School on the horizon
Thursday, July 30 (15 Av 5786) – There’s a palpable shift from late summer to back-to-school, even if you’re not in the lunch-packing game. Yellow buses practice their routes. Target shelves empty and fill again with notebooks, pencil pouches, and backpacks. Synagogues post High Holiday schedules.
Jewish education is ramping up, too. Read on for all-ages opportunities with Moishe House, JCRC, CIE, and the MJCCA.
Y’alla,
Logan
Calling all Scouts
🫡 Cub Scout Pack 1818, based at the MJCCA, is a family-oriented pack for boys and girls in kindergarten to fifth grade.
The pack’s 20 families are from Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Brookhaven, Decatur, Johns Creek, East Cobb, Alpharetta, and Cumming. Meetings are held once or twice a month on Sundays.
Join Pack 1818 for a meet and greet:
👦🏼 Sunday, Aug. 9 at 7:30 p.m. virtual meeting
👧🏽 Sunday, Aug. 16 at 3 p.m. nature walk
🧒🏻 Sunday, Aug. 30 at 3 p.m. pack kickoff
💻 For more information, email 1818scouts@gmail.com.
Taste, sip, and celebrate!
SPONSORED BY GRAND TASTING ALPHARETTA
🍾 Raise your glass on Thurs., Aug. 27 at The Hotel at Avalon for the Grand Tasting Alpharetta.
Experience a one-night-only celebration of Alpharetta’s top restaurants with tastings of wine, craft beer, and cocktails. Enjoy live music and more during this unforgettable night of flavor and fun.
🎫 VIP entry begins at 6 p.m., general admission at 7 p.m. Get your tickets today!
Golf tournament to honor Sidney Tourial
🏌🏼 When Or VeShalom members and guests tee off on Monday, Aug. 17, at Bear’s Best in Suwanee, Dr. Sidney Tourial (pictured) will be there to cheer them on. A retired dentist, Tourial is being honored for his dedication to the congregation.
OVS lifetime member Sharon Sonenshine and her husband, Kenny, are planning the fundraiser. While Kenny is a frequent golfer, Sharon said she enjoys the camaraderie and the sunshine.
“We weren’t sure how many golfers we would get, but registration is at more than 80 golfers now,” Sharon said. “It has morphed into a pretty big golf tournament, and we’re really excited about it.”
How Israel votes
🇮🇱 As Israel prepares for a national election, there are two opportunities to learn about the country’s parliamentary democracy, electoral process, coalition formation, and long term political issues.
On Tuesday, Aug. 18, the Jewish Community Relations Council of Atlanta (JCRC) is hosting “Israeli Elections 101: Understanding How Israel Votes.” Center for Israel Education (CIE) founding president Ken Stein will explain how, unlike the U.S. electoral system, Israelis vote for party lists rather than individuals, and members of the Knesset are elected through nationwide proportional representation. The free program starts at 8:30 a.m. at The Dupree. Registration is required.
On Aug. 26, a three-part series begins, led by Rabbi Natan Trief of Temple Sinai and Rabbi Yitz Tendler of Congregation Beth Jacob. “Israel at a Crossroads: Understanding the 2026 Elections” will be held at The Dupree. Register online.
🗳️ No prior knowledge of Israeli politics is required or expected, and attendees are encouraged to bring questions.
Regency Girls at The Temple
🎭 Catch a live performance of a new musical comedy, Regency Girls, for one night only at The Temple. Meet the director, producers, and writers behind the show on Monday, Aug. 3 at 7:30 p.m. at The Temple.
When Elinor Benton finds herself pregnant and unmarried in 19th-century England, her closest confidantes rally for a journey that is equal parts hilarious and profound – one that changes each of them as they reckon with the futures they want for themselves.
Presented by the National Council of Jewish Women, the event features live highlights performed by the Broadway-bound cast and interviews with the creative and production team.
🎟️ Tickets cost $18.
The man who changed Jewish bedtime stories is still reinventing himself at 97
👓 Most people spend their later years looking back. Harold Grinspoon (pictured) has spent his reinventing himself.
The businessman became a philanthropist. The philanthropist discovered Jewish children’s books and created PJ Library. In his late 80s, he became a sculptor after a cherry tree fell in his yard.
🫶🏽 Now, as he turns 97, Grinspoon is reflecting on the unexpected pivots that have defined both his life and his approach to Jewish giving.
Known for innovative programs like PJ Library – which engages young Jewish families with monthly deliveries of age-appropriate children’s books and music – Grinspoon and his eponymous foundation have focused on programs that, in the spirit of the real estate business that made his fortune, build Jewish habits, institutions, and relationships that he hopes will outlast him.
➡ Read the full story on the Forward.
Look & Listen
🙄 Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani are still at each other’s throats. Bibi was in Washington D.C. this week meeting with President Trump.
📖 Canadian judge Harvey Brownstone released a new book explaining how his struggle for his parents’ acceptance fueled his drive to prove everyone wrong. The story is soon to be a Hollywood movie.
What’s doin’ around town
SPONSORED BY CONGREGATION OR HADASH
⚾ Aug. 2: Jewish singles go out to the Braves game.
🎟️ Aug. 3: See Regency Girls at The Temple.
🍌 Aug. 7: Don’t miss Yom Banana.
🖌️ Aug. 8: Prep for the High Holidays at Shabbat Hadasha.
🗓️ Searching for your Jewish spark? Explore Or Hadash! Whether you’re shul shopping, new to Atlanta, or seeking a vibrant community, we’d love to meet you. Check out our calendar, discover upcoming programs, and join us for Shabbat dinner August 21.
Before you go
🎲 Put your skills to the test at the MJCCA’s mah jongg tournament on Sunday, Oct. 18. It’s an all-day affair, with three 75-minute tournament rounds. Tournament play follows National Mah Jongg League rules using the official 2026 NMJL card. Sign up before Sept. 18.
