Community Programs
Sisterhood provides programs which are for the benefit of the whole Temple Isaiah community.
Wellness Series
Each year the Sisterhood presents a Winter Wellness Series. The purpose of the series is to promote wellness.
The Sisterhood Wellness Committee is underway with a new Chair, Cynthia Piltch. To help with her leadership transition, the former Committee Chair, Star Zieve, is graciously serving as a consultant. and Cynthia has a wonderful committee of committed volunteers including: Karen Arbetter, Eileen Cohen, Esther Eisenberg, Florence Koplow, Lynda Laurence, Ruth Maffa, Bernice Manning, Susan Marx, Barbara McIntosh, Karen Myers, Carol Rogers, Harriet Silverman, Cindy Steinberg, Eileen Sussman, Janet Sachs, Marilyn Zieve, and ex-officio Pam Awrach and Sandy Bornstein.
The upcoming Wellness Series will focus on concrete tools for maintaining wellness and building
community. We encourage all members of the Temple community to attend and invite others both in and
outside the Temple. The three sessions for 2012 are as follows:
(To be announced)
Tu B’Shevat Seder
Tu B’Shevat, the “Birthday of Trees” is a holiday that explores and teaches the importance of conservation and taking care of the earth. It is like a Passover Seder (but shorter!). A Tu B’Shevat Seder has a role for everyone. We will talk about Israel and the special care it takes to turn the desert green; and about fruits and nuts and how the inner seeds and outer shells protect future life, just as we protect our families and ourselves.
We will plant parsley seeds to symbolically celebrate the coming of spring and grow our own parsley for the Passover Seder.
Rabbi Perlman will direct the Seder with our own Sandy Bornstein leading us in singing. Our Seder meal will start with the fruits and nuts symbolic of the holiday, which will be followed by a light vegetarian dinner of homemade soup, salad, and dessert.
Sisterhood invites you to plan to come with your whole family or your book group or your chavurah or just by yourself and experience this mystical Jewish holiday. The Seder is adult oriented and children friendly. Anyone who can be comfortable listening attentively is welcome to join us.
Bat/Bar Mitzvah
Sisterhood periodically sponsors an adult Bat/Bar Mitzvah program open to all Temple members and taught by our clergy and the Religious School staff. The one-year adult Bat/Bar Mitzvah program includes study of our liturgy, theology, and a Torah portion, and it may culminate, for those who choose, in a group Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony. Ability to read prayer book Hebrew is a prerequisite.
Also see Adult Learning.
Major Life Events
Sisterhood recognizes major life events, such as the birth of a new baby.
Baby Welcoming
Sisterhood sponsors Baby Welcoming.
We provide a Shabbat meal to new parents in our congregation when a baby is born or adopted. Along with the meal, we deliver a "Temple Isaiah baby" bib. (We are not currently offering this service upon the birth of congregant grandchildren.)
The Baby Welcoming Committee asks you to contact the Temple office by phone or email upon a birth or adoption in a congregant family, or email committee chair Naomi Priver.
Holiday Parties for Families with Young Children
Sisterhood sponsors parties for several holidays for families with young children.
We have parties for Chanukah, Tu B'Shevat, and Passover. The parties include activities which are appropriate for young children, singing, and a snack.
Families with Young Children (ages 0 to 8) are invited to all these parties, so that they can meet other families with young children and provide their children with enjoyable experiences around the Jewish calendar.
Invitations are sent electronically to everyone who has signed up on the Young Families Listserv, as well as all members of Temple Isaiah, and all members of Temple Isaiah Sisterhood. Families outside the temple are also welcome to bring their children.
Other Community Programs
Sisterhood also sponsors other programs for the Temple Isaiah community. These programs vary from year to year.
Cooking Classes
Sisterhood occasionally sponsors cooking classes, so that we can learn to cook seasonal favorites for various festivals. For example, in 2009, we sponsored cooking classes for cooking hamentaschen for Purim.
Joint Events with Brotherhood
Sisterhood occasionally co-sponsors events with Brotherhood. On Sunday, February 13, 2011 Sisterhood and Brotherhood will co-sponsor “The Artist Within Us,” a show of works produced by artists and craftspeople who are members of Temple Isaiah. We are inviting both professionals and hobbyists to participate.
Tashlich
Each year, Sisterhood sponsors the arrangements for Tashlich, the ceremonial casting away of our sins after Rosh Hashanah, by casting breadcrumbs into a moving body of water. Tashlich means “You shall cast,” referring to our sins which we cast way from us. We meet at a moving body of water (the Lexington Reservoir,)preferably one with fish in it, (the “Res” has fish!) and symbolically cast our sins into the water using breadcrumbs.
The moving water carries our sins away from us. Why fish? Since they have no eyelids, their eyes are always open, symbolizing God’s constant watch over us. And, just as fish are suddenly caught in the net, we too are caught in the net of judgment of life or death.
Selichot
On the last Saturday night before Rosh Hashanah, Jews around the world prepare for the upcoming High Holy Days, gathering in prayer and reflecting on the themes of the season. Sisterhood also makes arrangements for the refreshments for the annual Selichot program and service with Temple Emunah. Temple Emunah is the Conservative temple in Lexington that was formed at the same time as Temple Isaiah, as both originated from the Arlington Lexington Bedford Jewish Community Center.
Shabbat, Bimah/Oneg Flowers
Sisterhood arranges for you to underwrite the cost of flowers for the Shabbat bimah and oneg tables in honor or in memory of a special person. Please see the Sisterhood newsletter for available dates.
Gifts to Bar/Bat Mitzvah Children, Confirmands, Tichon Isaiah Graduates
Sisterhood and Brotherhood jointly provide gifts at special times in the lives of our young people.