Heska Amuna Synagogue has served the Jewish community of Knoxville, Tennessee for over 130 years. We balance respect for tradition with openness to new ideas and practices. We come together as a family in the warmth of Shabbes, the spirituality of Jewish holy days, and the sharing of life’s important passages. We are small enough to be personal, but large enough to meet the needs of a diverse membership. We emphasize education and pride ourselves on the skills of our adult lay leadership and on the accomplishments of our youth. We welcome all to be a part of our family.

It’s a pleasure to welcome back Rabbi Adam Rosenbaum to Heska Amuna just in time for our community seder. He proved to be an excellent master of all chaos. He will be in Knoxville through May 5th and will hold his “Lunch and Learn” (Wednesdays at 11:30) this week in person (and also via zoom). He will be leading Kabbalat Shabbat services at 6:30 pm this Friday in person (also on zoom, too). (See zoom links below).

Let’s Count the Omer Together!

This puzzle has 49 pieces, each representing one day of Counting the Omer. (Omer = a measure of barley offered at the Temple in days of old). Beginning the second night of Passover, we count 49 days that lead to Shavuot, the day the Ten Commandments were given on Mount Sinai. Just as our ancestors had these 49 days to prepare spiritually, we too have these days to contemplate our own personal journey to receiving the Ten Commandments.

A few years back, as President of our congregation, Jenifer Ohriner conceived of a wonderful way to use these days to think about and recognize those who help us on our own personal journeys or the journey of our community. We are now resuming her thoughtful program this year. Each week durig the Omer period we will focus on exploring specific Sefirot, personal emotions and qualities.

By giving a chai ($18) donation, or any amount you choose, share the names of those in our community or in your family who have helped you achieve your personal objectives and/or those of our synagogue. For this first week of Counting the Omer, we focused on chesed, loving kindness and benevolence. During this second week, we focus on gevurah, strength. Who in your life best represents this sefirah?

Each name that is added will help us put our Counting the Omer puzzle together. Donations received will be used to purchase copies of Lev Shalem, the siddur we use on zoom and will be using in person beginning this summer. Click *here* to add the names of those most meaningful to you. Chag Pesach Sameach!

OTHER SERVICES AND PROGRAMS THIS COMING WEEK:

  • Wednesday minyan at 6:30 led by Jack Love followed by Talmud Chat (zoom only, see link below).
  • May 1: Rabbi Rosenbaum’s Lunch and Learn, Wednesday, 11:30-12:30 (in-person and zoom, see link below)
  • NOTE IN-PERSON KABBALAT SHABBAT SERVICES THIS WEEK – Friday 6:30 pm: May 3: led by Rabbi Rosenbaum (in-person and zoom, see link below)
  • Saturday morning Text Study, 9:15 in the library (in-person only)
  • May 4: Traditional Shabbat services, 9:45 (in-person and zoom, see link below)

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO WORKED SO HARD, PRACTICED SKITS INTO THE NIGHT, AND JOINED US AT THE COMMUNITY SEDER. It was an evening to remember, for sure.

Thank you to the organizing team of Frank Floyd, Neil Meshorer, Jenny Wood, Rivka Soloway, and Rabbi Rosenbaum for bring everything together. A special shout out to Frank and Elizabeth Floyd for preparing what can only be described as a feast beyond measure; Rivka, Lev Gross-Comstock, and the Purple Horse Players (Rabbi, Laura Floyd, Kara Collins, Mary Linda Schwarzbart, Peggy Littmann, Neil, Marc Forman, Markus Eisenbach), cooking staff Janet Iversen, Sandy Parker, Catherine Eisenberg, Alice Farkas, Kara, and Peggy. If you have any ideas or suggestions for seders of the future, please contact us at RRS@HeskaAmuna.org. (And if you have any pictures you would like us to post, send those, too).

To contact Rabbi Rosenbaum: make an appointment with Rabbi here, email him here, or call (865)522-0701.

This week’s RABBI’s LUNCH & LEARN will be on Wednesday, 11:30-12:30 (click *here* to zoom in).
Recordings Now Available: Origins of the Passover Seder, a series led by Jack Love

Click *here* for session 1 notes, *here* for session 2 notes, and click *here* for session 3 notes.

Session 1: Passover in the Bible
What do the Torah and other books of the Bible require and describe as the proper celebration of the Passover holiday? Can we see how the holiday was observed in the historical sources written while the Temple stood (or shortly after its destruction)? Click *here* for a recording of this session.

Session 2: Passover in the Mishnah
What do our earliest rabbinic sources, Mishnah and Tosefta, tell us about the proper way to celebrate Passover? With a little help from our friends in the Gemara and the books of Midrash. Click *here* for a recording of this session.

Session 3: Passover in the Haggadah
What does the Haggadah tell us about the proper way to celebrate Passover? Can we even define a standard text of the Haggadah? Hint: In our house, we write our own! Click *here* for a recording of this session.

Shabbat Morning Text Study Continues!

Text study is led by William Thompson beginning at 9:15 in the synagogue library. Join us any Shabbat for intriguing discussion of Rabbi Rami Shapiro’s book. (We have extra copies if you would like to borrow one).

 

Our community connects in person for Shabbat Morning Services and on Zoom for services, adult learning classes and talks, podcasts, and meditations. Click *here* for our schedule of services and classes. (Please contact our office at 865-522-0701 or the Rabbi and Religious Services committee at  RRS@heskaamuna.org for details.)

Ongoing Services and Classes

  • Tuesdays 8:00 pm – Minyan (Zoom) *
  • Wednesdays 6:30 pm – Minyan (Zoom) *
  • Wednesdays 7:00 pm – Daf Yomi Talmud Study (Zoom) *
  • Fridays 6:30 pm – Kabbalat Shabbat Service (Zoom) *
  • Saturdays – Alternating Traditional (9:45 am) and Contemporary (10:00 am) Shabbat Morning Service (Zoom) ***

Click on Zoom next to a service or class above to join in at the indicated times.

* Zoom only – ** In person in synagogue only – *** Both in person in synagogue and Zoom

  • Heska Amuna Synagogue is a sacred home,
    animated by Jewish tradition:
  • • Finding purpose through reflection (Cheshbon HaNefesh);
  • • Healing lives through service (Chesed); and
  • • Celebrating God with awe and joy (Yirat Shamayim).