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B'yachad

B’yachad, which means “together,” is the social heart of Temple Emeth. We plan, execute, and support activities and events that are of interest to all Temple members. Historically, B’yachad has been a combined Brotherhood and Sisterhood designed to “help achieve the religious, charitable, social, and educational goals of Temple Emeth.”

B’YACHAD Activities Include:

Social Events: We run various social events to build our congregational community, including: Family Outings; Minor League Baseball Games; Comedy Night; Artist-in-Residence; Middle Eastern Cooking; Opera events; Paint Night; Klezmer Concerts; Israeli Dancing and more! Of course, each event includes a meal/nosh and time for kibitzing and socializing.

Sunday Morning Breakfast Meetings: We have B’yachad Breakfasts, where our Temple community gets together for an informative presentation and lively discussion, while enjoying a bagel breakfast. Recent speakers/topics have included: Artist Andrea Strongwater, who presented Lost Synagogues of Europe; Rabbi Sirbu, who discussed Lessons from the Pandemic; Tom Meyers, who presented The History of Jews in the New Jersey Film Industry; Temple member Sam Gronner, who discussed his book, Loss & Legacy: The Half-Century Quest to Reclaim a Birthright Stolen by the Nazis; Historian Marty Schneit, who presented The Borscht Belt and The Lower East Side; and High School Student Laurence Fine, who presented on Youth Activism in Gun Violence Protection.

Please Note: We are looking forward to continuing our breakfast events in-person in the synagogue with bagels in the near future!

Here are our latest Sunday Breakfasts:

July 9, 2023 at 10:30 a.m.
B'yachad will offer American Jewish History in Eight Synagogues. Starting with the historic 1763 Touro Synagogue in Rhode Island (the oldest American synagogue building still standing), we can actually track our history in America through our synagogues. In honor of our nation's birthday, Eitan Kastner will take us through slides and stories of eight significant congregations and their buildings that reflect our own growing and ever-changing history.
 A graduate of Yeshiva University, Kastner earned his masters degree at the University o f Chicago, focusing primarily on American religious history. He shares that knowledge on a regular basis, teaching history and art history at Frisch and working as a licensed New York City tour guide, leading excursions with Jewish and historical themes at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

October 15, 2023 at 10:30 a.m.
Jews on the Chocolate Trail to be presented by Rabbi Debbie Prinz
What's not to like about chocolate! Join Temple Emeth for a B’yachad breakfast on Sunday, October 15 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Rabbi Deborah Prinz, author of "On the Chocolate Trail“ will present "Jews on the Chocolate Trail.” Rabbi Prinz will unwrap the role of Judaism and other religions in the trade, manufacture, and sale of chocolate since it was first introduced to Europeans. We will learn the surprising Jewish connections to chocolate in this gastronomic adventure. Her book will be available for sale at $20 each.

November 19, 2023 at 10:30 a.m.
The Image of Jews in Literature
: Not a Pretty Sight, but Important to Understand will be presented by Janet Chertkoff, a former high school English teacher, who has taught Shakespeare's plays and lectured about his life, times, and theaters for many years. Where did the trope of the Jewish mother or the Jewish Princess come from? Or for that matter, good guys wear white hats, bad guys black. Never underestimate the power of stereotypes in the hands of great story tellers. Shakespeare and Chaucer, two preeminent writers of the English language did more than their part in elevating and promulgating their particular image of the Jew to a trope that is accepted by far too many people today. 

March 17, 2024 at 10:30 a.m.
The Language of Yiddish

Yiddish has been the language associated with Ashkenazi Jews over the last thousand years. It spread from German-speaking lands to Central and Eastern Europe, and from there worldwide. David Braun, Academic Director of the intensive U. Weinreich Summer Program in Yiddish Language, Literature, and Culture at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research and Bard College is guest speaker. He is also YIVO's specialist in all matters relating to Yiddish language, teaching, and linguistics. David will share the fascinating facts of the place of this language in Jewish life past and present. 

Date to Be Announced
Four Great Jewish Musicals to be presented by David Benkof.
A celebration of Funny Girl, Fiddler on the Roof, Ragtime, and Parade.

 

 

 

Fundraising and Donations
Contributions to B'yachad have been used to help the Religious School, provide gifts to the Confirmation Class and B’nai Mitzvot, Youth Scholarships, RAC Trip, Sukkah building and decorations, and to other Temple and community events.

We welcome your ideas, comments and thoughts, especially suggestions for future Breakfast Speakers and events. Thank you for your continued support.

Email us at byachad@emeth.org.

Eitan Kastner presented American Jewish History in Eight Synagogues. Starting with the historic 1763 Touro Synagogue in Rhode Island (the oldest American synagogue building still standing), he tracked our history in America through our synagogues.

Marcia Orange (left), co-chair of our B'yachad Committee, and Rabbi Sirbu, welcome guest speaker Rabbi Debbie Prinz, who spoke about Jews on the Chocolate Trail. She unwrapped the role of Judaism and other religions in the trade, manufacture, and sale of chocolate since it was first introduced to Europeans.

Tue, March 19 2024 9 Adar II 5784