​I am so honored to be your new Hazzan, to be the shlichat tzibbur (prayer leader/ messenger) for this fantastic community. I look forward to singing with you as the weeks and years progress.
 
The High Holidays are a time to reflect, renew and refresh. It is a time where our souls are laid bare, our brokenness exposed – and the power to heal comes from the strength and vibrancy of this community, joining together in strength and song.

By Janessa Berkowitz
Like any parent, I am always seeking out and pursuing opportunities where my daughter (who is 3) can experience beautiful people, who will gently help her learn how to similarly navigate and enjoy the complex world around her. As parents, we all essentially want to prepare our kids for what can be the harsh realities of life (without losing the fun). We work diligently to answer their complex questions with understandable and digestible answers (without heading down the rabbit holes we cannot, or dare not, explain). As parents, we also know that lessons learned early can help build a strong foundation for thoughtful decision-making later in life (when we are not there to guide them-gulp). This task is a BIG one.

​by Jodi Rubin
From Jodi's remarks at Gan Graduation

Our family has been at the Gan for a while. Maybe because I'm the incoming Adath Secondary Vice President or maybe because after tonight I'll have four Gan alumni, I was asked to say a few words. We started here when our oldest son, Jack was 2 years old. Jack will be 12 this summer, followed by Julia, who will be 10 and Samantha, who is 7. We have spent the last 10 consecutive years as parents at Gan Shelanu. That is a pretty long run!  In those 10 years, a lot has changed in the size of our family, the number of wrinkles on my face, and the frequency that I have to color my hair.  But within that time and those changes, it is my perspective as a parent that has grown and developed the most. 

Reflections on Playing with Fire: Fear and Love from Parashat Tzav and AIPAC Policy Conference 2016 ​by Rabbi Aaron S. Weininger

Don’t play with fire. We grew up with this warning and tell it to our kids. But for our ancestors wandering in the desert, offering animal sacrifices, it didn’t really apply. Parashat Tzav jumps right into the ritual of the “olah,” the burnt offering, the sacrifice that was offered over a fire that had to remain burning all the time. The olah offering was never eaten and it was most accessible to all Israelites, rich and poor, because the offering could come from a range of animal choices. ​

By Mark Freeman and Elly Zweigbaum
Youth Commission Co-Chairs
 
The Adath Youth Commission is excited for another sensational year of activities in our youth department. Our Director of Youth Engagement, Sue Shrell Leon, has been fantastic and has scheduled a year full of activities for the youth here at Adath. We are drawing in more of our congregation’s teens and getting them involved in the activities at the Synagogue.