Congregation Shaare Tefilah (Eatontown Shul) of Whalepond Road recently marked a special milestone, when the newly-formed Ladies Auxiliary, led by Odette Tebele, hosted their very first event. The hugely successful Bingo Night brought over 200 women together for an evening of fun and festivities, complete with Bingo prizes, as well as numerous door prizes. The participants consisted of year-round residents and summer visitors, members of the Eatontown Shul and every other shul at the Jersey Shore, ranging in age from teenagers to great-grandmothers, proving that Bingo is for everyone! Some women took the opportunity to participate with their extended families, while others got a group of friends together for a girl’s night out.
Less than a month after the formation of the Ladies Auxiliary, three dynamic and energetic volunteers took it upon themselves to spearhead the kickoff event. Danielle Brown, Joy Assoulin, and Margo Braha set the bar for Eatontown Shul’s events very high indeed. They took care of every detail, including securing donations for prizes, supplying refreshments including wine, and running the games.
Shul President Albert Antebi said, “Over the years, the Eatontown Shul has had amazing growth and we felt that the Ladies Auxiliary would inspire the women in our community to organize events for the families of our community. We are excited and confident that this is the start of more amazing events to come!”
The committee hopes to enhance the shul’s activities and create an increased sense of community. Upcoming programs will include pre-holiday Shabbat dinners, couples events, and card tournaments. The youth minyan, classes for men and women, and special holiday events will also reap benefits through the committee’s activities.
Congregation Rabbi Moshe Douek had this to say: “When our shul was first established, it had a small congregation. Everyone lived on the same few blocks. Everyone knew each other. It was like a large family. Over the years, the shul has grown exponentially, with the neighborhood gradually spreading out to include a much larger geographic area. Young families are moving in from out of town, and families from the greater Deal area are joining our Shul. It’s a beautiful thing, with a drawback. The members of our shul often don’t know one another. The men come to shul on Shabbat and have an opportunity to meet there. The women often don’t have that opportunity. We wanted to do something to bring them together. Last year we hosted a lovely Shabbat dinner for our new members. It was a great event that introduced neighbors to one another, and was the springboard for many new friendships. The Ladies Auxiliary is another way to unite the members of our shul, and help them feel like one big family again—a really big family.”
The Bingo event surpassed expectations, requiring additional tables to be added numerous times. The enthusiasm from the community was so encouraging to the committee, they cannot wait to bring you their next event. Keep an eye out for what is sure to be a host of amazing events from this motivated group of women. If you would like to join the committee, please contact Jennifer at the shul office at (732) 272-1143.
Laurie Goldman & Olana Cohen
