Blog

Of the many opportunities afforded that make Temple Sinai an incredible congregation at which to work, that of global travel ranks toward the top of the list. In the 18 years that I have served as one of your rabbis, I have had the great joy of traveling locally with our youth to New York, Alabama, Charleston, Los Angeles, and Cincinnati, and I have traveled with adults and families internationally to Israel multiple times as well exploring Jewish communities in Vienna, Budapest, Cuba, Spain, and India. As of this past week, we can add Italy to that list.

Travel is important, and the benefits are enormous, from the chance to experience new cities and see important sites to the identity-spanning conversations with locals that often provoke great introspection, to say nothing of the souvenirs purchased and photos taken. Jewish travel adds a layer to each of those benefits, with the prospect connecting with global brethren to learn about the many flavors of Jewish expression. Needless to say, our group of 28 travelers looked forward to experiencing the secular cites of Rome, Florence, Pitigliano, Venice, Naples and Pompeii, and we eagerly anticipated those parts that make congregational travel unique: exploring the Jewish ghettos of Rome, Florence, and Venice, visiting synagogues in each of those cities, meeting with representatives of each of those Jewish communities to understand their history, the challenges they confront, and the elements that make their community beautiful. We heard heartening and heart-breaking tales. On one Rome day that was actually rather typical of many of the days on our trip, we started the morning by the Arch of Titus – the tragic start of the Jewish diaspora 2000 years ago – and finished the day by meeting with a representative of Progressive Beth Hillel Roma Congregation, a Reform synagogue community that is among the newest congregations in all of progressive Judaism world-wide. It is inspiring and exhausting and energizing and dizzying all at the same time.

After October 7, somehow it became even more important to step outside of Atlanta and to make our way through another Diaspora community. Our interactions with those in the Italian Jewish community became acts of solidarity, of shared sadness and pain. We asked about the impact of the Hamas terror attack in Israel on their local communities and we shared what it was like in Atlanta. We learned that, despite our many differences, the trauma of that day is etched on the global Jewish identity, and plays out in a similar manner: a sense of grief, sadness, the experience of a rise of antisemitism, and a feeling of being alone. On that last point, how amazing it was to address those feelings of isolation by standing together, representing cities that exist an ocean apart, and share keenly in the kindship of peoplehood.

There will be a time to share more reflections on the trip: yes, the food was amazing; of course, the cites were incredible and did not disappoint; absolutely, we felt safe as we traversed the communities. But for now, three words find even more resonance with me as I reflect upon the most impactful interactions on this trip: Am Yisrael Chai.

Shabbat Shalom,
Brad