The last seven months in Israel have been the most consequential time period in the history of the modern state since the Six-Day War and its aftermath. After five elections in five years, the governing coalition in Israel has successfully passed the first of a slate of legislation that will radically reshape the balance of power and the system of checks and balances in Israel. Fortunately, during that time, Rabbi Spike had the honor of shepherding 27 Confirmation students for the inaugural Schiffer Family Teen Israel Trip. These teens were privileged to witness the beauty and complexity of Israel. Simultaneously, Rabbi Rachael is one member of an exclusive list of representatives for the entire Reform movement to the World Zionist Congress, an international organization that predates even the State of Israel itself.   Shortly, I will lead the next group of congregants to Israel in June 2024 for a deeply spiritual, fun, and eye-opening experience in Israel. I note these three things to … [Read more...]

While it's summer plenty of folks are traveling to the mountains, beaches, and bucket list destinations, but traveling to Israel is unlike any journey you will take. You can find beaches, mountains, and good food around the world, but traveling to Israel is a transformative experience. When the Confirmation class returned from their trip, I heard only how much the ten days spent together were the most memorable of their lives. They're not alone. When we travel to Israel together as a TE family, we create bonds and memories that strengthen our Jewish identities when we return. That is why we believe that travel to Israel is a pillar of Temple Emanu-El's success. In June 2024, I'll lead the next group of adults and families to Israel for a transformative ten-day journey. This itinerary is very different for folks who have traveled with TE to Israel in the past. We will experience different cultures within Israel and do activities that have only recently opened-like snorkeling in the … [Read more...]

Over the last 10 days, I've been living vicariously in Israel. Rabbi Spike, along with parent-chaperone Stacy Bedsole, and 27 teens from our Confirmation class, were in Israel for the experience of a lifetime. This was the inaugural journey of the Schiffer Family Teen Israel Trip-a unique opportunity for Temple Emanu-El teens to deepen their friendships and their connection to their Jewish identity with a highly subsidized trip to the holy land. As your rabbis, we operate under the assumption that Temple Emanu-El's involvement with Israel and Zionism is a given, but it's worthwhile to remind ourselves why we care so deeply about Israel and traveling to it.  First and foremost, Israel is the only Jewish state in the world, dayeinu. Experiencing the Jewish state firsthand is something most of our ancestors, or even great-grandparents, thought they would never see in the last 2,000 years. However, Israel is also the perfect backdrop, classroom, and laboratory for bringing back Jewish … [Read more...]

Parashat Naso is a favorite of mine. The parasha includes the Priestly Blessing, the words we use every Shabbat to bless children:  May God bless you and keep you safe.  May God's light shine upon you and be gracious to you.  May God turn towards you and grant you peace.   We take every occasion to use this blessing because it encompasses all our most fundamental wishes and prayers: safety, kindness, and peace. Whenever I sit down with a bar or bat mitzvah student, I tend to focus on this section of the parasha over others. All the instructions of the Torah haven't exactly aged well, and Parashat Naso contains an example that proves the point.   Parashat Naso spends over a dozen verses to instruct the reader on what to do when a woman is suspected of having an adulterous relationship. First, I ought to point out that this only deals with a woman and not a man-strike one. Second, no punishment is levied against the man-strike two. Third and final, the test for ascertaining her guilt … [Read more...]

This past Tuesday, dozens of rabbis from around Atlanta gathered at Molly B's inside Mercedes Benz Stadium (MBS) to begin a day-long retreat sponsored by the Atlanta Rabbinical Association. The most impactful time at MBS was when Rabbi Spike, Rabbi Rachael, and I heard from Dietmar Exler, the COO of Arthur M. Blank Sports and Entertainment, about what running a massive operation like MBS entails. We learned that MBS is the highest-rank stadium by any metric in the country. When Dietmar went into the details of how that happens, the clear lesson was to treat every person in the stadium, guests and employees, with the highest quality of service. While our budget is slightly less than MBS, we were able to draw some connections to our own work in the Jewish community. We are after similar goals: to foster positive connections between Jews and Judaism within our building and among our members.   We also studied how architecture and design affect our experiences. Entering MBS, our eyes are … [Read more...]