How Do I Start?
Important notes to get your group going.
Gather is Emanu-El’s small groups initiative, bringing together people from across our community to learn, connect and grow. These lay-led circles ignite conversation and relationship, bringing connection to an increasingly ‘distanced’ world, based on common interests and questions. Gather is one of the ways we make our larger congregation feel small.
Gather started in February 2020 and is now beginning another round of virtual lay-led groups. These groups will meet through May 2021, with the option of renewing.
Curious about Gather? Please reach out to us with any questions at .
Gather members can be expected to…
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This Gather is for young and new professionals in fields like investment banking, finance, and law, who are looking to build professional and personal relationships.
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What TV series are you spending your time on and why? With so much content available through so many different avenues, there is a lot of good (and not so good) TV to see. Together we’ll discuss what is out there, make suggestions and talk about what we’ve been watching and why we’re enjoying it.
Gather Guide: Rebecca Weisberg
Rebecca Weisberg in a nutshell. Lifelong lover of New York. Lifelong lover of travel. Lifelong lover of food. Lifelong lover of television.
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Join a Women’s book club! The only cost is your coffee if you want one! Books we love are: Educated, Where the Crawdad Sings, the Elena Ferrante series, Homegoing, The Underground Railroad, and The Goldfinch. We will have fun and casual conversations about topics such as family, friends, and life.
Gather Guide: Bonnie Ross Wolff: is a stay-at-home mother of two teen boys, and loves books and movies.
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This group is currently full, but we can add your name to a waitlist. Please email for more information.
For those who like Shakespeare and for those who would like to get reacquainted with his plays, this group would pick a play and read it out loud in one or two sessions. Each participant would be assigned a role or two in advance, depending on the number of characters in the play. The session would consist of reading the play and stopping along the way for comments and observations, perhaps even finding connections between the plays and Jewish tradition. No theatrical experience required, just a vivid imagination, a willingness to experience the plays more directly and a whole lot of enthusiasm.
Gather Guide: Mark Weisstuch
Mark W. Weisstuch: Husband. Father. Grandfather. Teacher. Administrator. Theatregoer. Reader. Traveler. Photographer. Museum-goer. Searches for understanding and truth. Cherishes relationships. Esteems wisdom. Admires Shakespeare.
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This group is currently full, but we can add your name to a waitlist. Please email for more information.
What compels us to lead and to act? Which leaders inspire us and why? Debate these questions while studying characters in Torah and inspirational leaders in history.
Gather Guides: Brendan Dillon and Carol Zack
Brendan Dillon enjoys working in highly effective teams and seeks inspiration and motivation from others.
Carol Zack is a lifelong New Yorker who loves to swim laps, play the piano, do calligraphy and hang out with her grandson. She is curious about everything.
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So many of us are yearning for spaces to talk about life’s “big questions”– questions about meaning, love, responsibility, purpose, community, and God. We want deep conversations, we want meaningful exchanges, and we want to strengthen our connections to Judaism and to the Divine. In this Gather group, we will use resources from Ask Big Questions to scaffold our discussions, spark conversation, and ground our learning in Jewish texts and teachings.
Gather Guide: Barry Freidfertig
Barry is a retired elementary school teacher. He is now an artist painting abstracts as well as works with English and/or Hebrew text. He is presently on the Union for Reform Judaism North American Board.
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Become informed about the issues shaping modern-day Israel by participating in lively discussions. Delve into the current events in Israel by reading articles, watching short video clips, and speaking with your fellow members. Expect passionate dialogue and a chance for each group member to express their views in an open and accepting forum.
Seeking Gather Guide
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As we enter into the darker months of the year, there is no better way to warm up than with a good home cooked meal. This Gather group is meant for the culinarily curious with a passion for food. Whether you are a beginner in the kitchen or a well versed chef, this is a community to learn from one another, swap tricks and techniques, and talk about all things food. I would like to see how this group grows organically and want to direct it towards the interests of the collective. I thought we could start with a cook the book, do a recipe swap, read a chef biography and discuss it, and do a wine pairing.
Gather Guide: Molly Kaplan Krueger
Molly Kaplan Krueger is a third generation member of Temple Emanu-El. She is co-chair the young members board there and has taught a virtual challah class or two. Molly loves to bring people together through eating. She is a test kitchen manager and recipe developer by day and a dinner party hostess by night.
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This Gather is for young and new professionals in fields like investment banking, finance, and law, who are looking to build professional and personal relationships.
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Join with other couples in their 50s and 60s to try new wines as we start a new year! Each month a couple will pick a wine for us to all try on zoom. Gather if you like wine and want to connect in a different way over Zoom!
Gather Guides: Bonnie and Cliff Eisler
Bonnie and Cliff Eisler are a married couple in their 60’s who enjoy a lively game, good food, music, theater and current events.
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* This group is currently full, but we can add your name to a waitlist. Please email for more information.
This group will gather to discuss current events/politics. We are doing this because we want to find a diverse group of people from around our community to discuss current events. We want the chance to listen and learn from different perspectives and engage with them about the problems of our time. Hopefully, through this, we have a better understanding of current events and see things in a new light. Just as importantly, we hope to be able to meet people from the Temple we never would’ve otherwise met and shared a bond and community over our concern with the current state of politics. Members will be able to suggest certain topics they are passionate about covering in that month’s meeting. As a group, we’ll probably have a few articles to read in advance of each meeting so everyone has background on the topics.
Gather Guides: Cameron Koffman, Greg Rasin and Elise Bloom
Cameron Koffman is a recent graduate of Yale and a young member of Emanu-El. He has spent his entire life in this community and even attended pre-school and became a bar mitzvah at Temple Emanu-El. He ran a political talk radio show for 3 years on WYBC Yale radio and led political groups on campus in college and high school.
Greg Rasin and his wife Elise Bloom have been Temple Emanu-El members for the last six years. Greg is a partner in the law firm of Proskauer Rose. He is currently on senior status and is past Co-Chair of Proskauer’s Labor and Employment Law Department. Greg has two daughters and three grandchildren.
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SHEroes of the Torah delves into the lives of our Tradition’s most courageous women, whose contributions to the foundations of Judaism are often overshadowed by the celebrated men in their lives. We will explore how these women relate to today’s world and whether or not we can personally identify with their struggles and achievements. We encourage women of all ages to join in a lively discussion.
Gather Guides: Wendy Berch and Phyllis Brodsky
Wendy Berch is a retired city employee who is an avid reader of historical and Jewish novels. She is also a Korean drama addict and enjoys going to movies and dining out with friends.
Phyllis Brodsky is a long time civil servant dedicated to improving outcomes for older youth in foster care. She enjoys good food, good movies… both with good friends.
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Sports fans of any level come one, come all! During these challenging and unprecedented times we will “gather” monthly to discuss the latest and greatest in the world of sports.
Gather Guide: Lorne Bycoff
Lorne Bycoff is the founder of The Bycoff Group, a wealth management business. He graduated with a BA in Economics from Duke University, and is the National Co-Chairman of the Duke Young Alumni Development Council. He is a member of both The Young Members Circle and the Membership Committee of Temple Emanu-El. Lorne is originally from Boston and enjoys running, traveling, tennis and golf.
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Often when people look back on their lives, it is the small moments and consistent events that provide purposeful connection. Together we will discuss how to manifest these opportunities. Members will share ideas that have worked for them and some short articles may be included for discussion.
Seeking Gather Guide
Membership Committee and Gather Vision Chair:
Nicole Frankel (Trustee of the Board)
Gather Vision Committee:
Nicole Frankel
Greg Rasin
Lorne Bycoff
Allison Salzman
Rabbi Sara Y. Sapadin
Need assistance to start your Gather group? Contact Rabbi Sara Y. Sapadin: 212-744-1400 ext. 501
Important notes to get your group going.
Recommendations for making a meaningful Gather group.
Why Gather?
For ages our ancestors gathered in groups of 10. It was the gathering that empowered them to raise children in a changing world. It was the gathering that gave them the strength to take risks. It was the gathering that sustained them and gave them purpose. It was the gathering that revealed their gifts and their potential.
Why Lead a Group?
For ages our ancestors gathered in groups of 10. It was the gathering that empowered them to raise children in a changing world. It was the gathering that gave them the strength to take risks. It was the gathering that sustained them and gave them purpose. It was the gathering that revealed their gifts and their potential.
What Will We Do?
Have Shabbat dinner or Havdalah, explore NYC, try out different coffee shops, volunteer. How you design your Gathering is up to you. Most importantly, talk. Maybe you want to connect with other parents of teens. Interfaith families, or people interested in documentaries, or Netflix comedy specials.
Or just people who want to talk about something other than the weather and the subway’s daily delays. Instead, you want to talk about big questions, small joys, and grow in the process.
When Will We Meet?
As the group leader, you pick the day and time, and parameters of the group and congregants will sign up to meet on a regular basis (at least monthly). We recommend you meet once a month February-May. Here’s the timeline for the pilot:
How Many People Make Up a Group?
Groups are usually no more than 15 people, no fewer than 5. It is YOUR group, so you can decide to limit or expand the size.
Where Do We Meet?
Anywhere you want except the synagogue. Your home, a bar, a coffee shop, restaurants, offices, parks. As long as your gathering is focused on meaningful interaction, that’s what matters.
How Do I Start A Gather Group?
People You Already Know but don’t really Know…
Know people’s names or see them regularly at temple but want to interact more meaningfully? Start here.
As a Group-leader, Will I Get Training?
Emanu El is excited to offer a group-leader training to kick-off this pilot, in addition to resources and coaching throughout the experience. Staff will be available to offer Jewish wisdom, and tips on group dynamics. Leaders are participants too, so you should have a meaningful, transformational experience too!
Will Help Be Available Once We Start?
We are here to help! Emanu El is happy to offer training, materials and ongoing coaching to Gather group leaders. If you want to start a new Gather group in the future, all you need are 1-2 people to spark a group, and Rabbi Rachel Gross-Prinz will help you Gather the rest. Get in touch . You won’t be alone at any point in the process!
How about these…