This week we are
commanded to recount to our children and all future generations our miraculous
redemption from Egyptian bondage.Many miracles have led up to this: the plagues, the staff, the splitting
of the sea, etc.But the overall
story is an all-encompassing miracle.Yet, as the saga of the wandering through the wilderness unfolds, we
watch the anguish of the Israelites as they struggle with the challenges that
confront them, both in the immediate inconvenience of the desert, and the fear
of an uncertain future.Maybe they
thought a miracle wasn't really a miracle unless it was a totally perfect
miracle.
Particularly on my mind
today is Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.Later this evening, she will make her second and final
appearance on the floor of the Congress, at least as a member, since the
devastating attack in Tucson, a little over a year ago.The fact that this sweet, wonderful
woman is alive, intellectually focused, able to walk, talk, love, and have
hope, I would say qualifies as a miracle.Yet, wouldn't it have been just perfect if at some
point she could have arisen from her chair, her speech unencumbered, her gait
steady and her strength completely restored, as though nothing had ever happened?That really would have been a perfect
miracle!But Representative
Giffords' struggle this past year, which ultimately has forced her to resign
her Congressional seat, has reminded us all too poignantly that miracles don't
come in perfect packages.Her
rehabilitation continues, and she still has a long road ahead.And, as we also remember, the miracle
that Gabby Giffords has experienced, by quirk of fate, just did not extend to
Gabriel Zimmerman, Christina-Taylor Green, and the others whose lives ended
then and there.Our hearts
go out to all their families, as they do to Gabby Giffords and her family,
wishing her peace and healing, strength and hope.
Reality tends to take a
bit of the sheen off of miracles.But maybe that's because we have deluded ourselves a bit about the
nature of miracles in the first place.Perhaps occasionally all of us need a momentary reminder to refocus on
what is really miraculous, in our lives, and in our world. Then,
perhaps, the greatest miracles we experience will be the ones we can create for
ourselves.
ENGAGING ISRAEL Adult Ed Seminars 8 Wednesday Evenings, 7:30-9:30 PM, in 3 segments:November 16, 30, December 7 / April 4, 11, 25 / May 23, 30
Union Temple is pleased to announce its affiliation with the PJ Library! See how families with children from 6 months to 8 years can get a free Jewish content book or CD each month.
Members of both consist of diverse and dedicated individuals who come together to serve the temple, share experiences, and learn. In the course of activities ranging from Sukkah building and educational programs we find friendship and connection.
The Brotherhood of Union Temple
Annual Sukkah Building
Benefits for Temple Members
Tickets for High Holy Day services
Union Temple Preschool Discount
School of Religion Discount
Pastoral Counseling and Services
Eastern Athletic Club Discount
Greetings from our Rabbi
The congregation of Union Temple is a diverse, yet closely knit group of thoughtful and compassionate people who draw together in times of joy as well as times of sorrow. It has been a privilege for me to serve as Rabbi since 1992. On behalf of our congregational family, I invite you to celebrate our past, share our present, and be a part of shaping our future. Dr.Linda Henry GoodmanClick here to read the Rabbi's Message
Congregational Participation
Our Religious School students, our junior choir, and our Brotherhood and Sisterhood, all assist in conducting the services at various times during the year. Music is an organic part of our services in the gifted hands of Shinea Kim, in addition to our wonderful cantorial students, as they encourage congregants to participate actively in the musical life of the congregation.
New Partnership
Dear Friends:
With the support and approval of our Board of Trustees, I am pleased to announce our participation in an exciting new program of partnership with the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services of UJA. Some six other synagogues in the general Brownstone Brooklyn area also are participating in this partnership. It will provide all the rabbis and temple officers with much needed support for our older adults. I have inserted the announcement from the JBFCS below. We will be talking more about it in the coming months. If you have any questions at all, or know immediately that you would like to avail yourself of this program for yourself, a parent or relative, or someone you know, please call me at the temple: (718) 638-7600 or e-mail me at rabbigoodman@uniontemple.org. - Rabbi Linda Henry Goodman
A FREE SYNAGOGUE
‐BASED PROGRAM FOR JEWISH OLDER ADULTS IN NORTHERN AND CENTRAL BROOKLYN
Through a generous grant from the Weinberg Foundation provided by UJA Federation of NY, the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services is able to offer the expertise of our geriatric social worker to area synagogues, free of charge
.
We can provide your congregants with:
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Innovative programs and workshops addressing the needs of older adults
o
Health education
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Caregiver resources
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Social and recreational programs
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Emotional support for older adult life issues
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Support, consultation, and education for volunteers helping older adults
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Individual and family assessment and counsel by our on‐site geriatric social worker.
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Home Care oversight and advocacy
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Access to the full range of services of JBFCS, and other community agencies.
Partnering Synagogues will:
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Develop an ongoing working relationship with our project social worker.
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Work with our program staff to identify, plan and host activities to address the needs of older congregants.
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Identify and refer older congregants in need.
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Market and publicize the program workshops, groups, and services to the congregation and community.
Shabbat and Yom Tov Services
Beginning Sept. 7 and thereafter, all Friday services will begin at 6:30 PM, except for the 4th week of each month, when they will begin at 8:00 PM. The first Friday of the month we will have our potluck dinner following services as usual. Saturday morning services remain at 10:30. Chick here for our Shabbat Service Schedule
Who We Are
Union Temple is an egalitarian, inclusive Reform Congregation, spanning the generations. Founded in 1848 by a small group of German and Alsatian Jewish immigrants living in Williamsburgh, since 1929 Union Temple has been located in a magnificent building at Grand Army Plaza. We are a house of worship, a house of study, and an intimate community of mutual support for our members. We reach out to the diverse communities of Brooklyn and warmly welcome individuals and all types of families to join us. As a congregation we are dedicated to Tikkun Olam, the repairing of our world, through the pursuit of social justice and active participation in the larger Jewish and general communities. Union Temple is a member congregation of the Union of Reform Judaism
Open to all children in the community, the Union Temple Preschool is a morning program for two, three, and four year olds with some extended day options. Our dedicated, nurturing staff provides a child-centered environment with a curriculum enhanced by a Jewish perspective, and enrichment programs.
