Happy New Year! The MRT office will be closed from December 29th-January 1st. For immediate assistance during that time, email jordana@monmouthreformtemple.org.
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
UPCOMING WORSHIP SERVICE
FIRST FRIDAY SHABBAT SERVICE,
FRIDAY, JANUARY 2ND AT 6:00 PM
Friday night’s service will be led by Rabbi Renee Edelman, Cantor Gabrielle Clissold, and the Shir Chadash Band.
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.
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 towardsHABcore.
UPCOMING EVENTS
MRT Meditation Sessions
MRT offers two opportunities to meditate together each week.
Boker Tov- Friday, January 2nd 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, January 5th 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:
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
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.
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
Please mark your calendars for an informal gathering and conversation with community members and Dr. Allison Druin at Temple Shalom in Aberdeen on Sunday, January 11, 2026 at 2 pm. Dr. Druin is the founder and head of a new high school in Western Massachusetts opened this year for trans and queer youth that will provide both learning and wellness in one place: the J.S. Bryant School, https://www.jsbryantschool.org/.
Join us in learning how you can stand on the front lines of love and resistance to support learning and wellness for our LGBTQIA+ youth. Light snacks will be provided. Please let us know of any dietary concerns in your RSVP.
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, January 2, 2026
Shabbat Service at 6:00 pm
*Samuel Avrin, Eva Bernstein, *Baldwin Davidson, Sylvia Davis, Abraham Dernis, Anna Dernis, Herbert Friend, Betty Goodstein, Dorothy Eleanor Grauer, Arthur Hayet, Rose Hildenbrand, Samuel Aaron Janney, Sal Katz, Jordan Matthew Levinsky, Marshall Neuhauser, *Earl H. Priesand, Jonathan Matthew Reiter, Betty Rivkin, Selma Littman Schwartz, *Sylvia Shertzer, Joseph Weisfogel, Samuel Weshnak, Morris Zaslowe
Names to be read on Friday, January 9, 2026
Shabbat Service at 6:00 pm
Henrietta Barr, Helen S. Beck, Leonard Bleetstein, Allen Borack, Rose Bette Kosberg Brinkmann, Larry Brown, Gary Douglas Brown, Dylan Buckner, Josiah Eugene Chess, Saul Dersh, Nathan Louis Franklin, Richard Gaudette, Harold Grauer, Edith Joseph, Shirley Kichen, Abe Kipnis, *Linda Klein, Florence Lippman, *Lora G. Miller, *Abraham W. Miller, *Delores Phillips, *David Sandman, *Bernice Schneider, Edward Silverman, Maurice Solomon, *Dora Solomon, Muriel Turk, *Dorothy Woolf, *Jean Yagoda, *Murray Zatt, Joel Walter Zinn
*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.
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.
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!
