Temple Emanu-El strives to be a warm and welcoming Bet Knesset (House of Assembly), an inspiring and uplifting Bet Tefilah (House of Prayer), and an engaging and enlightening Bet Midrash (House of Study) for people of all ages and backgrounds.  We invite you to join us in our full range of services and programs.

Register now - Bentley Memorial Golf Tournament at noon on July 15th!

IMPORTANT CONGREGATIONAL MEETING

Special Congregational Meeting June 2nd at 10 AM

WE WON!!! Back in February I entered the Moment Magazine contest with the following words: Dear Editor at Moment Magazine, I am the rabbi of Temple Emanu-El, a Reform congregation of 250 households in Eastern Connecticut. I am delighted to say that many of my congregants are Jewish news junkies like me. We have an active seniors group that gets together to discuss Jewish and general current events. I also refer to Jewish current events often in both sermons and classes, for both youth and adults... (read more here)

All I can say is “oy vey!” I wrote about how we’ve taken out a line of credit to replace the roof and refinish the exterior walls (as they were wearing away). You’d think that would be enough to do after last year’s replacing of the sanctuary carpet and social hall tiles (due to the exploding heating unit). Just when you think it’s safe to exhale, last month, right before Pesach, the pipe that leads from our buried propane tanks to the synagogue failed. We lost our propane and had to excavate to repair the system. As with any home, one can expect the need for repairs and maintenance... [click here to read further]

I know it is only May, but I am thinking ahead to the summer and our Summer Services. Are you interested in leading a summer service? Our lay led summer services are relaxed, inspiring, musical, and informal. I'll be putting together a list of dates and posting the sign up sheet on the bulletin board in the Social Hall soon. So, if you are looking to lead a service, you can sign up, or send me a message letting me know that you are interested. Rabbi Rosenberg and I are always happy to help you put together a service, a sermon, or lend a hand with music. Let the thought of leading a service percolate and look for the sign up sheet towards the end of the month... [click here to read more]

Annual Sisterhood End of the Year Event on May 16th! Join us for dinner and an interactive African Drumming Program at Temple Emanu-El.

Our next book club meeting will be Monday, May 20th, where we will discuss Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo.

For more information about this and other upcoming Sisterhood activities, check the Temple Bulletin and the Sisterhood web page!

ThThe Brotherhood will be serving a free breakfast at the Temple Annual Membership Meeting - more details forthcoming!

The Brotherhood is also planning our annual Man-B-Que, tentatively scheduled for May 19th.  Look in the bulletin or here for further updates!

There will be a Special Congregational Meeting on June 2nd at 10 am.

For more information about these and other Brotherhood activities, check out the Brotherhood web page!

The Temple Emanu-El Bulletin is Temple Emanu-El's monthly newsletter and calendar. Click here to view the May bulletin and calendar.

If you would like to request a paper copy, please contact the temple office. Click here to view last month's April bulletin and calendar.

Do you have photos of Temple events?  Want to share them with the Temple Emanu-El community?  Just click on the webmaster link at the bottom of the page and I'll help you post them here at the Temple Emanu-El website!   - Phil Ross

2013 Ilson Award Winner – Marty Yavener
Friday, May 10 during services

Marty Yavener is a name that is probably not familiar to many of you, especially our younger members. He belongs to the Fort Street Gang, the generation who worshiped at Temple Emanu-El on Fort Street in Groton before moving to our present location 33 years ago.

A lifelong resident of New London, he joined the Temple in 1974. He took over the job of sending out Yahrzeit letters in 1976, and has been at it for 37 years and counting!!! Marty has also been helping to put together and mail our monthly bulletin for a mere 33 years. He was a regular volunteer at our weekly Bingo fundraiser for many years as well, until it ended in 1999 when we decided to make our newly-renovated Temple nonsmoking.
In the Jewish community, Marty has helped with the preparation and mailing of the Jewish Leader and The Maven for the last 10 years. He is a fixture at Jewish Seniors events, and has been helping to serve kosher hot lunches weekly for 40-60 people since he retired from a teaching career 22 years ago. In the greater community, Marty has helped serve at the Community Meal Center for a number of years, and visits seniors in the hospital and in nursing homes.

As you can see, Marty has a full schedule of volunteer activities. All are vital to our community, the kinds of things that people notice when they stop. So please join us at the Shabbat service on May 10 as we acknowledge and celebrate Marty Yavener.

Over the past six years, the Bill Bentley Memorial Golf Tournament has raised over $150,000 to benefit the youth services of Temple Emanu-El and the Lawrence and Memorial Hospital Community Cancer Center. The funds from our tournament have been used to support the following:

• Camperships to Eisner, Crane Lake and other Jewish camps
• Conference attendance by TEFTY members
• Trips to Israel
• Attendance at Jewish Learning Institutes
• Educational Trips
• Youth Group Events
• Community Events (e.g. Josh Nelson Concert)
• Pot Luck Dinners
• Religious School Aides Salaries
• Purchase of the Library Computer

This year’s tournament will be held on Monday, July 15 at the newly renovated Great Neck Country Club in Waterford. A registration fee of $150 entitles the golfer to lunch and dinner, a golfer’s bag, guaranteed raffle prizes, and opportunities to win additional raffle and golfers prizes, including low team gross and net, closest to the pin on all par 3’s, a 50-50 hole, longest drive for men and women, and holes in one. Click here to view the Golf Brochure for additional information.

We also encourage you to support our tournament through sponsorships ranging from a “Friend of Bill” ($75), a tee sponsorship ($250), green sponsorship ($500), and others. If you have any questions about the tournament, please contact Scott Wolfe at 860-449-3009 or email him at scottwolfe11@comcast.net.

Decadent & Fabulous Emanu-El Sisterhood Fun Temple Emanu-El's kitchen was standing room only during a live French Cooking demonstration by Florence Betten, who expertly showed over thirty-five Sisterhood members and prospects how to prepare an elegant appetizer course of Goat Cheese and Apple Croustade with a Roasted Walnut Vinaigrette. She also shared some French cooking tips, which she learned from gourmet cooking schools in France. The well-attended "Taste of France" dinner, cooking and baking demonstration event kicked off a new year of Sisterhood events on Tuesday, October 9. The ladies later dined on a farm-fresh salad prepared by Cecile Feldman, delicious butternut squash soup prepared by Robyn Krasner and tomato and goat cheese puff pastry dish prepared by Jennifer Zettler, who planned the event. Afterwards, Cecile Feldman led French baking demonstrations of a variety of pies which she learned from her mother when she lived in France. She dazzled the ladies with her no-nonsense and artful approach to pie and tart favorites such as Tarte Aux Peches, Tarte Aux Fraises, Tarte Aux Pommes, Pear Cake Tatin and Tarte Tatin.