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Temple Shalom
Sisterhood, which is an affiliate of Women of Reform Judaism/Federation of
Temple Sisterhoods, was established in 1965 with less than 20 members.
Its goal was to equip a kitchen when “we had a home of our own.” When, in
1975, the small Temple was built two and a half miles west of the current
location, the dream came true. The Sisterhood had the funds to equip the
kitchen. Sisterhood supplied $75,000 toward building and equipping the
“new Temple,” which was completed in November 1991, and continued to pay
for Temple improvements year by year. In 2001 we fulfilled our $50,000
pledge to Shalom 2000, the building of a new wing to house the Temple
Learning Center.
The Sisterhood has
grown in number and responsibility with the years. New members of the
congregation enjoy complimentary Sisterhood membership during the fiscal
year they join the Temple. Only Temple members are eligible to become
members of Sisterhood.
The primary mission of
the Sisterhood is to promote the welfare of Temple Shalom and the
religious education of its children. Sisterhood women come together for a
common cause.
Ours is:
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To
promote the welfare of Temple Shalom and its Religious School
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To
stress Jewish ethical and religious practices in everyday living
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To
stress the observance of the Sabbath and all Jewish festivals
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To
support and encourage youth activities and affiliations
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To
engage in civic and philanthropic activities
To raise money to
carry out our mission, we:
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Operate
the Judaica Gift Shop
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Publish
the Temple Directory/Ad Book
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Hold
fund raising activities
Because we take
seriously our obligation to the children and youth of the Temple, we:
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Contribute
to Passport to Israel, Camp Coleman Scholarships, and the annual
Confirmation trip
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Make
discretionary funds available to the Religious School Director
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Provided the $5,000 required to establish the Youth Activities Fund, and the $5,000 required to start the Religious School Enrichment Fund.
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Provided
the original funds to start the Preschool
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Provide
funds yearly for use by the Religious School and the Youth Group
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In 2003 established a $30,000
Restricted Endowment Fund to provide funds for Religious School
scholarships, to which Sisterhood funds will be added
annually
 Women have always
prepared the food, nurtured the family, and made preparations for Shabbat
and other festivals. Our women: Prepare and serve the
Oneg Shabbat, Sisterhood luncheons and breakfasts, the Multi-Organization
Chanukah Tea, Shiva lunches; sponsor the Chanukah Family Dinner
In order to be part of
a collective voice on local, national, and international issues,
Sisterhood became a member of Women of Reform Judaism in 1998. At a
recent WRJ Biennial Assembly, Sisterhood received an OR-AMI (Light of my
People) award for the forum we sponsored on:
In 2002, in
cooperation with the Temple Social Action Committee, Sisterhood
participated in a program which distributed 200 breast examination shower
cards in Spanish, supplied by Women of Reform Judaism, for use by
Spanish-speaking women in Immokalee.
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