Thursday, November 20, 2008

Taking Action in Hard Times

As our economy continues to unravel, all facets of society are tested. Severe economic stress affects us in so many ways. An increasing number of congregants are now seeking employment, others are confronting family pressures – and all of us are in need of words of faith, a glimmer of hope and the embrace of the community.

Congregations are tested as well in times like these, and I am pleased to announce some significant steps that we are taking to assist fellow congregants and others:

The Men’s Club, along with Donna Sweidan of Career Folk, LLC, is pleased to announce the formation of the Temple Beth El Networking Group. The first meeting will take place on Tuesday November 25th at 7:30 PM. The purpose of the group is to provide opportunities for Jewish professionals & the broader community to meet and exchange ideas and contacts. We are also looking for other members of the Temple or the community to join the group in advisory roles. If you are interested in attending the meeting, please contact Michael Arons at mmacpa@yahoo.com.

In addition, a TBE LinkedIn Networking Group has been created. You’re invited to join the TBE NETWORKing Group on LinkedIn. Joining will allow you to find and contact other TBENG members on LinkedIn. The goal of this group is to help members:

**Reach other members of the TBE NETWORK

**Accelerate careers/business through referrals from TBE NETWORK Group members

**Know more than a name – view rich professional profiles from fellow TBE NETWORK Group members

**To join, you have to be registered on Linkedin.com - Go to Groups, and type in Temple Beth El Networking Group.

We hope to see you in the group, and that it can be helpful to you in your business, personal and career endeavors. I thank Michael Arons and the Men’s Club for their assistance and concern.

Additionally, Donna Sweidan will be conducting a session as part of the upcoming Synaplex Shabbat to be held on December 13. The session will be entitled:

Career Insurance: Do you have it? - A discussion on Career Management or Job Search Strategies that will help you survive in this challenging economy. Discussion will include what is "Career insurance," and how to engage in a proactive job search or career change.

Donna Sweidan is a Linkedin Specialist and will be conducting an online webinar on Linkedin on December 3rd and 9th that will show you how to take advantage of this very powerful tool. You can email Donna for more information.. Donna@careerfolk.com.

Also, we’ve already gotten some good response for “Project Hesed,” which seeks volunteers to assist congregants who are shut ins or living in nursing homes or health care facilities. The group will visit people and also offer rides, help with shopping and deliver flowers in the hospital along with gifts to families with newborns. Project Hesed is being coordinated by Suzanne Horn at Suzanneshorn@yahoo.com.

Upcoming holidays bring families together, and in painful times like these that can lead to intensified stress. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you simply need someone to talk to. In addition, along with our many adult ed offerings, Mara is teaching a wonderful parenting class, which next meets on December 14. The Synaplex on the 13th will focus on ways we can bring people of all faiths together, and at my Learning and Latte interfaith panel at Borders on the 9th, we’ll be discussing the topic, “Faith and Money: What is Religion’s Role During Troubled Economic Times?”

Finally, we all need to find comfort simply in being together, right here. Join us for services on Shabbat or weekdays. This Friday night, we have the pleasure of hearing our congregant Katie Kaplan lead Kabbalat Shabbat here for the first time, and on Shabbat morning, Oliver Sabloff becomes Bar Mitzvah, while our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade families will celebrate Shabbat together. Our minyan attendance has become spotty, great some days, struggling at other times (like today) – please make a special effort to come! Note the special holiday time of 9 AM for next Thursday AND Friday.

These are times that test us all. More than ever, we at TBE are here to help!

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