Busy, busy October

Shalom Mishpachot/Dear Families:

I hope you had a wonderful Rosh Hashanah. It was great seeing so many of the school children here, singing and blowing shofar, or attending services and/or child care.

The new month of October brings with it our new Value of the Month: Welcoming the Stranger (Hachnasat Orchim) הַכְנָסַת אוֹרְחִים

I know you're already a pretty hospitable bunch, so think of even more ways you can incorporate this Mitzvah into your family practices. Ask your children for ideas. Maybe invite a new family over for the meal before Yom Kippur on the 8th or to break fast after services on the 9th. Have a few families over for an early Shabbat dinner and then come to services together (this Friday night is a Folk Service and the 25th is a Rock Shabbat). Or maybe make a play-date with your child and another student from their Religious School class.

Last week's Letter of the Week was Tav, תּ as in Torah, Tmunah (Picture), Todah ( Thank you ), and Tapuach (Apple). Did your family come up with any new Tav words?

This week's Letter of the Week is Mem - מ
The Mem words posted on our bulletin board include: Moreh/Morah (Teacher), Mezzuzah, Machberet (Notebook), and Menorah (Lamp, more often associated with the lamp from The Temple or with Chanukah).

This Sunday is our first Story Hour of the Month, at 10:00. All children and families are welcome. Saragail is leading it and I believe she'll be exploring the story of Jonah and the Whale, which is read on Yom Kippur. Also for the younger set is a Tot Shabbat service on the 18th at 5:30 (regular service follows at 6:30).

On the 10th Eliza Weissberger is coming to work with the children on decorating the sukkah! And speaking of sukkah, on Oct. 13th our 7-8 Grade program is taking a field trip to the Living Tree Alliance Farm to help build sukkahs and learn what makes a sukkah Kosher. The following weekend, LTA (19 & 20) is having multiple Sukkot activities for the entire family: https://livingtreealliance.com/sukkot-on-the-farm

On Sunday, Oct. 20th Temple is holding Simchat Torah services, joined by Ruach HaMaqom, at 5:30. We also use this opportunity to Consecrate our newest members of Religious School. The youngest members receive a mini-Torah and our older students (grade 4+) receive their siddurim/prayer books.

On Oct. 17 Torah Chanting class begins for our 6th graders. This brief, 20 minute class is from 6:15-6:35 immediately after class on Thursdays. Adults are welcome to join too.

Also on the 17th, from 7:00-8:30 is a beginning Hebrew reading class. So if you've never had Hebrew before, or it's been so long you can't tell an Aleph from a Bet, this class is for you. Let me know if you'd like to register.

On the 19th we are thrilled to have the Bat Mitzvah of Ariel Toohey, which will take place during Shabbat/Sukkot services that morning at 10:00 a.m.

Finally, on the 25th we will have a special Rock Shabbat service in honor of the 90th birthday of our beloved member, Beverley Bettmann, with a special oneg following services.

Whew! I'm getting tired just reading all the things going on, not to mention the Rabbi's Adult Bnai Mitzvah class and Intro to Judaism.

Gmar Chatimah Tovah/A Good Sealing,

Morah Judy