At Adath, we recognize that many across the Twin Cities are feeling increasingly frightened in our current environment. Members of our community are feeling overwhelmed, angry, and wanting to take action.
This page is updated constantly as new information and resources come in. We invite you to connect with the Antiracism Committee if you have questions or want to discuss more options. You can email them at [email protected].
Updated 3.9.26.
This page is updated constantly as new information and resources come in. We invite you to connect with the Antiracism Committee if you have questions or want to discuss more options. You can email them at [email protected].
Updated 3.9.26.
anchor: knowyourrights
Knowing Your Rights
Visit Monarca to find information and printable posters with instructions on what to do if you see ICE.
Monarca also has a list of Upstander Trainings available, which they update frequently.
Monarca also has a list of Upstander Trainings available, which they update frequently.
What to do if ICE shows up at Adath...
These guidelines follow current guidelines from the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, Legal Resource Center, and Attorney General.
If ICE or federal agents arrive:
These guidelines follow current guidelines from the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, Legal Resource Center, and Attorney General.
If ICE or federal agents arrive:
- Stay calm and polite.
- Say: “I’m not authorized to grant access. Let me find a staff member.”
- Immediately find an Adath staff member.
- Do not let agents into non‑public areas without staff approval. ICE cannot enter private areas without consent or a judicial warrant.
- Judicial warrant = signed by a judge
- Administrative ICE warrant = not valid for entering
- Do not provide information about staff, visitors, or congregants.
- Do not give consent to access.
- Do not make any statements or answer any questions.
anchor: adathsupport
How Can I Support My Community Through Adath?
antiracism committee (updated 3.28.26)
During this disturbing time in our state, people are asking how they can get involved in protecting our neighbors and responding to the presence of ICE. Adath’s Antiracism Committee is creating an updated set of options each week.
If you would like to be on a list of volunteers who can be contacted when new needs arrive, email [email protected].
If you would like to be on a list of volunteers who can be contacted when new needs arrive, email [email protected].
Ways you can help: Version 3/28/2026
Though the number of ICE agents is lower than it was at the beginning, there still are many more than before it began. Many of our neighbors are still being targeted, many are suffering from post‑traumatic stress symptoms, and immigrant‑owned businesses are having trouble making ends meet. There are ways to help.
One way to help is by learning about authoritarianism and principled non‑cooperation.
The workshop we hosted on March 24, presented by Daniel Goldschmidt, was highly informative. It covered foundational information on authoritarianism, supported by data, as well as methods for challenging and dismantling such regimes. If you missed the presentation, please contact [email protected] to request a copy of the PowerPoint used. Another way to learn more is to visit https://freedomtrainers.net/ to explore the topic further or request a training session.
M Health Fairview is hosting free virtual Psychological First Aid (PFA) training sessions.
PFA is an evidence‑informed community model. Trainees will learn how to support healthy recovery in individuals following a traumatic event, public health emergency, natural disaster, or personal crisis. The curriculum integrates public and community health and individual psychology. Click here for more information.
Visit immigrant‑owned businesses that have been hit hard by ICE’s presence.
This is another way to help. You can check out Strive Bookstore. Other restaurants to try include Oro By Nixta, a James Beard–winning restaurant in Northeast Minneapolis, and Olive and Lamb, serving Persian food with locations on University Avenue and near Como in St. Paul.
Interested in going to a protest?
Some members of the Antiracism Committee will be attending the No Kings protest at Highway 55 and Winnetka on March 28, 12:00 - 1:30pm. Please join us! More information is available here.
You can also help keep food shelves operating at full capacity by supporting The Food Group, the food bank for Hennepin County. The organization provides support and advocacy for all Minnesota food shelves and is offering guidance during the crisis. More information can be found here.
Other local organizations that continue to need support include:
· https://www.stepslp.org/
· https://prismmpls.org/
· https://www.icafoodshelf.org/
Thanks for your interest and your help,
Adath Antiracism Committee
Sharon Garber and Linda Itman, Co‑Chairs
Though the number of ICE agents is lower than it was at the beginning, there still are many more than before it began. Many of our neighbors are still being targeted, many are suffering from post‑traumatic stress symptoms, and immigrant‑owned businesses are having trouble making ends meet. There are ways to help.
One way to help is by learning about authoritarianism and principled non‑cooperation.
The workshop we hosted on March 24, presented by Daniel Goldschmidt, was highly informative. It covered foundational information on authoritarianism, supported by data, as well as methods for challenging and dismantling such regimes. If you missed the presentation, please contact [email protected] to request a copy of the PowerPoint used. Another way to learn more is to visit https://freedomtrainers.net/ to explore the topic further or request a training session.
M Health Fairview is hosting free virtual Psychological First Aid (PFA) training sessions.
PFA is an evidence‑informed community model. Trainees will learn how to support healthy recovery in individuals following a traumatic event, public health emergency, natural disaster, or personal crisis. The curriculum integrates public and community health and individual psychology. Click here for more information.
Visit immigrant‑owned businesses that have been hit hard by ICE’s presence.
This is another way to help. You can check out Strive Bookstore. Other restaurants to try include Oro By Nixta, a James Beard–winning restaurant in Northeast Minneapolis, and Olive and Lamb, serving Persian food with locations on University Avenue and near Como in St. Paul.
Interested in going to a protest?
Some members of the Antiracism Committee will be attending the No Kings protest at Highway 55 and Winnetka on March 28, 12:00 - 1:30pm. Please join us! More information is available here.
You can also help keep food shelves operating at full capacity by supporting The Food Group, the food bank for Hennepin County. The organization provides support and advocacy for all Minnesota food shelves and is offering guidance during the crisis. More information can be found here.
Other local organizations that continue to need support include:
· https://www.stepslp.org/
· https://prismmpls.org/
· https://www.icafoodshelf.org/
Thanks for your interest and your help,
Adath Antiracism Committee
Sharon Garber and Linda Itman, Co‑Chairs
purim pushke project (hesed Committee)
What's a Pushke?
A tzedakah (charity) box where we collect our spare change (or more!) to give to others in need.
When do we fill it?
Anytime! One Jewish tradition is to drop a few coins in the pushke each Friday night before we light Shabbat candles.
During Purim, a traditional way to celebrate is with Matanot La’evyonim (Gifts to the Needy). The Adath Hesed Committee's Purim Pushke Project focuses on Matanot La’evyonim each year with recipient organizations in the U.S. and/or Israel.
Who are we donating the funds to this year?
In an effort to address food insecurity in the community, Gan Shelanu Preschool and the Hesed Committee have designated PRISM as the recipient of this year's Purim Pushke Project. PRISM provides dignity-centered resources for food, housing, and other basic needs.
What if I want to donate but cannot attend a Purim Event?
You are more than welcome to make online donations or drop off funds to the Adath Office. The Hesed Committee is accepting donations until Tuesday, March 31.
A tzedakah (charity) box where we collect our spare change (or more!) to give to others in need.
When do we fill it?
Anytime! One Jewish tradition is to drop a few coins in the pushke each Friday night before we light Shabbat candles.
During Purim, a traditional way to celebrate is with Matanot La’evyonim (Gifts to the Needy). The Adath Hesed Committee's Purim Pushke Project focuses on Matanot La’evyonim each year with recipient organizations in the U.S. and/or Israel.
Who are we donating the funds to this year?
In an effort to address food insecurity in the community, Gan Shelanu Preschool and the Hesed Committee have designated PRISM as the recipient of this year's Purim Pushke Project. PRISM provides dignity-centered resources for food, housing, and other basic needs.
What if I want to donate but cannot attend a Purim Event?
You are more than welcome to make online donations or drop off funds to the Adath Office. The Hesed Committee is accepting donations until Tuesday, March 31.
anchor: funds
How Else Can I Support the Minnesota Community?
Stand with Minnesota has an extensive database of organizations doing work throughout our community. This database is an excellent resource for those looking to donate or to take action. Stand with Minnesota has dozens of organizations across the following categories:
- Mutual Aid & Materials Purchasing
- Crowdfunding Campaigns
- Organizations Doing Work On The Ground
- Organizations Providing Legal Support
- Funders Distributing Emergency Funding
TC Jewfolk has a comprehensive list of "Resources To Help Community Members Affected By ICE," made up of resources and opportunities across Minnesota Jewish organizations and synagogues.
The list includes: Adath Jeshurun Congregation, Bet Shalom, Beth El Synagogue, Jewish Community Action, Jewish Family and Children's Service of Minnesota, Minnesota JCC, Mount Zion Temple, Shir Tikvah, St. Paul Jewish Federation, Temple of Aaron, Temple Israel, YourJewish, and more.
The list includes: Adath Jeshurun Congregation, Bet Shalom, Beth El Synagogue, Jewish Community Action, Jewish Family and Children's Service of Minnesota, Minnesota JCC, Mount Zion Temple, Shir Tikvah, St. Paul Jewish Federation, Temple of Aaron, Temple Israel, YourJewish, and more.
anchor: statements
Statements From Adath
Minnesota Rabbinical Association and Minnesota Cantors Association
Letter from Minnesota Jewish Clergy Regarding ICE Presence
January 16, 2026 | View Letter
January 16, 2026 | View Letter
Love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt (Deuteronomy 10:19) .וַאֲהַבְתֶּם אֶת־הַגֵּר כִּי־גֵרִים הֱיִיתֶם בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם
As rabbis and cantors across Minnesota, we write out of collective concern for what is happening in our beloved state. No matter how you understand the need for immigration reform and border security, the actions of federal agents in our home are having a devastating impact on the people of our communities. This is a moment that requires us to stand united with our fellow Minnesotans.
We grieve the tragic death of Renee Nicole Good z’l, fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent on January 7th in front of her wife and horrified neighbors. We mourn for Renee’s death and the heartbreak her family and loved ones are experiencing.
Alongside our grief is horror: horror that our fellow Minnesotans are terrified to leave their homes and even to answer their doors. Many people are not going to the jobs they rely on to afford their basic needs, or to attend worship services. Parents are scared to send their children to school. Schools, daycare centers and businesses are afraid to open, as ICE makes arrests on their doorsteps. Community members who are eager to help are fearful, in the wake of Renee Good's killing, that they, too, may be targeted, harassed, or even killed. Our tradition repeatedly teaches us to love the stranger, remembering that we too have known the experience of being immigrants in a new land.
And alongside that horror is resolve: resolve to take action - as individuals and as a collective - to bear witness and make a difference. Right now we witness agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) wreaking havoc across our state. These actions have no home here. This is not what we know to be good and right as Minnesotans across the political spectrum who protect each other, the stranger in our midst, and our shared human dignity.
We know this moment is overwhelming and can make us feel helpless in the face of a monumental challenge. Even as we need to ensure our own physical and mental wellbeing, we can’t let our fears stop us from taking the first step of action. We take strength from the prophet Jeremiah,
But you, have no fear, My servant Jacob —declares God— For I am with you. (Jeremiah 46:28) אַ֠תָּ֠ה אַל־תִּירָ֞א עַבְדִּ֤י יַֽעֲקֹב֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּ֥י אִתְּךָ֖ אָ֑נִי
There are many avenues to stand up to protect our communities and it is incumbent upon all of us to get involved. Stand With Minnesota has organized various ways to get involved and we are here to help you access resources and find paths for action.
We hope that in the days ahead, chesed, kindness, will define the way we interact with each other. We know that all people are created in the image of God, regardless of immigration status. As we move ahead, we pray for comfort from the grief we are experiencing, courage to witness pain even when it is uncomfortable, and the resolve to take action toward building the world we want to see. We pray:
Ribbono Shel Olam,
Protect our cities and our state. Spread a canopy of peace and protection over all those wrongfully targeted by ICE at this moment. Strengthen those who stand beside them.
Grant sound judgment, integrity, and compassion to all who are entrusted with the responsibility of keeping our communities safe.
Help us uphold our sacred duty to care for one another, for the stranger and the needy among us. And may our cities and State be a place where people of every background and beliefs know safety, dignity, and peace.
Members of the Minnesota Rabbinical Association and the Minnesota Cantors Association
As rabbis and cantors across Minnesota, we write out of collective concern for what is happening in our beloved state. No matter how you understand the need for immigration reform and border security, the actions of federal agents in our home are having a devastating impact on the people of our communities. This is a moment that requires us to stand united with our fellow Minnesotans.
We grieve the tragic death of Renee Nicole Good z’l, fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent on January 7th in front of her wife and horrified neighbors. We mourn for Renee’s death and the heartbreak her family and loved ones are experiencing.
Alongside our grief is horror: horror that our fellow Minnesotans are terrified to leave their homes and even to answer their doors. Many people are not going to the jobs they rely on to afford their basic needs, or to attend worship services. Parents are scared to send their children to school. Schools, daycare centers and businesses are afraid to open, as ICE makes arrests on their doorsteps. Community members who are eager to help are fearful, in the wake of Renee Good's killing, that they, too, may be targeted, harassed, or even killed. Our tradition repeatedly teaches us to love the stranger, remembering that we too have known the experience of being immigrants in a new land.
And alongside that horror is resolve: resolve to take action - as individuals and as a collective - to bear witness and make a difference. Right now we witness agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) wreaking havoc across our state. These actions have no home here. This is not what we know to be good and right as Minnesotans across the political spectrum who protect each other, the stranger in our midst, and our shared human dignity.
We know this moment is overwhelming and can make us feel helpless in the face of a monumental challenge. Even as we need to ensure our own physical and mental wellbeing, we can’t let our fears stop us from taking the first step of action. We take strength from the prophet Jeremiah,
But you, have no fear, My servant Jacob —declares God— For I am with you. (Jeremiah 46:28) אַ֠תָּ֠ה אַל־תִּירָ֞א עַבְדִּ֤י יַֽעֲקֹב֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּ֥י אִתְּךָ֖ אָ֑נִי
There are many avenues to stand up to protect our communities and it is incumbent upon all of us to get involved. Stand With Minnesota has organized various ways to get involved and we are here to help you access resources and find paths for action.
We hope that in the days ahead, chesed, kindness, will define the way we interact with each other. We know that all people are created in the image of God, regardless of immigration status. As we move ahead, we pray for comfort from the grief we are experiencing, courage to witness pain even when it is uncomfortable, and the resolve to take action toward building the world we want to see. We pray:
Ribbono Shel Olam,
Protect our cities and our state. Spread a canopy of peace and protection over all those wrongfully targeted by ICE at this moment. Strengthen those who stand beside them.
Grant sound judgment, integrity, and compassion to all who are entrusted with the responsibility of keeping our communities safe.
Help us uphold our sacred duty to care for one another, for the stranger and the needy among us. And may our cities and State be a place where people of every background and beliefs know safety, dignity, and peace.
Members of the Minnesota Rabbinical Association and the Minnesota Cantors Association
|
Rabbi Esther Adler
Rabbi Jill Avrin Rabbi Barbara Block Rabbi Michaela Brown Rabbi Eva Cohen Rabbi Norman Cohen Rabbi Barry D. Cytron Rabbi Alexander Davis Rabbi Max Davis Hazzan Joanna Dulkin Rabbi Ryan Dulkin Rabbi Shoshana Dworsky Rabbi Avraham Ettedqui |
Cantor Wendi Fried
Rabbi Joey Glick Rabbi Matt Goldberg Rabbi Yosi Gordon Rabbi Jennifer G. Hartman Cantor Tamar Havilio Rabbi Justin Held Rabbi Rebecca Kamil Rabbi Ricky Kamil Rabbi Emma Kippley-Ogman Rabbi Harold J. Kravitz Rabbi Arielle Lekach-Rosenberg Rabbi Lynn Liberman |
Rabbi David Locketz
Rabbi Tamar Magill-Grimm Rabbi Cathy Nemiroff Rabbi Avi S. Olitzky Rabbi Debra Rappaport Rabbi Heather Renetzky Rabbi Shalom Resnick Bell Rabbi Jason Rodich Rabbi Jessica Rosenberg Rabbi Sam Schauvaney Rabbi Jeffrey Schein Cantor Heather Seid Rabbi Sammy Seid |
Rabbi Adam Stock Spilker
Cantor Rachel Stock Spilker Rabbi David Steinberg Rabbi Sharon Stiefel Cantor Jennifer Strauss-Klein Rabbi Samantha Thal Rabbi David B. Thomas Rabbi Aaron Weininger Rabbi Michelle Werner Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman |
JFCS AND MINNESOTA JEWISH community LEADERSHIP
As Jewish organizations and synagogues in Minnesota, we are deeply concerned by the current unrest throughout the Twin Cities and Minnesota. Our community members and staff live and work in every corner of society. We have heard too many stories of lives upended by what the government itself refers to as the ICE surge:
We affirm our commitment to supporting and protecting all those who are desperate to feel safe in the state we love. Additionally, we affirm our commitment to the rule of law, the lawful implementation of statutes, and the thousands of law enforcement officers charged with keeping us safe, whose efforts we deeply appreciate.
There are many ways to give your time, resources, and voice to support those in need and protect our democracy. On this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we urge you to find a way to contribute at this difficult time. And if you or someone you love is struggling or scared, please reach out to us so we can support you and your family at this time.
Adath Jeshurun Congregation
Bet Shalom Congregation
Beth El Synagogue
Beth Jacob Congregation
Jewish Community Action
JCRC of Minnesota and the Dakotas
Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Minnesota
Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest
Minneapolis Jewish Federation
Minnesota Cantors Association
Minnesota Hillel
Minnesota JCC
Minnesota Rabbinical Association
Mount Zion Temple
St. Paul Jewish Federation
Smith Jewish Academy
TC Jewfolk
Temple Israel
Temple of Aaron
Twin Cities Jewish Renewal
- There are members of the Jewish community who are immigrants themselves, have family members who are immigrants, or could be reasonably perceived to be immigrants. Many of these people are scared to leave their homes out of fear of being arrested and deported.
- Jewish seniors are not having their basic needs met because their caregivers are too afraid to come to work.
- Those providing food or making care visits are worried that their efforts will lead ICE toward the people they are trying to help.
We affirm our commitment to supporting and protecting all those who are desperate to feel safe in the state we love. Additionally, we affirm our commitment to the rule of law, the lawful implementation of statutes, and the thousands of law enforcement officers charged with keeping us safe, whose efforts we deeply appreciate.
There are many ways to give your time, resources, and voice to support those in need and protect our democracy. On this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we urge you to find a way to contribute at this difficult time. And if you or someone you love is struggling or scared, please reach out to us so we can support you and your family at this time.
Adath Jeshurun Congregation
Bet Shalom Congregation
Beth El Synagogue
Beth Jacob Congregation
Jewish Community Action
JCRC of Minnesota and the Dakotas
Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Minnesota
Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest
Minneapolis Jewish Federation
Minnesota Cantors Association
Minnesota Hillel
Minnesota JCC
Minnesota Rabbinical Association
Mount Zion Temple
St. Paul Jewish Federation
Smith Jewish Academy
TC Jewfolk
Temple Israel
Temple of Aaron
Twin Cities Jewish Renewal
adath jeshurun congregation (in response to the death of renee nicole good)
We Mourn and We Act
We grieve Renee Nicole Good and respond as one community.
January 8, 2026
We grieve Renee Nicole Good and respond as one community.
January 8, 2026
Dear Adath Community,
If only we could find the right words. Instead, our hearts break and fill with dread, fear, and terror as news and facts continue to unfold. What we do know is Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot by an ICE agent in South Minneapolis. What we do know is a family and community are turned upside down. What we do know is we are a community of faith that will respond.
We respond with prayer, a commitment to act as community, and a commitment to pay attention to the well-being of our fellow Minnesotans. Many Adath members are attending vigils and trainings and volunteering to show up the best we can for one another and our neighbors. Our faith may inspire us in different ways, but we are united as Adath by our responsibility to care.
Pictured below: a community vigil held for Renee Good today. Provided by Rabbi Weininger.
If only we could find the right words. Instead, our hearts break and fill with dread, fear, and terror as news and facts continue to unfold. What we do know is Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot by an ICE agent in South Minneapolis. What we do know is a family and community are turned upside down. What we do know is we are a community of faith that will respond.
We respond with prayer, a commitment to act as community, and a commitment to pay attention to the well-being of our fellow Minnesotans. Many Adath members are attending vigils and trainings and volunteering to show up the best we can for one another and our neighbors. Our faith may inspire us in different ways, but we are united as Adath by our responsibility to care.
Pictured below: a community vigil held for Renee Good today. Provided by Rabbi Weininger.
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|
B’virkat Shalom,
Rabbi Aaron Weininger
Senior Rabbi Max Newman Family Chair in Rabbinics |
Hazzan Joanna Dulkin
Senior Cantor |
Rabbi Sammy Seid
Assistant Rabbi |
Cantor Heather Seid
Assistant Cantor Berman Family Chair in Jewish Learning |
Craig Spencer
President |
adath jeshurun congregation (On Mlk Day)
Our Adath Community and This Moment in History
Marking Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with reflections, resources, and ways to respond together.
January 19, 2026
Marking Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with reflections, resources, and ways to respond together.
January 19, 2026
Dear Adath Community,
We are holding one another close, especially on this day that we mark Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday and his legacy of pursuing justice.
Here, you can watch or read the Shabbat Morning Sermon Rabbi Weininger delivered on the recent ICE surge in Minnesota and our responsibility to bring God’s power of hearing and remembering to respond to this moment.
You can also find resources created by the Adath Antiracism Committee for action steps you can take, as well as information about A Call to Minneapolis through MARCH that is taking place on Thursday, January 22 and Friday, January 23.
On our Adath Homepage, you can also find the link to a Letter from Minnesota Jewish Clergy Regarding ICE Presence, written by the Minnesota Rabbinical Association and Minnesota Cantors Association. Earlier today, a joint statement from Minnesota Jewish Community leadership was shared.
May our words, prayer, and action inspire a world of justice, a world of greater light, and a world of peace.
We are holding one another close, especially on this day that we mark Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday and his legacy of pursuing justice.
Here, you can watch or read the Shabbat Morning Sermon Rabbi Weininger delivered on the recent ICE surge in Minnesota and our responsibility to bring God’s power of hearing and remembering to respond to this moment.
You can also find resources created by the Adath Antiracism Committee for action steps you can take, as well as information about A Call to Minneapolis through MARCH that is taking place on Thursday, January 22 and Friday, January 23.
On our Adath Homepage, you can also find the link to a Letter from Minnesota Jewish Clergy Regarding ICE Presence, written by the Minnesota Rabbinical Association and Minnesota Cantors Association. Earlier today, a joint statement from Minnesota Jewish Community leadership was shared.
May our words, prayer, and action inspire a world of justice, a world of greater light, and a world of peace.
adath jeshurun congregation (in response to the death of alex pretti)
Finding Home: A Message for the Adath Community in a Season of Upheaval
Holding our community together, with resources for care and support.
January 28, 2026
Holding our community together, with resources for care and support.
January 28, 2026
Dear Adath Community,
The intensity of the last several days has struck us again and again. On Monday, we watched with anticipation the return of the last hostage from the Hamas devastation of October 7, 2023. The body of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, of blessed memory, reached Israeli soil through Operation Courageous Heart. This marks the first time since 2014 that there are no Israeli hostages being held in Gaza. We have been waiting and praying, sitting with fear and uncertainty, and never giving up hope. Thank God Ran’s body is finally home.
Over the weekend, we witnessed the fatal ICE shooting of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse at the VA hospital in Minneapolis. Our hearts grieve alongside his family. We are distraught by the terror and fear that are gripping the state we call home, a place of deep roots and civic pride, where neighbors take care of neighbors. It was not surprising, therefore, to learn about the deep professional connections Alex had to members of our Adath community, colleagues who knew him and his ethic of service to patients and co-workers alike. Minnesota is a vibrant place to call home, and such atrocities strike at every mental and physical corner we know to be safe.
In times like these, we search for some definition of home. A place to find rest, solace, and peace. In our Torah portion, we locate ourselves in Egypt and we locate ourselves crossing the sea. Sometimes we don’t know which foot is where, if not situated in both places. We call out to God in distress, as Moshe does in Parshat B'shallach. God calls back to Moshe to take the first step. So that is what we do: we take the first step. We donate resources, time, and attention (please see below for ways to support those in need). And we turn to one another to know that we’re not alone. May we have the strength to keep finding home, in Israel and in Minnesota, during such upheaval. May we trust the shifting sands under our feet (or the snow) will keep us moving forward together as an Adath community.
The intensity of the last several days has struck us again and again. On Monday, we watched with anticipation the return of the last hostage from the Hamas devastation of October 7, 2023. The body of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, of blessed memory, reached Israeli soil through Operation Courageous Heart. This marks the first time since 2014 that there are no Israeli hostages being held in Gaza. We have been waiting and praying, sitting with fear and uncertainty, and never giving up hope. Thank God Ran’s body is finally home.
Over the weekend, we witnessed the fatal ICE shooting of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse at the VA hospital in Minneapolis. Our hearts grieve alongside his family. We are distraught by the terror and fear that are gripping the state we call home, a place of deep roots and civic pride, where neighbors take care of neighbors. It was not surprising, therefore, to learn about the deep professional connections Alex had to members of our Adath community, colleagues who knew him and his ethic of service to patients and co-workers alike. Minnesota is a vibrant place to call home, and such atrocities strike at every mental and physical corner we know to be safe.
In times like these, we search for some definition of home. A place to find rest, solace, and peace. In our Torah portion, we locate ourselves in Egypt and we locate ourselves crossing the sea. Sometimes we don’t know which foot is where, if not situated in both places. We call out to God in distress, as Moshe does in Parshat B'shallach. God calls back to Moshe to take the first step. So that is what we do: we take the first step. We donate resources, time, and attention (please see below for ways to support those in need). And we turn to one another to know that we’re not alone. May we have the strength to keep finding home, in Israel and in Minnesota, during such upheaval. May we trust the shifting sands under our feet (or the snow) will keep us moving forward together as an Adath community.
Many in our Adath community are searching for ways to support and aid those in need. Below is a list of resources and opportunities around Minnesota.
Around our community:
At Adath:
Around our community:
- JCRC has compiled a resource page of events and statements, which also links to TC Jewfolk.
- TC Jewfolk has aggregated a centralized list of resources from the Jewish Community that is updated constantly, and includes Adath's list of ways to support.
- Stand with Minnesota has a database of funds and on-the-ground groups to support.
At Adath:
- The Antiracism Committee has compiled this list of resources.
- During the Purim Carnival and Erev Purim, we will be collecting canned food and other non-perishable items to donate to MARCH.
- Gan Shelanu Preschool is collecting non-perishable food items, formula, diapers, and wipes through February in partnership with Adath Purim events.
- The Hesed Committee's Purim Pushke Project will be collecting donations online through the end of March and in person during Purim events for PRISM.
B'virkat Shalom,
Rabbi Aaron Weininger
Senior Rabbi Max Newman Family Chair in Rabbinics |
Hazzan Joanna Dulkin
Senior Cantor |
Rabbi Sammy Seid
Assistant Rabbi |
Cantor Heather Seid
Assistant Cantor Berman Family Chair in Jewish Learning |
Craig Spencer
President |
Susan Geller
Executive Director |