Weekly Newsletter

December has arrived, and with it your last chance to make your charitable contributions for 2016. We have no flashy pitch or clever campaign slogan, just a simple ask: Please remember Stanton in your year-end giving, and please give generously.

Stanton's modest decor and laid-back atmosphere may belie the fact that it takes a tremendous amount of money to keep our doors open; our lights on; our heat working; our kiddushes flowing with kugel and schnapps; our prayer services running smoothly; and our kids programming, women's tefilah meetings, and rabbi's classes going. (All of this is in addition to keeping our building standing, a separate issue for which we raised funds at our recent benefit.)

As our numbers and program offerings grow, so does our annual budget, but we are committed to keeping our membership dues low and making our services and programs free whenever possible. All of which means we rely on your generosity to make up the difference and to ensure the financial health of our shul. We are hoping to raise $18,000 before the end of the year to make sure we cover our operating budget. Please show your support for our warm and welcoming community by giving generously to our year-end campaign.

Click here to make a donation now! Or send a check to Stanton Street Shul, P.O. Box 1008, New York, NY 10002, and note "Year-End campaign" on the check.

Thank you for your generosity and for all you do, collectively and individually, to make Stanton the special place that it is.

Join us for a special guest speaker this Shabbat, December 17, after services!

A week before we read the Torah portion in which Joseph spends time in prison in Egypt, Rabbi Andrew Scheer will speak about his experiences working as a Jewish Chaplain for New York City's Department of Corrections. He will provide a broad overview of the conditions on Rikers Island as well as the borough facilities in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx.

Rabbi Scheer will speak after kiddush, at around 12:00pm, before mincha, which will begin at around 12:40pm. He will present vignettes of different inmates to offer a better glimpse into what Joseph could have been feeling as he sat in jail.

Our next StantonKIDS program will be this Shabbat morning, December 17! The free program will feature high-quality children's programming with our early childhood professionals, Morah Katie and Morah Laura! We will be learning all about Chanukah traditions and rituals, and singing holidays songs. The program will take place downstairs from 10am to 12pm.

So bring the entire family for a very special treat. We will eat a special snack in honor of learning about Chanukah. And please invite friends and let others know about the program. 

(StantonKIDS program sponsorships are available at different levels, beginning at $180. For more information, email kids@stantonstshul.com.)

It's that weekend that all of the Jews of America sit around and eat Chinese food. You know why. If you're staying local for the weekend, why not spend Friday night with your friends at Stanton and Yiddish NY? Click here to sign up!

On Friday night, December 23rd, the dinner will follow services (which begin 5:20 pm), at approximately 6:00 pm. Due to the high demand and lack of space, registration will close on December 20th at 7:00 pm, but please note the event may sell out before then, so sign up early!

Dinner is $30/plate for Stanton members and participants of Yiddish NY; $35/plate for everyone else. Sponsorships are available for $100 and include dinner for two. Click here to register online!

Questions? Want to help us with set-up or another volunteer role? Email us at office@stantonstshul.com. 

Yiddish New York, the nation’s largest workshop/festival of Yiddish culture, is returning December 24-29, 2016, to the 14th St Y in Manhattan. Click here for the full schedule of events, including pre-YNY programs.

A six-day gathering of klezmer music, Yiddish culture, song & folk dance, theater, lectures, language, workshops, performances, visual arts, films, and foods, the festival includes affordable programs for adults, kids and teens! To receive a 10% discount on 6-day registrations, enter the code “YNY10” when registering online.

If you have questions, contact Pete Rushefsky at yiddishnewyork@gmail.com or 917.326.9659.

A sheynem dank!

One of the many strengths of our shul is the variety and multiple talents and abilities of our congregants. It takes a lot to run our shul and our programming, and we can probably use your help. Are you a tech guru, web design aficionado, or social media wiz? A master event planner, fundraiser, or program coordinator? An accountant, lawyer, or investment professional? A trained carpenter, electrician, or contractor? If you have any of these or other skills, professional or amateur, that you'd like to contribute to Stanton, speak to Rabbi Bodner, Rivky Friedman, or another member of the board and let's think about how we can help make Stanton flourish together.

Looking for a way to give back to Stanton, not right now, but maybe at some point in the future? Consider planning a long-term gift to the shul. We encourage anyone interested in discussing various ways to plan a gift now that will be given in the future to contact Board members Michael Gordon or Rivky Friedman, or Rabbi Bodner. There are many ways to go about planned giving and we are happy to discuss the various options that might work for you.