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purim 5784
CSI celebrated the festive holiday of Purim from Saturday night, March 23rd through Sunday, March 24th. This year included a range of celebratory, reflective, and creative gatherings.
The Congregation kicked off Purim with a Saturday evening service and Havdalah, traditional Megillah reading, and a mask-painting art project with wine and cheese led by Judy Robkin.
The next morning at 10 am, community members of all ages enjoyed a playful Megillah reading in the Sanctuary featuring costumes and CSI's own signature "Megillah Mugshots" pictorial slideshow!
At 11 am, the Candyland Purim Carnival began, with a bounce house for little ones, an obstacle course for older children, face painting, games, King of Pops, and coffee and bagels!
The festivities culminated at noon with an unforgettable Purim shpiel, written by new member and acclaimed playwright Ali Viterbi and directed by Nancy Gorod. A musical journey back in time, the shpiel celebrated CSI's 120-year anniversary in spectacular Shearith fashion.
hunger walk run
On Sunday, March 10, CSI members participated in the 40th Annual Hunger Walk Run. Members Nancy Gorod and Ronnie & Howard Zandman walked together with Rabbi Helfand.
Rabbi Helfand reported that Shearith Israel raised $3,477 total. The Hunger Walk Run benefits a specific number of charities from which participants choose, as well as “broader, community-wide hunger relief efforts.” Shearith’s proceeds will go to the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, which states on its website that “funds raised through the Hunger Walk Run helped support 14 organizations last year, including Kosher food programs, shelters and food distribution programs. TODA RABA (תודה רבה).” The money raised will help provide relief for the 1 in 12 neighbors facing hunger in Metro Atlanta and North Georgia.
Nancy shared her experience: “I was happy to join the team and walk together with Rabbi Helfand and Rabbi Elizabeth Breit from B'nai Torah. Although attendance was lower than in previous years, there was a strong sense of community and festivities as the Atlanta Hunger Walk is celebrating its 40th year.”
the jewish table: from babka to za'atar
Congregation Shearith Israel was pleased to organize and host a delicious afternoon of learning and sharing the love of Jewish food in partnership with Limmud Atlanta & Southeast on Sunday, February 25th. The special event, supported by a Gather Grant from Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, was a thoughtfully curated, multi-session afternoon that combined hands-on learning with unique presentations celebrating the breadth, depth, and history of Jewish foodways.
The keynote session, moderated by Rabbi Ruth Abusch Magder, featured speakers Lyssa Kligman Harvey and Rachel Gordin Barnett, co-authors of "Kugels and Collards: Stories of Food, Family, and Tradition in Jewish South Carolina".
Additional presenters included Alon Balshan on babka and Jewish baking, restaurateur Tal Baum on Middle Eastern spice mixtures, Bukharian chef Bella Abramov on her culinary heritage, a panel of winning Jewish pitmasters from the Atlanta Kosher Barbecue Festival, a sauerkraut and pickle making workshop led by Amy Price and Joanna Kobylivker of Adamah ATL, and Rabbi Kaiman on "How (and Why) Chicken Became Meat and Other Oddities of Kashrut".
A used cookbook exchange was also held, with proceeds benefiting Rebecca's Tent, The Spiegel Women's Shelter at Shearith Israel.
emory@shearith: dr. eric goldstein on "the shtetl: an anatomy"
Dr. Eric Goldstein spoke in the latest installment of Emory@Shearith on two topics of Jewish history. The first was "The Shetl: An Anatomy" (Feb. 7). Drawing on archival research into a Lithuanian town, Goldstein offered concrete historical details about an often nostalgic and misunderstood topic. His discussion was based on his most recent research. Goldstein, an Associate Professor of History at Emory University, then based a series of lectures (Feb. 14, 21, and 28) around his research for his book The Price of Whiteness: Jews, Race, and American Identity (Princeton, 2006). He conveyed much of what has happened in this area of scholarly inquiry in the last fifteen years.
The Emory@Shearith series originated more than a decade ago but received a reboot this past year. Though not an Emory-Shearith collaboration per se, the series features Emory scholars in Jewish Studies and related fields who are connected with our congregation comprised, in organizer Sara Duke’s words, of “people who love to learn.”
shearith commits to climate action plan
On Tu B'Shevat 2024, Congregation Shearith Israel committed to a Climate Action Plan to reduce its carbon footprint and affirm our Jewish commitment to the environment. The Plan is a requirement of Adamah’s Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition, a network of about 300 Jewish institutions who recognize the existential threat and moral urgency of climate change and commit to take action. Adamah is the largest Jewish environmental education organization in North America, and Shearith member Joanna Kobylivker has recently launched Adamah ATL, the Atlanta hub of Adamah. Rabbi Kaiman signed the pledge and completed the Plan on behalf of the Congregation with support from Joanna and the Shearith staff.
The Climate Action Plan captures the specific measures that the shul already takes, and aspires to take, to mitigate climate change. By joining the Coalition, Shearith can learn and share best practices from other Jewish institutions around the country. Practices already in place include using energy-efficient light bulbs, composting, planting trees, and gardening. The Climate Action Plan implements, in practical, concrete ways, our commitment, rooted in the Torah, to care for and repair the world.
sisterhood + hias refugee shabbat 5784
On February 3, Congregation Shearith Israel observed Sisterhood Shabbat. The 2024 theme, “And We Gather,” celebrated the 60+ women and girls leading services, as they read in Parashat Yitro how the Israelites gathered at the base of Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments. This occasion was punctuated by many joyous recitations of the shehecheyanu prayer, highlighting the welcoming aspect of this Shabbat, and the diversity of women at Shearith Israel.
The Congregation also honored HIAS Refugee Shabbat with a D’var Torah from Paedia Mixon, CEO of New American Pathways, with whom we've partnered in our Shearith Israel for Good refugee efforts.
The Sisterhood Shabbat service can be viewed on YouTube here.
sub-regional usy convention @ csi!
Our high school youth group, CSI USY, had the privilege of hosting over 50 teens for the annual Ein Gedi Sub-Regional Convention on January 19th - 21st. Teens from Alabama, the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee gathered for a shabbaton at CSI. They participated in Jewish learning opportunities around social action, Israel, and the Torah. All activities were planned and led by the CSI USY board members. The teens also led the congregation in Shabbat services, which can be viewed here. After a Shabbat full of memory-making, playing, eating, and learning, they took a trip to Center Ice, where they showed off their ice skating skills!
csi gives back on mlk weekend 2024
To celebrate the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and continue CSI’s work engaging with the communities of which we are a part, congregants volunteered their time, resources, and thoughts around Martin Luther King Jr. Day. King emphasized the goal of a “beloved community”: “the creation of a society” in which we “live together” as brothers and sisters. Thanks to CSI volunteers for their participation and to Saul Crumpton, Laurel Brodkorb, and Susan Baker for organizing these events.
Here’s a summary of what happened, and information on how to continue the work!
On Friday, January 12, 10 CSI members volunteered at Intown Cares, preparing the organization for their Saturday food pantry, where hundreds of food insecure neighbors come each week. Volunteers unloaded 6 palettes from the Atlanta Community Food Bank and organized food rescued from local grocery stores and donated by individuals. CSI was one of the organizations to found Intown Cares in 2009.
On Sunday, Machaneh Shai and other Shearith Israel families gathered for Havdalah led by Ma’alot’s leader, Rabbi Ariel Wolpe, and then cycled through four service projects. Families
- Learned about food insecurity in Atlanta and assembled more than 350 sandwiches for The Sandwich Project. (If you’re interested in participating from your own home, see the Project’s website.)
- Created appreciation cards for the teachers at Briar Vista Elementary School, where 12 Shearith Israel members tutor students. (If you’re interested in learning more about how to get involved, including tutoring, contact Sara Duke at saraduke8@gmail.com.)
- Worked together to create bundles of notes for four isolated seniors through a project called Love for Our Elders. (If you’re interested in participating at home or on your own time, see their website.)
- Made bird feeders to help support our feathered neighbors during the winter– and adorn our campus trees.
- Assembled 131 bags of non-perishable food for food-insecure students at three local elementary schools with Backpack Buddies. There are slots to pack with Backpack Buddies available throughout the spring. See the spreadsheet here.
On Monday, January 15 10 Shearith Israel volunteers pitched in as part of a service project with Repair the World Atlanta at the Toco Hills Community Alliance to organize food for distribution at local mobile food pantries.
Throughout the month, we’ve collected books for Children Read– and have already collected more than 500 books.
Thanks to all the CSI volunteers hard at work creating a beloved community!
the great hang!
shearith israel for good: community-wide day of service
On Sunday, September 10, alongside the annual JF&CS Mitzvah Day, Shearith Israel rallied together for a community-wide day of service. Members young and old participated in projects to bring holiday cheer to seniors, support food insecure families and intown community members experiencing homelessness and comfort to pets in animal shelters.
Machaneh Shai students in pre-K, K, 1st and 2nd grade made 45 cheerful cards and packed 30 comfort bags for Intown Cares, a local nonprofit with a mission to prevent and reverse homelessness and hunger in Intown Atlanta. (Fun fact - Shearith Israel was one of the faith-based organizations that helped launch Intown Cares in 2010!)
Thanks to a Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta Innovation Grant, students in 3rd, 4th & 5th grade worked with Bagel Rescue, a non-profit organization supporting hunger relief in the metro Atlanta area by connecting restaurants with excess food - specifically bagels - to neighbors in need. More than 300 bagel sandwiches were distributed to food insecure people living intown (via one of Bagel Rescue's street outreach partners).
Finally, Machaneh Shai 6th and 7th graders partnered with Sisterhood volunteers and the Shearith Israel Green Team to give new life to trash - foam mattresses (popular at sleepaway camps!) destined for the landfill. With expert leadership from a local nonprofit, Scraplanta, Shearith Israel Sisterhood and Green Team volunteers helped out to make 23 pet beds for Paws Atlanta, a local animal shelter.
Outside of Machaneh Shai, three other community-wide projects offered opportunities for service.
Volunteers packed more than 100 bags of shelf-stable food for local food insecure elementary students as part of our Backpack Buddies program!
In Shearith Israel’s kitchen, young professional volunteers (21 - 40 year olds) baked honey cake and assembled Rosh Hashanah gift bags for JF&CS' One Good Deed program, which matches older adults with volunteers for friendships, connections, and companionship.
And finally, the Shearith Israel community gathered together with other intown synagogues and Adamah ATL to clean up Peachtree Creek Greenway in a Reverse Tashlich action. Volunteers hauled more than 3,000 pounds of trash from the green space.
Limmud 2023
Every year over Labor Day weekend, Jews of all backgrounds and ages, abilities and identities, from metro-Atlanta, the southeast, and beyond gather amidst the beautiful north Georgia mountains at Ramah Darom for a weekend of learning and community. Over the weekend, attendees participate in sessions that, this year, included learning about Israeli politics, Jewish folklore, Holocaust reparations from Germany, neurodiversity and inclusion. social justice, and more. Beyond that, it is an opportunity to connect and be Jewish in a diverse and open environment.
The word Limmud (לימוד) comes from the Hebrew word “to learn.” Originally started in England in 1980, Limmud has expanded throughout the world. Limmud Atlanta-Southeast started as day-long events 16 years ago by our very own Jodi Mansbach and Eric Robbins, and then expanded to the 3-night LimmudFest held annually at Ramah Darom in Clayton, GA.
CSI had a great showing this year with numerous attendees and presenters. Some CSI members are invested in Limmud year-round. Howie Slomka and Edward Queen served as co-chairs. In addition, the Young Adult Development Program (YAD) coordinator Abby Graff belongs to Shearith Israel.
Numbers fail to convey the spirit of Limmud. Limmud’s mission is “to celebrate Jewish life and learning in all of its diversity.” All are welcome and all are accommodated. Meals are kosher and the incredible dining hall staff at Ramah Darom does a superb job meeting special dietary needs. Shabbat services range from a mechitza minyan to an egalitarian minyan, from a Shabbat morning musical experience to communing with nature. Gender neutral bathrooms are conveniently located. American Sign Language translators are present to aid participants and presenters. Limmud provides something for everyone, including Camp Limmud for children and a special “Teen Track.”
This year we were blessed with cooler weather and gorgeous days and evenings. Wandering around Ramah Darom to various sessions, praying beside the lake, or just hanging out on the porch with old and new friends. The porch is the hangout for schmoozing, playing music, listening to a PJ Library bedtime story, making friendship bracelets, or reading peacefully. If sitting still is not your preference, go for a hike to the waterfall, a swim or boat ride on the lake, climb the Alpine Tower or join a soccer game on the field.
At Limmud, participation is one of the core values. Volunteerism or “volunticipation” is how everything gets done whether it is leading a session or doing shmira at the cabins. Don’t offer suggestions to do something differently or add your flair to the programming unless you are willing to lead it yourself. That is the kind of community it is at Limmud.
Whether you come to learn, to see friends or make new ones, to deepen your Jewish identity or something else, you will surely find it at LimmudFest. If not, I invite you to create it yourself and join us next Labor Day weekend!
1st day of machaneh shai recap
Thank you to all the families who helped make our first day of Machaneh Shai a great one this past weekend! It was beautiful to gather as one Machaneh Shai community to celebrate Havdalah and kick off the year. Students enjoyed connecting with old friends and making new ones. Each class created a class brit, covenant, setting intentional expectations for the year. We explored Rosh Hashanah by exploring symbols through drama and art. Check out photos from our morning here.
Highlight on Pre-K and K:
We learned about the Jewish value of haveirut, friendship. Each student shared one way they can be a good friend and drew self-portraits for our Haveirut Friendship Wall. Everyone left with at least one friend in the class.
Highlight on Seventh Grade:
We dove into our first unit of the year, discussing what it means to be a Jewish adult and what it means to have a Jewish soul.
csi tutors in local school
Ten of our members spent this past school year tutoring students at Briar Vista Elementary School, a public Montessori school in nearby Woodland Hills. The experience was positive and enriching for all. Tutors included Tina Arbes, Martha Berlin, Sara Duke, Elise Eplan, Charlie Jaret, Adina Rudisch, Sarah Silverman, and Shari Steinberg.
Here’s a quick summary of the experience:
“Tutoring has been fantastic...one of the most fulfilling ways to spend a couple of hours each week! The warmth, friendliness and diversity at Briar Vista school makes it all the more enjoyable. The teachers are grateful for an extra set of hands and the children are so excited to have extra faces (and attention). It is a "feel good" experience in every way."
We are seeking new (and returning) tutors for the 2023 - 2024 school year. Hours are flexible and you can choose your own schedule. No experience is necessary. If you would like to participate for the upcoming year, please contact Sara Duke at saraduke8@gmail.com or 404-372-9808.
a bird of pray visits the shul
Shearith Israel staff and others present received an unusual visitor recently in the form of a red-tailed hawk. (Or, as it is more commonly known, Buteo jamaicensis.) The hawk remained by the entrance on an extremely hot day for a prolonged period of time. It later flew to the Courtyard, where it spent time sprawled out on a bench and standing beside the doorway. Rabbi Kaiman posted photos on Facebook and an amusing thread of comments ensued, such as: "... a bird of pray", "When is minyan?", "Is it interested in membership?", "Is he watching you like a
In a show of community and support fitting to CSI, members offered suggestions for caring for the hawk and recommended a few animal rehabilitation organizations to contact. Thanks to community friend Ilana Schafer, a veterinary epidemiologist at the CDC, we connected with a rehabber in the neighborhood who came by to take and care for the special visitor.
backpack buddies recap
CSI partners with Backpack Buddies of Metro Atlanta to provide weekend meals to children who receive free and reduced lunches at school. This past year, CSI served over sixty kids every week at Morningside Elementary, Springdale Park Elementary, and Centennial Academy. Every week, CSI volunteers picked up food from the Backpack Buddies warehouse, sorted it, and packed it into bags for each child. CSI volunteers then delivered the bags to our partner schools. We also held special volunteer packing events for Machaneh Shai and J2A. If you are interested in helping out next year, please look for details and a volunteer signup link in the CSI newsletter early in the fall.
csi retreat @ ramah darom
Shearith Israelites headed to the mountains of north Georgia in early May for our much anticipated annual retreat at Ramah Darom! Aviva Berman & Ezra Billinkoff shared some words about this special weekend:
We were delighted to attend our second CSI member retreat… this time actually as members! It was a terrific opportunity to be out in nature, spend time with fellow members, and continue building kehillah together. As new members it’s especially valuable for us and our young kids to come together. It was an incredibly well thought out and programmed weekend. Everything went smoothly, notwithstanding one of our children falling into the lake. Kol hakavod and todah rabah to Rabbi David and everyone involved in the planning and execution.
CSI on jfga's community journey to israel
Rabbi Kaiman and members of the CSI community are enjoying the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta's 2023 Community Journey to Israel celebrating the 75th birthday of the Jewish State! The itinerary features curated tours highlighting the many facets of Israeli life and the opportunity to experience Israel alongside the broader Atlanta Jewish community. The photo above is just part of the CSI contingent on their first morning together in Tel Aviv.
graduating seniors' shabbat
On Shabbat, April 15th, CSI celebrated its Class of 2023 graduating seniors with a special send-off on "Graduating Seniors Shabbat". Much of the leyning and davening was led by the seniors. Pointing out that this week's parasha is the middle of the Torah, Rabbi Helfand spoke of the learning still ahead in the year's Torah reading and in the lives of the graduates. Rabbi Ilan Schwartz encouraged the graduates to avoid 'bottom feeders and predators' in their lives just as the Torah tells us to avoid them in our diets. Nancy Gorod suggested graduation as an havdalah moment, separating home life from the times ahead. Rabbi Kaiman encouraged the graduates to be lights in the communities they join. The image of the seniors standing beneath the new CSI chuppah held high by their parents and teachers during the priestly blessing is an uplifting moment which will remain in the memories of all who were present for the beautiful experience. מזל טוב!
community women's seder: "dayenu! it is enough! dayenu? or is it?"
Nearly 100 women from around Atlanta gathered at Shearith Israel just before Pesach 2023 / 5783 to take part in the 5th annual Community Women’s Seder. The Seder was organized by the National Council of Jewish Women Atlanta Section, Congregation Shearith Israel and Ma’alot. Led by Ma’alot’s Rabbi Ariel Root Wolpe, the Seder explored the theme “Dayenu! It is enough! Dayenu? Or is it?”
The original Haggadah drew from many sources collected over the decade. Participants lifted up the stories of five Sheros: Miriam, Yohcheved (mother of Moses, Miriam and Aaron), Batya (Pharaoh’s daughter) and the midwives who refused Pharaoh’s orders, Shifra and Puah. Each Shero took significant, important risks to save lives during the Exodus story - each of them playing a critical role in the work toward liberation. Beautiful melodies, stories and poetry written and curated by women carried participants through the Seder.
The beautiful Haggadah offered new interpretations of familiar parts of the Seder - the Four Questions reimagined (when will people stop thinking it’s only important for girls - and not boys - to learn about Jewish women’s history?); the Four Children (the four daughters - including the wicked daughter who dares to challenge the simplistic answers she has been given); and the plagues (kinim - homelessness that forces so many to live in filth and degradation and dever - the pollution in our environment).
Each of the blessings, recited in the feminine form, expressed gratitude for the symbols of the holiday - and showcased Sephardic, Ashkenazi and modern traditions.
All who had the opportunity to experience this incredible Community Women’s Seder will undoubtedly enter into this year’s Passover with new rituals and much to consider.
A PURIM TO REMEMBER
On 14 Adar (Monday March 6, after sunset), Congregation Shearith Israel was packed for a fun-filled dinner and Megillah of Esther reading for Purim. CSI members, visitors, and guests were dressed up in a variety of costumes, some traditional, some modern, and all very festive. There were many Esthers and Mordechais, plus hippies, construction workers, pizzas, bananas, astronauts, butterflies, martial artists, cartoon characters, and more! Many of these ended up in the Purim costume contest! Luckily, there were no jealous Vashtis when the winners were declared.
The main event was a multi-media, inter-generational Megillah reading that was acted out by a large cast in front of the bimah. There was singing, there was a little dancing, and there was lots of over-acting. In short, it was everything to want from a festive Megillah reading, and then some. Groggers and boos abounded throughout the sanctuary every time you-know-who was mentioned in the Megillah!
Served before the reading was a lovely meal of gourmet mac and cheese with all the fixings followed by lots of hamantaschen. Some congregants also imbibed on delicious ales, but none acted like King Ahasuerus.
shearith israel welcomes genea moore, new executive director
Congregation Shearith Israel is thrilled to welcome our new Executive Director, Genea Moore, to the community. Genea was most recently the Executive Director of Midway Jewish Center in Syosset, New York. She began her career, and journey to conversion, as a clergy assistant at Port Washington’s The Community Synagogue. Genea then spent 10 years at New York City’s Central Synagogue learning and growing professionally under the mentorship of the Executive Director. You can learn more about Genea in the following 2020 article published by USCJ: “For This Woman of Color, An Early Career Move Led Her to a Life of Judaism” and Genea’s personal account of her journey “It’s My Anniversary.”
Special thanks to the search committee led by Nancy Green and Randy Gorod, and including Robin Deutsch Edwards, Heidi Einhorn, Mitch Green, Rabbi Kaiman, Robbie Medwed, Sarah Popowski, and Rachel Silverman for all of their dedication during the process of finding our next professional leader. The onboarding committee, Board and staff will be organizing lots of opportunities for our members and the Greater Atlanta Jewish community to get to know Genea - and for Genea to meet the amazing Shearith Israel community.
Before Genea starts on March 20, we sat down to ask her to share a little bit about herself:
Can you please tell us a little bit about your family, your career path and your journey to Judaism?
I come from a big but small family. I’m number five of seven and we’re all really tight. We have a sibling conference call every weekday morning as we all head into work.
My career path is as surprising to me as it probably is to many others. I was in school studying to work in media/broadcasting but needed a job, I answered an ad to be an administrative assistant for a Rabbi and the rest is literally history!
My journey to Judaism began when my mother passed away and I decided that I wasn’t happy going to church anymore but knew that I needed a relationship with G-d. I am so happy with my choice.
What are you most excited about as you join the Shearith Israel community?
I am most excited about working in a place where I don’t know anyone and that every relationship will be forged organically. I’m equally excited about working with a new and amazing team of professionals that I will learn from and teach.
What are you looking forward to doing as you settle into your new home in Atlanta?
I’m looking forward to doing just that, making my new living quarters “a home”!
Seven question speed round!
Favorite Oneg food? Rainbow cookies
First concert? DMX
Favorite sports teams? Boston Celtics
Best place you’ve ever traveled? Jamaica
Beach or mountains? Beach
Favorite type of music? R&B
Favorite Jewish holiday or tradition? Pesach
our new b'nai mitzvah date announcement ritual
Sunday, February 12, was the first meeting of the Journey to Adulthood (J2A) cohort for 2025 - 2026 B’nai Mitzvah families, and CSI's very first official B'nai Mitzvah Date Announcement ceremony. We began with some singing led by Rabbi Ari on the guitar. He introduced the phenomenal crew that will be supporting us through this journey. Then Rabbi Ari told the next generation that he was going to tell us our story. He proceeded to tell the entire Torah! As he got to the Torah portion of each Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Rabbi Ari would pause and announce their name, parasha, and date. The children received a sign with their name, B'nai Mitzvah date, parasha, and an artistic rendering of an aspect of their portion, and then went to sit with their family on the bimah steps.
This was such an incredible way to connect the children to the bigger picture of where their parasha fits in the whole Torah. It also connected all the children together with their families to our Shearith community as well as Jews all over the world and throughout history. Quite a powerful moment!
The families then mingled in groups and discussed what they love about being Jewish and more. Each child was given their very own siddur to use on their journey. Then the children all gathered under a tallit on the bimah for a Shehechianu blessing, after a brief teaching by Rabbi Helfand.
It's a wrap!
This Sunday, February 12, Shearith Israel celebrated the World Wide Wrap, an national program to promote use of tallit and tefillin organized by the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs (FMJC). Forty-five of us joined together in morning prayers, many first-time users of tefillin. Machaneh Shai fifth graders were there, many with their parents.
Rabbi David Helfand led the prayers and explained that tefillin help us to achieve balance in our lives by ‘supporting’ our weaker arms, while reminding us to think of the mitzvot.
Following prayers, the group enjoyed a “wrapped” breakfast prepared by the Shearith Israel Men’s Club.
Inspired by an FJMC video, “The Ties that Bind,” in 2000 more than one hundred men and women gathered for a Shacharit service in Charlotte, North Carolina with extra tefillin pairs to teach newcomers. Word spread and by the next year, the World Wide Wrap was born. This year, 3,758 daveners at 148 synagogues in the US and Canada participated in the World Wide Wrap, as did the Women of the Wall in Jerusalem.
Learn more about the mitzvah of tefillin from the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism.
GENIZAH DAY @ RAMAH DAROM
On Sunday, February 5, a group of Shearith Israelites went into the North Georgia mountains, and initiated a new tradition on an ancient ritual. For many years, CSI has collected worn and damaged Jewish books and holy documents. Because these documents contain Hashem’s name, we treat them with a sacred touch, and bury them in a grave instead of the more traditional recycling or trash receptacles for less holy items. This grave is known as a Geniza, and Jewish communities and cemeteries have established and used them for ages. Many years ago, we opened a geniza in Crestlawn Cemetery and buried books there.
This year, under the leadership and vision of Rabbi Kaiman, we tried something new. Joined by other Conservative synagogues in Metro Atlanta, and by Ramah Darom, we created a formidable joint collection. We delivered them by a large truck to Ramah Darom, in Clayton, GA, where so many of our children spend their summers at camp. Prior to the arrival of the books, Ramah staff excavated a large geniza, roughly 6 feet across and longer than a school bus. We had hundreds of boxes and several tons of holy material awaiting our arrival. And a livestreaming camera ready to broadcast to a large international audience.
Rabbi Kaiman and Rabbi Helfand led the ceremony along with Rabbi Sam Blustin and Rabbi Lawrence Rosenthal from Ahavath Achim. Over 50 community members sang and heard poetry related to our identity as “The People of the Book.” Then, with the eager participation of children from both shuls, we schlepped and gently tossed our holy works into the geniza. Siddurim, chumashim, haggadot, ritual texts and scholarly treatises – all having outlived their useful lives, went to their final shelf. We even deposited an old no-longer-kosher sefer torah, which was beyond the ability for reasonable repair. It felt impossible not to peek at the items, read a passage, or look for a meaningful inscription. In the end, we left the documents in the earth, where they will nurture future Jewish growth. And then, according to shared custom, and halakhic guidance, we ate.
On Mlk day, shearith israel hosted an eliana light concert & live recording for the community
On January 16, 2023 the evening of MLK Day, Congregation Shearith Israel became both the concert stage and the "recording studio" for an extraordinary performance of new Jewish music by composer/singer Eliana Light. Along with an incredibly talented group of handpicked musicians — many from Atlanta — Light led us, the audience, and her band, in a series of songs that were recorded right inside our sanctuary! The result will be Light's newest album of original music.
Light has a magical way of connecting people through song, illuminating the brilliance of our texts and traditions. On this thrilling evening we learned new melodies to familiar liturgical texts, belted out a new take on the Passover song Dayenu, hummed haunting niggunim, and sent a collective message of prayer and intention skyward.
Eliana Light long had a dream to record an album with the participation of a live audience, and CSI delivered. We boldly and bravely learned her melodies and magical words, and joined our voices together! Deepest thanks to our own Ori Salzberg for producing and filming the live recording session. Also to our homegrown Atlanta musicians, Drew Cohen, Bonnie Levine, Michael Levine, Sammy Rosenbaum, and Ariel Wolpe, joined by Coleen Dieker, Chava Mirel, and Sam Rotenberg.
Souls were touched. Voices were raised to the heavens. We can't wait to hear the final album. Equally exciting — you can help support the production of the album by being a funder! Click HERE to contribute.
tikKun olam day
On Sunday, January 15th, the families of Machaneh Shai participated in Tikkun Olam Day in honor of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, giving back to the greater community. We started the day off with a short prayer service followed by a teaching on the origin of the term Tikkun Olam, and where we find it in our literature.
The families were then assigned to one of six stations that had a project that they could do to provide support, resources, or food for people in our community who are underserved. They were able to rotate around all six stations, which gave them an opportunity to help a variety of people in need.
Each family made sandwiches for The Sandwich Project, blankets for the children at Children's Egleston Hospital of Atlanta, wrote letters to lonely elders, packed warming packages for the women in Rebecca's Tent and backpacks for the Backpack Buddies program, and made "Smile" Bags to assist Creating Connected Communities in providing for children experiencing hardship. Thank you to Shearith Israel for Good and Repair The World for suggesting some of these meaningful projects!
The activities were followed by a bagel brunch where they had the opportunity to reflect on what they took away from the day.
BIG STEPS TOWARD GENDER EGALITARIANISM at shearith israel
The Jewish year 5783 has seen some important steps forward in gender egalitarianism at Shearith Israel. At the beginning of Sukkot this year, in a first for Shearith Israel women, daughters of Kohanim and Levi'im,
FINDING SISTERHOOD IN TALLIT
When women rise to the bimah at this year’s Sisterhood Shabbat (January 21), they will be celebrating their spiritual connections in brilliant color. Just a few weeks before, 34 Shearith women gathered in a kind of sewing circle in Zimmerman Hall, where they learned about tallit – and made their own. The tallit-making workshop was so popular, it was literally overflowing as Shearith women crowded around the tables.
For many women who never had their own tallit, this was an expression of their full inclusion at Shearith. Erin Chernow, Sisterhood Shabbat co-chair and a longtime Jewish educator, explained the mitzvah of the tzitzit, the fringe worn on garments or prayer shawls to remind the Jewish people of God’s commandments. She also shared symbolism from the Jewish mystical practice of Kabbalah – colors denote certain attributes of God and are also associated with different parts of the body and even different foods. For example, blue is connected to wisdom, while white reflects kindness.
Erin, Jaime Sherman Wender and Annie D’Agostino had carefully selected fabric, and the shimmery and colorful pieces were folded on a back table. Jaime, a graphic designer, talked about how to match or contrast colors. Annie had already hemmed the tallit and created button holes for the fringe on four corners, and she was ready at a sewing machine to attach the Atarah – the decorative band of fabric at the neckline.
For a bit more inspiration, and a visualization of what is possible, textile artist Ruth Simon McRae showed some of the extraordinary handmade tallit that she sells and displays in galleries and museums.
Each person selected fabric, Atarah strips and other decorations that suited their style. They learned how to tie the knots and wrap the threads of the fringe. From now on, the garments they wear on Shabbat will reflect their own style and the knowledge shared by their Sisterhood friends.
Erin’s goal was for Shearith women to have “something that is spiritually connected to who you are, where you are, why you’re at the bimah. We are finding ourselves in a whole new world of egalitarian Judaism.”
transforming our turnabout circle
Thanks to our incredible teens, Shearith Israel will soon be home to a pollinator garden! The teens came together last year to form a kvutzah, chapter, as part of Hazon’s Jewish Youth Climate Movement. Concerned by a warming planet disappearing ecosystems, these teens have committed to being positive change agents. After creating powerful video promoting awareness and action to save the Okeefenoke Swamp, the teens identified projects and opportunities to continue their efforts to repair the world.
With the anticipation of enjoying homemade caramel apples, the kvutzah and the Shearith USY chapter hosted the pollinator garden kick off work day to learn more about the incredible role of pollinators. Jewish beekeeper and gardener extraordinaire Amy Price facilitated the lesson and also guided the teens in their selection of what plants to keep and what to trim in the current garden space. The group decided on a design plan which included the planting of a fig and pomegranate tree.
After a giant mulch delivery, there was much more work to be done to carefully prune and clear space for the pollinator plants. Two additional work days were required to dramatically transform the garden, and now the garden is resting until early Spring - the prime time for planting.
Amy is seen here in this video teaching about the wondrous - and delicious!- plants that are growing in our backyard and the incredible value they provide. You can see the teens hard at work in the background. Stay tuned for the garden commemoration for Tu B’Shvat!!
Sat, April 20 2024
12 Nisan 5784
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