Blessings

Blessings

Haftarot Images

Click here to view the PDF images of Temple Emunah's Sefer Haftarot

Kindergarten through Seventh Program Faculty

GAN (Kindergarten)
Sharon Zirkin-Dagan

Sharon is a speech and language pathologist by education. She lived in Israel for seven years where she taught children with Special Needs. Sharon has been on faculty since 2014. She has worked in education for over thirty years. Sharon has a passion for Israel and Judaism. She is also an artist.

GAN (Kindergarten)
Orit Zirulnikov

KITAH ALEF (1st Grade)
Avital Skolnick

Avital is originally from Israel, where she lived both in the city and on a kibbutz. It was on the kibbutz where she started teaching. She came to the United States with her family in 1990. This is Avital's third year on the Temple Emunah faculty. She is excited to continue sharing her love for Hebrew, Judaism and Israel with the Temple Emunah community.

KITAH BET (2nd Grade)
Iris Rozenberg

This is Iris Rozenberg's sixth year teaching at Temple Emunah's  Religious School. Iris comes to us with 18 years of experience, teaching English, Hebrew and Judaic studies in both Israel and the States. Iris, originally from Israel, is very happy to be a part of the faculty, which includes her daughter who works as a madrikha. She and her family have resided in Lexington for the past 11 years.

KITAH GIMEL (3rd Grade)
Irit Hamami

Irit is a veteran teacher with more than 21 years of experience in the classroom. 14 of these years have been spent teaching different grades at Temple Emunah. Irit loves to teach and her students find their way into Ivrit (Hebrew) and tefila (prayer). It is such a thrill for her to see how her student’s grow and blossom over the course a year and become confident Hebrew readers and they lead Friday Services at their "Siyum Hasefer".

KITAH DALET (4th Grade)
Tova Weinronk

Tova is one of Temple Emunah’s Synagogue Educators. Among the various roles she fills at Emunah are advisor to Kadima, coordinator of Mini Minyan, and teacher for grades 4 and 5. Tova is no stranger to Emunah. She started out in the Billy Dalwin Preschool and graduated from Temple Emunah’s Religious School and Prozdor. Tova spent many summers as a camper at Camp Yavneh. In high school she also participated in TELEM, served as a Diller Fellow and attended BIMA. Tova graduated from UMass Amherst. Tova also teaches in the Billy Dalwin Preschool.

Tova Weinronk (Wednesdays)

See Kitah Dalet!

KITAH VAV (6th Grade)

KITAH ZAYIN (7th Grade)
Rabbi David Lerner (Sundays)

A graduate of Columbia College and ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary where he was a Wexner Graduate Fellow, David Lerner has served as the rabbi of Temple Emunah of Lexington for the last eleven years. He brings a unique blend of warmth, outreach, energetic teaching, intellectual rigor and caring for all ages.

Scott McCauslin (Wednesdays)

Scott has been part of Temple Emunah's religious school for a number of years, serving in a variety of capacities. He has taught seventh grade for a few years. Scot received his BSEd from the University of Maine. He taught High School Mathematics and Computer Science for ten years. In addition to teaching, Scott works in our administration office.

Me'ir Sherer (Sundays and Wednesdays)

As Temple Emunah's Director of Congregational Learning, Me'ir Sherer directs our Religious School and Youth Programs, and works with our rabbis and staff on synagogue programs. Me'ir holds a Master's degree in Jewish Education from Hebrew College and another in Social Work from Boston University. He received B.A.s from Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary, List College. Me'ir also completed the Melton Senior Educators Program at Hebrew University and holds a Certificate in Jewish Family Education from Hebrew College.

Prior to assuming the position of Director of Congregational Learning at Temple Emunah, Me'ir served as the Director of Congregational Learning at Or Atid in Wayland and Congregation Beth Israel in Worcester, respectively. Me'ir has also served on the faculty of Prozdor, the secondary school division of Hebrew College in Newton

ROSH SHIRA  (Song Instuctor)
Aaron Tornberg

ROSH RIKUD  (Israeli Folk Dance Instructor)
Kfir Mizrahi

Me'ah

 Me'ah:  Inspired Learning for Adults of All Backgrounds

Me’ah (Hebrew for ‘100’) will take you on a FASCINATING 100-hour journey through Jewish history. Your expert “tour guides” are top scholars who will lead you through…




“Me’ah works no matter where you are on the continuum of Jewish learning. It is the perfect mix of history, philosophy and the showcasing of important personalities…it gives a real sense of the narrative of a people over time.”                                                                   -  Me'ah participant



Interested in starting Me’ah in fall 2015 with the Lexington Collaborative?  Please contact Rabbi Amy Hertz at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Linna Ettinger at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by May 15, 2015.

Click HERE for application.

Prayer Resources

Click a link below to be taken to play or download various liturgical audio files.

• Shabbat Morning CD 1 ~ Rabbi Marci Jacobs
  
  
• Shabbat Morning CD 2 ~ Rabbi Marci Jacobs
  
  
• Torah Trope by Rabbi Marci Jacobs
  
  
• Haftarah Trope by Rabbi Marci Jacobs

Library

Library Hours

• • Sunday 9:00 - 1:00
  • Monday 3:30 - 5:30
  • Tuesday 3:30 - 5:30
  • Wednesday 3:30 - 7:30
  • Thursday 3:30 - 5:30
  • Saturday noon - 1:30 (self checkout)

The Temple Emunah library features a great collection of adult and children's books, DVDs, CDs and tapes. We have a computer that visitors can use to do their own research, with a printer available as well. This computer, generously donated by the Sisterhood, can also be used to search for books in our collection. Or you can bring your own laptop and use our wireless connection.

The library is always available during the week. Someone in the office will unlock the door for you, if it is locked, and if no one is there a number of other people can let you in. Officially, we are open during Hebrew school hours, and on Shabbat from noon to 1:30 pm. On Shabbat, you can borrow books by placing the book card in a preprinted envelope with your name on it, and leaving it to be entered into the computer later.

Recently, the Temple Emunah Library was endowed in memory of Lillian and Carl Bines by the Bines Family.

Encyclopaedia Judaica

Thanks to a generous grant from the Temple Brotherhood, the library now has a subscription to the newest online edition of the Encyclopaedia Judaica.

Rules for usage:

The EJ is meant for the use of the Temple community, both in the building and at your home. It is password protected.

What does this mean?

• • Can I use it for my public school projects? Yes, absolutely.
  • Can I let my friend use it if we are working on a group project? Yes, within reason.
  • Can I post the link and the password on my website? - No.  We will lose our license and the significant investment we have made in this ebook.
  • How do I get the password? The password will be published in the bulletin.
    Alternatively, you can request it using this feedback form: Request Encyclopedia Judaica Password
  • Click here to open Encyclopedia Judaica in a new window.

Mission

The mission of the Temple Emunah Library is to provide Temple members, youth, clergy and staff with a wide variety of materials of Judaic interest. We aim to create a warm and relaxed atmosphere to encourage Jewish learning and promote Jewish culture.

The primary objectives of the collection are:

• To support and enrich the educational programs of the Temple
• To provide support to the Religious School and Pre-School by making available age-appropriate materials that reflect the varied abilities and maturity levels of students
• To encourage reading for pleasure as well as for information and spiritual guidance
• To promote Jewish culture
• To act as a resource to enhance members' abilities to celebrate the holidays, know themselves, and delight in being Jewish

The Temple Emunah library has about 4500 books, CDs and DVDs of Jewish interest or by Jewish authors.

The library has the following periodicals available.  You are welcome to borrow them to read at home.  Please return them when you are finished.

Newspapers:

• Forward
• Jerusalem Post
• Jewish Advocate
• Jewish Journal
• Jewish Review of Books
• World Jewish Digest

Israeli Easy-Hebrew Newpapers:

• Bereshit
• Yanshuf

Magazines:

• Biblical Archaeology
• B'nai Brith Magazine
• CAMERA Media Report
• Hadassah
• Lilith
• Midstream
• Moment
• Pakn Treger
• Voices of Conservative/Masorti Judiasm

TO request more information, please click here to email the library.

Family Education and Programs

The Family Education Committee seeks to encourage spiritual and religious growth in families, and to assist families in building connections and community within Temple Emunah. Our programs strive to enable parents to strengthen themselves to be the Jewish educators of their children and to support families in the observance of Jewish traditions within their homes.  We invite you to join us in our planning! Email Jodie Parmer at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to learn more.

The Family Education Committee sponsors and co-sponsors activities such as:

• Family-oriented Shabbat and Holiday services and programs
  • Tot Shabbat - Saturday mornings, 2x month.
  • High Holiday Services - Tot Services, K-2 Services, and Family Services
  • Sukkot - Lulav Shake / Sukkot Marketplace, Open Sukkah Party, Progressive Sukkot Lunch 
  • Hanukkah Events - Simhat Tot, Community Dinner, Story Time at Barnes and Noble
  • Purim Programs - Purim Night Celebration, Simhat Tot & Carnival!
  • Passover Events - Pesah Simhat Tot, Matzah Meal Passover Dinner
• Friday Night Programs - BBQ and Barekhu Nights and Pasta and Prayers 
• Sundaes on Shabbat with Rabbi Lerner
• Programs for Families with Young Children  
• Parenting Class for Caregivers of Toddlers 
• Classes for babies / toddlers on various subjects. 

This year we are starting a Kids Care Club! This series of monthly sessions combines learning, connecting, and family activities on various social action themes (the environment, kindness, protecting animals, hunger, etc.). Each event will include stories and crafts or activities centered on the theme of the month, as well as learning about the issue from a Jewish perspective, play time, and snacks. The whole family is welcome to attend any session; temple membership is not required! This program is supported by a grant from CJP. Click HERE to see our upcoming schedule. More details coming soon!

- Tots in the Garden, Tuesday, August 13, 2019, 4:30 - 6:00 PM

- Honey and Hearts, Sunday, September 8, 2019, 10:00 AM

FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN

Once again we are working on a number of programs geared towards families with young children (ages 0-5 years old). We hope you join us for some of these wonderful opportunities to celebrate Judaism, enjoy a warm and engaging community, and meet other families! These programs are open to everyone (Temple Membership is NOT required!).

Tot Shabbat: Join families of children ages 0-5 as we share Shabbat together! Led by our lay leaders or rabbis, this one-hour experience (11:00 AM-Noon) allows families with young children to connect with each other while singing, praying, hearing stories, and marching with the Torah! The service concludes with hallah and juice, before everyone is invited to our communal kiddush lunch. We typically meet the 1st and 3rd Shabbat mornings of the month. This program is free and no RSVP is necessary. 

High Holidays for Tots: Every year we have special services on both days of Rosh Hashanah and on Yom Kippur, just for families with young children! These services are in our Main Sanctuary, led by Sharon Levin, and include singing, stories, a few prayers, and lots of fun. A small oneg of kid-friendly snacks is provided on both days of Rosh Hashanah. These services are 9:30 - 10:15 AM and are FREE of charge and open to the public - Temple Membership is NOT required! You must RSVP in advance, however, to Jodie Parmer at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Simhat Tot: Celebrating the Holidays: Simhat Tot is an experiential holiday program geared towards families with children ages 0-5 years old (siblings are welcome to attend!). We gather throughout the year on Sunday mornings  to prepare for upcoming Jewish holidays through crafts, songs, stories, and fun! Simhat Tot is a wonderful way to bring in the joy and excitement of our holidays to our little ones. UPCOMING EVENT: SUKKOT SIMHAT TOT ON SUNDAY, September 23, 2018, 10:00 - 11:30 AM.

Sign and Play! Each year we collaborate with Sign and Play for a fun course for babies and toddlers (0-2 years old) and their care-givers to learn sign language in this fun, interactive, musical play group! Sign language engages your whole body in learning. It helps infants & toddlers communicate, and preschoolers build their literacy skills. Each week in this class we will have fun reading, signing, and playing games to learn American Sign Language vocabulary with Jillian Berlinski, who has a Masters of Education and is a certified elementary and special education teacher. Our next class will start Thursday, March 1st, 2018. Click HERE for more information!

Pasta and Prayers: Temple Emunah invites all families with young children for a special Friday night Shabbat experience and dinner. We will start with a casual pasta dinner with lots of salads and sides, then come together for musical services with songs, stories, dancing, and more! After services we will do Shabbat rituals and have a yummy dessert. The whole event takes place in our Social Hall. Cost is just $10/Adult, $5/Kid, Free for 0-3 year olds. All are welcome!

Music Together at Temple Emunah: Music is a universal language. It transcends boundaries and reaches beyond culture to touch the depths of our souls, express our common emotions, and inspire us all. When you join Joyful Music of Music Together at Temple Emunah each semester you’ll learn twenty-five new songs and activities that your family will enjoy in class and at home. Each session of Music Together is 10 Weeks and costs $220 for 1 child ($110 for a second child). Registration is done through the Joyful Music website. Questions? Contact Joyful Music Director Karen Pokross at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Yeladim Yoga: Every Winter we are thrilled to offer this class for toddlers and their caregivers. Together, we practice yoga, learn breathing and calming techniques, improve strength and balance, and have fun! Our next session is a 4 week class with teacher Janine Duffy, April  23, 30, and May 7, 14, 2018, 10:00 AM. We hope you can join us! More details HERE.

Mitzvah Mouse Club: With this initiative we hope to engage families in a series of Mitzvah projects in which even the youngest can participate! We hope you can join us on one, two, or all three of our programs! At each event families will receive Mitzvah Mouse stickers, a book relating to a Mitzvah, and a packet of ideas for future Mitzvah projects! Details TBD.

Safta Story Time: Join us for stories, songs, and fun! Hebrew Teacher, Speech/Language Pathologist, Educational Specialist, and Safta (grandma) Sharon Zirkin-Dagan will lead us in a casual morning for all families with children ages 0-3 years old, 11:00 AM - Noon. After our stories and songs, we will have a kid-friendly snack and time to play and schmooze. FREE and open to all! Stay tuned for upcoming dates.

Playground Meet ups: Meet other families with young children and have a blast at various playgrounds in different local towns! This is a fun way to meet new friends in a casual setting. Stay tuned for more details for the coming year! 

Watermelon Wednesdays: Each summer we host our popular Watermelon Wednesday series! For 6 Wednesdays we meet in front of our building from 1:00 until 1:30 PM for ice cold watermelon, music, and fun! Schmooze with our rabbis and staff and have a blast! Kids are welcome to play in our playground as well. No RSVP necessary!

Events Co-Sponsored with the JCC: Throughout the year we team up with the JCC to bring fun, family programs to the community! We meet at local venues such as libraries, play spaces, and more, to celebrate Shabbat and other holidays. On Friday, April 13 our own Rabbi Michael Fel will be at the JCC in Arlington to celebrate Passover at their weekly Drop-in Play! 

These programs are made possible through generous grants from Combined Jewish Philanthropies and by CJP's Innovation Grants Committee.

See the Events page for upcoming programs, or the Services page (within the Worship menu) for a list of youth and famiily services.

For more information please contact Jodie Parmer, Program Director and Family Educator at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Adult Education

A past recipient of the GOLD Solomon Schechter Award for excellence in Adult Education programming, Temple Emunah's reputation as a center for adult education is known throughout the greater Boston area. Our Adult Education Committee has been in existence for more than 20 years, and has evolved from a program consisting of just one educational series to a program boasting a myriad of formal and informal courses leveraging our access to scholars of nearby educational institutions, our success working cooperatively with other synagogues, our learned Rabbis, and our phenomenally educated and motivated congregants. Making full use of all available resources, we are able to provide multiple entry points for our diverse community, from beginner to advanced in subjects ranging from davenning, Hebrew literacy, Biblical text study, and Philosophy. The caliber of the teachers for the formal programs is outstanding, most of whom have national if not international reputations in Jewish scholarship.

We look forward to learning with you! To learn more about the Adult Eduation Committee, click HERE

The Adult Ed Committee invites everyone to join them for another year of our Shalom Hartman Institute Video Lecture Series! Through video lectures, text study, and lively group discussions, we are pleased to bring the world-renowned faculty of the Shalom Hartman Institute into the Temple Emunah community. We meet monthly, November through June, and this year we have two tracks: Lunch and Learn with Rabbi Lerner and Dessert and Discussion with Rabbi Fel. 2018-19 Dates

Information and Resources: 

• Our Rabbis Teach
  • Meditation Sessions
  • Shabbat Minhah / Ma'ariv Study 
  • Wednesday Morning Study with the Rabbis
  • Kabbalah Class
  • Shalom Hartman Video Lecture Series 2018-19
  • Conversations with the Rabbis at Brookhaven 
  • "What's all this Prayer Stuff About?"
  • Watch the first session: CLICK HERE.
  • Second session: CLICK HERE.
  • Third session: CLICK HERE.
• LIJS - Lexington Institute of Jewish Studies 
• Ivrit la-Kol - Click HERE to see our 5779 Ivrit La-Kol brochure!

• Contemporary Issues
  • History, Ideology and Challenges of the Conservative Movement
  • A Mutually Neurotic Relationship:  Israel and the Vatican
• Synagogue Skills for All
• Scholar-in-Residence Weekends
  • Glatzer Memorial Weekend 
  • Keruv (Outreach) Shabbat
• Informal Text Study
  • Leaders in Adult Learning: A Taste of Torah with Anne and Yael
  • Perek Yomi
  • Talmud Study Group
• Greater Boston Community Learning
  • Jewish Discovery Institute
  • Hebrew College
    • Me'ah Classic Year Two
    • Me'ah Select, Fall 2018
    • Me'ah Select, Fall 2019 with Jacob Meskin

Arts and Culture
• Lego Event with Sisterhood in April 2019
• Holidays
  • Murray Spiegel - 300 Ways to Create an Unforgettable Seder
  • Women's Community Seder
  • Shavuot

• Adult B'nei Mitzvah Class - contact Rabbi Fel for details.
• The Wisdom Project - Sunday afternoons in the Pious Chapel

• Experience Israel
  • Community Leadership Program
  • IEngage: Jewish Values and the Israeli Palestinian Conflict
  • Hazon/Arava Institute Israel Ride
  • Temple Emunah Trip to Israel
  • Community Leadership Program Summer Retreat, June 25 - July 2, 2019

Adult Education (2)

A past recipient of the GOLD Solomon Schechter Award for excellence in Adult Education programming, Temple Emunah's reputation as a center for adult education is known throughout the greater Boston area. The Adult Education Committee of Temple Emunah has been in existence for more than 20 years, and has evolved over the years from a program consisting of one educational series to a program boasting a myriad of formal and informal courses leveraging our access to scholars of nearby educational institutions, our success working cooperatively with other synagogues in the area, our learned Rabbis and our phenomenally educated and motivated congregants. Making full use of all of the available resources, we are able to provide multiple entry points for our diverse community, from beginner to advanced in subjects ranging from davenning, Hebrew literacy, Biblical text study and Philosophy. The caliber of the teachers for the formal programs is outstanding, most of whom have national if not international reputations in Jewish scholarship.

Our newest Adult Education Brochure provides information regarding all of our extensive adult education programs at Temple Emunah. 

We look forward to learning with you! To learn more about the Adult Eduation Committee, click HERE

Watch the first session of "What's All This Prayer Stuff About?" CLICK HERE.

Second session:  CLICK HERE.

The Adult Ed Committee invites everyone to join them for another year of Lunch and Learn! Through video lectures, text study, and lively group discussions, we are pleased to bring the world-renowned faculty of the Shalom Hartman Institute into the Temple Emunah community! We meet monthly on Wednesdays, noon-1:30 PM, October through May; upcoming dates TBD. Please bring your own kosher dairy lunch; coffee and tea will be provided. Contact Linna Ettinger at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.

Information and Resources: 

• Our Rabbis Teach
  • Meditation Opportunities 
  • Shabbat Minhah / Ma'ariv Study 
  • Wednesday Morning Study with the Rabbis
  • Kabbalah - click HERE for audio of this class
  • Lunch and Learn: Engaging Israel
  • Conversations with the Rabbis at Brookhaven 
• (LIJS) Lexington Institute of Jewish Studies  
• Ivrit la-Kol
  
  • Click HERE to see our current Ivrit La-Kol brochure!

• Contemporary Issues
  • History, Ideology and Challenges of the Conservative Movement
  • A Mutually Neurotic Relationship:  Israel and the Vatican
• Synagogue Skills for All
• Scholar-in-Residence Weekends
  • Glatzer Memorial Weekend 
  • Keruv (Outreach) Shabbat
• Informal Text Study
  • Leaders in Adult Learning: A Taste of Torah with Anne and Yael
  • Perek Yomi
  • Talmud Study Group
• Greater Boston Community Learning
  • Jewish Discovery Institute
  • Hebrew College
    • Me'ah Classic, Year TWO
    • Me'ah Select, Fall 2018
    • Me'ah Select, Winter 2019e'ah Select, Winter 2019
  • Young 20s & 30s Adult Programming
Arts and Culture
• DIARNA (Our Home):  Uncovering and Preserving Hidden Jewish Treasures across the Middle East - Click HERE for their website.
• The Hammer and the Pickle:  Soviet Jewish Humor
• Film:  Shores of Light
• New Center Live:  Joe Klein
• Holidays
  • Women's Community Seder
  • Shavuot
• Adult B'nei Mitzvah Class - contact Rabbi Fel for details.
• The Wisdom Project - Sunday afternoons in the Pious Chapel
• Experience Israel
  • Community Leadership Program
  • IEngage: Jewish Values and the Israeli Palestinian Conflict
  • Hazon/Arava Institute Israel Ride
  • Temple Emunah Trip to Israel

Prozdor

Prozdor creates a vibrant community for Jewish youth during their adolescent years. Through our diverse program, we help students develop strong Jewish identities and prepare them to be future leaders of American Jewry.

Our academic program is rich and varied, and students have the power to choose the subjects that they wish to study. Traditional texts, history, Israel, philosophy, literature, Hebrew and the arts are just some areas that engage our students as they gain a genuine love of Jewish learning from our faculty. Prozdor's commitment to Jewish experiential education provides students with additional opportunities to connect to their peers and to Judaism beyond the classroom, and our Jewish travel experiences serve to expose our students to Jewish life all over the world.

Prozdor promotes the value of ahavat Yisrael, culminating in Prozdor graduates who have a strong understanding of, and connection to, the State of Israel. Prozdor also promotes a community built on k'lal Yisrael and a respect for Jewish diversity. It allows students to find their place in am Yisrael and become aware of their responsibility to pass down Judaism to the next generation. Prozdor prepares students to enter their college years ready for the challenges of being a Jewish young adult in America and in the larger world.

Our Goals

• Facilitate the development of student intellectual and spiritual life through the study of Torah, Israel, rabbinics, Jewish history, ethics, literature and the Jewish arts in an open environment that encourages inquiry.
• Enable students to develop and expand their proficiency in the Hebrew language.
• Provide a variety of teaching methods to promote experiential learning and critical thinking; provide a nurturing environment where students may develop mentoring relationships with their teachers.
• Foster meaningful peer relationships.
• Create an environment that encourages respect for divergent opinions, where students may learn about and honor diversity in Jewish life and embrace k'lal Yisrael.
• Offer opportunities for social action and political activism through which students learn to value participating in ethical mitzvot and tikkun olam, and to understand that Judaism obligates them to "make the world a better place."
• Strengthen students' sense of their Jewish identities.