Rabbis Rice: Oseh Shalom

Martin Luther King taught: "When evil men plot, good men must plan. When evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and bind. When evil men shout angry words of hatred, good men must commit themselves to the glories of love."

We are tremendously saddened by the tragic news of bombings at the Boston Marathon this week. We are shaken to the core by these acts of violence and destruction, and we mourn the loss of life and pray for those wounded and their families. Yet, in the midst of this tragedy, heroes also emerged--first responders who ran towards the blast to help, runners who changed course to go to hospitals to give blood, and citizens of Boston who opened their homes to marathoners who needed a place to stay.

This week, as a Jewish world, we marked Yom Hazikaron, Israel's Memorial Day. Then, on the very next day, Israel celebrated Yom Ha'atzma'ut, Israel's Independence Day. The juxtaposition of these two days is very intentional. Israelis are always mindful of the destructive acts of violence and war, and the powerful, redemptive actions of heroes. We at Congregation Micah are particularly mindful of the fragility and preciousness of life, felt in the life of Israel this week, and sadly, here at home with the tragedy of the Boston Marathon explosions, as well as the plant explosion in the city of West, TX.

Oseh Shalom--May the one who makes Peace in the Heavens, make peace in Israel, in Boston with the victims and their families, for all those affected in West, TX, and in our world.

Sunday at the Movies: April 21, 28, and May 5

Join us at Micah for Sunday at the Movies, an adult education series. For three consecutive Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., we will screen a movie with discussion following. Choose just one or come for all three! Light snacks will be served.

April 21: "The Other Son" 

"The Other Son" is the moving and provocative tale of two young men -- one Israeli, the other Palestinian -- who discover they were accidentally switched at birth, and the complex repercussions facing them and their respective families.
Directed by Lorraine Levy, released in France in April, 2012.

NY Times Review:
"The film is propelled by a hopeful, good-hearted humanism, and it sets out to show that, in spite of political, religious and cultural divisions, people are people."

602 IMDB users rated the film at 7.1 out of 10 stars.


Upcoming Screenings
April 28: "Hollywood: An Empire of Their Own"
May 5: "Walk on Water"

Raise the Roof with Laughs at Micah: Info + Videos

Love to laugh? Congregation Micah is hosting a comedy night with NY Comedian Johnny Lampert at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 18 in our social hall. The event, Raise the Roof, will be an entertaining evening with an open bar, hors d’oeuvres, dancing, fun, and of course – comedy!

Lampert has made a name for himself around the country with club, television, and casino performances. He often appears at New York and Los Angeles clubs such as The Comic Strip, Caroline’s Comedy Club, and The Improv; and can be seen on TV with MTV, HBO Comedy Showcase, and Comedy Central, among others. Trump Plaza, Trump Castle, The Sands, and The Claridge are casinos that have welcomed Lampert to work with stars such as Dana Carvey and Chris Rock. Lampert has also performed at many Jewish events and is raved about by The Jewish Reporter. His success is expounded upon on his site, johnnylampert.com, and is the reason he was picked to entertain at Raise the Roof.

Tickets are available at Micah for $50 per person. Patron Levels are at the following prices and include two tickets to the show: $250 – Jackie Mason, $500 – Billy Crystal, $1,000 – Mel Brooks, $5,000 – Jerry Seinfeld. For more information, contact the Micah office at 615-377-9799 or at office@congregationmicah.org.

Videos of Johnny: 

Micah's B'nai Mitzvah Kids Featured in The Tablet

Sometimes we can get so distracted by the busy nature of our own lives that we miss all the myriad of ways that our wonderful congregation is reaching out to and affecting the larger community and world. Our Micah professional leadership is often just as busy around Nashville as they are at Micah, participating in boards, sitting on panels, and delivering lectures. But Micah's outreach into the community doesn't stop there. Even our religious school teachers and students are having an incredible effect on the larger community.  Check it out!

  

 

From Tablet Magazine - Written by Marjorie Ingall 

     "...At Congregation Micah in Nashville, Tenn., teacher Rachel Tawil Kenyon ensures that there's Jewish perspective and pedagogical value to mitzvah projects. She told me, "Stuff is more tangible to kids than money. We just did a collection for Children's Family Services and the YES program that ended up with maybe $1,000 in school supplies, but that doesn't mean much to kids. What matters to them is seeing the pencils, and carrying the backpacks out to my car. They can wrap their brains around that much more easily than [the abstract notion] of a dollar."

     Last year, Kenyon's seventh-graders did a project to help a local shelter for battered women. "We started with an education component, talking about domestic violence," Kenyon said. "What you learn about relationships as a teenager affects your relationships later. We've had a representative from a shelter and a former resident come speak. The kids learn about what you might need if you flee your house with nothing but a backpack. Even upper-income women may not have access to money. So, we make care baskets-personal hygiene stuff. The girls get really into getting hair products. Kids will say, 'iPhones!' and then we say, 'OK, if we can't give them iPhones, what can we do?' We get them calling cards. And we keep impressing on the kids that our projects are not about going home and asking your parents for money, though they may choose to give some of their bar or bat mitzvah money."

     Kenyon has her students do independent research and interviews, then do a Shabbat presentation to the group about their cause. "Suddenly they feel personally connected," she said. "I grew up in a theater family, and I know that for adults who don't go to the theater as a child, it's like pulling teeth to get them to go as adults. But if you start as a kid, you grow up to be a theatergoer. Doing something well now makes it become second nature."...."

Click here to read the full story.

Yom Hashoah Commemoration: April 7

Join us for the community-wide Yom Hashoah Commemoration from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 7 at Micah.

Local rabbinic and cantorial leaders will join together for the day, accompanied by pianist Russell Davis. Cellist Michael Samis will be a featured performer.

The Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Middle Tennessee are co-sponsoring the event. Contact our office for more information!