Temple Emanu-El and Shinshinim of Atlanta* are working hard to build personal relationships between Israel and America. Last year you might have seen our Shinshin, Omer, around the building during Religious School or out with our kids at youth events. Omer did an incredible job of connecting our youth to Israel by being an amazing role model and engaging with the kids about all things Israel. As much as Omer taught our community about Israel, so too did we teach Omer about the incredible ways that practicing Judaism as a Reform Community can enhance his own identity. Omer shared: Before I came to the Temple Emanu-El community I only saw myself as Israeli. Having learned the beautiful way that your community practices Judaism, I am now proud to share that I am both Jewish and Israeli, I’m finally proud of my Jewish identity. Our community will stay in touch with Omer for many years to come and now we look forward to welcoming our next Shinshin for the 2019-2020 school year, Nicole … [Read more...]

Originally celebrated in 1910, becoming a national holiday under President Nixon in 1972 (58 years after Mother’s Day was ordained), today’s Father’s Day is a classic Hallmark Holiday steeped in consumerism, commercialism, and that spark of joy that seems to keep the holiday rolling. Progressive minds shake a fist to the gender divide of Father’s and Mother’s Days, why not a Parent’s/Parents’ Day, it is 2019, after all? (A totally fair question, after all, in Israel, “Family Day” takes place on the 30th of the Hebrew month Shevat.) But alas, the tradition of Father’s Day continues to appear on the calendar year after year celebrating fathers and the men who raised us. How can we add a bit of Judaism to this otherwise secular (though not absent of church influence in its origin) day? For those who celebrate, I invite you to begin the day in gratitude toward the father figure for whom you are celebrating. In Jewish tradition, we begin each morning in gratitude to God with the prayer, … [Read more...]

We count all the time. If you have three kids, you count to three a lot: perhaps counting down to request a change in behavior, and sometimes counting up to make sure you have all three kids with you. We count down to birthdays, weddings, vacations, and more. This time of year, however, the Jewish tradition of counting is quite different. Like the love we have for our children when we count up, at this time of year, we are counting up the days of the Omer. This counting began at our second-night Seder and will continue until we reach the number 49 and then we will mark the next day with the holiday of Shavuot. In biblical times, like most of our holidays, this was about marking the beginning of the barley harvest. In this week’s Torah portion, Emor, we read, “You shall count from the eve of the second day of Pesach when an omer of grain is to be brought as an offering, seven complete weeks. The day after the seventh week of your counting will make fifty days, and you shall present a … [Read more...]

Marking Yom HaShoah This morning, millions of Israelis paused their day and stood at attention. Drivers pulled their cars over, those shopping at the shuk for Shabbat set down their bags, and students stood silently at their school ceremonies. Today is a day we remember. Today is Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. In America, we participate in vigils, light candles at home, and share stories of family members who survived and those who did not. We continue to speak about the tragedies of the past so that history never repeats itself. After the attack on the Jewish community of Poway last Shabbat, we mourn the loss of life at the hands of hatred once again targeting our community for simply for being Jewish. On Yom HaShoah, we revisit these feelings and we stand tall as American Jews and declare, Am Yisrael Chai, the Jewish people live! We will not bow down or turn away in the face of hate. Throughout our declarations of faith and strength, we remain vigilant. In a review of 2018 … [Read more...]