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Ronny and Ira Kaplan have been residents of Stamford for over 40 years and have been valued members of Shir Ami for the past few years. They both originally grew up in Brooklyn and Queens and lived on Long Island before coming to Connecticut. Ira was a financial executive in the real estate field before retirement, and Ronny had her own business training people in the use of Microsoft office products.
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Our Members Linda and Stanley Gratt from Stamford have something very fun to share...
It’s Sunday afternoon at Stanley and Linda Gratt's, and as we have done every Sunday since May, we are getting ready to head to Israel. No packing. No passports. No worrying about the status of Covid-19.
Our tours with Israeli Guide Joel Meyer are virtual via Zoom and have been since the very beginning of this unusual experience. Joel is a highly experienced licensed tour guide who is used to spending his days with groups of tourists as he roams the country he loves imparting the deep knowledge he has about sites modern and historic. As he has said, after spending time after the corona virus stopped all tourism worldwide trying to figure out how he could continue to support his family, he decided to offer virtual tours to as many people as would like to join him… We learned of Joel through a friend who had toured with him in Israel and decided to try a virtual tour with him. After that first week we were hooked.
We are now part of a virtual community of “tourists” from all over the world who gather on Sunday afternoon, East Coast Time, to learn about the places Joel has been during the week recording videos and doing research. We’ve been to places as well-known as the usual tourist spots of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, to out of the way places as the now graffiti-covered Tel Aviv Central Bus Station which had opened to much fanfare as a transportation hub of the future. We’ve visited archeological digs like Qumran, Herodian and Zippori where the Midrash was codified, and other sites too numerous to mention. Joel even recruited his wife, Eginsu an Ethiopian Jew, to spend a couple of hours sharing her families journey from Ethiopia to their new life in Israel.
So, now the group has expanded from the original 30 or so open screens to as many as 125. Instead of just presenting tours on Sunday, live repeats of previous tours are available on Wednesday. And, just recently Joel has been asked to make a presentation via Zoom during the next semester of Stamford’s Learning in Retirement. When Covid -19 presented us with lots and lots of lemons…we have used the opportunity to make wonderful lemonade….made a new friend in Joel Meyer and met people from all over the world….while never leaving home.
We invite you all to come along!
Linda and Stanley
For more information, to participate or to donate, please visit, joelmeyer.org
It’s Sunday afternoon at Stanley and Linda Gratt's, and as we have done every Sunday since May, we are getting ready to head to Israel. No packing. No passports. No worrying about the status of Covid-19.
Our tours with Israeli Guide Joel Meyer are virtual via Zoom and have been since the very beginning of this unusual experience. Joel is a highly experienced licensed tour guide who is used to spending his days with groups of tourists as he roams the country he loves imparting the deep knowledge he has about sites modern and historic. As he has said, after spending time after the corona virus stopped all tourism worldwide trying to figure out how he could continue to support his family, he decided to offer virtual tours to as many people as would like to join him… We learned of Joel through a friend who had toured with him in Israel and decided to try a virtual tour with him. After that first week we were hooked.
We are now part of a virtual community of “tourists” from all over the world who gather on Sunday afternoon, East Coast Time, to learn about the places Joel has been during the week recording videos and doing research. We’ve been to places as well-known as the usual tourist spots of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, to out of the way places as the now graffiti-covered Tel Aviv Central Bus Station which had opened to much fanfare as a transportation hub of the future. We’ve visited archeological digs like Qumran, Herodian and Zippori where the Midrash was codified, and other sites too numerous to mention. Joel even recruited his wife, Eginsu an Ethiopian Jew, to spend a couple of hours sharing her families journey from Ethiopia to their new life in Israel.
So, now the group has expanded from the original 30 or so open screens to as many as 125. Instead of just presenting tours on Sunday, live repeats of previous tours are available on Wednesday. And, just recently Joel has been asked to make a presentation via Zoom during the next semester of Stamford’s Learning in Retirement. When Covid -19 presented us with lots and lots of lemons…we have used the opportunity to make wonderful lemonade….made a new friend in Joel Meyer and met people from all over the world….while never leaving home.
We invite you all to come along!
Linda and Stanley
For more information, to participate or to donate, please visit, joelmeyer.org
Meet Warren and Beth Bromberg
Warren and Beth Bromberg are two of the newest members we welcomed at our New Member Shabbat last week. Please read this letter from Beth to learn more about them.
Warren and I are both physicians. I was retired December 2019 and was not expecting to spend retirement isolated in a pandemic. I spent over 30 years as an ophthalmologist in private practice and then in 2018 and 2019 teaching ophthalmology residents at the Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC. Since 2010, I have been leading ophthalmology missions to Haiti, performing outreach in rural villages, identifying patients who have blinding conditions which require treatment by the local ophthalmologists, providing skills transfer with the local doctors, as well as teaching ophthalmology residents in Port au Prince. The experience has been humbling and rewarding and I hope to return again when it is safe to do so. Warren is very involved as a leader at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, as chair of the Urology department, President of the medical staff and Director of the Robotic Surgery Program. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees and participates on numerous committees.
We are guided by our belief in Tikun olam. We have two married daughters, an 8 month old grandson and a granddaughter expected to arrive March 2021. We were looking for a congregation that was more intimate and we were urged to consider Shir Ami by Wendy Nadel. We look forward to in person events in the future!
Many thanks, Beth
Warren and Beth Bromberg are two of the newest members we welcomed at our New Member Shabbat last week. Please read this letter from Beth to learn more about them.
Warren and I are both physicians. I was retired December 2019 and was not expecting to spend retirement isolated in a pandemic. I spent over 30 years as an ophthalmologist in private practice and then in 2018 and 2019 teaching ophthalmology residents at the Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC. Since 2010, I have been leading ophthalmology missions to Haiti, performing outreach in rural villages, identifying patients who have blinding conditions which require treatment by the local ophthalmologists, providing skills transfer with the local doctors, as well as teaching ophthalmology residents in Port au Prince. The experience has been humbling and rewarding and I hope to return again when it is safe to do so. Warren is very involved as a leader at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, as chair of the Urology department, President of the medical staff and Director of the Robotic Surgery Program. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees and participates on numerous committees.
We are guided by our belief in Tikun olam. We have two married daughters, an 8 month old grandson and a granddaughter expected to arrive March 2021. We were looking for a congregation that was more intimate and we were urged to consider Shir Ami by Wendy Nadel. We look forward to in person events in the future!
Many thanks, Beth
Peggy and Jerry Surman: What Grandparents will do!
We left a glorious San Diego visit with our kids & grandkids in early March expecting to be back 6 weeks later. Then...COVID...! At first we were all horrified, expecting & praying it would pass. But, that was a dream. In fact, with the spikes we were seeing every day, we felt hopeless about getting to see our kids & grandkids. Our plan was to be there for Indigo’s birth on July 24th and Eloise’s 2nd birthday on September 10th. We missed both, and were paralyzed with fear. Our doctor talked with us about what it means to be human and, as humans, what we need. He strongly believes in limited socialization with people that think and act alike. After months of “should we, shouldn’t we,” and after being confident that both we and our daughter's family were COVID free, we booked first class seats on Jet Blue flying direct to San Diego. We shipped our luggage ahead (to limit time in the airport on both ends) and got suited up - literally from head to toe! We never took off our face masks or shields and we felt good about our journey. We won’t wait 8 months to come again, not with our grandkids at these precious young ages. We found it absolutely worth the risk! It’s been life affirming!!
We left a glorious San Diego visit with our kids & grandkids in early March expecting to be back 6 weeks later. Then...COVID...! At first we were all horrified, expecting & praying it would pass. But, that was a dream. In fact, with the spikes we were seeing every day, we felt hopeless about getting to see our kids & grandkids. Our plan was to be there for Indigo’s birth on July 24th and Eloise’s 2nd birthday on September 10th. We missed both, and were paralyzed with fear. Our doctor talked with us about what it means to be human and, as humans, what we need. He strongly believes in limited socialization with people that think and act alike. After months of “should we, shouldn’t we,” and after being confident that both we and our daughter's family were COVID free, we booked first class seats on Jet Blue flying direct to San Diego. We shipped our luggage ahead (to limit time in the airport on both ends) and got suited up - literally from head to toe! We never took off our face masks or shields and we felt good about our journey. We won’t wait 8 months to come again, not with our grandkids at these precious young ages. We found it absolutely worth the risk! It’s been life affirming!!
Barbara Salop
For those of you who might not know my story, Evan and I were among the first members of Shir Ami, where our daughter Jenn became Bat Mitzvah in 2006. I was raised Roman Catholic, and after my practicing Judaism for 25 years with Evan and Jenn, I converted and became Bat Mitzvah myself, with much love and help from our founding Rabbi Vicki Axe. I have served as Education Chair at Shir Ami for our early Religious School, and have served on the Board as Secretary and President. I am still active with the Board on the Marketing Team, Social Action though our semiannual participation in the Interfaith Blood Drive, and in our High Holy Day Choir. Evan and I also have a new grand-baby, Kieran, who lives with his parents, son Michael and daughter-in-law Darcy - Kieran will tun one this month!
I am also very involved with Jewish Family Services of Greenwich where I am serving as chair of the Marketing Committee and I am an Executive Board Member. In addition I am an active volunteer in the JFS partnership with Greenwich Hospital, visiting the Jewish patients for Bikur Cholim, and co-leading some of the Shabbat services each Friday in the chapel (that is, when we’re invited back into the hospital!). I am also a dedicated Supermarketing For Seniors shopper. Please read "Calling All Shoppers" below...
If you have any questions about JFS, Supermarketing for Seniors, or any other JFS program, please feel free to reach out to me personally - your support means so much to many in our community. Barbara's email is bdsalop@gmail.com
For those of you who might not know my story, Evan and I were among the first members of Shir Ami, where our daughter Jenn became Bat Mitzvah in 2006. I was raised Roman Catholic, and after my practicing Judaism for 25 years with Evan and Jenn, I converted and became Bat Mitzvah myself, with much love and help from our founding Rabbi Vicki Axe. I have served as Education Chair at Shir Ami for our early Religious School, and have served on the Board as Secretary and President. I am still active with the Board on the Marketing Team, Social Action though our semiannual participation in the Interfaith Blood Drive, and in our High Holy Day Choir. Evan and I also have a new grand-baby, Kieran, who lives with his parents, son Michael and daughter-in-law Darcy - Kieran will tun one this month!
I am also very involved with Jewish Family Services of Greenwich where I am serving as chair of the Marketing Committee and I am an Executive Board Member. In addition I am an active volunteer in the JFS partnership with Greenwich Hospital, visiting the Jewish patients for Bikur Cholim, and co-leading some of the Shabbat services each Friday in the chapel (that is, when we’re invited back into the hospital!). I am also a dedicated Supermarketing For Seniors shopper. Please read "Calling All Shoppers" below...
If you have any questions about JFS, Supermarketing for Seniors, or any other JFS program, please feel free to reach out to me personally - your support means so much to many in our community. Barbara's email is bdsalop@gmail.com
Joel Collamer
Shir Ami Member and Board Treasurer, is volunteering this summer at Greenwich Community Gardens, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating and supporting sustainable community gardens in Greenwich. This year Greenwich Community Gardens has several garden beds designated for Neighbor To Neighbor which are planted and maintained by volunteers. All of the produce grown is donated to Neighbor To Neighbor where it is distributed to families in need.
If you would like to know more about this or to volunteer, you can ask Joel about it or you can visit the website for Greenwich Community Gardens .
Shir Ami Member and Board Treasurer, is volunteering this summer at Greenwich Community Gardens, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating and supporting sustainable community gardens in Greenwich. This year Greenwich Community Gardens has several garden beds designated for Neighbor To Neighbor which are planted and maintained by volunteers. All of the produce grown is donated to Neighbor To Neighbor where it is distributed to families in need.
If you would like to know more about this or to volunteer, you can ask Joel about it or you can visit the website for Greenwich Community Gardens .
Roger Lob: began coaching two men at B1C to help them improve their English. According to Roger, speaking their language is NOT essential to this volunteer role and both men are both engaging and could not be more appreciative. He also said that the staff of B1C have been incredibly supportive.
Roger said, “we often think of "statistics" or "groups"...but ultimately it will be direct human interaction that hopefully will bring about a better world. I was deeply inspired by Cantor Abramson's sermon this past Rosh Hashanah where she discussed trying to help the young man in front of Hebrew Union. Isn't that the dilemma we all face -- balancing self-preservation (which may mean looking away) with a call to action? This opportunity I think is a very easy and safe way to heed that call to action in a safe and meaningful way."
Below is information for those who want to donate or volunteer for B1C.
To contribute online: https://building1community.org/donate/
For Covid specific donations: https://building1community.org/covid-19-response-fund/
To contribute through the mail:
Building One Community, 75 Selleck Street, Stamford, CT 06902
Roger said, “we often think of "statistics" or "groups"...but ultimately it will be direct human interaction that hopefully will bring about a better world. I was deeply inspired by Cantor Abramson's sermon this past Rosh Hashanah where she discussed trying to help the young man in front of Hebrew Union. Isn't that the dilemma we all face -- balancing self-preservation (which may mean looking away) with a call to action? This opportunity I think is a very easy and safe way to heed that call to action in a safe and meaningful way."
Below is information for those who want to donate or volunteer for B1C.
To contribute online: https://building1community.org/donate/
For Covid specific donations: https://building1community.org/covid-19-response-fund/
To contribute through the mail:
Building One Community, 75 Selleck Street, Stamford, CT 06902
Marjorie “Margie” Black:
is a member who joined our congregation with her husband Steven this past year. She’s a passionate volunteer for a number of local organizations: at Neighbor to Neighbor for 13 years, Israel Connect as a mentor partnering with a teen in Israel who needs help in learning English, Building 1 Community where she’s coaching people to help them learn English, and she is a member of the UJA-JCC Greenwich Board.
Margie is heading up a new project “Dignity Grows” with UJA-JCC Greenwich. This project supplies toiletries for people in need, as these essential items are not covered by federal grant programs and are rarely available at food pantries. It is a need that resonates with all of us, it affects the ability of our neighbors to attend school or go to work. The program originated at the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, and the Greenwich UJA-JCC is the first outside organization to take the project on. Margie’s goal is to distribute 100 Dignity Grows bags each quarter; July 6th marks the first distribution of bags through Neighbor to Neighbor, where the need is very real.
The next distribution will be in late September. If you are interested in participating or would like to know more about this project, click here or contact Margie directly.
is a member who joined our congregation with her husband Steven this past year. She’s a passionate volunteer for a number of local organizations: at Neighbor to Neighbor for 13 years, Israel Connect as a mentor partnering with a teen in Israel who needs help in learning English, Building 1 Community where she’s coaching people to help them learn English, and she is a member of the UJA-JCC Greenwich Board.
Margie is heading up a new project “Dignity Grows” with UJA-JCC Greenwich. This project supplies toiletries for people in need, as these essential items are not covered by federal grant programs and are rarely available at food pantries. It is a need that resonates with all of us, it affects the ability of our neighbors to attend school or go to work. The program originated at the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, and the Greenwich UJA-JCC is the first outside organization to take the project on. Margie’s goal is to distribute 100 Dignity Grows bags each quarter; July 6th marks the first distribution of bags through Neighbor to Neighbor, where the need is very real.
The next distribution will be in late September. If you are interested in participating or would like to know more about this project, click here or contact Margie directly.