Sisterhood

Albert Einstein once said, "In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, CSS Sisterhood continues to bring together the women of our community to support each other in our commitment to Judaism and to our synagogue. 

Although we are facing unprecedented challenges our board sees opportunities in these difficulties and is enthusiastic in addressing creative and innovative ways to make Sisterhood as successful as possible. 

Until we can meet in person, we will hold meetings and events via Zoom. General meetings are usually on the second Tuesday and board meetings on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7PM. 

Sisterhood's opening event will feature the charismatic Claudia Pellegrini-pianist, vocalist, and violin virtuoso on October 21st at 1PM. The cost is only $18 for this captivating performance. Contact Bobbi Kraft at bkraft22@verizon.net for details. 

We are inviting everyone to put a personal ad in Sisterhood's Who's Who membership directory, a major fall fundraiser. The booklet is distributed to all Sisterhood Members and any congregants who would like one.  

Sisterhood always has Simcha, Golden Book and Barbara Dratch cards available. Contact the synagogue office for details. Plus, don't forget to purchase scrip for ShopRite, Acme and Giant Supermarkets. 

We are always happy to welcome new members. If you are interested in joining, please contact Lois Cleghorn at loiscleghorn@hotmail.com.  For more information, please feel free to reach out to our Sisterhood President, Shelli Keeny at shellirosenberg@yahoo.com.

Become a Sisterhood Member!

 Click here to view 2020-2021 Board & General Meeting Dates

See below for our new and upcoming programs or click here for a full list of our Sisterhood events.

Dvar Torah For Sisterhood Installation

Welcome to Sisterhood Installation, in a new and different format—
the Virtual Installation on Zoom.

A few weeks ago, we enjoyed the beautiful spring holiday of Shavuot, commemorating Matan Torah, the giving of our Torah on Har Sinai. According to Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, “each person has a Torah, unique to that person, her or his innermost teaching. Some people seem to know their “Torahs” very early in life and speak and sing them in a myriad of ways. Others spend their whole lives stammering, shaping, and rehearsing them. Some are long, some are short. Some are intricate and poetic; others are only a few words and still others can only be spoken by gesture and example. But every person has a Torah” To hear another say their Torah, is a precious gift.” We need to listen to the wisdom of all in order to grow and flourish.

In Sisterhood, some of us will be doing our jobs for the umpteenth year, while others may be in a completely different position. Nevertheless, we all have a job to do and most of us do it well. And the basic idea is to perpetuate the goals of Sisterhood and the goals of the Congregations of Shaare Shamayim. That is, to remain a viable spiritual and life-sustaining entity that fulfills the social and spiritual needs of our community. Shelli, we wish you good luck and Godspeed. We know you and your work well, and we look forward to hearing more of your special Torah. Mindy, you have been a role model and you have” been there and done that.” We know Shelli can rely on you as a go-to person.  Mazel tov to all our outgoing officers and incoming officers. Let’s put our heads together and brainstorm to find new ways to come together and fundraise, be it on Zoom or in person during these perilous days of Covid-19 uncertainty. And we will become bigger and better for the experience. Our ruach-our special CSS spirit is still within us. Long may it reign!

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks has a commentary on this week’s Torah portion, Shlach, that I would like to quote: “One of the fundamental tasks of any leader from president to parent is to give people a sense of confidence in themselves, in the group of which they are a part, and in the mission itself. A leader must have faith in the people he or she leads, and to inspire that faith in them.  As Rosabeth Moss Kanter of the Harvard Business School writes in her book, Confidence, “Leadership is not about the leader, it is about how he or she builds the confidence of everyone else.” Confidence, by the way is Latin for “having faith together.” How appropriate for our faith-based community.

So, let us all have confidence together that we can overcome the stresses presented to us today and move on with strength, courage, and commitment to new days and new beginnings.

Toby Lundy

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