As our Temple Emanu-El kids are in the final stages of preparing for their bat/bar mitzvah, we ask that they do a 'mitzvah project' as part of their intentional preparation.  In part, this is our evolved Jewish civilization's training of our soon-to-be adults in how to organize, gather community, and give back to the world in a meaningful way.  It is our way of helping them develop the mindset, and the confidence, to lead themselves (and us) by doing real good.  If nothing else, these 'mitzvah projects' allow them the pride of doing a great good (as a teen), but often, their initiatives set patterns for them as Jews that last a lifetime. We try to cater the projects to their own interests, and strengths, and skills.   My oldest son, Mac, did a swim-a-thon to raise money for Save A Child's Heart; and in doing so ensured that kids from all over the world would have life saving heart surgeries in Israel. My younger son, Moses, had a foul-shot-a-thon, raising money for underprivileged kids … [Read more...]

Something this important deserves some extra attention. So, I'm using this week's KQ to talk about Shabbat services that will occur at next Friday night (08.05).  Back in April, 2022 I led a rockin' Shabbat with Rabbi Micah Lapidus and his ensemble, "Hello, Goodbye & Peace." That Shabbat was a fiery, southern, Jewish, and soulful night. Well, we're bringing them back again, seven more times throughout the year!   We're calling these Friday nights, Shalhevet Shabbat. Shalhevet is the Hebrew word for that blue color at the base of a flame-the hottest part. That is the deep energy we plan to bring for each of these special Shabbat services.  Shalhevet Shabbat started with a shared dream and an idea between Rabbis Spike, Rachael, Micah, and me. The dream was to transfer some of the infectious Shabbat energy that we experience in Israel to the United States. The present challenge is in translation.   The melodies that we love when we're in Israel don't translate to America so well. The … [Read more...]

For most Reform communities these days, the "Three Weeks" leading up to Tisha b'Av are just like any other three weeks in the year. However, I know there are many folks in our community who grew up in different times. Perhaps you were told by your rabbi, "Sorry, you can't have your wedding on that date, it's in the 'three weeks.'" But then the rabbi never told you why! To begin, this is strictly an Ashkenazi custom - though Sephardim have their own version too. The Ashkenazi custom is not to hold weddings from the 17th day of Tamuz through the 9th day of Av. So what is this custom and why isn't it observed in our communities today? "The Three Weeks" is a mourning period that lasts, you guessed it, three weeks. The mourning period recognizes times in our history in which things weren't great for the Jewish people, in fact, they were some of the worst tragedies in our history - things like Moses breaking the tablets of the Ten Commandments after witnessing the golden calf incident, and … [Read more...]

As you descend into the Children's Memorial the darkest place at Yad v'Shem, Israel's Shoah museum and memorial in Jerusalem, there is a quote carved in stone that you walk beneath. Next time you're there with me, I'll be sure to point it out. The quote comes from the Book of Proverbs, "The soul of a human is the light of Adonai." I'm not one of those rabbis who has memorized dozens of passages from the Tanach, my mind doesn't work that way, but this quote has stayed with me since that day in Jerusalem. When you enter the Children's memorial, you understand why the quote is there. Inside the exhibit, there are infinite refractions of candles accomplished through mirrors on the wall and in the center of the room. You could come up with dozens of different interpretations for this room, but I choose to see the quote and the candles as a recognition that countless lights were extinguished in that dark time, AND that the souls of our loved ones are never truly gone-they persist like an … [Read more...]

The Social Justice Committee has been hard at work finding ways to support the people of Ukraine.  We would like to update you on what we are doing and how you could help. Temple Emanu-El Partnership with AURA Temple Emanu-El has been assigned to help settle two Ukrainian Evacuee families through a JF&CS project called AURA (Atlanta Ukrainian Evacuee Relief Assistance).  The initial stages of this project are under way and we have already welcomed one of the families after a traumatic journey (we are meeting the second family soon).  To help with the load of the work, we have partnered on portions of the project with The Temple of Atlanta. A little about the Shmidt family: Tolya and Elya are a young couple with 3 children (Tamila-age 1.5, Evelyn-age 6, and Vladlene -age 11).   They fled Chernovtzy in April as the town's missile-alert sirens began to terrify the children.  The kids' school was turned into a refugee center and closed for educational purposes.  Tolya and Elya took a … [Read more...]