Synagogue Updates

Shabbat Shalom!

With so much going on in our community, it can be overwhelming. I am sharing 10 things that I am personally excited about as a congregant and as the Executive Director, and want to amplify.

1. Rabbi Witkovsky’s pre-Shabbat video. I love that we are putting these out and I hope that you are taking advantage of them to help connect you in someway to Shabbat. In this week, my daughter Sophie, gets a shout out.
2. Tonight’s New Member Reception at 5:15pm. Even if you are not coming for dinner, join us for the reception and for our outdoor Shabbat services in the front. We have a lot of new members this year to say hi to and to integrate into our community.
3. Scotch and Steak in the Sukkah is back on October 13^th! One of my favorite events of the year.
4. Youth Programming is back! Opening teen event, cub scout event, and family apple picking this Sunday. Next weekend begins our Teen/Parent Learning with Rabbi Witkovsky. I am seriously excited about this one (remains to be seen if my kids are excited or not)
5. Sisterhood’s Opening Book Club meeting this Sunday features a book from our own Ethel Hofman --- and they have already baked cookies!
6. Reverse Tashlich on October 2^nd. The concept of cleaning up a stream for a tashlich event is so simple and yet it is still new. Learn more about the national movement here. Join us!
7. I love that we are offering free guest tickets to children (of all ages) of our congregants this year to meet Rabbi Witkovsky and to reconnect with our community. Tickets are still required and you can order them here. For our 20s and 30s, we will have a special reception on the first day of Rosh Hashanah at 11am. All high holiday youth events and services can be found here. 
8. Sukkot is coming and our lulav and etrog are available for order. Sukkot is always one of my favorite holidays in our community.
9. Shofar Relay with Adath Israel on Rosh Hashanah Day 1 and Not Sho-far Away – our shofar blowing in the neighborhood parks, taking place next week is always a great time to see neighbors and community members. This year, we are coming to Narberth, South Ardmore Park, Ashbridge and Penn Wynne Park.  Would you like to blow shofar at a park or during the relay? Please let me know. 
10. To hear Rabbi Witkovsky’s sermons for the High Holidays. Have you answered his questions yet? We want to hear from you as well and will begin sharing responses next week.

As a parent of teenagers, I have been getting requests for babysitting, and we are going to be putting together a list of potential babysitters. If you or your teen would like to be on it, please let me know. 

High Holiday tickets went in the mail earlier this week. If you have not received yours, please let me know. We have had requests for outdoor options for the High Holidays. Weather permitting, our family services will be outdoors, the lay led service will be in the Chapel and on the Chapel patio, and we will have a TV set up on the Coslov Patio for streaming of services.

Of course none of these could happen without our wonderful lay and professional leaders so thank you all!

As noted above, there is a packed weekend schedule. We hope to see you at many of the events! Wishing you a great weekend and week leading up to the holidays. My soup is already done!  Check one thing off of the list.

We know that in addition to being a time of joy for many, the holidays can also bring up tough memories, feelings of loss isolation. This is exacerbated during this time where many policies (including ours) have returned to "normal" but covid is still present. If we can be supportive in any way, please do not hesitate to let us know. Your community wants to be here for you. 

Wishing you an early, happy and healthy New Year and a Shabbat Shalom,

Ken
513 503 9559

Weekend Schedule

Friday | September 16
Welcome Back Shabbat | click here to view full schedule
5:15 PM (live) | New member Oneg Reception |
6:00 PM (hybrid) | Kabbalat Shabbat Services | Front Circle | click here to join | Meeting ID: 981 2156 8250 | Passcode: Shabbat
7:00 PM (live) | Welcome Back Shabbat Dinner | Cherry Auditorium
6:51 PM | Light Shabbat Candles 

Saturday | September 17
Torah Reading: Ki Tavo
Selichot
9:30 AM (hybrid) | Shabbat Services | Sanctuary | click here to join | Passcode: Yad
9:30 AM (hybrid) | Lay-Led Service coordinated by the Havurah | Chapel
11:00 AM (live) | Cookie Minyan with Yehudit Rubin | Playground Porch 
11:00 AM (live) | Tot Shabbat with Rachel Thomas | Sukkah
11:00 PM (live) | Junior Congregation with Leora Levine | Coslov Patio
12:00 PM (live) | Kiddush sponsored by Sisterhood | Cherry auditorium
7:57 PM | Havdalah
8:15 PM | hybrid | Selichot | Main Line Reform Temple

Sunday | September 18
9:00 AM (zoom) | Shacharit (Morning Services) | click here to join | Meeting ID: 840 2551 5571 | Passcode: Amida 
12:15 PM (live) | Cub Pack 1958 Welcome Back Orientation Event | Front Circle
2:30 PM (live) | Youth Family Program - Apple Picking | Linvilla Orchard
3:30 PM (live) | Opening Book Club Event - Mackeral at Midnight | Outside at TBH-BE
4:00 PM (live) | Opening Teen Event | Playground
7:45 PM (zoom) | Ma'ariv (Evening Services) | click here to join | Meeting ID: 840 2551 5571 | Passcode: Amida