This Week’s Event Email

 

d126d0e8-c400-4811-9332-472a240bf728.jpg

MRT Weekly Eblast

December 2, 2025

WE STAND WITH ISRAEL

EVENTS HAPPENING SOON

Scroll down the Eblast for more information on these upcoming MRT events.

Tuesday, December 2 at 7:00 pm Joint Sisterhood/REC Program

Flyer HERE

Tuesday, December 2 at 7:15 pm Men’s Club Poker Game

Wednesday, December 3 at 1:00 pm Sisterhood Mahjong

Friday, December 5 at 8:00 am Morning Meditation Sessions with Elliott Familant

Zoom HERE

Friday, December 5 at 6:00 pm First Friday Shabbat Service, Hosted by K-2nd Grade Religious School Classes

Livestream HERE

Saturday, December 6 at 9:00 am Shabbat Morning Virtual Torah Study

Click HERE to Join Google Meet

Sunday, December 7 at 11:00 am REC Meeting

Sunday, December 7 at 4:00 pm Adult Ed: “The Jews of Broadway”

Flyer HERE

Monday, December 8 at 9:00 pm Evening Meditation Session with Elliott Familant

Zoom HERE

Tuesday, December 9 at 8:00 am Coffee and Conversation

Tuesday, December 9 at 10:00 am Tuesday Morning Study Group

Tuesday, December 9 at 7:00 pm Ritual Meeting

Wednesday, December 10 at 10:00 am Tour of Hindu Temple- Open to All! Sponsored by Men’s Club

Flyer HERE

Wednesday, December 10 at 1:00 pm Sisterhood Mahjong

Thursday, December 11 at 6:00 pm Sisterhood Movie Night

Friday, December 12 at 8:00 am Morning Meditation Sessions with Elliott Familant

Zoom HERE

SAVE THE DATE

Friday, December 19 at 6:00 pm Chanukah Service, Followed by Congregational Dinner Party, Hosted by MRT Sisterhood

Scroll down for a list of Community menorah lightings, led by the MRT clergy.

SAVE THE DATE!

Celebrating Cantor Gabrielle Clissold 

Upon her Retirement from MRT

Saturday night, April 25th

“From MRT to Manhattan”

Light Bites and More!

Adults Only

Proceeds to Benefit the Cantor Gabrielle Clissold Music Fund

Support MRT this Giving Tuesday

On this Giving Tuesday, we hope you’ll consider MRT when making allocations for your end of year giving. Your donation has a direct impact on our ability to continue being a welcoming home for Reform Jews in Monmouth County. There is so much more we can do together! Click the image below to see some of the many ways we build community together at MRT.

UPCOMING WORSHIP SERVICE

FIRST FRIDAY SHABBAT SERVICE,

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5TH at 6:00 PM

Service this Friday night will be led by Rabbi Renee Edelman and Cantor Gabrielle Clissold, with the Shir Chadash Band.

Hosted by MRT K-2nd Grade Classes

Friday night’s dessert table is co-sponsored by Anne Carney, in memory of her mother, Lena Fisher and Betty Fertik, in memory of her husband, Marc Fertik.

There are members of our Congregation who are very sensitive to scents and fragrances. MRT strives to provide a “Scent Free” environment in our building. The MRT community asks that you avoid wearing scents of any kind when coming to our synagogue and please inform your guests who visit with us.

CHANUKAH, OH CHANUKAH!

TZEDAKAH BOX

HABcore

There are more than 1200 homeless people in Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Our Tzedakah Box recipient for December and January is HABcore, which for 38 years has provided permanent, affordable housing that helps homeless families, veterans, and individuals with special needs move from crisis to stability. Importantly, HABcore provides its residents, 95% of whom remained in permanent housing after one year, with needed support services. HABcore shelters are located in both Asbury Park and Red Bank.

Tzedakah donations (cash or check payable to MRT) can be placed into the lobby Tzedakah box, sent to the MRT office, or made through our website by clicking HERE.*

*If paying by check or online, please make sure to add a note to your payment specifying that the funds should be directed towards HABcore.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

REC Meeting-At MRT

Sunday, December 7, 2025 at 11 am

Ritual Meeting-On Zoom

Tuesday, December 9, 2025 at 7 pm

UPCOMING EVENTS

MRT Meditation Sessions

MRT offers two opportunities to meditate together each week.   

  • Boker Tov- Friday, December 5th at 8:00 am. This is MRT’s long-standing Friday morning meditation session consisting of a short reading, 18 minutes of silent meditation, a tiny bit of discussion, and then Kaddish.  
  • Lilah Tov- Monday, December 8th at 9:00 pm. Transition peacefully into sleep with this short and meaningful meditation session. We will start with a reading, 18 minutes of meditation, and then a quiet recitation of a portion of the bedtime Shema.

Each session is a way to inject a little bit of peace into your week and will help you feel calm and centered and connected with your community. If you are new to meditation, these sessions can be a gentle introduction to the practice with a Jewish twist. I hope you will join us.  

Both sessions can be accessed via Zoom by following the link below:

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3554332579?zzxpwd=NnlUemt0Sm16NGlnTlp2NUZnMStmdz09

Meeting ID: 355 433 2579

Passcode: chesed

Shabbat Morning Torah Study

Saturday, December 6, 2025 at 9:00 am

Click HERE to Join Google Meet.

Coffee and Conversation

Tuesday, December 9, 2025 at 8:00 am

Join Dean Ross and other board members at Panera in Shrewsbury.

Tuesday Morning Study Group- At MRT and on Zoom

Tuesday, December 9, 2025 at 10:00 am

Study group led by Rabbi Renee Edelman. Contact Jordana at jordana@monmouthreformtemple.org for the Zoom link.

LIFE & LEGACY

The MRT LIFE & LEGACY program, launched in 2016 under the auspices of the Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey and the Grinspoon Foundation, seeks pledges of after-lifetime or immediate contributions to one of MRT’s endowment funds that will be used to sustain our holy community at MRT.

We are pleased that 53 of our members have made an after-lifetime

commitment or immediate contribution to one of our endowments with a

total value of over $400,000.

We hope that more members of our community will join in this mitzvah.

Click HERE for more information.

Adult Education

The Adult Education Committee prepares an annual MRT Adult Education Program Brochure. This provides information and a schedule of educational opportunities offered at Monmouth Reform Temple each calendar year.

You may access the 2025-26 brochure HERE or by going to our temple website: monmouthreformtemple.org. At the top, click on “Adult Jewish Learning” and then “Programs and Schedules”. You may also look for hard copies displayed on our lobby table. We hope you will take advantage of these wonderful educational offerings that our temple provides for you.

Thank you.

Maddy Kalb and Brenda Tuller

Co-Chairs Adult Education Committee

Men’s Club

Open to All Temple Members!

Men’s Club Poker Game, 1st Tuesday of every month, 7:15 pm

Join the Men’s Club to play poker in the social hall at 7:15 pm (time may vary) on the first Tuesday of every month.

Contact Zach Gilstein zachmate2@gmail.com if you would like to play and for more information.

Sisterhood

Mahjong, Wednesdays, 1:00 pm-3:00 pm

We will be playing Mahjong in the MRT social hall every Wednesday from 1:00 pm-3:00 pm. 

We welcome players at all levels! 

Contact Nancy Zaslowe nancyzaslowe@gmail.com to RSVP and for more details.

Joint Sisterhood/REC Program

SAVE THE DATE

Movie Night and Potluck Dinner at MRT

 

Thursday, December 11th

Schmooze and Eat at 6 PM

Movie at 7 PM

When you RSVP, please let us know what you plan to bring (we need apps, mains and desserts).

Bring your comfy beach chair to watch the movie.

RSVP to mrtsisbookclub@gmail.com

Synopsis: In Eleanor The Great, June Squibb brings to vivid life the witty and proudly troublesome 94-year-old Eleanor Morgenstein, who after a devastating loss, tells a tale that takes on a dangerous life of its own. Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut is a comically poignant exploration of how the stories we hear become the stories we tell.

The Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ)

Our engaging MRT Sisterhood offers many activities and programs throughout the year to its members. We are also a member of Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ), the umbrella organization of Sisterhoods nationwide. WRJ offers a multitude of educational and social programs to explore and participate in. Feel free to visit http://www.wrj.org to subscribe for updates from WRJ via weekly e-mail.

Sisterhood Judaica Shop

Your MRT Sisterhood Judaica Shop has a selection of beautiful and meaningful gifts for the home, the holidays, special occasions and for the young people in your life.

Below is a catalog showing many of the items we have available. To order any items or visit the shop, contact Racielle Lande hilande0110@gmail.com

or Betty Fertik bettymf@me.com.

COMMUNITY EVENT

MI SHEBEIRACH LIST UPDATE

Please help us keep our mi shebeirach list current.

If you or a loved one have been included on the Mi shebeirach list and you would like for yours or their name to continue to be read, please let us know as soon as possible so we know to keep the name on the list. 

We appreciate your help in keeping the list up to date.

Mi Shebeirach

If you are in need of pastoral care or would like to add a name to our Mi Shebeirach list to be read at Shabbat services, please contact Rabbi Edelman, Cantor Clissold or the temple office.

Please note: Names added to the Mi Shebeirach list will be read aloud during Shabbat Services for two weeks. If you would like to continue to have the name read, you must recontact the temple at the end of the two week period. As always, when you attend Shabbat services, you are welcome to announce the name of a loved one in need of healing.

Yahrzeits

May our loved ones’ memories forever be a blessing

The names of your loved ones will be read during Shabbat services for Yahrzeit, Shiva & Shloshim. 

Names to be read on Friday, December 5, 2025

Shabbat Service at 6:00 pm

*Delores Abramowitz, *Mildred Abis, *Gussie Avrin, *Abba Mayer Beerman, *Morris Berg, Roger Kenneth Berman, *Betty Bermann, *Isidore Bermann, *Flora Braunstein, *Benjamin Bregman, *Sheldon Hillel Brown, William Howard Chess, Leda Cohan, Joseph Dow, Fred Fertik, Marc Fertik, Lena Fisher, *Mary Fleischman, Lawrence Friedman, *Gertrude T. Gelber, Richard Graboyes, Robert Halpern, *Israel Joseph Katz, Miriam “Edris” Kessler, *Harry Kohn, *Bernard Levy, *Sol Mandel, William A. Miller, Lewis Resch, Jon Rottenberg, *Hilda D. Salomon, *Jay Schulman, *Ruth Silverberg, *Steven Stone, *Miriam Leavitt Welner, Joel Wiesenfeld, Gertrude Wolf, Ruth Kahn Wolff

Names to be read on Friday, December 12, 2025

Shabbat Service at 6:00 PM

Ted Choate, *Helen Davis, *Abraham Glasser, Abraham Golden, *Nancy Louise Egan Grant, *Louis E. Jacobson, Irwin Kaltenbacher, Eleanor “Peach” Krachman, Herbert Leifman, Joseph Levinsky, Ace A. Orange, Samuel Rivkin, Harold Schultz, *Celia Spring, Patricia Ann Turner, Rae Weshnak, Seymour Van-Wiemokly, Barry Robert Wolf

*Names with an asterisk have memorial plaques. To order a memorial plaque, please email or call Jordana in the MRT office. Purchasing a plaque ensures that Kaddish will be said, in perpetuity, at temple services during the week of the anniversary of that person’s death.

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE HOURS :

Monday-Wednesday: 10 am – 4 pm

Thursday: Closed

Friday: 10 am – 2 pm

HOWEVER, if the need arises, our clergy and staff are always available to you. Please contact anyone with their information below.

Renee Edelman, Rabbi:

rabbirenee@monmouthreformtemple.org

(516) 662-4479

Gabrielle Clissold, Cantor:

cantorclissold@monmouthreformtemple.org

(732) 688-0661

Michelle Halperin-Krain, Director of Education

michelle@monmouthreformtemple.org

Margo Hassan, President:

margohassan@gmail.com

Jordana Steinberg, Office Administrator:

jordana@monmouthreformtemple.org

(732) 747-9365 (Office)

Our Calendar

We strive for a “No Conflict” schedule here at MRT. Please contact the office before scheduling any temple events. This way, each event will be on the calendar, and we can all participate in them.

Thank you!

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

Instagram: 

@monmouth_reform_temple

Facebook: Monmouth Reform Temple

MRT Accepts PayPal

When making payments or donations to MRT, please consider using PayPal in lieu of checks. It’s a safe, easy way to send money.

Simply go to the donation page of our website (https://monmouthreformtemple.org/donate/) and follow the instructions. Don’t forget to include the reason for your payment by clicking “Add a Note” once you are logged onto PayPal. Thank you!

New! Easy Payment Options

In addition to check, credit card, and PayPal, MRT is now accepting donations/payments via Venmo and Zelle.

You can either scan the QR codes or click the links below.

Very Important: When making your payment, please be sure to include a note indicating what the payment is for. Thank you for your support!

VENMO

https://venmo.com/u/MonmouthReformTemple (@MonmouthReformTemple)

ZELLE

https://enroll.zellepay.com/qr-codes?data=eyJuYW1lIjoiTU9OTU9VVEggUkVGT1JNIFRFTVBMRSBJTkMiLCJhY3Rpb24iOiJwYXltZW50IiwidG9rZW4iOiJ6ZWxsZUBtb25tb3V0aHJlZm9ybXRlbXBsZS5vcmcifQ==

Add recipient: zelle@monmouthreformtemple.org