News from Middle Tennessee's Jewish Community |
Monday, June 16, 2025
In a cheerful and enthusiastic End of the Year Closing Ceremony on Sunday, May 7th West End Synagogue’s Beit Miriam student, Abi Kullock was presented with the 2023 Simon and Alven Ghertner Award for Excellence in Hebrew.
Three quarters of a million dollars. That is the amount received during the past six years by the fourteen local Jewish organizations participating in the LIFE & LEGACY™ program.
The Kehillah Award, formerly known as the Ralph Shepard Award, is given annually to a Jewish Nashville high school senior who exemplifies the characteristics of outstanding Jewish youth. This year’s finalists are Andrew Biller, son of Daniel and Tara and Biller, and Lily Marger, daughter of Brian and Victoria Marger.
I have often pondered the question of what constitutes a religious person and have never felt satisfied with the responses I have heard others give when asked this very personal question. This question usually comes up when someone inquiries about another’s religius affiliation and the response is frequently, “I am Jewish and a member of our Temple, but I really do not believe I am a religious person.” Other common responses include, “I am more of a spiritual person than a religious one,” and, “I am more a secular Jew than a religious one.” So, the big question, is what exactly one has to do to consider themselves a religious person
