Every year, MLK Jr Day and Tu Bishvat live near each other on our calendars. A holiday that celebrates trees and a holiday that honors a civil rights giant do not, on the surface, have much in common. Yet, Jewish text has a long history of connecting seemingly disparate topics, allowing for each topic to […]
The moon is growing again as I sit down to write this article on July 28th 2020, on “erev erev” Tisha b’Av. While these words are due in the next 24 hours, you will not read them until the beginning of September. I have always struggled with the need to offer words that have a […]
As a proud member of MeckMIN (Mecklenburg Metropolitan Interfaith Network), Temple Beth El is involved in a variety of interfaith efforts throughout greater Charlotte. In collaboration with Mecklenburg County, Roof Above (formerly Urban Ministry Center/Men’s Shelter of Charlotte), Salvation Army, and Supportive Housing Communities, MeckMIN is helping coordinate and support the use of hotels to […]
Sterling Elementary School: The 2020-2021 school year is about to begin and TBE’s partner school could use your help! In addition to collecting donations to support Sterling, TBE congregants often volunteer for tutoring services through the following organizations: Read Charlotte: Children’s Literacy Heart Math Tutoring Roof Above (formerly Urban Ministry Center and Men’s Shelter of […]
Getting a traffic ticket is frustrating for everyone, but for some without the ability to pay for those traffic tickets, it’s crippling. Temple Beth El has partnered with the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy to create the Fair Driving Clinic, a community initiative designed to help Charlotte drivers with limited financial resources get their driver’s […]
Each time I get to lead t’filah with our 6th and 7th graders, I pause when we arrive at Mi Chamocha and ask: what does this prayer mark? What does it help us remember? And they respond: This prayer is about freedom! It is about the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt! They sang it when they […]
Co-written with Rabbi Leah Citrin With thanks to Rabbis Asher Knight, Susan Landau, and Miriam Farber Wajnberg for their edits and suggestions, and to Jeff Trost for patiently plodding the depths of the Grand Canyon with me. Most mornings, my commute sends me from Central Ave to Pecan to 7th to Laurel to Randolph to […]
With gratitude to Rabbi Leah Citrin for her thought partnership, Rabbis Asher Knight and Susan Landau for their editing, and Rabbi Judy Schindler and Cantor Mary Thomas for their contributions. Thanks, also, to Kayla Piscatelli for creating the graphics! Everything I know about community, I learned at temple. I grew up in a synagogue that […]
Two years ago, we experimented with a project that now, three years in, has become a beautiful tradition. Our #ElulBlog invites congregants to reflect on a variety of questions that speak to themes connected to the High Holy Day season. Throughout this month, authors of all ages will share their stories on our website as […]