Our visit to Temple Israel was very interesting and a great learning experience. The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the beautiful architecture. The building was very beautiful and I really admired the modern look. There were also stones built into a wall shape outside the temple brought from Jerusalem, to symbolize the connection between Judaism and the holy land. 

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I went to Israel Temple last Friday; it was an awesome experience. I am a Muslim person and I have never gone to any other Temple places. As you know, we do not have any other religion in my country Saudi Arabia. So I did not have the chance to go and explore other religion and see what other religion do. How they pray?

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On Sunday, October 11, 14 volunteers from Temple Israel built walls and ceilings for a home that we are building with Habitat for Humanity of Omaha. Temple Israel is working in a coalition with 12 religious institutions to build a home from the ground up this fall. The home is in the Kountze Park neighborhood in North Omaha and sits on the same street as 3 other Habitat-built homes part of a strategy to revitalize targeted areas of our community.

So there I sat on this last Wednesday night, eating my dinner at Temple. As usual, which is always a special treat, kids from my last year’s class join some of the kids from this year’s class as we all eat dinner together.

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Synagogues, like people, are born, they grow up, they grow old and they die. And, some in keeping with ancient Jewish tradition, are also resurrected from the dead to experience a new and even better life. As in human life, there are no guarantees that each of the stages will be attained. Some do not live to grow up. Some grow old before their time. Still others never experience the total annihilation of death because those to whom they have given birth carry forward their work and values in ways that are both new and distinctive, and yet have continuity with the past.

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Adult Study Class
Thursday, July 22, 10-11:30 a.m.

I invite you to join me tomorrow as I reflect on this experience, the great joys and the terrible fears I experienced. While I have a lot to share, I hope our time together will be a frank discussion that unpacks some of the facts, even if it leaves us with more questions to be answered.  

FROM THE ISRAEL RELIGIOUS ACTION CENTER

On June 17th, Israel’s newly installed minister of religious affairs, David Azoulay, called the Reform movement “a disaster for the nation of Israel.” A disaster. With one word, the person chosen to be in charge of the religious affairs of all Israeli Jews denigrated an entire Jewish Movement. A movement with millions of constituents in Israel and around the world, and with a proud history of contributing to Judaism’s colorful tapestry.

Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu issued a statement last night saying that he “strongly disagrees” with Azoulay’s comments. He pledged to “ensure that Israel remains a place where all Jews can feel at home.”

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