Elul: Preparing for the High Holy Days by Rabbi Asher Knight
The month of Elul – August 12-September 9 – is our prelude for the Days of Awe. The name of the Hebrew month, spelled aleph, lamed, vuv, lamed, has been understood by our sages as an acronym for the verse: “Ani l’dodi v’dodi li – I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved is mine.” Like […]
A Modern Lament by Student Rabbi Hannah Elkin
Tishah B’Av, the holiday that commemorates the destruction of the ancient Temples in Jerusalem and other tragedies in Jewish history, can seem removed from our modern lives. Our ancient texts and rituals speak to the themes of trauma and injustice. This Saturday we will come together for a creative havdalah and evening service, followed by […]
Immigration Rally Speech 6/30/18 by Rabbi Asher Knight
“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” Inscribed over the entrance of the Statue of Liberty, Emma Lazarus’ poem illuminates some of our country’s best values. We are descendants of the women, men and children who came here looking for rights, liberty, security, and hope. Our ancestors came here […]
Vigil and Call to Action- This Saturday
Members of Temple Beth El have diverse perspectives on immigration. We value laws, rules, borders and security. Judaism also teaches us that every human being is created b’tzelem Elohim – in the image of God. The Torah commands us to protect and care for refugees and strangers because of our experience of slavery in Egypt. […]
Special Message from Rabbi Knight
Members of our community have reached out in recent days in shock and horror that the administration is separating undocumented children from their parents. Rabbi Knight spoke about this issue last Shabbat. A portion of his sermon was published by the Washington Post. He also wrote an editorial to the Charlotte Observer. Tomorrow, leaders of […]
How I Spend my Summer Vacation by Susan Jacobs, Director of Education
School is over for the year and as I reflect on the past year, I can say that Religious School had a great year. The Camp Thunderbird retreats were highlights and the Tuesday Hebrew option helped many families solve their scheduling issues. We took field trips, celebrated holidays and lifecycle events, experienced the Butterfly Project, […]
This, Too, is Torah by Rabbi Dusty Klass (from Charlotte Jewish News Editorial June-July 2018)
At the annual Shalom Park Freedom School fundraiser this year, the program began with a short video outlining just how far behind a kid in a low-income setting can end up by 3rd grade when not given the same opportunities afforded middle-and-upper class kids. But wait – isn’t summer for running through sprinklers and eating […]
1998 was 20 Years Ago by Cantor Mary Rebecca Thomas
I had quite a few conversations last week about time. There was a conversation with my mom about whether or not she or I qualified as “old,” a conversation with a congregant about whether or not 5 years is a lot of time, and two conversations very similar in character, in which we discovered that […]
Putting the Sacred Into the Business Side of Synagogue Life by Laura Bernstein, Executive Director
Im ein Kemach ein Torah; im ein Torah ein Kemach. Where there is no bread, there can be no Torah; where there is no Torah, there will be no bread. – Pirkei Avot 3:17 In a recent conversation with Rabbi Knight, he shared, “if Temple Beth El is a business, then we are in the […]
