The Elul Experiment by Rabbi Dusty Klass
“The human heart is the tablet on which God writes. Each of us has the word life engraved in our hearts by God’s own hand. Over the course of the year, that engraving comes to be covered with grit. Our sins, our neglect of prayer and Torah study, the very pace at which we live […]
Not Your Same Old Religious School by Susan Jacobs, Director of Education
Sometimes it’s hard to be a kid! Sometimes it’s even harder to be a Jewish kid! Attending religious school is a vital part of growing up in a Jewish family. Who knew it was so challenging to learn to be Jewish? After all, it requires more than just eating bagels. At Temple Beth El Religious […]
God Goes to Camp by Rabbi Dusty Klass
In the summer between 4th and 5th grade, my parents sent my sister and me to Camp Swig in Saratoga, CA. I retain a few really clear images from those ten days: 1. The look on the face of the poor counselor who had to figure out what to tell me when she realized that […]
Call for Donations: Compassion in the Midst of Destruction by Rabbi Dusty Klass
Imagine, after going to bed for the night, waking up to the sound of screaming and yelling, the smell of smoke, and the sight of flames… somewhere nearby. You’ve just woken up, so everything is hazy, and you’re not sure how close the flames are, but you know something is clearly wrong. And so you […]
The Kindness Game by Dr. Laura Bernstein
This week’s Torah portion, Parashat Balak, allows us to consider the power of words – both positive and negative. A Moabite King named Balak hires a non-Israelite prophet named Balaam to curse the Israelites; yet on three occasions God causes words of blessing to come forth from Balaam’s mouth. Rather than focusing on the negativity that was intended to be spoken by […]
Israel Statement by Temple Beth El Clergy
For many years, Temple Beth El has endeavored to establish a love for Israel in the hearts and minds of our members. We have done this through phenomenal congregational trips, ongoing education for every age, and advocating on Israel’s behalf through organizations like AIPAC, AJC, ADL, JStreet, and the Federation of Greater Charlotte. Even the […]
Strengthening the Pillars of our Congregation by Rabbi Asher Knight
In late April, Laura Bernstein and I sent a note to the congregation explaining that we were undertaking a reorganization of our systems, procedures and staffing. Retirements of key personnel, including Cantor Bernard and Steve Rosenauer, were concurrent with our lay leadership’s encouragement to realign the staff model to better realize Temple’s mission, vision, and […]
Cantor Bernard – A Gifted Conductor of Beth El’s Community by Rabbi Judy Schindler
The conductor’s role is to know his community of musicians well: the ranges and skills of the voices in his choir and the qualities and potential of each instrument they play in his band. He needs to know the music and the space and most of all the listeners whom he hopes to transform. Cantor […]
Lead with Your Heart by Candace Naliboff, Director of Member Services
I am a people person – if you have met me then you know this already. I love meeting new people, hearing their stories, and sharing their life with them. Maybe it is because I am a counselor by trade, or maybe it is because when I was a little girl, my daddy used to […]
