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This week, I reflect on one of my favorites teachings by Zionist thinker Ahad Ha'am. He teaches us: “More than the Jewish people have kept Shabbat, Shabbat has kept the Jewish People.”

As Reform Jews we do not typically keep Shabbat by abiding by certain rules or regulations. Rather, Shabbat is a time for us to gather and to regroup with our community at the culmination of each work week. In my opinion, coming together on Friday nights has helped us maintain our Jewish identities far more than literally "keeping Shabbat." As Ahad Ha'am reminds us, over the years, Shabbat has “kept us.”

I reflect upon last week's incredible 50th Anniversary kick-off Shabbat, and the powerful way that we celebrated as a community.  And I look to two very exciting Shabbats that we have on the horizon.

This Friday, we celebrate Women's Shabbat. We will be joined by a leading Torah Scholar of our time, Andrea Weiss, Rabbi, PH.D. Rabbi Weiss edited The Torah: A Women's Commentary. She will inspire us through her sermon, her teachings over dinner and at Torah study on Saturday morning.

Looking to the following Friday, February 2nd, please join our community for a lively Shabbat Service led by Temple Sinai teens, family friendly spaghetti dinner and silent auction benefiting Camp Jenny: a camp for underprivileged elementary school students in Atlanta.

Register here: https://www.templesinaiatlanta.org/event/spaghetti-dinner-and-silent-auction-benefiting-camp-jenny.html

At Temple Sinai, Shabbat is certainly keeping us together as each week we join in unity to pray, laugh, learn and eat!  We hope you'll be a part of these magical upcoming weekends!