Featured – Page 17 – Temple Emanuel of Greater New Haven

Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing: Worthwhile or Risky? Sunday, October 20, 10:00 AM

Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing: Worthwhile or Risky? Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) genetic testing companies market genetic tests directly to the public and often claim that testing is for entertainment purposes only. However, some information gained from DTC testing may significantly impact medical care. This talk will address some of the controversy around DTC testing and whether results of such testing are clinically accurate and allow us to engage with this very pertinent topic with a help of an expert in the field, Rachel E. Barnett.

Rachel E. Barnett, MS is a Senior Genetic Counselor specializing in cancer genetics at the Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine. She earned her Master of Science at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, is board certified by the American Board of Genetic Counseling, and joined Yale in 2004. She has provided lectures to many professional and public groups in Connecticut and is an author on several articles about hereditary cancer syndromes.

Bagels and coffee at 9:45 AM; talk and Q&A from 10:00 AM until 11:45 AM.

Prof. Robert Burt to speak at TE on Friday, Sept 27 during 8pm Shabbat Service

Prof. Robert Burt to speak at TE on Friday, Sept 27 during 8pm Shabbat Service

“In the Whirlwind: God and Humanity in Conflict”

Robert Burt, law professor at Yale, will discuss his recent book and explores three questions: Is the basis for God’s authority in biblical text anything more than his overwhelming coercive capacity? Is God instead obliged to respect norms of justice in dealing with humanity? If human beings have rights that God must respect, according to biblical text, how can we enforce this obligation?

Temple Emanuel Presents: 'My Sister's Still a Hippie' Saturday November 2, 2013 @ 8 p.m.

My Sister’s Still a Hippie

Revisit the 1960’s and 1970’s through a musical memoir of folk and neo-folk music

When: Saturday November 2, 2013 at 8 p.m.

How much: $18 per person. $20 at the door. No reserved seating.
Players:

Debra Lynn Alt ( Sarah Levine) is a singer/songwriter who lives in Lyme, CT with her husband and daughter. A former member of Temple Emanuel, Deb was once the lead singer in Rolling Stone Magazine’s house band. Deb has recorded two CD’s of mostly original music, including songs for different causes she performs at benefits. Still singing at wineries and local venues, she is thrilled to be returning to the stage after a long hiatus from acting. You can hear her at debrasong.com.

Tedra Schneider (Naomi Levine Cohen) has performed with the Orange Players, Yale Repertory Theater,and the International Festival of Arts and Ideas. She has also done commercials and improvisational theater. Her film credits include two indie films and she appeared in “In Bloom” with Uma Thurman. A member of Temple Emanuel since 1980, Tedra is excited to be performing in front of her family and friends.

Burt and Myra Saxon (writers/producers) live in Milford. Members of Temple Emanuel, they have seven grandchildren. Their previous plays include Condo Complex and Mike Morrison’s Story.

To buy a ticket, please follow this link.

For any questions, please call Temple Emanuel Office: (203)397-3000, T-F 9-2

Rabbi Professor Marc Saperstein – Scholar in Residence at TE, May 10-11, 2013

We are delighted to welcome Rabbi Marc Saperstein, a world-renowned scholar as Temple Emanuel’s Scholar in Residence on May 10-11, 2013.

On Friday, May 10 at Kabbalat Shabbat Service (8pm) Rabbi Saperstein will give us an overview on “Jews and Muslims: Contacts Through the Ages”

On Saturday, May 11 at 10:30 am Rabbi Saperstein will continue with “How Golden Was ‘The Golden Age’ in Spain”.

Professor Marc Saperstein is the Horace W. Goldsmith Visiting Professor at Yale University. Previously, he was Professor of Jewish History and Homiletics at Leo Baeck College in London, following a five-year period as Principal of the College.

Prior to his time in England, Marc Saperstein held prestigious positions at three American Universities: as Charles E. Smith Professor of Jewish History and Director of the Program in Judaic Studies at the George Washington University in Washington DC (1997–2006), Gloria M. Goldstein Professor of Jewish History and Thought at Washington University in St. Louis (1986–1997), and Lecturer, Assistant and Associate Professor of Jewish Studies at Harvard Divinity School (1977–1986). He was also Vice President of the American Academy for Jewish Research.

Author of five books (most recently, Jewish Preaching in Times of War: 1800–2001) and more than 50 articles on various aspects of Jewish history literature, and thought, he is widely recognized as perhaps the pre-eminent authority on the history of Jewish preaching.

Tot Shabbat at Temple Emanuel, Saturday June 22 at 9:30 am.

Following a terrific Tots Shabbat service we had in May we invite everyone on June 22 at 9:30 am come celebrate Shabbat with Rabbi Michael in a beautiful

TE sanctuary with songs and stories! Get to know other TE families with little children – and invite your non-TE friends!

Perfect for children under 5 and families. Members and non-members welcome! Spread the word!

New Horizons: new civil society in Israel, with guest speaker Rabbi Meir Azari

On Sunday, April 7 at 10:15 am Rabbi Meir Azari from Congregation Beit Daniel in Tel Aviv will share his insights into the new civil society emerging in Israel. Rabbi Azari’s Beit Daniel is a flagship Reform synagogue in Israel and we are extremely fortunate to be able to welcome him to New Haven. Please share this info with family and friends, especially those interested in Israel and the balance between tradition and modernity in the Israeli society.

For more information about Beit Daniel, please visit the congregation’s website http://www.beit-daniel.org.il/

"Multiple Perspectives on Holiness” at Temple Emanuel

On Sunday, March 10, members of the Orange Clergy Association presented a panel discussion entitled “Multiple Perspectives on Holiness, ” hosted by Temple Emanuel of Greater New Haven.

Participating clergy included Rev. Suzanne Wagner and Rev. Lee Ireland of the Orange Congregational Church; Rev. Ann Ritonia of the Church of the Good Shepherd, Rabbi Alvin Wainhaus of Congregation Or Shalom, Father Gene Charman of Holy Infant Church, Rev. Peter Orfanakos of St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church, Pastor Timothy Boerger of Zion Lutheran Evangelical Church, and Rabbi Michael Farbman of Temple Emanuel.

Each participant presented his or her faith tradition’s concept of holiness to the audience of about 100 congregants from many of the houses of worship in Orange. By the end of the evening it was clear that our similarities outweigh our differences.

The potluck dinner that preceded the discussion was organized by Beth Lambert from the Orange Congregational Church, Sandy Bremer from the Church of the Good Shepherd, Debbie Farber from Congregation Or Shalom, Nancy Becque and Pat McCorkle from Holy Infant Church, and Barb Berkowitz and Barbara Goldhamer from Temple Emanuel.

President’s Column (This one’s fortified!) March, 2013 By Bruce Spiewak, Temple Emanuel President

February was a month fraught with fabulous functions and events that filled the foundations of Temple Emanuel with fun-filled fortifications! (Say that quickly three times.)

On February 4, I attended a Presidents’ Dinner in Fairfield CT, organized by Rabbi Sue Levi Elwell of the URJ. It was a networking meeting to get to know, face to face, other Reform Synagogue Presidents (and other officers) in the area. Including Rabbi Elwell, there were ten of us, representing Congregation B’Nai Israel (Bridgeport), Congregation Mishkan Israel (Hamden), Temple Shalom (Norwalk), and of course, Temple Emanuel. We have gotten each others’ contact information for follow up discussions, and will have another group dinner in April. This is an example of how we at TE are using the resources of the URJ to help us collect information about how to improve our synagogue.

On another front, as a direct result of our meeting in January with the New Haven Jewish Federation Leadership, as of February, TE will be participating in a Federation Synagogue Presidents’ meeting on March 5, to further pursue the concept of the Federation acting as a facilitator for a dialogue about resource sharing and symbiotic relationship building among congregations. Hopefully this will result in a strengthening of individual synagogues as well as the greater synagogue community.

Our Dues Task Force is formulating a proposal for reorganizing the way we structure our congregation membership obligations in a way that will simplify and clarify the system while at the same time enhancing the financial sustainability of our future. Hopefully the presentation of this proposal will also allow you to understand the basis for the decision to induce positive change.

Unfortunately, some of our February events had to be rearranged due to the blizzard which hit Connecticut the weekend of February 8-10. Our Shabbat Friday evening service and Saturday Torah Study had to be cancelled, as was Sunday School. The Divrei Laila program scheduled for Saturday evening was postponed. The inability to leave our homes due to the heavy snowfall and difficulty of clearing the roads gave us all a clarified perspective on some of the things we normally take for granted, as well as a respect for priorities. Luckily there was very little loss of power. The cooperative spirit that I became aware of in the greater community reminded me of the same spirit that we enjoy at TE even when there is no emergency situation. As one example, many neighbors reached out to others to either provide assistance or ask for assistance during and after the blizzard.

The Purim celebration, including the adult Purim Party and Purim Spiel, as well as the Purim for Kids of all Ages event planned for the end of February will happen after the writing of this column, and I anticipate that they will be great fun for all who participate and attend. As you read this column, think back on the events and relate them to the spirit of cooperation displayed during the blizzard! TempleEmanuel does not need a blizzard to develop a strong sense of community and caring – that’s part of our existence. Join the party! Shout “hineini!”