Jewish learnings
June 12 (16 Sivan 5785)
Lots of news to catch up on this week.
⚖️ A federal judge ruled the Trump administration cannot continue to detain former Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil.
🚫 Greta Thunberg and 11 others attempted to sail humanitarian aid to Gaza, only to be detained and deported by Israeli authorities. Thunberg said in an interview, “We were 12 peaceful volunteers sailing on a civilian ship carrying humanitarian aid on international waters. We did not break laws. We did nothing wrong.”
🎗️ The remains of Nattapong Pinta, a Thai national who was taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023, was released from Hamas. Yair “Yaya” Yaakov, a 59-year-old father of three who was killed inside his home at Kibbutz Nir Oz, and an unidentified body were recovered by the IDF.
Thanks for reading and Y’alla,
Logan
🥾 22 Miles. One Day. The Trailblaze Challenge is a life-changing endurance experience that helps Make-A-Wish Georgia grant wishes for children fighting critical illness. Not ready for 22 miles? Try Trailblaze 2.0 – same weekend, same trail, just 13 miles! October 24-26.
SPONSOR MESSAGE
The eye of the beholder
💝 On June 25 at 7 p.m., Temple Sinai is hosting “Shalva Through the Lens of War: A Photography Exhibit of Resilience and Hope.” Viewers will experience a gallery of 22 curated images of resilience through the eyes of 10 of Israel’s top photojournalists. Appetizers and wine will be served.
Shalva is a Jerusalem-based organization that provides support for individuals with disabilities and their families.
Eli Mandelbaum, a journalist, filmmaker and social entrepreneur, will talk about his passion for Shalva. Mandelbaum survived a traumatic Molotov cocktail attack in 2021 and was diagnosed with PTSD. Soon after, he redirected his career toward social impact work.
Mythic creatures meet modern art!
SPONSORED BY FERNBANK MUSEUM
✨ Step into a world where mythology and art collide! “Spirit Guides: Fantastical Creatures from the Workshop of Jacobo and María Ángeles“ brings vibrant, hybrid animal sculptures to life in Fernbank’s WildWoods.
These whimsical sculptures blend Zapotec culture and contemporary art, each representing spirit guides tied to personality and destiny. Designed by renowned Oaxacan artists, this exhibit offers a soulful journey through indigenous culture, identity, and the natural world.
➡ Open now through August 3 with special after-hours viewings on select nights. Don’t miss this magical experience!
Brave new world
🗣️ Rabbi Jill Jacobs is leading a talk at Congregation Shearith Israel on June 21 at 10:30 a.m. Jacobs is the CEO of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, an organization that trains and mobilizes more than 2,300 rabbis, cantors, and their communities to bring a moral voice to protecting and advancing human rights in North America, Israel, and the occupied Palestinian territories.
She is the author of “Where Justice Dwells: A Hands-On Guide to Doing Social Justice in Your Jewish Community” and “There Shall Be No Needy: Pursuing Social Justice through Jewish Law and Tradition.”
Jacobs has been named three times to the Forward’s list of 50 influential American Jews and to Newsweek’s list of the 50 Most Influential Rabbis in America. The New York Times featured her as one of “Six New Yorkers Who Made the City a Better, Cooler, Fairer Place in 2023.”
Light my fire
🔥 LimmudFest 2025 is an unforgettable weekend of Jewish learning, arts, culture, and community in the beautiful North Georgia mountains. It will take place at Ramah Darom from Friday, Aug. 29 to Monday, Sept. 1.
Participants can expect sessions that explore Jewish perspectives on culture, food, politics, and history; Shabbat with a variety of prayer and spirituality options; Havdallah, singing, and s’mores around the campfire; counselor-led kids camp Saturday afternoon through Monday morning for ages 6 months to teens; and more.
📍 Save $25 per adult when you register by June 15. Learn more here.
RELATED
😎 Send us your summer travel pictures.
‘Rabbi to watch’ Sandra Lawson turns DEI focus to North Carolina
🙌🏼 When Rabbi Sandra Lawson became Reconstructing Judaism’s first director of racial diversity, equity and inclusion in January 2021, her hiring was hailed as the denomination making good on commitments it pledged toward racial justice in the wake of George Floyd’s murder the year before.
Since then, Lawson — a mainstay on many lists of persons, if not rabbis, to watch — has been sought after countless times for Jewish advice on race relations, both within the Reconstructionist movement and beyond.
Now, her national platform turns regional after leaving the job last month to lead Carolina Jews for Justice in North Carolina where she makes her home.
➡ Read the full story on the Forward.
🥾 22 Miles. One Day. The Trailblaze Challenge is a life-changing endurance experience that helps Make-A-Wish Georgia grant wishes for children fighting critical illness. Not ready for 22 miles? Try Trailblaze 2.0 – same weekend, same trail, just 13 miles! October 24-26. SPONSOR MESSAGE
Look & Listen
📺 Listen to Atlantan Josh Levs’ podcast, “They Stand Corrected,” on how the media fuels terrorism.
🎙️Paul Rubens (Pee-Wee Herman) has a new documentary.
What’s doin’ around town
SPONSORED BY CONGREGATION OR HADASH
🤿 June 13: Dive into Shabbat at MJCCA.
🥁 June 15: A toe-tapping, drum-banging, giggle-filled music class for ages 0-3.
🏹 June 28: Summer camp for a day with Trybal Gatherings.
✡️ The next Jewish holiday is Tisha B’Av on Aug. 2.
🕯️ Light Shabbat candles this week at 8:31 p.m.
🗓️ At Or Hadash, music is how we pray and connect. Whether you sing, sway, or listen, there’s a place for you. Come feel the spirit that rises when we lift our voices together. 💙 Lehitra’ot–see you soon!
Before you go…
👏🏼 The Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta held its 119th annual meeting on June 5, recognizing Mike Leven with the Lifetime of Achievement Award.
A visionary philanthropist and business leader, Leven is the founder of the Jewish Future Promise and Jewish Youth Promise. His lifelong dedication to Jewish continuity and philanthropy has inspired countless others to commit their values and resources to a vibrant Jewish future.
