Silent Auction Sneak Peak
Join Us for our
Chanukah Party & Fundraiser
Sunday, December 14th, 3:00–5:30pm
Browse the Silent Auction Items Online — Bid in Person!
FEATURED ITEM
Two night Weekend Stay in Plainfield, MA House for up to 10 people
Value: $900 Starting bid: $299
2 night stay at this private, secluded, unshared vacation rental house in Plainfield, Massachusetts.
3 private bedrooms
2 Bathrooms
Sheets, linens, and towels, cleaning fee, and taxes included.
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Generously donated: Nehar Shalom members Perry Salmanovich & Molly Beinfeld, and STAR RENTALS-Boston
Rental Features
•Living room with large sectional couch
•Eat in kitchen
•Dining Area
•Gazebo & vegetable garden & BBQ's
•Central a/c and heating fireplace
•Roku streaming, with Netflix & Amazon
•High-speed gigabit WiFi internet
•CCTV cameras on the exterior
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Community Features
•Near Berkshire East Ski Mountain (Indy Ski Pass), Cummington, Ashfield, Savoy,
•Private pond with snow shoes
•Nearby sandy beach & swimming pond
•Cross country skis in the winter
•Off street parking for 3 cars
Valid stay for January 2026 - April 2026 & September 2026 to December 2026*, excluding holidays, long weekends, and other highly sought after vacation week/weekends.​​​
Jewish Meditation Class with RUACH
30 Minute JP Photography Session
Flex Membership at The Village Works
Value: $400 Starting bid: $50
RUACH Founder and Executive Director, and Nehar Shalom member, Yaakov Ginsberg-Schreck will teach this 60-90 minute class - size limited only by space.
Come learn how sitting with the breath is a core part of our Jewish inheritance, ready to be reclaimed and applied in daily life for personal liberation and collective well-being. We’ll sit, sing, learn, reflect, and connect. All levels meditation experience welcome.
Held at RUACH’s Newton location, or your location. Up to 5 meditation cushions and 20 blocks for seating can be provided.
Must be booked by June 30, 2026
Value: $300 Starting bid: $50
Nehar Shalom member & photographer, Benjamin Siegel is offering a flexible photo shoot focused on celebrating you—choose between a professional headshot or a candid family shoot!
Where: Outdoor or Indoor/At-Home
Style: Natural, environmental, and celebratory.
Dates: Booking before Dec 20 or after Jan 20
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View his PORTFOLIO HERE
Value: $200 Starting bid: $25
1 month of Flex Membership at The Village Works neighborhood coworking space. ​
Our most popular and flexible membership. Pick a full-day or half-day schedule for a fully-featured coworking package. Enjoy The Village Work’s incredible hospitality: organic coffees, wholesome curated snacks, monitors and chargers to borrow, and so much more.​
Must be redeemed by 12/31/2026.
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Generously donated by Nehar Shalom member Melissa Tapper Goldman and The Village Works​
1-Hour Torah Study
with Mimi Farb
Model Train fun
with Sandy Johnston
Handmade Ceramics
Jewelry and Plate
Value: $160 Starting bid $60
Enjoy a personalized, one-on-one learning session with Nehar Shalom member Mimi Farb.
Choose any Jewish text or topic: Tanakh • Exegesis • Talmud • Midrash • Halakhah • Prayer • Jewish Thought • Poetry —or opt for a session in Biblical Hebrew. Deepen your knowledge, explore a cherished text, or try something completely new in this flexible, enriching hour of study.
Available January–June 2026
Priceless Starting bid: $10
Perfect for Children or Adults!
Join Nehar Shalom member Sandy Johnstion for a half-hour or more of exploring the world of tiny, operating model trains, complete with sound and lights. Highly entertaining for the young, the young at heart, or anyone interested in storytelling, quirky hobbies or miniatures.
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Trains are locate on Green Street in a warm basement down a set of stairs.
Value: $140 Starting bid $25
Check off your holiday gift list with these gorgeous handcrafted pieces, created (mostly) and generously donated by Nehar Shalom member Abigail Russo.
All items pictured above:
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Eight pairs of ceramic earrings
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One ceramic-topped adjustable ring
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One ceramic plate — handmade at JP Clay and perfectly sized for matzah!
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Two pairs of brass/gold earrings
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One pair of crystal earrings
Two Tickets to Two Shows at the FLC
Writing That One Email (Yes, that one)
Professional Art Handling
Value: $120 Starting bid $40
INTO THE BREECHES: Much like the Footlight Club, the Oberon Playhouse found itself down most of its male performers in 1942 as they went off to war. The wife of the long time director decides to keep the theater going and directs an all-female production of Henriad, keeping the theater open despite the lack of men.
HEAD OVER HEELS: Featuring the
music of the GO-GOs, this musical comedy is a celebration of love, following a royal family as they discover the key to the survival of their realm lies within their own hearts. This show makes sure we know that women and non-binary folks rule!
Priceless Starting bid $18
Writing a "simple" email: Not so simple!
Is there an email (or letter) to a friend, colleague, ex, family member, insurance agent... that you’ve been putting off? Perhaps that draft has been lying dormant for 2 weeks…6 months…3 years…? Friend of Nehar Shalom Shir Lovett-Graff is offering 90 minutes of uninterrupted time to process the who, what, where, when, and why; then write (or co-write) a draft. Once you feel comfortable, we will hit send together. Find the closure you’ve been looking for in 2026!
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Value: $100 Starting bid: $50
Nehar Shalom member and Professional Art Handler Isaac Zerkle is donating two hours of their services!
Isaac will install art of all kinds in your home or business.
Great if you (or someone you are gifting this service to) just moved or if you are looking to refresh your interior decor.
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Haggadah Print
Frisbee Coaching
$50 towards custom pastry
Value: $100 Starting bid $72
Print of painting from the Haggadah Min HaMeitzar by Nehar Shalom member Gabriella Spitzer.
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Gabriella Spitzer is a visual artist based in Boston, MA. Their art (silk paints on silk, acrylics on canvas, watercolors on paper and other surfaces, and mixed media) focuses on Jewish and environmental themes. The Min HaMeitzarm like their art generally, provides a queer voice in rooted in deep relationship with text and tradition.
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More Information about Gabriella and the Haggadah can be found HERE
Value: $80 Starting bid $36
One Hour of Frisbee coaching session with Nehar Shalom member Yael Yaaloz.
Learn how to throw a frisbee (beginners welcome and encouraged!) or if you already know how, we can work on any frisbee skill you want to improve (forehands, high release throws, break throws, strategy, etc.). This can be a one-on-one session or a group experience.
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Yael Yaaloz has played ultimate for 2 decades. She was a coach and loves to share ultimate with her community
Value: $50 Starting bid: $30
$50 to use toward a custom cake or pastry from The Sleepy Baker.​
The Sleepy Baker, located in Natick, Massachusetts, is a bakery specializing in custom cakes, cupcakes, cookies & other treats, all baked from scratch. Owner, Liz prides herself on taking the time to create beautiful and delicious works of art for you. She is up for a challenge and takes on all designs, from classic to modern; minimalistic to absolutely outrageous.
14 days notice on all orders.
Liz is the daughter of Nehar Shalom members Karen and Lew Edgers.
An hour of
Jewish Learning
One on One
Juggling lesson
Parents Night Out
Babysitting
Value: $160 Starting bid $60
An hour of Jewish Learning designed just for you with Nehar Shalom member Rabbi Becky Silverstein.​
In person or on zoom. ​
Topic to be agreed upon between
Rabbi Becky and the winner.
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Visit Rabbi Becky's Website HERE
Priceless Starting bid $30
One juggling lesson with Nehar Shalom member Tali Smookler!
If you've ever wanted to learn how to juggle, this is your chance to get started!
Ideal for someone who can not yet juggle at all (ie very beginner).
To be used within a year.
Value: $100 Starting bid: $25
Enjoy an evening out!
Nehar Shalom member, Aviv Spinner is offering one night of babysitting (up to 5 hours). Parents, enjoy a well-deserved date night or self-care break.
Date and time to be arranged by mutual agreement.
Add Magic to Taste
Signed edition
Pulses: A Memoir Through Art
Kosher Homemade Shabbat Dinner
Value: $20 Starting bid $10
Robin Goodfellow Malamud, Nehar Shalom member has a short story published in this copy of the second edition of Add Magic to Taste, an anthology of cozy, queer coffee shop themed fantasy fiction. Puck will sign their short story.
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Goodreads Review HERE
Value: $50 Starting bid: $15
Through several hundred paintings, drawings, and photographs in dialogue with lyrical text, this tender and brave BOOK brings the reader in on the intimate process of learning a craft when it’s driven by dreams
Author Jennie Ruth Evans, prospective Nehar Shalom member is an artist, activist and acupuncturist. She also enjoys things that don’t start with the letter A.
Book details can be found HERE
Value: $400 Starting bid $50
Be the Host(ess) with the Most(ess) — Without Lifting a Finger!
Enjoy a full Shabbat meal for up to six, generously donated and prepared by Nehar Shalom member Simona Lang. Includes delicious full Shabbat meal: ritual items (if needed), challah, grape juice, and dessert. Menu tailored to the season, your personal tastes, desires, and dietary needs. Allergies/aversions accommodated—except celiac, due to potential cross-contamination a home kitchen.
Delivery available within Jamaica Plain; pickups can be arranged in Forest Hills.
Date and time to be mutually agreed upon. Some blackout dates apply.
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Full Bike
Tune-up
Fresh baked Bread
for a Year
Photographic
Screen Print
Donateto our Silent Auction
Value: $150 Starting bid: $25
Funky shifting? Flat tire? Wobbly wheels? Treat your bike to a full tune-up! Whether storing it for winter or gearing up for spring, Nehar Shalom member Ian Raphael will give your ride a thorough cleaning & tuning including:
Your tune-up includes:
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Shifting and brake tuning
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Drivetrain cleaning and lube
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Flat repair
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Wheel truing
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Cleaning and greasing pivot points and bearings
New parts for the cost of the parts.
Give your bike the TLC it deserves!
Donateto our Silent Auction
Value: $150 Starting bid $25
Choose: One challah/month, one/week for 12 weeks, or a custom assortment of 12 breads and baked goods tailored to your schedule and preferences.
Options include: Whole wheat, sourdough, or plain white challah; sliced loaves; focaccia; or a dozen: bagels, soft pretzels, muffins, cookies, black & whites, and more.
Baked for you by Nehar Shalom administrator Cynthia Bell, baker and co-owner of Coffee Cantata, JP.
Pickup: At the shul or near the post office.
Note: Baked goods can be pareve but are not Hechsher Kosher.
Donateto our Silent Auction
Value: $350 Starting bid: $50
“Buenos Aires, Immigrant Housing, La Boca (at the port)”, 18 1/4" × 11 7/8"
Created by Shaari Neretin, 2023, Edition 1/1
This one-of-a-kind print captures the doors of immigrant housing in La Boca, Buenos Aires, where newcomers arriving by boat were first welcomed. Taken during the artist’s journey tracing her maternal grandmother’s 1920s path from Rovno, it evokes the stories of arrival, transition, and new beginnings.
Shaari Neretin is a long time Nehar Shalom member, an artist, and psychotherapist based in Boston, originally from New York City. Forever a wanderer, she experiences the world as an engaged participant observer. Her work often reflects both being a part of and being separate from the dominant cultures.
Six (yes 6) Cases
of Craft Beer
Tzedakah & Philanthropy
Sunsets at the Pond
Puzzles by Adina Koch
Donateto our Silent Auction
Value: $360 Starting bid: $45
Dorchester Brewing Beer Variety pack: Golden Ale, Lite Lager, IPA, & Sour Ale.
Dorchester Brewing Company is a Tap Room and Bar serving in-house beers, cocktails, cider and wine on tap in Boston, MA. DBco was created by a team of Boston professionals in 2016 with an unnatural love of craft beer, to meet production demands for the local craft beer industry while supporting the economic development of Dorchester. Since 2016, we have been thrilled to be part of such a wonderfully welcoming community in Boston.
Generously donated by Nehar Shalom members Emilia Diamant & Sophie Lee.
Donateto our Silent Auction
Value: $200 Starting bid $50
Enjoy a one-hour guided conversation with Rabbi Becky designed to support your personal approach to tzedakah and philanthropy. Whether you’re seeking clarity, structure, or deeper spiritual grounding in your giving, this session offers meaningful guidance rooted in Jewish values and contemporary practice.
Nehar Shalom Member Rabbi Becky believes in the power of community, Torah, and compassion to transform the world. He strives to build a Jewish community and world that encourages and allows everyone to live a life that reflects their inherent divinity / dignity.
Donateto our Silent Auction
Value: $90 Starting bid: $45
Nehar Shalom member Adina Koch is known for her photographs of the Jamaica Pond, and she has generously donated two beautiful custom puzzles featuring her work.
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1000-piece puzzle: Boats glowing in a winter sunset on the Pond
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500-piece puzzle: A radiant late-spring sunset over the water
A perfect gift for puzzle lovers, nature lovers, or anyone who cherishes our neighborhood’s beauty.
Four Seasons
at the Jamaica Pond
Donate to our
Silent Auction
Donate to our
Silent Auction
Donateto our Silent Auction
Value: $100 Starting bid: $50
Nehar Shalom member Adina Koch, known for her photography of Jamaica Pond, presents a quadriptych featuring four seasonal views of the Pond—winter, spring, summer, and fall.
Beautifully arranged in a black frame, this piece offers a year-round window into one of our neighborhood’s most beloved places.
Donateto our Silent Auction
Creativity Encouraged
You might:
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Offer music lessons, artwork, or a handcrafted item you’ve made.
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Donate a cake, cookies, a homemade challah each month for a year.
Your contribution will help strengthen our community, support our programs, and connect us in new and joyful ways. And if you don’t have anything to donate at this time, your participation in the bidding would be just as appreciated and warmly welcomed.
Please use THIS FORM to make your donation. Donation Deadline (December 5th)
Donateto our Silent Auction
Creativity Encouraged
You might:
-
Offer music lessons, artwork, or a handcrafted item you’ve made.
-
Donate a cake, cookies, a homemade challah each month for a year.
Your contribution will help strengthen our community, support our programs, and connect us in new and joyful ways. And if you don’t have anything to donate at this time, your participation in the bidding would be just as appreciated and warmly welcomed.
Please use THIS FORM to make your donation. Donation Deadline (December 5th)