temples, Sisterhoods and other Jewish organizations about her deeply rooted connection to Judaism and how her faith and social issues find their way into her books because of her background as a civic volunteer, Holocaust survivor’s daughter and judge. She makes regular appearances at book festivals and conferences throughout the U.S.
Please help to support this event by both attending AND volunteering to bring or provide a covered tray of cookies, cheese and crackers, fruit and/or other light snacks for the refreshments following the book talk. A case of bottled water would also be very helpful! Contact Michelle Bernstein to volunteer for refreshments. Please share this invitation with anyone who might be interested!
Planning for the High Holidays
Howard Zeff is looking for volunteers to help plan our Rosh Hashanah O’neg and our Yom Kippur Break-the-Fast. In addition, volunteers are needed to help set-up prior-to and to help clean-up following each event. AND, everyone is asked to please bring a sweet of some kind for the Erev Rosh Hashanah O’neg (on September 20) as well as a covered dish for the Break-the-Fast following Yom Kippur services (on September 30). Please reach out to Howard as soon as you can and let him know how you can help!
In addition, we will hold our Annual Food Drive during the holidays. As always, members are asked to bring in non-perishable food items to donate to the Help Center. The flyer will be handed out before and after services on Rosh Hashanah but, for those that want to start planning now, it is also attached to this email.
Donations
Please remember our Temple when you make your charitable donation choices! Celebrate a loved one, mark a simcha, commemorate a Yarhzeit or other lifecycle event in happiness or in sorrow, through a donation to Temple B’nai Israel. Also, please remember Temple B’nai Israel in your will and estate plans. Such donations are an important way to ensure that the Temple will continue to serve our Jewish community with weekly services, Torah study, Jewish programming and social events. The form for making donations is available in the foyer at the Temple and will soon be available via our website.
Service Schedule
The service schedule for September throught October is as follows:
- September 8 – Ken Wolf
- September 15 – Rabbi Nancy
- September 20-21 – Rabbi Nancy/Rosh Hashanah
- September 22 – Rabbi Nancy/Shabbat Shuvah
- September 29-30 – Rabbi Nancy/Yom Kippur
- October 6 – Robert Adler
- October 13 – Buddy Bernstein
- October 20 – Rabbi Nancy
- October 27 – Rabbi Nancy
As always, congregants and members of the Shoals community, at large, are invited to attend the weekly Torah Study session which is held each Saturday morning at 9:30, at the Temple.
Reminder items:
- Debra Goldstein at the FLPL – Sunday, September 17, 2:00 – please contact Michelle Bernstein for volunteer opportunities
- Erwin’s book is available for purchase – see Howard Zeff to purchase your copy now!
- Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services – see schedule and requests for volunteers, above
If you are aware of something in the community that you would like me to draw some attention to in my message, please let me know! And, as always, if you have any announcements you would like for me to share with our membership, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
I hope you all have a wonderful week! Hope to see you all on Friday!
Shalom!
Traci Welch
