John Lewis, who died on Friday, played a large role in faith communities in Atlanta—such as with the Atlanta Black-Jewish Coalition formed in 1982. Jews in Atlanta remember his legacy.
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The new law will increase the sentence given for a misdemeanor if the defendant acted with bias because of the victim’s race, sexual orientation or religion, among other factors. The office of Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said the governor “commends the General Assembly’s bipartisan work and will sign House Bill 426 [hate crimes bill] pending legal review.”
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(OPINION) Atlanta rabbis who have been marching and speaking at protests consider such efforts an integral part of their work as spiritual leaders, and they acknowledge the role played by Rabbi Jacob Rothschild of The Temple and how his forceful sermons on civil rights helped lay the foundation for the path they walk today.
Read MoreIn the aftermath of the killings of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Breonna Taylor in Louisville and Ahmaud Arbery near Brunswick, Georgia, segments of Atlanta’s Jewish community decried violence against African Americans and called for greater efforts to counter racism at the individual and institutional levels. The statements they issued struck common themes as well as differences reflecting how each views its mission.
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(OPINION) When the Georgia legislature reconvenes in mid-June, there is a chance that a bill with enhanced penalties for bias or hate crimes will make its way to the governor. In the grand scope of things, putting a hate crimes law on the books in Georgia should be important on a level with, say, reopening massage and tattoo parlors, nail salons and bowling alleys.
Read MoreAs the pandemic alters summer plans and disrupts long-held traditions, the Jewish community in Georgia adapts camps and activities to the new reality.
Read MoreFor Holocaust survivors, including some who later lived under Communist rule, COVID-19 has brought a mixed bag of old traumas sparked anew, depression and anxiety, isolation and fear, but also reminders of the traits that sustained them through difficult periods in their lives.
Read More(OPINION) After a candlelight Shabbat dinner over Zoom with his wife’s family, Dave Schechter finds hope and encouragement amid the global Coronavirus outbreak.
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With restrictions on pubic gatherings due to COVID-19, Jewish life has had to adapt. While several religious gatherings have transferred to online formats, some rituals cannot go remote.
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A bat mitzvah livestreamed, a growing virtual kaddish minyan to recite prayers and remember loved ones, a shivah service to mourn a death — digital tools are redefining what it means to be Jewish during a pandemic.
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Passover seders are often cherished family memories. But this will be remembered as the year when a public health crisis prevented generations of family from gathering together, when those who did not travel watched on a computer screen as the story of the exodus from Egypt was retold.
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Shabbat dinners are canceled, community centers are closed, and leaders in the Jewish community are having to come up with creative ways to foster community in these unprecedented times.
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(OPINION) In Georgia, several publicly-funded Holocaust education initiatives face budget cuts. As Americans’ knowledge about this history declines, these programs should work together to find creative ways to survive and expand their reach.
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(OPINION) France’s president said anti-Semitism is at its worst since WWII. My son will spend the next few months there, so we’re going to have the Jewish version of “the talk.”
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A Torah scroll that survived the destruction of the Jewish community in Ozorkow, Poland was recently refurbished and will be rededicated at Ahavath Achim Synagogue on Jan. 5.
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(OPINION) My work and my diagnosis compelled me to learn more about the Mi Sheberach prayer, a tradition that makes a person’s problem known to the community.
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