Recent TSE Emails

We are sad to share that Richard Kargman, brother of our member Judy (Marty) Borell, passed away on February 13, 2022. 

Richard was the husband of Judie (z”l). He was also the brother of Lewis Kargman; the father of Stacey (Sharon) Kaye and Scott Kargman; and the grandfather of Asher and Ezra.

Funeral services were on Tuesday, February 15, in West Babylon, NY.

Donations in memory of Richard may be made to the  Ethel and Alex Kargman Fund  at The Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey,  West End Temple  where he was a member, or to  Temple Shaari Emeth.  ​​​​​​​

May God console those who mourn in Zion, Jerusalem and throughout the world

Upcoming Adult Education

The Stationary Shop of Tehran by Marjan Kamali
Sisterhood Book Club
Feb 23, 2022 12:30 PM
Join Zoom Meeting

The Stationary Shop of Tehran by Marjan Kamali
Sisterhood Book Club
Feb 24, 2022 7:00 PM
Join Zoom Meeting

Lifelong Learning: Rabbi Richard F. Address, D.Min. - Positive Aging: Click to register

Jewish Texts and Positive Aging
We search and probe our classic texts to seek meaning for our lives.
In this session, we will examine several key Torah texts that provide a theological foundation for our third and fourth stages of life. We will see how we can look at these Torah texts to be supported in the tradition's call to never stop growing, seeking and learning. Sunday, March 6 11:30am

Jewish National Fund - VIRTUAL USA Breakfast for Israel: Click for more information and to Register
Join us virtually with fellow members of the Central New Jersey community to learn about the impact we have on the land and people of Israel. Hear from renowned chef Lior Lev Sercarz about the Galilee Culinary Institute by JNF (GCI), a one-of-a-kind total-immersion culinary institute, located in the heart of Israel’s northern Galilee region. A pillar of Jewish National Fund-USA’s Go North initiative, GCI combines culinary and restaurant expertise, tourism, and entrepreneurship, and is expected to transform northern Israel into a thriving community and culinary hub.
Sunday, March 6 11:00am

CHILDREN OF GOD: AN INTERFAITH CONVERSATION: Tolerance and acceptance only happens when we know and understand one another. The Greater Freehold Clergy Association has always been committed to bringing our communities together in worship, action and learning. Please join us for these panel discussions and special educational opportunities where we will explore facets of Islam, Christianity and Judaism in order to understand our differences as well as our commonalities. The purpose of these programs is to build mutual understanding and acceptance.

Sin and Confession in Our Traditions
Wednesday, March 23, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.
Click Here To Register for Sin and Confession
Once you register, you will receive a dedicated link to use for the program.

Thursday, March 24, 2022 7:00 p.m.
The Only Woman in the Room
By Marie Benedict
She was beautiful. She was a genius. Could the world handle both? A novel about Hedy Lamarr.
Hedy Kiesler is lucky. Her beauty leads to a starring role in a controversial film and marriage to a powerful Austrian arms dealer, allowing her to evade Nazi persecution despite her Jewish heritage. But Hedy is also intelligent. At lavish Vienna dinner parties, she overhears the Third Reich's plans. One night in 1937, desperate to escape her controlling husband and the rise of the Nazis, she disguises herself and flees her husband's castle.

She lands in Hollywood, where she becomes Hedy Lamarr, screen star. But Hedy is keeping a secret even more shocking than her Jewish heritage: she is a scientist. She has an idea that might help the country and that might ease her guilt for escaping alone—if anyone will listen to her.

Lifelong Learning: Movie: Joachim Prinz:
I SHALL NOT BE SILENT:
Sunday, April 3 11:30am-1:00pm
In Berlin in the 1930's, the civil rights of Jews were systematically stripped away. A young rabbi refused to be silent. His name was Joachim Prinz and he set out to restore the self-esteem of the German Jews. Knowing the Nazis were monitoring his every word, and despite repeated arrests, Prinz continued to preach about the value of Judaism. He saved many lives by encouraging Jews to emigrate from Germany.

Expelled from Germany in 1937, Prinz arrived in the United States, the land where democracy had supposedly triumphed over bigotry and hatred. Here, he witnessed racism against African Americans and realized the American ideal was not a reality.

As rabbi of Temple B'nai Abraham in Newark, NJ and later as President of the American Jewish Congress, Prinz became a leader of the civil rights movement. Prinz worked to organize the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, declaring, "bigotry and hatred are not the most urgent problem. The most urgent, the most disgraceful, the most shameful and the most tragic problem is silence." Moments later, Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his "I Have A Dream" speech. 

We are sad to share that Joseph Zachary Epstein, husband of Barbara Shrank Epstein (2005-present) and Irene Lee Epstein (1966-2003), passed away today, February 10, 2022. 
 
Joseph was survived by his daughter and son-in law, Alix and Alex Duggan, Step-son Marc Shrank, David and Jeannie Shrank, Steven and Amy Shrank.  He was the grandfather to Iris Duggan, Mia, Summer, Hunter, Zachary, Matthew and Robert.
 
A private graveside service will be on Friday, February 11, 2022 at 11am at Woodlawn Cemetery, Bronx, NY.  There will be no shiva. 

Donations in memory of Joseph may be made to Rabbi Panken's Discretionary Fund. 

May God console those who mourn in Zion, Jerusalem and throughout the world

Believe it or not, Temple Shaari Emeth is gearing up to celebrate Purim. You can help make the holiday sweet by sending PURIMGRAMS to others. Sending a PURIMGRAM to a friend, family member, or neighbor is a sweet way to show you care.

Proceeds from each PURIMGRAM help fund the Toby and Seth Hanover Youth Scholarship Fund, which provides over $10,000 of scholarship each year to support sending our children to Jewish camps and educational programs. The importance of Jewish summer experiences in developing strong Jewish identities as adults is well-documented and a goal of the synagogue. It also helps our students make lasting memories and friends. What a deal!

By sending a special Shalach Manot box filled with hamentaschen
and other treats you can help give a child the summer experience of a lifetime!

You can send treat filled boxes to members of the TSE community. An initial donation of $18 includes up to 6 PURIMGRAMS, with each additional PURIMGRAM costing only $3. The PURIMGRAM will include a letter explaining that a gift was made to the Seth and Toby Hanover Youth Scholarship Fund in their honor.  The letter will list each person/family who sent them a PURIMGRAM.  In addition to sending a PURIMGRAM to an individual, you can choose to do one or more of the following:

$36 – Send a PURIMGRAM to all TSE office staff and clergy
$36 – Send a PURIMGRAM to all ELC teachers and staff
$36 – Send a PURIMGRAM to all Religious School teachers              and staff
$36 – Send a PURIMGRAM to all TSE Board of Trustee                    members
$180 – Send a PURIMGRAM to the entire congregation

Finally, you can also chose to send a PURIMGRAM to everyone who sends one to you (and be billed by the synagogue) or pay how you paid for your initial order.

Orders are due no later than March 1, 2022.
PURIMGRAMS will be delivered to recipients prior to Purim.

Those who live out of the area will receive their PURIMGRAM in the mail. This year, you can also send PURIMGRAMS to friends and family who are not members of Temple Shaari Emeth for $18 each (United States addresses only).

Thank you for helping to give our children the gift of Jewish Camp! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Temple office.
​​​​​​​
Happy Purim,
Naomi Bressler, Chair of the Seth and Toby Hanover Youth Scholarship Committee

Join us in the sanctuary or online for this week's service. All Friday night services also stream on the website, Facebook  and YouTube 

Special guest Dvar by Ali Glaser
Enjoy a Boardwalk Oneg after the Kabbalat Shabbat Service at 6:30pm.Special boardwalk treats including funnel cakes, popcorn, cotton candy, and hotdogs

Adult Education ~ Sunday
Ethical Wills
February 6th    11:30am

                           On Zoom - Registration Required


Rabbi Philip Bazeley, originally from Brooklyn, NY, graduated from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA. There he majored in Legal Studies and minored in Sociology and also earned a certificate in Criminal Justice. Rabbi Bazeley was ordained in 2012 from the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion where he also earned a Master of Arts in Hebrew Literature as well as a Master of Arts in Religious Education.  .....   click to read more

We are sad to share that Kathleen Lewit, mother of Lee Klein, passed away on Monday, January 31, 2022. 
 
Kathleen is predeceased by her husband Arnold. She is survived by her 3 daughters, Lee (Howard) Klein, Marsha (Paul) Chasinov, Ronni (Ron) Enzman. She was the grandmother of Stefanie & Jimmy Bernard, Lauren Klein, Jamie Ferlanti, Melissa Hopf, Nick & Lauren Chasinov, Adam & Jackie Vendefti and Cassie Vendefti & fiancé Juan.  She was the great-grandmother of Brody Chasinov, Michael and Justin Ferlanti, Skylar and Delaney Hopf, Cianna and Madelyn Chasinov, Jaiden, Adeline, Jakob and Maverick Vendefti, Luciiana, Carmine and Emelia Ferlisi and Santino Escobar.
 
A graveside service will be on Wednesday, February 2, 2022 at 1:00pm at Mt.Sinai Cemetery in Marlboro. 
 
Shiva will be on Thursday, February 3, 2022 with minyan at 7:30pm at the Klein residence and will be on Zoom simultaneously.

Click here to view the Shiva on Zoom. 

Donations in memory of Kathleen may be made to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

May God console those who mourn in Zion, Jerusalem and throughout the world

We are sad to share that Kathleen Lewit, mother of Lee Klein, passed away on Monday, January 31, 2022. 
 
Kathleen is predeceased by her husband Arnold. She is survived by her 3 daughters, Lee (Howard) Klein, Marsha (Paul) Chasinov, Ronni (Ron) Enzman. She was the grandmother of Stefanie & Jimmy Bernard, Lauren Klein, Jamie Ferlanti, Melissa Hopf, Nick & Lauren Chasinov, Adam & Jackie Vendefti and Cassie Vendefti & fiancé Juan.  She was the great-grandmother of Brody Chasinov, Michael and Justin Ferlanti, Skylar and Delaney Hopf, Cianna and Madelyn Chasinov, Jaiden, Adeline, Jakob and Maverick Vendefti, Luciana Ferguson, Carmine and Emelia Ferlisi and Santino Escobar.
 
A graveside service will be on Wednesday, February 2, 2022 at 1:00pm at Mt.Sinai Cemetery in Marlboro. 
 
Shiva will be on Thursday, February 3, 2022 with minyan at 7:00pm at the Klein residence and will be on Zoom simultaneously.

Click here to view the Shiva on Zoom. 

Donations in memory of Kathleen may be made to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

May God console those who mourn in Zion, Jerusalem and throughout the world

Join us in the sanctuary or online for this week's service. All Friday night services also stream on the website, Facebook  and YouTube 

Welcome to the World

Isaac Bernstine Chalian
January 8, 2022
 
Proud Parents
David Chalian and Justin Bernstine 

Proud Grandparents
Carol and Lloyd Krimko 

It is with great sadness that we share that Lucy Schachter-Fox passed away on 1/20/2022. She was Gregory Benisch's grandmother, and great-grandmother of Jessica, Emily, Evan & Jason. The services will all be private. 

May God console those who mourn in Zion, Jerusalem and throughout the world

It is with great sadness that we share that Lois Heller, sister-in-law of Sandi Lustig, passed away on Monday, January 17, 2022, in California. 

Memorial services will be held at a later date. 

May God console those who mourn in Zion, Jerusalem and throughout the world

Saturday began in prayer for Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker and Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville, Texas, and we were relieved that it ended with prayers of gratitude to God and to all who helped liberate the hostages.
No one should ever be afraid to assemble in their place of worship. This situation is a sobering reminder that we must continue to combat and condemn antisemitism and all forms of hatred in America. The partnership that has developed in recent years between local law enforcement, FBI, the Jewish community, and national organizations including the Anti-Defamation League and Secure Communities Network was critical in putting the relationships in place that allowed everyone to work together toward resolving this crisis.

Temple Shaari Emeth continues to partner with our local law enforcement, The Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey, and other local and national organizations to keep our emergency response training, equipment and procedures up to date. We are in the final year of implementing a $100,000 Homeland Security Grant that is being used to enhance our physical security infrastructure. The Manalapan Police, along with police officers from other communities, have used our building for SWAT training. We continue to adjust as best practices are updated by our local, state, and national partners. Please reach out to Stuart if you have specific questions.

We invite you to consider saying a prayer of healing for our Jewish community, with these words by Rabbi Seth Goldstein:

Source of All Life and Blessing,
Free those who are in captivity
Protect those who are in danger
Heal those who are in pain
Strengthen those who are weary
Give peace to those who are in strife
Bring justice to those who do wrong.

Source of All Life and Blessing,
May hatred and violence be eradicated from our communities
May we continue to not only build walls, but bridges.
May the spark of the divine in each of us be visible to all
May righteousness and compassion guide our steps.

Amen.

May the Holy One who makes peace in the heavens grant peace to the members of Congregation Beth Israel, to us, and to all of humanity.

L'shalom,
Rabbi Melinda Panken
Cantor Wally Schachet Briskin
Jennifer Fessler, President
Stuart Brown, Executive Director
Melissa Pescatore, Director of Religigious Education
Sheryn Cohen, Director of Early Learning Center

Hi Everyone!

Happy New Year and Shabbat Shalom.  I hope you have all started this year great and are weathering the cold weather.  I wanted to reach out to the entire congregation with some updates.  

First, I would like to share a personal message from the Rabbi:

Dear Friends:

Over five weeks ago Glenn collapsed before services, suffering from a traumatic brain injury caused by a congenital problem. He is currently in a facility where he will be for the foreseeable future. 

There are no words sufficient to tell you how much we appreciate your love, concern, and support as all of us begin to adjust to this new circumstance. If you would like to express concern or love, we truly appreciate notes and e-mail. Please be assured, even if we do not respond, that your wishes help to strengthen us. I especially want to thank Jennifer Fessler, the Board, the Senior Staff and Temple Staff who have kept everything at the Temple moving forward in my absence. They have all done an incredible job of responding to this challenge, especially in the midst of the ongoing pandemic. I am blessed to be a part of such a warm and supportive community which will make my return to work in the near future that much easier. I have always returned to work after difficult moments and I will again.

I wanted you to hear this update from me, and when there is anything new to share I promise I will let you know. This is an incredibly challenging time for our entire family, and yet still we count our blessings, and recognize the profound gift of being embraced by the love and strength of the incredible Temple Shaari Emeth community. Please continue to keep Glenn in your prayers for healing and wholeness.

L'shalom,
Rabbi Melinda Panken

Secondly, The senior staff and clergy have been working hard behind the scenes to ensure that our community continues to flourish while the Rabbi takes the time she needs to handle family matters.  

Rabbi Panken has been instrumental in all of the planning for the next several months.  At Rabbi's request, she will be taking the remainder of January to be with her family.  She has been participating in the Assistant Rabbi Search Committee, and she has also been participating in ensuring our Youth Scholarship program continues to operate.  During the last week of January we will begin to plan for February and I will be sure to give you an update at that point on when and how the Rabbi will be returning in February.

While Cantor Wally and Cantor Siet have been available handling all life cycle events, there were often times when any one of us needed spiritual counseling and turned to Rabbi Panken.  During this time, please call the temple office at (732) 462-7744. Cantor Wally and Rabbi are connected with several Rabbinic Colleagues and we will connect you with the right support. 

We have invited many special guest clergy to join us on Friday nights and lead our teachings during services.  This will continue through the end of February.  We also have enjoyed Torah Study by many lay leaders here in our community.  Melissa Pescatore has been leading our confirmation class and will be joining this group of amazing kids down to Washington DC for the Annual RAC Trip.  Adult Education is continuing as planned under the leadership of David Gronlund-Jacob.  So much more is happening throughout the building.  Please look for the weekly emails with the schedule of events.

I always say it takes a village, and I am so proud of our community to have pulled together to be the village Temple Shaari Emeth needs.  In any environment, we are unable to plan for every situation.  If there is any questions or concerns that you would like to discuss please feel free to reach out to me, directly, at (732) 688-2850.

Shabbat Shalom,

​​​​​​​Jennifer Fessler

It is with deep sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Daniel Wolt, who died on December 23, 2021, while vacationing with his family in Mexico.
Daniel was predeceased by his  father,  the late John Wolt. He is survived by Cindy Wolt, their four children, Eden Rachel, Ariela Mina, Talya Tzipporah, and Yosef Levi; his mother, Judith Wolt; his brother, Ethan Wolt and his nephew, Adam Wolt. Daniel was Bar Mitzvah and confirmed in Temple Shaari Emeth. 

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, December 28, 2021 in the New Agudas Achim Cemetery, Columbus, Oh. The family sat Shiva in New Albany, Oh.
 
To  elevate Daniel’s soul and to remember his warm and generous personality the family has partnered with the Columbus Jewish Foundation to create the Dan Wolt Memorial Fund. All contributions made to the fund will go directly towards the organizations that supported Dan's family during this difficult time. To make a donation online please visit: 
​​​​​​​
Donations can be made to Columbus Jewish Foundation
Under “Designated Fund” please select “Other” and type in “Dan Wolt Memorial Fund.”

To make a donation by check please mail to: 
Columbus Jewish Foundation
1175 College Ave
Columbus OH 43209
Under memo please write “Dan Wolt Memorial Fund” 

May God console those who mourn in Zion, Jerusalem and throughout the world

Join us in the sanctuary or online for this week's service. All Friday night services stream on the website, Facebook  and YouTube 

In person attendance for Saturday morning services is currently limited to family and guests of the Bnai Mitzvah family.

The service is streamed to:
shaariemeth.org/bmitzvahstream

Previous Bnai Mitzvah are also available on the page.

Upcoming Lifelong Learning

January 9, 2022 / 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Contemporary Jewish Art

Zoom Only

Registration Required

Richard McBee is a painter of Biblical subject matter and writer on Jewish Art. From 2000 until 2014 he wrote about the Jewish Arts for the Jewish Press and continues to exhibit paintings, lecture and curate Jewish art exhibitions.  He is a founding member of the Jewish Art Salon (jewishartsalon.org). His website (richardmcbee.com) exhibits over 300 of his artworks and 250 of his Jewish Art reviews.

“We are living in a Golden Age of religiously themed Jewish American Art…” (Matthew Baigell, Professor Emeritus Rutgers University, author of over 20 books on American and Jewish Art.)

We will explore the works of 15 contemporary Jewish artists who plumb their Jewish identity through midrash, feminism, Kabbalah, abstraction, Biblical narrative, book illustration, popular culture and comics.

All services and sessions of the Scholar in Residence weekend will be in-person and streamed.

There will be a way to ask questions
for those participating from home