Engaged and Caring Community

Our goal is to engage, enable and empower our community through:

• Understanding the needs of our different demographics to inform our programming priorities
• Delivering programs that meet our social and cultural interests
• Providing an effective Community Wellbeing program
• Delivering a compelling framework for leadership development within our community
• Providing enriching opportunities for volunteers to participate individually and as members of structured committees, workgroups and task forces
• Creating opportunities for members to build meaningful relationships

Our goal is to engage, enable and empower our community through:

• Understanding the needs of our different demographics to inform our programming priorities
• Delivering programs that meet our social and cultural interests
• Providing an effective Community Wellbeing program
• Delivering a compelling framework for leadership development within our community
• Providing enriching opportunities for volunteers to participate individually and as members of structured committees, workgroups and task forces
• Creating opportunities for members to build meaningful relationships

Our synagogue community serves as an extended family that values friendship and offers voluntary assistance to improve the lives of our members of all ages.

Our care for our community involves programs such as:

Hospital & Home Visits - Our volunteers visit members in hospital on the North Shore. Please telephone our office on 9419 7011 if you know one of our members is in hospital. Volunteers and our Rabbis also visit members in their own homes after illness, bereavement, or for social support.

Transport Assistance - Our volunteers can assist with transport to synagogue services and activities for people who are unable to drive.

Shiva Plate - The Shiva Plate is a platter of traditional Jewish foods eaten at the time of bereavement. Volunteers prepare the food in the NSTE kitchen and then deliver it to the house of the bereaved family after the funeral.

Meals assistance - Our “casserole” volunteers assist members by providing pre-prepared meals after an illness or during convalescence, and also provide social support.

For more information, please contact us.

Feeling the Warmth of our Community

New member, Meira Marks, recently expressed her appreciation for the 'family' she has found at NSTE.

"Right from the beginning, when Uri suggested that I come with them to the Shabbat dinner, I liked it a lot. Since I had become single, what I missed the most was being with my family on Friday night. If there wasn't a Shabbat dinner, I looked forward to the lesson of the week's Parasha, which filled me with knowledge and brought me back to my youth when I was at school studying the Torah - which I love.

In one of the meetings, I met up with Sandy who I knew from COA. Then I met her at the Shule and enjoyed her welcoming personality and found out she could sing! (I look forward to coming to bar and bat mizvahs. The service is so beautiful and the choir sings so nicely and the women are equal to the men.)

I met Sandy's mother as I was going for an operation, and she assured me that I'll get help with my washing. This was from a lady who didn't know me! She turned up to visit me with a small plant - an orchid that I love and will never separate from it. It is giving me a second year of flowering, and each time I water it I think of the family I found. 

I happened to know Yanai and Jenny from years ago, and they welcomed me and helped me to feel at home. Rabbi Nicole also acknowledged me every time I came along and greeted me. David would also hug me every time we met.

I like to hear Rabbi Nicole’s Drasha. I've been called to the Bima to say a prayer for Israel, which I love, have been asked to say the prayer for the candles, as well as open the Aron Hakodesh. I love it all.

I see Naomi and all three of her generations treated so beautifully when they come. They all get involved in the service - I love it all.

I love how David plays Israeli songs for me; seeing how much I enjoy them.

Your Haskafah group is wonderful.

I was helped to come to the beautiful beach in Simchat Torah, and someone found someone to take me to Limmud Oz, which I look forward to every year.

Thank you to Vera, who organised the walk from Mosman Wharf and showed a lot of care towards me. And someone drove me back home! Completely not expected!

I HAVE REALLY FOUND A FAMILY in a Shule that I live so close to. From a girl who was going to Shule every festival, I'm now going to the temple every occasion!

So, thank you all.

With love,

Meira”