Temple Emanuel

Sundaes on Sundays
2025-07-20 18:45 - 19:30, 2025-07-27 18:45 - 19:30, 2025-08-10 18:45 - 19:30, 2025-08-17 18:45 - 19:30, 2025-08-24 18:45 - 19:30, 2025-08-31 18:45 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Benjamin Vestry, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
After a long hiatus, Sundaes on Sundays is back! Please join us Sunday evenings at 6:45pm prior to evening minyan for ice cream and toppings. Looking forward to renewing this iconic tradition!

Summer Shul
2025-07-26 08:30 - 09:30, 2025-08-02 08:30 - 09:30, 2025-08-09 08:30 - 09:30, 2025-08-16 08:30 - 09:30, 2025-08-23 08:30 - 09:30, 2025-08-30 08:30 - 09:30 | Slater Conference Room, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
‘Summer Shul’, now in our 14th year, is a lay-led Torah Study prior to Shabbat morning services .We meet weekly, beginning June 21 through August 30, from 8:30-9:30am in the Slater Conference Room and via Zoom. All are welcome to join and add your voice to these thought-provoking discussions – or simply come and listen to your fellow congregants as we journey through the parasha together.
Can’t attend in person? Join us on Zoom by clicking HERE→
Zoom Password: [REDACTED]
For further details please contact Martin Paley.
Darshan Schedule Below:

June 21: Shlach – Frank Aronson
June 28: Korach – Velda Shaby
July 5: Chukat – David Diamond
July 12: Balak – Marty Paley
July 19: Pinchas – Steve Bookbinder
July 26: Matot-Masei – Avi Seidmann
August 2: Devarim – David Rozenson
August 9: Vaetchanan – Cliff Corenblith
August 16: Ekev – Sharlene Finkel
August 23: Reeh – Howard Zilber
August 30: Shoftim – Joel Sherman

Temple Emanuel in the Berkshires at Tanglewood
2025-08-10 13:00 - 17:00 | Tanglewood, 297 West Street, Lenox, MA, 01240, United States
Temple Emanuel in the Berkshires at Tanglewood is back! This year we will see Yo-Yo Ma’s concert on August 10th at 2:30pm. Due to weather concerns, all tickets will be in the Tanglewood Shed, so all concert goers are safely covered for the afternoon.
As with last year, we will gather at 1:00pm at the grill to the right of the main gate as you enter. Bring a lunch, some dessert and/or wine and sodas to share with friends during this special TE in the Berkshires gathering. All tickets will be at “will call” waiting for you at the main gate. Tickets are $49.50 – a discounted Temple Emanuel Rate.
Looking forward to sharing this annual TE event with you!
Registration is now closed.
Photo credit to Aram Boghosian, courtesy of the BSO

Sisterhood Book Group
2025-08-12 20:00 - 22:00 | In Person – Other, MA, United States
We are reading and discussing The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim. Please join us!
Please RSVP to Honi for the address.

Main Shabbat Morning ServiceWith Guest Speaker Rabbi Rachel Silverman
2025-08-16 09:30 - 12:00 | Rabbi Samuel Chiel Sanctuary, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
Rabbi Rachel Silverman will share an incredible experience they had at the Ramah day camp where a phone-free experiment resulted in some unexpected results with profound implications for our own lives. Come join us to explore together the ways powering off our devices can power on greater joy, connection, and well-being.
Sermon Topic: The Power of Off
About Rabbi Rachel Silverman
Rabbi Rachel Silverman (she/her) first joined the Camp Ramah New England staff as a Rosh Edah (unit head) at the overnight camp from 2005-2010. Many years later, she’s thrilled to be back as the Director of Ramah Boston, our newest day camp. Rabbi Silverman previously served as a congregational rabbi in both Brookline and Sharon, MA, after receiving her ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2010. When she is not at camp, she is a ceramic artist and enjoys biking, cooking, and gardening. She lives in Sharon, MA, with her husband Josh, their three kids (Anna, Danny, and Benjamin), dog (Abby).

Evolving Hebrew and Jewish Ritual in a Gender Nonbinary World
2025-08-16 12:30 - 13:30 | Reisman Hall, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
Join us for a post-kiddush talk about gender in Hebrew, led by Pam Adelstein!
Hebrew is an inherently binary language- words are feminine or masculine. However gender identity is a spectrum, and there are people whose gender identity doesn’t fit neatly into these binary groups. We will discuss ways of considering and adapting Jewish rituals to better support and include nonbinary people. We will also examine how the Hebrew language might evolve to be more inclusive and reflective of a gender nonbinary world. No registration necessary!

Main Shabbat Morning ServiceWith Guest Speaker Rabbi Jamie Kotler
2025-08-23 09:30 - 12:00 | Rabbi Samuel Chiel Sanctuary, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
Join us for a special Shabbat morning service with guest speaker, Rabbi Jamie Kotler.
Sermon Topic: Inheritance – A Personal Journey of Discovery and Choice.
We have no control over what we are bequeathed. Or do we?

About Rabbi Jamie Kotler
Rabbi Jamie Kotler teaches Torah and Jewish texts at synagogue communities in the Boston area and beyond. She has served as chaplain at Fireman House (Hebrew Senior Life), and has served on the Boards of The Rashi School, and Mayyim Hayyim, and on the building committee for Newbridge on the Charles at Hebrew Senior Life.
Rabbi Kotler grew up in Brazil and Mexico, the daughter of Holocaust survivors, with little religious practice or knowledge. She began studying Torah as a young mother of three. Her desire to steep herself in the texts and traditions she had missed as a child led her to enter rabbinical school at the age of 54 and was ordained by the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College in June 2016. Before entering the rabbinate, she was a computer programmer (EDS, TX and Hewlett-Packard, CA), a financial analyst (Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, CA), and a consultant to small businesses.
Rabbi Kotler holds a BA in Biology from Brown University and an MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business. She is married to Harold Kotler, and together they have five grown children and four grandchildren.

First Friday @ Shabbat Alive!: Back to Shul
2025-09-05 18:30 - 20:30 | In Person – Temple Emanuel, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
Join us as we come back together again from far and wide for an extra special First Friday as we kick off our 18th season of Shabbat Alive! Come home, come back to shul.
What is First Friday? Start with an inspiring musical Shabbat Alive! Service in the Rabbi Samuel Chiel Sanctuary or Minyan Ma’or led Kabbalat Shabbat in the Gann Chapel, then stay for a beautiful post-service Oneg filled with delicious food and fellowship.
Who is First Friday for? First Fridays are for everyone, age 0 on up!
Why come to First Friday? To lift your spirit. To be inspired by ancient words animated with new melodies. To connect with a community of friends – old and new. To stand generation to generation, together.
We can’t wait to see you there!
Rabbi Michelle Robinson and Cantor Elias Rosemberg
View the First Friday 2025-26 Calendar HERE→

TE Community BBQ
2025-09-07 16:00 - 18:30 | In Person – Temple Emanuel, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
Join the Temple Emanuel Community for our annual BBQ, as we celebrate the beginning of the year with a great afternoon of food, friends and fun for all ages! Activities will include an obstacle course, Touch-A-Truck with the Newton Fire Department, cotton candy, and kids arts and crafts.
Rain or shine!
Register→
We are looking for volunteers! Interested? Sign up here!
Blanket and Towel Drive Sponsored by Sisterhood and Brotherhood
Join us by donating clean, new or like-new blankets and towels with no rips or stains. Drop off items at the Welcome Home bins located at the Ashford and Ward Street Entrances anytime between September 2nd – 21st. Don’t have items to donate? Shop for Welcome Home online!

Conversation with Avraham Infeld
2025-09-08 20:00 - 21:30 | Gann Chapel, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
As one of the most compelling and visionary Jewish educators of our time, Avraham Infeld has spent decades helping Jews of all backgrounds grapple with questions of belonging, peoplehood, and purpose. His unique ability to weave history, humor, and heart makes him especially resonant in this moment of pain and resilience.
Avraham Infeld is former President of Hillel International, Director of Planning for Taglit Birthright Israel, Director of the Hartman Institute, and Founder of Melitz. His classic talk, “The Five-Legged Table” explains the intersection of Jewish Identity via memory, family, covenant, Israel, and Hebrew.
Register→
This program is presented in partnership with IAC New England

Commission on Combating Antisemitism
2025-09-09 19:30 - 20:30 | Virtual
Join a state-wide gathering to hear about the important work of the Massachusetts Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism.
The program is free and everyone is welcome.
Featuring: Senator Cynthia Creem, State Representative Simon Cataldo (Commission Co-Chair), State Senator John Velis (Commission Co-Chair), and moderated by NBC10 News Anchor Jeff Saperstone.
Zoom link will be sent upon registration.
Register→
For more information, please contact Sharon Wyner at (978) 565-4450 or email swyner@lappinfoundation.org.
Program Co-Sponsors
ADL New England
AJC New England
Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP)
Hadassah Northeast
Holocaust Legacy Foundation
Israeli American Council (IAC) New England
Jewish Community Center of the North Shore
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston
Jewish Family Service of Metrowest
Jewish Federation of Central Massachusetts
Jewish Federation of the Berkshires
Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts
Massachusetts Antisemitism Synagogue Task Force
New England Friends of March of the Living
North Suburban Jewish Community Center

Introduction to Yiddish: Words, Music, and Humor with TE Member, Arnie Glick
2025-09-11 18:30 - 19:30, 2025-10-09 14:00 - 15:00 | In Person – Temple Emanuel, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
Arnie Glick, a Yiddish enthusiast and singer, and the creator of the Yiddish-themed cartoons called “Shmoozin,” will be leading a two-session program about Yiddish words, expressions, humor, and music.
Session Information
First Session: Thursday, September 11 @ 6:30 pm
Yiddish in the Sukkah: Thursday, October 9 @ 2:00 pm
This will be followed, on November 18th by an afternoon concert of Yiddish music, sponsored by L’CHAIM at Temple Emanuel, that Arnie will be giving along with pianist David Sparr and klezmer clarinetist Glenn Dickson.
Come to some or all! Everyone is invited! No prior Yiddish knowledge is required.
Register→

Final Sounding of the Shofar at Morning Minyan
2025-09-21 08:00 - 09:00 | Gann Chapel, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
With the exception of the morning prior to Rosh Hashanah, each weekday morning in Elul the Shofar is sounded to announce the coming of the New Year. This year, the final blasts of Shofar in 5785 will be Sunday morning, September 21st. I like to call this “The Big Blow Out!” Any and everyone, with a Shofar or not, is encouraged to sound the Shofar or to hear it’s call!
Please join us in the Gann Chapel for morning Minyan at 8:00am. At the conclusion of the service, we will adjourn to the Leventhal-Sidman Community Court to be enveloped by the vibrations of many Shofarot. Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Main Shabbat Morning Service with Guest Speaker Ofir Amir, Co-Founder of the Tribe of Nova Foundation
2025-09-27 09:30 - 12:00 | Rabbi Samuel Chiel Sanctuary, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
On Sunday, September 28, two buses are leaving from Temple Emanuel at noon to go to the Nova Exhibit. Limited seating is still available. If you are interested in joining us, please register here.
On Shabbat, September 27, we are having a special guest speaker, Ofir Amir, who survived Nova, and who co-founded the Tribe of Nova Foundation. His story of resilience, renewal, and affirmation of life and hope are the inspiring message we all need to hear between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
Please join us for his sermon on Shabbat morning, and please join us at the Nova Exhibit.
About Ofir Amir
Ofir Amir is co-founder and CFO of the Tribe of Nova Foundation, established after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on the Nova Music Festival. Wounded while escaping, Ofir survived and later helped transform tragedy into a movement of healing and resilience.
Before the attack, he was deeply involved in building the Nova community of music, unity, and love. Today, he co-produces the Nova Music Festival Exhibition, an international initiative honoring victims, supporting survivors, and raising funds for mental health care and Beit Nova—a permanent center for remembrance and recovery in Israel.
Through his leadership and testimony, Ofir amplifies the voices of survivors and ensures their stories of courage live on.

Temple Emanuel Visits The Nova Music Festival Exhibition
2025-09-28 12:00 - 16:00 | In Person – Other, MA, United States
The Nova Exhibit is coming to Boston from September 26 through October 21, during our High Holiday season. This bids us to remember, to renew, and to return with ever greater conviction. We need to remember the atrocities that were committed on that awful day. We need to renew our commitment to the Jewish people, to the State of Israel, and to the strengthening of the bonds of community and connection among all people of goodwill. We need to return to our noblest selves and to our most committed Jewish selves as we approach the two-year anniversary of October 7.
Join your fellow Temple Emanuel members to visit this powerful exhibit about the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023. The Exhibition is recommended for ages 12+ due to the sensitive and graphic nature of some of the content.
Transportation will be provided. Buses will leave from Temple Emanuel on Sunday, September 28, at noon and return by 4:00pm. Reservations are on a first come first serve basis with a max capacity of 100 people. All ticket holders will receive final details by September 25th. Tickets will be distributed prior to boarding the bus.
Cost: $36, which covers the price of admission and transportation.
This event is for Temple Emanuel members only.
Register→
Coordinated by the TE Israel Connections Committee

First Friday @ Shabbat Alive! Breakfast Break-Fast
2025-10-03 18:30 - 20:30 | In Person – Temple Emanuel, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
What to do the day after Yom Kippur? Start your new Jewish year with the joy of Shabbat Alive! Keep the marvelous Break-fast energy going with our special breakfast Break-Fast first Friday Oneg.
What is First Friday? Start with an inspiring musical Shabbat Alive! Service in the Rabbi Samuel Chiel Sanctuary or Minyan Ma’or led Kabbalat Shabbat in the Gann Chapel, then stay for a beautiful post-service Oneg filled with delicious food and fellowship.
Who is First Friday for? First Fridays are for everyone, age 0 on up!
Why come to First Friday? To lift your spirit. To be inspired by ancient words animated with new melodies. To connect with a community of friends – old and new. To stand generation to generation, together.
View the First Friday 2025-26 Calendar HERE→

Main Shabbat Morning ServiceWith Guest Speaker Rabbi Ravid Tilles
2025-10-04 09:30 - 12:00 | Rabbi Samuel Chiel Sanctuary, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
Join us for a special Shabbat morning service with guest speaker, Rabbi Ravid Tilles.
Sermon Topic: Now Is the Best Time to Be Counter Cultural!
Judaism has always, from the very beginning, been a counter point to the surrounding culture. Most of us have grown up in a Jewish community that has struggled to blend our surrounding culture with our ancient tradition. But as the culture around us becomes unbearable, maybe this is the exact time to reclaim our roots!
About Rabbi Ravid Tilles
Rabbi Ravid Tilles is the School Rabbi and Director of Jewish Life and Learning at Schechter Boston. He and his wife, Yaffa, and three sons are members of the Temple Emanuel family.

Sisterhood Opening Event: Music and Mingling
2025-10-08 19:00 - 21:30 | Adelson Community Hall, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
Please join us for a joyous evening with beautiful music, delicious food and socializing. Musical entertainment will be by our own Lisa Litant and the TE Klezmer band! Connect with old friends and meet new ones as we gather together to start the new year.
New Sisterhood members are invited to come at 6:30pm for a special welcome!
Dinner is complimentary for Temple Emanuel members. Non-member tickets are available for $36 each.
Register→
For questions, contact Julie Lipsett.

5th Annual Mystery Scotch in the Sukkah
2025-10-09 19:00 - 22:00 | In Person – Temple Emanuel, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA, 02459, United States
5th Annual Blind Scotch Tasting & Dinner in the Brezniak Sukkah!
Hosted by Temple Emanuel Brotherhood – open to all!
Join us for an unforgettable, spirited evening in the sukkah with:

Unlimited blind tastings of top-shelf scotch (guess what’s what!)
Rami’s buffet dinner + non-alcoholic drinks
Your own custom tasting glass to take home

Admission

$50 per person

2nd Annual Raffle – Back by Popular Demand!
Purchase raffle tickets to enter one or more of many prize bundles, each worth $250+! Last year, 6 prizes totaled over $3,000 in value! Past prizes included rare spirits, golf outings, fine dining, Red Sox tickets, and more.
How it works:

We will have several prizes, each with its own “fishbowl” or separate raffle.
Drop as many tickets as you like in each “fishbowl”—one ticket for a single chance at a single prize and additional tickets in one fishbowl for better odds at a single prize.
Per below, buy 12 tickets for half price!
One prize per person (if you’re drawn more than once, pick your favorite prize won, and we redraw the other.)
Must be present at the final scotch reveal to win. If you leave early, leave your ticket and designate a friend to accept on your behalf.

Raffle Tickets

$12 each or $72 for 12 tickets ($6 each; half-price!)

Over 120 people attended last year! Reserve early for yourself and a friend—this event may sell out!
Register Here→
Questions, contact Josh Ehrenfried
