The TBE Blog is the space where Temple Beth El’s Leadership Team members reflect on relevant topics that are most meaningful to us. Here you will find musings on everything from prayer to politics, music to mysticism and history to current day life. From our iPads, smartphones, and laptops to yours, these are the things that inspire us, keep us up at night, and fuel our own Jewish journeys.
Fight Antisemitism by Building Interfaith Relationships
Last year our Chanukah was brightened by Glacier, our extremely large puppy. I’d like to say that I take Glacier on walks every day. But the ...
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Choose to Engage: On Egypt, Exodus, and Marching Together
A few years ago, after a screening of the film “13th,” which explores the intersection of race, justice, and mass incarceration in the United States, I sat ...
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Alternative Chanukah Nights
Ask a Jewish kid what their favorite holiday is, and most will tell you Chanukah. And it’s not surprising. After all, who wouldn’t like a ...
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The Music Man, Larry Farber
Through music and faith, Larry Farber has devoted his life to the cause of building harmony. As Rabbi Knight puts it, “Larry is synonymous with ...
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Breathe! It’s Almost Thanksgiving
Elohai neshama shenatata bi tehora hi – Oh God, the soul-breath you have given me is pure. Atah b’rata, Atah y’tzarta, Atah nefachta bi – You ...
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Afghan Refugee Resettlement Assistance – We Need Your Help!
Dear Temple Beth El Community, From the beginning of the evacuation of thousands of Afghan people began in mid-August, congregants have been reaching out to ...
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Temple Beth El Is Organizing for Justice, One Story at a Time
We thought this would be a post-pandemic fall, and so we sought to learn what the pandemic had taught us, not realizing that its lessons ...
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From Jewish Study to Jewish Life
Throughout rabbinic literature we can find strains of a debate over which is better, study or action? One classic version of this argument is cited ...
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May the Sacred Season of Blessing Begin
They are called the Days of Awe. But all too often the logistics of the High Holy Days take away from their power. We worry ...
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Shabbat Across Charlotte
Shabbat is a cathedral in time, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel famously wrote. It is a palace of moments set aside for reflection, study, introspection, family, ...
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From Social Distance to Social Justice: Bringing Congregants Together
Jill: In the early days of the shutdown in March through May 2020, most Friday nights I found myself logging onto Zoom around 7:30 pm. ...
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New Member TriBE
The New Member TriBE is for congregants who have joined Temple Beth El over the past two years, as well as those who still feel new and seek a deeper, ...
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Shabbat Across Charlotte
Shabbat is a cathedral in time, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel famously said. It is a palace of moments set aside for reflection, study, introspection, family, ...
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Counting Our Blessings and Summer Reading
As I write this article, we are in the midst of counting the S’firat Haomer. So often, we count down – the days to a birthday (especially for ...
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Grateful for Our Community by Jessica Auslander
Our family just celebrated our daughter’s bat mitzvah. It was an amazing milestone for our family for multiple reasons. As I reflected on her journey, I ...
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