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Home › Community › Committees & Social Groups ›

Committees & Social Groups

Committees are the heart of our synagogue. We are exceptionally proud of the work done by all of our Committees. Committee memberguthermaship is a wonderful way to become involved.

We encourage you to contact commhiittee chairs to learn more. If you’d like information on which committees currently need volunteers, please contact

Abby Flam at aflam@comcast.net or 617-795-0219 or
Amy Klein at abklein@inis.com or 617-965-6243

        updated 2/3/2012

Adult Education

Annual Appeal

Audit

Bar & Bat Mitzvah

Barbeque

Bereavement

Brotherhood

B’Tselem

Budget

By-Laws

Cemetery

Chapel Minyan (Shabbat)

Chesed – Caring Community

Children's Services

Daily Minyan

Dor Chadash - Young Families

Endowment

Environment

Family Education

Funds & Endowment (Misc. Funds)

Greeters

Havurot

Holocaust Memorial

House

Israel Action

Java Gate Café

(Rabbi Samuel Chiel) Kallah

Keruv – Interfaith Welcoming

Lang Judaica Shop

L’Chaim – Seniors

(Rabbi Marshall R. Lifson) Library

Literacy Volunteers Tutors

Make Your Mark Allocations

Membership

Music

Networking (TE Networking Group)

Nominating and Governance

PG-45 K'Sharim – Empty Nesters

PTA (Religious School)

PTO (Nursery School)

Passport to Israel

Personnel

Photo Corps

Ritual

Scholarships for Summer / Israel Programs

School

Seminars on Later in Life

Shabbat and Holiday Hospitality

Share a Shabbat

Sisterhood

Social Action / Direct Services

Social Action / Hillel’s Call to Action

Stars of David

United Synagogue Youth

Ushers

Website

Yisod – Young Members

Youth Activities

Adult Education

Eric Freiman-Polli
Roberta Gross-Torres

617-332-1405
617-232-6327

freiman.polli@verizon.net
robertag-t@robertag-t.com

Programming includes guest speakers, multi-part courses taught by outside scholars, classes taught by our Rabbis, and in-depth learning such as Me’ah and Ikkarim.


Annual Appeal/Fundraising

Michael Benjamin

Adam Suttin

617-731-9180 (h)
781-707-9075 (w)
617-332-8416 (h)

Mbenjamin1@rcn.com

asuttin@jwchilds.com

Encourages financial support for the many programs and services offered at our Shul.


Audit

Mark Ravera

617-969-2695

mravera@wscpa.com

Reviews the Congregation’s financial statements, books, records and accounting systems, and reports its findings and recommendations to the Board of Directors.


Bar and Bat Mitzvah

Meryl Miller

617-795-0241

meryl.miller@gmail.com

Engages in the full process of preparing children for a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, beginning with the scheduling of dates through to the service (and everything in between).


Barbeque

Robert Finkel

617-795-0158 (h)
781-997-1600 (w)

rfinkel@kcl-law.com

Responsible for the community Barbeque we enjoy every fall, this year on Sunday 9/11/2011.


Bereavement

Debbie Guthermann

617-244-6282

dguthermann@gmail.com

Provides practical and emotional support to mourners in all aspects of the shiva observance, from house-sitting during the funeral to leading minyanim in the home, offering assistance before and during shiva week, and during the first month after the death. Training for volunteers is provided.

Please click for more information about the bereavement commitee, its important work and helpful resources.


Brotherhood

David Beckman

617-558-1134

Beckman.David@comcast.net

Make new friends, bond at some of our monthly activities, volunteer at Temple events
and/or participate in social action causes. Whether your interests are Prayer or Pool, Tefillin or Touch Football, Study or Scotch, TE Brotherhood members are there. All men are welcome to join us on the first Monday evening of each month, for Minyan, Meeting and our popular Meeting After The Meeting.


B’Tselem

Steve Dropkin

617-244-5641

sadropkin@aol.com

Investigates and recommends to the Directors ways to maintain our facilities and programs so they are open and available to all who wish to participate, without regard to any physical, emotional or mental disabilities or limitations.


Budget

Stuart Cole

617-969-1381 (w)

stuart@barrandcole.com

In a series of meetings January through May, meets with department heads, clergy and committees to compile and reconcile a budget for the Temple each year.


By-Laws

Leslie Shapiro

617-965-6044 (h)
617-951-8214(w)

leslie.shapiro@bingham.com

Recommends changes and additions to the Temple's By-laws to the Board of Directors.


Cemetery

Butch Pemstein

617-969-6574

berpem@rcn.com

Maintains Temple Emanuel’s Cemetery in Randolph and oversees the maintenance contracts and sales of the hundreds of available lots.


Chapel Minyan (Shabbat)

Ralph Isberg
Sid Kadish
Evan Pressman

617-558-1047
617-969-7548
978-436-9998

ralph.isberg@tufts.edu
kadishs@ummhc.org

espressman@comcast.net

A lay-led Shabbat service with full participation in all aspects of the service, including lehning, chanting haftarah, giving a drash, or just davening with the group. Generally we meet twice a month. Check the website and Bulletin for schedule of dates.


Chesed – Caring Community

Lynette Polatin
Barbara Krupat
Judy Taub

617-965-6245
617-969-5169
617-964-2392

Lynette_Polatin@hotmail.com
barbarakrupat@yahoo.com
judithtaub@yahoo.com

Encourages our ability to support each other through the cycles of life by fostering relationships between Temple members, including visits, calls, notes, rides to synagogue, and other activities that connect our community.


Children's Services

Pam Weinfeld

617-916-1804

pweinfeld@gmail.com

Provides creative input, lay support and feedback for our Shabbat morning children's services, including our weekly Tot Shabbat and Ruach Shabbat including a monthly, lay-led Family Service, as we work to enhance the Shabbat experience for our children and young families.


Daily Minyan

Rita Gann
Phyllis Gordon

617-332-6129
781-444-5732

hgann@aol.com
pjgordon@rcn.com

A full participatory, lay-led service that meets daily in the Gann Chapel, morning and evening.


Dor Chadash – Young Families

Deb Palestrant
Suzanne Afergan

858-692-2167
617-388-2945

deb.stauber@gmail.com
ska@afergan.com

Provides programming, community activities and support for parents of young children.


Endowment

Steven Segal

617-527-3333

sgsegal@bu.edu

Oversees the annual allocation of the Temple Endowment and monitors its investments.


Environment

Amy Sales

617-969-6484

sales@brandeis.edu

This sub-committee of Hillel’s Call to Action works to green the Temple in the areas of recycling, energy and water conservation, non-toxic products and to raise consciousness of Shomrei Adamah, guardianship of the earth.


Executive

Amy B. Klein

617-965-6243

abklein@inis.com

Responsible for oversight and direction of day-to-day Temple operations, including policy implementation, personnel and financial matters, and the expenditure of funds in accordance with the Budget. Empowered to act on behalf of Board of Directors between meetings.


Family Education

Sheryl Dropkin
Robert Heinstein

617-244-5641
617-795-2955

sheryldropkin@gmail.com
robertheinstein@gmail.com

Working with the Family Educator, the Committee assists in providing a wide array of educational options for families.


Funds & Endowment (Misc. Funds)

Howard Greene

617-244-6412

howard.greene@comcast.net

Coordinates with donors who wish to establish named funds and endowments at the Temple and oversees the management and operation of existing funds.


Greeters

(Saturday morning)
   Diana Gould
   Marcia Leifer
(Friday evening)
   Syrille Rosman
   Judy Shankman
   Hope Suttin


617-964-1193
617-527-9183
 
781-647-1862
617-332-3584
617-332-8416


dianag1031@yahoo.com
Alleifer@aol.com

sgrnrpr@comcast.net

Sommerof56@rcn.com
hsuttin@rcn.com

Volunteers greet people attending Shabbat services and make visitors feel welcome.
Join us by serving as greeter for a service.


Havurah

Lisa & Morris Sazer
Toby & Dean Rodman

617-964-6435
617-247-3727

msazer@comcast.net
tkrodman@hotmail.com

Sets up and supports Havurot, groups of five to eight families, couples or individuals who get together to celebrate Jewish holidays and life cycle events and ordinary social activities.


Holocaust Memorial

Danny Mandeau

617-965-8665

mandeau@comcast.net

Organizes and produces the community’s annual Yom Hashoah Holocaust Remembrance Day event. This year's program is scheduled for April 23, 2012.


House

Bruce Polishook

617-965-6374

BPolishook@cwcbuilders.com

Responsible for the repair and maintenance of the physical plant of the Shul, including everything from cleaning to landscaping to HVAC.


Israel Action

Harold Parritz
Denise Telio

781-234-2695
617-527-3631

hparritz@gmail.com
telduc@comcast.net

Supports Israel through educational programs and co-sponsors the Bar/Bat Mitzvah program for special needs children at Haifa's Congregation Moriah. Each fall, in association with other Newton synagogues, the Combined Israel Education subcommittee presents a series of 3 lectures to the community at-large. Additional speakers are invited to the Temple during the year.


Java Gate Café

Susan Rosenbaum

617-332-0306

dsr22@verizon.net

Recruits greeters to host the Sunday morning Java Gate Café, answering questions and chatting with Temple members over complementary gourmet coffee and pastries.


(Rabbi Samuel Chiel) Kallah

Diane & Michael Gardener
Ruthanne and Ken Grundfast

617-527-2261

781-329-9230

dgardene@bu.edu
MSGardener@mintz.com
rgrundfast@comcast.net
kgrundfast@comcast.net

Plans and organizes the annual Rabbi Samuel Chiel Kallah, a stimulating weekend of prayer, study, and good fellowship, named in 1978 as a tribute to the values taught by our beloved Rabbi Samuel Chiel.


Keruv – Interfaith Welcoming

David Goldstone

617-570-1707 (w)
617-332-3443 (h)

goldstone@alum.mit.edu

Serves in an oversight and advisory capacity to insure interfaith families are welcomed and included in our Congregation, and addresses issues that may arise around life cycle events and holidays in interfaith families.


Lang Judaica Shop

Harriet Lipoff

617-964-7577 (h)

harriet@lipoff.org

Provides Judaica items for purchase, including those from Israel, to raise funds for Sisterhood special projects. Lang Judaica Shop phone 617-558-8106.


L’Chaim – Seniors

Doris Lelchook

617-244-3752

 

Invites seniors on Tuesday afternoons to share a variety of programs such as music, bingo, health, nutrition, Israel, books, and trips. Refreshments are served. New members, especially from Temple families, are welcome.


(Rabbi Marshall R. Lifson) Library

Molly Goodman

508-358-3023

Molly.Goodman@comcast.net

Operates the Rabbi Marshall R. Lifson Library, insuring our community has access to the world of Jewish literature and learning through books, music and movies. Activities include publicity, circulation, processing and maintaining the physical collections throughout the Temple.


Literacy Volunteers Tutors

Joan Beer

617-969-4137

beerjb@comcast.net

This sub-committee of Social Action is sponsored by the JCRC’s Greater Boston Jewish Coalition for Literacy in conjunction with Boston Partners in Education. Temple members work on a one-to-one basis with students at the Ohrenberger School in West Roxbury. Training for volunteers is provided.


Make Your Mark Allocations

Judy Shankman
Jim Mnookin

617-332-3584
617-964-7759

Sommerof56@rcn.com
jpmnookin@post.harvard.edu

Welcomes grant proposals for innovative projects that will enhance synagogue life and promote the values of the Seven Gates that require funding outside of the operating budget. Application forms can be obtained from the chairs or on the website.


Membership

David Bunis

617-558-5548 (H)
617-694-3993 (C)

dbunis@brandeis.edu

Welcomes new members to the Shul. Organizes outreach to prospective members and
others interested in the extraordinary range of experiences available to our members.


Music

Steven Siagel

 
617-614-5420 (w)
 
steven@spevents.com

Develops, plans and implements a broad range of musical programs, both religious and secular in partnership with Cantor Rosemberg.


Networking (TE Networking Group)

Alix Ginsburg

617-559-0250

alixeg@aol.com

Provides opportunities for professionals at many career stages to meet and exchange ideas, resources and contacts through a range of activities and communications tools, in groups or one-on-one. Generally meets the second Wednesday of every month. Join our listerv by sending a blank email to TempleEmanuelNetworking-subscribe@googlegroups.com and join the Temple Emanuel Networking Group on LinkedIn.


Nominating & Governance

Ric Corn
Lewis Muhlfelder

617-232-4490
617-965-6859

ricorn@comcast.net
lewism@bergmeyer.com

Nominates candidates for officers, directors and trustees, develops and implements leadership training programs, including LEAD, the program of leadership education and development for lay and professional leadership, and identifies governance issues.


PG-45 K'Sharim (Connections) - Empty Nesters

Paula Apsell
Barbara Kriensky
Ellen Zarrow-
     Nissenbaum

617-332-4795
617-332-6999
617-332-0654

psa@wgbh.org
bkriensky@aol.com
eznezn@aol.com

A social group with activities of interest to members, singles and couples, with older teenage and young adult children ("empty nesters"), helping them make new connections to the synagogue community.


PTA – Religious School

Leslie Gonzales

617-796-9998

cubish1@verizon.net

Comprised of religious school families of Temple Emanuel, the PTA provides financial support for religious school activities and arranges for volunteers for events.


PTO – Nursery School

Shira Ravera
Emily Zadeh
Michelle Hubbard

617-969-2695|
617-696-0040
617-641-9987

shirar@aol.com
zadehhouse@gmail.com
mshel267@aol.com

Plans and provides a variety of events that help strengthen the community of our Nursery School families and enrich the Nursery School experiences of the children.


Passport to Israel

Maxine Zarchan
Lisa Conti
Andrea Federmann

617-964-2216
617-964-1898
617-916-2956

mzarchan@rcn.com
lisaconti@rcn.com
alfedermann@gmail.com

The Myra and Robert Kraft Passport to Israel program is a unique savings plan to help parents send their children on a life-changing teen Israel experience. The program is designed so that the community, through the synagogue and CJP, helps families make possible a trip to Israel during the high school years. The synagogue's participation in this program is made possible by a generous anonymous Temple Emanuel donor. Click for more information.


Personnel

Michael Benjamin

617-731-9180 (h)
781-707-9075 (w)

mbenjamin1@rcn.com

Addresses issues relating to TE employees. Makes recommendations to the President, the Executive Committee or the Board of Directors, as appropriate.


Photo Corps

Al Kaplan

617-244-8322

aikaplanmd@gmail.com

 

We are congregants dedicated to photographically capturing key moments of temple events throughout the year. Click for more information.

 


Ritual

David Link

617-734-3229 (h)
617-665-1496 (w)

David_Link@hms.harvard.edu

Acts as a sounding board for the Rabbi and other officials on policies pertaining to ritual practice and helps formulate policies on these matters. Keeps abreast of changes in the Conservative Movement and brings them to the attention of the Congregation. Helps out with services as called upon.


Scholarships for Summer / Israel Programs

Howard Greene

617-244-6412

howard.greene@comcast.net

This subcommittee of the Funds and Endowment (Misc. Funds) Committee identifies financial need among families who have expressed interest in sending children to either Jewish summer camp or to Israel. Determines and taps funding sources.


School

Liz Goldstein

617-965-3338

egoldstein@acforum.org

Oversees the operation of the Religious School and the Nursery School, subject to Board of Directors’ approval.


Seminars on
Later in Life

Joanne Linowes Alinsky
Diana Gould

508-359-4155

617-964-1193

jalinsky11@comcast.net

dianag1031@yahoo.com

This sub-committee of Hillel’s Call to Action, addresses issues of interest to those providing care to, planning for, or in later life, including the Seminars on Later in Life series each spring.


Shabbat and Holiday Hospitality

Lynette Polatin

617-965-6245

Lynette_Polatin@hotmail.com

Assists in locating and coordinating housing for guests who need housing within walking distance of the Shul. Welcomes new volunteers who live close to the Shul and can provide housing and/or a Shabbat meal. Can also assist in pairing guests with those interested in hosting others for Shabbat or holiday celebrations.


Share A Shabbat

Cheryl Stober

617-964-0795

cherylstober@gmail.com

Organizes yearly Shabbat dinners at which members host other members with the goal of making new friends at the Temple while celebrating Shabbat together.


Sisterhood

Ronna Benjamin
Michelle Garfinkel

617-538-9447
781-235-7360

benfam@rcn.com
mlmgarfinkel@yahoo.com

Maintains and preserves Jewish heritage by connecting Jewish women of all ages to one another, the synagogue, and a Jewish way of life. Creates and funds programs and events for the Temple Emanuel community while fostering awareness and activism for the Jewish community at-large.


Social Action /
Direct Services

Ellen Kass
Susan Paley

617-527-8479
617-965-0760

epkass@verizon.net
susan@paleygroup.com

Develops and supports programs that embody the Jewish concept of social justice and create a greater sense of community based on Jewish values. Conceives, plans, and implements specific projects to improve lives and build bridges to the Greater Boston community, including Literacy Volunteer Tutors, Family Table, Sunday’s Bread and Annual Coat Drive.


Social Action / Hillel’s Call to Action

Samuel Silverman
Abby Flam

617-965-4178
617-795-0219

Silverman.Samuel@epa.gov
aflam@comcast.net

Acts both within our own Temple community and beyond, addressing systems that affect the lives of seniors and their caregivers as well as recycling and other environmental issues.Initiatives include: Chesed - Caring Community and Environment subcommittees and participation in the GBIO, the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization.


Stars of David

Sheryl & Steve Dropkin

617-244-5641

sheryldropkin@gmail.com
sadropkin@aol.com

Assists Jewish adults with developmental and other disabilities strengthen religious and social connections with the Jewish community. Welcomes new members, especially from Temple families, and also new volunteers to help with monthly meetings.


United Synagogue Youth

Ben Hills
Miriam Silverman

617-901-4002
617-928-0255

awesomesox@gmail.com
12msilverman@gannacademy.org

USY provides a safe and fun environment for 7th through 12th graders to engage in religious, social and community-oriented activities as well as access to participate in regional and national USY programs. Activities include Limo Scavenger Hunt, Turkey Dance, Shabbat dinners and overnight retreats.


Ushers

Rick Thau
Danny Mandeau

617-965-2824
617-965-8665
617-771-1834 (c)

rbthau18@gmail.com
mandeau@comcast.net

Ushers play a central role in the Shul’s services by greeting congregants, passing out aliyot and honors, and generally helping to create a smooth flow to the service and a haimish environment for worship, enhancing the Shul’s spiritual life.


Website

Marc Lowenthal
Brian Lefsky

617-795-7299
617-965-6243

webmaster@templeemanuel.com

Maintains and enhancesthe Temple's website to facilitate the promotion of Temple services, programs, events, organizations and advertisers. Web masters also manage public e-mail groups and advise on TE technology-related issues.


Yisod – Young Members

Melissa Sydney & Adam Marshak

617-467-4865

msydney01@hotmail.com akmarshak@gmail.com

A community of adults under 40, including singles and couples without children, who get together once a month to celebrate Shabbat, holidays and social events in order to form connections with each other and the broader TE community as they build the foundation (yisod) of their future Jewish lives.


Youth

Michael Crystal

617-332-1813 (h)

mrcrystal@verizon.net

Supports and advocates for the Harry Kraft Youth Department. Provides guidance to the Youth Department staff and helps set goals and plan activities for the informal Jewish education of our children in grades 3 through 12. Our youth groups are: Chalutzim for 3rd and 4th graders, Kadima for 5th and 6th graders, Jr. USY for 7th and 8th graders, and Sr. USY for 9th through 12th graders.


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Temple Emanuel • 385 Ward St. Newton, MA 02459 •  617.558.8100