We value our warm, caring synagogue community.
We cultivate connections between people.
At RSNS, community support flows in both directions; the roles of giver and receiver are interchangeable.
All of us move back and forth from one role to the other at different times.
Please read this letter, from a congregant, on their interaction with Mutual Support.
Mutual Support is not just a committee: It is a philosophy
We have joined together to care for one another and to share both sad and joyous times for more than 35 years.
Our community possesses varied and rich resources – our own skills and experiences. Sometimes an empathic connection with someone who has gone through a similar crisis or has handled a common problem can make a world of difference. In addition, members with expertise may be able to offer guidance.
It is sometimes easier to offer help than to ask for it. However, Mutual Support is a give and take operation. We all need help at sometime in our lives. Please tell us when you have a need with a telephone call to 516-627-6274 or an email to .
Some of the more concrete ways in which we have been able to help one another, include, but are not limited to:
The Member2Member listserv is a great way to stay connected with our RSNS community. Our members use the listserv to ask fellow congregants for all kinds of help and advice. Requests range from recommendations for a medical specialist to finding the best dog walkers. Is your family looking for a place for their next great vacation? Or do you need a reliable mechanic? Chances are, if there is something that you need, there is someone in our community who has it, knows how to get it or knows someone else who does. It is also a great place to request a ride to a synagogue event you’d like to attend if transportation is an issue.
Are you looking for a workout partner to help you stay motivated to go to the gym? Do you have tickets to a Broadway show that you can’t use? Or do you need to hire caregivers to help your homebound parent? Our Member2Member listserv is a great way to make connections with other members about almost anything you are looking for. Click here for instructions on creating a post on member2member.
As a member, you are invited to join Member2Member, RSNS’s private moderated community discussion board. When you join, you will receive emails from other members on a variety of topics – from someone looking to sell a dining room table to someone seeking recommendations for a good dentist. Because our list is moderated, you won’t receive forwarded spam or be inundated with solicitations. When selling items, all posts should adhere to the “spirit” of the list: members are entitled to seek fair value for items that others may have a need for, but this list serve prioritizes community benefit over profit.
You can also choose how to get the emails: one at a time, once a day or even once a week. You can search the archives RSNSMember2Member Google Group to see recommendations or requests that have been made for everything from orthopedic surgeons, hairdressers, dog walkers, babysitters, nannies, aides, Broadway shows, local mechanics. And you can always email the moderator at for help navigating our list on Google Groups.
Call the RSNS office (516-627-6274) if you need to update your email address.
The Annual Cooperative Dinner fosters connections between our members. Divided into small intergenerational groups, we gather at a congregant’s home to share a meal and get to know one another. Host families prepare the main dish and guests bring the sides.
We continue our connection to this generation as they move away from home. We send gift packages, accompanied by a letter from our clergy, at High Holiday time, Hanukkah, Purim, and Pesah. Please call the RSNS office (516.627.6274) for additional information.
A Booklet “When Death Happens” has been prepared for our members.
Funeral Arrangements may be made with the funeral director of your choice. Members of RSNS receive a discount from Riverside-Nassau North Chapel.
Funeral Plots may be purchased by synagogue members in the designated RSNS site at The New Montefiore Cemetery. Call RSNS for information at 516-627-6274.
Medical Decision Making Tools
Memorial Plaques – You may also order a memorial plaque of your loved one to be placed in the Sanctuary. Call RSNS for information at 516-627-6274.
Workshops related to lifecycle needs reflect our Mutual Support focus.
Please send us suggestions for additional programs that would interest you.
The following is a list of workshops offered in previous years.
Depending on current interest, any of these can be repeated.
