High Holiday Registration

High Holiday Registration - Temple Sha'arey Shalom Welcomes You and Your Family! Complete Form Below

Members will be admitted at no charge to all High Holiday Services at Temple Sha'arey Shalom (TSS). Guests of TSS members are welcome to attend at no charge; however, all attendees must be registered.

Online seating is limited. Only those registered will receive the login information for admission into the ZOOM service(s). Tashlich will be held in person at Briant Park. When you submit this form, each email address you have provided will receive a confirmation email with the link. When you enter the email address(es) you MUST use a comma to separate the email addresses. You and your guests will not receive the link unless you use commas between email addresses.

Once you submit the form, you will get a pop-up acknowledgment that you have registered. Then within a few minutes you will get a copy of what you have submitted where you will have the option to edit your submission. It may take up to 20 minutes for you to then receive the email link to the Zoom services.

If you are registering on behalf of someone else, simply list their information in the form. You do not need to forward the login information to others. Each email address provided will receive their own email with link. Be sure to add your own email to the list. If you have guests that do not have an email address, and will joining by telephone, please provide them with the call-in information (phone number, meeting ID, passcode) that you will receive in your email, because they will not directly receive an email with this information.

If you experience any difficulties please call or text Edythe Ben-Israel at 908-603-9908 and she will register you.

Please click the link below to fill out form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfhgKvhkL-vCS2W7tJ24RYyUTXOERobBMuRpmbhAVIMAWWkVA/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0&usp=mail_form_link

High Holiday Booklet - https://shaarey.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/2020TSSHIGHHOLIDAYBOOKLET.pdf

Community Wide Selichot

Community Wide Selichot
Saturday, September 12th

Community Wide Selichot: Saturday, September 12thJoin us for a night that ushers in the sacred themes of the High Holydays through community, learning, & prayer.

8:00pm - Havdalah

8:15pm - "What Judaism Teaches Us About Living in Challenging Times".
Rabbi Edythe Held Mencher, LCSW, will leads us in an exploration of how Jewish teachings can help us develop, resilience, find inner strength, and navigate these challenging times.

9:00pm - Selichot Service

RSVP: www.TEWNJ.org/selichot

Click here for more information

Temple Update

Temple Update:

  • Rabbi Renee and Cantor Rosenman will remain our clergy.
  • The High Holy Days Information has been sent out. The services will be on Zoom using Tefillah Ha-Nefesh. Pages will be on the screen so you can follow along. Tickets are not required. You need to pre-register your guests.
  • Our decisions are guided by the Jewish principle of Pikuah Nefesh, the saving of life.
  • We anticipate Shabbat Services, other holidays and B'nai Mitzvah will be on Zoom until we can safely be together in person.
  • A meeting has been scheduled next week for Religious School parents. Our goal is to answer parents' concerns and meet all our students' needs.
  • Religious school will be on Sundays beginning in October.
  • Religious School Tuition: First Child $700, each additional child $560 (which is a 20% discount)
  • Membership Fee Schedule:
    • Single $750
    • Single Parent $1,000
    • Couple $1,250
    • Family $1,500
    • Long Distance $150
    • Beth El Family $481
    • Beth El Single $318
    • Associate $300
  • We will continue to work with anyone experiencing financial difficulties.
  • For this transition year, the Temple is subsidizing nearly half of the expenses.
  • The week-long power outages in New Jersey after Isaias delayed the completion of the Purchase and Sale Agreement for the Temple Property. It is near completion.
  • A search of the available properties to rent in Springfield is being conducted.

High Holy Day Schedule

High Holy Day Information

All are Welcome! You will not need tickets to join our virtual service or Briant Park for Tashlich. Guests will need to pre-register for virtual services.

Unfortunately, this Yom Tovim, the Holy Days of Rosh HaShanah, Sukkot and Shavuot will be on zoom. We are trying to find ways to be together, six feet apart, masked for some of our fall festivities, being mindful of health imperatives.

Our services will look different. They will be on zoom. We are trying to keep each service or experience under an hour, which has been proven is the longest a person is able to concentrate on zoom. Services will look different, as rather than using our traditional books, we have the opportunity to create Power Points using the new Reform High Holy Day prayer book, Tefillat HaNefesh- prayer of the soul. The services are all set to evoke a different emotion using modern poetry and modern traditions with the ancient melodies of old. These will not be our typical services, we will create sacred moments through creative modalities.

High Holy Day Information Booklet
 

High Holy Day Schedule

A New Vision for Temple Sha’arey Shalom

News release

A New Vision for Temple Sha’arey Shalom

The Temple will continue as a strong Reform Jewish presence, building on 60+ years of success remaining a strong and vibrant congregation under the continued clergy leadership of Rabbi Renee Edelman and Cantor Jason Rosenman.

A new membership fee structure makes a Jewish education and belonging to a warm, welcoming, liberal Jewish community more affordable for everyone. As has been our philosophy we always welcome young families, couples, individuals, LGBTQA and inter-faith families.

Based in Springfield, the Temple serves all surrounding communities. Offering a young couples group, Shabbat and holiday services, religious school (grades 3-10), including Bar/Bat Mitzvah training and Confirmation, Shabbat morning study minyan, adult education classes, social events, social justice activities, Brotherhood, Sisterhood and Renaissance (a strong social program for Senior adults), and more.

We have operated virtually due to the pandemic with much success and look forward to meeting in person when conditions permit. To join the Temple , enroll in Religious School, or for further information, call the Temple Office at 973-379-5387 or email scroll@shaarey.org. Visit our website www.shaarey.org, our Facebook page, facebook.com/shaarey.

3 Powerful Films from United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

 

As The Holocaust Documentation & Education Center continues to feature a wide variety of online programs, we are delighted to add these “three powerful films” from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum for you to view.

Testimonies about Rescue, Resistance, and Survival
“Why did the rescuers do it? My mother said to me, ‘You know we can get killed.’ But you know even if it’s the last thing you do, you have to do it. Because you can’t live with that injustice and not do anything and then live with yourself, knowing you didn’t do everything you could. I wouldn’t want to live in a world where nobody cares a damn.” —Tina Strobos, Jewish member of a resistance group

 

The Path to Nazi Genocide and European Antisemitism from Its Origins to the Holocaust introduce the Holocaust and antisemitism, providing background essential for classroom and community conversations about this history.

The Path to Nazi Genocide

European Antisemitism from Its Origins to the Holocaust
“To future generations it must be told: Once man did this to his brothers.”
—A commentator learning about the Holocaust in the immediate aftermath of World War II

 

[SAVE THE DATE] Special Congregational Meeting on July 26

July 14, 2020

Dear Temple Sha’arey Shalom Members,

We hope you and your loved ones are well.

The purpose of this letter is to provide you with the requisite ten (10) day notification of a Special Congregational Meeting.

We have received an offer to purchase the Temple Building. This offer will enable us to continue as a congregation.

Our By-Laws require approval of the Congregation to authorize the sale of real estate. We are calling a Special Zoom Meeting for this purpose on Sunday, July 26, 2020 at 10 AM. The Zoom information is listed in the email from TSS Office on July 16th.

For informational purposes, I look forward to discussing the Board’s plans for continuation of our congregation. To create a Budget we need to know how many of you want to continue your membership at Temple Sha’arey Shalom; and how many kids will be enrolled in Religious School. We will have a Rabbi, Cantor and Religious School. We expect services to continue on Zoom for awhile. If possible Religious School will be in person. We are working on a new dues structure which will reflect current realities, and are searching for a location to rent (many options are available in Springfield). Sisterhood, Brotherhood and Renaissance will start up as soon as possible. We are anticipating adding texting as another way to communicate with our members.

Longtime member Vivienne Cohen can’t wait to send out acknowledgments for donations to our Designated Funds in honor of a birthday, an anniversary or other special occasions, or in memory of someone. Sandy has ordered more trees. It is still possible to order scrip (gift cards).

WE have been given an opportunity to look at new ways to do things, If you are interested in helping us create the new TSS or even just to remain a member, please send an email to ediebee@netzero.net, a text to 908-603-9908 or a note to the Temple scroll@shaarey.org .

I hope you are as excited as I am that we have a positive future for our Temple family.

Wishing you all good health. Looking forward to seeing you on Zoom.

Shalom,
Edythe Ben-Israel President

Official Update on TSS Status

 

 

June 26, 2020

Dear Temple Sha’arey Shalom Congregants,

I would like to clarify the confusion about the future status of our Temple. There was a vote at the June 14th congregational meeting which gave the Board permission to explore a path forward if one could be found to keep our Temple family together. We are working hard to accomplish this.

We recognize that this is an urgent matter and that time is of the essence. Several committees were established on June 18 to begin this exploration. One will determine what revenue would be required, another is investigating Religious School options, a third is exploring both alternative local renting possibilities and membership choices. The Board is meeting again Monday, June 29 to assess the information gathered by then. We hope to make our determination in July.

We are still Temple Sha’arey Shalom and will continue to hold summer services – led by Rabbi Renee and lay leaders and send out yahrzeit notices. Regular updates will be sent.

The Temple building is for sale at fair market value. The sale of the building does not mean the congregation needs to dissolve. The sale of the building would eliminate our debt and reduce regular expenses allowing TSS to relocate to a local space that better meets our finances and functions. It should also give us a “nest egg” to assist us in future years.

“Shutting our doors” on June 30 was based on extensive efforts to merge or affiliate with another congregation. This did not happen because the agreements were not in our congregation’s best interest. The dissolution plan for the Temple was suspended while the exploration for a path forward is being considered.

If the congregation is to successfully move forward, it will take the commitment of our members. If you would like to join us in our quest, please contact Marci Clarke, Religious School liaison, (MarciKoltenuk@aol.com or 908-209-5185); Ellen Lieberman, local renting and membership chair, (ellen.s.lieberman@gmail.com or 201-207-3117); or Edythe if you want to get involved (ediebee@netzero.net or 908-756-9644).

Sincerely,

Edythe Ben-Israel
President

Download the letter

 

Installation Shabbat – Friday, June 19th @ 7pm

Reminder: Friday Night Service

Please Join Us for Installation Shabbat Service on Friday, June 19th at 7:00pm.
We will be thanking our outgoing board and Installing our Incoming Board. We hope to see you all here.

Please check your email from TSS Office with Zoom Meeting Information.

How to use zoom:

Download zoom from zoom site: www.zoom.us

When you want to use it for this service, please press the code under the join web meeting.
When it asks for meeting id , type in the meeting ID above
It will then ask for your password and you type in the password from above.

You will be sent to a waiting room. If I know you, I will let you in.
When you enter the meeting , you will be muted.
I will be in control of the muting and allowing everyone to speak.
 

 

[SAVE THE DATE] Special Congregational Meeting on June 14th

June 8, 2020

Dear Temple Sha’arey Shalom members,

Your invitation to the Special Congregational Meeting and the Annual Congregational Meeting of the Board of Trustees was previously sent. This letter encloses materials which you would have received at the door had we been able to meet in person. As a courtesy, we are sending them to you in advance via email (the Happenings) from the Temple Office and via postal surface mail.

Date: Sunday, June 14, 2020
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Location: via Zoom (computer or phone).

Connection to the online meeting can be via computer with video and/or audio-only by telephone: At this meeting you will hear updates from committees, vote on motions, and review the finance plan for the upcoming year. You will also hear an update regarding the path(s) forward for our Temple.

All congregants in good standing are permitted to attend this meeting and vote via the online system or by phone. Good standing is defined as satisfying all Temple financial obligations prior to June 5, 2020. If an adult child (18 and older) resides with you, they can be designated to vote in your stead. Please contact the Temple Office or a President to obtain the information.

Zoom Information
Please see email from TSS Office on June 8th for Zoom Meeting Link and Dial-in Number.

Thank you for your support and for your attendance and input at this important meeting.

B’Shalom,
Roberta and Ellen

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