Temple Emanuel

Total Body Workout
2026-02-05 14:10 - 15:10, 2026-03-03 14:10 - 15:10, 2026-03-10 14:10 - 15:10 (America/New_York) | Reisman Hall, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
A class for all levels. 20 minutes basic fun cardio dance, 20 minutes body sculpting/conditioning & 20 minutes stretch and balance.
NEW WINTER WORKOUT! Tuesdays 1pm:
Jan 6, 13, 27; Feb 3, 5, 10, 17
Spring 2026 dates: March 3, 10, 17, 31; April 7, 21, 28; May 19, 26; June 2, 9
led by Carole Rodenstein on March 3, 10
led by Kim Bartlett on March 17, 31, April 7, 28
Led by Jill Meyer on April 21, May 19, 26, June 9
No RSVP needed. All are welcome.
These Total Body Workout exercise classes will follow L’CHAIM programs.
We are grateful to Village Bank and the Temple Emanuel Senior Fund for supporting Total Body Workout and Adapted Seated Exercises this season.

Adult Child Support Group
2026-02-05 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual
Thursday evenings | 6:30 – 7:30 pm on Zoom
Are you caring for an aging parent? Are you looking for local resources and support?
Join us for monthly discussions on all topics about managing the care of our parents and maintaining our own expectations. We will have guest speakers set up by the team at Adelaide, a Benchmark community.
Register Here→
For the best experience, participants are encouraged to attend regularly. There is no cost to attend- but registration is required. Questions? Please contact Tracy Schneider.
This series is sponsored by Adelaide and co-presented by TE senior fund.

Close Reading: Sons and Daughters by Chaim Grade - A Jewish Novel Taught by Dr. Susanne Klingenstein
2026-02-05 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual
The sharp Yiddish novelist, Chaim Grade, described the falling apart of the orthodox world in Eastern Europe in the 1930s. Sons and daughters of rabbis get out of the shtetl, but the fathers claw them back through guilt. Grade’s characters are incredibly alive; they are goofy, mad, heroic and wise. The novel is long, learned and confusing, so we will read it together at the clip of 50 pages each week, accompanied by one of discussion each week to help understand the religious world of the Lithuanian rabbis.
Class dates: Nov 6, 13, 20, Dec 4, 11, 17, 30, Jan 8, 15, 26, 29, Feb 5
All classes will meet on Zoom.
Cost: (Scholarships available)

$180 for Temple Emanuel Members
$250 for Non-Members
This class is now at capacity.
About Dr. Susanne Klingenstein
Dr. Susanne Klingenstein is an Associate at the Center for Jewish Studies at Harvard University. She served as professor of Writing and Humanistic Studies at MIT, as Lecturer in the Humanities at Harvard Medical School, and as Director of the Communication Curriculum in the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology. She the author of six books, her new book on Chaim Grade will be published in the spring of 2026. She has offered courses at TE since 2006 and is a popular, sought-after teacher.

Yoga Minyan
2026-02-08 09:00 - 10:00, 2026-03-08 09:00 - 10:00 | Virtual
With Michelle Silberman Hubbard, Yoga Instructor
Sundays mornings | 9 – 10 am
Our rabbis taught us that the soul is joined intimately to the body. The two move together and each can be used in the service of God. In this innovative morning minyan we will be using our bodies to pray, our voices to chant, and movement to connect with holiness in a Jewish way. Awaken your senses as you awaken your soul. Expect an uplifting morning service and a great sweat. No previous Yoga or davening experience necessary. Dress for comfort. Bring a yoga mat or towel, a small towel, and water. Time to get up and stretch your body! Grab your mat or towel and join in via Zoom. New participants always welcome!
Zoom link will be provided upon registration.
Register Here→
Sponsored by Sisterhood Temple Emanuel

Finding Esther: A Creative Journey Through Illuminations
2026-02-08 10:00 - 12:00 | In Person – Temple Emanuel, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
Sponsored by Returning The Sparks
In this hands-on visual art class, we will consider the imagery surrounding Purim through a personal lens. Starting with images of the large collection of Illuminated Esther’s Scrolls from the fabulous online archive of the Center of Jewish Art we will conduct visual journeys into the imagery. We will use simple but effective techniques of adding, subtracting, layering, and obscuring imagery to investigate the historical art from a variety of perspectives while tracing a path to original creations. No prior art experience necessary, all materials provided. The teacher will provide individual creative and technical support for each participant to pursue their own unique vision.
February 1 @ 10:00am – Adelson Community Hall
February 8 @ 10:00am – Benjamin Vestry
Register→

You, Too, Can Cantillate: Haftarah Edition
2026-02-09 18:15 - 19:30, 2026-02-16 18:15 - 19:30 | Slater Conference Room, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
While not as ancient as the public reading of the Torah, chanting of the prophets, known as the Haftarah, began in the 1st century CE. Join Hazzan Sheni/Ritual Director Dan Nesson for seven sessions to learn this sacred tradition. A reading knowledge of Hebrew is recommended.
Yes, you, too, can Cantillate!
Class Dates: January 12, 19, 26, February 2, 9, 16, 23
Register→

A Taste of Ballroom Dancing
2026-02-09 19:30 - 20:15, 2026-02-23 19:30 - 20:15 | Adelson Community Hall, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
Why watch Dancing with the Stars when you can be one?
Put on your dancing shoes! Understand the movement of dance and learn the steps from the waltz to the rhumba. Join a 4-class series taught by world-class dance instructor, Tibor Kerekes, owner of TK Dance Studio. With over 20 years of teaching ballroom and Latin dancing, multiple awards and vast certifications, students say that “his zeal inspires them to overcome their inhibitions and become better dancers”.
* No prior dance ability needed* No partners necessary, singles or couples are welcomed.
Class is scheduled for 7:30-8:15pm on:
January 26
February 9
February 23
March 16
Cost: $120 per person
Class size is limited to 26 people – register today!
Register→
If you have any questions about the class or the instructor, please contact Kathy Rogozinski.

Total Body Workout
2026-02-10 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-02-17 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual
With Jill Meyer

A class for all levels. 20 minutes basic fun cardio dance, 20 minutes body sculpting/conditioning & 20 minutes stretch and balance.

Fall 2025 dates: Sept 9; Oct 21, 28; Nov 4, 18, 25; Dec 2, 23
Spring 2026 dates: March 3, 10, 17, 31; April 7, 21, 28; May 19, 26; June 2, 9
Save the dates for a NEW WINTER WORKOUT coming in Winter 2026! Tuesdays 1pm
Jan 6, 13*, 27; Feb 3, 10, 17
February 10th and 17th will meet virtually via zoom. Join on Zoom HERE.
*Jan 13th exercise will follow a L’CHAIM program at 2:10pm

No RSVP needed. All are welcome.

These Total Body Workout exercise classes will follow L’CHAIM programs.

We are grateful to Village Bank and the Temple Emanuel Senior Fund for supporting Total Body Workout and Adapted Seated Exercises this season.

L’Chaim
2026-02-10 18:30 - 19:30, 2026-02-17 18:30 - 19:30, 2026-03-03 12:15 - 14:00, 2026-03-10 12:15 - 14:00 | Hybrid (In Person and Virtual Options), 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
All are welcome to join us on Tuesdays in Reisman Hall! Stay for exercise following our L’CHAIM programs at 2:10pm
You must RSVP for each program to Tracy Schneider at tracys120@yahoo.com
Feb 3, 10, 17 on Zoom – Jewish Women Portrayed in Film with Debra Block
6:30pm-7:30pm
We recommend watching the following films in advance of each presentation
SESSION 1: Hester Street (watch here) – Gitl (Carol Kane), a young Jewish orthodox woman, comes to America in the 1890’s only to discover that her husband Jake (Steven Keats) has given up the ways of the old country, and taken up with a new girlfriend, and a new life! Gitl faces the New World with strength and grace!
SESSION 2: Crossing Delancey (watch here)– Izzy Grossman faces two romantic choices reflecting two conflicting aspects of her life…uptown world where she works and the traditional world of her grandmother where Izzy lives on the Lower East Side. In Marjorie Morningstar & Goodbye Columbus, both women are using their romantic involvement with men to challenge the middle-class values of their parental homes.
SESSION 3: Today, the portrayal of Jewish women in film and television is undergoing a shift, moving away from one-dimensional caricatures toward more nuanced, self-defined, and diverse characters. While traditional, negative stereotypes persist, the rise of Jewish women in creative roles behind the camera is driving a “renaissance” in representation. We will give examples of these portrayals in films such as Unorthodox (watch here) and in several television programs.
About the facilitator, Debra Block, Artistic Director and Creator, DGB Productions
Debra Block is the Artistic Director and Creator of DGB Productions. She presents educational programs on film, theatre and culture to age 55+ senior communities. Debra possesses a strong Jewish identity, having lived and taught in Israel for two years, and has directed numerous musical theater productions focusing on Jewish themes. She has taught English and theater at Shaloh House, a Jewish Day School and has been contracted by various synagogues and Jewish community centers to develop meaningful theatrical experiences. She graduated BA cum laude in psychology with a performing arts minor. After graduating college, she continued her studies at the Master’s level in the performing arts and in Judaism.
Mar 3 – An Afternoon of Purim Festivities with Master of Ceremonies Rabbi Leslie Tannenwald and Musician Jonah Sidman performing Yiddish Purim songs
12:15pm lunch and goodies
12:30-1:10pm Purim Jeopardy with prizes
1:10-2pm musical performance by Jonah Sidman
Come prepared to have fun and be silly! Wear a Purim festive tie, scarf or hat. Leslie will explain the story of Purim. Mishloach Manot gift bags to be handed out supported by a generous donation from a TE family with love.

Lunch and goodies are generously sponsored by Esther and Alan Greif, Eva and Alan Radding, Marjorie and Barry Afergan, Esther and Barry Torem, and Dr Lloyd David, and supported by Gourmet Catering By Andrew.
Mar 10 – Piano Concert with Rick Scalise
12:15pm Luncheon anonymously and generously sponsored by a TE family donation and supported by Gourmet Catering By Andrew
1:00pm Program
Light Classical selections by Beethoven, Mozart, and Gershwin along with some Broadway favorites including Rodgers and Hammerstein.
Mar 17 – Tribute to George and Ira Gershwin, legendary American songwriting duo, with Lisa Yves
12:15pm Luncheon generously sponsored by a TE family donation
1:00pm Program
Lisa Yves is a highly accomplished musician, vocalist, songwriter and mentor with a diverse range of experiences in the music industry. As a singer and songwriter, Lisa has released over 10 albums of original music across various genres.
Mar 31 – The Genius of Steven Sondheim with Debra Block
12:15pm Luncheon generously sponsored by The Residence at Boylston Place, Chestnut Hill, an LCB senior living community and supported by Gourmet Catering By Andrew
12:45pm-2:00pm Program
An American Composer and Lyricist, Stephen Joshua Sondheim, is regarded as one of the most important figures in 20th Century Musical Theatre. We will discuss his contribution to West Side Story, Gypsy, Company and Sunday in the Park with George.
Apr 21 – American Jewish Music The Golden Years with Hal Slifer of Chagigah
12:15pm luncheon generously sponsored by a TE family and supported by Gourmet Catering By Andrew
1pm program
Hal Slifer’s multimedia presentation explores the rich history of American Jewish music from the 1930s to today and illustrates the key moments, artists and musical styles that have become the musical soundtrack of our lives.
Apr 28 – Concert with Ruth Rappaport and Jonah Sidman
12:15pm luncheon generously sponsored by The Residence, at Boylston Place, Chestnut Hill, an LCB senior living community and supported by Gourmet Catering By Andrew
1pm program
Guitarist and pianist Ruth Rappaport and fiddler Jonah Sidman will perform an exciting show influenced by klezmer, Yiddish, Irish fiddle, and American musical traditions.

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP DUES are $18 per person. Please consider making a small donation of appreciation to the L’CHAIM Group. Please mail checks of any donation to Temple Emanuel, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA 02459, ATTN: FINANCE. Please make checks payable to TEMPLE EMANUEL. In memo line please write L’CHAIM GROUP.

Seated Zumba Gold
2026-02-12 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-02-19 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-02-26 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-03-05 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual
With Ketty Rosenfeld
Thursday mornings
Session Dates: Sept 11, 25; Oct 23, 30; Nov 6, 13, 20; Dec 4, 25; Jan 8, 22, 29; Feb 5, 12, 19, 26; March 5, 12, 19; April 16, 23, 30; May 21, 28
Join us Online via Zoom
Meeting ID: 871 2457 6849
We are grateful for the Temple Emanuel Senior Fund for supporting Zumba Gold this season. No RSVP needed – No Charge – All are welcome. Questions? Please contact Tracy Schneider.

Temple Emanuel 90th Celebration in Florida with Cantor Elias Rosemberg and David Rosemberg
2026-02-19 12:00 - 15:30 | Temple Beth Kodesh, 501 NE 26th Avenue, Boynton Beach, FL, 33435, United States
Please join us for an entertaining concert with Cantor Elias Rosemberg and David Rosemberg in Boynton Beach, Florida as part of our year of 90th Anniversary celebrations! There will be a lunch from 12:00pm-1:30pm, followed by an afternoon of musical selections from Jewish tradition to Broadway. We hope to see you there!
Lunch: 12:00pm-1:30pm
Concert: 2:00pm-3:30pm
Register→

Winter Time Cafe
2026-02-19 12:15 - 14:00 | Reisman Hall, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
What is Winter Time Café? Winter Time Café is a model of social programming that provides an inviting place for people with forgetfulness or other changes in their thinking – and their family/friends!
Thursday, February 19 – Expressive Arts Therapy Workshop: “Silhouette Self-Portraits”

Discover yourself through color, texture, and collaboration! In this expressive arts therapy workshop, you’ll create a multimedia self-portrait based on your own silhouette. Working with a partner, you’ll trace the outline and then bring your silhouette to life using a mix of materials: colors, symbols, textures, images, and words that reflect your inner world.

This playful and reflective process invites you to:

– explore identity and self-expression

– experience connection and playfulness through creative partnership

– experiment with mixed-media and sensory pleasing or interesting materials

– gain insight into the many layers that make you you

All materials are provided. No art experience needed — just curiosity and an open heart!

About the Facilitator:
Shoshana (Shoshi) Alexander is an organized, enthusiastic, and deeply personable educator, multidisciplinary artist (mosaic, stained glass, papercutting, photography, video), and healing-arts practitioner based in Greater Boston. She brings together visual art, music, gardening, and peer support to create spaces that foster growth, creativity, and recovery. She holds an M.A.T. in Art Education from Tufts University and a B.A. (cum laude) from Harvard-Radcliffe, with additional studies at Oxford, the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Hebrew University, Longy School of Music, and New England Conservatory.
Shoshi has extensive experience working with children, young adults, and individuals navigating mental health recovery. Her work includes leading organic therapeutic gardening programs, teaching visual and fiber arts, woodworking, and mixed media, and supporting young adults with first-episode psychosis in clinical settings. She speaks English, French, conversational Hebrew, and has beginner proficiency in Brazilian Portuguese, Italian, and Yiddish.

Please email Tracy to register. You must attend with your spouse or caregiver.
Seniors Helping Seniors is proud to sponsor this Active Living Program Winter Time Cafe at Temple Emanuel.

Shabbat Morning Service: DIY Instructions for the Tabernacle? What Did Moses Receive at Sinai? with Rabbi Peretz Rodman
2026-02-21 09:30 - 12:00 | Rabbi Samuel Chiel Sanctuary, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
The Torah offers more than one account of what was revealed to Moses on Mt. Sinai. This week’s reading, Terumah, suggests that the Ten Commandments were not the focus of revelation. What are the implications for us of the different portrayals of Moses’ experience?
Join us as Rabbi Peretz Rodman speaks during this special Shabbat morning service.
About Rabbi Peretz Rodman
Rabbi Rodman is a Jerusalem-based writer, translator, and editor. A native Bostonian, he has studied and taught at Brandeis University, Hebrew College, and the Rothberg International School of the Hebrew University.

Bikkur Cholim: Becoming a Better You by Helping Someone Else with Rabbi Israel de la Piedra
2026-02-22 10:45 - 12:00, 2026-03-01 10:45 - 12:00, 2026-03-08 10:45 - 12:00 | Gann Chapel, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
We know someone who is sick, lonely or ageing. We want to visit them and help. But how often have we stopped in our tracks as the reality of the upcoming visit hits us? What are we going to do when we visit? What are we going to say? How should we behave? Is prayer part of the visit? What if the person doesn’t want a visitor or doesn’t want to talk? Will we be of help, or will we be a bother? And so on. Bikkur Cholim – visiting the sick, the lonely and the old – may seem hard. We know it is important, a true mitzvah, but we may not feel prepared for doing it. What does it take to rise up to the occasion? This 3-session course will help you learn the practicalities of bikkur cholim visits; identify ways in which spirituality and prayer can help us in our efforts to reach out to those whom we visit; and appreciate the special case of visiting our ageing elders. And importantly, what we learn will help us not only be prepared to face the challenges of being there for others but also will help us prepare for our own future because one day we may well be that sick person or that ageing person who needs a visit.
Session Schedule

2/22 – Visiting the sick, the lonely, and the old
3/1 – Spirituality, prayer and religion in the visit
3/8 – The special case of old age

Register→
About Rabbi Israel de la Piedra
Rabbi Israel has been working with the sick, the old and the dying for the last fifteen years. He was the Rabbi and Spiritual Director at Miami Jewish Health (MJH), a large senior residential and rehabilitation facility in Miami, during 2014-2021. He was awarded the “Clergy of the Year” award by the Ministering to the Elderly Conference in Miami in 2021 for his work at MJH. After his return to Boston in late 2021, Rabbi Israel worked as a hospice chaplain at AccentCare Hospice and currently serves as the rabbi at Hebrew Senior Life’s Simon C. Fireman Community in Randolph, MA. Rabbi Israel received his rabbinical ordination from Hebrew College in 2013. Prior to becoming a rabbi, he had a long career as an economist with the International Monetary Fund in Washington DC and in two African countries. Rabbi Israel and his wife Aliza are proud members of Temple Emanuel and keep homes in Kiriat Motzkin (near Haifa) in Israel and in Canton, MA.

Caregiver Support Group
2026-03-04 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual
Wednesday Evenings 6:30pm – 7:30pm on Zoom with Emily Grossman. There is no cost to attend- but registration is required. This series is open to Temple Emanuel members as well as the greater community. Contact Tracy Schneider at Tracys120@yahoo.com for the zoom link and registration.
Disclaimer: We ask that all dialogue and information shared during the group discussion remain confidential to the participants.
Class Dates: Sept 10, Oct 22, Nov 5, Dec 3, Jan 7, Feb 4, March 4, April 15, May 20, June 10
We welcome Emily Grossman to lead our group this coming season. Emily brings a wealth of knowledge and compassion to support the spouses and partners of those who suffer from dementia.
Emily S. Grossman, MSW, CMC, CDP, is the founder of NextPath Care Management, with more than 23 years of experience in large and small healthcare organizations. Emily’s extensive experience in all levels of senior care, including home and community-based services as well as institutional and insurance-based resources, has formed the foundation of her practice. She has delivered seminars on housing and care options, and how best to plan for the future, as well as contributed to various newsletters and publications. Emily earned a B.A. from Tufts University and a Master’s of Social Work with a clinical concentration in Older Adults and Families from Boston College, where she was a Litwak Fellow. She completed her graduate training at Hebrew Senior Life Continuing Care Retirement Community Newbridge on the Charles in their Long-Term Care setting and with Jewish Family Services of Metro West.
Caregiver Support Group is proudly co-presented by Temple Emanuel Senior Fund and the Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health at Hebrew SeniorLife.

Harvest of What Remains
2026-03-11 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual
Active Older Adults presents a new virtual program: Harvest of What Remains on Wednesday, March 11th, 6:30pm on Zoom.

Please join us for an hour of poetry dedicated to the caregiver. This collection of poems navigates Wendy Drexler’s journey as the primary caregiver for her husband as Alzheimer’s rewrites their relationship.

Wendy Drexler is a recipient of a 2022 artist fellowship from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Her fourth collection, Harvest of What Remains, received honorable mention for the Paul Nemser Prize and was published in February 2026 by Lily Poetry Review Books. This collection navigates her journey as the primary caregiver for her husband as Alzheimer’s wraps its great arms around them, irrevocably reshaping their relationship and summoning deep wells of grief, survival strategies, and the imperative to sow seeds of love and compassion.

Her poems have appeared in Barrow Street, J Journal, Mid-American Review, Nimrod, Pangyrus, Prairie Schooner, The Sun, and The Threepenny Review, among others. She was awarded the 2025 E.E. Cummings prize from the New England Poetry Club. A recipient of the Juror’s Prize for Art on the Trails, Southborough, MA, in 2021, Wendy served as poet in residence at New Mission High School in Hyde Park, MA, from 2018-2023, and as programming co-chair for the New England Poetry Club from 2016–2024. She currently serves on the Club’s advisory board. Learn more at wendydrexlerpoetry.com

Click here to purchase a copy of Harvest of What Remains on Bookshop.

Please RSVP to Tracy for the zoom link at Tracys120@yahoo.com
