This Saturday night, synagogues of all denominations from around the world will hold a beautiful worship service called 'Selichot.' Selichot serves as sort of a 'opener' or warm-up for the High Holidays, which (as you know) are right around the corner. Selichot is the first time of the liturgical year that your rabbis will be donning our white robes, and it is at this service where we change the Torah covers from their usual blue, to white, representing the spiritual purity to which we aspire during the Days of Awe. The worship service is short, with music and prayers that warm us up to the inner-work which we are charged to do at this special time of year. For me, every year Selichot is welcome as it helps me focus.  Without it, I find that my overall High Holiday experience is 'less', and so I am poorer for missing it. In other words, Selichot is a good use of my time. Come join us for desserts (for a sweet new year) at 6:30pm, and then we will cross the Sanctuary threshold … [Read more...]

Skip the blanket apology on social media this year.   They're on their way.  Inevitably a friend will post it. It reads like this: "To those I may have wronged, knowingly or unknowingly, I ask for your forgiveness. I am truly sorry. "  Every year, folks debate the merits of such posts around and during the High Holy Day season.   The origins of apologizing at this time of year can be found in Mishnah: "for transgressions of one human being against another, the Day of Atonement does not atone until they have made peace with one another" (Yoma 8:9). As such, we are reminded, especially around Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, to make peace in our strained relationships.  Friends, the public realm of social media is not the place for such apologies. Some will argue that perhaps posting on social media can open the door for someone to engage in the conversation, so why keep folks from such a starting point?   I hear you, but I take a different approach.  Our ability to fully understand the … [Read more...]

While I was waiting for the light to change at the intersection of Abernathy and Roswell Rd., I looked up and saw a pink billboard above the Publix shopping center-maybe you've seen it too. The billboard reads: "We're just 75 years since the gas chambers. So no, a billboard calling out Jew hate isn't an overreaction." I was equal parts grateful and distressed by the presence of these billboards. Grateful because these bold billboards are drawing attention to an existential problem we face as Jews; distressed because of their necessity. Unfortunately, you don't have to look far or wait long to learn about new antisemitic attacks in New York, Atlanta, Paris, or London. The most important and effective action we can take to combat antisemitism is to educate our neighbors, friends, and coworkers who are not Jewish. For months now, Temple Emanu-El's Antisemitism Task Force has taken this charge to the next level. In August, you may have participated in Brendan Murphy's presentation, "Why … [Read more...]

The immediate context is that since last Yom Kippur, in response to the AntiSemitism at Pope High School, Temple Emanu-El started a widespread initiative (in conjunction with the ADL and other professional organizations) to combat Jew-hated, and defamation of any kind. We have close to 60 TE congregants who have been actively working on five different initiatives, one of which is: How do we educate ourselves (and our non-Jewish neighbors) about AntiSemitism? 'Why the Jews' is part of this initiative. There were close to 300 people in our social hall on Sunday afternoon/Monday evening, about 80% were Jewish, the other 20% were non-Jewish friends who were invited by our congregants. Without exception, everyone who was there said it was one of the best programs that they have ever been to, and it was extremely enlightening. Think of it as the high school teacher that most of us wished we had had, teaching about Catholic-Jewish relations (with many dark centuries) through art history and … [Read more...]

The kids are back to school, vacations have come to a close, and we begin again.  We're back. We're back in person. We need community. We need YOU!   Let this be a new year of services, social justice opportunities, Israel advocacy, social events, education classes, and a time to build sacred connections.  This Sunday, our religious school kids will flood every crevasse of the synagogue with smiling faces, inquisitive minds, and prayerful voices.  Lifelong Learning extends to our adults who will gather Sunday and Monday for our 'Why the Jews?' series.   Choir rehearsals are in full swing gathering Thursday nights.  Next Friday evening our Prospective Member Shabbat series begins and it's also big evening for our Davis families to come together for dinner and services too. Register HERE This Saturday, it wouldn't be Shabbat without a Temple Emanu-El Torah study, a bat mitzvah service, our first Kid-ish Service for K-5th graders, or our first youth events of the season.  Brotherhood had … [Read more...]