Next Monday the four of us will leave for our summer home, Camp Ramah Darom. While we’re at camp, I’ll be teaching and “rabbi-ing,” Carrie will be working with staff kids (including Galit) and Ayelet will be in a bunk for her sixth summer. Each summer that we go to camp we don’t take vacation so much as we recharge our drive and hunger for the Jewish community and Judaism in our generation.
Last Rosh Hashana, I spoke about the state of Judaism in our world and that it’s on “life support.” I gave out bracelets with OVS on them and the word “Thrive.” I did this because I’m convinced the time has arrived that we stop trying to “survive” and instead push ourselves to “thrive.” This might sound like a semantics argument, but nothing could be further from the truth. The Jewish obsession with survival has allowed us to be complacent and ambivalent as our community and religion doesn’t grow or develop. We accept minimums and don’t push for or demand maximums.
Or VeShalom is a mighty institution. We have often allowed ourselves to believe our brightest days are in the past but that must not be our vision. We must see that our greatest chapter has yet to be written. Or VeShalom is a mighty institution and yet we too have become a bit complacent in the ideology of surviving and at times not embraced the opportunity of thriving.
When we were children, our parents would have been derelict in their responsibility if they didn’t push us to reach for the heavens and to never merely “accept” or “settle.” Please don’t misunderstand anything written here. OVS is in great shape and through achieving our shared goals, we will be a flagship institution in the Atlanta Jewish Community and we will realize that bright reality together by each other’s sides.
Just this week, our staff grew as we welcomed Hilary Druckman as our new Program and Membership Engagement Director. When we met Hilary back in March, I knew right away she would be the perfect person for this new position. She checked every box in the job description and we are blessed to have her in our community. As Hilary begins her job, she’ll help us to thrive through greater membership engagement and through our expertly executed programming. Please join me in welcoming Hilary. You can reach her at hilary.druckman@orveshalom.org or 404-633-1737. She'd love to get to know you and to hear your ideas to help our community thrive.
While I’m at camp this summer, I’ll enjoy four weeks in an experimental laboratory where we grow and develop a living and dynamic Judaism. I’ll watch as kids and adults celebrate their Judaism and their heritage and not see it as burdensome. I’ll get to reimagine what the future of the Jewish world will be, both in general, and at OVS specifically. While we’re at camp I’ll be spending hours each day with fellow Jewish professionals discussing what each of us can do to grow communities that thrive in every moment they’re together.
While I’m gone, I want to give each of you some homework. Please spend some time and ask yourself what more you can do as a Jew. Ask yourself if you’re content with merely surviving or if you’re committed to building a thriving Jewish life for yourself and a thriving Jewish community for us all. Thriving is about seeking more from ourselves and those around us. Thriving is about never being content with what we have and always looking to do and be more.
I return from camp on July 10th and that’s the night we’ll gather as a community at the Fund the Future Dinner to learn about the Future Fund Campaign. Our future will be firmly rooted in our incredible past while seizing the momentum of today to engage each of us in building a dynamic and thriving community for tomorrow. I cannot wait to do this work together with you.
Have a wonderful summer, Rabbi Hearshen
Candlelighting time on June 10 is 8:30 pm.
Lynne and Scott Galanti will be sponsoring kiddush after Shabbat Services on June 11 and all are welcome. During services, we will be having an Auf Ruf honoring Joey Galanti and Carly Shapiro for their upcoming marriage.
David Raskladka is turning 6!
Click here to purchase a gift on his birthday wish list. Click hereto RSVP for his birthday party.
OVS at Atlanta United Wednesday, Jul 13th 7:30p to 10:00p Join OVS for a fun night out with the Keilah at an Atlanta United home soccer game. $25 per person. Tickets will be sent electronically.
Sisterhood Book Club May 12, 2022 Thursday, Jul 21st 8:00p to 9:00p Join us for our next Sisterhood Book Club on Zoom. The featured book is The Last Rose of Shanghai by Weina Dai Randel. Discussion will be led by Rubisa, Carrie Hearshen.
Mitzvot Auction 2022 Sunday, Aug 28th 6:00p to 8:00p Join us for our annual Mitzvot Auction and Keftes Dinner on Sunday, August 28. The Auction will begin at 6:00 pm with dinner following at 7:00 pm.
Dinner is $10 for adults, $5 for children 12 and under.
Building Blocks Religious School Sunday, Sep 11th 10:00a to 12:00p Building Blocks Religious School at Congregation Or VeShalom is for children ages 3 - 1st grade. Children will learn about Jewish values, Shabbat, holidays, and traditions under the direction of Rabbi Hearshen. Sessions will be held one Saturday or holiday and one Sunday a month (October - June). Parallel Parent Experience offered simultaneously.
