agenda There will be a joint Israel Independence Day celebration hosted by Temples Beth-El and Emanu-El on April 18 at 3 p.m., at Homewood Patriot Park. There will be food trucks, kids activities, music and an opportunity to send a virtual message to an Israeli soldier. B’nai Israel in Baton Rouge partnered with Albertson’s to host two vaccine clinics. The first one, held on Feb. 25 and March 25, vaccinated over 200 people, with another 100 vaccinated on March 17 and anticipating their second dose on April 14. The next Krispy Kreme Round-Up outside Ahavas Chesed in Mobile will be on April 25 at 10:30 a.m. Bring a chair. Springhill Avenue Temple in Mobile will have a Zoom concert, “To Life!” on April 25 at 4 p.m. The concert will feature Christopher Powell and Mollie Adams, along with Demi Vanderwerff from the Music Department of the Pensacola State College. They will perform music that reflects different experiences of life, love, loss, spirituality, joy, and sorrow, including “To Life!” from “Fiddler on the Roof.” The concert will be comprised of both Jewish and secular music and will also include original music by Powell. A link for the concert will be emailed to the membership a few days before the actual event. MB Listens will have a Facebook Live forum with the Jewish Community Relations Council to hear from members of the Jewish community and their experiences with growing up Jewish and living in Mountain Brook. Lillian Lalo of CBS 42 will moderate the panel discussion, May 2 at 3 p.m. MB Listens is a grassroots group that was formed last fall to promote greater diversity and acceptance in a suburb not known for being diverse, and which has historically had issues of antisemitism in the schools. Beth Shalom in Baton Rouge will hold an Israeli-themed community Havdalah on the front lawn, April 17 at 6 p.m. Ze’ev Orenstein, Director of International Affairs of the City of David, will lead participants from the Mobile Area Jewish Federation on a City of David virtual tour, April 25 at 10:30 a.m. He will lead a tour of Jerusalem’s newest archaeological discoveries. Pre-registration will be required. B’nai Israel in Baton Rouge will have an outdoor, socially-distanced Lag B’Omer Shabbat Tailgate Service on April 30 at 6 p.m., followed by a bring-your-own dinner. The service will also be available over Zoom. The Sisterhood of Temple Emanu-El in Dothan will have an in-person luncheon and business meeting on May 6 at noon at the Dothan Country Club. Temple B’nai Sholom in Huntsville will have a Zoom Shabbat service with Cantor Ted Labow, the congregation’s High Holy Days cantor, on April 16 at 7 p.m. While B’nai Sholom currently remains closed, on April 23 the first 35 to respond will be able to gather for an in-person Shabbat service in the outdoor green space, at 6 p.m., with social distancing, mobile devices for the PDF prayerbook, and masks. The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life’s next Virtual Vacations will be held on April 20 at 11 a.m., with a virtual trip through the small Jewish communities of the Mississippi Delta. The programs, which are open to the community, are streamed on the ISJL Facebook page, and are also available later on the Virtual Vacation website. Pensacola’s Temple Beth El will take part in this year’s Habitat for Humanity Interfaith Build, which will be held May 8, and May 12 to continued on page 28 8
April 2021 • Southern Jewish Life