Israel Congregation
Chai Matching Gift Challenge
18 Days to Give: May 18 - June 4
The past year has been a challenging one for us all. However, through it all, Israel Congregation has been committed to being here for us, finding creative ways to build on our need for community and strengthening our connection to one another.
Now more than ever Israel Congregation needs your support to continue to sustain and care for the community on which we have come to depend. It is our hope that soon we can once again gather together in our beautiful sanctuary in the mountains. You are essential to making that happen!
During this 18 day Chai challenge, your generous gift to our General Fund will be twice as impactful, providing Israel Congregation with the ability to carry on our mission as a home for diverse Jewish expression and as a vibrant cultural and community resource for the Southern Vermont Jewish Community and beyond. Every dollar you give now will be matched—dollar for dollar—by a generous group of congregants up $25,000 for a total of $50,000.
This year we are celebrating Creativity! Israel Congregation plays a vital role in our lives. Let’s celebrate all of the creative ways Israel Congregation brought us together as a community during the pandemic and continues to create new opportunities for us. These offerings have been such a support to so many of us during this time of isolation.
- Shabbat Outdoors!
- Havdalah at Hapgood Pond
- Virtual High Holiday Services
- Weekly Friday Evening Zoom Shabbat
- Weekly Shabbat Morning Torah Study
- Tuesday Morning Adult Education Classes
- Shalom with Shmelmo
- Parenting Through a Jewish Lens
- Shabbat musical and d'vrei Torah guests:
- Bill Pentelovich (from the ACLU in Minnesota on George Floyd)
- Joseph Alpar (Ethnomusicologist)
- Carl Grossman (Judaism and the Environment)
- Bruce Marcus (Twisted Torah Tales)
- Greg Ramm (from Save the Children)
- Visiting Scholar - Rabbi Marc Margolius
- Communal "Teshuvah" for Racial Justice Program
- Doris Bass Book Club
- Virtual Film Series
- Bagels Over Berlin
- I Shall Not Be Silent
- They Ain't Ready for Me
- Lecture Series featuring
- Dr. Ralph Nurnberger: Itzhak Rabin: Warrior of Peace
- Dr. Robert Watson: Truman and Israel: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Statehood in 1948
- Mark Weitzman: Holocaust Denial and Distortion: The New Face of Antisemitism?
- Beer Brewing Event
But the work is not done. Our Hebrew School is vibrant and growing with 23 children enrolled this year up from 17 last year. With COVID-19 restrictions being relaxed by the State of Vermont, we are even planning to launch a summer camp program. We're also investing to develop a hybrid in-person/virtual services option so that more of us can join our services, even if we aren't able to attend in person. And so much more!
Please donate to the best of your ability. Your generosity today will have
DOUBLE the impact and help us achieve our goal of raising a total of $50,000 to help us continue to serve and support our Jewish community.
Your Charitable Donation can be applied to your Israel Congregation Account or you can chose to use a Credit Card:
All donation amounts are confidential. Donors names and messages will be shared on our web site.