Sukkot is almost here and Simchat Torah is right around the corner.   This Friday night (09/29) we're going to bring in the first night of Sukkot and Shabbat. Then, on Friday, October 6th, we're having a BIG Simchat Torah celebration and a congregation-wide Friday with Friends dinner. We will unroll the entire Torah scroll in the sanctuary and consecrate our youngest learners' Jewish journeys as they formally begin their Jewish education.  If you've never been, it is a sight to see and an energy to feel.    Click here to register for dinner at 5:45 p.m. and services at 6:30 p.m.  For those who attended Yizkor at Yom Kippur:   Saturday, October 7th, is another time in our Jewish calendar to hold Yizkor services. I know many of you will say, "Didn't I just do a Yizkor service at Yom Kippur?" The answer is yes, AND, this is another time to remember your loved ones (brief service at 8:30am).  Following the Yizkor service there will be a unique Torah study at 9:00am. While typically offered … [Read more...]

The Diamond Family Religious School is welcoming two big updates!   First, thanks to the generosity of our members at the Spring Forward event in April, construction is actively taking place to upgrade many of our religious school classrooms with fresh paint, ceiling tiles, floors, rugs, cabinetry, and shades.  Our classroom aesthetic will finally match the level of learning that has been taking place in our Religious School wing.   Second, we have made a big shift in our 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade curriculums to reflect our values as a congregation.   Temple Emanu-El prides itself on being a Reform Zionist congregation. This means we value the following:   A safe and secure Jewish and democratic state in the Land of Israel.  A commitment to helping Israel realize its values as described in its Declaration of Independence: peace with her neighbors and full civil, human, and religious rights for all citizens.  An Israeli society reflective of both democratic values and religious … [Read more...]

When a family raising Jewish children welcomes a new child into their home we often greet the news with a hearty: "Mazal Tov!"   Hence, the inspiration for the name of a program we soft-launched this past Spring called Mazal Tots - Temple Emanu-El's very own Baby and Me class. In the 2023-2024 school year, we are ready for a full launch with THREE cohorts to choose from.   Mazal Tots is unique. It is a program designed to foster connections, provide resources, and celebrate the beautiful journey of parenthood. With dedicated age-specific sections, we cater to the needs of families with:  Infants (0-5 months)  Movers and groovers (6-17 months)  Toddlers (18-35 months)  Sessions are guided by Jackie Perilman, a professional with over 15 years of experience with early intervention and preschool-aged children specializing in language and communication skills.  Our program runs on Sunday mornings right out of our MJCCA Schiff classrooms on the lower level of the building.  Okay, so we … [Read more...]

While the synagogue may "slow down" over the summer as your rabbis are busy writing programs, education classes, and sermons, we're taking some time to recharge, study, and vision too.  Meanwhile, another reason we switch to a new pace is that many of our congregants are enjoying their own summer speed of taking day trips or vacations, sending kids to summer camps (day, overnight, Jewish, sport, art, music, etc.). Some are working (full-time, part-time, as needed, in the home, outside of the home). Others are retired and enjoying the warm weather.  One thing we know that still happens all summer long: Judaism! Judaism in the synagogue is alive and well with the casual vibes of our summer services and Torah studies. Your rabbis are here to elevate your spirit all summer.  One of your rabbis (that would be Rabbi Spike), has spent the last five days and will spend about four more with our inaugural group of Confirmation students who are in Israel on the Schiffer Teen Israel Trip! They are … [Read more...]