Roosevelt Island jewish congregation

Check the Coming Up page for the High Holiday schedule

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Dear Friends and Neighbors, 

 I hope this note finds all of you and your families safe, in good health, and in good spirits.

A very special Thank You to Rabbi Joel, for all of his outstanding efforts at keeping us together, engaged, and in relatively good spirits as we continue to stay home, healthy & sane. 

And Thank You, too, to everyone who has attended services, adult learning, and, with your children, Hebrew School, with Rachel. 

We continue to be grateful to our RIJC folks, who are on the front lines serving NYC and our Roosevelt Island community.

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Please be in touch w. Rabbi Joel or me if you have any questions or we can be of assistance.

Nina / 212-688-0003

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A Special High Holiday Message from Rabbi Shaiman

No longer shall you need the sun for light by day,
Nor the shining of the moon for radiance by night;
For the LORD shall be your light everlasting, 
Your God shall be your glory.

Your sun shall set no more, 
Your moon no more withdraw;
For the LORD shall be a light to you forever,
And your days of mourning shall be ended.

       - Isaiah 60:19-20

These words of the poet and prophet Isaiah were originally meant to offer consolation to our ancestors who were exiled to Babylon after the destruction of the Temple. However, they have comforted the Jewish people throughout the ages, as each and every year they are chanted in synagogues a few weeks before the start of the new year, reminding us that better, brighter days are ahead.

Rosh Hashanah is unique among the Jewish holidays in that we celebrate it during the new moon, when the night sky is at its darkest. This past year has been a very dark, difficult one for us all; yet as Isaiah reminds us — especially In these times, slivers of hope shine very bright among the darkness.

I invite you to join us at the Roosevelt Island Jewish Congregation to celebrate the New Year 5781, and to be part of our community throughout the upcoming year, as we offer brightness to one another.  We come together - for now, via computer screens - to celebrate Shabbat, holidays and other joyous occasions, to comfort one another in times of loss, and to study with and learn from one another as well.

May the New Year 5781 shine an Or Hadesh…   a New Light… upon us all.

L’shanah tovah U-metukah!    A good sweet year!

Rabbi Joel Shaiman