OUR
COMMUNITY
2021-2022
5782
Judaisam is more than a religion: It is our history,
literature, art and music, Israel and Hebrew, as well
as our customs and ritual observances. Our sense
of belonging is affirmed through our shared past,
our collective values and our communal experience
of worship, study and celebration. Our religious tradition
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– egalitarian, participatory and inclusive – is a reflection
of our ancestors’ search for meaning, purpose and
value. Whether you’re already an RSNS member,
new to our community, or visiting, we hope you’ll join us
throughout the year as we strive to deepen our connections
with Judaism, each other and improving the world.
RSNS
Jewish Life, Celebrated
Visit
rsns.org for
programming
info
rsns.org 516.627.6274
You belong
here
There is a place for everyone at
RSNS - people of different races,
cultural backgrounds, sexual orientations,
gender identities, Jews by
birth, Jews by choice, interfaith - all
are welcome and celebrated here.
Our award-winning Gan Shalom
Nursery School, our innovative
Synagogue School and our
enthusiasm for lifelong Jewish
learning are just a few examples
of what makes RSNS such a
special place.
Our warm and welcoming clergy
team, with their humor, good cheer
and wisdom, make it a point to
create long lasting personal
relationships with each of our
members and their families.
RSNS believes in the principle that
all people deserve equal rights and
opportunities. We are committed to
social action and to social justice, to
the environment and to Israel.
You belong here. We invite you
to join us at one of our many
experiences listed in this booklet.
Contact the synagogue office
to schedule a visit and to meet
our staff.
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Contents
9
early
childhood
13
synagogue
school
17
teens
adults
23
30 community
shabbat &
holidays
36
43
committees
staff &
volunteers
50
Programs are open to non-members unless otherwise stated.
“
The instant we
walked into Gan
Shalom decades
ago, we knew we
had found a home
at RSNS. We
soaked up the
warm and loving
atmosphere
that has continued
to nurture us
ever since.
“
Come Play
With Me
Tuesdays/
Thursdays
8 RSNS.ORG 516.627.6274
Early Childhood
Programs are open to non-members unless otherwise stated.
We provide a safe, cozy, stimulating and nurturing child-responsive
environment in which teachers and clergy are sensitive to developmental
stages of young children and to each child as an individual.
With many and varied developmentally appropriate materials available,
the children learn through play with one another. Contact our Gan Shalom
Directors, Lisa Erkus or Sara Rubin, for days, times, an application
and additional information at 516-627-6274/GanShalom@rsns.org.
GAN SHALOM: COME PLAY WITH ME
1 - 2 Year Olds *Pending Covid Regulations*
Children along with their parents/caregivers play, paint, sing and
share snacks.
GAN SHALOM: NURSERY SCHOOL
1.9 Years – 5 Year Olds
This program offers a quality Jewish preschool experience in a safe,
relaxed and nurturing environment. We believe in fostering each child’s
natural curiosity, imagination, problem solving skills and creativity.
Children are encouraged to experiment with a variety of materials while
participating in individual and group activities. The curriculum includes
story time, STEM, a nature classroom, music, art, movement, yoga, as
well as the celebration of Shabbat, Jewish holidays and more.
GAN SHALOM: SUMMER PROGRAM
1.9 Years – 5 Year Olds
This program is the perfect time to help your child transition into the
preschool environment. It offers children a variety of activities
appropriate for their age and development. Children play indoors in
air-conditioned classrooms and outdoors where sprinklers and a
water table are available. Themes and special activities are planned
for each week and include Red, White and Blue, Under the Sea,
Pajama Day and Camp Olympics.
GAN SHALOM: BEFORE & AFTER CARE
3 – 5 Year Olds
Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 5:30pm
Our all-day program wraps around our traditional nursery school classes
and includes indoor and outdoor gym playtime, afternoon snack, story
time and art. Minimum enrollment required.
SHALOM SHABBAT with Cantor Eric & Yoga Jen
Birth - 5 Year Olds
Monthly on Saturdays, 9:00 - 9:45am
One Saturday a month, our youngest children, along with their
parent/grandparent/caregiver, celebrate Shabbat with challah and
juice, songs, stories and movement. Both Gan Shalom families and
non-members are invited.
PJ LIBRARY with Morah Miriam and Our Clergy
Birth - 8 Year Olds
Monthly on Wednesdays, 5:30 - 6:30pm
JEWISH BEDTIME STORIES and SONGS
Join our PJ Family! The RSNS clergy and Gan Shalom Nursery School
partner with PJ Library (a national program) to fill your lives with
Jewish songs and books. Enrolled families receive Jewish-themed
books monthly through the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. The
synagogue also offers monthly PJ Library programs which celebrate
Jewish holidays with crafts, storytelling, and music.
FAMILY HAVUROT supervised by Rabbi Jodie
Join a Family Havurah! Each Havurah is a small group of four to six
families. We connect participants to each other and Judaism through
a home-based experiential program that meets five times a year. We
pair you with other family units OR you can make your own group.
Non-members are welcome. Each Family Havurah is assigned a
master teacher who mentors the Havurah as it engages in Jewish
ritual, holidays and culture.
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New!
JEWISH PARENTING WORKSHOP with Rabbi Jodie
Gan Shalom and Synagogue School Families
Quarterly
Every decision we make as parents has not only psychological dimensions
but moral, ethical and spiritual ones as well. Using a Jewish perspective to
understand parenting problems gives us a long view and reveals the
underpinnings of the problem, not just the surface cuts and scratches.
Parents will join Rabbi Jodie in discussion while children explore
Jewish values through art, stories, music and games with faculty.
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Synagogue School
Our students will be engaged in relevant and meaningful learning
with our team of educators. The faculty at RSNS is dedicated to creating
Jewish learning which stimulates, challenges and engages every
learner, encouraging them to truly understand and embrace what it
means to live as a Jew in the modern world. The faculty meets regularly
for ongoing professional development and skill building. We have an
integrated approach to curriculum with a strong emphasis on building
relationships. We believe that relationships emerge between learners,
families, children and congregants by learning together in age groupings
and by weaving a network that creates a caring community within
our school, a reflection of our congregation. Contact Rabbi Jodie for
additional information at 516.627.6274 / RabbiJodie@rsns.org.
KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE (ALEF)
Tuesdays, 4:15 - 6:15pm
We join in song and prayer with our youngest students, welcoming
them into the Synagogue School community. Through a holiday-based
curriculum, Hebrew as a living language, and family involvement, we
integrate our youngest learners into the larger RSNS community. Each
family participates in the class by bringing a special ritual object from
home for “show and tell.” Please choose either Tuesdays or Shabbat.
Start date 9/10, Shabbat or 9/14, Tuesday Shabbat will be 1 Friday
night/month and some Saturday mornings. You will be emailed a
month prior about scheduling.
SECOND - SIXTH GRADE/BET – VAV Members Only
Tuesdays, 4:15 - 6:15pm, All students attend in person
Students learn in grade groupings. They receive Hebrew instruction and
attend school holiday experiences. Each student has the choice to access
prayer in mixed aged groupings through different modalities like
storytelling, social action, yoga and art. Start date 9/14
In addition to in-person Tuesdays, families must choose one of the two
following educational options. Both options will focus on building relationships
between the learners, their teachers and the community. There
will be an emphasis on Torah, Jewish Values and Acts of Ethical Kindness.
Option 1: SHABBAT SCHOOL
One Friday/month and most Saturday mornings
This option involves parents in their child’s Jewish education within the
context of a Shabbat experience. One Friday evening each month (when
family services are held), students are together in their class from 6:00-
7:30pm. At 7:30pm families join together for Family Services.
Saturday mornings, 9:00-11:00am, will include Torah study and services. One
Saturday morning a month is a B’Yahad (Together) experience. Adults study
Torah with clergy and are joined by the children for services. Start date 9/10
Option 2: Thursdays - Remote Learning
This option addresses the need for flexibility in family’s schedules.
There will be small group learning via Zoom for 45 minutes with a
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session at either 4:15pm or 6:15pm, dependent on registration responses.
Because students participating in this option will not have
a worship experience on Thursdays, we encourage participation at
the monthly Friday Family service and the monthly Shabbat Morning
B’Yahad service. This will help students experience and learn Jewish
prayers, and is a unique opportunity for family and community
participation. Start date 9/23
Our B’NEI MITZVAH Program
Members Only
We believe that young adults become b’nei
mitzvah within the context of family and
community. Consequently, each b’nei mitzvah
family has an opportunity to involve themselves
with Torah study and in enhancing the Shabbat
morning service. Our clergy team has a part in
guiding our b’nei mitzvah and their families in
their endeavors. This holistic approach to b’nei
mitzvah reflects the primacy of community in
Reconstructionist Judaism.
TUTORING Cantor Eric is responsible for assisting our b’nei mitzvah
in acquiring the skills necessary to participate in services on Friday
night and Saturday morning. He meets with each student weekly,
determining their abilities and encouraging them to be the best
they can be.
FAMILY D’VAR TORAH Rabbi Jodie is the family guide to the Torah
portion of the week for each family. After an initial home visit with
Rabbi Jodie, the family develops its interpretation of the Torah portion,
which is presented to the congregation on Shabbat morning.
READINGS Rabbi Jodie works with each family to bring
themselves to the Shabbat morning experience by helping them
to edit a supplement of readings of their choice to complement
the many themes found in the service.
KIDS’ CHOIR with Cantor Eric (optional) Members only
Tuesdays, 6:15 - 6:30pm
The Kids’ Choir is open to all Synagogue School students in grades 3-6
(gimmel-vav). Kids learn contemporary Shabbat music including Camp
Havaya (our movement’s summer camp) tunes, folk songs and other
popular melodies. Kids’ Choir sings at every Friday evening family service
and joins the adult choir for a special musical service in the winter. The
choir also performs at nursing homes and at community holiday events.
OR HADASH with Cantor Eric
Grades 4 - 6 (Daled - Vav), occasional Saturdays, 7:00 - 9:30pm
Participants get together for monthly ice cream, Havdalah movie
nights, games with our Israeli shinshinim and a trip to volunteer at a
Jewish soup kitchen in NYC.
KADIMA with Rabbi Jodie and Cantor Eric
Members Only
Tuesdays, 6:30-8:00pm
Our 7th graders meet weekly for a class directed
to developing a Jewish identity. Students are
joined by their parents once a month. Beginning
with a day-long family retreat (9/11),
we form both a spiritual and a learning community
where B’nei Mitzvah students and their parents encounter Judaism
through the eyes of the adults and children who helped shape our
heritage. Start date 9/14
ASHOKAN RETREAT
Grades 3 – 6, (Gimmel - Vav), 12/10 – 12/12 Members only
Our Ashokan retreat in upstate NY offers a special weekend opportunity
for our synagogue student community (grades 3-6) along with our
clergy to celebrate Shabbat, spend time in nature, forge new bonds
and deepen friendships.
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Teens
The RSNS teen program provides many points of entry into synagogue
and Jewish life. Our post-Kadima young adults connect with their Jewish
identity and community by working with younger students, adult seniors
and participate in social action activities, experiential learning and fun
adventures. B’nei mitzvah is only the beginning!
ADOPT A SURVIVOR with Rabbi Jodie
Post-Kadima Year Members Only
Monthly on Wednesdays 5:30-7:00pm
This program was established by Irving Roth
(z”l), director of the Holocaust Resource
Center at Temple Judea of Manhasset. Mr.
Roth organized a network of Holocaust
survivors to serve as “adoptees” for our eighth
grade students. These connections provide
a vital link to the events of the Holocaust in
a time when there are fewer survivors living
to tell their own stories. The process begins with conversations
between survivor and adopter. Through a series of meetings held at RSNS
under Rabbi Jodie’s supervision, the students become “surrogate survivors,”
committed to learning and retelling their survivors’ stories to the next
generation. Students in this program agree to speak about their survivors
in the year 2045, the 100th anniversary of the camps’ liberation. The
initial session consists of a formal educational piece to provide students
with general background information. In subsequent sessions, students
meet the survivors and talk with them in detail. Finally, students present
their survivors’ stories to the Synagogue School and during RSNS’ Yom
HaShoah (Holocaust Memorial) service. Each family takes a turn
providing food for each session. Family members are welcome but not
required to attend.
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ANTISEMITISM FOR TEEN FAMILIES with Cantor Eric
Grades 8-12 (plus parents), Tuesdays, 6:30 – 8:00pm
In this three-part program, teens and their parents will unpack the complicated
history of antisemitism, from ancient times to today. Cantor Eric will
lead essential conversations on how to respond to antisemitism in popular
culture, social media, American politics and on college campuses.
BROS’ HODESH with Cantor Eric
Grades 8 - 12, Monthly on Tuesdays, 6:30 – 8:00pm
Being a guy is not always so simple. In this boys-only group, we’ll take an
opportunity to explore what being a man - and more specifically, a JEW-
ISH man - means, and what we can learn about ourselves and each other.
Through activities, games, popular culture, food, discussions and group
experiences, we’ll bond, work through tough questions together and have
a ton of fun!
GIRLS ROSH HODESH with Rabbi Jodie
Grades 8 – 12, Monthly on Tuesdays, 6:30 – 8:00pm
This program is based on the Jewish tradition of women’s New Moon
celebrations to build self-esteem, Jewish identity, leadership skills and
friendship networks of adolescent girls. The monthly meetings provide a
supportive environment where girls explore the social and cultural issues
they encounter as they become adults and derive their own authentic Jewish
values in response to the challenges they face. The small groups are
designed to provide a celebratory, empowering setting in which girls can
support each other in growing and learning, while having lots of fun. The
program’s success is due, in part, to the participatory mixture of discussing
issues, traditions, and role models, as well as making crafts, writing stories,
rejoicing with song and dance, socializing and munching.
MOVING TRADITIONS GOES BEYOND THE BINARY
Moving Traditions has created a first-of-its-kind online group for Jewish
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teens who identify as transgender, nonbinary or gender questioning. Like
Rosh Hodesh and Shevet Achim, the Moving Traditions’ program for trans/
non-binary Jewish teens — offered in partnership with Keshet — will meet
monthly and sessions will focus on topics relevant to today’s teens through
a Jewish lens. The group offers a safe space where these teens can find
support from peers and a place for themselves, within Judaism. Each
90-minute video conference session will include discussion, games and
other activities. For additional questions, email Rabbi Tamara Cohen, Chief
of Innovation at tcohen@movingtraditions.org.
MADRICHIM coordinated by Rabbi Jodie Members only
Grades 8-12
Madrichim (Aides) are given assignments which include assisting in a
classroom, in the office, Hebrew tutoring or working one-on-one with
students. During training sessions, Madrichim enhance their Synagogue
School experience through continued learning about Judaism, Jewish
education, leadership, professional conduct and teaching techniques.
Madrichim can be paid or earn community service hours.
BETTER TOGETHER with Cantor Eric Members only
Grades 10-12 & RSNS Adult Seniors
Monthly on Sundays, 5:00-7:00pm
Teens and adult seniors will engage in a sharing of perspectives,
experiences, opinions and wisdom on a different topic each month while
sharing a meal together. Participants will take turns providing food for
each session.
KESHER HADASH with Cantor Eric
Grades 8 - 12
Our teen youth group is called Kesher Hadash (New Connections). Teens
have the opportunity to connect once a month by engaging in fun,
informal events such as social action, holiday experiences, trips and more.
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JEWISH LIFE ON CAMPUS with Rabbi Jodie and Cantor Eric
Members only
Grade 12 and their families
A special program about Jewish life, BDS, antisemitism, etc. on college
campuses. Dinner included.
CLERGY CHATS WITH HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS Members only
Each spring, Rabbi Jodie, Rabbi Lee and Cantor Eric have a one-on-one
session with each graduating senior to check in about their lives and
discuss next steps on their journeys.
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Adults
Many Jewish sacred texts are millennia old, yet the Jewish People have
continued to evolve. Similarly, each of us change in the course of our own
lives. Adult studies gives a passageway into Jewish tradition and culture
within the context of the classroom and through shared experiences.
Continue to explore your Jewish journey with the offerings that follow. All
of our adult education opportunities will fully engage both remote and
in-person participants.
WOMEN’S ROSH HODESH with Rabbi Jodie
Monthly on Wednesdays, 7:30 - 9:00pm
All women of our congregation are welcome to join us as we study and
learn with each other. We examine traditional religious rituals and life
cycle events and reflect on how they continue to meet the needs of
women today. Current issues of importance to us are also discussed.
Women of all ages are welcome.
MEN’S GROUP
Members only
Monthly on Thursdays, 7:30 - 9:00pm
The Men’s Group is a monthly vehicle for the men of our congregation to
socialize and discuss topics of mutual, personal and general interest.
Rabbi Lee, a member of the group, participates in the discussions.
Members socialize, learn more about one another and develop friendships.
Men of all ages are welcome.
Contact: congregant Seymour Weinstein at MensGroup@rsns.org.
GENERATIONS OF HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS
The children and grandchildren of survivors join together to share stories
and the history of their family members. We discover our common bonds
and more fully understand the impact of the Holocaust on our lives.
Discussions depend upon the needs of participants. In the past, they have
included action steps to deal with antisemitism, how to learn more about
our families’ past and the question of reparations.
Contact: congregant Dinah Kramer at Generations@rsns.org
ENGAGING WITH AGING Members only
Meets monthly
Under the expert and gentle guidance of Eileen Rosendahl, we share ideas,
expand our interests and explore new directions in our lives while we get to
better know one another as fellow congregants and friends.
Contact: congregant Carol Blumenthal at Engaging@rsns.org.
CLERGY CONNECTIONS with Cantor Eric and Rabbi Lee
Weekly on Tuesdays, 12:00 – 1:00pm
Cantor Eric and Rabbi Lee will continue this program, teaching on alternate
weeks, blazing pathways into the Jewish past and discussing topics of the
day that are of political, cultural and religious interest.
BIBLE SEMINAR with Rabbi Lee
Bi-monthly on Thursdays, 7:30 – 9:00pm
Our never-ending study of the Hebrew Bible continues. We will pick up our
reading with the lives of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs featured in the Book
of Genesis, and with both the nobility and dysfunctionality of our first families.
All are welcome to come regularly or episodically, those for whom the
narratives are new, and those who have studied them before.
SHABBAT YOGA with Rabbi Jodie (RYS-200 Certified)
Fridays
Experience Shabbat through movement; connecting body, mind and
soul. Good for all levels. Adults and post b’nei mitzvah teens, as well as
non-members are welcome. Bring your own mat and yoga props (we have
a few if you forget yours). Wear comfortable workout attire.
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Shabbat
at the
beach
CLERGY
ONE-
SHOTS
LOOKING AT ADDICTION THROUGH A
JEWISH LENS with Rabbi Jodie
Tuesday, October 26, 7:00pm
Using traditional texts and insights from
her work at Beit T’Shuvah, Rabbi Jodie will
lead participants on a journey through the
wilderness of addiction.
JEWISH HUMOR THROUGH MUSIC with Cantor Eric
Sunday, November 7, 10:00am
From irony to joy, mischief to satire, Jews, humor and music have a long
history together. Come listen to some hilarious examples as we unpack
the intersection of these quintessential forms of Jewish expression.
A JEWISH VAMPIRE STORY with Rabbi Lee
Thursday, December 16, 7:00pm
If you like scary stories and are interested in how Israelis look
at Diaspora Jewry, you’ll enjoy this reading and analysis of Nobel Prize
laureate S. Y. Agnon’s “The Lady and the Peddler,” a perfect notfor-children
Hanukkah tale.
THE WORLD JEWISH EXPERIENCE through the photography of
Frederic Brenner with Rabbi Lee
Saturday, February 12, 12:00pm
French-born Frederic Brenner has been the photographer of record
of the Jewish world for the past forty years. Rabbi Lee will frame what
Brenner has seen and recorded in his peregrinations to vanishing
Jewish communities throughout the world.
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EXPLORING HAGGADOT.COM: DIY HAGGADAH WORKSHOP with
Cantor Eric
Tuesday, April 5, 7:00pm
Cantor Eric will lead an interactive journey through the world of online
text, giving lots of tips and tricks for creating your own personalized
Haggadah along the way!
RELATIONAL JUDAISM with Rabbi Jodie
Saturday, May 14, 12:00pm
Using the power of relationships to transform the Jewish community,
Rabbi Jodie will lead an exploration of denominational boundaries,
institutional walls, and how we develop Judaism for the next century.
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CANTOR’S KIDDISH LUNCH AND STUDY SESSION
Monthly on Saturday Afternoons
Join Cantor Eric for Shabbat lunch and engage in lively conversation and
the study of diverse topics. This year’s theme is Great Jewish Biographies.
We’ll look at several influential Jewish figures each month, to see how
their stories inform our lives today. Lunch is at the synagogue.
TORAH STUDY with Rabbi Jodie and Cantor Eric
Monthly on Saturdays, 9:00 – 10:15am
Study the Parshat HaShavua (Torah portion of the week). No prior knowledge
or previous study is needed.
SHABBAT SEMINAR with Rabbi Lee
WHAT MAKES US JEWISH
Bi-Monthly Saturdays, 12:00 - 1:30pm
At the beginning of our history as a People, the pillars of Jewish identity
rested on the Torah and the teachings of our Rabbis. Though they
continued to sustain traditional Jews, progressive and secular Jews came
to look to the Holocaust and the modern State of Israel as the foundation
stones of their Jewish identity. Will these two pillars sustain non-Orthodox
Jews in the twenty-first century? We will address this question through the
writings of modern and contemporary Jewish thinkers.
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New!
BETTER TOGETHER
with Cantor Eric
Members only
Grades 10-12, RSNS Adult Seniors
Sundays, 5:00-7:00pm
Teens and adult seniors will engage
in a sharing of perspectives,
experiences, opinions and wisdom
on a different topic each month
while sharing a meal together.
Participants will take turns providing
food for each session.
JEWISH PARENTING WORKSHOP with Rabbi Jodie
Quarterly
Every decision we make as parents has not only psychological dimensions
but moral, ethical and spiritual ones as well. Using a Jewish perspective
to understand parenting problems gives us a long view and reveals the
underpinnings of the problem, not just the surface cuts and scratches.
Parents will join Rabbi Jodie in discussion while children explore Jewish
values through art, stories, music and games with faculty.
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Community
We love when our community comes together.
MEMBER2MEMBER
Member2Member is the product of a congregant collaboration designed
to keep RSNS members connected with one another.
• Get recommendations and reviews of doctors, tradespeople, dog
walkers and vacation spots
• Give away or sell cherished possessions or acquire new ones
• Find baby care, a new nanny or a home health aide for you or a loved one
• And so much more...
Even if we aren’t buying, selling, visiting a doctor or doing new
construction, M2M is a fun and vital way to feel a part of what is going
on in our community.
RECONSTRUCTING JUDAISM
Reconstructionist Learning Networks connect you with people across
geography and perspectives. Explore the crucial questions of Jewish life
that just can’t be googled, and that matter most to you and your community.
Join a network to journey, imagine and create. Collaborate with experts,
including Reconstructing Judaism staff, College for Reconstructing
Judaism faculty, authors and Jewish leaders. Dig into case studies,
classic texts, innovative rituals, and real-life challenges and solutions.
Forge connections, deepen learning and take action. Networks meet three
to six times a year online for an hour each session. Learn more about our
networks and register online at reconstructingjudaism.org/networks. As a
progressive community, we embrace and encourage full participation by
all whenever we come together to pray, to celebrate, to remember.
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“
We feel blessed
to be part of a
warm, inviting
Synagogue where
our children have
grown up and the
clergy have been
like family.
“
TUNEFUL TUESDAYS with Cantor Eric
Tuesdays, 8:00 - 9:30pm
Do you love to sing? Would you like to meet new people and also enrich
musical participation in services and other events? Join choir members,
old and new, as we put the TOGETHER in singing together. NO Hebrew
or music reading skills necessary. Contact congregant Terry Wolff at
Choir@rsns.org
RSNS HOUSE BAND
Friday Evenings
Our house band includes many talented congregants. If you’re a musician
and would like the opportunity to play at Friday Night Shabbat Services,
contact CantorEric@rsns.org or Solomon Hoffman solklez@gmail.com.
Rehearsals and performances are coordinated based on availability.
ISRAEL
Our congregation seeks to provide a variety of opportunities to engage
with Israel in all its historical, political and cultural complexity. From a study
of primary source documents, to a spirited Friday night conversation, to a
celebration of contemporary Israeli music, our diversity in Israel engagement
mirrors the diversity of our members’ relationships to Israel.
ISRAELI FILM SERIES
Three Saturdays throughout the year: 7:30pm, Nosh & Schmooze,
8:00pm Film and Discussion
A three-part exploration of Israeli cinema and culture led by Israeli
congregant, Orly Dotan. Films and film clips will be watched as catalysts to
conversations about elements of contemporary Israeli society.
CAFE ISRAEL
Join us for a night of Israeli food, dancing and music in celebration of Yom
Ha’atzmaut (Israeli Independence Day).
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“The intergenerational
programs have
allowed me to
share my life
experiences and
continue to learn
from the spirit
of young
congregants.
“
SOCIAL ACTION
Our congregation is passionately committed to Tikkun Olam (Repairing our
World). This includes social justice advocacy, direct service and
volunteering, environmental responsibility, raising awareness and
tolerance, and finding points of connection with diverse groups with whom
we can partner to change our world for the better! Watch your email for
the latest social action updates to keep informed about timely, local
opportunities to engage in Tikkun Olam.
SANDWICH MAKING with Clergy and Jen Schiffer
Some Sundays, 10:00 – 11:30am
Clergy and Jen Schiffer lead our community in fun-filled intergenerational
Sunday mornings making 300 sandwiches that go into 150 decorated
lunch bags. The bags are delivered to the INN (The Interfaith Nutrition
Network), a series of soup kitchens and emergency shelters that address
the issues of hunger and homelessness on Long Island.
MITZVAH DAY
Our annual synagogue-wide Mitzvah Day is our chance for members of
all ages – from nursery school to seniors, teens to empty nesters – to
participate in various hands-on projects from sandwich making to
neighborhood cleanups, lunch and companionship for nursing home
residents, to Get Out the Vote drives and more.
TANS
TANS (Tikkun Alliance of the North Shore) is our opportunity to join in
communal social action with other local synagogues. Throughout the
year, we will be raising awareness and collecting various items for
Broken But Not Destroyed, Hatzilu, Long Island Volunteer Center’s Prom
Boutique and the Food Pantry at the Sid Jacobson JCC.
RSNS BLOOD DRIVE
RSNS hosts an annual NY Blood Center blood drive at the synagogue.
Sign up information will be emailed directly to all community members.
rsns.org 516.627.6274
“
RSNS feels like a
hug. At services,
in synagogue
school, online
programming,
social action,
or holiday
experiences, I
always feel like
I belong.
“
RSNS.ORG 516.627.6274 35
Shabbat
We believe that the congregation should
a creative, participating community.
FRIDAY SHABBAT SERVICES
8:00pm
A classic melody and a Billy Collins poem. A favorite congregational
tune, a Middle Eastern chant and a new musical setting composed by
our own Solomon Hoffman. Our worship services emphasize group
participation, whether remote or in-person, with live musicians, spirited
discussions and congregational singing, using a modern prayer book
that helps worshippers of all backgrounds connect to the service in a
meaningful, interactive way.
CONGREGATIONAL SHABBAT DINNER
Friday evenings, 6:30pm: 10/8, 11/19, 1/28, 3/11
This intergenerational Shabbat dinner is your chance to get together with
fellow members for an evening that features challah making, a meal and
fellowship.
SHABBAT UNPLUGGED
Monthly on Friday nights,
8:00pm
These services include our
house band along with outside
professional musicians and extended
opportunities for spirited
congregational singing.
rsns.org 516.627.6274
not be a passive, listening audience, but
Sam Blumenthal z”l, founding RSNS member
FAMILY SERVICES
Monthly on Friday nights, 7:30pm
During the school year, we hold a monthly hour-long family service with
songs and stories. Each month we feature a different class from our Synagogue
School who lead us in the prayers they have been studying.
SHABBAT MORNING SERVICES
Saturdays, 9:45am
Shabbat morning services are held whenever we celebrate a young adult
in our community becoming b’nei mitzvah. The Shabbat experience
includes Torah reading and congregational singing. B’nei mitzvah families
take an active role in offering a family d’var Torah and their own choice of
English readings.
B’YAHAD (TOGETHER) SATURDAY MORNINGS
A once a month Torah study for Synagogue School parents (and open to
the entire community) at 9:00am followed by a lively family-oriented
service from 10:15 - 11:00am. A light kiddush potluck lunch is then served.
SHABBAT SHIRA
January 14, 2022, 8:00pm
Our annual celebration of the Song of the Sea, featuring participation by
our Tuneful Tuesdays Choir and full house band.
RSNS.ORG 516.627.6274 37
Holidays
THE HIGH HOLIDAYS
We observe Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur with services and programs
that are directed to people of all ages. We encourage you to find new ways
to connect with yourself and your community in 5782.
S’LIHOT
Saturday, August 28
In anticipation of the beginning of the High Holidays, we connect for a
service featuring the themes and music of Rosh HaShanah and Yom
Kippur to give us a spiritual head start.
ROSH HASHANAH
EREV ROSH HASHANAH
Monday, September 6
Join us as we begin the celebration of the New Year. The first evening of Rosh
HaShanah is a time for our community to engage in the process of renewal.
FIRST DAY OF ROSH HASHANAH
Tuesday, September 7
There will be multiple services on this day: one for toddlers and their
families, a family-oriented service, and adult services with readings and life
cycle-focused aliyot. The congregation gathers at the water across from
Baxter Pond in Port Washington for Tashlikh, a ritual casting of that which
we no longer want to hold on to.
SECOND DAY OF ROSH HASHANAH
Wednesday, September 8
We come together again for services on the second day of Rosh
HaShanah. These service features a panel of congregants.
rsns.org 516.627.6274
YOM KIPPUR
KOL NIDRE
Wednesday, September 15
We begin with the chanting of Kol Nidre as we enter the time of personal
reflection.
YOM KIPPUR
Thursday, September 16
On Yom Kippur, there will be a toddler service, adult services, and
family-oriented services. For those who want to spend more time
reflecting, we will offer programs that lend different perspectives on this
most important day. We connect once more in the late afternoon for the
concluding services, Martyrology, Yizkor, Ne’ila and Havdalah.
SUKKOT
Tuesday, September 21
The fall harvest holiday includes a full morning service as we shake the
lulav, read Torah and learn about the connection between our Jewish
calendar and the seasons.
SIMHAT TORAH
Monday, September 27
Come dance with the Torah on this festive evening, as we consecrate our
Bet students into our community of Jewish learning.
RSNS.ORG 516.627.6274 39
SHEMINI ATZERET
Tuesday, September 28, 9:45am
We mark the end of the fall holidays with a service that includes Yizkor.
INTERFAITH THANKSGIVING SERVICE
Sunday, November 21, 5:00pm
On the Sunday before Thanksgiving, the entire RSNS community gathers
for an interfaith celebration of gratitude. Each year it is hosted at a
different house of worship. Location TBA.
HANUKKAH SERVICE
Friday, December 3, 7:30pm
Join us to celebrate Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights!
TU B’SHEVAT
Sunday, January 16, 2022, 5:00 - 7:00pm
Celebrate the New Year of the Trees with songs, poetry, readings about the
Earth, fruits dipped in chocolate and a potluck dinner!
PURIM
PURIM CARNIVAL
Sunday, March 13, 2022, 11:00am – 2:00pm
Children of all ages and their grownups can kick off our celebration of
Purim with bouncy houses, cotton candy, hot dogs, spin art, fun games
and prizes!
MEGILLAH READING 6:00pm
MUSICAL PURIM SHPIEL (Play),
6:30pm
Wednesday, March 16, 2022
We celebrate with a communal
reading of the Book of Esther, fun
Purim songs and a hilarious musical
Purim Play featuring congregant
thespians of all ages.
rsns.org 516.627.6274
PASSOVER
WOMEN’S SEDER
Sunday, April 3, 2022, 4:00pm
Join us for a musical Passover Seder with an all-
women’s band. We will tell the Passover story in
parallel to narratives from our community. Ages 8 & up.
“
RSNS has been
a loving and
beautiful part of
our lives. We feel
blessed to be part
of a warm, inviting
Synagogue where
our children have
grown up and the
clergy have been
like family.
“
CONGREGATIONAL SECOND NIGHT / ZOOM SEDER
Saturday, April 16, 2022, 5:00-6:00pm
Join us for a live, all-remote, congregational seder!
RSNS.ORG 516.627.6274 41
SEVENTH DAY PASSOVER SERVICES
Friday, April 22, 2022
We mark the final day of Passover together with a full service including
Torah reading, a discussion of the holiday, and Yizkor.
YOM HASHOAH - HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY
Wednesday, April 27, 2022, 7:30pm
We remember the 6 million Jews who perished in the Holocaust. Interspersed
within the liturgy are the stories of the survivors whom our 8th
graders have adopted.
SHAVUOT
Saturday, June 4, 2022 8:00pm
We celebrate with readings, the liturgy of the festival including yizkor, and
a post-service study session (tikkun leil Shavuot).
MOVING-UP SHABBAT
Friday, June 10, 2022
We invite anyone marking a passage from one school to another (nursery,
middle, high school, or beyond!) to join us at our celebratory family-oriented
Friday night service in June. A special blessing will be made for the
RSNS teens graduating from high school.
rsns.org 42 RSNS.ORG 516.627.6274 516.627.6274
Committees
Get involved! Our committees add to the vibrancy of the synagogue,
enable congregants to influence the direction of our community and are a
great way to meet others. Committees are open to all members.
BYLAWS
This committee is concerned with the overall governance of the
congregation including matters related to the Board of Directors and
officers, budget, and employment of professionals. The committee meets
as needed. Contact: Judy Bieber at Bylaws@rsns.org
COLLEGE OUTREACH
To maintain a connection to RSNS, this committee sends our college
students packages while they’re away at school. The packages
coincide with various Jewish holidays, and contain healthy snacks,
holiday related items (apples & honey, chocolate gelt, Hamantashen,
matzah, etc), a card and a letter from Rabbi Lee.
Contact: Lesley Siegel at CollegeOutreach@rsns.org
DESIGN COMMITTEE
Having completed the renovation of the sanctuary interior and lobby, the
committee will continue its work toward improving the function and
beauty of our building. The committee will meet as needed.
Contact: Myrna Niego at Design@rsns.org
EDUCATIONAL ADVISORY GROUP
Meetings are lively as congregants of many generations reflect on their
own educational experiences and learn about current ideas in educational
practice. Members work together to ensure that the vision and quality of
our Jewish learning community continues to grow in strength and meets
the needs of individual learners. The group meets quarterly.
Contact: Roseann Michelson at Education@rsns.org
FINANCE
Members of the Finance Committee are concerned with the “business”
of the synagogue. Working with the synagogue board treasurer, the
committee draws up the annual budget and oversees the congregation’s
investment portfolio. The committee meets frequently to analyze
and evaluate our financial well-being, while keeping the budget on
track during the year. Contact: Ira Ginsburg at Finance@rsns.org
FUNDRAISING
Members plan and promote programs and events that bring us
together as a community, while benefitting the synagogue financially,
with a focus on our annual Spring Gala.
Contact: Alvin Pitkow and Dinah Kramer at Fundraising@rsns.org
GAN SHALOM ADVISORY
This committee’s goals are building the foundation of our early
childhood learners, interfacing with teachers, directors, parent
representatives and board representatives, while developing a
marketing strategy to increase the school’s visibility in the community
as well as grow enrollment. Contact: GanShalom@rsns.org
HOUSE
This committee oversees the maintenance and repairs of our building
and grounds and works in conjunction with the Design Committee on
major projects. Contact: Bob Schwartz at House@rsns.org
ISRAEL ENGAGEMENT
This committee seeks out and evaluates cultural, educational and
advocacy opportunities for our members to engage with Israel, both
within our congregation and the larger Jewish community. We seek to
support Israel as a flourishing, peaceful and democratic home for all
Jews. Contact: Josh Blumenfeld at Israel@rsns.org
rsns.org 516.627.6274
Visit
rsns.org
for more
programming
info
RSNS.ORG 516.627.6274 45
rsns.org 516.627.6274
“
There’s no place
like RSNS for
a warm,
welcoming,
family-oriented,
intellectually
stimulating
Jewish
experience.
“
LONG RANGE PLANNING
Drawing from the results of a two-year-long UJA-sponsored study of
our congregation, this committee continues to plan for the future of our
congregation. The committee meets quarterly.
Contact: Judy Bieber and Susan Liberstein at LongRange@rsns.org
MEMBERSHIP ADVISORY
The committee offers participants the opportunity to connect, belong
and grow. RSNS is an inclusive community composed of individual
and household memberships, who are traditional, non-traditional,
and interfaith. The committee focuses on inreach and outreach
activities to maintain as well as to grow our synagogue community.
We meet quarterly. Contact: Jane Buford at Membership@rsns.org
MUTUAL SUPPORT ADVISORY
Recognizing that we are more than a worship community and that
each one of us has something to contribute, or, at some time, be
in need, no other committee better embodies the spirit of our congregation.
Through our “member2member” listserv, holiday-themed
outreach packages to college students, and our monthly Engaging
with Aging meetings, this committee addresses the needs of many
cohorts. The committee meets quarterly.
Contact: Lisa Sloan at MutualSupport@rsns.org
PERSONNEL
Members are responsible for all hiring and dismissal of synagogue
staff (not otherwise detailed in the synagogue bylaws), as well as
consideration of any grievances. The Board of Trustees approves all
actions of this committee. A special committee may be appointed if
needed to deal with specific personnel problems.
Contact: Personnel@rsns.org
RSNS.ORG 516.627.6274 47
PROGRAMMING
This committee enhances our communal experience by bringing
speakers from outside our synagogue into our building and by finding
adventures that take us beyond our building. Committee members are
always on the lookout for events and activities that expand the
horizons of our congregation. The committee meets several times in
the course of the year. Contact: June Pitkow and Barbara Schaffer at
Programming@rsns.org
PUBLICITY
The Publicity Committee works to make our congregation known to
the larger North Shore community through a variety of platforms that
include our website, social media and print. The committee writes
and posts press releases about Gan Shalom, our Synagogue School
programs and our many activities. The committee is also responsible
for marketing to promote membership. The committee meets
frequently in the course of the year. Contact: Publicity@rsns.org
RECONSTRUCTING JUDAISM
Our congregation is part of the larger communities of Reconstructing
Judaism. Under this rubric, we see ourselves as a progressive
force for Jewish expression.
Contact: Tammy Smiley at ReconstructingJudaism@rsns.org
RITUAL ADVISORY
All matters regarding Shabbat and holiday services and ritual practice
in our synagogue community are the concern of the Committee on
Ritual. Members of the committee evaluate existing policies and
programs, and consider new programs as well.
Contact: Eileen Rosendahl at Ritual@rsns.org
48 RSNS.ORG 516.627.6274
rsns.org 516.627.6274
SECURITY
RSNS is committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for
its congregants, students, clergy, staff, visitors, and neighbors. The
Security Committee’s ongoing mission is to maximize the quality of our
ritual and learning environments by minimizing the potential for harm
of any kind. RSNS incorporates security as an integral aspect of all
operations, including but not limited to facility hardening, surveillance
and maintaining strong ties to local law enforcement. Any and all
congregants are welcome to join the RSNS Security Committee.
Contact: Joe Maissel at SecurityCommittee@rsns.org
SHAMOR
This group monitors and responds to antisemitic incidents in our
local community and works to help prevent future incidents. We meet
with local school personnel if incidents occur and provide assistance
for staff training and curriculum development as required. Committee
members connect with Jewish organizations, and build bridges with
houses of worship, at risk communities and local law enforcement
agencies. Contact: Matt Harris at Shamor@rsns.org
SOCIAL ACTION
Our congregation is passionately
committed to Tikkun
Olam (Repairing our World).
This includes social justice,
advocacy, direct service and
volunteering, environmental
responsibility, raising awareness
and tolerance, and finding
points of connection with
diverse groups with whom we can partner to change our world for the
better! The committee meets to identify need and to plan actions to
pursue justice. Contact: SocialAction@rsns.org
Staff&Volunteers
Rabbi Lee Friedlander, RabbiLee@rsns.org
Rabbi Jodie Siff, RabbiJodie@rsns.org
Cantor Eric Schulmiller, CantorEric@rsns.org
Executive Director: Liza Wilson,
ExecutiveDirector@rsns.org
Nursery School Co-Directors: Lisa Erkus & Sara Rubin,
GanShalom@rsns.org
Assistant: Emet Lipson, RSNSassistant@rsns.org
Administrative Assistant: Shahrzad Gadi, Office@rsns.org
Bookkeeper: Lauren Pomerantz, Bookkeeper@rsns.org
MAINTENANCE STAFF
Mauricio Romero & Oscar Hernandez
OFFICERS
Co-Presidents: Dan Rabinowitz & Susan Liberstein
Vice Presidents: Judy Bieber, Alex Eule, Karen Unger Belfer,
Terry Wolff
Treasurer: Ira Ginsburg
Recording Secretary: Matt Horowitz
Corresponding Secretary: Susan Hicks
TRUSTEES
Ted Baecher, Joy Benjamin, Josh Blumenfeld, Lynn Capuano,
Alan Ederer, Meir Gil, Judy Levine, Myrna Niego, Bob Schwartz,
Blythe Kinsler, Josh Cohen, Michael Schiffer
BROCHURE
Designer: Michelle Shain
Editor: Natalie Mines
50 RSNS.ORG 516.627.6274
rsns.org 516.627.6274
1001 PLANDOME RD
MANHASSET, NY 11030
RSNS.ORG
Join us
today!
rsns.org
rsns.org 516.627.6274
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