August 20, 2026

After a joyful summer of Roundtables with Rabbi Reimer and the overwhelming response to the small group engagement with our new Senior Rabbi at members’ homes, the Welcome Committee has added five more Roundtable dates for the Fall. Each of the following Fall Roundtables will start at 6:30 PM at members’ homes in New York City:

Wednesday, October 14
Tuesday, October 27
Thursday, November 12
Tuesday, November 17
Wednesday, December 2

Registration information for the Fall Roundtables is available here. Approximately one week prior to an event, registered members will receive a confirmation email from the Welcome Committee with the home address for a Roundtable.

To complement the Roundtables, the Welcome Committee is planning several opportunities this Fall to join your fellow members at Friday night Shabbat Services led by Rabbi Reimer. Shabbat services are a great way to build community, stay connected, and unwind from a hectic week. Specific Shabbat details will be shared in the next few weeks, including plans for dinners at local restaurants following services.

July 7, 2026

As of tonight, the Roundtables With Rabbi Reimer are officially underway! The response to the Roundtables has been wonderful. Because the NYC Roundtables filled up so quickly, the Welcome Committee is already planning additional Roundtables for the fall. Stay tuned for dates and registration details.

For those spending time in the Hamptons this summer, you can register now for the July 25 Water Mill and August 8 Southampton events with Rabbi Reimer.

We are thrilled to celebrate Rabbi Reimer’s Inaugural Shabbat Service on Friday, July 10 at 6:00 PM and would love to see you there!  Please RSVP for the celebratory Oneg following the service.

As a wonderful bonus, Tot Shabbat is also scheduled for that evening at 5:00 PM, making July 10 a truly festive night at TI. Here’s the full July 10 lineup:

• 4:45 PM – Pre-Tot Shabbat Meet & Greet with Rabbi Reimer @ TI
• 5:00 PM – Tot Shabbat @ TI (featuring Rabbi Reimer)
• 5:30 PM – Post-Tot Shabbat Pizza Party (with wine & beer for adults)
• 6:00 PM – Rabbi Reimer’s Inaugural Shabbat Service
• 7:00 PM – Celebratory Oneg (featuring Rabbi Reimer’s favorite desserts & a celebratory toast)

Whether you join us in person or celebrate from home on July 10, we’d love to see your joy! Share your photos by tagging @templeisraelnyc on Instagram.

As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Welcome Committee at welcomecommittee@tinyc.org with any questions or ideas. We are so grateful for this community as we welcome Rabbi Reimer to Temple Israel.

June 1, 2026

Hachnasat Orchim is the Jewish value which calls on us to not merely invite people in, but ensure they feel honored, comfortable, and at home. This value is the core of our newly formed Welcome Committee dedicated to welcoming Senior Rabbi Matt Reimer into our community.

We are Amy Landis and Keith Gross, the Co-Chairs of Temple Israel’s Welcome Committee. We have served in various ways to the temple over the years and are very excited to help usher in the sixth rabbi in our temple’s history.

Though Rabbi Reimer officially starts on July 1, 2026, the committee’s work is well underway. A diverse group of members has started to discuss and organize opportunities during the summer and throughout Rabbi Reimer’s first year so that he and the congregation can truly get to know one another. As the year goes on, we invite all who are interested to work collaboratively with the Welcome Committee to generate ideas for events and find ways for members to interact with Rabbi Reimer.

Starting the week of July 6, we are coordinating Roundtables with Rabbi Reimer at members’ homes in New York City and the Hamptons. A goal of the Roundtables is to facilitate direct communication between Rabbi Reimer and members in a small group setting. Members can volunteer to host or register to attend a summer Roundtable.

Tuesday, July 7 (NYC)
Wednesday, July 15 (NYC)
Tuesday, July 21 (NYC)
Saturday, July 25 (Water Mill)
Thursday, July 30 (NYC)
Tuesday, August 4 (NYC)
Saturday, August 8 (Southampton)
Wednesday, August 19 (NYC)

REGISTER HERE

Specific start times and home addresses for a Roundtable will be shared with members soon after registration. Please be on the lookout for periodic emails from the Welcome Committee with additional event details as the planning continues.

In addition to the Roundtables, the Welcome Committee is putting together a variety of content featuring Rabbi Reimer to share with members just after July 1. This content will help introduce Rabbi Reimer to our community and allow members to start getting to know our new Senior Rabbi no matter where they may be this summer.

In the fall, the Welcome Committee will offer members the opportunity to organize intimate Shabbat dinners with Rabbi Reimer in their homes, join further Roundtables, and attend larger events at the synagogue – all while ensuring our regularly scheduled events with Rabbi Reimer are filled with enthusiasm and joy.

We are entering an exciting next chapter in Temple Israel’s storied history and welcome your support in making Rabbi Reimer’s first year at Temple Israel a tremendous success.

If you would like to learn more about the Welcome Committee or ways in which you can help welcome Rabbi Reimer to Temple Israel, please do not hesitate to contact us at welcomecommittee@tinyc.org.

Warmly,
Amy Landis & Keith Gross
Co-Chairs, Temple Israel Welcome Committee