From a High Holiday Workout to Tashlich, Bubbles and Boats

The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta Invites the Community to Celebrate the New Year with New Ways to Replenish Mind, Body, and Soul

Although Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) represent three days of the High Holidays Season, the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA) hosts a variety of events in September, in preparation for the holidays, and throughout October, to embolden reflection and to inspire personal growth and change.

“The High Holidays encourage us to change up our routines and shake us from complacency, and the MJCCA offers a variety of meaningful events and programs to help us do just that; to nurture our body, our mind, and our spiritual health,” notes Rabbi Brian Glusman, director, outreach and engagement.

During the days leading up to Rosh Hashanah, MJCCA celebrates the tradition of blowing the shofar (ram’s horn) with Daily Shofar Blasts, Monday – Friday, at 11:00 am, through September 30, on Main Street at the MJCCA, Zaban Park (5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody).

To start the bodies pumping and the spirits soaring, the community is invited to a low-impact, High Holiday Workout on Thursday, September 29 from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm. This is a Zumba and Sha’bam dance/fitness class with simple moves and sassy music! Rabbi Glusman will share spiritual insights about Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and he will blow the shofar. The High Holiday Workout is free and open to the community. For more information contact Rachael Rinehart, director, total health at 678-812-4022 or rachael.rinehart@atlantajcc.org.

With Rosh Hashanah comes the traditional activity of eating apples dipped in honey and round challahs. To prepare for the New Year, A Healthy Taste of Rosh Hashanah is being held on Thursday, September 29, from 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm, for adults 21+ at the MJCCA’s Kuniansky Family Center. Healthy holiday choices combining Ashkenazi and Sephardic recipes will be featured. Advanced registration is required. For more information, contact Laura Ross at 678-812-3971, or visit atlantajcc.org for this and other culinary arts classes.

The Jewish tradition of Tashlich, when personal sins are symbolically cast away by throwing bread crumbs into a flowing body of water, will be celebrated at Tashlich, Bubbles and Boats. Families are invited to bring a picnic lunch, lawn chairs, bread crumbs and blankets to MJCCA’s Lake RB on Sunday, October 9, from 12:15 pm – 2:00 pm. There will be songs and blessings, and the sounding of the shofar. Boating and fishing will be available on Lake RB and the celebration is free and open to the community.

The High Holidays Season also sparks an interest in many to learn more about Judaism. The Lisa F. Brill Institute for Jewish Learning at the MJCCA offers courses including: Virtue, Vice and the Struggle to be Human, and The Spiritual Quest: Evolving Jewish Rituals, just two of the exciting, new classes held on Tuesday mornings, and open to the community and MJCCA members. For more information contact Dr. Shelley Buxbaum at 678-812-3723 or email brill.institute@atlantajcc.org.

On Thursday, October 13, from 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm, teens, their families, and the community, are invited to join together for the Teen House Sukkah Building event and to build the traditional Sukkah, constructed for use during the week-long Jewish festival of Sukkot. As part of the MJCCA’s Teen Community Service (TCS) program, teens will earn 1.5 community service hours. For more information, contact Paige Godfrey at 678-812-4082 or paige.godfrey@atlantajcc.org.

Family Pizza In The Hut is an event for boys and girls, ages 5+, and their families, on Sunday, October 16, from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm. Pizza made from scratch and a delicious dessert will be enjoyed in the Sukkah. Open to the community, the cost is $40 for MJCCA members and $65 for non-members, and the price includes a family of up to four people. For more information, contact Laura Ross at 678-812-3971 or laura.ross@atlantajcc.org. Advanced registration is required.

Sukkot, a pilgrimage holiday to celebrate the harvest, is a festival for joy. On Sunday, October 23, from 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm, families are invited to celebrate at MJCCA’s Sukkot Fall Harvest Festival. Hayrides, an apple scavenger hunt, Sukkot crafts, a petting zoo, PJ Library storytime, and seasonal food sampling are all on the docket of activities. The event is free and open to the community. For more information, contact Rabbi Brian Glusman at 678-812-4161 or email rabbi.glusman@atlantajcc.org.

To register for these events, or for more information on the High Holiday Season line-up of classes and events at the MJCCA, please visit atlantatjcc.org or call 678-812-4000.

About the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA)                                            

The MJCCA is committed to strengthening the quality of life throughout metro Atlanta and is recognized as one of the most highly regarded Jewish community centers in the nation. From preschoolers and adolescents to young adults and active seniors, the MJCCA offers unique and engaging programs, events, and services for every member of the community. For further information on the MJCCA, contact us at (678) 812-4000, or visit us online at www.atlantajcc.org.

Photo Courtesy of MJCCA

(1)    Leading up to Rosh Hashanah, MJCCA’s Rabbi Brian Glusman, blows the shofar (ram’s horn) daily, through September 30.