News from Middle Tennessee's Jewish Community |
Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025
Just like that, another year is beginning its slow retreat into history. The year 5781 will be one for the records, one of much uncertainty and disarray, and very soon we will welcome the New Year of 5782. The season of the New Year is upon us, a time of stock taking and introspection. The last month of the year on the Jewish calendar is called Elul. It is a month that connects the past year with the coming year—a time when we reflect on where we stand, and where we should be going. Rosh Hashanah is on the horizon. Time to get prepared.
The Jewish people have been blowing the Shofar, a simple hollowed out ram's horn, for thousands of years in celebration of Rosh Hashana, the beginning of the Jewish New Year – also known as the birthday of humanity. According to Jewish law, one must hear the blasts directly from the shofar itself. No medium will do, not a microphone, not a computer, not even a slight echo. Intrinsically, the Shofar is not just a sound. It is a cry. A prayer. A soul-awakening, personal, meditative and rousing experience. Hearing the shofar blast is the main commandment associated with celebrating the Holiday.
As High Holidays 5782 roll around very soon, many are planning where to attend services. Yet, there is another aspect to this special season. Just like spiritual preparation is needed as we approach the High Holy Days, holiday meal preparation simultaneously remains an important feature of our traditions. Jewish people are known to be major foodies (our friends and neighbors still can’t believe that we prepare Thanksgiving-worthy meals every week for Shabbat!), and we wear our chef badges with pride.
I recently happened upon an article that busted the myth that we only use 10% of our brains.
Moran Rosenblatt (Wedding Doll, Fauda) stars in this delightfully subversive comedy that mines interfaith and cross-cultural relationships against a specifically Israeli backdrop.
We are excited to announce that Moon Bishop will be the next Director of The Temple Preschool. Since agreeing to serve as our Interim Director last December, Moon has provided steady leadership, skillfully guiding our school through an unexpected transition and ongoing COVID-19 challenges. We are grateful for her unwavering dedication to the TPS mission, staff, families, and children. We are proud of Moon’s commitment to the school and the strides she and her team have taken this year. She has strengthened the staff by implementing a professional development program, increased enrollment, and created several new policies and procedures essential to the daily operations of our school. Moon also was a critical part of the recent TPS assessment and will be working to communicate her plans to implement recommendations from that process. We are excited about the passion, energy, and vision that Moon brings to this role and are thrilled that TPS will be under her skilled leadership moving forward. Moon says she is excited to be chosen for this position and looks forward to bringing her unique experiences to continue building a solid foundation for the youngest learners, “Although I’ve been an educator for thirty years, there is still nothing more exciting to me than watching a child’s eyes light up when they “get” something for the first time; it is what feeds my soul. My passion for learning and educating, along with my belief in children’s innate capabilities and strengths, inform everything I do and provide the guiding light for my work with children, families, and educators. I am excited to lead this already amazing preschool and can’t wait to see how we continue to grow and thrive.”
