Adult Learning

Upcoming Adult Learning Opportunities at Shaare Emeth

JDAIM Shabbat with Special Guest Musicians

side-by-side portraits of three musicians, from left to right: Rabbi Noah Diamondstein, eyes closed, singing and playing guitar; Eliana Light, holding a pink guitar in one hand and holding the other hand over her head in prayer; and Charlie Kramer, smiling broadly while playing guitar

Friday, February 16 • 5:30 p.m. Nosh • 6 p.m. Service in the Stiffman Sanctuary

Jewish Disabilities Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Shabbat with Rabbi Noah Diamondstein, Eliana Light, and Charlie Kramer

Join Shaare Emeth’s clergy and Musician-in-Residence Lucy Greenbaum as they welcome Rabbi Noah Diamondstein, Eliana Light, and Charlie Kramer, talented musicians, educators, and thinkers at the forefront of Jewish prayer, spirituality, and connection. In addition to participating musically, Charlie will deliver the evening’s sermon.

Amy Weinstein, our member and Jewish disability advocate, wrote a lovely article about the purpose and importance of JDAIM Shabbat. You can read it here >

More About JDAIM Shabbat

By Shelley Christensen, MA, from reformjudaism.org

Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance, and Inclusion Month (JDAIM) is a unified effort among Jewish organizations worldwide to raise awareness and foster acceptance and inclusion of people with disabilities and mental health conditions and those who love them.

JDAIM is a call to action for all of us to act in accordance with our Jewish values, honoring the gifts and strengths that we each possess.

Established in 2009 by the Jewish Special Education International Consortium, JDAIM is observed each February.

More About Our Special Guest Musicians

Rabbi Noah Diamondstein currently serves Temple Sinai in Washington, D.C., joining the clergy team there in the summer of 2020, having been freshly ordained from HUC-JIR. Noah was brought up in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in simultaneously the Conservative and Reform Movements. He was bar mitzvah-ed at the Conservative synagogue and attended URJ Camp Harlam, eventually serving on the staff. Noah is also a published Jewish musician. His first album, entitled “Ashira L’Adonai,” was released in January 2019 and produced by Dan Nichols. He has been featured as an Emerging Artist on Jewish Rock Radio and has traveled to Jewish communities nationwide as a guest service leader or artist-in-residence. You can find Noah’s music on Spotify, YouTube, or his website.

Eliana Light is working towards a world of One-ness, guided and inspired by Jewish heritage. She is the founder and head T’fillahsopher at the Light Lab and the co-host of the Light Lab podcast. She is also a sought-after songwriter and performer of catchy, content-rich tunes for all ages and has put out three albums of original music, with two new ones on the way. Eliana offers artist-in-residence weekends, learning, and professional development centered on making Jewish liturgy and prayer practice accessible and meaningful to all seekers. Eliana received her Masters in Jewish Experiential Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2016, and is based in Durham, North Carolina.

Charlie Kramer unites, magnetizes, and elevates those around him. Recently featured in USA Today, Charlie is a life coach for the Disabled, helping his clients gain vital self-advocacy skills, independence, and acceptance, and guiding them in effectively accomplishing their relationship and career goals. Charlie has traveled across North America, Israel, and Australia as a speaker, performer, and musical artist, sharing his talent and powerful message. He educates people on the importance of inclusion, equality, and radical self-acceptance. Learn more about Charlie on his website.

Texting Tuesdays

10–11 a.m. • Tuesdays in the Rubin Library Conference Room

Together we will use the wisdom of sacred Jewish texts and build a kehillah kedoshah that nurtures our minds, hearts and souls. Join us for as many as you are able – each week features a different topic and teacher. Texting Tuesdays is free. 

February 13 + 20 + 27 – The Power of Rest in a Non-Stop World

An Exploration of Abraham Joshua Heschel’s ‘The Sabbath’ with Rabbi Andrea Goldstein • During this three-week course we will read, discuss, and reflect on Rabbi Heschel’s ‘The Sabbath’ and learn how Shabbat can enhance and deepen our connection to the sacred. Having one’s own copy of The Sabbath by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel is strongly encouraged. Reading assignments will be sent out next week to those who register in advance. 

Winter Weather: January 14, 2024

Religious School Canceled

Due to the predicted weather forecast for Sunday, January 14, all Sunday Religious School programming has been canceled. We appreciate your understanding and support. The temple offices and our religious school will reopen on Tuesday, after the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday.