Message From The Rabbi

Rabbi Rachael Miller

By now I hope that you have had one or two lovely seders with family or friends.  

Many people take this time of year to clean their homes. Some of us also clean our files, our photos, our social media, and the list goes on and on. We do this to make room for new things, new experiences, and to create clean slate. 

Leading up to Passover this year, our teen board came together to clean up and rebrand. They decided it was time for something new. 
 
They’ve retired the TEFTY name and our teen programming will now be called TEchone, תִּיכוֹן, which simply means “High School.”   
  
In doing so, our teen leaders would like us to move beyond the TEFTY/NFTY versus BBYO “divide” that sometimes comes up in conversations. The purpose of Techone is exactly as the name implies, to gather as a group of high school-aged teens from Temple Emanu-El. Take it from a current Techone board member, Laura Pollock:   
  
“TEchone has been a fun and exciting way for me to stay close with my friends from religious school/confirmation and feel connected to my Temple Emanu-El community after my Bat Mitzvah. At the same time, BBYO has given me the opportunity to meet Jewish teens from all over Atlanta! I LOVE being part of both because they each offer something unique—TEchone is all about strengthening the bonds within our Temple family, while BBYO expands my Jewish community beyond it. Neither takes away from the other; instead, they both help me deepen my Jewish identity and high school experience in different but equally special ways. I’m so grateful for the amazing opportunities I have to stay connected with my Jewish community!”  
  
By the way: 8th grade families are receiving this email because we love to offer you the chance to check out our high school programs in the spring of your 8th grade year!  
  
Two more chances to gather this Spring:  
  
Pickleball at MJCCA Courts  
April 27th  
2:00pm  
Register Here 
 
Share Shabbat 
May 9th 
6:30pm  
Temple Emanu-El 
Register Here  

Shavua Tov, 

Rabbi Rachael