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Summer Social Action Project:  PROTEIN PLENTY!!! 2014

At Vassar Temple, we care about hunger

This summer there may be disadvantaged people in our county who have no food for lunch.  Students may not be able to access free lunch programs when schools are closed. No one should go hungry. What can we do?  We can purchase protein foods to be distributed to people in need in our community.  

Anytime from July 1- 31, please send your check in any amount to Vassar Temple with “Protein Plenty” on the memo line.  100% of your donation will be turned into Stop & Shop scrip, which will be used to purchase cases of peanut butter, mac & cheese, tuna fish, and chili. 

These high-protein lunch foods will be donated to the Community Action Partnership for distribution through their food pantries located in Poughkeepsie, Dover, Beacon and Red Hook. Questions: Nancy Samson, Social Action Committee CanJam123@aol.com  or (845) 462-4828.

First Night Passover Seder… at Temple?

Yes, you read that right!

Vassar Temple will be hosting the third Annual First Night Seder…
Pesach – 2014!

On Monday evening, April 14, 2014 at 5:30pm
a lay-organized, lay-led Passover Seder
will take place in the Temple Social Hall
with special musical accompaniment by Joe Bertolozzi!

Complementing the traditional ritual foods, a delicious 4 course dinner, will be served. The menu includes: Matzoh Ball Soup, Gefillte Fish, Entrée of either Roasted Chicken, Beef Brisket or vegetarian loaf in mushroom sauce; vegetables; matzoh kugel, potatoes and selected Pesach dessert sweets. Chopped chicken liver with ʻmockʼ alternative and crudité will be available for nibbling. Ritual wine, tea and soft drinks will be provided. To cover expenses, the cost is $30pp [adult]; $10pp [6 – 13 yrs old]; under 6 are free. Maximum of $70 per nuclear family [parents & children] Following dinner the “Pesach Triathlon” will take place!

RSVP BY MARCH 21, 2014. PLEASE make payment to the temple office by this date to secure your reservation. Please submit the reservation form with your payment.

If you would like to be part of the Pesach planning committee,
you are invited to do so.
No experience needed! This is always lots of fun!

If you wish to attend the seder,
but prefer not to be involved in the planning, that’s OK too!

Contact the Seder Committee Chair if you have questions,
want to volunteer to help
or have financial concerns.

Sandra Mamis, 914-456-3524;
seder@vassartemple.org

Ingredients:

4 cups sifted flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon of salt

1 cup butter (softened)

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 Tablespoons milk or orange juice

Instructions:

1.   Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. 

2.   Cream butter and sugar, add eggs, vanilla and beat well.

3.   Add dry ingredients alternately with milk or juice, mixing until well-blended.

4.   Refrigerate.

The dough may be dropped off at the Temple during normal office hours and placed in the freezer.  Alternatively, feel free to drop it off on the day of baking, no later than 9:00 am.

DECEMBER 2013 – WINTER IS HERE AGAIN…

• • IMAGINE ~ ~ A starving child, teenager or adult in our community…
  • IMAGINE ~ ~ A good can of soup, a warm meal that we can provide for someone during the cold season.

HUNGER MATTERS. ANNOUNCING…

VASSAR TEMPLE’S ANNUAL SOUPER SALE!!
From NOW until  DECEMBER 31, 2013

Vassar Temple invites you to make a donation of any amount which in turn will be used to purchase cases of large cans of Chunky Soups. In January, a caravan of volunteers from our Temple will deliver the cases to area food distribution sites like Dutchess Outreach, Beulah Baptist Pantry, Community Action Partnership Pantries in Beacon, Dover, Red Hook and Poughkeepsie, Interfaith Senior Housing and more.

100% of your pledge will go to the purchase of chunky soups for our community.

HOW TO DONATE TO SOUPER SALE 2013?

Please forward your pledge payment to the Temple. Please write your check to VASSAR TEMPLE. In the subject line, write: SOUPER SALE DONATION. Send the check to: Vassar Temple, 140 Hooker Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601.

That’s it. You will know you are helping feed someone in this county who might otherwise truly miss a meal.

AN ADDED PLUS: Money collected for the Souper Sale will be exchanged (100%) for SCRIP at the Temple, which benefits the Temple too. The SCRIP will be used to buy the chunky soups at a local grocery store. It’s a win/win deal!!

FROM CHICKEN SOUP TO CHOWDER TO CHILI…AT VASSAR TEMPLE, WE BELIEVE NO ONE SHOULD GO HUNGRY. PLEASE MAKE A DONATION.

Questions? Please call Nancy Samson at (845)462-4828 or email CANJAM123@aol.com. Thank you.

DECEMBER 2014 – WINTER IS HERE AGAIN…

v IMAGINE ~ ~ A starving child, teenager or adult in our community…

v IMAGINE ~ ~ A good can of soup, a warm meal that we can provide

for someone during the cold season.

HUNGER MATTERS. ANNOUNCING…

VASSAR TEMPLE’S ANNUAL SOUPER SALE!!

DECEMBER 1 – DECEMBER 31, 2013

Vassar Temple invites you to make a donation of any amount which in turn will

be used to purchase cases of large cans of Chunky Soups. In January, a caravan of

volunteers from our Temple will deliver the cases to area food distribution sites like

Dutchess Outreach, Beulah Baptist Pantry, Community Action Partnership Pantries

in Beacon, Dover, Red Hook and Poughkeepsie, Interfaith Senior Housing and

more.

100% of your pledge will go to the purchase of chunky soups for our community.

HOW TO DONATE TO SOUPER SALE 2013?

Please forward your pledge payment to the Temple. Please write your check to

VASSAR TEMPLE. In the subject line, write: SOUPER SALE DONATION.

Send the check to: Vassar Temple, 140 Hooker Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601.

That’s it. You will know you are helping feed someone in this county who might

otherwise truly miss a meal.

AN ADDED PLUS: Money collected for the Souper Sale will be exchanged

(100%) for scrip at the Temple, which benefits the Temple too. The scrip will be

used to buy the chunky soups at a local grocery store. It’s a win/win deal!!

FROM CHICKEN SOUP TO CHOWDER TO CHILI…AT VASSAR

TEMPLE, WE BELIEVE NO ONE SHOULD GO HUNGRY. PLEASE

MAKE A DONATION.

Questions? Please call Nancy Samson 845 462-4828 or email

CANJAM123@aol.com. Thank you.

At Vassar Temple, hunger action is a year-round, meal-bound commitment we make to the wider community.

THIS FALL 2013, PLEASE JOIN US!

We have a full line up of opportunities to feed our neighbors – a great menu of food donation, service and fundraising activities to choose from.

1. SUNDAY NOVEMBER 3RD:  Come help prepare and serve food at the Lunchbox with our 6th & 7th graders and their families. Can’t make it but want to help? We also have a specific menu and need certain food items in advance. For more information, captain is Carolynn Frankel carolynnfrankel@yahoo.com  

2. NOV 1-20, 2013 . TRIM-A-THANKSGIVING:  Please drop off any canned or nonperishable food items to the Can Jam bin. Baskets of these foods will be donated to Hudson River Housing for their families in time for the holiday ! Questions? Just contact Nancy Samson canjam123@aol.com or call 845.462.4828, or Marian Schwartz socialaction@vassartemple.org

3. NOVEMBER 1-30, 2013.  TURKEY TROT: Have an extra turkey ? We can freeze it and then we will donate it to local agencies for families in need of a holiday bird! Financial donations also welcome for this project. Contact Sandra Mamis  ssmdermpa78@gmail.com or 845-463-2678

4. HILLCREST OVERNITE SHELTER: Provide sandwiches, a casserole, or other items for the homeless shelter evening meal . Contact Linda Doherty  914-474-0038

5. DECEMBER 1-31, 2013.  SOUPER SALE:  Make a donation to the temple earmarked for the Souper Sale . Cases of chunky soups will be purchased and delivered to multiple county-wide pantries to distribute to individuals and families needing warm winter meals. Early January, consider volunteering to take one load to a pre-arranged delivery spot .

6. CAN JAM 2013:  Year-round, our temple food bin is in the foyer ready to take any donation of canned or non-perishable foods you can give, any time during temple hours . Each month, this “mini-load” is delivered to a needy pantry in Dutchess County . Can you volunteer to do a delivery just once this year? Contact Nancy Samson at canjam123@aol.com or call 845.462.4828

THANK YOU VASSAR TEMPLE   MEMBERS !

AT VASSAR TEMPLE, HUNGER ACTION IS A YEAR-ROUND, MEAL-BOUND COMMITMENT WE MAKE TO THE WIDER COMMUNITY .

THIS FALL 2013, PLEASE JOIN US!

WE HAVE A FULL LINE UP OF OPPORTUNITIES TO FEED OUR NEIGHBORS. A GREAT MENU OF FOOD DONATION, SERVICE AND FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES TO CHOOSE FROM!

1. SUNDAY NOVEMBER 3RD: COME HELP PREPARE AND SERVE FOOD AT THE LUNCH BOX WITH OUR 6^TH & 7th GRADERS AND THEIR FAMILIES. CAN’T MAKE IT BUT WANT TO HELP? WE ALSO HAVE A SPECIFIC MENU AND NEED CERTAIN FOOD ITEMS IN ADVANCE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CAPTAIN IS  CAROLYNN FRANKEL CAROLYNNFRANKEL@YAHOO.COM. 

2. NOV 1-20, 2013. TRIM-A-THANKSGIVING: BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER, PLEASE DROP OFF ANY CANNED OR NONPERISHABLE FOOD ITEM TO THE CAN JAM BIN. BASKETS OF THESE FOODS WILL BE DONATED TO HUDSON RIVER HOUSING FOR THEIR FAMILIES IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAY! QUESTIONS? JUST CONTACT NANCY SAMSON CANJAM123@AOL.COM OR CALL 845.462.4828, OR MARIAN SCHWARTZ SOCIALACTION@VASSARTEMPLE.ORG

3. NOVEMBER 1-30, 2013. TURKEY TROT: HAVE AN EXTRA TURKEY? WE CAN FREEZE IT AND THEN WE WILL DONATE IT TO LOCAL AGENCIES FOR FAMILIES IN NEED OF A HOLIDAY BIRD! FINANCIAL DONATIONS ALSO WELCOME FOR THIS PROJECT. CONTACT SANDRA MAMIS  ssmdermpa78@gmail.com or 845-463-2678

4. HILLCREST OVERNITE SHELTER: PROVIDE SANDWICHES, A CASSEROLE, OR OTHER ITEMS FOR THE HOMELESS SHELTER EVENING MEAL.   CONTACT LINDA DOHERTY  914-474-0038

5. DECEMBER 1-31, 2013. SOUPER SALE: MAKE A DONATION TO THE TEMPLE EARMARKED FOR THE TEMPLE SOUPER SALE. CASES OF CHUNKY SOUPS WILL BE PURCHASED AND DELIVERED TO MULTIPLE COUNTY-WIDE PANTRIES TO DISTRIBUTE TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES NEEDING WARM WINTER MEALS. EARLY JANUARY, CONSIDER VOLUNTEERING TO TAKE ONE LOAD TO A PRE-ARRANGED DELIVERY SPOT.

6. CAN JAM 2013: YEAR-ROUND, OUR TEMPLE FOOD BIN IS IN THE FOYER READY TO TAKE ANY DONATION OF CANNED OR NON-PERISHABLE FOODS YOU CAN GIVE, ANY TIME DURING TEMPLE HOURS. EACH MONTH, THIS ‘MINI-LOAD’ IS DELIVERED TO A NEEDY PANTRY IN DUTCHESS COUNTY. CAN YOU VOLUNTEER TO DO A DELIVERY JUST ONCE THIS YEAR? CONTACT NANCY SAMSON AT CANJAM123@AOL.COM OR CALL 845.462.4828.

THANK YOU VASSAR TEMPLE MEMBERS!

From the Rabbi’s Report to the Congregation

Vassar Temple has embarked on a number of initiatives that are transforming its educational offerings from primary school to adult ed. The change was signaled from the start with a new name: The Seth A. Erlebacher Religious School. Religious School Director Joel Hoffman further instituted a Sababa Center, a one-on-one or small group learning experience for students through the Religious School morning. Post Bar/Bat Mitzvah has been reorganized into Gesher, more than doubling involvement from the previous year. Ultimately, it will connect into a community-wide advanced Judaica program, principally joining with students from Temple Beth-El.

The most dramatic change is in the groundwork that has now been laid to better integrate Hebrew with general Jewish education. The Community Hebrew School in the JCC will be replaced by a stronger and more responsive mid-week/Sunday Hebrew program at the Temple.

Adult Ed – Vassar’s Lifelong Jewish Learning – has been a constant source of creative response to the interest and needs of members of the congregation. This year’s courses have included poetry, theology, the Middle East and comparative Religion. Classes mostly well attended. Of particular note is that roughly 20% of the attendees come from outside the congregation. Vassar Temple has developed a reputation as a place for good quality and informative Jewish study.

Important speeches delivered to the congregation

Rabbi’s Report (2014)

President’s Report (2014)

President’s Rosh Hashana Remarks (2013)

President’s Report (2013)

Rabbi’s Report (2013)

President’s Yom Kippur Remarks (2012)

President’s Rosh Hashana Remarks (2012)

Selichot Remarks: This I Believe (2012)

President’s Installation Address (2012)