Emanu-El Cares
Marking a Meaningful Moment
Are you, or is someone you know in our community, facing a life-changing moment — the birth of a child, a wedding, a death in the family, illness or a hospital stay? Please contact Emanu-El Cares by calling Rabbi Amy Ehrlich at 212-507-9606 or emailing .
Bimah Honors
An aliyah (Torah blessing) can done to honor a special moment in your life. To get more involved in the Torah service by reciting the blessings, or even through taking on the fulfilling challenge of reading Torah on Shabbat morning, please contact the Membership Office.
Celebrate During Services
To have an aufruf (wedding blessing) or to celebrate a baby naming as part of a worship service, please call Johnny Maldonado, at 212-507-9603. Be sure to specify what you are celebrating.
Remember Loved Ones
Now that Emanu-El broadcasts its own services over the Internet, we are able to accommodate all congregants who wish to share Sabbath services and have the name of a loved one read during Kaddish. If you wish to have a name read, please fill out this Yahrzeit reminder request or send us a message
Calling Generations
This intergenerational program pairs Temple teens with adult congregants to form a mutually beneficial ongoing relationship via short weekly phone conversations. Calling Generations is an opportunity to learn more about the Emanu-El community and share your excitement about your involvement in it while making a new friend from a different generation. Participants report that the connections they have formed have led to learning new perspectives on daily life and the world in which we live in. Full program events for all participants to come together to meet and share stories take place throughout the year. Over 70 congregants have participated in Calling Generations since it started in June 2020, and we never know who is enjoying it more—the teens or the adults! For more information and to participate, please contact Em Besthoff.
Our DOROT
Partner in Caring
Jane Blumenstein, LMSW
Jane Blumenstein, LMSW, received her Masters in Social Work at Columbia University. She has been studying, living, and working on the Upper West Side for over 25 years and is passionate about her work with seniors, caregivers, and volunteers. Jane has been at DOROT since 2016, where she has worked on a team that partners with eight Manhattan synagogues, connecting DOROT to congregants, committees, and clergy. Prior to her work at DOROT, she worked at the Met Council on Jewish Poverty. She has spent years as both a president and board member of her synagogue and is well-versed in synagogue life and committee work. She lives in Morningside Heights with her husband and two children.
Jane is available to meet with all members who are supporting a family member aged 60+. Make an appointment by calling Jane at 917-441-3740 or by emailing her at . DOROT provides support to adults 60 and over and those who are primary caregivers for a relative or friend. Jane can help with home-visits, short-term counseling, escorts to medical appointments, and caregiver support.
DOROT has vast offerings including:
- Intergenerational programs
- On-site classes at DOROT
- Assistance with getting to medical appointments and with shopping
- Volunteer visits
- and more!
If you would like to receive DOROT’s weekly Onsite Program listing, write to and indicate that you would like to be added to the mailing list. Click here to see the most up-to-date programs in calendar form.
Don’t hesitate to ask for help or get involved.
Are you interested in a rewarding opportunity to give back?
DOROT is currently seeking volunteers 65+ to connect with teens and like-minded peers for their Spring Intergenerational programs. Choose from workshops including art, storytelling, chess, music, exploring bias, brain games and so much more!
Workshops are virtual and require a weekly commitment, beginning the week of March 28 through the week of May 9.
Each workshop welcomes about ten teens and ten 65+ volunteers. Discover the joy in finding common ground and building friendships across generations!
Register Today to Volunteer for DOROT’s Intergenerational Workshops!
Space is limited! To learn more about Intergenerational Programs at DOROT, you can visit their website, or click here for registration information and a full description of their Spring workshops.
Please note: All new program participants will be invited to attend a virtual orientation.
Quotes from past participants:
“Very pleasant conversations! I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it, and I am so glad I participated.”
“Loved it!”
“Camaraderie was easy, since the three of us accepted one another. Then, some intergenerational exchanges led to some laughter.”
“The conversations enlightened me to the fact that although very young, these groups of young adults were extremely aware of the world around them. They were also very empathic.”
“Best part was hearing back from one of the teens who said he found our conversations very helpful and meaningful.”
RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association
Struggling to build a family? Currently pursuing infertility treatments, donor egg or sperm? Considering adoption? Looking to connect with others on a similar journey? We invite you and your loved ones to join RESOLVE’s Upper East Side General Infertility Peer-Led Support Group. Monthly meetings are held at no cost. Participation and regular attendance are voluntary. To RSVP for a meeting, or contact the volunteer support group leaders, please email us at . Feel supported, empowered and less isolated. Join us and see that you are not alone.
HIAS
In mid-November, HIAS welcomed a man from Jamaica to the United States as a new citizen. Emanu-El, under the leadership of Steven Portnoy, has partnered with Congregation Rodeph Shalom for the second time to help a newly arrived immigrant settle into his next chapter as an American. If you wish to help, volunteers will be needed in the new year to accompany him to appointments and to show him around the city.
HIAS began as the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. A quote from their blog tells us that no matter how far we have come, the obligation to welcome the stranger endures. It reads: “We used to take refugees because they were Jewish; now we take them because we are Jewish.”
Please contact Rabbi Amy Ehrlich to learn more at or 212-744-1400, ext 206
Emanu-El Cares partners with CancerCare
Emanu-El Cares is a resource for temple members through life’s journey, celebrating whenever possible and supporting when necessary. If you are dealing with cancer, we encourage you to take advantage of the resources offered by CancerCare, such as free counseling by professional oncology social workers for patients and caregivers; support groups to help you cope and connect with others; education workshops to become informed about cancer related issues. CancerCare may also help defray the cost of treatment, such as co-pays, transportation to doctors and hospitals, for those who qualify financially.
To learn more: www.cancercare.org
For all of CancerCare‘s free services: call 800-813-HOPE (4673).
To speak with the clergy: contact Rabbi Amy Ehrlich at 212-744-1400, ext 206 or email .
To read a very personal account, from the shock of a diagnosis to the comfort found in a support group, read the essay written by Stephen Fields.
Are you caring for a spouse with Alzheimer’s Disease?
Until we can meet again in person, we encourage you to reach out to our partner organization CaringKind for their many resources and ongoing support. Temple members are always welcome to reach out to Rabbi Ehrlich or any of the clergy should they wish to have a confidential conversation.
For additional Alzheimer’s resources, contact CaringKind NYC’s 24 hour Help Line at 646-744-2900.
