Believe it or not, Passover is around the corner! Above all else, Pesach lionizes Jewish memory. We cannot overstate the importance of remembering our emancipation from Egypt, and how our story has shaped the Western world in ways that are profound. But, I’m talking about a different type of memory- the memory that you have of joy around the seder table, of recipes and aromas, of Mah Nishtanas and laughter. Purposefully, much of the seder is designed to evoke questions, so that we can better engage our children (and ourselves) in The Story.  The Exodus that happened once upon a time, and, like ripples in a still pond, continues in every age where Jews reside. In an effort to make the seder fun, we have the tradition of hiding the afikomen (Greek for ‘dessert’).  Symbolic of the splitting of the Sea of Reeds, the birth canal of the Israelite nation, early in the service, the middle piece of matza is split in half.  (split like the sea…get it?) One-half remains on the table, while the … [Read more...]

Last Thursday, an interfaith group of congregants, from Northbrook United Methodist Church in Roswell and some of our own friends and family from Temple Emanu-El, gathered for the first of a four-part series on building dialogue between our two faith communities. Most of our guests had never been in a synagogue or seen a Torah scroll before. As we all gathered on the bimah that evening, we removed the Torah from the Ark, opened it up, and we each explained what makes the Torah so special to our people. Each member of Temple Emanu-El has a different connection to the Torah. Some of us connect to the Torah, because we have helped write the scroll itself. Some of us have helped to pass the Torah down to the next generation at B’nai Mitzvah ceremonies. Some of us find that connection when we send our children to the Diamond Family Religious School. What truly connects us all is our deeply held belief to give the next generation the gifts that we were given. Tonight (Thursday), we are … [Read more...]

Sometimes the role of rabbi is to name the existential paradox that we encounter in our daily lives. The joy of the bat mitzvah while the great grandmother awaits burial. The tangible sense of living amongst blessings even as we await test results. The Shabbat service full of joy, even as we comfort the mourners amongst us. Life rarely fits into any uncomplicated, clearly defined set of rules delineating periods of time or emotion. To the contrary.  Life is messy.   People are complex.  The world turns. Sometimes the role of the rabbi is to witness the transitions from darkness into light, like the morning dawn. The daughter who completes her ritual mourning, and begins to resume the welcomed routines of daily existence. The sigh of relief when the treatments are done, and the margins are clear. Lifting up the blessing to the Divine each morning that we have a chance to create, and be created, anew. In this week’s Torah portion, Vayekhel in Exodus, the broken tablets are placed along … [Read more...]

March is the month for music! Just one week from today, the 10th annual Atlanta Jewish Music Festival begins. “Celebrating Jewish Contributions to Music” brings music for everyone. Here is what I am SUPER excited about: If you are a Jazz/Broadway lover like I am, then you MUST go see the Bill Charlap Trio at the Atlanta History Center. They are playing March 7th @7:30 featuring the Songs of Leonard Bernstein. Leonard Bernstein a prolific composer spanning the gamut from classical music, to Broadway and Jazz, and often utilized sounds and themes of Jewish music. This is a great date night! Movie music and Hollywood lovers will want to check out AJMF’s Salute to Hollywood. You will hear Jewish Contributions to the Academy Awards best Original Songs, held at the Breman Museum Sunday March 10th. If you love Judaism, history, and American popular music, then this next event is for you. Jazz pianist, producer, singer and composer Ben Sidran will bring his interpretation and first person … [Read more...]