What is Confirmation? Why do we have it at this time of year? I can answer both questions at once, beginning with the latter one. The service for Confirmation occurs on Shavuot or on a Shabbat before or after Shavuot, because our “Feast of Weeks” (seven weeks after Pesach) is called Yom Mattan HaTorah, “The day of the giving of the Torah”. It also celebrates the spring harvest as Chag Habikkurim, “The Festival of the first produce.”

Think about it. What is Confirmation but an affirmation of living by the Torah, taken by our young people who have continued their Jewish studies three years beyond Bar or Bat Mitzvah. These young people are our “first harvest.”
Join us on Friday evening, June 10, at 8:00pm, to celebrate with Scott Gelb, Gabriel Klansky and Ilana Zwillick and their families. These are three young people of whom we can be very proud as they lead us in prayer and read from the Torah. I, for one, am proud that they are part of our Temple family.

Shalom uverachah,
Rabbi Bruce Goldwasser

P.S. - Please accept my personal apologies for any confusion on the time of the April 29 Erev Shabbat Service. It was originally set for 7:30pm, but had to be changed to 8:00pm, something that I neglected to note in the April Voice.

Thanks to our excellent religious school staff and fine administration, our children study Jewish history, bible stories and Jewish holiday customs. These classes are full to near capacity. Hebrew school classes on Wednesday afternoons start at 4th grade and go through confirmation, The Bar and Bat Mitzvah classes are also doing very well.

A number of years ago we instituted and inaugurated our model Jewish Start Program. In this program we allow the three and four year old children of our own members as well as the children of non-members to attend 10 Sunday morning sessions at a cost of only $10.00 per year. A qualified licensed teacher teaches these special Sunday morning sessions. The children learn some basic prayers, sing songs with Cantor Goodman do arts and crafts projects and, in general, have a great time. Most non-member parents, after seeing the way their child’s Jewish education is progressing, join our temple family.

Recently, we started a program for children from Kindergarten through 3rd grade whose parents are not Temple members. This program costs $300.00 per year and is limited to one year. After one year the family is encouraged to join the temple as members.

This year through the efforts of the Long Rang Planning Committee we are making every effort to re-institute our Youth Group Program. The program is for children 11 years and older and is designed to bring our temple youth together in a social setting which encourages them to have fun as and offers them an opportunity to interact with other Jewish youth. Plans are underway to connect with other youth groups from area temples as well as Bnai Brith and other Jewish organizations.

We are planning dances, trips, Shabbat-tones and other activities for the youth group. Our children represent the future of our Temple and the future of Judaism, we will work hard to make their religious experience a vibrant one one.
More articles on present and future happenings at TBS will be appearing here regularly. Look for these articles or call TBS at 718 463 4143 or Sy Dipkin Long Rang Planning Committee for more information.