Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By richards on February 14, 2017

Temple Kol Ami Emanu-El in Plantation is hosting a few events this month that could be of interest to South Floridians.

This Reform synagogue, located at 8200 Peters Road, will host Love Shabbat services on Feb. 17 starting at 7:30 p.m, an evening with Lior Raz a retired Israeli special forces soldier and co-creator and star of the Netflix show "Fauda" on Feb. 22 starting at 7 p.m. and a Casino Night on Feb. 25 with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres at 7 p.m. followed by the gaming at 8 p.m.

Rabbi Howard Needleman, the synagogue's senior rabbi, said regarding these events, "We have a very active congregation so we have a full load of programs that are religious, educational and social because of course a synagogue has to be three things.

It has to be a house of worship, a house of learning and a house of gathering to try and build that sacred mission and make this a welcoming community to all who walk into our doors."

Dvir M. Weiss, the synagogue's executive director, added, "We are trying to touch every single soul in the congregation, whether it be through social aspect, through spiritual aspect, through religious aspect, it doesn't matter. As long as we get their bodies in the temple, we've accomplish something. That's how we've done it and that's how it's worked."

Needleman, who along with Cantor Mark Goldman will lead the upcoming Love Shabbat, said these services will honor couples who are celebrating milestone anniversaries.

"The concept is that for people who are having a significant anniversary of a multiple of five- their fifth, 10th, 15th, or something like that we're inviting those individuals to come up to the bima and participate in a sort of renewal of vows ceremony together with other couples," Needleman noted. "We'll have a chuppah (Jewish wedding canopy) on our bima during services and we will say some of the prayers, some of the blessings associated with a Jewish weeding ceremony in honor of these couples and the years of marriage that they're celebrating."

The synagogue did a Love Shabbat two years ago and Needleman noted it was received very well. This year, the synagogue will also honor couples who last year celebrated an anniversary of a multiple of five.

When asked what prompted this Love Shabbat, Needleman responded that "it's around the non-Jewish holiday of Valentine's Day."

"My theory is that love is in the air. We're influenced by all of these affirmations of love in our culture, in our society and our community. We are reminded again and again and again that this is a time to tell those whom we love that we appreciate and honor their love for us and for each other, so as a community we wanted to give some type of religious affirmation to this season of love."

Regarding the Lior Raz event on Feb. 22, Weiss said, "As a synagogue, we are trying to give our congregation any taste of Israel."

"As long as they have any kind of relationship with Israel, whether it's through a film series, guest speakers, event or whatever we can do to support Israel, then that is good as it's one of our highest priorities."

Visit tkae.org or facebook.com/tkaefl/ or call 954-472-1988 for more information on these events.

Link:
Broward synagogue hosting special events - Sun Sentinel

Category: Synagogue
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